Ouch! Beauty is pain, right? Certainly when it comes to waxing. We’ve gathered a few tips to help make depilation a little less of a chore, and to extend the life of a waxing so you don’t need to make the trip to the salon quite as often.

Before:

Make sure that the hair to be removed is 1/8 of an inch.

Exfoliate the area well using either the ESPA Dry Body Brush to gently exfoliate skin and improve circulation or Guinot’s Gommage Facile, a smoothing, non-abrasive body scrub. After dry brushing or exfoliating, be sure to shower to wash off the dead skin cells. To further stimulate circulation, end your shower with cool water. For best results, exfoliate the skin several days before waxing with ESPA Exfoliating Body Polish – the cooling spearmint essential oil and aloe extract will calm and sooth the skin.

During:

On your way to the salon, pop an aspirin to reduce the pain.

After:

If you forgot to take an aspirin, apply a bit of Neosporin with antibiotic to the waxed area to help with discomfort and feelings of heat.

Avoid sun exposure for 48 hours.

Don’t use deodorant, perfume, or alcohol-based products for at least 24 hours (if you’ve waxed your underarms, use Guinot’s Déo Crème Epil Confort, a deodorant cream that controls perspiration while restraining hair regrowth).

Avoid heat treatments such as hot baths, showers, sauna, and steam rooms immediately after the treatment.

Use ESPA Purifying Tea Tree gel as the natural antiseptic properties will help reduce ingrown hairs.

Moisturize the area with a cooling lotion to reduce redness and hydrate the skin. ESPA Essential Body Moisturizer is an instantly calming, cooling lotion to refresh, revitalize, and replenish lost moisture.

Maintenance:

Once the skin has calmed down, Dry Body Brush daily and exfoliate two times a week to prevent ingrown hairs and keep skin looking radiant.

Use Guinot’s Epil Confort Corps or Epil Confort Visage daily to lighten the color of the hair, minimize regrowth, and soothe skin.

Spray on a body oil such as Guinot’s Huile Satinée or ESPA’s Body Silk Spray as a finishing touch for a subtle sheen and radiant glow.

Bikini season is near! Maybe we let things go a little in the winter – the cover of a big puffy coat is so forgiving. But with the layers flying off as the summer heats up, it’s time to take care of business, so we’ve put together a few products to help you look better in the buff.

Cellulite?

Guinot’s Double Minceur Ciblée is contouring gel cream that targets the initial process of when fat starts to store itself. The lipolytic action releases trapped fat while anti-lipogenesis slows down its storage. Delipogenase hunts fat to eliminate it right at the source.

Extra Water Weight?

ESPA’s Detoxifying Seaweed Bath will shrink you down! The new blend of orange, mandarin, petitgrain, and citronella essential oils smells heavenly and seawater acts as a humectant. Two capfuls in the bath will tighten you right up!

*This is potent stuff! Don’t use if you’re pregnant or allergic to seaweed, and be sure to drink lots of water.

Stretch Marks?

Acting as an invisible sheath supporting the skin, Guinot’s Crème Spécifique Vergetures combats the formation of stretch marks and softens their appearance.

Trouble décolleté?

Guinot’s Longue Vie Buste acts as an invisible sports bra that helps create a younger-looking bust and décolleté, and sculpts the bust, and deeply firms the skin. This youth firming serum penetrates to the elastic and supportive tissue for an anti-aging effect.

Dull Skin?

As a final touch before wowing Mr. Right (or everyone at the office), spritz on a bit of ESPA’s Body Silk Spray, a nourishing finale for soft skin and subtle radiance giving the skin a beautiful sheen and radiant glow.

Forget the Hallmark card or the flowers and take Mom away for a real treat. We’ve put together some suggestions for a Mother’s Day she won’t soon forget.

Where: One&Only Palmilla, Los Cabos, Mexico

What: Get Mom a weekend of spa treatments in paradise.

When: Mother’s Day Weekend

Why Mom will love it: Mothers and daughters can unwind in the privacy of a double Spa villa at the ESPA spa complete with private garden, rain showers, outdoor Mexican daybeds, and whirlpool baths to relax in after a treatment. Special for the weekend are Mother-Daughter Soul-to-Soul moments ($640 for two) that include a Mother-Daughter yoga or salsa experience, an ESPA age-defying radiance facial or intensive facial, a spa lunch, and full use of the heat experience and relaxation area, or the Enduring Memory Mother’s Day Experience ($355) with a two-hour holistic body ritual, an in-villa 30-minute experience including a foot ritual, bath, and relaxation time, a spa lunch, and full use of the heat experience and relaxation areas. And all of this with her now favorite child.

Where: Inn on the Alameda, Santa Fe, New Mexico

What: Show Mom how much you care by sending her to the welcoming Inn on the Alameda for a weekend of adult-only relaxation.

When: Mothers Day Weekend

Why Mom will love it: With the Please Your Parents Package, Mom and Dad can enjoy a weekend away from the kids in Deluxe Accommodations at the Inn, including the Inn’s signature continental breakfast, afternoon wine hour, and one box of yummy bizcochitos, the official New Mexico state cookie.

Rate: Nightly rate is $220 plus tax per room per night. With a regular rate of $270 plus tax, this package has $50 nightly savings and applies to the Inn’s Deluxe Rooms only. The stay must include Mother’s Day, Sunday May 13, 2012, but there is no minimum night stay requirement. The offer is subject to hotel availability.

Where: The Peninsula Spa, New York

What: An amazing ESPA “Spa-Cation” without leaving the island

When: Perfect for the week before or after Mother’s Day

Why Mom will love it: Play hooky and take your mama out! Without hopping on planes trains, or automobiles, have a spa-cation right in the city. You and mom can indulge in a 60-minute treatment, a special lunch, and complimentary use of the pool and fitness center. It’s available Monday-Thursday for $285 per person.

Where: White Elephant and Brant Point Grill, Nantucket, Massachusetts

What: Breakfast in bed is a nice gesture, but we bet Mom will enjoy the “Best Brunch on the Island” even more!

When: Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 13, 10:00 am – 3:00 pm

Why Mom will love it: From the Benedict Burger to the make-your-own Bloody Mary bar, a Sparkling Station for mimosas, and a brand new tapas station, this brunch is complete with all of Mom’s favorites.

Rate: Brant Point Grill’s Mother’s Day Brunch is $55 for adults, $25 for kids ages 6-12 and $5 for kids ages 3-5. Combine your brunch with a stay at White Elephant and enjoy special Hot Dates Cool Rates, starting at $195 per night.

Where: Park Hyatt Beaver Creek, Avon, Colorado

What: Located in the heart of the Colorado Rockies, this luxury chateau-style resort features many amenities, including the 30,000 square-foot Allegria Spa, with a full-service fitness center, slopeside pool and hot tubs. This world-class spa is offering the “Her Day, Her Way Mother’s Day” package, an exceptional package for moms to unwind on their special day.

When: Mothers Day, Sunday, May 13, 2012.

Why Mom will love it: Spoil Mom with an extra luxurious spa escape with the “Her Day, Her Way Mother’s Day” package that includes a 50-minute Swedish Massage; choice of one of three select treatments (25 minute Sweet Lavender Body Scrub, 30 minute Custom Facial or Express Manicure & Pedicure); champagne; take-home spa gift; and access to Aqua Sanitas, the health club, the pools and hot tubs.

Where: Parrot Cay, Turks & Caicos

What: Max and relax with Mom for a stress-free weekend away

When: Mothers Day Weekend

Why Mom will love it: Stress is a fact of life for mothers and daughters alike, which is why Parrot Cay has designed a Stress Management Wellness Package to target and relieve sources of tension and worry. Professional consultants will take things down a few notches with deep relaxing therapies, enlightening outdoor pursuits, and smart tips to put some of the carefree “island life” of Turks & Caicos into the home routine. Let the experienced personal fitness trainers convert pent-up stress into a productive mother-daughter workout, and follow it up with mind- and body-balancing yoga and meditation.

• Rain or shine, this is one event that no one wants to miss. On April 26, 2012, as part of the 2012 Park Hyatt Masters of Food & Wine, Park Hyatt Seoul will be offering a Korean ethnic earthenware Onggi class followed by a reception and full course dinner with exclusive, locally-produced caviar and sturgeon complemented by an excellent wine selection.

Anantara

• Make downtime fun in Thailand with Anantara activities: chef-led Thai cooking class and market tours at Anantara Lawana on Koh Samui, 120 minutes of bliss with the Pearl of Andaman signature treatment at Anatara Phuket Villas’s Anantara Spa, a Floral Foot Ritual, Traditional Chinese Herbal Back Massage, and Pearl Facial.

Crystal Cruises

• Take advantage of a rainy day at sea to try an onboard enrichment program at Crystal’s Creative Learning Institute. Take a crash course in a foreign language with Berlitz, taste wine with the Society of Wine Educators, or create a work of art with Crystal’s Masterpeice Art Program, the most comprehensive art program at sea.

La Réserve Ramatuelle

• April marks the re-opening of La Réserve Ramatuelle. Dedicated to health, the hotel has indoor and outdoor fitness options that include an indoor pool and a fitness center with Technogym equiptment – guests can stay fit rain or shine! In April, La Réserve is offering the third night free for any reservation of two nights!

Geejam Hotel

• While it might be raining outside, at Geejam it’s always jammin’ no matter the weather. The hotel has its own recording studio where guests can learn the recording process and record a track on the mic.

Orient-Express

• Rain is a fact of life in Scotland; lucky for us, the Scots have had centuries to figure out how to make the best of it. Orient-Express’ The Royal Scotsman’s new season is sure to entertain during April showers with elegant Scottish dinners, breathtaking views, and the quiet comforts of private Edwardian-style carriages.

One&Only Ocean Club

• On foul weather days, watch “the Table Cloth” of clouds sweep across Table Mountain from the Vista Bar at One&Only Cape Town, then take a stroll to the V&A Waterfront and dive with the sharks – indoors! – at the Two Oceans Aquarium.

Park Hyatt Tokyo

• Stay high and dry on the 41^st floor while indulging in some sweet temptations. Every weekday afternoon, the Peak Lounge offers a tea plate and sweets buffet showcasing quintessential Japanese confections, such as warabi mochi sprinkled generously in sweet toasted kinako and a panna cotta accented with sakura sauce and macaron.

The Wauwinet

• Borrow The Wauwinet’s complimentary Hunter Boots to explore Nantucket on a rainy afternoon. Watch the storm roll into the bay or take a short walk to the Whaling Museum and check out the 46-foot skeleton of a sperm whale that washed ashore in 1998.

Le Pavillon des Lettres

• Take advantage of the rain and catch up on your reading. There’s no better place than the intimately luxurious Le Pavillon de Lettres, Paris’ first literary hotel.  Guests can curl up by the fireplace or read from one of the hotel’s many iPads, loaded with international bestsellers, in the privacy of their rooms.

Victoria Jungfrau Grand Hotel & Spa

• Let the rain be your excuse to take a break from the outdoor activities available at the Victoria-Jungfrau and indulge in the signature treatment at the hotel’s ESPA Spa, the authentic Swiss Alpine herb poultice massage. The herbal foot ritual, full-body poultice massage, and relaxing head and scalp massage are guaranteed to relax you from head to toe.

Guinot

• When rain has one homebound, get that face ready for summer. Start with a gentle exfoliation with Gommage Grain d’Eclat, follow with quick swipe of refreshing Lotion Hydra Fraîcheur toner, and finish off with 10 minutes of the smooth and gentle Hydra Sensitive Face Mask (voted Best Overall Face Mask by NewBeauty).

ESPA

• Rainy days and Mondays get you down? Make the best of an April shower and take a “Spa-Cation” at the Peninsula Spa. This includes a 60-minute ESPA massage, a special lunch, and complimentary use of the pool and fitness center.

Inn on the Alameda

• Let it rain, let it rain!!! While rainfall in Santa Fe is negligible, when it does rain, it pours! Take shelter in the Inn’s cozy Agoyo Room and enjoy a Turquoise Margarita or a New Mexican wine while sitting in front of the roaring fire.

Shakti

• While April showers are nourishing the earth, Shakti guests can nourish their souls by sitting in meditation with Buddhist monks in a Sikkimese monastery, meeting with a real medicine man in a remote Ladakhi village house, or creating a bespoke itinerary featuring customized adventures.

Royal Mansour Marrakech

• April showers may be cold and dull, but traditional Moroccan hammams are not! At 27,000 square feet, Royal Mansour’s two-story spa features thirteen treatment rooms, a fitness center, gymnastics area, a salon, two hammams, and an indoor swimming pool. Try out their signature Slimming Body Massage to prepare for the summer ahead!

Nayara Hotel, Spa & Gardens

• A little rain never spoils the party in Costa Rica! Don’t fret – the almost-daily showers usually don’t last more than a few minutes, leaving just enough time to sample a sommelier-selected assortment of 33 South American wines and Latin American tapas at Nostalgia Wine Bar at Nayara, near the Arenal Volcano in the heart of the rainforest.

The brand new Spa at Gleneagles by ESPA, ESPA Life is the second ESPA Life to open, joining the flagship ESPA Life at Corinthia in London as a leading voice in the next generation of spa.

Set within the hotel’s 850-acre Perthshire estate, the spa offers a new approach to health and wellbeing whose experts seek to address the pressures and stresses of modern lifestyles. The award-winning spa is home to a hand-picked team of alternative health and fitness specialists, offering treatments and personal programs with one simple aim: to help guests feel their best, inside and out.

Spa professionals, acupuncturists, physiotherapists, osteopaths, herbalists, and personal trainers are all on hand. The highly-qualified and experienced team is led by a skilled naturopathic practitioner known as the ‘Gatekeeper’ who meets with each guest for a private consultation. The Gatekeeper recommends programs or treatments tailored to the specific needs of the individual. Personal lifestyle programs can be crafted to help guests meet individual goals or complementary and alternative therapies can be booked à la carte.

Special Launch Offer
From now until March 31, 2012, the spa will be offering ‘Taste of ESPA Life’ to introduce the new wellness concept. The offer includes breakfast and a private consultation with a Gatekeeper for each person. The Gatekeeper will address each client’s lifestyle concerns and create a customized spa experience, including one spa or
fitness treatment, suited to each person’s needs.
Rates: From £315 (approximately $500) based on two people sharing a classic room. Offer valid Sunday to Thursday until March 31.

Last night’s Golden Globes kicked off the 2012 Awards season, and Hollywood prep teams are hard at work ensuring our favorite starlets are putting the best foot, and face, forward on the Red Carpet.  On a smaller scale, we all have our own versions of a Red Carpet moment, and without a prep team, we need to rely on the products in our cabinets to help us achieve that picture-perfect look.  From anti-wrinkle creams to redness reducers, these products will leave your skin flawless, and of course, Red Carpet ready!

The problem: Red, blotchy skin
The cure: Guinot Crème Red Logic, 1.3oz $40 
Avoid caking on too much makeup to mask unwanted red spots; opt instead for one layer of this dream cream. Ingredients like arnica extracts and esculosides work instantly to reduce the appearance of redness and tone capillary veins, leaving your complexion refreshed and spot free.

The problem: Fine lines
The cure: Guinot Mini-Lift Éclat Beauté, .06oz $22
This day of skin saver relies on a complex of natural sugars and witch hazel to smooth away fine lines and even out the complexion.  Soy protein forms a protective barrier over the skin’s surface to shield the epidermis from external irritants and prolong makeup application, so your face is flawless throughout your big night.

The problem: Dull complexion
The cure: ESPA Skin Radiance Mask, 25ml $68
Revive skin’s natural radiance with this instantly illuminating face-saving mask. Mulberry, bearberry, and liquorice work together to help visibly brighten and even out skin tone, while pumpkin enzymes dissolve dull cells clean away, breathing instant luminous light into skin.

The problem: Shiny skin
The cure: Guinot Matizone Moisturizer, 1.7oz $60
Eliminate shine while you prime with this mattifying moisturizer. Matti-sponges act to trap and neutralize shine by absorbing the oil on your face, and, unlike makeup powders, water is left behind ensuring the skin is not dried out. Hydrocyte complex works to lock in moisture by forming a protective barrier over the upper layers of the epidermis, which also makes it an ideal primer.

The problem: Messy makeup
The cure: Guinot Youth Time Treatment Foundation, 30ml $55
Covering up the problem is only half the battle. Now you can win the war on aging with Guinot’s new foundation. While may feel light, this long-lasting cover-up definitely pulls its weight! The Youth Time Treatment does double duty by masking the signs of aging and also decreasing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles over time. Green tea extracts and vitamin E work together to protect and sooth the skin, while hyaluronic acid spherical fillers penetrate the epidermis to plump out wrinkles and smooth facial features.

The problem: Dry cracked lips, smudged lipstick, and fine lines
The cure: Guinot Longue Vie Lèvres, .51oz $34
Nourish and plump up lips with this cellular regenerating treatment. Guinot’s replenishing spheres, which contain 56 cellular active ingredients, provide an anti-wrinkle effect by filling out fine lines around the lips, and camomile extract and vitamin E work together to ward off free radicals and moisturize the lip surface.

The problem: Tired eyes, crow’s feet, and puffiness
The cure: ESPA Lift and Firm Eye Moisturizer, 15ml $79
You don’t need to go under the knife to reduce the appearance of fine lines around the eye area. This potent line smoother provides an instant lifting effect beta glucan and chitin boost elasticity, while tightening argania spinosa extract and firming algae help recontour the delicate eye area. Golden root brightens dark circles, while summer snowflakebulb actively smoothes lines for a more youthful appearance.

The problem: Puffy eyes and dark circles
The cure: Guinot Anti-fatigue Yeux, .5oz $42
Alleviate the appearance of tired eyes with this revitalizing gel that gives the one-two punch to dark circles and puffiness. Plant extracts, horse chestnut, and ivy decongest and strengthen the capillary walls, while allantoin softens the epidermis and encourages cellular regeneration. Keep this gel in the refrigerator for a cooling effect that soothes heavy eyelids. 

Find ESPA products at us.espaonline.com.
Find a store that carries Guinot at guinotusa.com.

Wine

To celebrate

In Argentina, Kaua Club & Spa at Park Hyatt Mendoza’s Wine Antioxident Spa treatment diminishes the effects of an extended afternoon wine tasting. Using grapes to rejuvenate and refresh recipients from head to toe, beginning with a Mendoza’s Wine Body Glow and followed by a facial of choice, aromatherapy massage with wine essence oils, and topped-off with a Grape Body Masque. Restoration is complete!

Passed hors d’oeuvres

Nuts, olives, and caviar

Rehydrate dehydrated skin with Guinot’s Hydra Cellulaire Serum featuring macadamia oil and give skin an extra boost with Guinot’s moisturizing Masque Hydra Beauté with olive wax.

For those indulgent snackers, in Nantucket, The Wauwinet’s Spa by the Sea’s Ultimate Caviar Facial is a 90 minute treatment that hydrates, lifts, firms, and smoothes the skin with protein-rich caviar.

Salad

Cucumber and carrot salad

Banish dark circles and puffiness with Guinot’s Anti-Fatigue Yeux with calming cucumber. To pamper maturing, dry, or stressed skin, spread on a soupcon of ESPA’s Regenerating Face Treatment Oil with carrot extract.

Sides

Cranberry sauce and wild yams

For a radiant complexion, apply Guinot’s Nouvel Eclat fresh radiance exfoliating peel-off mask, rich with cranberry extract, to give your face a “second skin” effect.

ESPA’s Deeply Nourishing Body Cream is the perfect winter moisturizer, deeply moisturizing skin with collagen-strengthening wild yam, along with liquorice, bearberry, and mulberry extracts.

Intermezzo

Ginger, to cleanse the palate

The Lanna Experience at Anantara Golden Triangle Resort & Spa in Thailand uses a species of ginger revered for its ability to cool inflammation, aid digestion, and combat joint and muscle aches during a foot ritual, scrub, body wrap, and massage.

Mains

Instead of wasting perfectly good seasonings on a turkey, use these aromatic herbs on yourself.

ESPA’s 24-Hour Balancing Moisturizer uses white thyme and lavender for a light moisturizing treatment for beautifully soft, clear, hydrated skin.

For an Eastern feast, ESPA’s Men’s Invigorating Body Reviver is bursting with the aromas of lemongrass and thyme – sure to be a hit with the ladies as well.

For a classic English herb, pour a capful of ESPA’s Energizing Bath Oil into your tub and sink back into an energizing rosemary-scented soak. For a double dose of rosemary, slough off dry winter skin with ESPA’s Relaxing Salt Scrub with rosemary and lavender.

Dessert

Pumpkin pie and fruit cake

No vegetable represents autumn quite like a big, orange pumpkin. Sub out the pumpkin pie for a radiant face with ESPA’s Skin Radiance Mask with pumpkin to enliven dull and tired skin.

For a decadent fruity spa treatment, pair Guinot’s Masque Hydra Beauté with its moisturizing fig derivative formula and ESPA’s Pink Hair and Scalp Mud with apricot kernel oil for silky, healthy hair and an immediate moisture boost for soft and supple skin.

Tea and Coffee

Chamomile, Rooibos, and Caffeine

Nothing soothes quite like a warm cup of chamomile tea, so extend that soothing feeling to pacify an irritated or red face with Guinot’s Crème Hydra Sensitive, loaded with calming chamomile.

En lieu of a toasty mug of Rooibos tea, slip on ESPA’s Calm and Soothe Mask, a deeply comforting treatment to help cool and mollify skin prone to redness made with Rooibos tea.

Liven up those limbs with a good dose of caffeine with Guinot’s Double Minceur Ciblée gel cream. The contouring cream helps tone and targets the initial process wherein fat starts to store itself.

United Kingdom
Where: Orient-Express’s British Pullman
What: A murder mystery filled with tricks and treats at every turn!
Why: Halloween can be awfully spooky with ghosts out to play and witchcraft in the air. But when you add murder to the mix, all bets are off! Leave the trick-or-treaters at home for this thrilling and chilling journey aboard the Orient-Express’s day train, the British Pullman. Inspired by Agatha Christie’s famous novel Murder on the Orient Express, the Murder Mystery Lunch will keep you on the edge of your seat. Hop aboard and travel back to 1933 where love and intrigue set the mood. Piece together the clues during an exquisite five-course lunch, accompanied by a glass of champagne and a half-bottle of wine, as you watch the mystery unfold.
(This journey departs November 11, 2011, rates start at $460 per person)

Nantucket
Where: Jared Coffin House and the White Elephant
What: A supernatural encounter
Why: Nantucket is the perfect place to take the family for a Halloween escape! Every year kids can dress up and go trick-or-treating at the shops and stores lining Main Street. Stay at the White Elephant, a family-friendly hotel located just a few blocks from the action. For a super spooky stay on Nantucket, the Jared Coffin House, built in 1845, is said to be haunted by the ghost of the whaling captain after whom the house is named. The ghost of Jared Coffin is rumored to appear in room 223, and guests of room 609 have claimed to see an apparition of a little girl. Other ghosts are also believed to roam the halls and rooms of this historic property, including the ghost of an old man who sometimes sits near fireplaces when a fire is roaring. Come see for yourself if the stories are true!

Paris
Where: La Reserve, Le Pavillon des Lettres, Pavillon de la Reine and Park Hyatt Paris Vendôme
What: A haunting visit to the Catacombs of Paris
Why: For a chilling and historical Halloween experience, work up your courage and climb down into the Catacombs of Paris, where the bones of millions of people rest. Transferred from Parisian cemeteries in the late 18^th century, the remains line the walls of the underground labyrinth. Wander through at your own pace for an eerie peek into the past. After your tour, unwind at La Réserve, located in the ultra-chic 16^th arrondissment. If you love literature, stay at Le Pavillon des Lettres, the Didier Benderli-designed hotel located just steps from the Champs-Élysées. Its sister hotel, Pavillon de la Reine, is located on the beautiful Places des Vosges in the Marais, Paris’s Jewish quarter. Head over to the quintessential Park Hyatt Paris Vendôme and sip mulled wine at Le Bar. No matter which hotel you choose, this is sure to be a Halloween you’ll never forget!

Guinot and ESPA
Where: at home!
What: A special Halloween face mask
Why: Even if you’re not planning on dressing up for Halloween and knocking on neighbors’ doors, you can still wear a mask! Try Guinot’s NEW Hydra Sensitive Face Mask to soothe and strengthen the skin after a week of munching on candy at every meal! Or, try ESPA’s NEW Skin Radiance Mask, made with pumpkin to enliven dull and tired skin. So, carve a pumpkin to make a spooky jack-o’-lantern for your front door and continue the pumpkin party with this radiant mask!

Santa Fe, New Mexico
Where: Inn on the Alameda
What: Diá de los Muertos and a few ghost sightings
Why: There’s nothing like a dark autumn night, a huge harvest moon, and a few ghouls to get your heart pounding. In Santa Fe, All Hallow’s Eve coincides with a Mexican celebration, Diá de los Muertos, or the Day of the Dead, when souls return to Earth and are greeted with feasts, music, and dancing. The spirits here are in full gear when Halloween comes around. Take advantage of the Inn on the Alameda’s 26^th Birthday rate that begins on October 30 and be on watch for La Llorona, the weeping woman who appears mysteriously, crying for her lost children, according to an old New Mexico legend. Perhaps you’ll bump into Julie Shuster Staab, the former lady of the manor who haunts La Posada, or Geronimo Lopez, who’s still hanging around his 18^th century home.

The holidays can be hectic with all that shopping to do and all those family dinners to attend. Give yourself a break this year and plan a festive vacation! Whether it’s a snowy escape, a sunny getaway, or an urban adventure, there’s something for everyone.

SNOW
Where: Palace Luzern, Lucerne, Switzerland
What: A Swiss winter wonderland
Why:  Taste world-famous Swiss Fondue and admire the breathtaking views of the snow-capped Alps from the windows of the oldest electric cogwheel-train as it climbs Mt. Rigi. Browse more than 45 stalls of holiday gifts and confections at the annual Christmas Market and wander the festively decorated medieval streets as carolers serenade in the distance during a winter escape to Lucerne, Switzerland. The Palace Luzern’s annual New Years Eve party will be the perfect start to 2012, and the hotel’s special New Years Eve package won’t break your budgeting resolutions for the new year!
When: The New Years Eve package starts at $844 (two nights, double occupancy) and is valid only December 30, 2011-January 1, 2012

Where: La Réserve Genève, Geneva, Switzerland
What: An enchanted holiday
Why: Spend the holidays at La Réserve Genève – explore the International Christmas Market, wave hello to Santa Claus at the Annual Electric Christmas Parade, and attend the annual Christmas Tree Festival where international artists display beautifully crafted sculptures and trees. For a special holiday evening, leave the kids with La Réserve Genève’s experienced babysitters, available for children aged 6 months to 13 years.
When: holiday rates start at $500 per night

SUN
Where: GoldenEye Hotel & Resort, Oracabessa, Jamaica
What: Who said the holidays had to be cold?
Why: Nestled on Jamaica’s north coast, GoldenEye Hotel & Resort was once the Jamaican home of author Ian Fleming and the site where he penned all 14 James Bond novels. Holiday festivities include dinner and entertainment on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, a New Years Eve Extravaganza, Festive Afternoon Teas, and Champagne Cocktail Party. Guests can kick off the New Year in good health kindness of the hotel’s fitness and activity program, with offerings such as daily yoga, paddle boarding, and local runs through Oracabessa. Younger visitors can kayak, snorkel, or participate in the hotel’s coral restoration program.
When: Holiday rates start at $1,040 per night from December 15 – January 7

Where: Pacific Coast Holiday, Roundtrip from Los Angeles to the Hawaiian Islands
What: 14 days of culture, fun, and adventure aboard Crystal Symphony
Why: Leave the snow behind and tour the sunny Hawaiian Islands aboard Crystal Symphony. Sign up for private dance lessons, take a helicopter ride over Oahu, or discover the wonder of whale-watching near Maui. Children will love learning to snorkel, kayak, and surf in the beautiful, warm waters.
When: December 21, 2011 – January 4, 2012, two-for-one fares start at $7,050 per person, and include $500 per person all-inclusive “ As You Wish” shipboard credit, plus free, round-trip air and airport transfer from two dozen North American gateway cities (or generous air credit).  Restrictions apply.

CITY
Where: Park Hyatt Washington D.C.
What: A patriotic holiday
Why: Plan a Christmas visit to the Park, and start your stay with delicious homemade gingerbread cookies and Eggnog. For those revelers looking for the best place to bring in the New Year, the Park offers New Years guests two tickets to the hotel’s popular New Years Eve celebration in the Lounge. Extend the holiday cheer all winter long with the hotel’s Comfort and Joy package, which includes hot cocoa and fresh baked cookies to enjoy after braving the cold to attend the National Hanukkah Menorah Lighting Ceremony on the White House grounds or visiting the National Christmas Tree, lit daily during December.
When: Christmas package rates start at $445 for the first night and at $245 for each additional night from December 22-26, 2011; New Year’s Eve package available December 27-January 22, 2012 (contact hotel for rates); and Comfort and Joy package rates start at $299 per night from November 28-February 29, 2012

Where: The Inn on the Alameda, Santa Fe, New Mexico
What: 26^th anniversary celebration
Why:  Escape for a weekend at the Inn on the Alameda in Santa Fe, a city known for its dazzling luminaria displays! The Inn is turning 26 this year, and Santa Fe’s beloved and charming hotel is celebrating by offering a special anniversary rate.  Guests who stay at the inn for three consecutive nights between October 30 and December 12 will pay just $26 for the third night! To get in the holiday spirit, travelers can attend a festive Santa Fe Desert Chorale winter concert or check out the shops of the historic Santa Fe Plaza area.
When: Special rates start at $336 from October 30-December 12 (excluding November 23-26 and November 30 -December 5) 

Where:  Peninsula Spa by ESPA, New York City
What: A rejuvenating ‘spa-cation’
Why: New York City is never more alive than at Christmastime with tree-lit ice skating at Rockefeller Center, enchanting carriage rides in Central Park, and lavish window displays at Saks. For people looking to take a break from the hustle and bustle of the city streets, the Peninsula Spa by ESPA is offering a day-long ‘spa-cation,’ including a 60-minute treatment, a special lunch, and complimentary use of the pool and fitness centre.
When: Spa-cation package is available Monday – Thursday weekly for $285

ESPA
Where: The Peninsula Spa by ESPA, New York, NY
What: During the month of October, The Peninsula Spa by ESPA is offering pink-themed treatments to raise funds for the American Cancer Society as part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The Pink Power Package combines a soothing massage with an optional personal training session for a day of pampering and fitness. For the ultimate indulgence, the spa is offering the Peninsula Pink Ceremony, a two-hour treatment that includes a rejuvenating body scrub, cleansing facial, and full-body massage. Support a great cause while indulging in a mini spa-cation!

Guinot
Where: Advanced Beauty Care, Burlingame, California 
What: Every October, Advanced Beauty Care hosts a fundraiser featuring Guinot products to benefit Mills Peninsula Hospital Foundation – Women’s Center Breast Health Services, a local organization focused on breast health. At the fundraiser, guests discover two essential Guinot skin care products: Guinot Longue Vie Cellulaire and the NEW Guinot Red Logic, both of which have helped clients preserve their skin while undergoing radiation therapy for breast cancer.

Nantucket Island Resorts
Where: Nantucket Island Resorts, Nantucket
What: For the month of October, all Nantucket Island Resorts properties are donating $1 from every room night bought to the Marla Ceely Lamb Fund, a local charity that helps Nantucket residents suffering from cancer defray the costs of transportation and lodging for patients who must travel off-island for cancer treatment.  In addition, guests booking a stay during the weekend of October 14-16 will have the opportunity to participate on the Nantucket Island Resorts-sponsored team during Nantucket’s Making Strides against Breast Cancer Walk on Sunday, October 16, 2011. Nantucket Island Resorts has committed to a $1,000 donation for the Breast Cancer Walk. Those who join the team will receive a complimentary team tee-shirt. The White Elephant is also participating by offering a special pink White Elephant tee-shirt in their gift shop and a Think Pink cocktail at Brant Point Grill.  At The Wauwinet, TOPPER’S restaurant is offering pink cocktails and cupcakes.

Park Hyatt
Where: Park Hyatt Toronto
What: During the month of October, spend the night in Park Hyatt Toronto’s Pink Room – a perfectly pink suite designed by Sarah Richardson – and the hotel will donate ten percent of the room rate to the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. Toronto natives and other guests can also participate by giving their nails a pink treat at the Stillwater Spa. The spa will also donate ten percent of all pink-hued manicures and pedicures to the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation.