Elite Traveler HRS 2016-2017

elite traveler HOTELS, RESORTS & SPAS 2016/2017 5

Time out, time off, time to chill…Downtime has become a non-negotiable element in our lives. The way we live now is so varied, so demanding, so full-on that we all need, occasionally, to stand back, distance ourselves fromour daily routines, stare into space a little, and perhaps find time to taste the coffee and smell the roses. Not only does it help us feel refreshed, but we performbetter afterward. For this issue, spa guru Jo Foley muses on the importance of choosing how to spend that precious downtime – playing golf, fishing, pandering to our inner gourmand or simply lying by a pool. This is why Elite Traveler ’s annual Hotels, Resorts & Spas guide becomes such an important part in that decision-making process. Caribbean sunsets, Pacific explorations, European cities, African safaris, Indian indulgences, or simply learning to relax and refresh: Wherever we opt to go has, as part of its DNA, a spa offering – somewhere quiet, somewhere serene, somewhere where there is time to think only of ourselves, even if it’s just for an hour (though hopefully for a day or even longer). Spas have become an essential element of hotels and resorts, places to escape to, where we can take a frazzled mind and a tense body, and where the power of touch and calm surroundings can help soothe our spirits and smooth our aches and pains – put simply, places of indulgence, to enjoy. Because we’re worth it… and because we need it. Time out. As always, if there’s a destination you think we should visit, please drop us a line at editorial@elitetraveler.com Welcome

On the cover Grand Velas Los Cabos, Los Cabos, Mexico. Turn to p53 for more information. velasresorts.com loscabos.grandvelas.com

Elite Traveler tip One signature of the Elite Traveler editorial has been our timeless pursuit of the inside intelligence that makes life easier. Watch out for this symbol throughout the magazine.

From top: Banyan Tree Spa Sanctuary; Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit; Corinthia Hotel