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October 05, 2005
New Articles: T+L 2005 Women's Travel Special

Travel + Leisure, October 2005
T+L 2005 Women's Travel Special
When it comes to travel, it's estimated that women make up to 80 percent of all decisions. Here, five jet-setters share their tips for navigating the world, solo. PLUS Safety advice, female-friendly hotels, trips, and more. (Bonnie Tsui on female-friendly hotels, women-only trips, great gear, and a Q&A with Jane Whitney, co-founder of Whitney & Smith Legendary Expeditions.)

FEMALE-FRIENDLY HOTELS
NEW PROPERTIES The 28-suite Sanctuary South Beach (1745 James Ave.; 305/673-5455; www.sanctuarysobe.com; doubles from $200) claims to be Miami Beach's first female-friendly hotel, offering a discount for women traveling solo, as well as jogging companions. · The 97-room Cosmopolitan Toronto (8 Colborne St.; 800/958-3488; www.cosmotoronto.com; doubles from $188) is aimed at businesswomen looking for a soothing work environment. Floors are key-access only.

ALL-WOMEN AREA Men aren't allowed in the new 68-room wing at London's Grange City Hotel (8–10 Cooper's Row; 44-207/863-3700; www.grange-city-hotel.co.uk; doubles from $518); room-service staffers are female. · The Ladies Floors at the St. Regis Hotel, Shanghai (889 Dong Fang Rd., Pudong; 877/787-3447; www.starwoodhotels.com; doubles from $290) proved so popular that the property added a third. Each is staffed with a female butler who can recommend safe dining options.

BEST PACKAGES In London, the Girls Night In weekend at the Berkeley (Wilton Place, Knightsbridge; 800/637-2869; www.maybourne.com; doubles from $580 a night) is the ultimate in pampering, with in-room manicures, Cosmopolitans, Bliss products, and a hamper full of late-night snacks. · The Principe Comfort Zone at Milan's Principe di Savoia (17 Piazza della Repubblica; 39-02/6230-5555; www.hotelprincipedisavoia.com; doubles from $430 a night) caters to female business travelers. In addition to a room upgrade (when available), female guests receive a manicure and a personal shopper. · In Montana, the Reel Woman special at the Resort at Paws Up (40060 Paws Up Rd., Greenough; 800/473-0601; www.pawsup.com; four nights from $1,850 per person, including meals) includes a fly-fishing lesson, a one-hour massage, and a personal butler for the last day. · With the Girl's Guide to Glamour in Gotham at the Mandarin Oriental, New York (80 Columbus Circle; 866/801-8880; www.mandarinoriental.com; one night from $1,845, double), you get a Chanel makeover, a manicure at Bergdorf's, and a shopping tour in a limo.

WOMEN-ONLY TRIPS
In 2006, AdventureWomen (800/804-8686; www.adventurewomen.com; 13-day trip from $5,295 per person, double, including land costs and international airfare; internal airfare not included) has participants take mountain hikes to monasteries and dzongs—medieval fortresses that function as cultural centers—and experience a prayer ceremony at a Buddhist nunnery. · Against the dramatic backdrop of Carmel-by-the-Sea and Big Sur, guests on Artista Creative Safaris (831/625-5748; www.artistacreative.com; all-inclusive five-night packages from $2,395 per person), a retreat just launched by the founder of Las Olas Surf Safaris for Women, take daily art lessons interspersed with hiking, kayaking, surfing, yoga, and spa treatments. · Spend a week learning how to hand-pull pasta dough with the chefs of Tuscan Women Cook (39-057/766-9444; www.tuscanwomencook.com; seven-day courses are $3,350 per person, double, including meals, accommodations, day trips, and tastings). Though this culinary program based in Montefollonico, Italy, isn't exclusive to female participants, it's taught by a local nonna whose recipes have been passed down from mother to daughter for generations. · WomanTours (800/247-1444; www.womantours.com; eight-day tours start at $1,990 per person, double, including lodging and most meals), which specializes in inn-to-inn biking jaunts, will introduce an itinerary to the American Alps, Idaho's Sawtooth Mountains in 2006. A local guide will take you cycling through Sun Valley to the glacier-fed Redfish Lake, white-water rafting in the Salmon River, and for a soak in the steamy natural pools of Challis Hot Springs · Women & Wine (323/850- 5274; www.women-wine.com; three-day Women & Wine Getaways start at $1,795 per person, including all accommodations, meals, and activities; custom trips start at $795 per person per day) organizes trips to established and emerging wine regions, providing access to premier vineyards in places such as Bordeaux, Baja, and Mendoza, Argentina's largest wine district.

If you're tired of chunky backpacks that drag you down, try Deuter's FUTURA 22SL (303/652-3102; www.deuterusa.com; $95); it was designed with the female form in mind. In addition to soft padding, an adjustable hip belt, and tapered straps for a shorter torso and narrower shoulders, it has a three-way ventilation network and an Aircomfort suspension system to keep weight off the back.

Q&A WITH JANE WHITNEY
Owner of Whitney & Smith Legendary Expeditions (800/ 713-6660; www.legendary.ca).

Any tips on how to choose the right backpacking trip?
Know your fitness level. Can you walk up several flights of stairs carrying 45 pounds? Can you walk over uneven terrain, across boulders and moraine, with a pack for five hours? Women who maintain a general fitness program will be fine.

What's in your backpack?
Petzl makes headlamps that fit in the palm of your hand; it's a good idea to take one as a backup (Petzl Tikka; www.petzl.com; $29). And—people will laugh at this—my cashmere sweater. It folds up to nothing and makes a huge difference when I'm skiing or on cool nights in Mexico.

What gear should a female adventure traveler never be without?
Garmin has a very simple and small GPS, the eTrex (www.garmin.com; $106). But you should always carry a map and compass as well. Iridium satellite phones (www.iridium.com; from $1,000) work anywhere in the world, including above latitude 70 degrees north, where other brands stop working.

Any health advice for women travelers?
Always pack chocolate, nuts, or an energy bar. This is particularly important for women, whose blood sugar levels crash more frequently than men's.

Posted by bonnie