Banff Hotel, Alberta Canada

Stay in a castle on your next vacation to the Old World. Set in the Canadian Rockies, this luxury hotel outside of Alberta opened its doors in 1888.

banf hotel offers luxury in the candaian rockies
banf hotel offers luxury in the candaian rockies

Get a room with a view of the Bow river, then go relax in their newly renovated spa. Depending on the season, venture out doors for golf, world class fishing, or hit the local slopes at Norquay, Sunshine Village, or Lake Lake Louise.

Snowboarding Banff in the Canadian Rockies

Winter rates start at $259. Check out the executive Gold Floor option. With breakfast and evening buffet included, it’s worth the extra price.

Located: 405 Spray, Banff, Alberta
Reservations: 866-840-8402; www.fairmont.com/banffsprings

St. Barthelemy

This petite island in the French West Indies – once the whisperingly private enclave of Rothschilds, Rockefellers and artists the likes of Twyla Tharp, Mikhail Baryshnikov and Lauren Hutton – has become increasingly popular, with a seductive allure more powerful than ever. More villas dot the densely developing hillsides, more traffic certainly beep-beeps in Smart Cars and rusted Mini-Mokes, more epicurean bistros vie for your dining euro, and more breathlessly gorgeous, size-two French girls saunter the beaches seemingly unaware of their wow factor. Known as the trendy Caribbean destination for glamourazzi and celebrities, St. Barts actually provides an experience that is natural, uncontrived, elegantly casual and serene. It’s a safe, magical, warm and welcoming place. Whether you see yourself as Uma Thurman or Ugly Betty, being on St. Barts translates into losing inhibitions, stripping pretenses and inhaling confidence. The French call it bien-être – the state of well-being – and it can be addictive.

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