It’s been a month—a long month—since the beginning of the new year and the end of the holidays. You’ve spent the time getting back into work mode, digging out after snowstorms, and drinking lots of hot chocolate to stay warm. But now that February has arrived, you’re starting to think about a winter escape. Just a few days away would hold you over until the first signs of spring.

Bermuda, an old favorite, is just a short flight from almost everywhere on the East Coast. The Atlantic island is known for its colonial architecture and pastel houses, marvelous coral reefs and ancient shipwrecks, bath-like water and pink-sand beaches. Oh, those beaches. It’s hard to think about anything else when you arrive in Paget Parish on the main island’s south-central coast. You pass the Bermuda Botanical Gardens, the grand residence of Bermuda’s Premier, and the Masterworks Museum of Bermuda Art en route to your hotel. You barely notice any of them.

You arrive at Elbow Beach, Bermuda to find cream-colored cottages, immaculate gardens, and a cool sea breeze. But, most importantly, the hotel has unobstructed views of the bright turquoise water. You can see the blush-colored sand from the terraces, the café, and the beachfront restaurant. You can hear the crashing waves from the pool and the spa. And you can taste the salty air from your ocean view room.

Your recently renovated room—the entire hotel was recently remodeled actually—is perfectly beachy with light wood furniture, soft neutral tones, and pops of aqua to complement the scenery that’s beyond the terrace. The bathroom is equally relaxing with a bathtub and a separate walk-in shower. But the best part is its proximity to the beach. You’re just steps away from Elbow Beach.

Elbow Beach is one of the most beautiful—and therefore most popular—beaches in Bermuda. The nearly one-mile beach is bordered by a coral reef and the vast Atlantic on one side. Elegant homes, grand hotels, and perfectly placed palm trees line the other. Usually, when you arrive at a beach resort, you slowly make your way toward the sand. You’d sit at a waterfront restaurant for a seafood lunch and a much-needed cocktail, book an appointment for a rosemary-and-orange scrub at the spa, and let your pasty skin adjust to the hot sun under an umbrella by the pool.

Not this time. After quickly changing into your bathing suit and a coverup, you make a beeline for the beach. Within minutes, there’s sand in between your toes, waves splashing your legs, and sunshine blinding your eyes. There’s no better way to begin February.