Where to Next: Beach Bound

Amanyara, Turks + Caicos

Where to Next is The Local Foreigner’s guide to traveling in 2021, highlighting hotels destinations, and activities that are open and accessible to American travelers during the transitional period between the pandemic and the eventual return to round-the-world travel.

This winter’s relentless snow has a lot of us reconsidering our current cold-climate lifestyle, so we mean it when we say we need a beach vacation. So grab your swim trunks and your SPF…the only thing frozen in these locations is served in a glass with a salted rim.

BEACH BOUND

"THE SEA, ONCE IT CASTS ITS SPELL,
HOLDS ONE IN ITS NET OF WONDER FOREVER”

Jacques Yves Cousteau

Cuixmala

Mexico

A kaleidoscope of culture, cuisine, and complex affairs, Mexico fascinates travelers with its complicated layers. In a country where everything carries profound meaning, windswept history bleeds into the everyday facets of contemporary life, a giant tidal wave of existence crashing between the latitudes of tradition and change. It would take years to comprehend the profundity of wealth each corner of Mexico hides behind its humble facades, but hear one chord of the guitarron and you’ll begin to understand the magic.

Cuixmala

Costalegre

Once the private home of Franco-British billionaire Sir James Goldsmith, this whimsical wonderland combines Mexican and North African architecture to striking effect. Outdoors, the fantasy atmosphere is enhanced by riots of bougainvillea and herds of roaming zebra; inside the secluded suites, bungalows, villas, and casitas, vibrant furnishings pop against smooth, cool white walls and floors, creating an environment of highly curated and very tasteful whimsy. An organic garden, sea turtle sanctuary, and clouds of pink flamingos complete this eccentric, fanciful Eden.

Esencia

Riviera Maya

If you’re the type of traveler who already owns a closet full of colorful boho caftans perfect for the ‘gram, Esencia is beckoning. Esencia is all about sophisticated luxury and confident design – bright white walls and low-slung couches with pops of color make for a style we’d term mid-century Mexican, add to that thatched palapas and a panoply of macramed hammocks drifting in the breeze…if you catch us daydreaming at our desks, we’re most likely mentally at Esencia.

Four Seasons Los Cabos at Costa Palmas

Los Cabos

Far from the Cabo madding crowd, along the glittering Sea of Cortez, the Four Seasons Los Cabos at Costa Palmas brings a new face to Baja California tourism. The 164-room property is a contemporary feat of modern Mexico, where classic Four Seasons subtlety pairs well with local textiles sourced from Guadalajara and the Baja Peninsula. Amenities run the gamut, from six outdoor pools, to five dining venues, to an off-campus adventure team, though the resort’s best feature may be the highly coveted swimmable beach.

Four Seasons Resort Hualalai

Hawaii

America’s island paradise, Hawaii is a dreamy destination where the beauty of the Pacific and the comfort of American familiarity combine to create a beloved vacation destination for families, couples, and friend groups. Each island offers a uniquely Hawaiian experience – there’s old meets new on Oahu, family-fun on Maui, adventure on Kauai, luxury and wellness on Lanai, and pure relaxation on the Big Island. Wherever you are, the warm spirit of aloha will greet you with open arms.

Four Seasons Maui

Wailea

When it opened in 1990, the Four Seasons Maui put Wailea on the map as a resort destination. Though much has changed since then, the Four Seasons still boasts the best location on the beach in Wailea, and stands poised as one of Hawaii’s most beloved properties. After a multi-million dollar renovation in 2016, the beachfront stunner features airy, marble-clad guest rooms, varied dining options, and enough amenities to attract families, couples, and friend groups.

Four Seasons Hualalai

Kailua Kona

Four Seasons Hualalai is a 243-room brand-name hotel in a tried-and-true vacation destination that somehow pulls off the trick of feeling like your little secret. The magic at Hualalai is that this is no leis-and-luaus Big Island big box; the experiences draw on subtler cultural and natural touchstones – sandalwood oil from Háloa Áina’s native Hawaiian 'Iliahi forest on the slopes of Mauna Loa shows up next to your massage table, while rock salt from the local volcanic salt flats lends a mineral zing to the catch of the day. Sure, there are other fish in the sea, but every time our imagination starts wandering west, we find ourselves dreaming of Hualalai.

Four Seasons Lanai

Manele Bay

More like a private-island experience than the typical Hawaiian beach resort, the Four Seasons Lanai feels worlds always from civilization — despite being a mere nine miles from Maui. The 213-room resort entices guests with its impeccably decorated South Pacific inspired guest rooms and bevy of fantastic amenities, including two lagoon-style pools, a protected marine reserve, buzzy dining venues like Nobu and Malibu Farm, and a Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course. If you’re not in the mood to while your days away at the beach (though this is highly suggested), try your hand at archery, scuba diving, horseback riding, or 4X4 off-roading.

Belmond Cap Juluca

Anguilla

A 16 mile stretch of pure Caribbean paradise, Anguilla is all about R&R. Not for the stir-crazy, Anguilla is a destination to set down your bags, kick up your feet, and lay on the beach -- there are 33 to choose from, after all. With friendly locals, a surprisingly diverse dining scene, and storied hotels, Anguilla is a dream beach vacation, come to life.

Cap Juluca

Maundays bay

Cap Juluca’s unmistakable Moorish exteriors give way to interiors that reflect its Caribbean locale. Arabasque tiles and lantern pendants are meticulously mixed with navy damask and flaxen ropework to create a look that’s uniquely Cap Julucan. Outside, the marshmallow-white sand of Maundays Bay stretches in a perfect crescent, as palm trees strung with hammocks create the quintessential island vibe. On-site dining includes a decades-old island institution, an upscale Italian eatery inspired by the Belmond’s sister property in Venice, and a toes-in-the-sand beach bar that's perfect for sunset cocktails.

Four Seasons Anguilla

Barnes bay

The only resort on the Anguilla that fronts two beaches, this chic property features a soothing neutral palette, which works in harmony with the surrounding striking blue ocean. Excellent snorkeling and three pools ensure plenty of water time, but those who prefer land based activities can take advantage of the hotel's award winning spa and outdoor sports pavilion. No trip to Anguilla is complete without grabbing sushi and sundowners at the on-site Sunset Lounge.

Como Parrot Cay

Turks + Caicos

Beach bums beware: Turks and Caicos will ruin you for life. The island chain, a mere 20 miles southeast of the Bahamian archipelago is best known for its sugary sands and placid blue pools, which are best enjoyed with a side of conch...cracked, curried, or creole.

COMO Parrot Cay

Parrot Cay

A private island resort with a health and wellness focus, the 75-room COMO Parrot Cay is one of the most luxurious resorts in Turks + Caicos. The sprawling 1,000-acre property offers guests unrivaled privacy in a tranquil atmosphere. The standout feature is the COMO Shambhala spa, a world renowned wellness facility with a yoga pavilion, pilates studio, numerous treatment rooms, and an in-house Ayurvedic doctor. The holistic theme continues in restaurants, where chefs happily cater to individual dietary restrictions. Rooms have a simple Balinese style and high-end amenities, while the resort’s private villas have luxe features like outdoor showers and private pools.

Amanyara

Providenciales

Surrounded by mangroves on Providenciales’ secluded Northwest Point, Amanyara feels worlds away from the Caribbean. Its pavilion style accommodations and quiet reflecting pools evoke the distant shores of Bali or Phuket, while its coved beaches and rocky shoreline are reminiscent of Greece. No matter where Amanyara transports you, relaxation is sure to be found -- the hotel’s wellness facilities are among the best in Turks + Caicos.

Mustique, St. Vincent and the Grenadines

Mustique

Once the most private of private islands - where you had to be known and pre-approved to even be granted landing rights at the tiny airport (and it helped to be royal, too)- Mustique has evolved into the same thing only different. It's open to everyone but still feels like a best-kept secret. The laid-back island is a mere three and a half miles square, sparingly sprinkled with villas ranging from small, breeze-filled hideaways created 40 years ago by chief architect, Oliver Messel, to extravagantly chic abodes that could easily pass as boutique resorts. However, there is in fact only one hotel on Mustique and only one bar worth going to- Basil's, of course!

Yemanja

Mustique

With a name that pays homage to the Brazilian Candomble goddess of the sea, it’s easy to imagine Yemanja’s best attributes – thatched roof rotundas, cotton fringed hammocks, raffia hewn wall art. The eight bedroom villa sprawls across seven hilltop acres, with a curving infinity pool extending 300 feet above the sea. Its sweeping views of Macaroni Beach are framed by flowering frangipani trees – a postcard perfect invitation to explore the rest of the island. Spend your days aboard the Lady Anne, the property’s beloved 38 foot boat, enjoy private picnic lunches on the beach, and belly up to the bar for Basil’s famed Wednesday night jump ups.