Travel News: 15 Reasons to Travel in November 2017

The Caribbean finally gets some good news with the November opening of the Park Hyatt St. Kitts. Located within the 2,500-acre Christophe Harbour development, the resort marks Park Hyatt’s debut in the Caribbean. All 78 rooms and 48 suites will overlook the beach of Banana Bay and will have luxe touches such as deep soaking tubs and private balconies and terraces; the over-the-top, three-bedroom presidential villa boasts an infinity pool, wellness area, personal butler, and private chef.

Dining venues range from a colonial home with a chef’s table and rum bar to a waterfront, ocean-to-table seafood spot designed to look like the huts and berths that once lined the coast. The Sugar Mill Spa & Sanctuary is certain to be the destination for wellness on the island, with nine treatment rooms, a 24-hour gym, and daily yoga and meditation sessions.

From $450; stkitts.park.hyatt.com.

To meet a growing demand for polar travel, Silversea has extensively refurbished its Silver Cloud ship as an ultra-luxury ice-class expedition vessel. With the highest space to guest and crew ratios in expedition cruising, the Silver Cloud raises the bar for high-end adventure.

All 254 rooms come with butler service and 80 percent feature terraces for viewing calving glaciers and playful penguins. A fleet of 16 Zodiacs allow for intimate explorations by day. After trekking across tundra and whale watching, guests can indulge with a six-course dinner at the world’s southernmost Relais & Châteaux restaurant. The inaugural 16-night Antarctic voyage departs November 15.

From $16,500; silversea.com.

The wellness destination for Hollywood’s elite is even more in demand now that the spa at the Peninsula Beverly Hills has a coveted In-Skin machine. The state-of-the-art, six-in-one facial technology utilizes oxygen, diamond tip microdermabrasion, radio frequency, air massage, electroporation, and an LED face mask to leave skin smoother and brighter.

The 120-minute treatment can be customized based on skincare needs and the device also stores data so your therapist can create a long-term maintenance routine based on results.

$1,500; beverlyhills.peninsula.com.

Originally built in 1958 by the father of Miami Modern architecture, the Carillon Miami was the favored address of stars such as Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis. For a brief time, Canyon Ranch took over the property before it was rebranded Carillon Miami Wellness Resort.

Now, a $10-million makeover is bringing the resort back to its heyday glamour ahead of its 60th anniversary next year. The renovation includes a new oceanfront restaurant, a Rat Pack-inspired lounge and bar, a new lobby, refreshed rooms, and the closest event space to the beach in Miami. The 70,000-square-foot spa, one of the largest spas in the country, is already considered the best in Miami.

From $599; carillonhotel.com.

The only Relais & Châteaux property in the Dominican Republic, Eden Roc at Cap Cana will welcome chef Thomas Keller for a one-of-a-kind Gastronomy & Golf Weekend on November 15-19. The package will feature a lineup of events hosted by chef Keller, including a cocktail reception, dinner party, and a golf outing at the world-renowned Jack Nicklaus Signature Punta Espada Golf Course.

Guests can choose to stay in a luxury pool junior suite, luxury pool one-bedroom suite, or a beachfront one- bedroom suite. The package includes a 50-minute massage, a cooking class with the resort’s chefs, and a cookbook autographed by chef Keller.

From $5,000 for two adults; edenroccapcana.com.

The Ventana Inn & Spa has undergone a multimillion-dollar revamp and has reopened under the Alila Hotel & Resorts brand. Big Sur’s beloved adults-only retreat still maintains a rustic feel, but fresh touches to its 59 bleached cedar rooms include rich leathers and macramé wall hangings. Loyal guests will appreciate the addition of an Alila Spa, complete with an infinity-edge hot tub, Japanese baths, and two outdoor cabanas overlooking the redwood forest.

Alila has also added a glamping experience featuring 15 safari-style tents spread across 20 acres of forest. Glampers receive custom-curated picnic baskets and s’mores kits at turndown; for an additional $100, they can access the spa, pools, and fitness center.

Rooms from $675; Glampsites from $325; alilahotels.com.

A tranquil eco-hideaway on the banks of Koggala Lake, Tri is the ideal place to unplug. Now, guests can take over the property for family reunions, weddings, corporate events, and wellness retreats. Tri can accommodate up to 22 guests in 11 stylish suites and villas.

Theatrical alfresco dining experiences feature traditional Sri Lankan flavors and the hotel can organize entertainment ranging from local musicians to indigenous "Devil Dancers." Known for its wellness offerings, Tri’s spa team can create customized programs that combine yoga, Ayurvedic spa treatments, and nourishing meals. Groups looking for cultural immersion can take a tuk-tuk to Galle Fort or learn to make hoppers, a local coconut and rice crepe, during a cookery demonstration.

Buy outs from $3,800 per night; trilanka.com.

The former general manager of London’s popular Zetter has rethought the traditional hotel for the modern day traveler with his new Paddington project, the Pilgrm. A coffee house-inspired café replaces the typical lobby, serving cold pressed juice, espresso drinks, and pastries.

The 73 minimalist rooms range from compact 75-square-foot bunk rooms to 150-square-foot spaces furnished with 200-year-old mahogany parquet floors, original cast iron radiators, Tom Dixon carpets, and Marshall speakers. Cocktails will be a big draw, with a bar program featuring drink recipes exclusively loaned to the Pilgrm from the world’s top mixologists.

From $130; thepilgrm.com.

The Kimpton Rowan Palm Springs, the anchor of the city’s major downtown renovation, opens November 15. The 153-room desert escape is the first full-scale hotel built in the area in decades. The aesthetic, no surprise, is a nod the region’s iconic Mid-century Modern style, with clean-lined furniture and funky art.

A Mediterranean café and farm-to-table restaurant are primed to be foodie hotspots. Palm Springs is known for its pool scenes, and the Rowan’s is sure to be buzzy. The only rooftop pool in the city, it will boast six luxury cabanas, killer cocktails and Coachella Valley craft brews, and views of the San Jacinto Mountains.

From $189; rowanpalmsprings.com.

The three-Michelin star Restaurant at Meadowood’s annual holiday dinner series is arguably the most coveted reservation of the year. The event pairs some of the world’s top chefs with Napa Valley’s tops wines. After a hiatus last year, the popular 12 Days of Christmas is back, with a line-up of talents including Tokyo’s Yoshi Takazawa and Eric Werner of Hartwood in Tulum.

Each night, beginning December 8, a guest chef collaborates with the Meadowood kitchen on a tasting menu paired with wines from Napa’s most coveted vineyards. This year, the Restaurant will donate $2,000 in honor of each participating chef plus 10 percent of every dinner ticket sold to a local non-profit providing scholarships for children. Guests are also encouraged to bring unwrapped toys that will be distributed to fire departments throughout Napa Valley.

Dinner from $500, including wine; therestaurantatmeadowood.com.

Set on a secluded beach at the edge of Yala National Park in southern Sri Lanka, Resplendent Ceylon’s new Wild Coast Tented Lodge offers guests a dream base from which to spot the country’s elusive leopard.

The camp is already being touted the country’s most architecturally striking hotel, with 36 cocoon-shaped tents situated around watering holes so guests can watch wildlife from the comfort of private viewing decks.

Like all Resplendent Ceylon properties, Wild Tented Lodge boasts Relais & Châteaux credentials; expect delicious meals inspired by the Malay cuisine of the neighboring village.

From $924; resplendentceylon.com.

Almanac Barcelona provides design-savvy travelers stylish new digs from which to explore the shops, restaurants, and museums along nearby Passeig de Gràcia. The first in a collection of properties from boutique brand Almanac, the 91-room hotel was born from a renovation of two neighboring buildings from two different eras.

Award-winning interior designer Jaime Beriestain is responsible for the gold-hued rooms, accented with oak, walnut, and white marble from Ibiza. A rooftop bar serves cocktails and traditional bites, such as gamba roja, but only guests can soak in panoramic city views from the exclusive rooftop pool. Guests who like the Almanac vibe can expect to see outposts in European cities including Vienna, Prague, and Budapest over the next few years.

From $500; almanachotels.com.

Set on 840 acres and surrounded by medieval ruins and walled gardens, storied castle hotel Adare Manor begins a new legacy when it reopens November 2, following the largest restoration project of its kind in Ireland.

The building’s distinctive Neo-Gothic architecture remains the same, but inside, guests will find spruced up period pieces and modern touches including standalone tubs and sensor-activated light dimmers. A new 42-bedroom west wing brings the room total to 104 keys. Golf will be a huge draw, with the new Tom Fazio-designed course expected to be a bucket list destination. Culinary enhancements include the Tack Room bar, with a menu of local craft beers and rare whiskeys, and The Oak Room, a prix fixe, fine dining restaurant with Michelin aspirations.

From $380; adaremanor.com.

Troutbeck, a historic country estate in Amenia, New York, has been brought back to life under new owner Anthony Champalimaud. The son of lauded designer Alexandra Champalimaud enlisted his mother’s talents to help reimagine the storied 18th-century property, once a favored retreat for guests including Mark Twain, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and Ernest Hemingway.

The original main Manor House, with its stone-clad exterior and slate roof, has 17 charming rooms, while two renovated buildings house an additional 16 rooms. Local Hudson Valley farms, breweries, and distilleries will be showcased on the menus of the Dining Room and copper-topped bar.

From $295; troutbeck.com.

One Ocean Expeditions has added a third ship to its fleet. The RCGS Resolute, named after the HMS Resolute, a British Royal Navy Arctic exploration vessel, will embark on its inaugural 10-night voyage November 6.

Every cabin on the 146-passenger ship, the most luxe in the fleet, boasts 237-square-feet of living space, while palatial One Ocean Suites span 473 square feet. The original polar explorers would be envious of modern comforts including a salt water plunge pool, wellness center, Finnish sauna, fitness center, and five-course, wine paired meals. Following the Antarctic season, the ship will cruise to new destinations including Panama, Costa Rica, Scotland, Iceland, the Chilean Fjords, and Cuba.

From $10,995; oneoceanexpeditions.com.