Daily Pampering: The Curtain Bluff Babymoon

Pregnancy is already challenging enough, especially if you’re a first-timer. Moms- and dads-to-be alike need a break from the doctor’s appointments, planning and anxiety that come with bringing a new life into the world. So, when you measure the future in centimeters (you’ll get it if you’re expecting) instead of miles, it’s hard to imagine getting on a plane, regardless of how attractive the destination is.

Before pampering takes on a new meaning – and it will – book a babymoon to Curtain Bluff. The resort, located in Antigua, takes all the thinking out of your vacation, thanks to the all-inclusive pricing. Reserve your stay and your flight, and then just show up. Sleep comfortably in your junior suite (while sleeping is still an option), and have dinner on your balcony overlooking the Caribbean Sea. Sprawl out in the sand, get on a boat or take a swim. Enjoy the last days of pre-parental life with each other.

The spa at Curtain Bluff has prenatal treatments, so be sure to book at least one trip to this den of luxury while you’re in Antigua. The massages are unbeatable, and the skilled professionals know how to navigate both male and female bodies, pregnant and otherwise.

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Get your daily dose of pampering right here.

Beat the cold at Le Domaine de Lonvilliers this Valentine’s Day

The tough part about Valentine’s Day is that it’s in February, making the weather too cold to do anything really fun outside. So, trade in the snow for a spot on the beach this year. Le Domaine de Lonvilliers on St. Martin is offering a great new package. Spend three nights at the resort (free room upgrade based on availability), and receive roundtrip boat transfer from the airport, a bottle of champagne upon arrival and a 30-minute massage for you and your companion. Enjoy a dinner by candlelight to make the experience perfect.

This unique deal is only available through February 2010 — which is hardly surprising at a price of $1,290 per couple. That’s a small price to pay to combine romantic bliss and an escape from the cold.

Five new Los Cabos hotels: some open, some coming soon

Last year was a busy one for the tourism business in Los Cabos, Mexico. Despite the unmistakable impact of the H1N1 swine flu virus on the region’s action in the spring and summer, there were plenty of exciting developments, including the opening of five new hotels. You now have plenty of choices when you head out to Los Cabos, which just happens to be a great place to unwind.

1. Barcelo Los Cabos Palace Deluxe
The Barcelo’s doors opened in December 2009, and San Jose del Cabo will never be the same. The resort has 626 luxurious suites, ranging in size from 1,125 square feet to 2,168 square feet … but this just doesn’t compare to the 34 swim-up suites. There are three pools on the property, covering more than 50,000 square feet, and a water park specifically for children. The spa has 16 private treatment cabins and a hydrotherapy room. So, the all-inclusive, all-suite resort is designed to impress.

2. Zoëtry Casa del Mar
There are only 42 suites at the hacienda-style beachfront boutique … and the hotel is designed to make sure the spectacular Pacific sunset is in full view from across the resort. The resort has been open since the first day of December, and it’s main draw might have something to do with the exceptionally large suites with Jacuzzis, Rivolta bedding and private balconies. Access to the Cabo Real Golf Course, designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr., probably doesn’t hurt.

3. Capella Pedregal
Open since July, the Capella Pedregal has 66 rooms and residences in its Cabo San Lucas Marina location. Enjoy amazing views of the Sea of Cortes and the Pacific Ocean from this resort, which occupies 24 acres of mountainside and oceanfront property. If there’s a view you want, chances are you’ll find it at the Capella.

4. Sirena del Mar (coming in 2010)
This Welk Resort property consists of seven acres of luxury, high on the cliffs above Cabo San Lucas. Every villa has an oceanfront view, and you’ll be able to see whales from December through March. Located in the middle of downtown Cabo San Lucas, you’ll have easy access to the city and nightlife, but it won’t be hard to beat a retreat back to unparalleled comfort and seclusion.

5. Grand Solmar Land’s End Resort & Spa (coming in 2011)
The latest venture from Solmar Hotels & Resorts, the Grand Solmar Land’s End Resort & Spa is planning to fuse old world architecture with modern style.

Destination spas hard up for guests, slashing prices

Upscale spas may not be accustomed to offering deep discounts, but the current economic situation has left them little choice. As a result, you’ll be able to take advantage of some fantastic deals and go to spas that might be out of reach otherwise. Live like the wealthy (used to) for a few days.

For the top shops in the spa business, the International Spa Association (ISPA) says that visits are down and shorter, and the people who are coming are spending less. Day spa trips are becoming more common than destination alternatives, which has kicked the industry into “survival mode.”

To bring more spa-regulars – and first-timers – in the door, several spas around the country are going to extraordinary lengths. The Lake Austin Spa Resort in Texas is offering a third and fourth night free for guests booking two nights (arriving on Sunday). Reservations must be made before October 15, 2009 for trips to be taken by the end of the year. Miraval Resort, outside Tucson, Arizona, has a $275 daily special (per person) through October 14 that includes almost everything (except spa treatments and taxes). And, Canyon Ranch, also near Tucson, is offering 15 percent off an all-inclusive package for first-time guests visiting by December 23. Visit between November 29 and December 23, and you could pick up a 30 percent discount.

Looking to make your first destination spa trip? Now is clearly the time to do it.

Maldives President proposes green tax for tourists

The Maldives, an archipelago of over 1000 islands in the Indian Ocean known for their stunning beauty and expensive, luxurious resorts, aren’t exactly cheap to visit. And they aren’t about to get any cheaper. The President of the Maldives has proposed a $3 per day “green tax” on tourists.

The tax would help fund the President’s plans for fighting climate change and for making the Maldives a carbon-neutral country within the next decade. He has a vested interest in stopping global warming – the Maldives are the lowest-lying islands on the planet, with an average elevation of only 7 feet above sea level, and it is estimated that they could be completely submerged by rising sea levels within the next ten years.

With an average of 700,000 visitors, who each stay around three days, visiting the Maldives annually, the tax could provide the country with over $6 million per year for environmental initiatives. With most resorts in the Maldives costing $500 (or much more) per night, $3 per person, per day is a small price to pay to help protect this vulnerable country from the dangers of climate change.