Getaways for guys only

Mancations are the hottest trend to take hold of the travel industry. Flushed with the popularity of girl getaways, more hotels are offering exclusive packages geared toward men who want to hang out with their buddies sans girlfriends or wives.

And we’re not talking about old-time fishing or camping trips. These are luxury vacation packages that include everything from a round of golf, an in-room poker game, tickets to sporting events and even such manly pursuits as race driving instruction.

“These trips are about a group of people that most likely met in college and are sort of just extending their yesterdays,” said Josh Lesnick, president of I’m in!, a Waltham, Massachusetts business that helps organize trips for groups of men.

“It’s once a year or twice a year. It’s sort of a rite of passage. It’s sacred territory.”

Here are just a few of the hotels tapping the burgeoning mancation market, according to the Associated Press:

Fairmont Hotels & Resorts. The chain began promoting girls’ getaways about five years ago and now about half of Fairmont’s 50 hotels offer mancatin packages. A few examples:

• The Fairmont Copley Plaza in Boston offers an “Entourage Package” based on the popular HBO series chronicling the enviable lives of a Hollywood actor and his circle of buddies. The package starts at $3,000 (US) for four people for two nights.

• At the Fairmont Chicago, the “Mancation Package” includes seminars on style and entertaining, cigar sampling, whiskey tasting and a steak dinner starting at $399 (US) a person.

• The Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa has a “Speed Meets Spa” package pairing three-day race driving instruction with man-friendly spa treatments starting at $4,795 (US).

The Regent South Beach. This swanky new hotel in Miami Beach offers a package targeting men with a penthouse room, a private rooftop terrace with a hot tub and wet bar, round-the-clock butler service and a choice of a luxury rental car such as a Porsche, Bentley or Lamborghini. A few other testosterone-laden features include poker parties, hand-rolled cigars, buckets of beer and sports tickets.

Wild Dunes Resort in Isle of Palms, South Carolina. The resort offers a ‘Dudes on the Dunes’ package which includes a round of golf and an in-room poker game with snacks and beer. Rates start at $625 (US) per person for two nights.

The Marquis Los Cabos Resort in Los Cabos, Mexico. This man-themed package includes surfing lessons, golf, poker, cigars, beer, chips and guacamole. Rates are from $490 (US) a night.

Harbor Beach Resort & Spa in Fort Lauderdale offers ‘The Fishing Emanation,’ which includes a fishing expedition and a chef to cook the catch of the day. Starts at $725 (US) per person.

For more information:
http://www.fairmont.com/
http://www.theregentsouthbeach.com/
http://www.wilddunes.com/
http://www.marquisloscabos.com/index.php
http://www.marriottharborbeach.com/