Oh my, I can barely contain my excitement!!! The Iberostar Grand Collection have announced that they are currently offering their amazing weddings for FREEEE!!!!
This is a 5 star luxury all-inclusive hotel chain that stole my heart and respect when they opened their first resort in 2006.
They have since built two more making a total of three:
* The Iberostar Grand Paraíso located in the Riviera Maya of Mexico
* The Iberostar Grand Hotel Bávaro in the Dominican Republic
* The Iberostar Grand Hotel Rose Hall in Jamaica
The free wedding package includes:
Minister Fees
Flowers for bride & groom
Wedding cake
Champagne toast
10% off spa services
Complimentary room for the groom the night before the wedding
FREE room upgrade for the wedding couple
In the years that I have been helping plan destination weddings I can honestly say the wedding team at the Iberostar Grands have proven to be the best of the best. They are friendly, eager to help and create AMAZING weddings. Another key element to know is that they only do ONE wedding a day so you can have the peace of mind that you will be treated like royalty.
If you are getting engaged to get married feel free to call me to check availability and to get the best weddingmoon package available for you and your guests.
Melanie Nayer is a member of the crew over at Gadling.com and she has posted the Top 5 Hotels to visit for Valentine's Day. The El Dorado Resorts made the list and as most of you know I've proclaimed them as the most romantic resorts on the planet.
This week I invested into a bed that caught my eye a few weeks ago on Reichel's genius blog: http://www.copycatchic.com We are LOVING how it transformed our bedroom so THANK YOU Reichel for sharing your find. Reichel finds amazing deals on stylish home items and shares them to the world. Go check it out!
The Azul Sensatori was a PERFECT match for my family and I. In fact, I can not imagine a family not being able to have an amazing vacation there.
Location It is nestled right on the gorgeous Puerto Morelos beach which is just 20 minutes south of the Cancun airport.
Check-In The check-in was smooth and smartly done. They first offer you a drink and a small damp towel that smells amazing. The kids even have their own section at the check-in desk with Fisher Price goodness to keep them occupied and happy. Brilliant.
Full-service Concierge We were then led to our concierge who was going to be taking care of us during our stay. In the concierge office they had plenty more Fisher Price toys and shelves of DVD movies and books to be checked out by guests. She was so incredibly sweet and asked us things like "Which one of these aromatherapy scents would you like the maid service to put in your room during your stay?" As she sprays a few different kinds on strips of paper my husband and I chuckle because we honestly would be happy with any one of them. We decided on the "Caribbean Spice" I believe it was. She then handed our boys a menu of Fisher Price toys that they could pick to have delivered to our suite. Ever since the hotel opened in 2008 I have been hearing people in the industry rave about the resort's Adult Only restaurant Le Chique so I was so excited to make our reservations there. Since it fills up quickly I wanted to do this right after check-in. Hubbie and I decided to make the reservations for our last night there. More about that evening later. We were then given our room keys and taken to our room which was clean, chic and just beautiful.
Accommodations Every room at the Azul Sensatori have features like a jacuzzi, minibar, iPod docking station, double sinks, vanity mirror and deluxe bathrobes for use during your stay. There are several room categories at the resort. To name a few: Family Jacuzzi Suites, Connecting Family Jacuzzi Suites (sleeps up to 6!) and Swim Up Jacuzzi Suites. We were blessed to be in the Premium Swim Up Jacuzzi Suite. The boys loved being able to just jump in the water from our patio.
The Food & Drinks Azul Sensatori is part of the amazing hotel brand called Karisma. Karisma is known for a lot of their achievements in excellence and service but the first thing that comes to my mind is FOOD. There is not another all-inclusive resort chain that can beat the gourmet food that you devour when staying at their resorts. Of course the Azul Sensatori did not disappoint. The 24 hour room service food? Delicious. The buffet? Scrumptious! All of the 6 restaurants were beyond impressive. The signature drinks at each bar was also a nice touch.
Children and Teenagers The Azulitos Kid's Club (ages 4- 12) is open from 9 am to 9:30 pm! While we spent most time together on the beach, playing games or going to eat our boys (ages 4 and 8) were constantly wanting to go back and play with their friends at the kid's club. It is by far the most wonderful kid's club I have seen yet. While I have seen many draw-dropping kids clubs with plenty of bells and whistles, if the staff and children are not having a good time... then it is no bueno in my book. There was never a dull moment at the Azulitos at Azul Sensatori I can tell you that much. The ladies who work in that department were extraordinary. The Azul hotels have a contract with Fisher Price and MyGym so every child is sure to have a wonderful time. Azulitos also have activities throughout the week that involve the parents to ensure family togetherness which is one of Karisma'a main focuses. While we were there we had an Ice Cream Party with the Little People, a water balloon fight (parents vs. kids) and a Talent Show. Dylan ended up winning the Talent Show with his mean break dancing moves. He won a T-Shirt which he wears proudly every chance he gets. The kids not only enjoy the Azulitos kids club but also the kid's pool with water slide, splash park and playground.
If you have a child under the age of 4 they have you covered as well. In Azulitos they have an entire section for playtime that is geared for babies and toddlers. They even have morning stroller jogs with mommies and babies.
If your child is a pre-teen or teenager they also have an exciting Teens Club. They will enjoy the interactive game room, beach volleyball, nightclub and DJ contests.
Entertainment At night, there is an entertainment show at the Rooftop Garden Lounge for the whole family, followed by dancing. Listen and dance to the live music in the evenings in the Lounge or on the beach. The fire dancing and acrobatic performances were our personal favorites!
Spa The spa here is very spacious and inviting. They even have an adorable kids spa menu for the ones who want to have a mommy and me day. I decided to surprise hubbie by purchasing us a 1-hour couples massage on the beach. It took place in a palapa right over the beach area. The smell, the sight breeze from the ocean and sounds of the waves made it a perfect choice to have our Couples Massage.
Adult time If you do not have children or you are looking forward to having some alone time without the children there are plenty of options as well. The resort has an adults-only section that includes adult-only suites, a separate pool with an immaculate swim-up bar and lounge area. Hubbie and I thoroughly enjoyed our 8 course meal at the adults-only Le Chique Restaurant on our last night. They also have a 12 course option but we had kiddos to pick up by 9:30 PM. The laughing kept on getting stronger as the wine glasses kept getting refilled. Excellent food, service and chic decor made this evening at Le Chique a memory we will keep forever.
Click the play button below to see a slide show of pictures:
Who is this resort for? Families, groups, wedding parties, those who may have Gluten Allergies (they offer Gluten-Free on their gourmet menus), Food Enthusiasts
If you are ready for your Azul Sensatori vacation be sure and call your favorite Gourmet Inclusive Vacation Consultant. I hope your choice would be yours truly. ♥! Feel free to contact me. I look forward to hearing from you!
1) A Good travel agent provides prices from more than one source. When you go it alone, if you want to get prices from more than one source you have to contact each source individually. That either means more hold time or more navigating through confusing websites. Also, the more you price things, the more chance that you’ll make a mistake somewhere along the way. Especially when you’re not familiar with each booking system (and, how could you be?).
2) A Good travel agent has either been where you’re going or knows someone who has. Familiarization trips allow travel agents to personally experience resorts and destinations. Yes, it’s hard work..and someone has to do it. No, we’re not looking for someone to come with us.
3) A good travel agent will save you time. Sitting on hold, pricing various versions of your trip, dealing with airlines for seat assignments and schedule changes, getting answers to questions…all of these things take time. Do you have extra time on your hands?
4) A good travel agent provides post travel assistance. Something didn’t go quite right on your trip? Your room didn’t have the view you were expecting? Your transfer was late? What else? A good travel agent will help resolve post travel issues.
5) A good travel agent will help you avoid scams. The whole travel industry seems rife with various scams. We know what is legitimate and what to avoid. Why learn a hard lesson on your own?
6) A good travel agent knows you. Find a good travel agent and use them for all of your trips. They will grow to know you and what you like.
7) A good travel agent suggests alternate dates to save money. Dates can have a big impact on price. Rather than spend untold hours pricing every single date for your vacation, let a professional suggest dates that may price lower.
8) A good travel agent has connections. An actual, legitimate, full time, retail travel agent invests time and money in developing relationships with suppliers including hoteliers and other representatives in the destinations. A good travel agent can pull strings and make things happen that you never could.
9) A good travel agent suggests destinations you haven’t thought of. So your buddy went somewhere and enjoyed it. Are you his clone? Do you enjoy the same things? There are destinations out there that your buddy hasn’t visited or even thought of. Consult a professional.
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Today's post was brought to you by Catherine Banks, the mastermind behind the brilliant company known as Legacy Travel. She also operates our travel agency's blog Ramblings which is full of helpful information so be sure and check it out!
Hello lovelies! There is a new resort opening soon that is just 10 minutes from Playa del Carmen that I am beyond stoked about. It is a 5 star luxury resort that offers up to 3 bedroom suites and a luxury experience right on a white powdered sand beach. It is part of the Gourmet Inclusive® concept and the hotel is called Azul Fives Hotel, by Karisma. I am excited to finally see it for myself next week and you can expect a full, honest report when I return.
As most of you know I work full time as a travel consultant and full-time as a fun-loving mommy to two beautiful (if I must say so myself) boys. Helping readers such as yourself with some insight on travel destinations through this blog is something that I am enjoying more and more as time goes on. I will love to continue but your feedback is important. Please take a quick minute and fill out the anonymous survey below to ensure that this blog fulfills what it needs to.
Just south of Cancun is the Riviera Maya with white powdery sands, turquoise waters and ancient Mayan Ruins all within a close reach. Some of the most prestige all-inclusive resorts in the world are located here and many of them cater to families with beachfront water parks, kid clubs and even their very own drink menu at the beach bars. The second largest reef in the world is also located here making it a perfect vacation spot for all of the water babies out there.
Maui, Hawaii 'Ohana' is the Hawaiian word for family and Maui does an excellent job at focusing on family togetherness. Whether you are together surrounded by the 750,000 gallon water tank at the Maui Ocean Center, learning how to hula dance at the Old Lahaina Luau or learning to surf at one of the pristine beaches in Wailea you are bound to make some life-long memories.
Orlando, Florida
When people think of Orlando, Florida the first thing that comes to mind is Walt Disney World. As they should! After all, it is the most magical place on Earth. Disney World is the most popular and the largest theme park in the world. A few other impressive stops in Orlando include Universal Studios, SeaWorld and Discovery Cove.
San Diego, California
San Diego is not only rated the 5th best place to live in the United States but it makes up for a fun-filled getaway. 'Shamu' at the San Diego's Sea World is suppose to have the most excellent killer whale show in the park's history. Next, be sure and visit the newest exhibit at the famous San Diego Zoo: Monkey Trails and Forest Tales. If you are still wanting more after the zoo, you can get up close and personal with some exotic animals at the San Diego Wild Animal Park. The amusing LEGOLAND would be a perfect end to the vacation and don't forget to visit their new 5.5 acre waterpark!
La Romana, Dominican Republic Nestled on the southeastern coast of the Dominican Republic, La Romana has been a sanctuary for presidents, celebrities and kings for years. The secluded picture-perfect beaches and the people is what makes this vacation one to remember for a lifetime. You can stay at the 5 star Dreams La Romana all-inclusive resort and indulge in it's Unlimited Luxury. Be sure and take their day tour to the paradise called Saona Island!
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If one of these destinations appeal to you as being your family's next family vacation call one of our beneficial travel consultants at Legacy Travel. They would love to hear from you! Toll-free! 1-866-329-7157
The Riviera Maya is not only full of 5 star all-inclusive resorts, friendly people and white sanded beaches but also obtains jungle adventure tours, award winning reefs, historic Mayan ruins and refreshing cenotes. The Tulum Xtreme does an excellent job at capturing these highlights in one fun-fulfilled tour!
Duration: The tour last for about 7-8 hours from the time they pick you up from your hotel until they drop you back off.
What to bring: Comfortable clothes and footwear, water shoes, sunglasses and a hat, bathing suit, extra T-shirt, towel, sunscreen and mosquito repellent, extra cash. The cash will be for pictures, tips and any souvenirs that you may want. They have a great photography team that capture some amazing shots and then inserts them onto a CD for you to purchase and take home with you.
While some travelers simply enjoying vegging out and being beach bums for their getaway there are others, like myself, who would also like to experience some adventure during their vacays. If you would like to adventure out on your upcoming trip to the Yucatan, be sure and check out Lomas Travel's website to explore your options and pre-book your tours. The site even has a Live Chat feature to help with any questions you may have. Again, the tour we talked about today is called Xtreme Tulum. ♥
I have some pictures and video footage of when my madre and I did this tour last Fall HERE. The highlight on the tour is 1 minute 30 seconds in by the way.
Hope you all have an extraordinary Holiday weekend!
After working as a travel consultant for a couple of years a young lady called me interested in a destination wedding. "A destination wedding?!" The feeling of excitement and nervousness overtook me. It sounded like something that would be a perfect fit for me but I had never done something like that before and I was afraid of the pressure of making sure her special day went perfectly. After a lot of research, deciding on a resort and date, talking with each guest individually throughout the following 6 months 'the' day had finally come.
Was everyone going to remember everything I told them??? Did I forget a big piece of information??? Please LORD don't let it rain!
I eagerly waited 2 days after they had returned home to call each one individually to see how the experience was. To my surprise, everyone loved it! In fact, most of them were ready to start discussing their next trip!
The entire experience had inspired me to start focusing on helping arrange destinations weddings. Sure it is stressful but the end result is so incredibly worth it!
Now, let me slap you with some reality here for a second... we have had our share of nightmare weddings as well. There isn't enough time in the day to get started on those but please know that there are certain people in the world who are simply bitter and unhappy. You know the type, the ones who hardly smile and when they do it is not genuine at all. The ones who are pessimistic about every.little.thing and who seem to somehow enjoy complaining until their head is spinning.
There is probably just 1 out 10 weddings that end up going in the that direction which isn't bad. Not bad at all. Just like everything you have to take the good with the ugly.
Through the past 4 years I have thoroughly enjoyed helping brides and their guests get the best wedding vacations possible. My goal is to always make sure everyone has a fun and memorable time with their closest family and friends in a paradise setting.
Whale sharks are considered the largest fish in the world measuring up to 40 feet. While the name sounds quite scary, they are actually extremely friendly and harmless.
If you are going to be in the Cancun area in July or August be sure and try to book a tour to go see these amazing animas up close. They migrate there during that time of year for rich nutrients and warm waters. In fact, August 30th has officially been named the Mexican Day of the Whale Shark.
There are several tour operators who will book this for you but our preferred is Lomas Travel. Click HERE to book your tour today. The tour generally lasts for about 5 hours and departs from Punta Sam. You will be guided by some professionals who will help you learn more about these large, peaceful creatures.
A friend of ours recently was able to do this and captured some footage for us all to see. Thanks Fernando!
I SOOO want to do this! Their mouths open up to 5 feet but I think I will be able to look past that and the fact they are in the shark family... and just enjoy God's creation. :-)
♪ ♫ Mama told me when I was young Come sit beside me, my only son And listen closely to what I say ♪ ♫
For all of the southern rockers out there, you may interested in taking one kick ass cruise in 2011. It may be a good idea to leave little Clyde and Jethro at home this time for it gets crackalackin.' This cruise hosted by Lynyrd Skynyrd will be sailing out from January 20th -24th of 2011. Click HERE to check it out!
If you are not a Southern Rocker but still interested in a music cruise some others to check out:
There is currently an exhibit at the Dallas Museum of Art that causes people who have appreciation for the arts and/or passion for exploring the Globe to come together and celebrate their love for these common interests.
It has inspired me to go through some of my favorite coastline pictures from the past couple of years and to stop and appreciate life for a moment.
Royal Tulum Resort ~ Tulum, Mexico
Secrets Sanctuary ~ Cap Cana, Dominican Republic
Four Seasons Resort Hawaii, Lana'i at Manele Bay
"Sky Massage" at the El Dorado Maroma ~ Quintana Roo, Mexico
Is there a coastline that you have dreamed of seeing but excuses like money, time or fear have stopped you??? Give me a ring... it is a lot closer within reach than you could possibly imagine. And you deserve it. ;-)
The Grand Sirenis Resorts are a short 20 miles from Playa del Carmen on the beautiful beach of Akumal. It is 2 resorts in 1 that offer complete exchange privileges: The Grand Sirenis Mayan and the Grand Sirenis Riviera. The first thing I noticed was the straight lines in the modern architecture. Stunning really. The next thing I got really excited about, perhaps too excited, was the lazy river! Too bad I was in my business wear or I would of grabbed me a tube and gone afloatin'. :) The lazy river winds around the resort and had a nicely paced current to it. The next thing I was impressed with was the rooms. Each room was a Junior Suite that had a fully stocked mini bar and living area along with a balcony with outdoor furniture. And again, the decor was very tasteful.
The beach was wrapped around a large, beautiful cove that is perfect for snorkeling. If you are traveling there in July or August, be sure to be on the lookout for mama turtles bringing their eggs ashore to hatch their babies.
After the beach we were able to see their spa. The spa at this resort will forever be impressed in my mind as one of the best spas I have ever SEEN! Perhaps THE best. Thomas Cook Magazine even names it as one of the Best Spas in the World.
After the tour of the amazing spa we had some d.e.l.i.c.i.o.u.s. lunch in the spa's restaurant. Healthy AND impeccable so it is a double dose of fabulousness. ;-)
This resort is perfect for someone who:
* Enjoys an amazing spa. * Appreciates lazy rivers. * Finds pleasure in Corona Beer. (They serve it.) * Doesn't prefer larger resorts. * Enjoys a charming, white-sanded beach.
To see more pictures and read up more on the Grand Sirenis Resorts in the Riviera Maya click HERE.
I'm a proud Texas mom of 2 active boys and a loving wifey to my hunk of a man. My other full-time job is being a passionate Travel Consultant with Legacy Travel.
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