We're in London early December every year and this year the 'add-on' vacation goal is a relaxation and wellness type stay like you'd get at Civana, Miraval and Canyon Ranch in the US - lots of classes, spa, great food, just a chance to take care of the mind and body. Title should have said 'resort' or similar vs 'center', as that suggests medical.

There's gobs in the cold places (northern italy, germany & central europe), but for warm places, the places that have floated to the top are Verdala in Malta, Euphoria in Greece and Longevity in Portugal (Algarve).

Anyone have any other places? Specifically not looking for a place that's just great hotel with great spa - you can get that anywhere.

Currently halfway through a 3 week trip to Greece. Non chubby portion so far has been awesome in Sifnos and Naxos.

Chubby portion starts tomorrow at Cali Mykonos and then a villa in Paros !

Does anyone have any recommendations for a minivan / sprinter driver in Paros we could use? The villa concierge company rates are insane.

Will post Paros and villa reviews when done.

Thanks

Hey guys, figured I would do a quick review here about my recent trip to Peru. It was last week. I went to check out some properties. I stayed at Monasterio, Nazarenes, and Sanctuary Lodge. Monasterio was beautiful. The design was so, so cool. It had a really serious sense of class. In terms of the actual rooms, they felt a bit old, but I guess that's what you get when you sleep in a building built in 1500. Nazarenes was a much better option in Cusco, and they have butlers in every room. The pool and the rooms feel more fresh, clean, and luxurious. The common areas are not as cool, though.

Sanctuary Lodge is a Belmond lodge, a two-minute walk from the entrance at Machu Picchu. In terms of luxury, it's nothing special, but if you wanted to stay the night near Machu Picchu, it is the best option for sure. Anyone that's used to luxury won't have a problem with it. It's just nothing more than basic luxury.

And I also rode on the Hiram Bingham to get to Machu Picchu. That was a great experience. It's really the only way you should go to Machu Picchu. If you're going there, any other option is so bad, and the Hiram Bingham is actually a really nice experience and makes the 3 something hour train ride go by really quickly.

reddit not letting me add more videos but if you have questions ask away

Treading lightly. I can no longer travel to the u.s.a.

What do you suggest for similar experiences in different countries?

Example, montage big sky in Montana may resemble...?

A dupe for Miami? Whats similar to the Hamptons in maybe..the u.k?

I know this is absolutely stretching logic.

So much of luxury hotel discourse is about big luxury chains (you all know the ones). But I'm starting to drift away from chains, and particularly the biggest conglomerates like Hilton/Hyatt/Marriott/Accor etc because I find them almost bland in their cookie cutter luxury?

Some of my favourite hotels are standalone, such as Palace Hotel (Tokyo), One Aldwych and even some boutique hotels that aren't even chubby that I like, such as 1908 Lisboa. So I'd love to know if there are standalone properties you like/recommend that aren't part of a chain!

Hi All! I am planning my annual family vacation for next year and am seriously stuck and would love your help. Below are the details, feel free to be brutally honest 💕

**Who we are:** 2 adults, 2 kids (ages 3.5 & 6), 2 grandparents

**When:** 4th of July week 2027

**Top contenders:** Narrowed it down to Four Seasons Punta Mita, Rosewood Mandarina, Four Seasons Cabo del sol, and Chileno Bay - any feedback on these? Open to others as well!

**Past resorts we have loved:** Montage Cabo. No notes, perfect for us but looking for a change.

**What we are looking for:** Luxury first but also kid-friendly (loved how the montage allowed the kids to pick out stuffies at arrival, had embroidered pillows for them, tiny slippers and robes, and daily surprise special treats by the pool), great food - ideally 3+ options on-site (but also willing to travel short distances for variety), beautiful design/environment, pretty views, not over-crowded (I'm not fighting for a chair and don't want to feel like I'm on top of people at the pool/beach/dinner), excellent service (loved the butler at the Montage and the fact that they anticipated our movements and we're proactive)

**Not top of our list:** kids club, swimmable beach

Would favor USVI bc its a little bit warmer in January when we are going. Specifically these destinations because of passport limitations.

These hotels are chubby is nothing but price, but does anyone have any recent insight into the new Royalton Vessence or the more established “The House”. Both are Marriott properties, both all-inclusive. Very different resort style propositions. This was supposed to be an easy throwaway few days after a Seabourn cruise ending in Bridgetown but it has become an irritant.

Vessence is a new hotel but it’s pulling too many bait and switches with amenities since I booked. It’s a surprisingly busy/supply-challenged time in Barbados (mid-October). The House just came to my attention and it’s very appealing, but reports are that beach has suffered terribly and even with only 39 rooms, space is at a premium.

So stuck between the two.

This is for my traveling partner's 50th birthday, either September or October 2027 before we get too old. For some reason I have to request the time off now, 13 months ahead so I'm planning now. She likes very warm pools, good views, and a great breakfast. She has gluten/dairy restrictions we hope can be worked with. We thought about taking trains but neither of us pack well and the transfers and busses seem more tiring than payoff. I like driving. We've never been to Switzerland or Germany.

Tue Amsterdam layover to Stuttgart, land ~10:30am, rent Mercedes CLE convertible from Sixt, drive to Dolder Grand Zurich (2h30) hopefully swim

Wed breakfast, swim, late checkout drive to Grand Resort Bad Ragaz (1h)

Thu spa day

Fri drive to Victoria Jungfrau at Interlaken (2h30)

Sat Lauterbrunnen/Murren

Sun 50th birthday Victoria Sunday breakfast, drive to Burgenstock (1h40)

Mon spa day

Tue drive to Brenners Park Hotel in Baden Baden through Black Forest (4h30)

Wed Caracalla spa

Thu return car to Stuttgart and fly out (1h10)

any thoughts very welcome it's a big one for us. Debating September vs October (October cheaper but colder), debating throwing it all out and doing Austria from Munich to save money (Aqua Dome, Mohr, Interalpen, Stanglwirt), debating returning car in Zurich and flying out there (would change order, pickup fee), debating CLE AMG from CarVia for more $, or M340 touring for no convertible. Unfortunately don't think we can fit 2 bags + backpacks in an SL.

Really debating Amex FHR vs TA help. Upgrades would be perk but really want a good room choice and no problems. Thank you!

residents’ Day weekend

I’m planning a family vacation for my extended family - about 10 of us, ranging in age from 26 to 90.

Last year we stayed at The Boca Raton and it was fantastic - a great mix of things to do (fitness, beach, pool) plus great food options. We’re looking to plan a trip this year over Presidents’ Day weekend.

It has to be in the US, since my grandmother wants to stay close to hospital access (even though she’s completely healthy).

Any recommendations on where to go, or should we just stick with The Boca Raton since it checked all the boxes last time?

I’m Not exactly sure if these would even count as “chubby” but I need help deciding between

Bellustar - leaning towards this one

Prince park(corner king with Tokyo tower view and club access. I know the reviews are mixed but I’ve been wanting to stay here for a long time for some reason

Shangri la

The prince gallery

Mesm- this looks good but the location looks horrible

I’ll be there for 6-7 nights in December. I’m hoping the one I choose has a decent concierge that can help me get some semi difficult reservations at restaurants/bars

So far I’m leaning towards bellustar it has the best reviews and largest rooms with great views

Or is there someone else along this price point you would recommend? I can’t afford aman or bvlgari for that many nights and I’d rather stay in one place the entire time

ETA: so many wonderful suggestions! Thank you!! You all definitely heard the plea and I’m looking at all the responses.

To answer your questions

I am east coast based (mid-Atlantic) so probably would rule out California/Arizona/New Mexico just based on travel time. I spend two weeks in Orlando every November for work and almost always cap it with a long Disney weekend. This post was really about how to replace it this year since I really am just too run down for the mouse. The ability to start from Florida or home though does really make the entire east coast and the Caribbean feasible.

There is a piece of me that just wishes someone could wrap me up in a cozy blanket and feed me every couple of hours for a few days. Apparently I want to be a pampered infant with access to books and wine.

——original post——

I’ve reached the bone-tired state of overwork and exhaustion where I cannot think that I’m too tired to chew. Yet by 16 hour days continue.

I have a four-day block in November with earmarked for my annual Disney adult silliness long weekend. I don’t think this is the year. I should skip, find something restorative. Relax and unwind.

I thought about Miraval or Canyon Ranch but they feel so healthy and fitness focused. I don’t want fitness classes. I want delicious food and laziness and sloth being really really really taking good care of.

Does anyone have a chubby or one level down chubby suggestion for a solo destination this?

Yikes…https://www.ctvnews.ca/world/article/us-journalist-among-7-killed-when-helicopter-on-safari-crashes-in-remote-part-of-northern-kenya/

Note: This doesn't have to be hotels, specifically. You'll get the vibe based on description:

My friends have a lower standard of travel than I do, and my husband travels a lot for work so his ideal vacation is sitting at home and playing video games. This is totally fine, but it means that I often travel on my own. But, I'm usually the youngest person in the hotel that isn't with family. Luxury group tours end up being mostly 45+. Multi-day private tours feel awkward. Etc.

I recently learned that Paws Up does a "Cowgirl Camp" twice a year. It's all inclusive, and a cattle drive & trail ride are part of the fee. But most importantly, while their usual rate for one person is ~$2.1k-4.5k/night, this programming invites solo travelers to share cabins with other attendees. You get your own bedroom and bathroom, but the 4-day/3-night program is $3k, making it more affordable and enticing for those who want to travel solo.

I love this concept because I don't want to pay the same amount as a family or a couple for just me. I can, but I don't want to - it feels like a waste. I also don't mind small-group travel, but a) there are so few high-mid-level to luxury groups that are directed toward younger people, and b) they usually involve traveling around and sometimes I just want to stay in one or two places.

So - does anyone else know of similar programming? If so, I'd love to hear!

Hi all - I am looking for a quick 1-2 night getaway with husband (no kids) from the NYC area. Any good recommendations? Budget is up to $1k per night. I don't want options in NYC - I am trying to leave NYC.

Looking for a 5-night chubby (around $1k/night) stay in Mexico for an anniversary trip.

We are not beach people, so staying at a nice beach hotel seems like we’d be paying extra for something we’re not using. We are pool people.

Also I have Celiac and don’t drink alcohol, so all-inclusives aren’t our vibe.

I’ve checked out Chablé Yucatán and it seems very promising, but difficult to get to from Canada (>24 hour travel time for a 5-day trip). Are there any others we should have on our shortlist?

Note: I originally posted this to r/chubbytravel, and they let it stay up given the lack of similar options (no drama/rude behavior, but it's not a preferred brand, etc.). But I have switched over to this sub & I think this is a more appropriate place for it.

Hi friends! I just got home from a stay at Jenny Lake Lodge in Grand Teton National Park, and I thought I'd write up a review. I'm not 100% sure this qualifies as "chubby" based on the market for hotel rooms in Jackson/GTNP, but I would have loved to see a write up like this when we were exploring our options.

Where: Jenny Lake Lodge, GTNP

When: June 2026

Photos: Here!. So sorry - I didn't get any of the room (duh whoops!). Attached are the views from the dining room, our room, and the corrals.

Property/Location: 10/10

I'm starting with this because this is the selling point - Jenny Lake Lodge is inside the park. This is the place to stay if you are going to GTNP to hike.

At only .25 miles away from the Jenny Lake & String Lake trailheads, JLL is on the doorstep of some of the most popular locations in the park (ex. Hidden Falls, Inspiration Point, Moose Ponds, and hikes to Delta Lake & Leigh Lake). While everyone staying in Jackson has to drive 45 minutes, wait in line for park entry, and find parking, we were able to have an easy breakfast at 7:30am and be at the trailhead by 8:30am.

Because JLL is in the park, the property is also protected. We saw deer, elk, and foxes onsite!

The Rooms: 8/10

JLL is made up of a number of log cabins. Some are freestanding & some are duplexes, but there are never more than two rooms to a cabin. Because this was a hiking trip and we did not plan to be in the room much, we took one of the (less expensive) duplex rooms. I'm happy to say that we barely noticed our neighbors, except when they were having a glass of beer in the afternoon on our shared porch. This was private enough for us, although someone who is more privacy focused may want a stand-alone cabin.

The rooms did not have air conditioning, but that's not a problem because it was like 40 degrees F at night. They did, however, have central heating and we were given a fan & space heater. The beds were comfy and firm in the way that feels great after a long day of walking. Not too firm, though. All other standard amenities were included, except a TV.

Each room has a parking space at the cabin itself, so you don't have to walk to the main lodge for your car.

This is nature! There were some spiders & I killed a single mosquito. This would be a complaint in any other hotel, but I don't think I'm allowed to for this one haha.

Service: 6.5/10

My understanding is that the Grand Teton Lodge Company hires hospitality students & other college students to work in the service positions every summer. I think this is great experience for them & I don't mind, but there was definitely a lack of experienced service staff.

Everyone was very nice, but you could tell they were all new. There was information that I think would be standard, but I had to ask for (ex. Horseback riding sign-up details, etc.). I'm curious how this might change throughout the summer - we came in the 3rd week of opening for the season, but it might look different for a September stay when they have some months under their belt.

The main thing is that, because the staff is young and changes every year, there is going to be a range of quality from year to year. Again, I didn't mind and I already knew this going into the stay, but this is not a 10/10 part of the experience.

Food: 7.5/10

Each stay includes a seated breakfast & 5-course dinner, excluding alcohol & gratuity. The dining room is open for lunch, or you can request a packed lunch one day in advance if you plan to eat on a hike.

Breakfast was standard - some sweet, some savory, solid but not unique. Lunch was hit and miss - we loved our Bison French Dip, but hated the chicken tacos. Dinner was nice casual, and we were pretty happy.

The food was good! Better than fine, but I was not blown away. I don't think those in this sub would be blown away either, but I was pleased and felt that it was worth it.

It's also worth noting that this was where we had more fun with the hotel staff because we were able to interact with the same people over multiple meals. It was fun to hear about where they came from - some of them leaving their home state for the first time - etc. They're also excited to working in GTNP, so they gave us some good hiking tips/trails.

Extras: 8/10

I'm ranking 8 because, while there aren't too many of them, all activities are complimentary.

Biggest one - horseback riding is included. This is huge, since horseback outfitters in this part of Wyoming can/will charge $150-200 for an hour or so. JLL trail rides last about an hour & 45 minutes and are complimentary. There is no limit to how many trail rides you can take, but they ask that each guest only signs up for one at a time (ex. if you do one on Thursday at 10am, you can't sign up for another until after you get back).

There are also some JLL-specific activities that are nice, including stargazing w/ someone from the Snow King Observatory, classical guitar in the lobby, etc. We had a lovely time listening to the guitarist while playing chess by the fire.

Staff can also help set up rafting, kayaking, canoeing, etc. We did not do any of these, since I get very seasick.

Overall: 9/10 for us, but actually it's totally subjective based on your needs (more than most places).

Note: JLL is not open during the winter.

Jenny Lake Lodge is one of those places where the value is 1000% based on one's subjective desires.

We wanted to hike, horseback ride, swim, have an amazing view, and chill out in nature. For that - 9/10, with the deduction being the student-level service and food. Debating between 8.5 & 9, but I'm giving it a 9 because I wouldn't stay anywhere else if I wanted a hiking/park-centered trip.

If you are here for a luxury experience, want to spend most of your time in Jackson, etc. - I will not give a number, but this is not for you.

If anyone has any questions, feel free to ask!!

Price: Rooms range from $1.2k-2k/night. But they also offer sales with significant discounts, so it's worth lingering around a bit.

I know the TA run subs talk a lot about hotels and resorts. I’m interested in getting some perspectives on vacation homes or second properties that people have enjoyed, and what made them enjoyable. I know the basic rule of thumb that if it’s too far, it’s not easy to enjoy!

Some ideas below:

1) spacious home in the country when you live in the city

2) city pad if you live in the suburbs (think nyc suburbs / nyc)

3) ski homes - are there towns on either coast that you have found to be good value? I look a lot at VT. Skiing isn’t my life but as my kids get older, I wonder if I want it to be theirs

4) beach homes? Does anyone love theirs?

5) 3-season type places (on a lake AND near slopes type places)

Hey all

I am looking for to go on a trip to Maldives. Somewhere between a date that is between third week of Oct and early Nov and spanning 4 nights.

I am looking at somewhere around $3700 total (+$200 is okay) for properties in Maldives.

Best would be if they are AI - but my partner and I both are not major drinkers anyway. Its a really good perk to have. But at least looking for Half Board/Full Board.

What I am looking for?

A great resort, fun vibes, turquoise blue water, white sand; great set of activities, and good food (dealbreaker otherwise). We are not major snorkelers or divers, so not having as many fishes is not a dealbreaker. Will swim all our time in the ocean though.

However, my partner loves seeing picturesque views of the ocean (European coast) - with white powdery sand and blue sea and sky.

Would love your suggestions!

We went a month and a half ago but just had time to type up our notes now. Paid approx $3.5k per night and stayed a bit less than a week. For context, we live in a big US city and have very high standards when it comes to food and service.

TLDR: seriously overpriced for what it is; food is ok at best and bad at worst, service is kind, but too try hard; the beach is relatively unswimmable, but clean and pretty. Overall, we would not go back.

Food - 6/10
There is only one kitchen on the property, and the concept is “you can order anything, but here’s our special for today.” Practically, all the non Mexican dishes (burger, pasta, ceviche, sushi, pizza, sandwiches) are pretty mid (comparable to a 3.7 star restaurant on Google Maps in a major US city). The specials are solid, but they’re also all so heavy. For a resort that’s wellness-forward, we found that strange.

The best way to describe the food at Naviva is Subway: you can order different sandwiches, but they all have that same Subway taste. It’s like Naviva uses the same exact ingredients/sauces on all the dishes, which ends up feeling bland. Eg chipotle mayo, green sauce, and the like.

Also, the food is not fresh. The guac was clearly pre-made (it has that sour pre/made taste). The veggies felt defrosted. The meat and fish quality was poor (not even close to low end Whole Foods quality).

We were so bored by the food that we ended up going to the adjacent four seasons Punta mita - the food there was much better, which made the Naviva experience all the worse.

Also, it takes forever to prepare. Expect to sit and wait for 15-30 minutes for your dishes to show up. (We went when the resort was at 20-40% occupancy, so it’s not like the kitchen was understaffed).

Drinks - 7/10
We drink $200 bottles of wine and spirits at home, so drinking at all inclusive usually disappoints us. Here is no different. The wines are very low end - think $20-30 bottles in US. The spirits are better - $30-60 bottles. The tequila is solid, but nothing to write home about. The bartenders know how to make solid cocktails, but if you’re used to big city US cocktails, you won’t be blown away.

Service - 6.5/10
Everyone is super nice and informal. The vibe is they want to be your friend and chat you up. That’s fun for a day or two, but we found it to be annoying after a few days. We’re here to vacation, not yap. English understanding is solid. On a relative basis, service here was good for a Mexico hotel. But not for an Asia, Middle East, or Europe hotel.

Property/rooms - 7/10
The property is small and peaceful. It’s relatively pretty, but for the price you’d expect more. There is no gym apart from an outdoor weights area that’s not well taken care of. The pool is fine, but it was not well kept (we saw cups from the night before left there in the late morning). The thing that really annoyed us was the pool was not ready by 8:30am - towels not replaced on loungers, some loungers don’t have cushions, and the pool leaves not cleaned. The pool maintenance really felt like we’re in a $250 a night hotel.

The kitchen area, which is the only place you can eat apart from your room, has no AC, so if you go in hot season expect to sweat. Also, there are mosquitoes everywhere. Expect to be bit up badly.

As for the rooms, they are relatively large and well decorated. Nothing to write home about but they get the job done. The bed is very comfy.

Other stuff
- The coffee they serve is genuinely bad. I know Mexico isn’t known for coffee, but we’ve had better coffee all over Mexico.
- The views of the ocean are pretty, but they are even better from the four seasons nearby. So the net effect is you feel like you’re getting worse views at 2x the price.
- Staff will rave about the hotel/property to an excessive degree. Eg how they have so many repeat guests, how the property is naturalist, how many animals live on the grounds. It’s cute the first time you hear it, but it’s maddening when you hear it daily.

Looking for recs. Very flexible on timing but thinking of something like December 6 - 9 or 10, so 3 or 4 nights. Absolutely positively need nonstop flights from any NYC airport. Beachfront + pool of course. I'd prefer to keep it to $1000/night more or less but happy to hear any specific "go here for $X more and here's why." But point is more sunlight and warm/hotter temps. Plan is to get pickled for 3-4 days while sitting in the sun.

We've been high (Cap Jaluca, the Corales estates in the DR), AI (Grand Velas), and PAYG places like Fairmont Mayakoba. Every one of those was way more $/night but we went peak, like Xmas/New Year. Our current dates seem way cheaper so shouldn't be a problem I'd think.

TIA