5 tropical vacations mom will love

Be a spa goddess for the day

Take getting pampered to a whole other level at Jewel Grande Montego Bay Resort and Spa. Immersed in lush tropical gardens, its world-class Grande Spa features a Himalayan Salt Lounge experience, a first of its kind in the Caribbean, that also includes heated benches to release stress and promote better sleep.

If that doesn’t already make you feel relaxed, the facility holds 14 luxurious treatment rooms with showers and private outdoor balconies, massage tables with extra cushioning and more. Plus, the spa offers an extensive menu of massage, facial and body treatments that incorporate local island ingredients and essences—although no matter the treatment you choose you’ll likely come out smelling amazing with peppermint, lemongrass or lavender fragrances. If you’ve brought the little ones along for vacation, there’s also an excellent kids club full of action-packed and supervised activities that will keep them entertained for hours while you’re getting spoiled.

Heading off resort: Ever had a nature spa experience? One of Jamaica’s most popular attractions is the beautiful Dunn’s River Falls, and while most consider it an adventurous tour you can also treat it as a spa experience. As you climb up the falls, there are various spots that flatten out and you can sit down, take a break and let the water massage your back as it cascades down the falls.

Kickstart that fitness regimen

Sometimes life’s daily stresses can derail our commitments to staying fit and healthy, but you can easily get back on the bandwagon with the ultimate health and wellness experience at the aptly-named BodyHoliday Saint Lucia, which offers guests tons of included activities to help you get back in shape. Wake up with the sun to enjoy some early-morning yoga, Pilates or Tai Chi, or if you like to sleep in you can always try other included activities later in the day such as archery, volleyball, tennis, kayaking snorkelling. There are also regular meditation classes. In addition, exercise and diet go hand-in-hand at each of the five restaurants on site, you can enjoy fresh, delicious and healthy meals made from ingredients grown right on site and the chefs can also cater to any dietary restrictions you may have (i.e. gluten, nut allergies, fish, diabetes, etc.).

Heading off resort: There are plenty of ways to stay on top of your health and fitness routine while vacationing in Saint Lucia. For a more relaxing day, you may want to consider a tour to explore the volcano near Soufriere where at its base you can actually try a mud bath at the sulphur springs; or for something a little more adventurous you can venture off the beaten path and cycle through tropical trails to visit the main attraction, Dennery Waterfall, which is described as one of the most beautiful spots on the island.

Spoil yourself with fine dining every evening

Did you know that you can enjoy unlimited lobster while on vacation? This luxury does exist at Finest Playa Mujeres in Playa Mujeres. Not only is there unlimited lobster, but with 12 restaurants available to choose from everyone’s taste buds, including Mom’s, will be happy. While the kids may prefer to munch on tasty woodfire-oven pizza, you can enjoy gourmet French cuisine, delicious Italian comforts, sizzling steak and of course unlimited lobster—although who doesn’t like pizza? Plus, premium food comes with premium brand beverages and liquor here, and you have your choice of 16 bars to sip on your favourite drinks.

Heading off resort: Can’t get enough lobster? There’s lots of dining tours in Cancun that’s got you covered — a favourite of which is the Columbus Steak and Lobster Dinner. It’s also a great opportunity for you and sweetheart to enjoy a romantic evening sailing on a Spanish Galleon while listening to live music and dining on succulent steak and lobster.

Make Ladies Night even bigger

After playing with the kids all day, you can party it up and dance all night at Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic. This hotel takes fun and entertainment to a new level with its dazzling parties, live rock ‘n’ roll concerts, exciting casino and tunes spun by some of the world’s best DJs at its ORO nightclub—the most exclusive nightclub in the Dominican. This massive, 14,000 sq. ft. club features amazing show lighting, a 2-storey LED wall, an infinity edge bar and more designed to offer a nightclub experience that rivals those famed in Las Vegas and Miami—the actual ‘Ladies Night’ at this resort is on Wednesdays. Even better, the resort’s kids club is open late from 10am until 11pm and offers kids lots of supervised entertainment so if you need a few more hours of recovery after an awesome night of dancing, you can relax with ease.

Heading off resort: While Hard Rock may have one of the most exclusive nightclubs in the Caribbean, few parties compare to Coco Bongo. This party is often described as a cross between Cirque de Soleil, Theatre and Nightclub as you will see everything from exciting dance performance to trapeze artists doing death-defying tricks, to heart-pounding music and some of the most amazingly colourful costumes.

Romantic dinners on the beach

Let grandma and grandpa spoil the kids while you and your significant other head for a romantic getaway where you’ll be spoiled in the tropics. If you’re thinking of sugary-sand beaches, tranquil gardens and lavish suites (that maybe even come with a Jacuzzi), that’s Hideaway at Royalton Riviera Cancun in a nutshell. In addition to fun included activities for couples like mixology classes and sunrise yoga, you can also take advantage of romantic additions such as the Romance Package which includes a beachfront dinner under the stars with a bottle of champagne and chocolate-covered strawberries, as well as a couple’s massage, rose petals and candles in your room and more. Don’t worry though if the grandparents aren’t available for babysitting, as you can easily enjoy many of these romantic features while staying at the neighbouring Royalton Riviera Cancun property, which also offers a supervised kids club with extended hours.

Heading off resort: If you’re bringing the kids on vacation, save the romantic candlelit dinner on the beach for the resort, and then treat the kids to one of the most entertaining dinner performances in Cancun. The Captain Hook Steak Dinner gives you and the family a chance to sail aboard an authentic 17th century galleon and meet Captain Hook and his pirate crew. In addition to a delicious steak dinner, you’ll enjoy tons of games, contests, dance activities and exciting performances from the pirate crew.