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The GRAZIA Retreat: Hotel Terrestre In Puerto Escondido, Mexico
The GRAZIA Retreat: Hotel Terrestre In Puerto Escondido, Mexico

Grazia USA

time04-08-2025

  • Grazia USA

The GRAZIA Retreat: Hotel Terrestre In Puerto Escondido, Mexico

Photo: Supplied Escape to a raw and radiant destination where sustainability shapes every detail and nature is your true host. Tucked into the mountains of Puerto Escondido, this off-grid hideaway invites you to explore elemental architecture, ancient bathing rituals, and the quiet thrill of disconnection. Photo: Supplied Oftentimes, we find ourselves lost in the constant buzz of our phones – we answer emails in bed, take meetings in transit, and scroll between bites of breakfast. Even our vacations are marred by unwanted emails and the unspoken pressures to capture envy-inducing Instagram content. So, where do you go when you need to disconnect and reset? Tucked away in Mexico's mountains of Puerto Escondido lies Hotel Terrestre, where you can do exactly that. Every element of this villa-only sanctuary is rooted in one thing – sustainability. Not only does it operate completely off the grid, relying only on the cycle of the sun to keep it up and running, but everything from the materials used to its innovative construction, designed to negate the need for air conditioning, contributes to this overarching ethos. Not to mention, all the amenities and furniture are produced by local hands, with the aim of supporting local businesses. Photo: Supplied Each of Terrestre's 14 villas has been carefully designed to pay homage to its natural surroundings. With renowned architect Alberto Kalach at the helm, alongside his team at Taller de Arquitectura, every design feature draws inspiration from four intrinsic elements: water, flora, light, and air. From its palette dominated by brown hues, mimicking the sand surrounding the hotel, to the raw and earthy textures of wood, bricks, and clay used to build its walls and furniture, visitors are invited to a unique spatial experience where nature and architecture interact almost seamlessly. Since guests here are 'strongly encouraged' to put down their phones and reconnect with nature, it's only fair that they're spoiled with amenities and activities with which to occupy themselves. Choose between climbing up to the Mirador, where you'll enjoy breathtaking vistas overlooking the Pacific Ocean, or head to the hammam, where you can experience four ancient bathing traditions, each in its own chamber. For those who simply want to drift in bliss, consider taking a dip into the deep, warm waters of the bathing pool that boasts views of Terrestre's luscious gardens, or do so discreetly in your private pool that comes with every villa. Adventurers will also find plenty to do, from surfing and horse-riding to bioluminescent lagoon tours and sunrise hikes. Photo: Supplied When it comes to dining, the open-air restaurant serves fresh, flavour-forward Mexican and Mediterranean dishes, made to satisfy any epicurean craving. Though the menu changes with the season, roasted vegetables, zesty ceviches, and drinks that sparkle with sun-ripened fruit and local botanicals are its frequent stars. Paired perfectly with this is an expertly curated wine list, along with a cocktail menu perfect for golden hour. Whether you come for the design, the nature, or the stillness, a stay in Hotel Terrestre will never disappoint. This is a place where every texture, every scent, every ray of sunlight is part of a curated experience, offering exactly what it claims to do – 'A sacred pause for body and soul.' topics: Holiday Travel, INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL, SUMMER TRAVEL, the grazia travel guide, TRAVEL, travel 2025, Travel Guide, Holiday Inspiration, holiday guide, best luxury hotels, luxury hotels, chic hotels, boutique hotels, GRAZIA 14

The Right Way To Use Your Out-Of-Office Message
The Right Way To Use Your Out-Of-Office Message

Forbes

time02-07-2025

  • Forbes

The Right Way To Use Your Out-Of-Office Message

Dog in bathtub A better vacation starts with a better OOO—and getting real about unplugging. Most of us have a complicated relationship with the out-of-office (OOO) autoreply. Some Alpha types refuse to use it at all, ghosting their inbox while off-grid at Burning Man. Others switch it on if they're just stepping out for a dentist appointment. And then there are the classics: the message still announcing 'I will return on December 27' ... in mid-February. Or the OOO that stays live well into the person's first week back. Over the years I've developed a few tactics for using the OOO to improve the quality of my vacations and holidays, which I'm happy to share: 1. Only Use OOO If You're Really Off If you're going to be reachable and checking email regularly, skip the OOO: you're just working normally, even if it's in a different time zone than usual. I only turn on the OOO if I truly plan to disconnect: usually for a family vacation. But even then, not always. Like many of my clients, I take too many "vacations" where I'm online much of the day. The OOO is not for these situations. 2. Don't Announce Normal Work Activities Going to a conference? Flying overseas for a pitch? These aren't good reasons for an OOO. Unless you're in a role where split-second response is critical (and if you are a senior executive, you should rarely be in such a position) announcing that you're 'in Buenos Aires for a meeting' may read like poor time management—or showing off your frequent flyer status. 3. Keep It Short and Simple Your OOO is not your Instagram. Skip the mojito emoji and 'Off to South Beach, baby!' Nobody wants your travelogue. A crisp message like 'I'm away until [DATE]4. Update Your OOO Every Time You Activate It If your OOO says you'll be back on January 2 but it's Easter break, you're telegraphing sloppiness. Similarly, if I get your bounce-back on Thursday, and it says you will be back the previous Monday, your attention to detail may be in question. 'Your OOO is still on' is the e-mail equivalent of the video call's 'you're on mute.' 5. Turn Your OOO Off Promptly Once you're back—really back—shut it off. The night before you plan to be fully back on-line is best. Don't be that person who leaves the OOO on until three people have reminded you to turn it off. That signals that you're not really in control of your time—or your systems. 6. Offer a Real Backup (But Only One) Give people one clear point of contact in your absence. Doing so both relieves anxiety and reinforces that you're truly unavailable. And really, most people won't contact your backup, because most things can wait. Your key people—family, close friends, important clients—already have your cell number, and they'll call you if it's really an emergency. Those are the mechanics. But the mindset? That's a whole 'nother thing. I was recently talking about the OOO with my longtime client and now close friend Joel Bines—a fellow consultant and seasoned road warrior—about how people use (or misuse) the OOO. We've both logged our share of business miles and try, imperfectly, to take real vacations with our families. With his customary wit and incisiveness, Joel noted that it's not really about the time away from the laptop, it's about the mindset about vacations more generally As the cherry on top, Joel offers a few refreshingly blunt vacation principles: guidelines that not only protect your time off, but to force you to be honest with yourself about how you spend it. First, put your phone on 'Do Not Disturb.' If the matter is urgent, the caller will try twice, and that second ring will get through. Meanwhile, you'll dramatically reduce the temptation to check every ping. Second, if you know you'll have to jump into something for work, just stay behind. Don't join the hike or the boat ride and then spend the whole time on your phone. You'll ruin the experience—for yourself and everyone else. This is about making a real choice: be present at work or be present with your family. Don't try to fake both. And third, don't be ridiculous. There's almost nothing at work that can't be moved, delayed, or delegated if you're willing to ask. Most people don't want to ask: it's more gratifying to feel indispensable. But that combination of ego and workplace hero mythology robs you of the very thing your vacation is supposed to give you: renewal, perspective, and presence. So, the next time you're planning to take time off, start by writing a better OOO. But don't stop there. Use your OOO as a signal—to your inbox and to yourself—that it's time to truly log off. Joel's right: most of what we think is urgent isn't. And most of what's truly important can't be found in your inbox, anyway.

You Get 18 Summers With Your Kids. Stop Wasting Them On Your Phone
You Get 18 Summers With Your Kids. Stop Wasting Them On Your Phone

Forbes

time16-06-2025

  • Business
  • Forbes

You Get 18 Summers With Your Kids. Stop Wasting Them On Your Phone

You're lying by the pool, watching your kids splash around. But your eyes keep drifting to your phone. The email notification pings. Your team needs you. Just this one thing. You promised yourself this vacation would be different, but here you are, scrolling through Slack messages while paradise passes you by and your kids hit new milestones and grow up into adults. Most Americans get just 11 to 12 paid vacation days per year. The lowest among all developed countries. And they don't even take them. More than half of American workers leave vacation days on the table, creating 768 million unused days annually. Deprived of vacations at record levels, yet still working through the few breaks we get. I ran a social media agency for ten years and it took me three years to systemize my business and do travel right. I thought being available made me essential. It just made me exhausted. When I finally learned to disconnect, my business actually grew faster. My team got stronger. My clients respected me more. The cost is high. Your brain needs complete disconnection to reset. Your creativity dies when you're always half-working. Your decision-making gets cloudy. You return more tired than when you left. Break this cycle by understanding why you grip that phone so tight. Overcome the addiction and hang out with your family. No one needs you right now. And even if they do, your business won't collapse in seven days. Your clients won't fire you. Your team won't mutiny. The emergency emails aren't emergencies. They're just other people's poor planning becoming your problem. Get over yourself. The world spins without you. When you respond to every ping and notification, you train everyone around you to expect instant answers. You become the bottleneck in your own business. Set an autoresponder that means something. Not "I'm away but checking emails occasionally." Make it clear: "I'm offline until [date] Your team wants you on call because it's easier than thinking. But when you're always available, they never learn to solve problems independently. They'd rather get your quick opinion than risk making a mistake. This keeps them small and keeps you trapped. Before you leave, run a fire drill. List every possible issue that could arise. Write down who handles what. Make your team practice solving problems without you. My operations manager takes pride in protecting my vacation time. She sees it as proof she's doing her job well. Create incentives for your team to handle things themselves. Make self-sufficiency their badge of honor. Author and entrepreneur Jim Sheils wrote about having just 18 summers with your kids before they leave for college. Eighteen. That's it. While you're answering emails on the beach, your seven-year-old is becoming eight. You can't buy that time back. No amount of business success will erase the guilt of missing these moments. Write down your number. How many summers left? Post it where you'll see it on vacation. When you reach for your phone, look at that number instead. Your future self will thank you. The deals aren't so important. The emails can wait. Your kids can't. If you're solving the same problems on repeat, you're not running a business. You're running in circles. Every vacation becomes a working vacation because you haven't built systems that work without you. The goal isn't to be needed. The goal is to be free. Start documenting everything. Every process, every decision framework, every standard response. Use tools that clone your knowledge. Train your team to find answers in your systems, not your inbox. Each time someone asks you something, ask yourself: could this be solved without me? Then make it happen. Build the solution once so you never have to solve it again. When I finally learned to disconnect, everything changed. My team got creative. They found solutions I never would have thought of. Clients started respecting my boundaries because I respected them first. My best ideas came during trips away, when my brain had space to wander. Delete the email app from your phone. Give your laptop to someone else. Make it physically impossible to check in. The harder you make it to work, the easier it becomes to rest. You deserve a complete break. Not a half-hearted attempt at relaxation while staying tethered to work. Your family needs you. Stop wasting your 18 summers on other people's priorities. Your team will figure it out. Your clients will survive. Your business will keep running. But those moments with your family disappear while you stare at your screen. Set the autoresponder. Delete the apps. Trust your team. Watch what happens when you actually disconnect. The world won't end. Your business won't crumble. You'll come back sharper, clearer, and ready to build something big. Access my top ChatGPT prompts to change your life.

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