If you want to celebrate International Women's Day 2020 on shore, we've rounded up the best luxury hotels from across the world hosting special women-centric events on March 8
Jumeirah Vittaveli Hotel, Maldives
Less than 20 minutes by boat from Malé, Jumeirah Vittaveli is the first seriously luxurious island in the Maldives that you can drop anchor at. The island has been a long-time favourite of superyacht owners - Motor Yacht A was previously been spotted anchored off the island.
On Sunday March 8, all female guests staying at the resort will be offered a complimentary sunrise and sunset beach yoga session overlooking the Indian Ocean's aquamarine waters. There will also be sweet treats at breakfast on the house, while later in the day cocktails will be gifted to female guests while they watch local singer Fa'thu perform her songs during dinner at Samsara beach.
Hotel Esencia, Mexico
In honour of International Women's Day, Hotel Esencia has launched a new programme dedicated to solo female travellers. The Sólo Para Mí package will focus on wellness for the body and mind, with experiences tailored to each intrepid explorer. Spa treatments, as well as mediation and open air yoga classes, will take place at the Esencia spa to help guests relax. The programme also offers a number of activities that embrace the local environment, such as reef snorkelling sessions, Hispanic cooking classes and workshops where guests can learn to concoct their own herbal lotions and potions with ingredients harvested from the Mayan soil and Caribbean waters.
Hotel Esencia's romantic setting makes it the ideal place for women to retreat and rejuvenate. located on the eastern peak of the Yucatán Peninsula between Cancun and Tulum, the resort occupies a beautiful stretch of Mexico's Riviera Maya coast.
University Arms, Cambridge, UK
Those looking for a cultural retreat this weekend should head to the University Arms in the historically academic town of Cambridge. For International Women's Day, guests can book into one of the hotel's signature suites named after some of the town's most famous women including Virginia Woolf and Rosalind Franklin. Both suites feature a private library with a collection of books uniquely curated by Heywood Hill, featuring books that inspired or have been inspired by these two influential women. The hotel restaurant Parker's Tavern will also be celebrating with the launch of two new cocktails inspired by International Women's Day.
Outside of the hotel, events will be held over the weekend throughout Cambridge. Kettle's Yard house and gallery will be celebrating the day with a series of art workshops and music recitals by female composers. Visitors can also explore the Kettle Yard archives to discover documents linked to the female artists of Kettle Yard's past.
Silversands Grenada, Caribbean
Silversands resort on the Caribbean island of Grenada is renowned for its commitment to the local community. If you're planning to spend March 8 on the Spice Isle this year, you'll be pleased to know that the fresh fruits and vegetables used in the resort's restaurants are provided by the Grenada Network of Rural Women Producers (GRENROP). This association provides farming jobs to 50 single mothers on the island, helping local Grenadian women to support themselves and their families. With the diversity of tropical ingredients growing on this tropical island, the GRENROP initiative also helps lessen food importation and reduce the resort's carbon footprint.
Guests dining at any of the resort's four luxury restaurant can therefore enjoy the flavours of Grenada while helping the island and its women too on international Women's Day.
Taj Safari Lodges, India
The two Taj Safari camps of Pashan Garh Lodge in Panna National Park and Banjaar Tola Lodge in Kanha National Park are pioneering a new programme that gives fulfilling opportunities to members of the Pardhi tribe. Together with last Wilderness Foundation and the Panna Forest Derpatment, The Walk with Pardhis initiative trains members of the nomadic tribe to become jungle guides, enhancing their pre-existing knowledge of the Indian forests and the wildlife found there. At the Banjaar Tola Lodge, guests will be led on a safari by Reesna, the first female Pardhi to become a qualified guide.
These two Indian safari resorts make ideal destinations if you want to experience a search for the majestic Bengal tiger while supporting Indian women at the same time.
Holkham Estate, Norfolk, UK
Spanning 25,000 acres across the scenic Norfolk Coast, The estate of Holkham Hall has been the stately home of the Earls of Leicester since the 18th century. A special Women's Day Park Run will be held across the grounds on Saturday 7 March, in support of the #ThisGirlCan campaign created by Sport England. Participants will be able to jog past some amazing coastal views and spot an abundance of wildlife during the five kilometre run.
After crossing the finish line, runners can retreat to the charming rooms of one of the estate's two boutique hotels; the wind-swept cottage of The Victoria Inn, or the converted historic building of Ancient House.
Quinta do Lago Resort, Portugal
This year, International Women’s Day will be marked at the Quinta do Lago resort with special workshops held at The Campus. This luxury sporting facility was opened in 2017 and is home to a football pitch, gym, swimming pool, tennis courts and cycling centre, all situated on the sunny southern coast of the Algrarve region.
on Sunday March 8, Quinta do Lago will hold two classes dedicated to commemorating ‘being a woman and the trials and tribulations that come with it’. This will include a Yoga for Hormone Balance Workshop and a Yoga for Menopause Workshop, both of which will focus on helping women of all ages achieve equilibrium and mental clarity.