No need to cruise the Caribbean to find a luxury resort on a private island situated in turquoise waters when there’s one in our own backyard. North of Desolation Sound, the five star Sonora Resort is anything but desolate.

fly
Take London Air Services’ 15-seat helicopter, which runs regular flights between Richmond and Sonora Island, and arrive swiftly (45 minutes from take-off to touch-down) and in style.

eat
Feast like royalty on Pacific Northwest fare with flair dreamt up by Executive Chef Terry Pichor. Did we mention drinking and dining is all-inclusive? The 6-course nightly tasting menu will arouse many ohs and ahs. And if you’re still thirsty after dinner, a fully-stocked gratis mini bar awaits you back at your room.

spa
Slow down and spa it up at the full-service Island Currents Spa on site. Take a tension-relieving massage then sip a smoothie in the sun afterwards or simply soak in the outdoor mineral pools.

stay
Book one of the lovely lodges or splurge on Sea Lion Pointe. The palatial structure on its own peninsula contains four lavish suites, a kitchen fit for an iron chef and a two million dollar collection of commissioned West Coast art.

do
Fun is had with amenities that include a tennis court, hiking trails, movie theatre, virtual golf, pool (both cue and chlorine varieties) and plenty of hot tubs. If you feel especially outdoorsy, book a salmon fishing expedition aboard a 25’ Grady-White or traverse tidal rapids in search of seal, whale, dolphin and grizzly sightings on an eco-tour.

Michelle Pfeiffer summers nearby. Are we surprised?

Room rates start at $500, Sonora Resort, Sonora Island, 604-233-0460, www.sonoraresort.com

Kits Pool is overcrowded and the same goes for Third Beach. What you really need is a rooftop watering hole only a hotel can offer.

While most hotel pools in Vancouver are guest-only, you don’t have to sneak in Samantha Jones-style. The Westin Grand downtown offers daily drop-in ($15) that lets locals access the outdoor pool, whirlpool and fitness facilities. Or make it a monthly membership ($60) and you also snag 20 per cent off food and beverage.

We’ll have our pomegranate martini poolside please.

The Westin Grand, 433 Robson St., Vancouver, 604-602-1999, www.westingrandvancouver.com

For more tips on hotel pools, read today’s vanvitamindaily tweets.

Grab the girls and head to the mountains for a weekend of spas, steaks and sun. 

dine
The brand new Sidecut steakhouse at the Four Seasons Hotel boasts an infrared grill that creates the perfect crispy char. Customize your steak with a choice of dipping sauces and rubs, like the spicy and smoky Edison’s Medicine. Sit on the pretty patio and marvel at the serene views. Is that a bear up there? www.fourseasons.com/whistler

drink
The Bearfoot Bistro’s new Miami-style poolside patio opened officially on July 1. If you can’t take the heat, duck into the restaurant’s new Belvedere Ice Room, don a Canada Goose-down parka, and taste specialty vodkas stored in a wall of ice. Now that’s cool. www.bearfootbistro.com

recover
The new Scandinave Spa off the Lost Lake Trail is a self-contained hydrotherapy haven. Detox in the Finnish sauna and steam room then refresh in the hot and cold plunge pools. Relaxation rooms stocked with contemporary magazines and a policy of silence will help with your head, as will a restorative bowl of lemongrass-miso soup in the bistro. From $55, www.scandinave.com

relax
Consider taking the Rocky Mountaineer train to Whistler and arrive already relaxed after a spectacular 3-hour journey through valleys, rivers and waterfalls not seen from the highway. A complimentary drinks cart (remember those?) is a welcome retro touch. Now that’s our idea of “personal training.” From $129, www.whistlermountaineer.com

Coconut water is all the rage for its super, natural hydration (Madonna and Demi drink it) and coconut oil has long been praised as an antioxidant-rich moisturizer.

Vida Spa goes nuts with both in their new 30-minute Coconut Refresh Massage ($55) for summer. The treatment starts with a refreshing glass of coconut water to replace lost electrolytes and follows with a fragrant coconut oil massage to relieve tired muscles and protect the skin against sun damage.

In and out in under an hour, it’s the perfect afternoon delight.

Available until August 31 at Vida Spa Sutton Place, Sheraton Wall Centre and The Westin Bayshore locations, 604-682-VIDA, www.vidaspas.com

If it’s good enough for Jennifer Aniston, it’s good enough for us. Mexico’s pristine and serene San Jose Del Cabo on the Sea of Cortes (think Cabo’s sophisticated sister) had us at “Ola.”    

stay
At the Mexican-owned Marquis Los Cabos resort, they’re so serious about relaxation, they’ll bury your BlackBerry for you. While pondering the hotel’s impressive collection of art and sculpture, enjoying spacious private casitas and eavesdropping on the international clientele, you won’t miss it a bit.

swim
The resort’s pool is a good metaphor for the pleasures you’ll have: absolutely infinite. If the soft, sandy beaches, crashing surf and grey whale sightings don’t get you, how about baby sea turtles?

spa
Sunrise yoga on the breezy spa deck will get those limbs limber for beach walks. Follow with an all-organic Holistic Breakfast of egg white omelets and celery smoothies and you’ve now earned those margaritas.

do
Take a trip onto the charming village of San Jose, where the boutique hotel Casa Natalia tucked off the main square offers sublime cocktails in a romantic courtyard, perfect for a marriage proposal. www.casanatalia.com

I Do
The stunning arch of the open-air lobby of Marquis Los Cabos mimics the shape of the Baja Peninsula. Could there be a more memorable setting for a sunset wedding?

To view rates and packages, visit www.marquisloscabos.com

“Sea, Sex and Sun” sings Brigitte Bardot, but if you’re willing to trade sea for Seabreeze cocktails, you’ll be right at home at The Parker, Palm Springs.

South of France meets Alice in Wonderland best describes the sprawling grounds, where dwarf rabbits hop along the winding paths amid massive bougainvilleas and outsize rosemary bushes.

A tiny door in the hedge leads into the lawn of the marble ballroom, and an authentic French pétanque court with French bistro furniture lures near the adult Lemonade Stand.

Twelve beautiful private villas are celeb-friendly (Will Ferrell was checking out when we arrived) and even the regular rooms come with Jonathan Adler décor, chic amenities, and cult novels like Jacqueline Susann’s Once is not Enough.

We couldn’t agree more.

www.theparkerpalmsprings.com

To see behind-the-scenes photos in Palm Springs, please visit our Editors' Diary.

To celebrate the release of Alice in Wonderland, there has been all matter of Alice-themed paraphernalia. But we think the best way to honor Lewis Carroll’s classic is with a very merry un-birthday tea party.

Hotel Vancouver has rejigged its afternoon tea to be Wonderland-inspired. Playing cards are strewn across the table underneath your tier of treats. The standbys we love, like melt-in-your-mouth scones and Devonshire cream, are still on the menu, but the dessert tray now boasts flamingo-esque profiteroles and cupcakes. And then there’s the lovely little discount you receive for bringing your movie ticket stub or wearing a pretty party hat.

An all Alice afternoon this Easter weekend will solidify your station as Coolest Aunt Ever.

Mad Hatter’s Tea (adults $36, children $16) runs until April 30, 2010 at The Fairmont Hotel Vancouver, 900 West Georgia St., Vancouver, 604-662-1900, www.fairmont.com/hotelvancouver

The Vancouver room boom just moved up another notch. Herewith, the cool things that have us considering long-term hotel living at the Fairmont Pacific Rim:

1. Stunning installation by UK artist Liam Gillick that spans 17 floors of the building’s exterior with the phrase “The clouds looked no nearer than when I was lying on the street.”

2. Marble-clad lobby lounge that serves up afternoon tea, cocktails and raw seafood.

3. Live entertainment  on a $225,000 hand-crafted white Fazioli piano with 18 carat hinges.

4. Astonishing 180-foot origami light sculpture by Vancouver’s Joseph Wu that extends the length of Oru, the hotel’s Pan-Asian bistro.

5. Granville Island Florist outpost located within that means never going without fresh roses.

6. Discovery Theatre, a private movie theatre with 18 plush leather seats you can book for slumber parties. Just don’t watch The Shining.

7. Expansive Willow Stream spa with women’s steam room and lounge, and an ocean-view terrace with and forthcoming Jacuzzis and meditation pods.

8. State-of-the-art 4,000 square foot gym with a studio for yoga and Pilates.

9. Serene, spacious rooms—many with balconies—that feature espresso makers and 100 square foot spa bathrooms with embedded mirror televisions.

10. A sixth floor rooftop pool, inspired by the Bel Air in Los Angeles, ready in time for spring.

For more information visit www.fairmont.com/pacificrim

Wonder what the Burton snowboarders are up to this week? Why they’re practicing their swan dives in the rooftop pool at The Keefer, a high-end residence hotel just opened in Chinatown.

Each of the four floors comprises its own super-suite, with views over the classical Chinese gardens to the south and mountains to the north.

Rounding out the fun is the glass bottomed pool in the penthouse, specially commissioned art by Douglas Coupland, plus a sexy “Apothecary Bar” at street level serving up drinks made with Chinese medicinal herbs and tinctures.

We’ll take a dose of that.

The Keefer, 133 Keefer St., Vancouver, 604-688-1983, www.thekeefer.com

The Fairmont Pacific Rim is only days old and already it's getting major buzz for celebrity guests,  seriously spacious rooms, and stunning views.

But the secret gem for us locals is the 41-seat Italian cafe Giovane. We recommend the Berkshire ham sandwhich on sourdough ($10) for takeout, or dine-in on nine choices of pizzas ($11 each) and charcuterie plates (three selections, $14).

Lunch anyone?

Giovane (open 6 a.m.-8 p.m.), 1038 Canada Place, Vancouver, 604-695-5501, www.giovanecafe.com