Travel Information for Mexico and the Caribbean

Since my recent trip to the Azul Beach and Azul Sensatori in May, 2010, I have starting thinking of luxury on broader terms. Luxury is not only for the well to do, and romance is not only for honeymooners. The Azul Hotels by Karisma make luxury a possibility for the whole family and romance available to parents.

Azul Beach is a small, easy to maneuver property in the Northern Riviera Maya–Close to Cancun. The beautiful white sand beach is its namesake, but the service, gourmet dining, and services for its children are what really make this property shine. From bottle warmers and strollers provided in the rooms, to suites that walk straight out into the pool area, this resort is great for families with young children.

It’s hard to think of a want parent could have when traveling with their baby to a resort with Gourmet Gerber baby food, a smoothie bar just for kids, even little bathrobes just their size in the rooms. Plus, they boast all the amenities of any other luxurious resort.

However, if one dares to compare, the Azul Sensatori might just meet your standards. Azul Sensatori has all the amenities of the Azul Beach, but on a much larger, and more grand scale.

One of the most distinguishing features of the Azul Sensatori is their amazing Kid and Teen Zones. The kids’ room is equipped with a tea party room (my personal favorite!), a movie theater, ball pit, trampolines, video-game room, and gymnastics area. When your kids don’t want to leave, you can feel safe leaving them with the Red Cross Certified nannies provided within the Kid Zone.

Outside there is a great water park complete with a slide and a rock climbing wall! For the teens, there is a very cool arcade and game room where teens can hang out during the day. At night it is transformed into a disco with music, dancing, and a non-alcoholic bar.

For adults, the calming colors and ambiance are instantly relaxing. Both romantic and family style restaurants complete with toys for the kids to play with while they wait is sure to take away the stress parents may otherwise feel in such a nice resort.

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For travel with extended family including wedding parties, The Azul Sensatori is the perfect choice–offering both endless Gourmet Inclusive options, as well as entertainment for the whole family. The sky wedding package is a particularly unique and beautiful way to exchange vows on the rooftop of an ocean front building!
Azul Hotels showcase what is so difficult to define: The beauty is in the details.

Featuring the renowned Gourmet Inclusive by Karisma concept, the Azul Sensatori Hotel brings together spacious facilities with unlimited activities and services. The Azul Sensatori is designed to allow couples, groups, families and friends from all generations to connect under the sun.

As many of us are searching for the perfect Mexico vacation, sometimes we forget about the amazing resort area of Puerto Vallarta and Nuevo Vallarta. A pacific coast destination in Mexico, it is a tad different from the Caribbean side destinations of Cancun, Riviera Maya and Cozumel. While the clear turquoise waters are not present, the west coast of Mexico more than makes up for that with their beautiful deep blue waters and amazing west coast sunsets all back-dropped by the Sierra Madre Mountains.

Having just returned from a 5 nights stay at the Riu Palace Pacifico, I could not more highly recommend the newest Riu resort in Puerto Vallarta. From our delicious and fruity welcome drinks, to the excellent service we received at each restaurant and bar, this resort far exceeded my expectations. Sitting on one of the best beaches in Nuevo Vallarta, when you get too warm just laying in the sun grab a free boogie board and ride some waves. For those of you who enjoy walking the beach, head in either direction for a scenic walk up the coast. Surrounded by mountains, the views from the resort are beautiful in every direction you look, with the most colorful sunsets I have ever seen.

For the excursion enthusiast, try ziplining through the mountains and if you like tequila you will certainly get your fill in the original state in Mexico where tequila was produced.

A Caribbean lover myself, I wanted to try Puerto Vallarta for a change of scenery and boy am I glad I did. The only negative part of my trip was having to leave such a beautiful resort and colorful people, and I will be back for sure!

Valid when booking Secrets, Dreams and Now Resorts and Spas!

Call your Dream Vacations Specialist to take advantage of this great offer!

• Less time to get to and from your resort
• Savings of up to $120 for a family of four
• No stops at other resorts to drop other travelers off
• Offered Exclusively through Apple Vacations
• Act fast, this won’t last long

NEW!! Effective immediately, all Apple Vacationers staying at Secrets, Dreams and Now Resort and Spa’s in Cancun, Riviera Maya, Punta Cana and La Romana automatically receive complimentary round trip non-stop transfers to and from the airport*. Save time and money as well as getting a head start on your fun in the sun!

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• NOW Riviera Resort & Spa

* Free non-stop transfers are only offered to and from the resort destiation airport. Transfers are not included for PUJ resorts when flying into LRM and vice versa.

One of the most common calls our agents at Dream Vacations are getting these days is “Is Mexico safe?” And with all the current news about Mexico and the drug cartels and the swine flu scare of 2009 its not surprising that responsible travelers would want to ask this question. Luckily, as a smart and responsible traveler, Mexico is one of the most cost effective destinations you can visit safely and soundly. In fact just today there was an article on MSN promoting Mexico as a safe area to travel to.

Of course avoiding border areas like Tijuana and Juarez is a must, but travel into areas like Cancun, Riviera Maya, Cabo San Lucan, Puerto Vallarta and Cozumel are just as safe now as they were 10 years ago. In fact, due to over-hyped Swine flu (which turned out far worse in the US than in Mexico) and the concern over border violence, Mexico is one of the most likely destinations to find the best deal for your money. Many hotels are offering “kids stay free” promotions and steeply discounted prices as Mexico tries to rebound from the dip in tourism that has been seen in the last year or so. The annual TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice Awards just selected Tulum and Huatulco among its “Top 10 Beach & Sun Destinations” in the world.

So if you love beautiful beaches, all inclusive resorts and great values, dust off your passports, pack your bags and give me a call so we can find your family the trip of a lifetime!