Recently in Mexico Category

If you're feeling the pull of paradise this summer, here's an offer that can take you there in style. With Westin's exclusive resort package offer, you'll receive a complimentary night, resort credit and room upgrade at resorts in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean. Enchanted by Maui? Book a stay at the Westin Maui Resort & Spa, Ka'anapali (pictured), where you'll enjoy your third night free, complimentary daily breakfast for two and a room upgrade. Fort Lauderdale more your style? The Westin Diplomat Resort & Spa is offering a fifth night free, along with a $100 resort credit and a room upgrade. Avid golfer? The Westin Mission Hills Resort & Spa boasts two world-class courses, and is offering a fourth night free, $75 resort credit and a room upgrade. There are many other exciting destinations as well, from the Westin Resort & Spa, Los Cabos in Baja California Sur to Le Westin Resort & Spa, Tremblant, Quebec, a four-season resort with golf, hiking trails and water sports. Check out these exclusive resort packages today and set your sights on paradise.

Jeremy McCarthy is the Director of Global Development and Operations for Starwood Hotels & Resorts and thelobby.com's expert on everything spa. Over the last month, he has been reporting stories from Mexico, where he recently travelled.

A great way to experience a "sense of arrival" when you first land in Mexico City is to have a soak in the co-ed pool in the middle of the W's Away Spa while watching the billowing Mexico flag right outside the window. A spa juice bar is steps away with a variety of beverages to detoxify you from your travels and refuel you for the days ahead. Si senor, you have arrived.

With SPG Free Weekends, there are no limits. Your Free Weekend Night Awards may be combined and you can use them on the same weekend. With no limits on the number of Free Weekend Nights you can earn, you could easily find yourself in some unforgettable places this year. If you've always wanted to visit Mexico, for example, you can redeem your Free Weekend Night Awards at the Hacienda San Jose (pictured), an exquisite 18th century architectural property in the heart of the Yucatan Peninsula. Explore Mayan culture in the magnificent temples and pyramids at Chichen Itza or the miles of underground passageways at Calcehtok Caves.

Or you might prefer a weekend jetsetting in Spain at the new W Barcelona, an exuberant icon of silvered glass rising 26 stories high above the skyline. Enjoy a city retreat on your own strip of beach at the Playa Sant Sebastia where W's Beach Ambassadors provide all the comforts from umbrellas to gourmet lunches for a day in the sun! Then return to the hotel and visit the 26th floor where the rooftop lounge Eclipse offers one-of-a-kind cocktails alongside tantalizing nibbles and a panoramic view of the city.

If you'd like a chance to win a Free Weekend Night Award, be sure to follow @SPGInsider on Twitter this week. Each day, SPGInsider will tweet a trivia question relating to SPG. The first person to correctly tweet the answer to SPGInsider will win one Free Weekend Night. With more than 920 hotels to choose from, a world of international travel awaits. How cool is that?

Jeremy McCarthy is the Director of Global Development and Operations for Starwood Hotels & Resorts and thelobby.com's expert on everything spa. Over the last few weeks, he has been reporting from Mexico, where he has been traveling around the country.

What is the woman in the mural of the Away Spa at W Mexico City looking at? She is peering into the Temazcal, the traditional steam bath ritual that is available for individuals, couples or small groups in the heart of the spa. A local shaman or "temzcalera" leads guests through a chanting and meditation ritual while hot rocks cause them to sweat out all of their toxins and impurities.

Jeremy McCarthy is the Director of Global Development and Operations for Starwood Hotels & Resorts and thelobby.com's expert on everything spa. Over the last few weeks, he has been reporting from Mexico, where he has been traveling around the country.

The Exercise Room at the St. Regis Mexico City may be one of the most beautiful and functional gyms that I have ever seen. It features top-of-the-line equipment from TechnoGym and some cleverly designed screens that can give you more space or more privacy depending on how you prefer to set up the space for your workout. My favorite part is having an expansive space to move and stretch and the panoramic windows looking out over the city.

Jeremy McCarthy is the Director of Global Development and Operations for Starwood Hotels & Resorts and thelobby.com's expert on everything spa. Over the last few weeks, he has been reporting from Mexico, where he has been traveling around the country.

It's easy to feel like you are floating in the clouds while drifting in the pool at the Remede Spa at the St. Regis Mexico City. The heated above ground pool has a whirlpool on either side and comes right up to the windows so it feels like you are swimming laps across the Mexico City skyline.

Jeremy McCarthy is the Director of Global Development and Operations for Starwood Hotels & Resorts and thelobby.com's expert on everything spa. Over the last few weeks, he has been reporting from Mexico, where he has been traveling around the country.

An elegant setting for a small private party is the Decanter Room adjacent to the Diana Restaurant in the St. Regis Mexico City. With food and wine tasting menus by renowned chef Jeff Peláez and enologist Rodolfo Gerschman, the private dining room offers a beautiful setting for entertaining distinguished guests. Riedel Crystal decanters and glasses, a brilliant collection of cigars, and a rarified atmosphere all combine to create a comfortable setting for an evening of conversation and revelry.

Jeremy McCarthy is the Director of Global Development and Operations for Starwood Hotels & Resorts and thelobby.com's expert on everything spa. Over the last few weeks, he has been reporting from Mexico, where he has been traveling around the country.

I previously wrote about "A Manicure with a View" from the Remède Spa at St. Regis Mexico City, where the manicure tables and pedicure chairs look down on Paseo de la Reforma, a major avenue through the heart of the city. The view has become even more interesting...if you scan the buildings in the distance, you might notice this ad for a men's body spray featured on the side of a nearby building, featuring a giant model of a rock climber. Hopefully it doesn't inspire you to go rock-climbing...you could ruin your manicure!