Digital detox: 7 unplugged hotels for a truly relaxing vacation

With the constant distraction of social media, apps, TVs, and all things technology, sometimes it’s good to get away from it all and live in the moment. These resorts provide the perfect accommodations, scenery, and low- or no-tech activities to soak up the here and now.

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Petit St. Vincent Island and Resort, Grenadines

Petit St. Vincent is the perfect place to escape from being plugged in. The 115-acre Caribbean island resort has no telephones, televisions, or Wi-Fi in the 22 one- and two-bedroom ocean view cottages and villas. Guests are encouraged to leave their cell phones at home and instead partake in some low-tech activities, such as yoga, spa treatments at the Hillside Spa (even an open-air massage), meditation on the relaxation deck, sailing, snorkeling, kayaking, fishing, hiking, tennis, golf, and more. On-property dining options include fine dining at the Main Restaurant, ocean front dining at the Beach Restaurant, weekly beach barbecues and picnic lunches. Enjoy living in the moment and reconnecting with a loved one, or yourself, in this serene environment, free of cell phones, Facebook, and reality TV.

Sanderling Resort, North Carolina

The four-diamond Sanderling Resort offers a “Digital Detox” package for guests to enjoy a distraction-free vacation in the picturesque Outer Banks. Guests can check their digital devices in to Guest Services so as not to be tempted to check their social media accounts or answer unimportant text messages. Need some motivation to live without your technology? For each day the guest goes without their devices, they receive a 20 percent discount for a “me-time” activity, such as a two-hour art instruction with canvas and paint, personal board game set up, treatment at the full-service Spa Sanderling, kayak tours, stand up paddle board instruction or morning beach yoga instruction. For an additional fee, the resort also offers hang gliding, paragliding, parasailing, bi-plane tours, helicopter tours, horseback riding, dolphin tours and more. Don’t forget to fuel up before or after your activity with a meal from one of the four on-property restaurants. What better excuse to go offline for a few days and really unwind. Rates start at $159 per night seasonally.

Little Palm Island Resort & Spa, Florida Keys

Little Palm Island Resort & Spa is a little slice of paradise located in the Florida Keys. This isolated retreat is for guests 16 years and older and only accessible by seaplane or boat. There are no phones or TVs, but plenty of offline activities to keep you from missing your digital devices. The six-acre property includes 30 thatched-roof bungalow suites, a pool, direct beach access, a main dining room (with a full meal plan option), and land, sea, and air adventures. Relax in the Great Room with a book or enjoy playing cards or a board game with your travel partner or a new acquaintance, or head off to the SpaTerre for a Balinese or Thai-insipred treatment such as the Fire Stick Purifying Ritual or Madrugada Water Massage. Room rates start at $690.

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SHA Wellness Clinic, Spain

Located on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, the 92-suite SHA Wellness Clinic is the ideal location for an unplugged vacation. With mobile devices banned in public areas, guests can immerse themselves in the ecological beauty that surrounds the property, including views of the Mediterranean Sea, the Bay of Altea and the mountain of the Sierra Helada Natural Park. On-site activities include guided bike rides, catamaran excursions, scuba diving, golf, yoga, fitness classes, and helicopter tours. There is also a full-service spa offering specialized treatments such as cryotherapy, electro lymphatic drainage and aqua cranio-cervical massage. For those wanting time for contemplation, the zen, mediterranean and tropical gardens are the perfect spot to meditate. The on-property Shamadi Restaurant focuses on a macrobiotic diet to keep guests in tune with the wellness methods of the clinic. After a few days of enjoying the silence without a cell phone, you may not want it back.

Tabcon Thermal Resort & Spa, Costa Rica

Located in a dense rainforest in the Arenal Volcano Region, the five-star Tabcon Thermal Resort & Spa offers visitors a chance to experience balneotherapy — the treatment of disease by bathing in mineral springs. With 20 in-river natural thermal springs warmed by the volcano’s magma, the warm water is sure to melt away any worries about not being connected, as there’s very little-to-no cell service at the resort. The 103-room property is situated on 900 acres of tropical rainforest reserve and features two restaurants, four bars, five pools, a swim-up bar, and thermal water slide. There is also a world-class spa with open-air spa treatment bungalows where guests can relax to the sounds of nature (rather than buzzing smart phones). This is the place to get in tune with the outdoors rather than than tuning in to the “nature” channel on Pandora. Rates start at $390 per night.

Heron Island Resort, Australia

Heron Island Resort, located on the Great Barrier Reef, offers guests a rare chance to have “screen-free” time with television-free rooms and no cell phone coverage on the island. To get to the natural coral cay requires a two-hour boat ride or 25-minute seaplane flight from the coast of Queensland. Although guests can walk the perimeter of the island in about 20 minutes, the 109-room resort offers plenty of eco-friendly activities to keep guests entertained, such as world-class scuba diving and snorkeling, guided reef and bird walks, kayaking, semi-submarine tours, and turtle nesting viewing. There is also an on-island Aqua Soul Spa with treatments inspired by the surrounding sea, such as the LI’TYA Sea Salt Body Buff and the LI’TYA Sapphire Sea Wrap. Dining options include the Shearwater Restaurant that serves three meals daily, Baillie’s Bar & Pandanus Lounge, or for a romantic rendezvous order the picnic lunch and dine seaside on a secluded beach. Keep in mind, you won’t be able to post a pic to Instagram.

Camp Grounded, California

Camp Grounded is a revolutionary summer camp for adults that strictly prohibits the use of digital technology devices and drugs or alcohol in exchange for four days of unplugged outdoor fun. During their “Digital Detox Retreat,” no one is worried about posting their activities on Facebook or Instagram, yet they still leaving feeling connected. Through traditional off-the-grid camp activities such as face painting, capture the flag, archery, ropes courses, campfire sing-a-longs, and more, campers engage in self expression, creative play,  freedom from digital devices, and enjoy developing face-to-face friendships. Accommodation is in cabins and meals are provided.

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