Mandarin Oriental, Milan. Credit: Mandarin Oriental, Milan
You’ve got the winter blues and you’re feeling the need to get some much-needed vitamin D. Well, we’ve got you covered. Here are five options for anyone in need of a rejuvenating vacation. Spring break doesn’t have to be only for college kids.
Milan
Head to Italy’s cosmopolitan center for an elegant European getaway this spring, where relaxation can be found, whether you’re exploring the paintings at Pinacoteca di Brera, standing beneath the breathtaking Duomo or going for some retail therapy at the famous Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II shopping arcade.
After all of that excitement, unwind at Mandarin Oriental, Milan. The Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star hotel’s Luxury Break package includes a credit (approximately $125) that can be applied to a meal — like at the onsite beautiful courtyard restaurant, Seta —or in the stellar Four-Star spa.
Wheatleigh, Credit: Wheatleigh
The Berkshires, Massachusetts
Enjoy a quiet escape at the Five-Star Wheatleigh in Lenox, Massachusetts. The 19th-century Italian-style mansion spills out over 22 luscious acres, surrounded by the Berkshires’ lakes and rolling mountains. With the clamor of Boston some 130 miles away, you and your significant other can properly unwind in one the resort’s 19 sophisticated rooms (soothing hues, deep tubs, Bang & Olufsen electronics) or indulge in an intimate seasonal dining experience at Five-Star The Dining Room at Wheatleigh by chef Jeffrey Thompson.
Hotel Agora Regency Sakai. Credit: Agora Hospitalites Co LTD
Osaka
If you’re looking for something a little different from your typical beachside spring break, the sights and sounds of this bustling Japanese city may be just what you need. Time things just right and you may even catch it blushing pink during cherry blossom season in late March. Take in the blooms from one of many hanami sites around the city, where locals traditionally picnic and celebrate nature’s annual wonders.
Allow the upscale Hotel Agora Regency Sakai to serve as your home during your stay. The Forbes Travel Guide Recommended hotel maintains urban, modern accommodations; seven dining options; a mist sauna; and the convenience of being connected to Regency Plaza shopping mall and Sakai train station.
The Chateaux Deer Valley. Credit: The Chateaux Deer Valley
Park City, Utah
Take advantage of a timely trip to the Beehive State for a powdery adventure. Oh, and don’t worry about the conditions — Park City averages more than 24 inches of snow in March and another 14.5 inches in April. With all of the white stuff covering the resort town, now might be a great time to try your hand at dog sledding, debut your Mikaela Shiffrin impersonation at Utah Olympic Park, rev up your engines on the snowmobile trails or head out on a romantic sunset sleigh ride.
Through April 8, Four-Star The Chateaux Deer Valley in Park City is providing a $300 resort credit to be used toward any of the activities above, onsite dining, spa services or ski rentals.
Eslite Hotel. Credit: Eslite Hotel
Taipei
Taiwan’s largest city may not be at the top of discussions surrounding Asia’s most romantic getaways, but Taipei would like you to know that it has more than a few charms. Romance Bridge, with its huge “Love” and “I Love You” signs, is one. Tamsui Fisherman’s Wharf, and its picture-perfect sunsets, is another.
And then there are properties like Eslite Hotel that set an amorous mode in a number of ways. The property offers 104 rooms packed with elegance (high ceilings, floor-to-ceiling windows, Bose speaker system), an upscale steakhouse and a lobby lounge filled with 5,000-plus books (Eslite started out as a bookseller, after all). Add in the fact the hotel sits within walking distance of the Songshan Cultural and Creative Park and an ecological pond and you have the perfect ending point after a great date.
