Where the Real Housewives of New York Vacation
Fans of the “Real Housewives of New York City” — aka RHONY — love watching the Bravo reality/drama series where the fashion is high-end, wine is a constant accessory and vacations are out of this world.
Some of the series’ most iconic moments have taken place during the ladies’ vacations to beautiful private resorts and villas in even more gorgeous destinations. It’s never going to end well when these drama-prone Manhattanites travel together, and we tune in waiting to see which one loses it first.
While the show began with the women enjoying getaways at their second homes in the Hamptons and Berkshires, by Season 3, the vacations involved jet planes, and we’ve followed right along with the cast as they’ve ventured to new and exotic locales.
Where in the world have Bethenny, Luann, Sonja, Ramona, Dorinda and other cast favorites sunned by a pool, had too much drink and lost their cool?
We’ll show you the real places and give you the dirt on how much they cost — while breaking down the ridiculous drama that ensued.
The Drama
By Season 3, the RHONY ladies were ready to leave the Hamptons behind for a good old-fashioned (and luxurious, of course) getaway. Hitting up the island of St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands were current castmates “The Countess” Luann de Lesseps, Bethenny Frankel, Ramona Singer and Sonja Morgan, along with Alex McCord, Jill Zarin and Kelly Bensimon.
Kelly famously had a breakdown on what became known as “Scary Island,” swearing Bethenny was trying to kill her in her sleep, obsessively eating gummy bears and randomly yelling “Al Sharpton!” In response, Bethenny screamed “Go to sleep! You’re insane!” as Sonja calmly gathered, “She has a chemical imbalance or something.” (Indeed, cast members have since spoken out about being genuinely worried about Kelly’s mental health that night.)
With her erratic behavior, Kelly had to jet home, leaving uninvited Jill to pop in and add more fuel to the fire in the Caribbean.
Presidio del Mar, Virgin Islands
Kelly’s breakdown took place at Presidio del Mar, a sprawling estate with six bedrooms, six bathrooms and a swimming pool, located on the North Shore of St. John along Peter Bay.
As the home is in the U.S. Virgin Islands, none of the gals needed their passports for the trip, and neither do you if you’re traveling from the states.
Plus, at more than 16,000 square feet, the home offers plenty of space to hide if you, too, have a fight with your travel companions that ends with your frenemy aggressively yelling “Go to sleep!” at you.
Hey, it could happen.
How much: If you have to ask, you cannot afford it. But the damage deposit alone will cost you $2,500.
The Drama
In Season 4, Bethenny bailed from the crazy and newcomer Cindy Barshop joined the group. Heading to Morocco to have a “Sex in the City”-style desert-glam vacay, everyone fought, specifically during a particular henna tattoo session.
During the session, Alex let loose on Luann for being upset at Ramona for being angry at Jill. (Got that?)
“You are a snake to her!” Alex said, as Luann walked away and delivered her iconic line, “Go back to the cabinet you came out of, witch.”
Dar Liqama, Marrakech
Marrakech, a formerly walled medieval city in Morocco with markets and alleyways, welcomed RHONY to its Moorish charm at Dar Liqama. The “House of Green Mint” is a 13-bedroom private villa with eight bathrooms, two swimming pools, and a full staff to cook and clean for you during your stay.
For your own benefit, you may want to avoid all henna tattoo shops in town. They seem to attract absurd drama…
How much: It will run you more than $10,500 for the entire house for the week, but you can book a room in the villa for under $200 per night.
The Drama
Season 5 saw a huge cast shake-up. Jill, Cindy, Alex and Kelly ditched the show, with Aviva Drescher, Carole Radziwill and Heather Thomson joining the team.
Along with Luann, Sonja and Ramona, the ladies traveled to London for a cozy getaway in a posh hotel. There, Sonja dunked her face in an ice bath in a bidet because her face got puffy following a night on the town and too many drinks.
Oh, Sonja.
May Fair Hotel, London
A standard room at the five-star May Fair Hotel, located in London’s tony Mayfair district, wouldn’t be good enough for the RHONY ladies. Instead, they enjoyed the two-bedroom penthouse as their common area, complete with a kitchen, dining room and fireplace.
How much: Standard suites average about $3,000 per night, so the penthouse would be quite a bit more.
The Drama
Also in Season 5, a girls’ trip to St. Barths was ruined when Aviva arrived — with her husband in tow!
During the ensuing argument, Aviva called Ramona and Sonja “white trash,” prompting Ramona to Google the insult to learn what it meant.
Sonja’s reply was classic Sonja: “I dunno. Maybe we are white trash, but who cares?”
Oasis de Salines, St. Barths
Renowned for being a playground for the rich and famous, St. Barths is a French-speaking Caribbean island touting white sandy beaches, designer shops and fine-dining restaurants.
Here, the women enjoyed this upscale six-bedroom villa, featuring a heated pool, an on-call chef for not one, but two kitchens and fabulous views.
How much: A week at the Oasis starts at a cool $70,000.
The Drama
Newcomer Kristen Taekman joined in Season 6, as the ladies decided to rough it with a camping trip in Montana. Maybe it was the crisp air and serene environment that kept this trip shockingly chill. Surprise! There wasn’t any fighting!
Well, unless you count Kristen saying Heather was “bossy.”
The Resort at Paws Up, Montana
Resort at Paws Up
When we said the ladies “roughed it,” we weren’t being entirely accurate. The Resort at Paws Up, where the cast stayed, offers luxury “glamping” at its most over-the-top glamorous.
Even the tents here are posh, with their cozy King-size beds and en-suite bathrooms featuring heated floors. The ladies stayed in one of the resort’s rustic, yet upscale homes, where meals were prepared by private chefs.
How much: The homes start at $1,400 for one night, but you’ll find cheaper options available if you give a tent a go.
The Drama
Season 7 brought Bethenny back into the fold, along with newbie Dorinda Medley, who replaced Aviva. (She went out with a bang, removing her fake leg at a party, remember?)
The gaggle traveled to the Turks & Caicos in the Caribbean, where Carole and Heather believed the Countess endangered their lives by bringing home a stranger — who happened to look like Johnny Depp in “Pirates of the Caribbean” — to spend the night.
Luann’s response, as she wore sunglasses indoors, became one of the most-quoted lines in RHONY history: “Be cool. Don’t be all, like, uncool.”
The Gansevoort, Turks & Caicos
Located on the main island of Providenciales, or Provo, the Gansevoort is a five-star resort on the island’s north shore. Here, the ladies enjoyed a private villa with multiple bedrooms for Luann to sneak her man into, as well as a kitchen, living room and private pool.
How much: The three-bedroom penthouse will cost more than $5,000 per night, with a standard room at the resort averaging $900 per night.
The Drama
In Season 9, Luann was no longer a countess and Tinsley Mortimer joined the party. (Heather had said farewell in Season 8.) While living it up south of the border in Mexico, Sonja’s drinking became a real issue. Drunk on tequila, she tried to make out with the entire group. (Although Luann literally fell down drunk.)
Meanwhile, Ramona and a bare-naked Bethenny made up in the pool with lots of tears and drunken “I love you’s.” Of course, it was preceded by Ramona calling Bethenny a “mean, mean B.”
Casa La Vida Dulce, Mexico
La Vida Dulce Resort
Inside Punta de Mita’s gated El Banco community, La Vida Dulce is an eight-bedroom, 10-bathroom hacienda with a heated infinity pool, game room, movie theater, private chef and wait staff, as well as massage and yoga staff available at your beck and call.
Punta de Mita is located in Riviera Nayarit on Mexico’s western coast. North of Puerto Vallarta, Nayarit is more secluded, less crowded and more upscale than its southern neighbor. It’s also near Bethenny’s Skinnygirl tequila factory (the reason the girls were in Mexico).
How much: The rental team isn’t quick to share the cost of such luxury, but you can bet it isn’t as cheap as a night at a Marriott.
The Drama
After a very quick marriage and even quicker divorce, Luann began season 10 having been arrested for drunk and disorderly conduct in Palm Beach. Entering rehab and attempting to get sober, she joined the ladies in Cartegena, Colombia, where an intoxicated Dorinda began making a scene. When Luann told her she may have had enough, Dorinda responded with “drink more and get arrested.”
But that wasn’t the biggest issue with the trip. A “boat ride from hell” forced the camera crew to stop filming and the ladies to fear for their lives.
Casa Mattos, Cartegena
Although Bethenny didn’t stay at Casa Mattos — it wasn’t “good enough” — the mansion within Cartagena’s old city walls is plenty good enough for most, offering three bedrooms, two dining rooms, four living areas and a rooftop terrace overlooking the city.
The property features its own private island, which the ladies enjoyed before their one-hour hellish boat ride back to the mainland. There are five bedrooms to stay in on the island, as well.
How much: This property is also tight-lipped on pricing. Just think of the rates on earlier getaways and know this doesn’t come cheap.
