Three Ways To Do A Summer Deep Dive

If you’re like most of us, it feels like a long time since we’ve been able to get waterside, take a deep breath and dive into summer. 

As travel restrictions ease and US citizens start flexing their newly acquired vaccinated status on the road, three hotels near or beside water beckon the water-famished  traveler. All three of these properties are participating in the Benchmark Celebrate Summer Adventure, and are offering extras or added value.  

Pink villas on white sands next to blue water are the lure at Cambridge Beaches Resort and Spa, one of the oldest and most venerable resorts in Bermuda, now open to US citizens for travel. There is even Pegem, a 300 year old bookable villa on the property, one that was  there since “Pirates of the Caribbean” days when Bermuda was a small outpost in the British colonies beset by sea captains and treasure seekers.

The treasures at hand today are the pure waters on the secluded archipelago where this no kid policy (under 12 year olds not  allowed) property has access to four soft-sand beaches: Long Bay, Turtle Cove, Pegem and Morning Beach. The property also has its own infinity and relaxation pools, along with whirlpools in the Ocean Spa. The privacy and seclusion (there are also private pool villas for those wanting maximum privacy) are reasons why the property is a favorite among politicos (Bill and Hillary are fans) along with other celebrities who vacation behind closed doors.  

This summer, the resort is offering their Ahh…More Package with a $30 spa credit per day and one round of  golf per person. You can also rent a moped or private boat  for four hours and get the fifth hour free. 

If a deep dive into a clear, cool mountain lake is more your  speed, book a summer stay at the Saranac Waterfront Lodge, Saranac Lake, NY. The lodge is set in the Adirondacks on Lake Flower. The Lodge has full lake access by kayak, canoe or motorboat along with an indoor heated pool and hot tub. A private marina with 24 boat slips debuts later this summer, and travelers with their own boats can book a slip. Many of the property’s 93 guest rooms have lakefront views (as well as loon listening privileges).  

The property is proximal to the Lake  Placid area as well as to local trails and walks within the Adirondacks—the place where some say the very idea of the summer vacation (and those wooden backed Adirondack chairs in which to enjoy it) were born. The town of Saranac Lake is also great for gallery goers, as well as for art and antique hunters. To celebrate this summer’s opening, the Lodge is offering up to 20 percent off nightly rates through their Stay More, Save More package.  

Finally, if you want to get lost near ancient flowing waters, consider a vacation at the Hotel Roanoke and Conference Center in the historic original lost colony of Roanoke. Water sports in the ancient Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia include kayaking, fishing and trailing along the Roanoke River and the Roanoke River Greenway, a network of trails and recreational sites along the river. The Blue Ridge Mountains, site of stunning natural beauty, are also famous for their hidden springs and waterfalls: beautiful at all seasons of the year.  

Back at the hotel, you’ll get a free spa treatment at the hotel’s Salt Foot Sanctuary as part of the hotel’s Happy Feet Summer Rejuvenation package, including a glass of  Virginia wine and the evening’s accommodations. If the mineral foot soak is not enough, you can book a full  massage at the spa or take a plunge in the resort’s  outdoor pool. 

You may even see a spirit or two afterwards. The hotel, built in the 1880s at a luxurious stay for people traveling the newly built railroads, has been known to host a friendly ghost or two.