Category

Luxury

Le Blanc Spa Resort in Cancun – a Review

By | All-Inclusive Resorts, Caribbean, Luxury, Mexico, Romance | No Comments

Reviewing Le Blanc Spa Resort (a Palace Resort) in Cancun, Mexico

 

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Le Blanc Spa Resort is an adults only all-inclusive resort located in the hotel zone of Cancun, Mexico. It is located very close to the middle of the hotel zone actually, but exists a world away from what you would traditionally associate with Cancun all-inclusive resorts that often cater to the Spring Break crowd.

 

 

This resort is a far cry from typical and in high demand for Weddings and Honeymoons catering to the sophisticated crowd – urban chic, like something out of South Beach. You almost expect Rico Tubbs (Miami Vice) to walk around the corner at any minute…

The Beach is powdery white sand

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The water is an blue as you dreamed it would be and The infinity pool says it all…

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Guest Rooms

As you would expect, guest rooms are extremely well appointed and are as functional as they are luxurious featuring private balconies to enjoy the outdoors and 2 person in room jacuzzis to enjoy indoor.

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Offering butler service in rooms, concierge service at the pools, Haute Cuisine in 5 a la carte restaurants and superior service at every turn, Le Blanc is very much a luxury oasis in Cancun. Nightly turndown service with petit fours, higher end bath products, pillow top beds that you will never want to leave all combine for a very nice package. See more at their website at this link

Beyond the typical amenities Le Blanc offers unlimited free phone calls back to the US, unlimited internet service, and best of all, $1500 resort credits on a 5-8 night stay (other levels exist for shorter and longer stays) that can be used for spa, room upgrades, wedding packages, swimming with dolphins, tours, golf at Jack Nicklaus Academy of Golf & much more!

So can you tell that I liked it? Can you tell that I can’t wait to go back?

Le Blanc is not for everyone, but if you consider yourself a person of discriminating taste that would prefer to be located close to the action and shopping in Cancun’s Hotel Zone as opposed to further away down along the Riviera Maya then Le Blanc may just be for you when it’s time to celebrate your Anniversary, Honeymoon, Destination Wedding or even just a luxurious retreat

Secrets Maroma Beach – Luxury in the Riviera Maya – a Review

By | All-Inclusive Resorts, Caribbean, Luxury, Mexico | No Comments

Secrets Maroma Beach – Adults Only Paradise in Mexico – a Review

Maroma Beach, located about half way between Puerto Morelos and Playa del Carmen, south from Cancun in Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula is consistently ranked as one of the world’s Top 10 Beaches and for good reason- Clear blue waters, powdery white sands & water sports galore conspire to create a beach lover’s paradise.

One of the highly rated adults-only all-inclusive resorts located along this fine stretch of sand is Secrets Maroma Beach. Secrets is the adults-only brand served up by AMResorts (affiliated with Apple Vacations & sister property to Dreams, Zoetry, Now & Sunscape Resorts).

 

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Not every all-inclusive resort offers the same sort of affordable luxury found at Secrets Resorts.

Frequently at all inclusive resorts you find limited selections of restaurants – limited choice in all sorts of food & beverages – limited access to bars and scant choice in restaurants. Spending a week at an all-inclusive resort and feasting at the same boring buffet several days in a row can be a bummer, but with 8 restaurants (most of which are luxurious a la carte options) and 7 bars fully stocked with premium fare you will not feel that your choices are redundant.

It’s not all about food & beverages though – and one of the best features at Secrets Resorts are the suites which generally offer in room jacuzzis, after all – this is a romantic escape for 2, right?

Excellent Spa facilities

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The spa facilities are great – as is the water sports area, common grounds, pool & more.

This is a fantastic place for a Honeymoon or Destination Wedding (assuming children will not be attending) also – a huge part of their business!

Check out this brief video tour

If there is one knock on the property it is this….  Time-share sales

I have personally encountered guests that were quite annoyed with the aggressiveness of the on-site salespeople, and so it is with some hesitancy that I suggest Secrets as a 1st choice, but if you don’t mind being pestered a bit the product is fantastic

For more info on this and many other resort options in Mexico and throughout the Caribbean get with EZTravelPad – you’ll be glad you did!

 

Atlantis (the resort – not the lost continent) – a Review

By | Caribbean, Family Travel, Luxury | No Comments

Atlantis is a Resort Without Compare – Truly Something Different

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All of my life I have been fascinated with the legend of the Lost Continent of Atlantis

  • Did it ever really exist?
  • Where was it?
  • Who lived there?
  • What was their civilization like?
  • What happened?

So to go to an amazing resort like Atlantis on Paradise Island in the Bahamas was not quite as exciting as considering whether a highly advanced civilization once thrived then disappeared, but after experiencing the resort for a while i was truly amazed at what DOES exist in The Bahamas

In 1994 a gentleman named Sol Kerzner purchased a troubled resort from Merv Griffin and began a 4 year process to totally remake the resort into a vision of something that has never been…an expansive resort on Paradise Island in The Bahamas featuring some of the best attractions for families of all ages….a resort featuring a marine environment of over 11 million gallons of water, 50,000 different marine animals featuring over 200 different species….lagoons and water slides and beaches and pools (oh, and a really really big casino!)

Atlantis is spectacular in scale – over 3400 rooms with varying levels of amenities designed to appeal broadly to all sorts of people interested in all sorts of things

  • Swim with dolphins
  • Swim with seals
  • Swim with stingrays
  • Golf
  • Spa
  • Fitness
  • Shop
  • Relax…..or indulge in any of dozens of other diversions….

See more in the video

 

Accommodations are varied from moderately priced

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to upscale

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to something befitting previous guests such as Oprah Winfrey or Michael Jackson

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Interested in some R&R – there are many, many choices like the pool near the Coral and Beach Towers

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or this pool and beach area near The Cove

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But so many more choices exist.

Atlantis is not something you can easily plan yourself unless you want to spend hours doing the research to determine your best fit – leave that part to a pro (a pro who will not charge any fees for their advice and expertise), like “Your friends….in the travel business” – EZTravelPad

Sandals Royal Bahamian Resort in Nassau, Bahamas – a Review

By | All-Inclusive Resorts, Caribbean, Honeymoons and Weddings, Luxury, Romance | No Comments

A Review of Sandals Royal Bahamian Resort in Nassau, Bahamas

 

The storied history of the Sandals Royal Bahamian Resort is enough reason to put it on the radar of any vacation seeking couple looking for a couples only resort in the tropics

In its heyday, the Balmoral Club on Nassau in the Bahamas, hosted luminaries, Hollywood stars, and entertainers. The Duke and Duchess of Windsor, President Nixon, and the Beatles, are all said to have frequented the popular hotspot. This chic, high society club that was once part of the resort’s property, inspired the new Balmoral Tower at Sandals Royal Bahamian.

Having recently toured the Balmoral Tower shortly after it’s Grand Re-Opening I can tell you that is is in fine shape – gorgeous and stately.

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The Sandals Royal Bahamian Resort is an all inclusive resort that serves adult couples exclusively. It is for that reason that many Honeymoon and Anniversary celebrating couples are drawn to the classy resort just a few miles from downtown Nassau

Check out this video tour to get a good feel for the property-

 

 

The recent remodeling of the Balmoral Tower and other upgrades totaling $17 Million was prompted after a bit of storm damage occurred. The refurbishment though, was much more than just cosmetics – there were large balconies added to many of the rooms which now make this one of the most desired properties in the Bahamas

Another much smaller aspect of the remodel were the additions of some beachside firepits that add greatly to the romance of the evening

Newly added Firepits along the beach pictured below

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But it’s not all about the Balmoral Tower – this resort consists of several buildings and many private villas for a total of 402 rooms and suites spread across 15 acres of beautiful Bahamian landscape located only 10 minutes from the airport

With numerous buildings there are many, many different room category choices with views ranging from good to awesome and service ranging from luxury to concierge to butler level!

Sandals offers it’s butler level guests a special perk, complimentary private transportation from the airport in one of their Mercedes or Rolls Royce Sedans

 

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Butler level guests are also afforded some of the most amazing rooms and suites in the Bahamas-

Often I hear people say that “the room doesn’t matter – we won’t be spending that much time in it anyway”, but as you can see from this photo….Location matters!!

I mean, can’t you just picture yourself reclining until late into the night on your lounge – sipping a fine wine – listening to the surf just a few meters away….

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Beyond the history and the accommodations and the inclusions-

10 Restaurants including French, Italian, Asian and Seafood a la carte options are featured so you will never get bored with the selection of cuisine-

Looking for something to do?Try the Red Lane Spa or Nightly Themes Parties and Entertainment –

Plus on land

  • Table Tennis
  • Shuffleboards
  • Bocce Ball
  • Pool
  • Day/Night Tennis
  • Fitness Center
  • Board Games
  • Basketball
  • Beach Volleyball
  • Billiards

and involving water….

  • Canoes/Kayaks
  • Windsurfing
  • 7 Pools, 6 Whirlpools
  • Water Trikes
  • Sailboats
  • Hydrobikes
  • 2 Swim-up Pool Bars
  • Hobie Cats
  • Snorkeling
  • Scuba Diving
  • Misting Pool

 

One of the nice aspects of this resort is the ability to use the Sandals “Private Island” known as Sandals Cay. This island takes getting away from it all to a wholes new level.

Out on the private island you will find

  • Restaurant
  • Pool
  • Swim up bar
  • Whirlpool
  • 2 beaches
  • Snorkeling
  • Secluded spots
  • Beachside cabanas
  • Zen garden

So there is no getting bored no matter how long you decide to stay

Another piece of trivia – The Beatles filmed “Another Girl” from the movie “Help” on this same private island!

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Even if you want nothing more than to get away from it all there are options- like this hammock………..

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All in all Sandals Royal Bahamian is a fantastic option for an adults only couples getaway – be it a Honeymoon, Destination Wedding, Anniversary celebration, best friends getaway or just a much needed escape from bad weather…

For more info on this and many other resorts in the Caribbean and beyond get in touch with EZTravelPad.

Experience the EZTravelPad difference and see why we like to think of ourselves as “Your friends….in the travel business”

 

Sugar Beach Resort in St Lucia – a Review

By | Caribbean, Luxury, Romance | No Comments

 

Reviewing Sugar Beach Resort – A Viceroy Resort….in St Lucia

 

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The beach at Viceroy’s Sugar Beach resort in St Lucia boasts white sands in an area typically known for a much darker color of sand due to the volcanic nature of the area

The former Jalousie Plantation Resort  located between Gros Piton and Petite Piton in St Lucia has been renamed Sugar Beach Resort and it is surely as sweet as the name implies.

Sugar Beach is luxury at it’s finest with everything you need for a luxury escape without all of the hoopla found at many larger resorts.

What you will find at Sugar Beach is excellent accommodations, superior service, attention to detail and a world class spa

What you won’t find are energetic entertainment staffs encouraging involvement in the party going on…this is about relaxing, rejuvenating, and experiencing one of the most dramatically beautiful settings for a beach resort anywhere in the world

 

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Luxury Villas on the hillside offer many amenities, among which are-

  • Four-poster bed with silky high-thread-count Egyptian cotton linens and romantic voile draping
  • A walk-in closet/dressing room
  • iPod docking station
  • Complimentary internet access (either WiFi or hard wired)
  • Large flat screen TV & DVD player
  • Private bar
  • Tea and coffee making facilities
  • In-room safe
  • Signature bathroom amenities
  • Large bathroom with Victorian-style claw foot bath and enormous walk-in shower
  • Over-sized plunge pool and private patio
  • Personalized butler service

If lounging next to a gorgeous and relaxing pool is your idea of the perfect escape then it’s tough to find a more gorgeous setting than this…

 

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The resort is primarily an EP style resort (European Plan – as opposed to all-inclusive) where dining is found at any one of 3 restaurants on site, or venture into nearby Soufriere for something very local. One event that is not to be missed is the Friday Fish Fry at Anse la Raye. This is a great evening activity in a small fishing village just a 45-minute drive from Sugar Beach. The main beachfront road is closed and the fishermen bring their catch right up on to the beach and it’s slapped straight onto the BBQ grill.

An all-inclusive dining option is available as an option

Spa

I’m not sure exactly how a spa is defined as world class, but if a setting immersed in the rainforest where individual treatment bungalows are scattered along the hillside and built from the native surroundings then the Rainforest Spa is surely world class…

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    A short list of spa services includes-

    Relaxing Royal Bamboo Massage

    Hot Candle Massage

    Hot Stone Massage

    Lava Shell Massage

    Swedish Massage

    Remedial Massage Deep Tissue

    Reflexology

    Awakening Facial

    C+C Vitamin Body Polisher

    Bamboo Body Polisher

    Honey Body Polisher

    Neuro-Aroma Bath      

     

     

    For more of a sense of the beauty of the resort check out this brief video…

     

    I am sure you will agree that it would be tough to find a more gorgeous setting for a luxury resort, and am confident that if your desire is to experience a superior resort in a tropical paradise then Sugar Beach has to be at the top of your list of possibilities

    So when it’s time for you to plan your next exotic escape look to EZTravelPad where we like to think of ourselves as “Your friends….in the travel business”