As a Travel Agent for Travel Leaders and an event planner, I can tell you firsthand about the Azul Sensatori Hotel in Riviera Maya from both the group and the individual perspective. I had two groups visit the Azul Sensatori Hotel, one an incentive group, and one a friends and family trip. I escorted both groups. From start to (more…)

I visited Zoetry Casa del Mar Los Cabos back on August 9-13, 2010. It was off season, but the resort has only 88 suites. The property is beautifully landscaped and located on an excellent beach. The food was awesome and all of the menus put a foot note at the bottom listing calories, fat, carbs, etc as this is a spa type resort. (more…)

Maybe you can’t pronounce or locate this Caribbean hidden gem but that’s all the more reason you must visit the island of Curacao, the “C” and largest of the lovely ABC islands. Curacao (Kora-sow, rhymes with cow) is one of the hurricane-free region’s best-kept secrets, and with beautiful resorts like sister properties Hotel Kura Hulanda Spa & Casino and Lodge Kura Hulanda & Beach Club, it’s easy to see why. (more…)

Well, I’m back from our stay at the Hard Rock Hotel in Orlando! Great hotel and especially worth its gold with the Universal Express pass that comes with any onsite hotel stay. Lines at all parks were long and we just whipped right thru and onto the ride or show! Universal Express is valid at all rides except the new ones- Harry Potter Forbidden Journey and Rip Rocket roller coaster. An onsite stay also allows you to charge anything at any of the parks back to your room and also any purchases can be delivered back to your onsite hotel, so no lugging your purchases around for the day. (more…)

My husband and I recently stayed at the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort & Spa in Bonita Springs. Every part of the process during our stay, from a quick check in to breakfast on our last day, was positive. The service was excellent, with smiles and a quick “can I help you” whenever I had that “where am I” look on my face. (more…)

The Occidental Grand Punta Cana Resort is a well maintained and very nice family friendly resort. This is a very clean resort with well kept grounds. The staff is friendly and always willing to help. A friendly “Hola” greeting is offered from the gardener to the manager every time you meet someone. (more…)

Dreams Riviera Cancun in Riviera Maya is a brand new all-inclusive resort for families. It is a large resort that it is spread out so that you do not feel crowded. The decor is more South Pacific than Mexican, but it is done in a very upscale manner. (more…)

The Riu Palace Aruba is a wonderful all-inclusive (water sports are not included) resort in Aruba. After your flight you will be greeted by a GOGO Tours rep and friendly hotel staff with refreshing drinks and your luggage will be taken care of efficiently while you check-in. (more…)

I just came back from the Coconut Bay Beach Resort & Spa in St. Lucia. This resort is a nice all-inclusive family resort. The best feature is the close proximity to the airport. Your children will not get the chance to say are we there yet. This Coconut Bay Beach Resort & Spa is on the southern Atlantic side of the island (more…)

While on vacation in Aruba in November, I did a site inspection of some hotels with a member of the Aruba Tourism Board. One of the hotels, I visited was the Bucuti Beach Resort, primarily an adults-only resort, although it does have limited accommodations for children. (more…)

As a Vacation, Cruise and Honeymoon Specialist, I am always more critical of hotels and resorts than your average traveler. I am always on the look out for properties that will fit the needs of my clients and to know which property to recommend to which client. I also make a point of not reading reviews of the resorts I am visiting so I can give an honest opinion of the property. (more…)

The Iberostar Tucan & Quetzal Hotel in Riviera Maya is a great resort for destination weddings. The resort is in a great location and the beach is one of the best on the Playacar strip. The wedding department at this hotel is very easy to work with once you have the wedding date established. For those who are planning to invite families with children, the Iberostar Tucan & Quetzal hotel is (more…)

The Royal Plantation in Ocho Rios, Jamaica is a special resort full of history. It’s tranquil, service oriented, friendly with great food. All the rooms have ocean views or at least a sliver of an ocean view. I would encourage taking out the meal plan which can be done once you arrive. One of the good things about the meal plan at the Royal Plantation is that you do not need to take out a meal plan for your entire stay at the resort. (more…)

Back in July I stayed at the Secret Maroma Beach Riviera Cancun and it was a pleasant surprise. The Resort is large and has all of the pluses. Secrets Maroma Beach has several restaurants to choose from, all with very good food and excellent service. There are also several bars located on the property and many evening entertainment choices to choose from. (more…)

I recently visited Dream Puerto Vallarta Resort & Spa. This Puerto Vallarta property is located very close to town, but far enough away to still have a secluded feeling. The resort sits up against the mountains which gives you a great, spectacular view of the ocean and part of the town. All of the rooms are oceanfront and offer great views of the surrounding area. (more…)

I stayed for 7 days in a Grand Luxe Ocean View room, on the bluff, close to the millionaire suites. The Sandals Regency La Toc Golf Resort & Spa property is nice and is located on a ½ mile sand beach in St. Lucia. The property has 19 room categories and is built on the beach level and hill side. (more…)

With a few airlines flying nonstop every day, you can be in Punta Cana and on the beach by 2 pm. We arrived in Punta Cana and were on our way by taxi within an hour. We arrived at The Majestic Colonial and checked in at the front lobby. The lobby was as large as I have seen for any hotel. Our room (one of 658 rooms on property) was not ready as we were early… (more…)

My first visit to Scottsdale was an unexpected delight. My inaccurate preconceptions of this trendy, upscale destination banished as I relaxed into the warmth of the people and climate and the diversity of the landscape. Red-orange mountains rise dramatically from the desert floor and contrast neatly to green sagebrush and cacti. The Native American culture (more…)

I loved EVERYTHING about the Sandals Dunn’s River Villaggio Golf Resort & Spa, it has a very Italian romance feel in the Caribbean. I have stayed there three times, and I am ready to go back. When you turn off the main road, it’s pure paradise. The palm trees are bordering the driveway and then come the water fountains. You will be greeted by the hotel managers (more…)

The Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa will fulfill your vision of an authentic Hawaiian resort. One frequent request from clients as they consult with me about where they’d like to stay while in Hawaii, is that they stay in a resort (more…)

In my 23 trips to Mexico including 8 to Cancun, I found the Riu Cancun to be my favorite resort. Cancun and the Mayan Riviera are my favorite destinations in the world. You’ve got the Caribbean water and white sand beaches plus the cultural highlights of the Mayan Ruins. (more…)

I stayed at the Outrigger Reef on the Beach in Waikiki in May 2009. It was the first time I had seen the resort since they remodeled. Wow, what an amazing job they did. I think the major addition to the (more…)

I recently visited The Coral Reef Club and The Sandpiper in Barbados, two sister properties. The beach is beautiful, the rooms and suites have all been redone with beautiful, low key furnishings, fabulous (more…)

I recently visited Sandals Whitehouse in Jamaica. As a Certified Sandals Specialist I personally wanted to experience this property. WOW was I glad I did! Words alone cannot describe how beautiful this property is.

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I visited the island of Barbados in the fall of 2007. If comparing this Almond Beach Village to the Beach Club, the Village is by far better!!!This is a great resort for all sorts of clientele, but my (more…)

I visited the island of Barbados in the fall of 2007, and we stayed at this resort.

It’s on the South Coast of the island, so the water is (more…)

Wow, what can you say about Couples!  This was our second trip to Couples Swept Away and my 5 th trip to Couples resorts. (more…)