Hotels Where You Can Learn Something New

At the Grand Hyatt in Rio guests are welcome to join a number of educational opportunities including cooking classes that focus on perfecting regional sweets. During the class, which takes place every Saturday at 3 p.m., guests will learn how to make brigadeiro, “casadinho,” and “coconut kiss” with the hotel’s own pastry chef. To then burn off all those cookie calories, guest can meet up with Zayra Costam, the hotel’s carioca dancing teacher, for a one-hour class that will have you shaking your hips like a pro.

At the Andaz Mayakoba guests are invited to learn the delicate craft of rolling cigars. During the class, the teacher Don Pipo, who originally hails from Cuba, will demonstrate the right techniques to getting the perfect role, which materials someone should use and explain just what type of leaf will give off the most pronounced flavors. And, Pipo may even pour students a class of whiskey, coñac, tequila, Ron Zacapa (his favorite) and brandy to enjoy along the way.

Le Barthélemy Hotel & Spa, which just reopened its doors in October of 2018 following Hurricane Irma, is looking for guests to help in their new coral restoration program. The hurricane devastated the region, the hotel, and the surrounding natural reef. But, Le Barthélemy is helping it make a major comeback by teaching guests how to snorkel and how to hand-plant coral pieces in the reserve in front of the hotel. During a lesson, guests may come face-to-face with indigenous turtles, fish, and other marine wildlife, who are surely there to thank you for doing something wonderful to preserve their world.

Huntington Beach is a well-known surf mecca, so much so that its nickname is “Surf City USA.” Along the shores, there’s no better place to stay than The Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort and Spa as it’s the only resort in Huntington Beach with direct beach access. There, guests can learn how to paddle out and hang 10 in its resident surf school—Toes on the Nose. And, for anyone brave enough to take on the waves in the winter, the hotel offers up the “California Double” package, where adventure junkies can surf and ski in the same day.

Pop a bit of bubbly and learn to taste Champagne like a master sommelier at the brand new Relais & Chateaux Royal Champagne Hotel & Spa. The hotel, which sits nestled amongst the rolling vineyards of the Champagne wine region, is now teaching guests how to master the skill of identifying different notes, flavors, and the perfect champagne cuisine pairings with its chief sommelier Daniel Pires. During the class, guests will also learn more about the UNESCO region’s history and why it’s so important to the spirits industry.

Put on your cowgirl hat and boots and grab your lady friends because it’s time to learn how to line dance. The Eldorado Resort in Reno Tahoe is now offering complimentary line dancing lessons for women every other Friday night in their on-property club-turned-country bar NoVi. The class, taught by a resident instructor, will teach guests the classics like the two-step. During the dance party guests can enjoy a few drink specials like the Watermelon Crawl and Boot Scootin’ Boogie, to loosen them up before hitting the real dance floor that night.

Travelers staying on U River Cruises, a floating boutique hotel that sails through Europe’s most sought-after riverways, can partake in a number of classes, but perhaps the most relaxing is its paint and wine class. The class, which comes included with their stay, will teach guests how to paint with a step-by-step demonstration by the teacher and will pair it with selected locally-sourced wines from the regions they are visiting. At the end of the class, each guest will be able to take home their own masterpiece, along with all their new painting skills.

The Fairmont Dubai wants to make sure you never serve a boring cocktail again. In Dubai, guests are invited to take a master mixology class alongside the hotel’s award-winning bartenders. During the hands-on class, guests will step behind the bar with their mixology teacher and learn how to mix cocktails using all the right techniques. Best of all, the one-hour class includes three complimentary cocktails and food pairings too.