Travel is the perfect catalyst to put your New Year’s resolutions into serious action! Here at Luxury Link we asked the staff for their self-improvement goals for 2013, and here are four of our favorites…with some suggested vacation experiences to match!

Get Fit
Perhaps the most popular New Year’s resolution, as evidenced by all the gym memberships sold each January! Instead of staring at blinking lights on a treadmill, why not treat yourself to a wellness escape or luxe property that puts you in the heart of the great outdoors?

In the U.S., Luxury Link has a myriad of vacation experiences that nurture the mind, body and soul. We love Miraval Resort and Spa in Tucson, Arizona – recently named to the Conde Nast Traveler Gold List 2013 – which includes participation in scheduled wellness programs and activities, exercise classes and tennis. Wind down at the award-winning spa, making full use of the included $520 resort credit!

Further afield, Costa Rica has pretty much cornered the market on active, adventurous vacations, with surfing, zip-lining, kayaking, hiking and more accessible from virtually every corner of this verdant Latin American nation. Centrally base yourself at Asclepios Wellness & Healing Retreat – not far from the main international airport – to get that calorie-burning, adrenaline-filled rush all day before relaxing in your large and airy guestroom with private balcony and rainforest view.

Give Back
At Luxury Link, 2012 was certainly our year of helping those in need. We formed an incredible partnership with Pack for a Purpose, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that encourages travelers to deliver needed to supplies to the communities they visit across the globe. Then in November, we joined in the Hurricane Sandy recovery efforts by donating over $2,000 to Direct Relief International.

However we’re not here to talk about us…2013 is all about your resolution to give back! Join the thousands of travelers who have collectively donated over 17,000 pounds of supplies around the world by staying at a Pack for a Purpose/Luxury Link partner hotel. One such property is The Landings St. Lucia, which represents the ultimate win-win travel proposition – the requested supplies you drop off at the resort will benefit a number of local charities, while you’ll be handsomely rewarded with sweeping views from your one-bedroom harbor front villa suite, including private plunge pool.

Other PFaP partners available on Luxury Link include Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection, River Saigon in Southeast Asia and Pelican Eyes Resort & Spa in Nicaragua.

Go Green
Part-and-parcel with giving back is leaving a smaller carbon footprint when you travel. We’re here to inspire you with stunning resorts that are also leading the way in eco-tourism with a number of green initiatives.

For example, take Hawaii Island Retreat on the north shore of the Big Island. Located on 50 lush acres of gardens, valleys and coastline, HIR is almost completely self-sustaining, generating its own solar power and serving organic, farm-fresh meals cultivated on-site. However, this “green” philosophy does not come at a sacrifice to luxurious touches throughout Hawaii Island Retreat. The nine guestrooms surround a central courtyard and are gracious and refined, with high ceiling and polished hardwood floors, as well as large bathrooms with beautiful finishes and soaking tubs.

It may be hard to believe that in the urban jungle of Manhattan exists one of only five U.S. hotels honored with the ECOTEL® Five-Globe Certification. “Green” and gorgeous simultaneously, the 209-room Benjamin wows you the moment you step in from the timeless building exterior to its elegant lobby awash in marble and rich wood. Behind-the-scenes The Benjamin supports Mother Nature with comprehensive recycling and water conservation programs and energy-conscious lighting throughout the property.

Spend More Time with Family
In today’s hectic, always-connected world, this may be the most difficult resolution of all to achieve! However Luxury Link strives to create upscale vacations that also bring people together through shared experiences. Take for example Lismacue House in the tranquil Irish countryside. Here, up to 10 guests can enjoy the drawing room with fireplace, croquet lawn, and huge dining room where a lavish meal including wine is prepared on one evening of your choice.

For a more festive family gathering, say “hola” to Villa Mandarinas in Puerto Vallarta. Another package for up to 10 guests, this gorgeous villa equips each of the five bedrooms with a whirlpool tub and private terraces with ocean view. Communally, enjoy the game room with billiards table, big screen TV and bar, outdoor fire pit and private infinity pool. Work off the chef-prepared dinner included with your Luxury Link vacation experience by kayaking and snorkeling to your heart’s content. Book Villa Mandarinas during the month of February, 2013, and the familial relations are sure to increase with your complimentary two-hour margarita sampling!

Of course, a world of family vacation opportunities can also be found on our sister site Family Getaway. We’ve hand-selected the best family-friendly hotels and resorts worldwide…in many cases, doubling the number of room to give parents and kids some privacy. We’ve also included money-saving amenities such as resort credits, breakfasts and babysitting services.

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From our family to yours, we wish you a joyful, prosperous and travel-filled New Year! We hope these “resolution vacations” inspire you to stick to those 2013 goals, all while enjoying incredible new experiences across the globe!