Legion of Angels News Archive

Look online — there are travel deals everywhere.

CheapTickets.com is offering a $100 discount on packages to several beach destinations like Puerto Rico, Hawaii and California. Orbitz.com is offering 40 percent off international flights to the Caribbean, Italy and Spain. At Expedia.com, there are 50 percent discounts on hotels across the country.

It must be autumn. This time of year is when travel providers are looking to compensate for the decline in travel that inevitably follows summer’s peak. The Travel Industry Association says that 38 percent of trips are taken during the summer; the number drops sharply to 23 percent in fall. The discounts are also used as a way of spurring tourism in destinations where the crowds dissipate after the high season.

Consumers who shop for travel specifically during the off-season can reap the benefits, says Lorraine Sanders, an expert and blogger for the travel Web site Kayak.com.

“When you look at all the possible resources,” she says, “you’ll find savings you didn’t realize were there.”

Sanders recommends that consumers stay abreast of the latest sales by subscribing to weekly newsletters distributed by travel providers, which often list last-minute discounts. Another strategy is to request fare alerts via e-email from an airline that services certain destinations.

The best bets
Useful as these techniques many be, however, they won’t help much for travel to destinations where prices remain high throughout the fall, like New York and Chicago. For the biggest savings, consumers should look to beach spots in the U.S. and the Caribbean, where cooler temperatures mean fewer crowds.

Hotel rates in these regions are expected to drop as much as 40 percent, according to a recent forecast by CheapTickets.com. In Miami, hotel rates will likely shrink by 33 percent to an average daily rate of $110. The Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau also maintains a list of hotel and resort deals, which includes complimentary nights and food and gas credits.

On Mexico’s Riviera Maya, where tourists can lounge on sandy beaches and visit archaeological ruins at an ancient Mayan city nearby, a hotel room will cost an average of $219, a savings of 23 percent over peak-season prices.

“You can get unbelievable bargains in these destinations,” says Heather Leisman, senior director of merchandising for CheapTickets.

The only caveat of visiting destinations on the Gulf Coast or Caribbean this time of year is that they can easily be interrupted by a hurricane. If that risk outweighs the benefit, less-expensive getaways in Europe are a great alternative.

Think outside the continent
The Azores Islands, a Portuguese archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, offer hurricane-wary travelers the chance to enjoy a warm-weather island vacation after summer passes. Paying European prices to golf and sail may not seem like a bargain, but getting to the Azores can be. Regional air carrier Azores Express is offering a fall package that includes round-trip airfare from Boston and six nights of lodging at one of six country inns, starting at $979 per person.

Iceland also isn’t a conventional pick for a fall vacation, but it offers an affordable, off-the-beaten-path experience in Europe. With the krona dropping in value against the euro and discounted airfares from Iceland Air going for as little as $478 from New York, it’s an ideal destination for those who enjoy hiking, kayaking and sport fishing.

If Europe seems a bit too far and the planning too involved, Kathy Krawiec, assistant director of AAA New York, suggests that travelers look into cruises. Not only do cruises offer predictability in pricing, purchasing an all-inclusive package and departing from a nearby port — instead of flying to one — can save consumers hundreds of dollars on top of the seasonal discounts.

The other advantage of cruises is there’s no shortage of options. For a multi-day tour of Canada and New England departing from New York City, Norwegian has cut prices to $249 per person. If warm and sunny is more appealing than cool Northeast weather, Carnival is offering three-day trips from Florida to the Bahamas starting at $199 per person.

With so many options, it might be hard to choose. But Lorraine Sanders of Kayak warns against hesitating. “If you’re not on top of things,” she says, “those fares will be gone quickly.”

Source — MSNBC

Judging by the plethora of new products unveiled at the Superzoo Pet Expo held in Las Vegas earlier this month, the spotlight was undoubtedly safety, rather than frivolous luxury goods and gadgetry for pets on the go.

For instance, fashion took on a different look when the Sherpa Pet Group, renowned for their airline-friendly carriers, launched a new range of clothing and accessories featuring Lunabrite light technology which offers excellent reflective light to make pets visible at night.

This new patented technology is powered by ambient room light or direct sunlight and can glow brightly for up to 12 hours without having to be recharged.

The line features stylish black jackets with the technology built in to the trim. There are collars, leashes, harnesses and special click-and-go safety rings to put around your dog’s neck during an evening walk.

“It’s much safer that removing his regular collar and ID to replace it with a glow in the dark collar,” says Sherpa’s Nicola Plevin. It’s perfect for pet owners to wear around their necks too.”

And to initiate games and exercise after dark, the latest toys also glow and change color. Dogs at the expo were enjoying the Niteize’s new Meteorlight ball, which puts a lot of bounce into canine fun.

A must-have for the traveler is The Fur Fighter. It does a better job than a lint roller at removing stubborn fur from car upholstery and clothing — and remove traces of furry hotel guests.

For travelers with older or arthritic pets that have difficulty getting in and out of vehicles, comes help with the Otto Step, which can be fitted permanently to the back of your truck or SUV and can support pets up to 200 pounds. It’s easily removable and can be stored in the vehicle when not in use.

For dogs that enjoy the great outdoors, there’s a variety of new gear from Jeep, including a well-designed doggie backpack that gives a whole new meaning to the doggie bag.

Available in very trendy camouflage or hot pink, it features two deep zippered pockets, perfect for storing dog treats and toys, is well lined to promote comfort for the wearer, and comes with easily adjustable web straps.

Their latest carrier style known as the Urban Sling is being touted as the perfect mode of transport for little dogs that can’t keep up with the pace. Worn like a stylish messenger bag, pets can sit comfortably and enjoy the surroundings from the look-out opening or zip up the mesh frontage to keep bugs at bay. … And leave it to a car company to design a booster car set for smaller pets with a built-in seat warmer for when the weather turns cold.

Fido hungry? Petzen introduced the Dog-to-Go the portable Chowpal — a elevated eating platform that can be set up anywhere. Its self-contained doggie kitchen is complete with two stainless steel bowls, a water bottle, and lots of space for food and supplies — it even comes with a dinner mat and features an adjustable shoulder strap for easy carrying.

Canine heatstroke can be a big problem for many traveling pets, and veterinarians are endorsing the patented jacket called the Chillybuddy, which can reduce body temperatures by 30 percent — or protect pets with thin hair from sunburn.

Similarly, to keep pets warm, the Doggy Back Jacket from Warm Wiskers is a snug coat with a small toy that secures onto the jacket. It can be removed and warmed in the microwave to provide additional soothing heat for pets that suffer from painful stiff joins and muscles, and can be frozen to provide for cold therapy.

Numerous new companies are also climbing on the bandwagon offering pet passports to help owners keep track of their pet’s medical history, vaccination records and microchip information.

“Health and ID tag records can be invaluable in preparing for the unexpected, as well as giving pet owners peace of mind knowing they are prepared for any emergency,” says Roger Hoyt, CEO of My Documents Inc. His company also sells key chain tags to alert people that if the pet owner is in an accident that they have pets at home that need attention.

The latest leash designs also focused on providing additional safety features. Take the Seat Belt Leash, which attaches to a dog’s harness and has a universal latch that buckles directly into the car’s seat belt to keep pets restrained. Its padded handle provides extra comfort, a zippered pocket keeps money or keys safe, and a reflective stripe aids for night visibility.

Other designs featured add-ons that went around the wearer’s waist, allowing them to walk hands-free, as well as designs for several dogs at a time. The emphasis is on allowing your dog a bit of leeway without pulling and causing neck strain — and for arthritic pet owners who struggle to attach a leash to a collar or harness, the latest magnetic attachments will prove very comfortable to use.

Finally, one product that caused a lot of buzz was actually for the house-bound pet with no travel plans. The DogTread motorized exercise treadmill is available in three sizes, can be programmed for distance and speeds up to five miles an hour, and even has a space for doggy treats and a water bowl to spur your pooch on during his workout.

A Jack Russell terrier named Jack was only too keen to demonstrate. His owner said, “since he started exercising on the treadmill he’s lost his couch potato bulges and is looking quite buff.”

That may very well have been the case, but to on-lookers it looked as if he was only working out for treats.

Source — MSNBC

With persistent energy costs turning green habits from trend into standing policy, environmental measures that would have dazzled just a few years ago are becoming as expected and unimpressive as compact fluorescent light bulbs. You’d be hard-pressed to find a Motel 6 or truck stop without some level of green certification.

In a bit of a shock, this year’s Sustained Excellence award winner from the Environmental Protection Agency went to New York City’s downtown Marriott. Yes, that Marriott—in the sweltering asphalt of Manhattan’s Financial District. Insiders, however, weren’t surprised. Marriott announced a company-wide policy to cut energy consumption (not just costs) by 25 percent by 2017; they’ve also debuted “spudware,” biodegradable cutlery made from potato and soy, and turned golf courses into Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuaries.

With corporate titans making very public efforts to go green, it’s little surprise that some self-described Friends of the Environment aren’t what they claim to be. One hotel whose brochure claimed to be “eco-friendly” was backed up in practice by nothing more than an optional recycling program. Such puffery—called “green-washing”—is hampering the industry and the larger environmental movement. It always pays to double-check a hotel’s credentials and give so-called green thumbs the white-glove treatment.

Still, even in the last year, great strides have been made. Going green now entails more than unwashed towels and unlikely flavors of organic toothpaste. Sustainability is an important criterion for eco-conscious travelers—and not just for visitors from San Francisco and Vermont. At the Wyland Waikiki in Hawaii, for example, guests are treated to the largest collection of work by renowned marine artist Robert Wyland, whose murals of sea life are meant to inspire environmental preservation.

For your inner pedicured cowboy, Montana’s Bison Quest Sanctuary and Spa reconnects guests with wildlife through encounters with a buffalo herd. “We’ve had a bison herd for well over a decade,” says Pam Knowles, wildlife biologist and founder of the private sanctuary, “and it has become obvious to us over the years that people are fascinated with bison in a natural setting.” The 480-acre private ranch plans on staying small and sustainable in Big Sky country. “We currently have one cabin and two tipis, with the second cabin slated to be finished this fall,” Knowles says. “We don’t plan to ever be bigger than that.”

Though staying green is often about staying small and sustainable, many big urban hotels (like the Marriott) are getting in on the act. The Seaport Hotel in Boston, for example, boasts chemical-free, electrolyzed water instead of bleach for cleaning. Management also composts food waste with the first BioX decomposing system in New England and uses its purchasing power to encourage other industries to go green by buying from environmentally sound suppliers. And by cultivating an on-site herb and vegetable garden, they reduce their dependence on outside suppliers even more.

Clearly, if straight-laced Boston can be just as environmental as flowery San Francisco (where the Hotel Triton, a Kimpton hotel, has led the eco-charge), environmentalism is gaining traction in the public awareness. The same could be said for Arkansas, where the Lookout Point Inn in Hot Springs has got it going on, ecologically speaking. There, old sheets and towels are donated to charity and unused paper products are given to the staff. Having a natural hot spring to take a warm soak in also helps cut heating costs.

Heating costs may be low by default in sunny Key West, but the Banyan Resort still goes green with a solar-powered pool, a deck made from recycled lumber and grounds that are xeriscaped. That is, landscaped with water-conserving plants. Throughout the country, hotels’ growing array of eco-innovations provides inspiration to hoteliers and guests alike.

Source — MSNBC

HONOLULU - Two pilots for Hawaii’s Go airlines who slept through their flight’s landing procedure were suspended for the careless and reckless operation of an aircraft, the Federal Aviation Administration said Tuesday.

The pilots, who have been fired by Go, completed their suspensions on Sept. 9, FAA spokesman Ian Gregor said. He did not know whether they are flying again with a different carrier.

Captain Scott Oltman, 54, who was also cited for failing to maintain radio communications, had his license suspended for 60 days. First Officer Dillon Shepley, 24, was suspended for 45 days.

Gregor said no action was taken against Go because it did nothing wrong and provided the pilots with a 15-hour break before their shift, nearly double what the FAA requires.

The National Transportation Safety Board had determined the two pilots fell asleep on the Feb. 13 flight from Honolulu to Hilo.

Oltman was later diagnosed with a severe obstructive sleep apnea. It causes people to stop breathing repeatedly, preventing a restful night of sleep.

However, it was still unclear how both pilots fell asleep on the brief midmorning flight, which was carrying 40 passengers.

No problems were found after examining the aircraft’s pressurization system and carbon monoxide levels.

The pilots failed to respond to nearly a dozen calls from air traffic controllers over a span of 17 minutes.

In recordings obtained by The Associated Press, the controller is heard repeatedly trying to contact the pilots and talks to the pilot of another Go flight in hopes of reaching Flight 1002.

“I’m worried he might be in an emergency situation,” the controller says.

Finally, about 44 minutes into what is usually a 45-minute flight, the controller was able to establish radio contact. By that time, the plane had passed the airport at Hilo by 15 miles, and the controller ordered the flight crew to return.

The pilots were able to reverse course and landed safely at Hilo International Airport.

Go is an inter-island carrier run by Phoenix-based Mesa Air Group Inc. It declined to comment on the suspensions.

Source — MSNBC

After a euphoric two-hour massage, you sip a hibiscus tea, slip out of your plush white robe, and float out of the spa. Stepping outside, you inhale deeply. Immediately, your lungs fill with polluted air. A nearby jackhammer smashes your piece of mind. And a bike messenger nearly runs over your foot. So much for serenity now … or ever.

To truly recover a sound mind and body, you need equally sound surroundings. So we dug up 10 remote spas that combine nature and nurture. Even better, their deep commitment to sound environmental practices ensures that the beautiful surroundings will stay that way for future generations of your children’s stressed-out children. From the Atlas Mountains of Morocco to the seaside cliffs of California, a higher consciousness is available to even the most extravagant of spagoers. Now that’s what we call a happy ending.

For a complete slideshow of the World’s Best Eco-Spas, click here.

1. Machu Picchu, Peru

The spa: UNU Spa at Inkaterra

Green peace: Few places on earth are as spiritually whole as Machu Picchu—or as physically fragile. The Inca Trail is overtrodden, the Andean rain forests are being depleted, and more than 200 indigenous species are endangered. The UNU Spa at Inkaterra, an 85-room hotel a single day’s hike from the ruins, addresses these earthly problems as it tends to its visitors’ souls. The 12 forested acres play host to more than 160 species of birds, one of the world’s most extensive collections of orchids, and all botanicals used for UNU’s spa treatments. The spa is 100 percent carbon-neutral, meaning that all CO2 emissions it produces are offset by a combination of renewable energy—in this case, hydroelectricity—and reforestation projects that protect 30,000 acres of rain forest. The spa treatments draw on Andean ingredients and ideas: Soothe your feet after a long hike with a treatment of natural mint and mountain lemon. Or mellow out in a candlelit Andean sauna, a eucalyptus hut in which stones from local rivers are heated to produce steam. Also on the menu is face massage using serpentine, an Andean gemstone believed to help one retrieve ancient wisdom. Sure, it’s a heady doctrine, but chances are, after arriving at the cloud forest, meandering through the wild orchids, and pondering the mysteries of the ancient Incas, things will start to make sense.

Signature treatment: The two-hour Inka Purification uses the stimulating effects of the coca leaf (yes, that coca leaf) in the form of oils, masks, and creams to detoxify and improve blood circulation ($105).

Inkaterra Machu Picchu
Tel: 800 442 5042
Doubles from $274

2. Jackson Hole, Wyoming

The spa: Chill Spa at Hotel Terra

Green peace: Ski resorts like to play it green with their fresh pine smell and outdoorsy types wearing plaid. But the nasty truth is they’ve taken a serious toll on the environment: Think diesel-run lifts and mountainsides clear-cut for ski runs. The Teton Village’s Hotel Terra is trying to change that way of thinking. Its modern glass and granite design complements the glory of the adjacent Teton Mountains so beautifully that you’d never guess most of those gleaming materials (including steel, concrete, and roof shingles) are actually recycled. From the lobby’s low VOC (volatile organic compound) carpets all the way up to the rooftop spa, the eco is in the details. The robes are organic cotton, the hangers bamboo, and the handmade spa products are all organic. Behind the scenes, chemical-free cleaning supplies and biodegradable garbage bags keep up appearances, and a filtration system collects water runoff, purifies it, and slowly releases it back into nature. These efforts have made Hotel Terra one of the few hotels in the nation to secure the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED certification. So refill your reusable bottle at a water station, sit back in the spa’s plein air saltwater hot tub, and take in the panoramic view of the majestic landscape that your stay is helping to protect.

Signature treatment: The medicinal herb arnica, grown organically, infuses both the massage oil and scrub used as part of the Restore treatment, which focuses on invigorating fatigued muscles ($255–$310).

Hotel Terra
Tel: 800 631 6281
Doubles from $229

3. Rajasthan, India

The spa: Amanbagh

Green peace: Set in India’s arid Aravalli Hills, Amanbagh’s pink sandstone palace houses 40 sprawling suites with domed ceilings and private courtyards set amid aromatic eucalyptus trees. At first glance, the only thing green at this ultra-luxurious resort are the bathtubs, cut from a single slab of emerald Udaipur marble. But there’s more eco-consciousness here than meets the eye. The $600-a-night villa you’re staying in is swept with brooms made from local grass and fallen palms. Recycled tea, flour, and rice sacks act as trash receptacles, and food scraps are donated to local pig farmers. Five acres of pesticide-free grounds supply much of the food, including free range chickens. As for the spa, it’s dedicated to ayurvedic and reiki treatments—which both focus on holistic healing and imbue indulgence with a sense of balance. Ayurvedic massages, for instance, release deep-seated toxins for elimination through the body’s natural processes. The therapists themselves play a central role, living on the grounds that they carefully maintain, and growing vegetables and flowers in a garden irrigated with purified wastewater.

Signature treatment: From threading to henna body painting, Indian beauty regimens abound, but go for the Reiki ($76), to help you get in tune with all that “spiritual energy” you lost on the unending flight over.

Amanbagh
Tel: 800 477 9180
Suites from $600

4. Imlil, Morocco

The spa: Kasbah du Toubkal

Green peace: The Kasbah du Toubkal is run by Mike and Chris McHugo with the help of the local Berber community, an innately eco-friendly crew. The brothers converted the home of a feudal official into the lodge in 1995 to give travelers access to its awe-inspiring perch at the base of North Africa’s tallest peak, Mount Toubkal. Upon arrival, you’ll hike 15 minutes through apple, cherry, and walnut groves to your room, while your luggage is taken on a fuel-free mule ride. Exquisite local touches like rose water to cleanse your face and hands and addictive mint tea enhance the welcome. The authentic hammam here is as much a cultural experience as it is an indulgence, with a steam room and cold plunge pool perfect for relieving trek-sore muscles. At night, wood-burning fires and candles supply the glow, curbing light pollution and making it easier to see the stars. The hotel adds a five-percent per-guest surcharge to help fund a community hammam, irrigation systems, and a village telephone booth. The environmental community has taken notice, giving the hotel numerous awards, including one for responsible tourism from the Moroccan Ministry of Tourism.

Signature treatment: After a long trek through the steep slopes, nothing soothes your muscles better than a hammam steam amid the quiet of untouched nature.

Kasbah du Toubkal
Tel: 33 5 49 05 01 35
Doubles from $230

5. Big Sur, California

The spa: Post Ranch Inn

Green peace: The Post Ranch Inn sits on 100 acres along the storied Highway 1, but only ten percent of those acres have been developed. The rest of the land is used for preservation programs for indigenous species like the red-legged frog and California condor. The part of the land that is developed barely looks it. “Biostructure” architecture blends buildings into their environment, such as cliffside guesthouses with hill-shaped roofs covered in flowering sod (which helps reduce the loss of heat) and outdoor hot tubs carved right into granite boulders. Tree houses are built on stilts to protect the fragile roots of redwoods and oaks, and heating and cooling units switch off when doors are opened. The spa uses active organic ingredients in its oils, body butters, bath salts, and skincare products, some solar-infused with the fragrance of local flowers and all containing medicinal herbs, minerals, and natural fruit acids found on site. The hippy dippy spirit is alive and well with shamans on call for “illumination,” “soul retrieval,” and “divination.” Or you can just chill in your rustic-luxe accommodations, which belie all preconceived notions of an “earth-friendly” compound. Being green is no sacrifice when you’re getting an in-room massage beside your own private fireplace.

Signature treatment: Pollinating honey from Post Ranch flowers, a resident beekeeper and her 18 hives supply the main ingredient for the spa’s soothing facials ($125).

Post Ranch Inn
Tel: 800 527 2200
Doubles from $550

6. Enniscorthy, Ireland

The spa: Monart

Green peace: Green may be among the first things that come to mind when you say “Ireland,” but it’s rarely the eco kind. Hotelier Liam Griffin set out to change that in 2005 when he opened the country’s first destination spa. Spread over 100 acres of, yes, green woodlands in County Wexford, Monart reintegrated every tree felled for construction back into the design. An energy-management system monitors light and heat in every room via photocell sensors that detect the time of day outside. Local timber chips are burned for warmth and electricity, cutting oil out of the equation. And the oil used in cooking is recycled into biodiesel fuel. But none of that gets in the way of the spa’s mission of relieving stress (you can also book a bespoke program focused on weight loss, detox, or anti-aging). A salt-steam grotto softens the skin and improves respiratory function; a caldarium overlooking a waterfall has dry-heat that promotes relaxation. Two saunas, an aromatic eucalyptus steam room, a hydrotherapy pool, and a mud chamber round out the spread.

Signature treatment: The Dry Flotation beds inflate and cocoon around you like a water bed and give you the feeling of weightlessness ($75). The spa claims a one-hour treatment provides the therapeutic equivalent of 15 hours of regular rest.

Monart
Tel: 353 53 92 38999
Packages from $387 per person for a weekend stay

7. Styria, Austria

The spa: Rogner Bad Blumau

Green peace: Channel the old European tradition of a holiday dedicated to bathing at the quirky Rogner Bad Blumau spa, which appears to have grown from the grassy hills that cover and envelop it. Inspired by well-known Austrian architect Friedensreich Hundertwasser, whose biomorphic work has been compared to Gaudí’s, the property is a Seussian wonderland of green (as in eco) roofs, spires, and brightly painted facades. The hub is the central, circular spa known for its milk, saffron, and honey treatments, though the series of outdoor baths are equally popular. Water for the restorative treatments comes from the Vulkania curative spring; known as the warmest and most highly mineralized source in the region, the water self-purifies through its high carbon-dioxide content. Hundertwasser believed in “life in harmony with nature,” so electricity and heat for the spa is derived from the same healing waters, using geothermal technology. Operating solely on green energy has the same effect as removing 2,700 cars from the streets each year. A portion of each night’s stay is donated to a World Wildlife Fund project to protect almost 100,000 acres of Amazonian rainforest. In spite of all these earthly concerns, the hotel’s playful design keeps the mood both light and relaxing.

Signature treatment: During the relaxing Blumau Sound Massage, a therapist places brass bowls on the body and then hits them to create resonant vibrations deep within ($130). Live instruments are played for a polyphonic experience.

Rogner Bad Blumau
Tel: 43 3383 5100
Doubles from $365

8. La Fortuna de San Carlos, Costa Rica

The spa: Tabacón Grand Thermal Spa Resort

Green peace: It’s hard not to think about the environment when you awaken each morning in a rain forest beside mineral springs in the shadow of a volcano. Tabacón uses that ecological trifecta to its advantage: All treatments are performed in outdoor pavilions amid the privacy of dense greenery to a real-life soundtrack of rushing water, twittering birds, and howler monkeys. The spa includes locally grown coffee, sugar, coconut, and chocolate in some treatments, but its main focus is on mud. The near-endless supplies of naturally warm, mineral-rich volcanic goop has long been favored by locals to soothe aches, improve circulation, and soften skin; the spa incorporates it into soothing massages and body wraps. The on-site springs provide additional therapy, relaxing muscles and boosting oxygen flow through the skin. The mineral-rich waterfalls and pools are kept warm naturally—anywhere from 80 to 104 degrees—courtesy of the active Arenal Volcano. That same water ends up in all of the showerheads and taps on site, eliminating the need for artificial heating systems. All outdoor and guest-room lights have low-energy bulbs and operate via sensors, so they click off when not in use. Tabacón hopes that these initiatives—combined with the development of hydroelectric power systems and the planting of trees to offset emissions—will allow it to be carbon-neutral by next year.

Signature treatment: The 75-minute Tabacón massage begins with a series of bends and stretches to regulate energy flow and concludes with a volcanic mud massage ($160).

Tabacón Grand Thermal Spa Resort
Tel: 877 277 8291
Doubles from $260

9. Vabbinfaru, Maldives

The spa: Banyan Tree Maldives Vabbinfaru

Green peace: For Banyan Tree, going green made good business sense: The resort is located at a top dive site, so protecting the ocean environment was crucial. The efforts started with construction: building materials arrived via small boats so as not to disturb the shallow-water marine life, and villas were constructed on the footprint of the island’s previous property to preserve trees and prevent beach erosion. Today, an on-site marine lab assists in coral regeneration and the conservation of green sea turtles. Guests can help too by documenting sea species that are on the verge of extinction. Any oil used for power is piped in, so oil tankers stay far from shore, and water is filtered through an ecologically sound desalination process. But there’s no need to stress over your CFCs and VOCs: The green factor is just a subtle current in an all-around luxury-focused experience. So as you lie under a thatched-roof cabana while a masseuse uses herb-filled pouches to rub your body with warm sesame oil, there’s no need to curb your appetite for excessive well-being.

Signature treatment: The Javanese Lulur, a 17th-century pre-wedding practice, starts with a deep-tissue massage followed by a turmeric scrub and cool yogurt splash for the skin ($205).

Banyan Tree Maldives
Tel: 960 664 3147
Villas start from $1,050

10. Chichén Itzá, Yucatán, Mexico

The spa: Yaxkin Spa at the Hacienda Chichen Resort

Green peace: If the body is a temple, Yaxkin can help you worship it. Seeking to reunite your soul with nature, this holistic center located just a five-minute walk from the world’s most famous Mayan site is devoted to health and healing through earthy elements. Native wild Melipona honey, cacao, avocado, and aloe vera are parlayed into toxin-ridding treatments believed to invigorate one’s spirit and body. After a hike through Chichén Itzá, have another religious experience with a steam in an ancient zumpul-che, or sweat bath, inside a sacred cave. The spa’s owners approach the environment with an equal sense of reverence. Processed waste becomes fertilizer, and used kitchen water nourishes plants in the jungle. The recycling extends to the building itself: Conquistadors built the hacienda in the 16th century using old stones from a Mayan temple. More modern eco-advances include biodegradable cleaning and laundry products—safe for the underground well—and décor that mixes in reclaimed furniture. Even the souvenirs are environmentally friendly: popular wood carvings are made from a special grove of gumbo-limbo trees that the hotel then replants. Recycle, renew, and check the bird refuge.

Signature treatment: A warm raw-sugar and cacao-butter massage and a brushing of chocolate and coconut oil make the Kakaw ritual good enough for the gods, though it might leave you feeling a bit like a human Almond Joy ($120).

Hacienda Chichen
Tel: 877 631 4005
Doubles from $165

Source — MSNBC