The World's Top Places to Unplug

Two classic types have emerged among travelers today: Those who want to “get away from it all” and those who want to stay in touch 24/7 while they’re “getting away from it all.”

Staying in touch on vacation through our smartphones, tablets and laptops (did we miss anything?) is easier than ever with tech-friendly hotels and resorts, cruise lines and airports that make it easy—and tempting—to plug in everywhere and at all hours.

But what’s a traveler to do if they really do want to unplug?

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In honor of the recent release of the new iPhone 8, Virtuoso points out that it's been ten years since the release of Apple’s first iPhone, which it calls, “Either the device behind the decline of basic civility or your most successful relationship, depending on your perspective.”

The luxury travel network asked its well-connected (in every sense of the word) travel advisors to weigh in on the best places to go to unplug:

Rancho La Puerta Fitness Resort and Spa, Tecate, Mexico

At this 3,000-acre resort three miles south of the U.S. border, cell phones are forbidden in public areas and cell service is very limited, even in guest casitas. No in-room TVs and limited Wi-Fi encourage guests to focus on body, mind and spirit well being.

The resort features more than 25 miles of hiking trails, 32 acres of gardens and 70-plus indoor and outdoor activities including yoga, art, cooking and strength training.

Brenners Park-Hotel & Spa, Oetker Collection, Baden-Baden, Germany

Tech here is used in the service of digital detoxing. With a press of the button from the bedside tables in the hotel’s Villa Stephanie suites, the entire room is disconnected from Wi-Fi, thanks to specially-coated copper plates embedded in each room’s walls to block electronic signals.

Guests can indulge in a variety of spa, wellness and medical treatments, or dip into an extensive library of books—you know, the ones printed on real paper. The hotel’s setting itself—along the banks of the Oos River in the Black Forest foothills—contributes to the get-away-from-it-all atmosphere.

El Silencio Lodge & Spa, Bajos Del Toro, Costa Rica

The resort’s name hints at its mission: silence your smartphones please. That’s easy to do as El Silencio’s suites are Wi-Fi free (although Wi-Fi is available in its villas and a conference room). There are also no TV’s.

Nestled in 500 acres of forest highlands, the resort offers a wide range of eco-adventures and cultural experiences, like planting a tree to help offset carbon emissions, hiking through hummingbird gardens and cloud forest trails, or learning to cook or paint in traditional Costa Rican style.

READ MORE: Virtuoso Names Top Hotels in the World

The Ranch Malibu, Malibu, California

At this intimate health resort, spanning 200 acres in the Santa Monica Mountains, guests can lose their devices in favor of exploring the stunning natural surroundings. There’s no cell reception while hiking in the hills or inside the accommodations and only limited Wi-Fi in the main building.

UnCruise Adventures

UnCruise Adventures’ small ships are designed for getting outdoors and enjoying the adventure on cruises to Alaska, Costa Rica, Hawaii, the Pacific Northwest or Mexico. Its ships don’t offer email or internet access.