The Landings, St. Lucia
There’s a new girl-power spa concept from the all-villa Landings Resort and Spa in Saint Lucia (the first country to be named after a woman). Sure, the flight’s a splurge (and a trek), but a few days of chilling on a white sand beach sipping rum and pineapple, capped off with spa treatments that send regenerative love to the vag, should melt away the stress of the jaunt. The spa uses female-made KaKo Organic products. Massages range from cramp or menopausal relief compression treatments to the premiere Diamond Well-Living Massage, which employs chia and seaweed to reset everything from insomnia to blood glucose levels to the sex drive.
One and Only Palmilla
The luxe One&Only Palmilla resort in Los Cabos has recruited four celebrated emerging Mexican chefs for their new monthly Culinary Art Series. For three days, guest chefs take the helm at Agua (the resort’s oceanfront eatery), guiding foodies on a culinary hopscotch through Mexico. November 25-27, Karen Drijanski and her son will deliver tastes from her Mexico City breakfast hotspot Niddo (fingers crossed they serve up some chilaquiles). Don’t miss December 20-22 when Valle de Guadalupe’s famed Fauna chef David Castro brings his distinctive flair (and hopefully his charred octopus). 2022’s series culminates December 26-28 with Xóchitl Valdéz of Merida’s Pancho Maíz, which pays homage to the ancient Mayan maiz criollo (a native corn). You don’t have to spring for the hotel if you are in town, but reservations are a must!
Rancho Villa
Todos Santos’ newest posh resort, Rancho Pescadero, is now open. Oceanfront rooms are gussied up in desert hues, some even boasting private soaking pools. Chill all day at the massive apostrophe-shaped pool fronting the Pacific, stroll the ranch’s fruit trees and educational gardens, or sample the organic goodies grown onsite at their three restaurants. This month, sea turtle hatchery season begins—volunteers can help restore coastal habitat and guide baby turtles to the ocean under the epic night sky of southern Baja. While in town, don’t skip Javier Placencia’s Sunday barbeque at his alfresco Jazamango.
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Bring the pooch and your hiking shoes to Joshua Tree’s newest digs, The Bungalows by Homestead Modern. The 14 new one-bedroom suites unify indoors and outdoors with massive floor-to-ceiling windows facing the native jojoba and creosote landscaping. Kitchenettes are stocked with organic goodies like Public Goods almond cookies and Wonder Lake coffee beans. After a day of hiking along the trippy rock formations of Joshua Tree’s Discovery Trail, soak in cold and hot pools, then trek up to Pappy And Harriet’s, where acts like Os Mutantes and Ramblin’ Jack Elliot take the stage later this month.
