Shoulder season travel has always been the ideal option for avoiding crowds, oppressive heat, and lofty prices. This year, there’s never been a better time to book a fall trip. From festivals to wellness retreats to one-in-a-lifetime experiences, below you will find unique fall experiences from hotels around the world.
Le Sereno, St. Barts - Reopening for the Season:
Reopening for the season on October 6th, Le Sereno offers an unparalleled experience for discerning travelers. Located at the east end of St. Barth and stretching along 600 feet of sandy beach on the picturesque Grand Cul-de-Sac marine reserve, Le Sereno’s elevated offering provides superior design and relaxed, spacious accommodations. Just ahead of peak season, fall is the perfect time to visit St. Barth’s for those seeking quiet respite in the most luxurious of locales.
Porches Inn at MASS MoCA - FreshGrass Festival:
The premier annual event for grassroots music, FreshGrass is a two-day festival in The Berkshires featuring performances by the best acoustic artists from The Indigo Girls to Brandi Carlile in a family-friendly setting. Taking place September 24th-26th at the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art, the event encompasses four stages, the museum galleries, courtyards and fields. Located directly across the street from the venue, Porches Inn provides the perfect accommodations for festival-goers. A collection of seven renovated Victorian row houses that are home to retro-industrial décor, Porches is not only a design-forward hotel, but a hub of culture and the arts.
The Ray Hotel Opening - Delray Beach, FL:
Delray Beach is the lesser known, highly desired Palm Beaches destination that travelers should have on their radar. With The Ray opening September 1st, the destination will now provide 141 upscale modern guest rooms & suites with luxury service, sought after restaurant locales, famed chefs and the first rooftop pool and event space to be enjoyed this fall.
The Ranch Malibu - Post-Summer Wellness Reset:
The Ranch is a healthy lifestyle company that features three acclaimed results-oriented, fitness and wellness programs. Dedicated to improving the quality of one's life by improving their health, The Ranch programs recalibrate the mind and body through an intense fitness and wellness regimen paired with a highly structured, plant-based nutritional diet. Launched in July 2020, The Ranch Private offers a tailored program ideal for those who wish to escape to nature and experience the 7-day program with distance from the other guests on property. The newest program, The Ranch 9.0 is a 9-day experience that adds two additional days to The Ranch’s signature weeklong program, allowing guests to jumpstart their stay, re-enter with ease and maximize results. The Ranch Buyout allows guest to transform the 19-cottage, 200-acree retreat into their own private respire for a week or longer.
Perfect for the fall weather, each day consists of 8 hours of low impact activity – centered around a breathtaking and varied 4-hour group hike each morning – afternoon nap time, fitness classes, yoga and daily massage all accompanied by a plant-based diet. Guests can enjoy the beauty of fall all while recalibrating their mind and body. During their stay, guests connect with nature’s healing elements and can also experience more unique health modalities including pre-and post-program cholesterol testing and body fat analysis, a weekly sound bath, acupuncture, chiropractic treatments, cryotherapy and IV Therapy to further enhance results. Inspired by nature, The Ranch’s artfully prepared, organic plant-based cuisine is inspired by what’s in season, putting the body in harmony with the earth’s natural cycle. Guests will enjoy delicious fall-inspired meals during their stay.
M Social - The Return of NYC and Broadway:
The perfect fall getaway or staycation as NYC tourism roars back, M Social New York marks the first Millennium Hotels and Resorts outpost in the United States. With the return of Broadway made official as of this month, the hotel’s location in the heart of Times Square is ideal for fall travelers. Walking distance to New York’s best attractions, the hotel is the perfect home base for theater-going and sight-seeing in the Theater District, Central Park, and Fifth Avenue. M Social New York is home to the vibrant rooftop bar and lounge, Beast & Butterflies, a private oasis perched above Times Square, and boasts an eclectic art collection and unique architecture with contemporary, avant-garde designs that illustrate a story based on New York City’s main characteristics. Rooms - 480.
The Wave - Pier Village Kite Festival
For a fall family getaway that doesn’t stray too far from home, The Wave Resort is an unparalleled oceanfront oasis. The hotel is located in the beautiful Pier Village, where the annual Kites at the Pier Festival will take place on September 25th and 26th this year. The perfect vantage point to view the dazzling display of thousands of flying kites, the newly built resort’s 67 brilliantly designed rooms & suites each feature a walk-out terrace facing the action.
The oceanfront resort also features the state-of-the-art Wave Resort spa which make the property a perfect destination for a fall getaway. The spa is a destination where luxury and relaxation come together with an extensive menu of soothing messages and treatments. The spa menu, which is changed seasonally, offers innovative trends to encourage recovery and is accompanied by four on-site dining options at the resort with healthy offerings, over 7,000 sq. feet of indoor/outdoor venue and event space, on-site style lounge and salon, and a magnificent swimming pool with swim-up bar overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. Wave Resort Rooms – 67
Casa de Campo – Golf, Tennis, Shooting and more:
Casa de Campo Resort & Villas offers its guests a choice of spacious hotel rooms, suites and luxury villas. Expect gourmet cuisine and fine wines and spirits throughout the destination’s restaurants and bars, a 370-slip Marina & Yacht Club, Polo & Equestrian Club, La Terraza Tennis Centre and 245-acre Shooting Club. Spanning 7,000 tropical acres on the southeastern coast of the Dominican Republic, this luxury Caribbean destination is also home to three challenging golf courses all designed by Pete Dye, including the famous Teeth of the Dog as well as the scenic Dye Fore and Links courses. Also on-site is Altos de Chavón - an artisan’s village modeled on a 16th century Mediterranean village with boutique shops, a museum with many Taino Indian artefacts, an art gallery and a 5,000-seat Grecian-style amphitheater inaugurated by Frank Sinatra in 1982.
LOTTE Hotel Seattle – Oktoberfest and Seasonal Fare:
Any local will tell you that fall is their favorite time of year in Seattle. The weather is warm, the days are still full of sunshine and it’s the most beautiful time to explore the city. Take in the changing of the seasons at the stunning, 20-acre Kubota Gardens, one of the most Instagrammable places in the city, or make your way to Fremont Oktoberfest in September to sample the best local, seasonal beers.
For the best seasonal, regional fare, Charlotte Restaurant & Lounge delivers on both flavor and spectacular views of the city. Located on the 16th floor of LOTTE HOTEL SEATTLE, Charlotte Restaurant & Lounge features a contemporary approach to Pacific Northwest cuisine, showcasing elevated dishes using fresh, local ingredients served in an approachable way. With a prominent location along the business district of downtown Seattle, LOTTE HOTEL SEATTLE is just minutes from the city’s most famous attractions, making it the perfect home base for visitors looking to explore all the city has to offer this fall.
Applewood Manor – Peep and Pedal:
Nestled on an acre of towering cherry, oak, pine and maple trees just a short walk from downtown Asheville is Applewood Manor, a meticulously curated boutique B&B which reopened in May after completing phase one of a $1.5 million redesign. With six luxuriously-decorated rooms including $20k Duxiana beds, art & furnishings from 1stDibs and a world-class biking program through a partnership with 3T Cycling, Applewood Manor is the perfect escape for travelers seeking a picturesque escape. This fall, the Manor will offer a special “Peep and Pedal” experience with curated fall foliage biking excursions led by Applewood Manor’s owner and Cycling Concierge Stephen Collins.
Bora Bora One – Wellness Haven:
For travelers seeking resort amenities with a luxury residential feel, Bora Bora One is a private estate that celebrates local artisans and an eco-luxury design. The secluded, 5-bedroom villa is situated on 7.5 idyllic acres surrounded by turquoise blue waters of the French Polynesian island. In addition to the private beach and pool, wellness enthusiasts will enjoy the brand new gym featuring state-of-the-art equipment including Woodway Wattbikes, Concept 2 Rower, boxing area and massage table; the tennis court designed to U.S. Open specs; and the on-site organic vegetable garden. Guests have access to 24-services and twice-daily housekeeping, including a private chef and head butler who can arrange bespoke itineraries and various activities on and off-premise, including scuba diving, swimming with sharks, kayaking, paddleboarding and parasailing. The property is located on its own peninsula near the St. Regis and Four Seasons and completed a massive renovation in March 2021. Rates for Bora Bora One start at 15,000 Euros per night.
The St. Regis Aspen
Ideally located at the base of the majestic Aspen Mountain, The St. Regis Aspen Resort is the ideal fall escape. The resort offers stunning views of the Rocky Mountains and is surrounded by Colorado’s most beautiful fall foliage. The luxurious 179-room resort is also situated within walking distance of Aspen’s best hiking trails, shops, restaurants, and entertainment. After a day exploring the lush natural surroundings, treat yourself to a spa treatment at the Iridium Spa or dinner at Dante, the beloved NYC-based bar serving its award-winning cocktails at the resort’s acclaimed Chefs Club for a yearlong residency.
The Ritz-Carlton New York, Central Park
Redesigned and reawakened, The Ritz-Carlton New York welcomes all to its iconic location overlooking the enchanting Central Park. Freshly renovated hotel rooms and suites introduce guests to a chic New York lifestyle with views of the robust park and the vibrant city. Luxury is key throughout the expansive property, with spaces filled with bespoke furnishings and artwork. Indulge in therapeutic spa offerings or stay up late for drinks at the hotel’s bar and restaurant, Contour. Either way, The Ritz-Carlton New York, Central Park has it all for enjoying the transforming seasons in autumn.
Caldera House
Caldera House is a naturally sprawling private destination, offering spacious residential style suites, unparalleled natural settings, and a range of outdoor activities and adventures for adults and children alike. The expansive suites boast large open-format kitchens which can be fully pre-stocked before arrival, elegant dining rooms, a home theater, soaking tubs, patios with fire pits and more. Caldera House also boasts a lobby lounge, two distinct restaurants, an in-house ski shop, a spa, a fitness and yoga studio and a Kids Club. Marked by innovative seasonal programming, Caldera House is a sought-after destination for family travel. In the Fall season, families can transition into the vibrant area by enjoying Horseback riding through the Tetons, whitewater rafting in Snake River, safari with wildlife through Yellowstone National Park, and so much more.
The Dewberry Charleston
Overlooking Marion Square in downtown Charleston and with 155 thoughtfully appointed rooms and suites, a world-class spa and heralded culinary venues, The Dewberry is the result of owner John Dewberry’s vision of “Southern Reimagined.” Occupying the renovated former L. Mendel Rivers Federal Building, a mid-century modern gem brought back to life over eight years, The Dewberry is a stunning juxtaposition of past and present that cleverly mixes materials from the low country with design elements hinting to the hotel’s mid-century modern origin. To complement the inherent warmth throughout the hotel, the buzzing Living Room anchors the lobby with a photogenic staff, handsome brass bar and unparalleled cocktail program. Enjoy the warm weather all autumn and head up to Citrus Club, the hotel’s tiki-inspired rooftop bar and lounge. Open year round, the space offers an unparallel view of downtown Charleston in the fall, giving patrons a bird’s eye view of the changing foliage set against the steeple-dotted skyline of the city.
The-Ritz Carlton, Bachelor Gulch
Nestled among towering pines and majestic mountains, The Ritz-Carlton, Bachelor Gulch attracts guests to this beautiful, mid-mountain destination throughout the year. Reconnect with the Great Outdoors and let your inner explorer adventure through the Rocky Mountains, which have now been overtaken with colors of fall. From biking down Vail Mountain, hiking the best mountains of Colorado, soaring sky high in a hot air balloon, or golfing amid evergreen pines and mountain views, this lodge-style hotel offers each individual a thrilling and scenic stay for the Fall season.