Ocean Coral & Turquesa - Riviera Maya Ladies Getaway

We got back from our Mexico trip on Sat. evening.  Everything was perfect.  I would highly recommend Ocean Coral to any of your clients.  It was beautiful, very clean (and I mean very clean), the hotel staff was extremely helpful (fixed two of our suitcases that were damaged in transit) and cheerful.  The tour company took very good care of us.

Thank you so much for your help in setting up our trip.

Lucy

Honeymooners Love Couples Negril!

Suzy,

 

I am so sorry for not writing this earlier.  Our Honeymoon was fantastic.  We are so happy that we ended up picking Jamaica over Punta Cana.  The people were so much fun and very welcoming.  The resort was beautiful and colorful.  The staff was pleasant and helpful.  The airport lounge was amazing, as was the bartender.  ;)  The drive to the resort was not as bad as I had expected it to be.  I thought the drive would be much more crazy.  The drivers to and from the airport did a great job manuervering around slower vehicles, and had great personalities.  Check in and check out was a breeze.  The gift shops were well stocked with anything you could have wanted.  The restaurants were delicious!!!  The drinks were great!!  The bartenders were helpful in choosing different drinks to try.  We had a great room, and the view of the ocean was beautiful.  We loved the location of our building too because it was close to everything.  We did the snorkeling, glass bottom boat toar, and catamaran cruise.  They were all so much fun.  The staff that worked the boats were entertianing and informative.  The catamaran cruise people were great as well; the caves were awesome, and the sunset was just gorgeous.  There was plenty to do, and the weather was gorgeous.  Absolutely no complaints.  We had an amazing time!! 

 

Thank you so much for your help with booking our trip!!

~ Annette

Destination Wedding - Sandals Royal Caribbean

Hi Hilary,

Really sorry for taking so long to get back to you! Its been pretty busy past few weeks. Congrats to you also on your baby. Thanks so much for everything you helped us with the whole trip couldn't have been any better! Everyone had an excellent time and our wedding was perfect and exactly what we wanted.

Being our first time to an all inclusive resort, we werent really sure what to expect. We heard lots of great stories about peoples trips, but our trip far exceeded all of our expectations, and I would absolutely recommend Sandals to anyone who is thinking of a trip like this. Were already thinking of going on another trip next year!

The people working there were amazing and made us feel like we were at home and like their sole purpose on earth was to please us! We dreaded the day we had to leave, but definitely left with memories that will last a lifetime!

Ill send over some pics for you, let us know if you would like some more.

Thanks again Hilary for everything, you were very helpful and made the planning much easier for us and completely stress free.

Sincerely,

Aaron & Megan

SANDALS EMERALD BAY Exumas, Bahamas - As seen thru Honeymooners eyes

Hillary,

Almost everything was above and beyond everything we’d expected. The conditions I provided (white sand, blue water, privacy, nightlife or lack thereof, golf, excursions) were met fully. WE HAD A BLAST. We will go back there someday, but probably on a different budget. That was totally once in a lifetime for now….we’ll work on making it a more regular trip.

Thank you so much for putting it all together, and for the special treat sent to our room.

 I dinged the resort on their technology. When I’m there I don’t want to use the internet often. So, when I had to use the internet to sign a contract and return it, it took way too long. They tried to charge me $6 for computer/printer use, but then the fax was free =) Since I didn’t get charged in the end, the hour that it took me to complete the task was not terrible. When I was asked about what I would improve, I said “the internet, so when I have to use it, I can get in and get out in just a few minutes”

On the last day, the resort couldn’t even call off the island to run my credit card (phone systems down) so that’s where they were with technology. Sprint cell phones no longer work there. So, if you’re sending people there, let them know that cell phones are iffy, and internet was very sketchy. There were a few days where I could not use the internet at all. I actually lost the deal on my new house while I was there because I wasn’t receiving emails. Not a big deal, because we’re back on track with the house, but it was just one of those things that we shook our heads about both at the bank and at Sandals internet.

Again everything went very well. I’m a “lessons learned” kind of person so I’ll always have a list of “what worked” and “what could be improved”. The issues I ran into were minuscule so we had no hard feelings (or arguments) for the resort.

 Thanks Hillary for providing a week of memories to last a lifetime.

Travis

Clients give Sandals Whitehouse rave reviews!

Hey Terry!!

The resort was SO much more than we expected! The grounds were amazing, the beach was beautiful, our rooms were perfect - and at the very end of the French Village, so we were able to walk right out to the beach and get chairs each morning. It was not loud by our rooms at all - well except for when the 6 of us stayed out till 3am one night :) Did you know you can order food at the one restaurant between 12-5am? :) that was a fun night... the water toys were always available - we kayaked, took a sailboat out, used wakeboards, went snorkeling - sooo much fun!! And the food!!??? It was SO good!! Everyone enjoyed all the meals we had... Kev and I would totally go back again.It's definitely a high end all-inclusive resort and aimed for the more mature crowd - which we all loved (except maybe Mom and Kate when Mom wanted to party and Kate wanted to meet boys)...

Thanks for taking care of everything!!

Iberostar Bavaro Punta Cana - A Review

Hi Amy!

We had a GREAT trip! Absolutely no issues with flight, resort, weather. The Iberostar was very nice - the Bavaro section where we stayed is comprised of many two-story buildings, each with 8 junior suites (4 up and 4 ground level). We had a second story unit -- the room was large with a huge closet, high ceilings and fan, sitting area, desk, and mini-bar which was restocked daily with plenty of bottled water, pop, beer.

The grounds of the Iberostar were beautiful. The whole place was constantly being raked, swept, floors buffed, etc. -- very neat and clean. Food was very good, and all the workers very friendly. We were quite impressed.

We would definitely consider staying at another Iberostar somewhere else next time. Probably won't return to Punta Cana simply because we haven' traveled that much and want to see other places. We would highly recommend it though!

We appreciate your help in making our vacation so wonderful!

Thanks!!

Mary

Fun Family Vacation Spot - Marival Resort in Puerto Vallarta

HI Hilary! Been meaning to fill you in on our trip.  I loved Puerto Vallarta and plan on going back again.  The weather wasn’t very good though, it rained a couple of days and for the most part was very overcastL.  Our accommodations at the Marival was nice and it was a great place to take our families.  Our service was great and we were able to get reservations each night in a different restaurant on the grounds (we went into town a couple of nights).  Our original flight coming home was delayed for more than an hour and we were afraid that we were going to miss our connection at Ohare, so they booked us on another flight (delta) and we ended up getting back to Grand Rapids an half hour earlier (that was pretty lucky!) All in all it was a good trip and if the weather had cooperated it would have been ideal! Thanks Hillary for all your work on this and I will definitely be using you again.

Terri

When the unfortunate happens, Trips Ahoy is by your side!

Sometimes the adventures we plan for our clients don't always go according to plan. No one ever arranges a much deserved vacation with the intention of cancelling it. And then...life happens. A sickness or injury occurs making it impossible to take that trip of a lifetime, and now the cancellation process begins. Our service and committment to you doesn't stop here. Here's a quick note from one of my clients who had to cancel her cruise 2 days before departure for a medical reason:

Dear Hilary,

Thank you for helping us cancel our cruise and for being so responsible and knowledgeable. I was so out of it and was wishing we had more info in our own paperwork before calling you, but from what I could tell you were a gem with such speedy resolution of our issues.

Thanks so much for all you did to make the process so easy and smooth for us. It's such a bummer to miss that great trip :(. However, I'm so glad to be ALIVE! Having it happen during the cruise could have been life threatening or at the least "bank depleting"! HA! (Helicopters, Evacuations, Oh Lordie!)

I am still in sorry shape but thank God I had a tan belly! Looking forward to another trip!

Beaches Negril - A Rave Review

Hi Hilary,


Just wanted to say how impressed I was with the whole experience starting with your agency to the resort and back. Top notch! While it was extremely unfortunate that the wedding didn't play out as planned, all of us I think undoubtedly had a great time. For most of us it was our first time to Jamaica and I think I speak for all in that Beaches Resort Negril was far above expectations.

Your description of how things would proceed to the resort after arriving in Jamaica was accurate. Friendly Sandals employees met us in the Sandals lounge and we were off to the resort soon after. At the resort, I was met with cool towels, a nice mixed drink Jamaican style and again a very friendly staff. Oneal took care of me and I had my doubts at first when he said he had looked after my requests and set me up with a VIP room. He wasn't wrong! And thank you for submitting my requests ahead of time. Room was great, view was great, food was great, staff was great. For a beach lover like me, I was amazed with how warm the ocean was. Incredible! And the water related activities go with out saying.

Great place, great weather, great time, great friends! I was not disappointed in really any aspect and that is unusal for me to say. So ya done good! Job well done! Can't wait to go back to JA! And if it helps, I didn't encounter any of the negatives reported on some reviews of the the place on tripadvisor.com.

In conclusion, I had a great time and would definitely recommend your ageny as well as Beaches to anyone interested in going to Jamaica. I'm looking forward to writing an equally laudable review for Beaches when I receive their interent questionaire from Beaches.

Thanks again for the outstanding vacation!

Jim

More Hula for Less Moolah Sale!

I don't normally "blog" about specials and deals, however, I couldn't pass up this deal with Norwegian Cruise Line to the Islands of Aloha! It's great way to see all the islands and have your cruise ship be your floating hotel - unpacking only once!

THE BEST WAY TO ISLAND HOP HAWAI'I.

BOOK YOUR HAWAI'I CRUISE WITH TRIPS AHOY & NORWEGIAN

AND GET MORE HULA FOR LESS MOOLAH!

There’s no other cruise quite like it – only Norwegian Cruise Line offers you seven full days of cruising to O`ahu, Maui, Kaua`i and the Big Island of Hawai`i. Plus, with over 100 hours in port, and overnights in Kaua`i and Maui, you’ll have plenty of time ashore to discover the jewel-toned beaches, cascading waterfalls, rainforests and volcanoes.

And now on select Hawai'i cruise departures you can stay two nights at the Waikiki Beach Marriott pre-cruise for FREE with our pre-cruise hotel package. This newly renovated Resort offers deluxe guestroom accommodations and is located across from world renowned “Waikiki Beach”. Take advantage of this limited time offer now!

When you have thousands of choices, all of them right, that's


7-Day Hawaii, Round-trip Honolulu

Includes 2 Night Pre-Cruise Hotel Stay

Pride of America ∙ Aug 27, 2011 - Sep 3, 2011 Inside Staterooms starting from $1,199*



7-Day Hawaii, Round-trip Honolulu

Includes 2 Night Pre-Cruise Hotel Stay

Pride of America ∙ Sep 3, 2011 - Sep 10, 2011 Inside Staterooms starting from $1,249*



7-Day Hawaii, Round-trip Honolulu

Includes 2 Night Pre-Cruise Hotel Stay

Pride of America ∙ Sep 24, 2011 - Oct 1, 2011 Inside Staterooms starting from $1,449*



7-Day Hawaii, Round-trip Honolulu

Includes 2 Night Pre-Cruise Hotel Stay

Pride of America ∙ Oct 29, 2011 - Nov 5, 2011 Inside Staterooms starting from $1,349*



7-Day Hawaii, Round-trip Honolulu

Includes 2 Night Pre-Cruise Hotel Stay

Pride of America ∙ Nov 26, 2011 - Dec 3, 2011 Inside Staterooms starting from $1,199*
DREAM IT. BOOK IT. CALL NOW. 888.862.AHOY (2469) TRIPS AHOY!

Offer valid for Pride of America 08/27/11, 09/03/11, 09/24/11, 10/22/11, 10/29/11, 11/19/11 - 12/17/11 sailings New Individual FIT Reservations only. Suites are excluded from the offer. Hotel Inclusive package rates are per person based on double occupancy, in US Dollars. Rates include cruise fare, hotel room & all hotel taxes, bellman gratuities, and transfer between hotel and ship. Triple and Quad occupancy rates are available upon request. Guests may not request additional hotel nights. Norwegian Cruise Line reserves the right to substitute hotels of equal or greater quality. Hotel Package is operated exclusively by Norwegian Cruise Line and must be booked prior to departure. Singles paying 200% of the rate are eligible. Guests, who cancel and rebook, must accept this promotion's Terms and Conditions. Government taxes & fees, and onboard service charges are additional. IMPORTANT NOTICE: NCL reserves the right to charge a fuel supplement without prior notice should the closing price of West Texas Intermediate Fuel increase above $65 per barrel on the NYMEX (New York Mercantile Exchange Index). In the event a fuel supplement is charged, NCL will have sole discretion to apply the supplementary charge to both existing and new bookings, regardless of whether such bookings have been paid in full. Such supplementary charges are not included in the cruise fare. The fuel supplement charge will not exceed $10.00 per passenger per day. Norwegian is not responsible for typographical errors or omissions. ©2011 NCL Corporation LTD. Ships' Registry: Bahamas and United States of America.

Happy Honeymooners return from Hawaii!

Hilary!


Nate and I would like to thank you so much for setting up such an amazing honeymoon for us. We could not have asked for better places to stay and better activities to do. You really set us up to have a great time. Whenever we told people where we were staying on the islands they would say, "Oh my goodness that place is beautiful!" Everything went on without a hitch and we had a blast! We even picked up a zipline and parasail in Maui while we were there. When we didn't have anything to do, we would jump in the car and go find places our tour guides told us about. We cannot thank you enough for all of the work you did. If we go on another vacation far away from home, we will surely call for your assistance! Again, thank you, even though words cannot truly express how greatful we are for you and all you did!

Nate and Linsay

Dreams Puerto Vallarta & Cabo San Lucas - A Review

Just wanted to let you know we had the best time! Our flights were great, the hotels were awesome, food was soooooo good! We had a blast and thanks again for all your hard work. We didn't end up staying that extra day, they said it would cost an extra $300. But we had a great time anyway. Next time I'm going away for longer! Maybe 2 weeks!


Anyway, I'll give you a few details about the trip.

1. Dreams was AMAZING and I'd recommend it to anyone. The hotel was immaculate, food was great, staff was friendly. They upgraded us to a balcony room for free upon arrival. It was so relaxing and wonderful. And the GOGO people were awesome and friendly. They really helped us out a lot. I thought Puerto Vallarta was laid-back, clean, and beautiful. Most people spoke English. Safes in room which we LOVED and felt so comfortable leaving our room with all our valuables in it. Even my husband's Dad LOVED it and you know he is a hard man to please! I would definitely stay at a Dreams Resort again.

2. Marina Fiesta - just ok. But I knew Dreams would be better when I booked it. It was clean and nice. But staff was very business-like, not as friendly as Dreams. No safes in the room which we didn't like. There was a safety deposit box in lobby but we didn't like the hassle of getting in and out of it so I carried around all my valuables with me all the time - money, passports, electronics. Our room was definitely older. But we had a balcony over the marina. The people in Cabo seemed to want to squeeze every last dollar out of us. People constantly begging us and harassing us in the marina and streets. Wanting money or to sell us drugs. Glad we checked it out but it wasn't as relaxing and we felt some anxiety there. We're glad we stayed right at the marina though because we would have paid a fortune in cab rides to town. Still, next time we go on vacation we are sticking to the private beachy resort a little bit away from town. More relaxing! I thought we'd be bored at Dreams but it was perfect! Cabo was too overwhelming. Oh and the EPIC people were not very friendly- very business like and hurried, never smiled.

Hope this helps someone else!

Can't wait to plan our anniversary!!!!!

A note about Sandals Regency La Toc Resort & Spa St. Lucia

Just wanted to let you know that our trip was great! Sue was surprised and loved it. Beautiful location, great resort and food. Weather could have been a little better but not bad. It was cloudy most days but pleasant without too much rain. If I was picking a resort again I would probably pick one with more beach like the (Sandals) Whitehouse but again it was very nice. People at the resort were very friendly and helpful. People on the island were also friendlier than in Jamaica - felt a bit safer. Our day trip - Land and Sea - was a lot of fun and very informative, well worth spending a day away from the resort for it.
We were talking with a number of people about other resorts and the Bahamas were mentioned. Heard that they were a little more expensive though - is that true? May have to look at another trip in 2 years - can't next year.
Anyway, just wanted you to know that it went well - thanks again!
Jim

A view from the Cockpit

Just had to share this pilots story. As passengers on aircarfts we don't typically get a view from the man/woman behind the controls. This story brings to light what airline pilots go thru and the split second decisions they have to make in order to keep us and their crew safe. Thank you pilots for what you do!  Here's a view from the cockpit...

Scary feeling,,,,,


I'm currently still in one piece, writing from my room in the Narita crew hotel. It's 8am. This is my inaugural trans-pacific trip as a brand new, recently checked out, international 767 Captain and it has been interesting, to say the least, so far. I've crossed the Atlantic three times so far so the ocean crossing procedures were familiar.


By the way, stunning scenery flying over the Aleutian Islands. Everything was going fine on the day of Japan’s earthquake until 100 miles out from Tokyo and in the descent for arrival. The first indication of any trouble was that Japan air traffic control started putting everyone into holding patterns. At first we thought it was usual congestion on arrival. Then we got a company data link message advising about the earthquake, followed by another stating Narita airport was temporarily closed for inspection and expected to open shortly (the company is always so positive).


From our perspective things were obviously looking a little different. The Japanese controller's anxiety level seemed quite high and he said expect "indefinite" holding time. No one would commit to a time frame on that so I got my copilot and relief pilot busy looking at divert stations and our fuel situation, which, after an ocean crossing is typically low.

It wasn't long, maybe ten minutes, before the first pilots started requesting diversions to other airports. Air Canada, American, United, etc. all reporting minimal fuel situations. I still had enough fuel for 1.5 to 2.0 hours of holding. Needless to say, the diversions started complicating the situation.

Japan air traffic control then announced Narita was closed indefinitely due to damage. Planes immediately started requesting arrivals into Haneda, near Tokyo, a half dozen JAL and western planes got clearance in that direction but then ATC announced Haneda had just closed. Uh oh! Now instead of just holding, we all had to start looking at more distant alternatives like Osaka, or Nagoya.

One bad thing about a large airliner is that you can't just be-pop into any little airport. We generally need lots of runway. With more planes piling in from both east and west, all needing a place to land and several now fuel critical ATC was getting over-whelmed. In the scramble, and without waiting for my fuel to get critical, I got my flight a clearance to head for Nagoya, fuel situation still okay. So far so good. A few minutes into heading that way, I was "ordered" by ATC to reverse course. Nagoya was saturated with traffic an unable to handle more planes (read- airport full). Ditto for Osaka.

With that statement, my situation went instantly from fuel okay, to fuel minimal considering we might have to divert a much farther distance. Multiply my situation by a dozen other aircraft all in the same boat, all making demands requests and threats to ATC for clearances somewhere. Air Canada and then someone else went to "emergency" fuel situation. Planes started to heading for air force bases. The nearest to Tokyo was Yakoda AFB. I threw my hat in the ring for that initially. The answer - Yokoda closed! No more space.

By now it was a three ring circus in the cockpit, my copilot on the radios, me flying and making decisions and the relief copilot buried in the air charts trying to figure out where to go that was within range while data link messages were flying back and forth between us and company dispatch in Atlanta. I picked Misawa AFB at the north end of Honshu Island. We could get there with minimal fuel remaining. ATC was happy to get rid of us so we cleared out of the maelstrom of the Tokyo region. We heard ATC try to send planes toward Sendai, a small regional airport on the coast which was later the one I think that got flooded by a tsunami.

Atlanta dispatch then sent us a message asking if we could continue to Chitose airport on the Island of Hokkaido, north of Honshu. Other Delta planes were heading that way. More scrambling in the cockpit -check weather, check charts, check fuel, okay. We could still make it and not be going into a fuel critical situation ... if we had no other fuel delays. As we approached Misawa we got clearance to continue to Chitose. Critical decision thought process. Let's see trying to help company - plane over flies perfectly good divert airport for one farther away...wonder how that will look in the safety report, if anything goes wrong. Suddenly ATC comes up and gives us a vector to a fix well short of Chitose and tells us to standby for holding instructions. Nightmare realized. Situation is rapidly deteriorating. After initially holding near Tokyo, starting a divert to Nagoya, reversing course back to Tokyo then to re-diverting north toward Misawa, all that happy fuel reserve that I had was vaporizing fast. My subsequent conversation, paraphrased of course...., went something like this: "Sapporo Control - Delta XX requesting immediate clearance direct to Chitose, minimum fuel, unable to hold.” Negative Ghost-Rider, the Pattern is full" top gun quote "Sapporo Control - make that - Delta XX declaring emergency, low fuel, proceeding direct Chitose "Roger Delta XX, understood, you are cleared direct to Chitose, contact Chitose approach....etc...." Enough was enough, I had decided to preempt actually running critically low on fuel while in another indefinite holding pattern, especially after bypassing Misawa, and played my last ace...declaring an emergency. The problem with that is now I have a bit of company paperwork to do but what the heck. As it was - landed Chitose, safe, with at least 30 minutes of fuel remaining before reaching a "true" fuel emergency situation. That's always a good feeling, being safe. They taxied us off to some remote parking area where we shut down and watched a half dozen or more other airplanes come streaming in. In the end, Delta had two 747s, my 767 and another 767 and a 777 all on the ramp at Chitose.

We saw two American airlines planes, a United and two Air Canada as well. Not to mention several extra Al Nippon and Japan Air Lines planes.

Post-script - 9 hours later, Japan air lines finally got around to getting a boarding ladder to the plane where we were able to get off and clear customs. That however, is another interesting story.

By the way - while writing this - I have felt four additional tremors that shook the hotel slightly - all in 45 minutes. Cheers, J.D.

COMPLIMENTS OF
UNIVERSAL TRAVEL SYSTEM

Le Blanc Resort & Spa - A Review by Travel Professional Leslie Kepplinger

I have never been a big fan of Cancun -High-rise hotels, the crazy bar scene, shopping, and other blatant commercialism for the tourist. Then of course there is the “spring break” reputation. Not my idea of a relaxing vacation destination! But, I always wanted to try Le Blanc Resort and Spa, an upscale all-inclusive, so booked 3 nights to celebrate my birthday and wedding anniversary in January, and hoped for the best. OMG – before the first day was even over, I kicked myself for not booking longer as it was the most amazing experience and resort ever!!!
The doorman was waiting when we arrived in our private shuttle from the airport. We were greeted just inside the door with a refreshing light coconut cocktail. The lobby was a vision in white and lightness. It almost felt surreal. We were escorted immediately to a small desk where we were greeted with an orchid, and sat down for check-in. Fast, friendly and very efficient. We were then whisked off to our room on the 7th floor. Opening the door to our Royal Deluxe Room resulted in an audible gasp. The room, the view, the amenities – to DIE for! All white with touches of brown and green so serene, clean and spa-like. The décor was so simple, yet so elegant a true masterpiece. A small foyer led to a large bedroom with huge closet, lovely bath, and a step down to the sitting area with the largest Jacuzzi I have ever seen. Beyond, is a magnificent view of the blue Caribbean Sea. My one negative was the lack of a true balcony to enjoy the view. This one was just large enough to step out on, but nothing more.

The bathroom was beautifully appointed with large vanity area (though only a single sink, which was a bit odd I thought) with the toilet and huge, 2-person, dual rain shower-head, body spray shower all encased in a lovely sea-foam glass. Bvlgari bath amenities were certainly in keeping with their surroundings. The large king-bed was plush and comfy complete with pillow menu. There was plenty of storage in the closet, and in-room cabinet. The refrigerator was well stocked with beverages and candy, along with dry snacks, coffee and tea, plus a small variety of liquor (all no extra charge). Large flat screen tv, I-Pod dock, heated room-infuser for aromatherapy oils, scale, robes and slippers, dvd/cd player, purified water, digital lap-top size safe, a small table and chairs to enjoy the fruit and wine left as our welcome, and that party-size Jacuzzi rounded out the room! The resort also includes free wi-fi (with fabulous/fast connections), complimentary long distance calls to the US from your room phone, and a very nice beach bag to use while at the resort, and to take home with you!!

Le Blanc Resort and Spa is a true 5 star hotel in every way. The lobby is light and airy, full of chic sophistication. There are multiple lounging areas, and a fabulous well-stocked bar with premium liquors, excellent wines and domestic champagne. There is a second bar just upstairs as well. Thru the glass doors is a lovely terrace with multiple seating groupings, which leads out to the pool deck. The zero-entry, infinity Sun Pool overlooking the beach and ocean is large and heated, complete with swim-up pool bar. There are multiple seating areas around the pool and scattered elsewhere on the deck, for great ocean views. Quiet, spa-like music is played for complete relaxation. Combine that with the ocean waves, the sun and the view and you can’t help but relax and simply relish your time away! A poolside grill serves everything from chips and salsa, to a variety of Carpaccio. There is a second infinity pool one story up overlooking the main pool.

Both the wide, immaculately groomed beach and the pools offer attentive beach/pool butler service for food and drink. Lucinda, our pool waiter was amazing. Always with a smile, anticipating our needs. Mayra was our ray of sunshine on the beach. She was there the moment we sat down, refreshing the ice bucket to chill water, remembering what we drank and how we liked it. Never intrusive, but always there. There are actually more staff members than guests at this resort – so waiting for service was never an issue!

The beach is very wide, and quiet here. Le Blanc is located near the end of the strip – near the top of the 7. The beach is long and wonderful for walking. There is quite a step down from the resort’s beach to the public area along the water, but the lifeguard dug-out steps everyday to make the transition easier.

The “Moon Pool” at the rear of the resort, overlooks a lagoon, and is accessed from the lower level. This pool is shaded and rather quiet until about 3pm, then, pool volleyball and more lively music begins. Some evenings, there are lively shows and dinner around the pool deck. There is an elevated palapa over the lagoon for morning yoga.

Back inside on this lower level is a very well-equipped gym and exercise studio – offering spinning, yoga and pilates reformer, circuit training, step, and water aerobics. The award winning spa and salon is also on this level. It books fast, so make your appointments when you arrive. Prices are very reasonable. I had an 80 minute Baltic Hot Stone Pedicure – a combination pedi-hot rock reflexology. Oh my!!!!
Restaurants. To me, they can make or break a resort. I am a foodie, so good food is high on my priority list when traveling. They did not disappoint! Italian, French Fusion, International, and Oriental - all truly fabulous, with equally impressive wine menus. You actually have multiple choices of included wines from around the world (France, Australia, Spain, Italy, Argentina and Mexico) in addition to an extensive wine list at an additional charge. Many resorts claim gourmet food – but Le Blanc truly serves it. Great care is taken with each ingredient to bring out the best flavors. There is great pride in preparation, presentation and service. I savored every bite. A delicious sampling of what awaits you: Dim Sum, Peking Duck with Pad Thai Noodles, Sushi, Steak Tartar, Fennel Salad, Beef Carpaccio, Scallops, Escargot,  Cappuccino Shrimp Soup, Quail Consommé, Lamb, crème brulee, chocolate truffles bursting with warm, flowing centers, real cappuccinos and espresso (not the pre-made machine variety). The breakfast and lunch buffets are fresh, and offer great variety. Food is set out in small skillets rather than large banquet trays, and frequently replenished. Gourmet cheeses and smoked salmon sliced tableside. Mexican specialities- made to order eggs at breakfast, and both European and American favored/familiar items. Ala carte option also available for both meals.

Entertainment is “hidden” in a way. Le Blanc has an entertainment staff, but they have a low-key, rather than rallying the troops approach. Painting activities, dance class, Spanish lessons, beach/pool volleyball, water basketball, aquaerobics, tea time, are offered by day. Evening activities, most taking place at Blancstage Bar and around the Lagoon (Moon) Pool, may include Night Games, local singers, a Samba Show and Dinner, a Fire Show, Trivia, Casino Night, and Karaoke. Sadly, we didn’t see any of the shows, because we didn’t even know about them! Instead, we enjoyed the company of fellow guests over an after dinner drink. Given the small size of the resort, it is very easy to meet others.

Twenty-four hour room service, butlers on each floor, and tour specialists in the lobby, round out the offerings of the magnificent resort.

There were only two negatives that I observed, both of which were pretty minor. The first is lack of balconies, the second, the annoying plastic wristbands! Overall surprising at a resort of this caliber. That said, I would not hesitate to recommend Le Blanc Resort and Spa to anyone looking for an upscale, relaxing vacation. Cost is on the higher end of Mexico Resorts, but comparable to many all-inclusives elsewhere in the Caribbean. High end amenities, inclusions, and accommodations, along with exceptional service, certainly make it worth every penny. I personally can’t wait to go back.

Hawaii - The Big Island - A during travel review from the island

You are a wonder! We are having a great time. Went to the most northern and southern tip of Big Island. Took Saddle Road across the mountains, temp vary from 46 to 78 going across the mountains or volcanos. We each ate 3 Malasadas's, cream, lemon,raspberry, cherry and even one plain. Um......good. Did the circle of fire helicopter ride today. Only four people on the copter great pilot named Ray we actually saw active lava in the volcano and dumping into the ocean. Needed 1-2 more days here. Leave for Oahu tomorrow.  We now have an excuse to return to Big Island. Weather here wet, cool but good for all the driving we have done, great and sunny for copter tour and sat at pool today.  Marriott wonderful.  Will keep u posted.

The Royal Resort Playa del Carmen

Hilary:


We had the most AMAZING time! It was pure luxury, from the moment we checked in to the moment we left. I have never had such an amazing time and have never been as pampered as we were at the Royal. There were rose petals and champagne in the room when we walked in, and they left us a dessert spread on our last night there. Everything was very special. They actually brought drinks and frozen fruit to you on the beach and came around misting cold water on you when hot. It truly was awesome. Pretty laid back and quiet compared to other Mexican resorts I have been to, but I suspect it was a higher end resort so there wasn't groups of young drunks being loud and crazy all the time, more older people that could actually afford the place (which was fine with us we are not big crazy drinkers or partyers). Someone did screw up one of our traveler's checks at the hotel so we were out $100 until we got home, but it was alright since we had enough money to cover it, and also they said there was no dolphin swim listed with our booking, so I did not get to do that. I thought it was weird b/c it advertises all over online for the free dolphin swim for all bookings within that time period, so I don't know how they got away with that since it was online and on my paperwork.... was kind of bummed since I was looking forward to that but it's not like it ruined the trip or anything, just no swimming with dolphins. Andy was probably relieved :) So everything was fantastic and I would totally 100% recommend the Royal. We also ate at the sister resort next door and it was really good too. I would definately love to go back but I don't think we'll be able to afford it for quite a while.

Thanks for all your help on this and helping to make our stay wonderful. It was so nice to come in to the rose petals and champagne and I am sure they only did that b/c you mentioned it was our honeymoon. They really seem to cater to honeymooners down there.

Thanks again!

Ashley

Sandals Royal Plantation - A Review by Leslie Kepplinger Trips Ahoy!

Sandals Royal Plantation recently underwent a rebirth of sorts. Founded as an upscale brand of the world-renowned Sandals Resorts family; offering both all-inclusive and non-inclusive (EP) options; it was rebranded as a Sandals, now exclusively all-inclusive, earlier this year. Would it still hold the old-world hospitality and charm it was known for? Or would it become a weaker version of itself? I was about to find out!
Arrival into Jamaica was uneventful, with a pretty standard 30 minute wait at Immigration. Once at the window, the officials were courteous – and probably the friendliest I’ve ever experienced in my 50 plus visits to the island. Bags were ready for pick-up; customs was a breeze, and even our wait at the Sandals Lounge was all of 5 minutes; barely enough time for a bathroom break, and a beer! But, the butler made sure we had one in hand before boarding our transfer.

Shuttles to Sandals Royal Plantation only transport 6 persons max, allowing plenty of room to get comfortable. If the group is larger, it’s not a problem, as the shuttle can accommodate more. Water and soft drinks were available on-board – a nice addition. The bus was clean, and the driver did not solicit for tips OR stop along the way, as most do.


We were greeted on arrival, filled out our paperwork, and taken to our rooms. At Sandals, when you have butler service, you normally complete all of your check-in paperwork in the comfort of your room – but that was not the case here. They made up for it, however, by quickly bringing our beverage of choice – in this case, Grey Goose Mango Martinis! YUM! My butler was occupied with other guests, so another staff member took me to my room, gave me the complete orientation; and sent my butler within 15 minutes. He offered to unpack – which I gladly accepted. We made our way down to the Wobbly Peacock Pub, for a beverage, and snack. We let our butler surprise us; and he didn’t disappoint. Soft Shell Crab and BBQ Chicken Wings to die for!

The butlers will do such things as unpack/pack; draw bubble baths, make spa appointments, arrange tours; escort you to dinner, get beach chairs, and make dinner reservations. Of course they are just a phone call away should you need anything; and do like to throw in little surprises! One main difference I noticed here, versus the other Sandals resorts, is that both of your butlers are on-duty all day; rather than in 2 shifts. There are also pool butlers that bring drinks to you at the pool and on the terrace or beach. That is a nice touch.



While I have been to Sandals Royal Plantation before, first glimpse of the property is still striking. Old Jamaican Great House architecture and beautiful landscaping set the stage for the tranquility that awaits. The resort sits on a bluff overlooking the ocean. Natural foliage and ornamental plantings give the area a softness; blending the hardness of the buildings fluidly into the landscape and the sea. The open air lobby, complete with multiple comfortable seating areas; flows out to a very large terrace. Sunning by day and dining/relaxing by night. A few steps down from the terrace are a small pool and hot-tub. Pool butlers pass by taking drink orders; and if you are lucky – the “Misting Man” will cool you off with scented spray. Ahh, mangosas (their signature drink of champagne and mango juice), a cool mist, and the warm Jamaican sun; can it get any better? There are 2 small beaches and a Café/Grill below, accessible by a long set of stairs. More about the beaches later.



Sandals Royal Plantation is an all-suite, all-butler boutique resort of 74 ocean view rooms; plus the 3 bedroom private Villa Plantana. The vast majority of rooms are Junior Suites with French Balconies (i.e. sliding glass doors with a railing across them). They are nicely decorated, of good size and extremely clean and comfortable. Huge walk-in closet, double sinks, and separate room with toilet and bath. I loved my room, but did have two big disappointments; a standard bathtub, and no balcony. I knew only a small number of rooms here (15 to be exact) had actual balconies, but was more than surprised that an all-suite resort of this caliber would not have Jacuzzis, or at least soaking tubs, as standard fixtures in all rooms. The bathrooms were large enough to accommodate them, so perhaps someday that will happen. This is definitely something to keep in mind when selecting rooms! The views are so spectacular, it is a shame you can’t fully enjoy it in these rooms. The Royal Great House Ocean Front Suite does offer the soaking tub and separate shower, but no balcony. Only 3 room categories (5 suites total) on property (Prime Minister; Governor General and Royal) are true 1 bedroom suites. These 5 suites, and 6 others (St Ann, and Royal Peacock Suites – 3 each available) are the only ones to have balconies, large soaking tubs, separate walk-in showers, and a bidet. Only one room category, the St Ann Honeymoon Oceanfront Verandah Suite has a Jacuzzi. It also has the largest balcony at 178sq feet.



The beach is accessible by the equivalent of 2 stories of stairs, and is quite small. But, given the small size of the resort, is sufficient. There are actually 2 beaches – one in front of the West Wing, where most people congregate, and the other, the quiet side, in front of the East Wing. The quiet beach is home to the water sports area. The 2 beaches connect via an oceanfront walkway. At present, there are no beach restrooms; but there are plans in the works to add them. Considering the stairs; the restaurant and the bar – it will be a very welcome addition! The resort draws from a huge cross-section of ages; however, if you have mobility problems, this is probably not the place for you; unless you forgo the beach. Kayaks, sailboats, windsurfing, aqua trykes, and snorkeling are all available here; free of charge. Scuba is free for Certified Divers; and requires a small fee ($80) for beginners. This fee allows you to dive for the duration of your vacation; and up to one year at any other Sandals or Beaches Resort. Beach Butlers periodically stopped by to take drink orders, however, I didn’t see any flags to raise, as advertised. But, the bar is right there, so didn’t appear to be an issue for anyone. Unlike the other Sandals where your butler reserves your chairs daily, and provides a cooler with beverages; here you must ask for a chair to be set up. I did see a few coolers, but we were never offered one.

Dining was a little hit or miss – but mostly due to service rather than cuisine. The Terrace is open for all three meals. It serves International, Caribbean and Mediterranean Cuisine in the evening; Caribbean for lunch; and both ala carte and a small buffet at breakfast. Mimosas and magosas (mango juice and champagne, their signature drink) are always available. The menu had so many fabulous breakfast choices, it was hard to choose. The small breakfast buffet offers the basic fruits, eggs, bacon, sausage, breads; as well as smoked salmon, and daily specials like callaloo au gratin. The cheese selection was very disappointing. Wedges of processed cheddar, and pepper jack cheese are not what you expect from a higher end, Leading Small Hotels of the World Resort. But, then, I am a foodie, and do love my cheese! Lunch was tasty – again, a nice variety is offered; and dinner, while a smaller menu, quite good as well.



The Royal Café is open for lunch and afternoon snacks, serving grilled specialties, sandwiches and salads. My experience there was very good, but some thought it a bit underwhelming. The oceanfront view gets rave reviews, though!



Le Papillion (French), open for dinner only, was outstanding. I had eaten here before while on a previous trip to the late Sandals Dunns River Villagio. My anticipation didn’t disappoint. The Escargot (out of the shell so it was easier to eat) was the best I had ever eaten. The chefs at Sandals are also masters at creating great soups and preparing lamb! I am not a huge lamb fan, but always get it at Sandals. That says a lot! Cappuccinos and Espressos, as well as after dinner drinks, are readily available.



No one took advantage of the C-Bar (Champagne and Caviar) during our stay - perhaps because it draws an additional, and hefty, charge. The Saber Ceremony would be a real treat for those celebrating a special event!



The Wobbly Peacock serves pub food from 3pm to midnight. Then, of course there is 24 hour room service with a very nice menu. You will not go hungry here! I mentioned the service – which was spotty. Most employees were extremely prompt and friendly; one or two just didn’t seem to get it! The biggest issue was service timing. When ordering multiple courses; one would expect them to be in sync among diners, but they weren’t. Further training in the finer points of elegant dining is needed. I found it a bit comical; but others hoping for the ultimate experience may not. My take? The food makes-up for this short-coming; I am on vacation; so it is all good!



All in all – a great resort choice for those seeking quiet and relaxation. Day-time activities/games are virtually non-existent; entertainment is subdued, in keeping with the ambience. Should you want to “shake it up” a bit – head over to Sandals Grande Ocho Rios right next door! Head down the driveway; turn right, walk about a hundred yards and there you are!



I thought Sandals Royal Plantation was a lovely resort, but, because it’s old positioning associated itself with the likes of The Four Seasons; Ritz Carlton; Half Moon; and Strawberry Hill; I expected a little more upscale service. Perhaps its change over to a Sandals Brand brought the service/feel down a notch from upscale to higher-end mass-market. Regardless, still fantastic, just not as “exclusive” as it used to be. With that said – a true gem for the money.

Valentin Imperial Maya - A Destination Wedding Review

Hi Hilary!
I'm sending you some pictures from our Destination Wedding and letting you know everything wonderfully. One of my bridesmaids forgot her dress but what can you do at that point? She bought one that went fairly well with the rest and as long as everyone made it safe and sound was all that mattered to us.

We met up with Lupita on Monday and planned everything out from flowers to back drop. It went wonderfully. They even played our own music as asked and set us up in the French Restauarant for a reception (which was bueatiful and awesome food!) The photgrapher we used was the hotel Photographer Marco and he was wonderful! I recommend him to anyone going and he was very reasonable and worked with you. Plus he was at the resort everyday taking candid photos of guests so it was easy to get in touch with him. The Wedding started on time and the lady that performed the ceremony did a very good and was easy to understand. We got lucky on the weather as you can see...it made for beautiful pictures and the sky was so pretty. We even had a rainbow in the distance which was sweet because out song was "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" so was very cool. All of our guests loved the resort also and had a great time. They are all ready to go back.

All the restaurants had very good food and awesome srevice. We did not have a bad meal all week. The food was superb and the treated us all so well. One time we had a huge party go to the Mexican Restaurant and they said they would keep bringing out food instead of us all ordering...it was awesome! We got to try so much and was alot of fun! We defintiely want to go back someday. The only was the pools were a little chilly but we didn't care because the ocean was so awesome and we swam in that everyday.

I really apprecaite all you did for us and everyone. You did a wonderful job and we can't thank you enough!

Amy & Greg

El Dorado Seaside Suites - A Review

Hilary,
We want to thank you so much for all your help in sending us on an amazing Honeymoon (to El Dorado Seaside Suites)! We had absolute wonderful time and cannot wait to go back! We will have to let you know when that will be :)

You were so great to work with and very helpful. We will definitely recommend you and pass your name on to others! Thanks again for everything,

Heather & Nelson