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Affordable Family Resort on the Beach in Kihei Maui

By Sandi | Published January 21, 2011 | Posted in Hawaii


Click here for a slideshow of Sugar Beach Resort

Update:
One of my clients recently returned from the Sugar Beach resort and had this to say:

Sugar Beach was just beautiful, and looked just like the photos you
had! Koi in the pond, Flowering trees & flowers and the beach right
there. We ended up on floor 5 so had a fabulous view of the pool &
ocean. We could see the sunset from the beach every night. The condo
was super comfortable & had everything we needed.
What was also nice was there was a little sandwich shop/bar right next door
(got an ONO in the Maui Revealed book & we agree.)
And also a little grocery store. Sharing the Sugar Beach office was
a gift shop & activity center, where you could book any kind of tour, luau,
things like that. They also had swim fins, snorkels – pretty handy!

Thanks again,
Sarah and Ken

Sugar Beach Resort on the Island of Maui has just completed a multi-million dollar renovation and is now the fabulous oceanfront property which many families desire.  Sugar Beach Resort.

is in the Kihei area of Maui, which is usually more reasonably priced than the Kaanapali area.  One reason has been the lack of oceanfront resorts.  However, with the renovations now complete at Sugar Beach Resort, the desirable beachfront location has become more attainable.

Sugar Beach Resort is close to shopping, restaurants and many activities and it’s only 10 minutes to the Maui Ocean Center, the beautiful aquarium in Maui. The old whaling city of Lahaina is only 30 minutes away.   Lahaina offers many shops and restaurants, as well.  Golfing is available in Kihei too, as well as Wailea and Makena, just a short drive from Sugar Beach Resort.

Sugar Beach Resort is a condominium property with 1 and 2 bedroom units, fully equipped with kitchens, washers and dryers and central air conditioning, right on the beach.  Although gardenview units are available, we suggest an oceanview or oceanfront unit so you can experience the fantastic views of the Pacific Ocean.    The price difference between a 1 bedroom Gardenview and a 1 bedroom oceanview is less than $100 for 7 nights, total!  The difference between a Gardenview and oceanfront unit is approximately $250!  Very affordable.

The General Store, which is on site at the Sugar Beach Resort, makes shopping for your vacation unit very convenient.  Don’t feel like cooking every evening?  Dina’s Sand Witch is a small restaurant which will provide you with that night out of the kitchen.

The beach at Sugar Beach Resort is great for windsurfing, kayaking and kite surfing. BBQ’s around the oceanfront pool and Jacuzzi are very popular, as well as the beautiful sunsets.

For more information on Sugar Beach and other Hawaii vacation packages, please call or email Sandi@totemtravel.com.  She’ll help you plan the perfect family vacation or honeymoon in Hawaii!

“Get Personalized help from a travel expert at no extra cost!”

-Sandi
1 (425) 821-4100
1 (800) 321-7907
sandi@totemtravel.com

Fun Activities In Hawaii for a Memorable Honeymoon

By Sandi | Published December 24, 2010 | Posted in Hawaii


Click for slideshow of Hawaii’s Big Island

The Islands of Hawaii are one of the top honeymoon destinations and for good reason.  Each island offers a myriad of activities for honeymooners. Having fun together creates memories of a lifetime!    From beach-combing and sunbathing in Waikiki, to skiing on the Big Island, honeymooners will find they will run out of time before they run out of things to do!

Choosing the Island for your honeymoon will undoubtedly hinge on the activities available on each island.

Maui, the Magic Isle, and voted the Best Pacific Island for the past 16 years, is known for its beautiful beaches, lush rainforests, and rustic towns.  Some favorite excursions might include:

  • Biking from the summit of Mt. Haleakula at sunrise. The ride is 38 miles, but it’s downhill!
  • Parasailing above the beautiful Pacific Ocean
  • Exploring the “Road to Hana”.  Located on the far eastern coast of the island, on this drive you will encounter beautiful waterfalls, rustic towns, green valleys, narrow, curvy roads and one lane bridges. The Road to Hana is not to be attempted after dark!
  • Whale watching is a breathtaking experience from April to December.
  • Sunset Dinner Cruise
  • Zip Line!

Kauai, the Garden Isle, is an island that will take your breath away.  It is known for its rain forest, waterfalls, and beaches.  Experiences you do not want to miss:

  • Wailua Falls is a do not miss experience.  Just 5 minutes from Lihue.  Made famous by the 70’s TV show Fantasy Island.
  • Waipoo Falls, near Waimea Canyon is another sightseeing experience you will not want to miss.
  • Waimea Canyon, nicknamed the Grand Canyon of the Pacific is spectacular.
  • Spouting Horn Park…..surf is channeled into a lava tube.  Depending upon the weather and the season, the resulting tower of water can be 10-60 feet high!
  • Shipwreck Beach is a favorite among the experienced swimmers and hikers looking for great vistas.  The water has strong currents and high surf which is excellent for body surfing, boogie boarding, and wind surfing.  The cliffs along the beach are great for hiking.
  • One of my favorite little towns is Hanalei Town on the north shore of Kauai.  This little town is both old and new!  Historic sites, eclectic shops and contemporary art galleries together make this a very interesting little place.  A suspension bridge with a weight limit guarantees no busloads of tourists!  The pier over Hanalei Bay is a perfect spot for a picnic supper and gazing into the sunset.
  • I cannot wait to do this on my next trip to Kauai: Mountain tubing!  Using an inner tube you will be riding the water through a tropical forest, through secret tunnels and open canals.

Hawaii, The Big Island, is one of my favorites.

It is known for its volcanoes, but is so much more.

  • By all means, visit the Kilauea Volcano, in Volcanoes National Park.  Depending upon the eruption situation, you will be able to walk all around the volcano.  If it’s erupting, probably not!
  • If you can’t hike Kilauea, by all means enjoy the view from a helicopter.
  • Mauna Kea……this mountain is home to an International Astronomical Observatory.  Since the summit can only be reached during the winter via 4 wheel drive, it might be wise to book a tour.  One of many tours available takes you the summit, where you will spend several hours, among a very large number of telescopes.  You will be able to witness an amazing sunset, as well as do a lot of stargazing!
  • Are you a skier?  Ever thought you could ski in Hawaii?  Well you can….Manua Kea offers skiing in the winter.  Ski one day, swim in the surf the next!
  • Spend the afternoon swimming with the dolphins!
  • Black Sand Beach, is made up of crushed lava.  While swimming probably isn’t a good idea, you can certainly walk on the beach and run the Black Sand through your toes!

Oahu, The Gathering Place, is the main island of Hawaii.  While Honolulu, the capital city of Hawaii, is quite a large, bustling city, there are so many activities and sights to see, that I think everyone should spend a little time exploring this island.

  • Remember the “old” Hawaii 5-0?  The Aloha Tower with the big clock? King Kamehameha’s Statue draped in floor length leis?  These icons are still just as picturesque as in the 70’s!
  • Learn about the Menehunes (think Hawaiian leprechaun) during the Sacred Spirits tour
  • Surfing lessons at the Hans Hedemann Surf School right on Waikiki Beach
  • Don’t forget to climb Diamond Head!
  • Are you a foody?  Hooked on those Food Channel creations?  The Hawaii Food Tour is one of the best food experiences in the world.  Imagine surprising the in-laws with an authentic Hawaiian dinner.
  • A luau is a must in Hawaii.  Whether you enjoy the poi and lomi-lomi salmon or not, you will enjoy the entertainment.  Hula Dancers, fire eaters, Tahitian dancers, and of course, lots of audience participation!
  • The Arizona Memorial and USS Missouri tours, along with Punchbowl (National Cemetery), are just a few of the historic sites in Honolulu.
  • Polynesian Cultural Center, learn about the many Polynesian Cultures through crafts, food, a long canoe parade, and the BEST Polynesian Show on the Island, perhaps in all of Hawaii.
  • Sightseeing by float plane!
    If you are thinking of honeymooning in the Hawaiian Islands, please contact me, Sandi, and sandi@totemtravel.com, or 425-821-4100.  I would love to help you plan spectacular honeymoon memories.

“Get Personalized help from a travel expert at no extra cost!”

-Sandi
1 (425) 821-4100
1 (800) 321-7907
sandi@totemtravel.com

Sandals and Beaches all-inclusive resorts offer a wide variety of food choices.

By Sandi | Published December 10, 2010 | Posted in Sandals Resorts


Click here for a slideshow of Beaches Turks and Caicos

The agents at Totem Travel have traveled to all of the Sandals and Beaches Resorts and have been treated to many different cuisines.  Sandals Halcyon in St. Lucia is known for its Pier Restaurant; Sandals Royal Caribbean in Jamaica is famous for its Thai Restaurant. Guests at Sandals Whitehouse cannot stop raving about the European Patisserie with the fantastic espressos and pastries!  And the great thing is that you can eat at all of the specialty restaurants as many times during your stay as you wish.  Some resort chains limit the number of visits to specialty restaurants, but not Sandals or Beaches!

We all have our favorite restaurants and selections at each.  If you are a seafood lover, you will want to be sure and visit the new Neptune’s Restaurants at Sandals Whitehouse and Sandals Regency La Toc or the Stewfish Restaurant at Sandals Montego Bay.  The Sushi Bar at Sandals Grande Antigua and Beaches Turks and Caicos is a real treat! The three of us all love the English-style pubs at the resorts.  Most of the Sandals now have a Cricketer’s Pub, with great English offerings.  My husband loves the fish and chips served with vinegar but I love the Cottage Pie and Roast Beef and Yorkshire Pudding!  Shepherd’s Pie at several of the Pubs is a big hit too.  Lots of great beer, too, including Guinness.  The décor of the Pubs are very authentically English with Cricket gear, and billiards tables.  There is often live music, too.

Are you a fan of the Japanese Teppanyaki style dining?  Many of the resorts offer Kimonos, which serves Teppanyaki style with the chefs preparing your meal, and entertaining, right at your table.  You will be very amused by the Caribbean chefs, in their Japanese garb!  This dinner isn’t just tasty it is filled with lots fun!  You will find Kimonos at Sandals Regency LaToc, Sandals Grande Antigua, Sandals Royal Bahamian and Sandals Negril and Beaches Turks and Caicos.

While at Sandals Grande Antigua I must have consumed 4 or 5 personal size pizzas.  They are pizzas cooked in a wood-fired brick oven and are fantastic.  Toppings range from the usual pepperoni, and sausage, to more unusual offerings such as artichoke hearts and pineapple.  The pizzas are served either at the outdoor café or you can get them “to go” in pizza boxes.  Great for that quick snack at the pool, or on the beach.  Pizza restaurants are available at most of the Beaches and Sandals Resorts and before long all of the resorts will sport at least one pizza restaurant.

Beachfront dining is also very popular at both Sandals and Beaches Resorts. The Barefoot by the Sea Restaurant at Sandals Negril, Sandals Grande St. Lucian and Beaches Turks and Caicos are fun by day, and romantic by night.  Sandwiches and wraps are the menu during the day, but at night seafood is the fare, and you can dine with your toes in the sand, and the sound of the waves hitting the beach.

All of the resorts have wonderful Italian restaurants, with beautiful antipasto bars, and fantastic desserts (the best Tiramisu I’ve ever had was at Mario’s at Sandals Grande Antigua), along with many traditional Italian dishes, as well as seafood prepared with Italian sauces and spices.  At Beaches Turks and Caicos I was lucky enough to attend the Grand Italian Buffet with a pasta bar, fantastic sauces, amazing desserts, along with lots of shellfish, fresh fruits, and a variety of cheeses.  The presentation was a work of art!

For those of you who love those burgers and fries, they are certainly available, too!  Arizona’s at Turks and Caicos has a wonderful afternoon BBQ with a variety of options: hamburgers, hot dogs, jerk chicken and pork, as well, as a fruit smoothie bar!

As you can tell, Sandals and Beaches are not just buffets!  Although, buffets are available and are beautifully presented with loads of variety, specialty restaurants are plentiful and offer many different local and international cuisines.  The resorts all have at least 3 restaurants, but most have 7 or more!  Sandals Grande Ocho Rios presently has 11 and will have 14 very soon.  Beaches Turks and Caicos has 16 restaurants to choose from!

Please give me a call or send an email when you are ready to try the many cuisines of Sandals or Beaches!  Sandi@totemtravel.com or 425-821-4100

Garza Blanca Preserve, Puerto Vallarta’s new Luxury Oceanfront Resort and Spa

By Sandi | Published November 26, 2010 | Posted in Mexico


Click for a slideshow of the Garza Blanca Preserve

I recently had the pleasure to tour the Garza Blanca Preserve on the south shore of Banderas Bay, outside Puerto Vallarta. This resort is absolutely beautiful, brand new, and in a fantastic tropical jungle setting, on a private beach.

Garza Blanca Preserve is a contemporary hotel set amid the lush hills and mountains of a nature preserve.  Walking paths lead guests to the private, secluded beach below.  Garza Blanca Preserve is designed to complement its surroundings, with a relaxed atmosphere for families and couples seeking that stress-free Puerto Vallarta vacation.

With only 82 guestrooms and suites, Garza Blanca Preserve Resort is not a mega resort, but more quiet and intimate.  Guestrooms feature furnished balconies, marble bathrooms with separate tubs and showers, plush bathrobes.  Suites, 1 to 3 bedrooms, have full kitchens, living rooms, dining rooms, and laundry facilities.  The suite terraces are huge, with a wet bar, and are the perfect setting for family get-togethers, even a small wedding reception!

Within the Garza Blanca Preserve Resort are 2 swimming pools, one just for kids, a poolside bar, with snacks and beverages, as well as the gourmet restaurant Blanca Blue.  Baby sitting service is also available, so mom and dad can have that romantic private candlelit dinner on the beach!

If luxurious, beachfront, accommodations, in a peaceful setting, are on your wish-list, Garza Blanca Preserve Resort, in Puerto Vallarta is the place for you.  Whether for a family vacation, a wedding, honeymoon,  or a couples retreat, Garza Blanca Preserve Resort offers something for everyone!

Please give me a call, Sandi, 425-821-4100, or send me an email to start the ball rolling on your luxury vacation!

At Totem Travel you will get personalized help from a travel expert, at no extra cost!

Sandals and Beaches offer Military and Fireman’s Discount

By Sandi | Published November 5, 2010 | Posted in Sandals Resorts

As a special thank-you to the men and women serving in the Military, Sandals and Beaches Resorts are offering all US and Canadian armed forces members, a 10% discount on their stay at any of the resorts.  The discount is taken from the lowest promotional rate available at the time of booking. The discount applies only to the land portion of your reservation. All active duty, retired, reservists, and veterans are eligible for this discount!  Proper identification is required at the time of check-in at the resort.  I.e. Military ID card, DD 214.

Sandals and Beaches would also like to extend the same offer to firefighters.    Again the discount is taken from the lowest promotional rate available at the time of booking.   As with the Military Discount, the discount applies only to the land portion of your reservation.  Proof of International Association of Firefighters (IAFF) ID affiliation is required at the time of booking.

Sandals Resorts are adults only, couples only, all-inclusive resorts on 5 islands in the Caribbean Sea.  All of your meals, beverages, water sports, are all included! Free weddings are offered at most of the resorts, as well as fantastic honeymoon options.

Beaches Resorts are for everyone!  They are also all-inclusive!  Water sports, food, beverages and kids club & activities, are all included!  Families, a BFF Get-a-way, or honeymooners love the fun of a Caribbean vacation!    Free weddings are offered at every Beaches Resort.

Please call or email Totem Travel to book your Sandals or Beaches honeymoon, couples get-a-way or family vacation!

We are a Preferred Sandals and Beaches Specialist Agency, with 3 Sandals and Beaches Certified Agents on staff. We have been to all of the Sandals and Beaches Resorts, most multiple times!  We can help you pick the resort and room category that best fits your wish list!

Phone:  1 800 321 7907
linda@totemtravel.com
sandi@totemtravel.com
patty@totemtravel.com

Hilton on the Big Island of Hawaii welcomes a baby dolphin!

By Sandi | Published October 28, 2010 | Posted in Updates, specials & deals

Hilton Waikoloa Village on The Big Island of Hawaii has welcomed a new dolphin calf.   This brings to 11 the total number of Atlantic Bottle Nose Dolphins residing at Hilton Waikoloa Village . Of course this little guy isn’t allowed to participate in the Swim with Dolphins program, yet, but there are lots of his friends to help you enjoy Swimming with the Dolphins!

Luxury Maui Vacation Home: Pineapple Hill House in Kapalua Resort

By Sandi | Published October 15, 2010 | Posted in Hawaii


Click for Slideshow of Pineapple Hill in Maui

Need the perfect accommodations for the whole family?  Pineapple Hill House, in a beautiful location, Kapalua Resort, north of Lahaina Town, on the Island of Maui, just might be your home away from home.

Pineapple Hill House is a 3 bedrooms plus loft, home with 3 ½ bathrooms, fully equipped kitchen, washer & dryer.   Each bedroom and the loft will accommodate 2 people; and the pull out sofa in the living room will accommodate 2 more!  That’s a total of 10!  This is the perfect place for a family Thanksgiving or Christmas holiday.

Not only does the Pineapple Hill House have all space for your family it also has lots of extras!  It fronts a golf course in the gated community of Kapalua Resort, a private hot tub, a deck and a patio, and has access to a shared pool, just a street away.  On top of all of that, it has beautiful ocean views!

Pineapple Hill House is beautifully furnished, with a king bed in 2 bedrooms, a queen in one, and twins in the loft.  All necessary cooking utensils and appliances are included….you just supply the food!  For those who can’t leave Facebook on the mainland, WiFi is also included.  Of course, Pineapple Hill House is fully air-conditioned, non-smoking, with several televisions, (cable service included) and a fireplace in the Master Bedroom!

If Pineapple Hill House sounds like the ideal vacation destination for your family vacation, please give me a call or send an email, and I will be very happy to help you plan!!

“Get Personalized help from a travel expert at no extra cost!”

-Sandi
1 (425) 821-4100
1 (800) 321-7907
sandi@totemtravel.com

Sandals Grande Antigua Resort and Spa, “The World’s Most Romantic Resort”

By Sandi | Published October 1, 2010 | Posted in Sandals Resorts


Click for Slideshow of Sandals Grande Antigua

The world’s most romantic resort is in Antigua and I had the opportunity to enjoy an all inclusive vacation there! My husband and I stayed at Sandals Grande Antigua Resort and Spa, which has been voted the “most romantic” for the past 12 years.  Antigua itself is a smallish island in the Leeward Islands of the Caribbean but with 365 beaches, Antigua is a paradise for sun worshippers!

Sandals Grande Antigua is an all-inclusive, adults only, couples only resort. That means only 2 people in each room, and each and every room is furnished with a King Bed.  With only 373 rooms and suites, the maximum occupancy of the resort is less than 750 guests.  Sandals Grande Antigua is quite large, so there is always somewhere for couples to be alone!  With a beautiful beach, 9 restaurants and 8 bars, water sports galore, a casino right next door, (not included, of course!!) evening entertainment, pools with swim-up bars, and a full service spa, you may never want to leave!  I didn’t!

Sandals Grande Antigua added the Mediterranean Village to the resort about 2 years ago. A fantastic addition!  The Cypress Tower and Almond Building are 2 of the new additions.  They are absolutely beautiful!  The Cypress Tower is 7 stories and the views from those 6th and 7th floor suites are amazing.  However, we were on the 2nd floor and while not quite as expansive, the views were great.  Check out the pictures!

The Caribbean Village is the older section of the resort, but a lot of renovations and updates have been done and are continuing, so this section is really looking great!  Because it is older, the foliage is much more established, so the area is more tropical than the Mediterranean Village, or much more Caribbean, if you will.  Also, because of the foliage, the Caribbean Village, tends to seem a bit more intimate.  You feel more secluded, even though you are not!  The Beachfront Rondovals, for which Sandals Grande Antigua is known, are in the Caribbean Village.  Most are literally steps from the beach, but others, which offer a private plunge pool, are a bit more secluded.  The Rondovals are very unique in that they are round, with cone shaped roof, and private patios.

As I mentioned before, there are 9 restaurants at Sandals Grande Antigua.  We tried to visit every one!  The Bayside Restaurant, serves buffet style, but only for breakfast and lunch; at dinner the Bayside is transformed into a specialty restaurant.  One night was the Returning Guest Dinner, and another was steak night, another was Asian.  Mario’s is the Italian restaurant, and serves great lasagna and the best tiramisu I have ever tasted!  Cricketer’s Arms serves British pub food…..cottage pie, fish and chips, bangers and mash!  One of my favorites, and I have several, was the Bella Napoli Pizzeria, where pizza cooked in a wood-fired pizza oven is served!  You can order a pizza to each in the open air café, or have it boxed for “to-go” and eat it at the beach, pool, lying in a hammock, or on your private lanai!  You can have just about anything on it that you want….veggies, sausage, and the usual toppings, but lots of other options, as well.

Don’t miss the Manager’s Cocktail Party.  You will be introduced to the management staff, of course, but also learn a new dance, and win prizes…I won a $25 gift certificate to the gift shop.  One couple won a day in a Cabana at the pool!

The Beach Party is also a must!  With abundant food and drink, served on the beach of course, steel drum band, fire eaters, and limbo dancers, this is one event you do not want to miss!

At Sandals Resorts all of the water sports are also included.  SCUBA, snorkeling, kayaks, water trykes, Hobie Cats and Catamarans, are all available.  Don’t know how to sail a Hobie Cat?  No problem, the Water Sports staff is always happy to teach you.  Not certified in SCUBA?  You can do a resort course for only $80 and a few hours of your time.  You will be able to dive once a day and your certification is good at any Sandals or Beaches Resort for 1 year.  This is a really inexpensive way to see if SCUBA is for you.

My husband and I loved Sandals Grande Antigua Resort and Spa, and even though the majority of the guests were honeymooners, there were many guests celebrating 20, 30 or even 50 years of marriage!  Sandals Grande Antigua, “The World’s Romantic Resort” is a fantastic resort for destination weddings & honeymoons, or the perfect resort to spend a week together renewing that special bond!

Please give me a call or email sandi@totemtravel.com if you have  questions and check out the great specials online with up to 65% off, free nights, free weddings and more!

425-821-4100 or 1-800-321-7907

Beaches Turks and Caicos Resort offers Exclusive BFF Activities

By Sandi | Published September 17, 2010 | Posted in Caribbean


Click for Slideshow of Beaches Turks and Caicos

Are you and your BFFs planning to get away together, but just don’t know where? How about that Bachelorette Party you’ve been tasked with planning?  Beaches Resorts has the answer!

Although Beaches Turks and Caicos is a resort for everyone, during the months of October & May, Beaches Turks and Caicos Resort Villages & Spa, have set aside 4 nights dedicated to Girl Bonding!  Exclusive BFF Activities have been planned.  These include Island Dance Lessons, Beach Bonfire Pajama Party, Sunset Catamaran Cruise, and a “Learn to Have It All” class.  (Isn’t that what we all want??)

In addition to all of the exclusive activities, you will also receive $200 Red Lane Spa gift certificate, a welcome goody bag filled with gifts and a 5 X 7 picture to commemorate your BFF vacation!

Beaches Turks & Caicos, an all-inclusive resort, is the perfect place to have fun, eat, drink and relax!  With 16 restaurants, and twelve bars the eating and drinking is taken care of in spades!  Swim-up pool bars are the ultimate in decadent relaxation!

The beach is absolutely amazing, with beautiful white sand, and water sports galore.  Are you a SCUBA diver?  Diving is included!  Also, snorkeling, sea kayaks, Hobie Cats, wind surfing, and water skiing are all included!

Pirate Cove Water Park brings out the kid in all of us.  Water slides, lazy river, and the surf simulator will keep you in the water all day!

Want  to really indulge yourselves?  Why not opt for a Butler Service room……your every wish is his/her command!  Want chocolate sundaes at 3am?  Why not?  How about a glass of wine, and your flip-flops waiting when you return from your snorkel trip…no problem.  Your butler will be there with wine in one hand and your shoes in the other!  Want to make sure that you have your favorite beach chairs each day…don’t worry, this can be arranged by your butler.  In other words, live like a princess for a few days!  What could be better!

If October or May do not fit into your schedule, no problem mon!  For girlfriends traveling in groups of 5 or more rooms, Beaches offers customized getaways all year long.

I would love to help you plan your BFF vacation!  Just give me a call or send an email!  sandi@totemtravel.com 425 821-4100/1 800 321-7907

Totem Travel : Get personalized help from a travel expert at no extra cost!

Dreams Cancun: An All-Inclusive Family Resort

By Sandi | Published September 3, 2010 | Posted in Mexico


Click for Slideshow of Dreams Cancun

I have just returned from a wonderful familiarization trip to Cancun and Riviera Maya.  While in Cancun, we were lucky enough to stay at the Dreams Cancun Resort.

Dreams, an all-inclusive family resort,

is on the north end of the Cancun hotel strip.  It was recently renovated and a new “Preferred Club” tower has been added.   Many of the suites in the Preferred Club offer Jacuzzis, 2 bedrooms (great for families) access to the Tower pool, and private concierge service.  The Presidential Suite (which is where I stayed….NOT!!) has a 360 degree view of the property and the Caribbean Sea, a private elevator, and meeting space for up to 12 people.

Dreams is a great destination for families.  A supervised children’s program is available for the young ones, where they will participate in age appropriate activities: crafts, games & water sports.  The smaller children have their own pool, too!  Of course, mom and dad will want to relax and enjoy the Spa facilities, including aromatherapy massages……I admit I did have to indulge myself!

A state of the art work out facility is available for those die-hard fitness fanatics.  Spinning classes, free-weights, treadmills and elliptical machines are all available at no extra charge.  Of course, a sauna, also at no extra charge, is a great way to end that work out.

For those who prefer a little more of the group participation sports, there’s always a volleyball game on the beach, a little kayaking or a game of tennis at the lighted courts.

At Dreams you can swim with the dolphins! The swim with the dolphins program is at an extra charge, but the 6 dolphins which are always willing to give you a little show when they are not “working”.  You can hear them chirping at each other throughout the day and they love chasing and playing with each other.  I was able to have quite a show right from my room terrace!  What a treat.

The restaurants at Dreams are quite good.  My favorite was the Oceana which serves freshly, caught today, seafood and the best steaks!  The apple tart was pretty good too!  Many will love the Asian cuisine served at Himitsu….a great variety of sushi, as well as salmon and other seafood options.  Seaside Grill is also a great choice for surf and turf, served right on the beach.  World Café serves buffet for breakfast, lunch and dinner…..great food!  One of the great things about the restaurants at Dreams:  no reservations required!  We didn’t wait long for seating at any of the venues.

Oh, and shopping!!  Within walking distance of Dreams…….upscale shops and local flea markets and local night clubs…it’s all there.

Please call me to book your vacation at Dreams.  Sandi Moore, 425-821-4100 or 1-800-321-7907

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