Vacation Ideas

A few years back I was fortunate to travel to the Ritz-Carlton Kapalua in Maui. My wife and I were looking to play some golf and soak up the sun.  The Ritz is a golfers paradise with two championship golf courses right on property.

The hotel also features an Environmental Program that teaches guests about Hawaiian culture and the native environment through fun-filled excursions led by expert naturalists.  The spa is world class or if your into a more active vacation take on a high-octane hike or water adventure at the Kapalua Adventure Center and Mountain Outpost.

We had a standard room with a pool view.  The 1 bedroom suites are amazing and feature a full kitchen.  The accommodations were immaculate and the service was even better.  They have three huge tiered swimming pools and had plenty of chairs.

The drinks and food were a little expensive but the food was unbelievable and the drinks were all top shelf.  The Lobby Bar, Alaloa Lounge-features  a new onyx bar with carved wood details, hand-blown glass pendants and a black lava stone wall to form the back-bar.  It was named Best Lobby Lounge on the island by the readers of Maui No Ka Oi Magazine.  They offer evening entertainment and breathtaking views.  Get there early and stay late!  The Banyan Tree is the hotel’s signature restaurant and features a bar and lounge with beautiful views of the Pacific Ocean and Moloka’i.  The menu showcases Hawaii’s abundant fruits and fresh catches for lunch and dinner.

The beach is incredible!  It is just a short walk from the pool.  The beach is private with sort of a  crescent shape and has soft, fluffy sand.  It was never crowded and most often you were sharing maybe  a few other couples or families.   The waves do come in with some force so do not turn your back on it.

I have stayed in over a dozen Ritz Carlton’s around the world and this was my favorite!  If your looking for a high end golf/Hawaiian vacation the Ritz Kapalua is truly special.

Brand new and opening April 2012 the long awaited Secrets Vallarta is sure please. Adults only all inclusive 6 start luxury at it’s finest, the Secrets Vallarta Bay is situated on the finest golden sand beaches of the Pacific.  271 suites offer ocean views, modern decor, 24 hour rooms service, fully stocked minibars, and turn down service just to name a few. Choose from any of the 5 reservation free gourmet all inclusive restaurants and 3 bars with top shelf local and international beer and alcohol all included in your all inclusive stay.  When it’s time for a swim refresh yourself in the stunning pools overlooking the Pacific or head to the ocean for a swim or enjoy one of the complementary watersports like kayaking or snorkeling.  For the perfect anniversary, honeymoon or getaway with your friend, leave the kids with Grandma and Grandpa and book your trip to the Secrets Vallarta Bay today.

Personally, when I travel I like to stay in the nicest accommodations with one of the hotel’s best rooms.  Unfortunately, you may feel that the budget will not allow an upgraded room category.

Well I am here to show you that this misconception can prevent you from having one of the most memorable vacations of your life!

Lets start with the most common room categories.  Most hotels offer standard rooms, junior suites, suites, and even larger rooms.  Along with these rooms come with different views such as garden view, partial ocean view, ocean view, and ocean front.

One of my favorite hotel’s is the Dreams Cancun!  You really need to check this place out!  They are within walking distance to shopping and the bars downtown and they also have their own dolphinarium!  They offer so many room categories it is unbelievable!  Here are some examples:  1BR Master Suite, 1BR Honeymoon Suite, Club Level Junior Suite w/ Jacuzzi, Deluxe Club Ocean Front, Deluxe Dolphin Front Ocean View, Deluxe Dolphin Front, and Pyramid Presidential Suite!  What options!

If you book well in advance you can get some pretty awesome rates!  Upgrades at this resort begin around $50 per person.  What would make your children happier than to wake up every morning to dolphins swimming outside of your room?  Or even relaxing every evening on your balcony watching the waves splash into the sand?

Sometime spending a few extra hundred dollars can make all the difference in the world.  So trust me on this one.  Call Dream Vacations today and check into an upgraded room category.  I promise you won’t be disappointed!

Cancun, Mexico has over a dozen nightclubs and literally hundreds of bars and is considered to have some of the best evening entertainment in the world.  Cancun is most famous for their mega bars and party atmosphere but don’t forget the hundreds of small bars and clubs footsteps away from your hotel.  It doesn’t matter if your looking for a nightclub with laser lights with thousands of people or a quiet local watering hole, Cancun has a place for you.

The large nightclubs have capacity for thousands and all offer nightly entertainment. This is not the entertainment you find in your local downtown clubs.   There’s something new happening every few minutes, from fantastic circus type performances, giant video screens, the famous bikini contests,  mime artists, crazy waiters and more.  The most popular are Coco Bongo, Daddy O, The City and Bulldogs.  It is common for these clubs to carry on until 6 in the morning.  At these clubs you usually pay $25 – $40 cover and they offer an ”open bar” so your drinks are included with your cover.  The “open bar” usually ends at 3 am so if your partying early into the morning you’ll have to pay for each drink after 3.   These clubs are world famous and an evening experience of a lifetime!

If you prefer a smaller club try one of Cancun’s most famous bars, Senor Frogs.  It is popular for it’s waterslides and wearable’s.  There are scores of smaller bars in Cancun such as Corona Bar, Dos Equis Bar, Terrasta, Carlos N Charlie’s, My Place, Lucky Monkey and Congo Bar that might be more to your liking.  These clubs will still have a cover and most do a pay per drink plan.  These bars most often close around 1 am but will usually have smaller crowds and shorter lines.  I recommend starting out at these smaller clubs and then finish your evening at one of the larger nightclubs.  Most of these bars are open for lunch and the crowds are smaller and not as lively.  Many of them are actually family friendly during the lunch hour and early afternoons.

If your not looking to pay big cover charges and dance till 6am with the younger crowd but would like to go out and enjoy a night on the town.  Then try Captain’s Cove and Pancho & Willy’s.  Happy Hour is from 4pm to 6pm every day at P&W’s and has one of the best sunset views in all of Cancun.  Captain’s Cove and Pancho & Willy’s is located on the shores of the lagoon opposite The Omni Hotels.  Cancun has evening entertainment for everyone.  Below are a few tips to keep in mind when partying in Cancun.

A few tip to consider when planning your night out in Cancun.

1 – Tip – tipping will improve service levels with cabs, waiters and bartenders

2 – Beware of the Shot girls.  They will charge you $2 per and you can get a little out of control if your not careful.

3 – Don’t get lost.  Some of these clubs are huge so take notice of your surroundings and locate exits and restrooms.

4 – Be careful with valuables.  Travel light, watch out where you leave your camera.  Bring a disposable camera.

5 – BE SAFE.  Use the cab service or walk.  Use common sense and go out with a partner or a buddy.

My husband and I recently returned from the Zoetry Casa Del Mar Los Cabos on our Valentines Anniversary trip. This is one of THE BEST all-inclusive resorts we’ve ever enjoyed and we’ve been to a lot of them. My favorite thing about this resort is what they call the “Beach Club”. Directly on the beach, there is a heated pool with swim up bar, a hot tub, a restaurant, comfortable lounge chairs on the sand or by the pool, with umbrellas, plush towels and the best service we’ve ever experienced. There were plenty of wonderful and friendly attendants to bring drinks, a cold bottle of water, a fresh towel, whatever you needed. Talk about relaxing!! The sight and sound of the waves, the pelicans diving for a fish, and best of all whales playing just off the shore line! This is my favorite destination in Mexico and now Zoetry Cabo is one of my favorite resorts anywhere!

Right at the beach and close to Playa del Carmen, the elegant Riu Palace Mexico is  decorated following the traditional style of Mexico.  The hotel provides of two swimming pools of fresh water surrounded by a vast park, a Jacuzzi, a solarium-terrace, a gym and the “Renova Spa” with different kinds of treatments and massages.

The restaurants are characterized by Mexico’s big variety of recipes. It is recognized by its distinctive flavors with a lot of different spices. It mixes up tradition, Mesoamerican as well as European.

This hotel is located in a shared complex with the Riu Palace Riviera Maya, Riu Playacar, Riu Tequila, and Riu Yucatan.  You can find numerous activities like table tennis, a gym, volleyball, golf and aquatic sports like windsurfing, catamaran, kayak, body board, snorkeling and much more. At night we suggest you to see the shows and to listen to live music or that you visit “La Piñata” disco where you can dance the night away. Your children can also participate in the Riuland children mini-club where they make handicrafts and activities with other children.

Highly rated as one of Trip Advisors’ hotels, here is a recent review.