Three of the best water sports destinations
Hotel Eden Roc Ascona, Switzerland
Influenced by its close proximity to Italy,
Ascona is the charming Swiss town graced with a unique micro-Mediterranean
climate that appears to escape the rest of Switzerland. Though the snow-peaked
landscape provides a striking backdrop, its other claim to fame is Lake
Maggiore, the 68km-long wonder which sits majestically in all its splendour at
the foothills of the Alps. Ascona is also the home of the Hotel Eden Roc, from
where a visitor can enjoy the mountainous scenery, the inimitable character of
the place and the watersports the lake affords everyone. In fact, at the hotel,
a grand complex boldly decorated by interior designer Carlo Rampazzi in
eccentric luxe décor, getting on the water is a must. Among the many
activities, there are team-building exercises on sailboats and fabulous speed
boat jaunts to the quaint daily markets found in the nearby Italian town of
Cannobio. Undoubtedly, the main draw here is the hotel’s for-hire private
yacht, on which guests can sip champagne, watch the sun setting between the
peaks above, while meandering around some of Lake Maggiore’s prime spots –
principally the stand-alone island, Isola Bella. Perhaps not a place for
jet-skiers; after all, is water-sports Swiss style.
Hotel
Eden Roc – Ascona, Switzerland – 5 star luxury resort
Doubles on a B&B basis at Hotel Eden
Roc available from CHF 190 (£127) pp per night, price based on two adults
sharing and includes service, taxes and VAT. To book contact +41 917857171 or
visitedenroc.ch
EasyJet flies to Milan Malpensa from
Edinburgh, London Gatwick and London Luton. Prices one way start from £23.99
and include all taxes (prices are subject to change). Book at easyJet.com
One & Only Le Saint Géran Mauritius
Under swaying coconut palms and an
ever-brilliant sky, visitors to Le Saint Géran may feel reluctant to do much
else but to kick back in this effortlessly chic and happily soporific resort.
But that would be to miss the point; Mauritian waters are some of the finest in
the world, and this One & Only hotel knows just how to take advantage of
the natural beauty that surrounds the resort all around. It is one of the
reasons why, therefore, all water-sports available at the hotel are offered on
a complimentary basis. The pedalos, banana boats, tube rides or even kayaks,
are yours free of charge for day-long hire at Le Saint Géran. Water-skiing is
also hugely popular, as are not-to-be-missed day-trips to The John Battleday
Waterski and Wakeboard Academy or the Kite & Stand Up Paddle School, where
daredevils learn how to kite surf with all the helpful and necessary seasoned
professionals they’d want around them. For those looking for something even
more spectacular, why not try the unique snorkelling and windsurfing on the
coral-sea lagoon close by? There are also mon-hull lasers and small catamarans
to take out into the choppier water, if they take your fancy. Of course, if
you’re keen to put your feet up at this resort, there are always the myriad of
irresistible boat trips on offer which mean that you can do all the sunbathing,
snoozing and reading you like while cruising the waters, which is, of course,
the very best of both worlds.
One
& Only Le Saint Géran Mauritius
A room at One&Only Le Saint Géran
starts from £520 per night including taxes, based on two people sharing a
Junior Suite King on a half board basis; oneandonlyresorts.com
Wyndham Rio Mar Beach, Puerto Rico
There are no less than eleven restaurants
in which to indulge at the wondrous Wyndham Rio Mar. gastronomic adventures can
try American, Peurto Rican and Caribbean fusion culinary delights at the
resort, which sits happily in the middle of both the El Yunque National Forest
and the Atlantic Ocean, on the north eastern coast of the country’s main
island. After all, one soon discovers that the food is a necessary requirement
in order to help sustain you through the multitude of activities which await
all visitors at this paradisiacal tropical spot. For as well as the merengue
classes, beach yoga, sailing classes and wave runner afternoons that can be
arranged here, the most popular activity is that of the Bioluminescent Bay
Kayak Tour – which can be booked directly via the Rio Mar’s reception desk on
arrival. It’s an unforgettable and much-sought-after experience: beginning at
sunset, participants paddle out on a kayak with a tour guide and are taught how
the dinoflagellates – the single-celled organisms which create a unique blue
glow by releasing energy – bring this bioluminescent bay’s ecology to surreal
life. Surrounded by a deafening silence and beams of marine blue in every
direction, it’s an imformative and peaceful trip. The Rio Mar is one of those
rare multitasking hotels, while the three-hour Bio-Bay tour, is an inexpensive
way to ensure your trip to Puerto Rico is as memorable as can be.
Pool
at Rio Mar Beach Resort & Spa in Puerto Rico
Prices at the Wyndham Rio Mar Beach Resort
start at US $159 (approx: £102) per night for a standard room, minimum 5 night
stay; wyndhamriomar.com
