AT THESE ALL-INCLUSIVE RESORTS AND ON THEIR STUNNING LANDSCAPES, IT SEEMS ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE

BY AMBER GIBSON

CLAYOQUOT WILDERNESS RESORT
Tofino, British Columbia, Canada

In the remote coastal rainforest of Vancouver Island, this Canadian safari experience is an adventure traveler’s dream. Accessible only by air and water, its mountains, thick forest, and misty ocean air make quite an impression as you land by oat plane on Bedwell Sound. A horse-drawn carriage whisks you to camp—its log cabin cookhouse anked by plushly decorated lounge tents where you can play piano or billiards. Book a waterfront en suite tent, where antique furnishings like vintage oil lamps and a cast iron replace are complemented by a private deck and spacious bathroom with heated oors, double sinks, and a covered cedar outdoor shower. An ocean safari by Zodiac is a must to spot bald eagles, sea lions, grey whales, sea otters, and black bears digging up crabs on the beach. Serious hikers can tackle the Wild Side First Nations Interpretive Trail, while anglers will relish guided heli- y shing. Even if that isn’t your thing, take a helicopter up to Cloud Camp for morning yoga or a swim in the shimmering cerulean alpine lake. Decide by dinner on a game plan for tomorrow, although guides are exible and accommodating to last-minute changes. Foodies can even go foraging with the chef, picking spruce tips, wild blackberries, salal berries, and mushrooms that appear on your plate the next day.

Glamping has become quite trendy (see our January 2016 issue for more), but Clayoquot was one of the first luxury tented resorts in North America, and is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. The season runs May 21 through September 24.

Three-night all-inclusive rates start at $3,520 per person and include all meals, snacks, laundry service, guided activities, gear, and instruction, plus a 60-minute massage. 1 Clayoquot, Tofino, British Columbia, Canada, wildretreat.com

With just 15 spacious over-water villas, Kudadoo Maldives Private Island by Hurawalhi is the rst ultra-all-inclusive resort of its kind in the Maldives, powered entirely by solar panels and constructed from sustainably sourced wood. Designed by architect Yuji Yamazaki, its central hub is inspired by traditional Japanese building processes, and the island is landscaped with native plants like coconut palm, beach hibiscus, and ironwood.

Unlimited spa treatments (including massages in the Maldives’ first Himalayan salt chamber), in-villa dining, and private excursions—from sunset dolphin cruises to manta ray snorkeling—are all included in the nightly rate. A dedicated Maldivian butler is available anytime for anything your heart desires. ere’s no need to make plans, except perhaps for spa treatments, since those book up quickly. Simply wake up and the world is your oyster.

Begin the day with a oating breakfast in an in nity pool—soft scrambled eggs with freshly shaved tru es or perhaps a mangosteen smoothie bowl topped with bee pollen, ax seed, and fresh diced tropical fruit. en slip directly into the ocean with snorkel gear to explore the marine wonderland. ( e Maldives’ brilliant coral reefs make for some of the best diving and snorkeling in the world.) Boats are available at beck and call to whisk guests to the best locations for animal sighting depending on the weather. With its breathtakingly beautiful surroundings, Kudadoo creates a sense of peace and freedom that’s like no other on earth.

Rates start at $3,800 double occupancy for a one-bedroom villa. Kudadoo Island, Lhaviyani Atoll 07080, Maldives, kudadoo.com

BLACKBERRY MOUNTAIN
Tennessee, US
Blackberry Farm has long been a favorite among celebrities, a bucolic getaway on a working farm in the rolling hills outside Knoxville. Last year, sister property Blackberry Mountain opened atop the mountain (with views of the farm in the valley below) with a greater focus on adventure and holistic wellness—restoring the mind and healing body and spirit with meditation, bathing, and mountain climbing. Guests can also forage for herbs to make their own poultices and tinctures for spa treatments.

More than half of Blackberry Mountain’s 5,200 acres in the Great Smoky Mountains are dedicated to conservation, with an aim of preserving this pristine forest habitat for generations to come. The resort’s stone cottages and wooden cabins blend into the mountainside, while offering the utmost privacy for guests, many of their building materials sourced nearby. Its Firetower restaurant was formerly a 1950s lookout tower. You can hike the two miles there or take the complimentary Lexus house car when it’s time for mountaintop sunset cocktails. Pantry snacks, breakfast, dinner, morning wellness classes, and guided hikes are all included in the rate.

Cabins have wood-burning stoves and outdoor hot tub access. Stone cottages, more centrally located to the main lodge and pool, feature patios and fireplaces. Outdoor yoga and in-studio fitness classes are offered each day, along with mountain biking, hiking, and rock climbing to work up an appetite for dinner. Regularly scheduled events range from yoga retreats to pottery workshops, and the setting is perfect for a corporate retreat or hosting a destination wedding reception.

Rates start at $1,045 per person double occupancy for a watchman cabin. 1041 The Loop Road, Walland, Tennessee, blackberrymountain.com

JEAN-MICHEL COUSTEAU RESORT
Savusavu, Fiji
When it opened in 1995, this was the first luxury resort in all of Fiji. More than 20 years later, it’s still setting the standard for sustainable luxury in this soft coral capital of the Pacific. The Cousteau name is synonymous with diving and ocean conservation, and the Namena marine reserve and other nearby coral reef dive sites are stunning draws for visitors. The resort’s award-winning scuba team can get you PADI-certified in just three days, and there are also daily snorkel trips, complimentary kayaks, and a glass-bottom boat allowing visitors of all ages and swimming abilities to get out on the ocean and meet its creatures.

Upon arrival, employees line up with wide smiles and serenade guests. They’re then ushered to a beach bure (traditional Fijian straw bunga – low)—with a welcome drink that features chilled lemongrass and ginger from the resort’s organic garden—for a welcome foot scrub and massage. With just 25 bures and 200 staff, service is incred – ibly attentive. Children under five years old receive their own complimentary personal nanny, and Fijian nannies are legendary. Daily laundry, round-trip airport transfers, all meals, and off-site adventures like a rainforest hike and waterfall swim are included as well.

A new interactive botanical program on the property includes a medicinal plant tour to learn about flora that’s been cultivated by Fijian elders for generations. Sip kava to reduce anxiety, or try a molau yalewa salve for joint pain. The resort’s two-acre garden grows nearly a quarter of the fruits and vegetables consumed on property (including coconut, guava, papaya, and taro) in an effort to reduce its carbon footprint. Guests feeling inspired to give back can help plant mangroves, re-populate the endangered giant clam species, or volunteer for a children’s reading program at the local Fijian school.

Rates start at $1,050 per person double occupancy for a garden-view bure. Children under 13 stay free. Lesiaceva Point Road, Savusavu, Fiji, fijiresort.com

DOMES OF ELOUNDA
Crete, Greece
On the northern coast of the island and a short ight from London, Paris, Rome, and Istanbul, Elounda has been a secret holiday hideout for European jet-setters for decades. Only after Domes of Elounda joined Marriott’s Autograph Collection in 2015, however, did it become more popular among American travelers seeking Aegean allure. e all-suite resort’s famous domed structures are rooted in Greek and Syrian architecture, and the natural contours and earth tones cascade gracefully along the hillside to the ocean. While the 78 suites are lovely, the villa collection— which includes 28 luxury residences, eight private residences, and four villas—comes with an optional all-inclusive Haute Living package that truly raises the bar. Residences range from one to four bedroom, with a dedicated villa manager and concierge service available 24/7. You’ll enjoy an open bar upon arrival, grocery delivery, sun loungers in a private area of the beach, and included meals at any of the resort’s four restaurants (with Japanese-Peruvian, Italian fusion, and Greek seafood in uences) or the decadent bu et.

Visit the mythical Venetian castle on the nearby UNESCO-protected island of Spinalonga, or relax on the heated loungers in the spa tepidarium after a Cretaninspired signature spa ritual using local botanical extracts. Wind sur ng, water skiing, sailing, and canoeing are all popular water sports in the calm, crystal clear waters. Rates start at $500 for two-bedroom residences and $735 for villas. Tsi iki, Schisma Elountas, Greece, domesofelounda.com