Memorial Day weekend marks the start of summer and long days spent sunning by a rooftop pool, dining at cookouts and embarking on new adventures. Welcome the season during the last weekend of May with a getaway to these 10 Forbes Travel Guide-approved properties spanning from Anguilla to Wisconsin. Go forth and have fun, just don’t forget the sunscreen.
Madeline Hotel and Residences, Auberge Resorts Collection, Telluride, Colorado
You might be surprised to find that Telluride’s summer contains just as much potential for adrenaline-fueled adventure as the winter ski season courtesy of the Five-Star hotel’s summer programming. Family fly-fishing and picnicking, ropes coursing, bungee jumping and tea trekking all await in the mountain town.
Rosewood Mayakoba, Riviera Maya
The summer breeze has carried Chicago to the shores of the Mexican Caribbean with Rosewood Mayakoba’s A Taste of Chicago in Riviera Maya. Enjoy activities led by the Windy City’s most acclaimed culinary talent along with a beachfront screening of Chicago-set classic Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, a Cubs game viewing at La Cantina’s version of Wrigleyville, a Chicago-style block party and a taco battle between visiting chef Rick Bayless and the Five-Star hotel’s executive chef, Edgar Chavez.
Four Seasons Resort Lanai, Hawaii
You’ll find the ultimate Memorial Day cookout at the Five-Star hotel with Big Green Egg expert and chef Jack Arnold. At the resort’s Saturday celebration, the Charlotte pitmaster (who has fired up the barbecue for pro athletes, celebrities and even a former U.S. president) will share his wisdom, family recipes and kiawe-wood-smoked brisket and Kahlua pork for you to savor as live music plays and the sun sets over the majestic Hulopoe Beach.
Welcome summer to the city atop The William Vale from the hotel’s rooftop pool — Brooklyn’s largest — or the nine-hole mini golf course. Also check out the hotel’s summer calendar, which is packed with salsa classes, floral arrangement workshops and monthly rooftop film screenings.
The American Club, Kohler, Wisconsin
The Five-Star hotel’s idyllic small-town charm makes it an ideal Memorial Day destination. Stay in a historic Tudor-style building on rolling hills; play on the multiple award-winning golf courses; relax in the custom-designed Kohler Waters Spa; and let the picturesque Kohler campus serve as the backdrop for activities that’ll transport you back to the days of summer camp, including kayaking, canoeing, tennis, sing-alongs and pickleball.
Solage, Auberge Resorts Collection, Napa
Party like a rock star at BottleRock, Napa Valley’s three-day music festival, with help from Solage’s corresponding weekend programming. The Four-Star hotel will host Saturday night’s most happening afterparty with tequila cocktails, tacos and twinkling lights, followed by recovery via IV nutrient therapy stations Sunday morning only to keep the festivities going that afternoon with a pool party with private cabana reservations available, lawn games and a DJ set.
Four Seasons Hotel at The Surf Club, Miami
Start the summer on a glamorous note. Miami’s former members-only club for Hollywood stars on holiday now operates as a Four Seasons hotel; however, the 77-room beachfront property lost none of its signature grandeur with design details like the rare green marbled mini-bars, the Italian terracotta runway that leads to the hotel bar and the overnight studio cabanas available for rent.
Tambo del Inka, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Urubamba, Peru
Begin your summer with an unforgettable adventure that starts at Tambo del Inka. Take a trip to Machu Picchu aboard a 1920s-style carriage that departs from the hotel’s private railway station. You’ll find no shortage of activities awaiting back at the luxurious base camp with “garden to table” dinners where you pluck produce from the hotel’s greenhouse and visits to the Kallpa Spa, which includes a hydrophytic circuit inspired by the Urubamba River that runs through the property.
Four Seasons Resort and Residences Anguilla
Wash away any lingering winter blues at the pristine shores of Four Seasons Resort and Residences Anguilla. The resort’s striking Mediterranean design, three pools (each with a sweeping view), 8,800-square-foot spa and luxurious accommodations (80 percent have ocean vistas) create a veritable paradise.
Stanly Ranch, Auberge Resorts Collection, Napa
Nothing smells more like summer than barbecue smoke. This holiday weekend, Stanly Ranch executive chef Garrison Price will tend to the grill to deliver a feast of dry-aged beef burgers, short rib sandwiches and for dessert, housemade ice cream. The ranch’s celebrations continue into the week with a pool party, stargazing and a group cycling excursion.
