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Here are a few of the emails I've received from clients that I have helped to arrange trips for:
Palladium Vallarta
March 2008
Hi Vivian,
Thanks for all your help.
The Palladium was wonderful. Great food, beautiful
grounds, good activity staff. Rooms ok, could be nicer.
I would definitely go back. I loved that
they served lots of salad stuff, fresh fruit and a different grilled item each dinner. It was really crowded but the
place handled the crowds well.
Barb
Dreams Tulum
May 2008
Hi Vivian,
Thank you for your email!! The wedding was amazing!! It was perfect! Everyone enjoyed their stay at Dreams. I was very
happy that I listened to you! The resort was really nice. The old rooms were a little musty and everyone got upgraded when
they got there. My mother, grandmother, and brother had to stay one night in the old room but they got upgraded the next day.
Overall, the trip was perfect!!!!
Maroma was amazing! The beach was so beautiful and the sand was like powder. It was a little on the expensive side. I
knew this going there and I am glad that I went. But had I known Dreams was so nice, I would have stayed another week! 10
days was not long enough!!! I could have stayed at least another week!
Thank you for all your help with planning the trip! It was amazing!
Sarah
Occidental Grand Cozumel
December 2007
Hi Vivian -- First let me say that we all had a great time in Cozumel -- the weather was lovely
and the resort was small enough that we all felt comfortable letting the kids go everyplace by themselves (except for the
baby, of course) -- The beach was lovely and it was a perfect place for the kids to learn to snorkel -- and there were plenty
of fish very close to shore. They also went kayaking and sailing -- and rented Jet-Skis -- But there were some "hitches"
--- Check-in was very time-consuming and chaotic -- Because most people at the resort had booked as a package as we did, a
large percentage of folks on our plane came to the Occidental -- They had difficulty finding our rooms in the computer for
about half an hour -- then they found them but they were not together -- and none connected. I then was able to get
the front desk manager, Adrian, to help us. We ended up in a good place -- Building 17, which was perfectly located
-- about half way between the main facility and the beach. The rooms were large -- and we were on the first floor
-- right near each other. Upstairs (2nd and 3rd floors) would have been very difficult for us -- I saw many guests struggling
with their luggage and strollers, etc. And that was another problem -- although there seemed to be loads of groundskeepers
and restaurant help, the bell hop system was very overburdened. When we were leaving, I asked when we should call for
the luggage -- I followed their instructions and we had to wait 45 minutes -- The food at the resort was okay -- we did go
to a beach restaurant - Alberto's - two times for diinner -- The food was wonderful -- we walked there -- very fresh fish.
I guess the main thing you could tell people going to Cozumel is to bring plenty of cash -- We thought we did, but we "tapped
out" -- If you book excursions through the hotel they will charge it on your credit card -- but if you book Horses,
boats,, etc., many "Bookers" do not take credit -- and neither do restaurants -- or the ferries -- And the agents from
the various travel companies - FunJet, Go-Go and many others (and the hotel's travel club) hang out in the lobby and
it's a bit difficult to sort out who is who -- some take credit and some do not --There is an ATM at the hotel
which I made use of several times. It seemed that everyone accepted US currency -- but the ATMs only give out pesos
-- We did rent a 12-person van one day to explore the island -- and one day we went to the mainland to explore the ruins at
Coba .. There was a very competent young woman in charge of organizing activities at the hotel -- there were many multi-age
group beach soccer games -- and the kids really enjoyed the nightly shows -- All in all, the hotel was good, and the vacation
was great -- And we all thank you again for your work -- and wish you a very good 2008! Best regards, Bunny Todres
Iberostar Grand Paraiso
Riviera Maya
November 2007
Hi Vivian,
Sorry this has taken me awhile to get back to you. We had
a great time. There are things that we really liked about the IB Grand.
The atmosphere is similar to the Secrets Capri, smaller, guiet and very pretty. We loved our
room. We asked for an upgrade to a corner room however it was going to cost an extra $50 a night. We checked out the corner
room and the original room they were going to give us. The corner room was on the ground floor and the original room was on
the top floor. We liked the room on the top floor better for the view. They bent over backwards for us when we
got there. We were able to pick pillows from the menu and our check in was done in the room. We were given a fruit basket
and this chocolate sculpture on the first night. For the most part the service was good. Like most people have said the butler
service was hit or miss. Pretty much after the first day he did not do much for us. The concierge lady that we had was very
nice and helpfull when we needed things. The hotel was at about 40% occupancy. We had no problem getting reservations for
the times that we wanted. We set themn all up the day we arrived and then we did not have to worry about it. We enjoyed all
of the restaurants except for the gourmet. The food was very good, comparable to the Secrets Capri.
The one thing that we were disappointed in was the service. The service we received at Secrets
Capri was much better that at the IB Grand. At the Secrets Capri we always wanted to tip people but we did not feel this way
at the IB Grand. If you have anyone that wants to go there please let then know that you cannot swim in front of the IB Grand.
It is way too rocky. You have to go down in front of the Maya or Lindo to get in the water. I did get to go and see the honeymoon
suite rooms. They are unreal however they have no view of anything which is kind of a draw back.
We spent most of our time at the beach and the quiet pool. One bonus with the IB Grand is the indoor pool. We had some rain
and it was nice to go and hang out there. We love the fact that you can go to the other IB resorts if you want and we like
going over to the shopping center for tacos and icecream. All in all we had a great time. I quess the biggest thing that was
differnt between the two resorts was the service. Hotel size, cleanliness, oceanview room, food, they are comparable I just
really feel that the service we received was better at Secrets Capri.
Thanks again for all your help,
Becky
Ocean Blue Resort
Punta Cana
March 2007
Hi Vivian,
We had a fantastic time.
We had sunshine for 7 days straight. Apple Vacations did an excellent job. They shuttled us to and from the airport on time
without any waiting. They also briefed us the next day on the hotel, the country and the cautions for the area. They were
always available when needed. I would highly recommend them to anyone.
The Ocean Blue Hotel
was also an excellent choice. We were extremely content with the value of the “Elite” status. Although we paid
~600.00 extra, we thought it was well worth it. First of all, the room location was as close to beach and activities as could
be expected. We had coupons for messages, catamaran sailing, and dinner at the El Bucanero. The El Bucanero’s lobster
dinner was fantastic. We had 2 huge lobster tails which Theresa couldn’t finish and it was outside on the beach. Elite
also allowed us to book all our dinners in advance. This made it very pleasant and relaxing. They also opened up a breakfast
restaurant right by the beach for “Elite” members only. Because of this, breakfast was much more quiet and “civilized”
with no congestion or lineups. We made sure to enjoy this every morning. Elite also gave us many other little fringe benefits
which all added up to an excellent stay. The Elite hostesses demonstrated excellence in customer service and hospitality.
They went as far as giving us their work and personal email for future bookings and/or inquiries.
Overall the food was
also very good. The American themed restaurant was the only restaurant that scored a little lower. All in all, I would rate
the Hotel, Apple, location, food and service as a 9 out of 10. The only complaint that we had was the house wine. The Baron
de Rodrigo was NOT very good and we had no choice but to purchase wine at dinner. As an Elite member, there should have been
a choice of 2 or 3 other wines to choose. Please feel free to suggest this to Apple or Ocean Blue.
You couldn’t ask for a nicer beach. It stretched for miles and had no rocks or
weeds. We didn’t spend any time in the pool but it looked like there was lots of room for everyone and not too many
kids. There are 2 pools with 2 swim up bars and it was never congested. Afternoon activities (games, contests, lessons) made
it a little noisy at times but nothing that bothered us.
Thank you once again.
Rheal & Theresa
Iberostar Paraiso Lindo and Secrets Capri, Riviera Maya
November 2006
Hi Vivian,
We had a fabulous time on our trip. We did not have any problems. I will start
with the Iberostar. We were given a corner room on the third floor in building #50. This is the last building before you get
to the ocean front rooms. I am not sure how you get those rooms, but they do exist. We had a great view of the poot and because
we were on the corner we could see the ocean. The rooms are nice. We had no trouble with them being cleaned or the fridge
being re-stocked. When we got there our room was ready so we changed, went right down to the conssier (?sp) and had no problem
getting resevation at any of the restraunts. It was so easy. I did not think that the resort is so big or hard to get
around at all. I guess if you are out of shape or lazy it could be a problem. The food was all good, I would not say that
it was over the top, however it was always good. The beach was very nice and you could walk real far south of the resort.
They are building the new adults only resort south of the Mayan side so you do see the construction but it was no problem
for us. The water was pretty rough while we were there butI was still able to enjoy it. I would say the only thing that we
really did not like was all the kids. It was somewhat annoying at dinner when we were trying to have a nice quiet dinner.
They keep the place really clean and the ground are very pretty. We loved going to the new mall area that is across from the
resort. You can get tacos over there that are great and icecream! Our made went above and beyond with decorating our room
everyday and especially on our anniversary. I think the lobby is prettier on the lindo side than on the Maya side.
The Secrets Capri is by far the best place that we have been in regards to
their service and the food. I can not say enough about the service. We thought it was exceptional. We were not able to have
room 257 the first night but were able to move into it the second night which was fine. The view from our room was great.
All the rooms look like you have a decent view unless you get a room that faces the sides of the resort or out front. I am
glad that we paid the money for our room. The beach itself was nice but the water is not all that pretty there. It was pretty
rocky also. I knew this going into it but I would let people know this. There were alot of people talking about how disapointed
they were. The food was great. We loved the adults only, no wristbands and no reservations! We did not have any problems
getting into the restraunts and having to wait. The resort was clean. We did notice that it is pretty plain, however as the
week went on we noticed that there was new furniture and art work and drapes. I dod not know if they were redoing things still
from damage from the huricane or what but it was looking more put togather by the end of the week.
We had no trouble with our transfers. No big bus like Apple vacations. We we went
back to the airport they picked us up in a car so it was just us which was real nice.
No stopping at all those resorts. I think we paid 10 $ to get from the Iberostar to the Secrets.
We were talking to some people that were supposed to stay at the Sunscape that
is in Puerta Adventura area. They would not even check in they said it was so bad. Just that that you would want to know about
this. If you think of anything else that you would like to know about just let me know.
Thanks again for all your help. We had a absolute great time.
Take care and Happy Holidays,
Becky
Royal Decameron, Nuevo Vallarta
October 2006
Hi Vivian,
Sorry to say, we are home.
The Royal Decameron far exceeded our expectations. The rooms were clean and the staff was great. Everyone
loved it and we had a great time. Our only complaint was being on the top floor with no elevator but at that price we quickly
adjusted.
We went into Puerta Vallarta one afternoon and I still don't like it but we would all go back to Bucerias if we got another deal like that one.
Irwins did ask to be moved to an ocean view building and the resort did move them but we had a good view of one of the
pools so we stayed where we were.
The grounds were outstanding,the staff and the facilities made the trip a huge bargain. We would not
hesitate to recommend it to anyone. If I can get my camera to download pictures I will send them on.
Thank you!!!!!
If you come up with another deal like this let us know.
Patti & Don
Blaine, WA
Cozumel Palace
July 2006
Hi Vivian,
Just a quick note now, then I'll write more later.
The trip was easily among the best I've ever had, and the hotel the second best ever (the first being the Fairmont at Manele
Bay, Lana'i HI). The people who work at the Cozumel Palace are absolutely the most fantastic hotel staff I've ever come
across, and I made sure to tell them so before I left.
It was a wonderful, wonderful trip - I'll post photos
online soon so you can see :)
Thanks for your help in getting it set up for us,
Janet
Club Maeva Tulum
May 2006
Hi, Vivian:
Everything was great! The resort was low key and very well run. We had the toilet back up the first day. Within the hour,
it was fixed.
Most of the guests were Italian, which was fine by us. The beach was a little rocky in parts, but you could work around
it. The beach is really beautiful. The staff was so friendly! The rooms were not fancy, but we really didn't want fancy anyway.
We have stayed in the area 8 or 9 times and, I will have to say, the beds were the most comfortable of all the resorts we
have visited.
The food was above average for the first half of the trip. The second half, the food was average. I know that the resort
has been sold, and I did notice a new chef, so that could be the reason. We had the rental car, though, and headed out to
some of our favorite restaurants in the area. No problem.
The weather was great, the pool was fine, and getting the rental car was painless. We had a marvelous time! Thanks for
your help.
Oh, no problem getting chairs and shade at the beach or the pool.
We are hopefully going to take a trip in August. I'll let you know.
Jane
Barcelo Tambor Beach Resort
April 2006
Hi Vivian,
We had a great time! The weather was wonderful,
the resort was beautiful, and the staff was friendly. We went horseback riding, did the canopy/Montezuma trip and went
to Tortuga Island. We ended up booking all the excursions through the resort and that worked out fine. We would
definitely recommend this resort to others (and have them book through you). Our four rooms were all together.
When we checked in, we found that our “triple” room for our three kids only had two beds. The resort wanted
to charge us for a roll-away, but we explained that they knew that the room was for three so they should provide three beds.
They apparently saw the logic in our argument and gave us the bed for free.
We did run into a couple of things that you might
want to warn future vacationers about. We were all very careful to keep our luggage under the 25 lb. weight limit for
our Sansa flight. All of our bags were under (there were nine of us). As we were getting ready to board the plane,
one of the Sansa employees pulled three of our bags off of the luggage cart and stated that they would have to wait until
the next day’s flight. Apparently, some of the other passengers did not adhere to the weight limit and the plane
was overweight. We tried to argue our case, but to no avail. We did some re-organizing so that everyone would
have a change of clothes for the first night. The bags did arrive on the first flight the next day and we had to pick
them up (Sansa said they would not deliver them to the resort). Our return Sansa flight, however, was uneventful.
Another thing that we were surprised about was the
lack of a drinking age. We were playing volleyball in the pool when the activity staff came over and said the game was
now “Tequila Volleyball”. This was no problem for my wife and me, but our 14 year old daughter was playing.
To our surprise, the staff came over and offered our daughter tequila after she missed a shot. When we advised that
she was only 14, they shrugged it off and insisted on giving it to her anyway. This went on throughout the game until
my wife finally stated that our daughter could not play because we did not want her drinking. They finally relented
and let her play without drinking. We thought that the drinking age was 18 in Costa Rica. People should know that
this is not strictly enforced at the resort and teens could have easy access to alcohol.
Thanks again for all of your help and advice, Vivian.
Overall, it was a wonderful vacation. We all really enjoyed it.
Bora Bora Pearl Beach Resort
Tahiti
April 2006
Hi Vivian,
we had a great vacation. We enjoyed our stay very much
and are still "depressed" that we had to return back to reality of everyday life :-(
Resort was nice and we found that we liked more beach
bungalow as it was more spacious, we had pretty much private beach as there were not that many people hanging on the beach
and there are trees that provide the nice shade. On the other hand in the over-water bungalow you are limited to your (small)
deck, no trees etc. Though over-water has its own perks.
Food was also very good in the resort and excellent in
some restaurants (such as Villa Mahana), only disappointment was Le Bounty restaurant. This is only "cheaper" restaurant that
we tried (as it had O.K. reviews on the Web) but we really didn't like it. As this restaurant doesn't provide taxi
as other, more expensive ones, at the end, when you pay for taxi, total is same as you went to some better
restaurant (such as Bloody Mary's). So it is really not worth going there.
We went to several trips and the best one was shark
and ray feeding where we use local company instead of booking tripp trough the hotel. They made for us excellent Polynesian
lunch beautifully arranged with flowers and palm leaves.
Water is warm so that you can spend pretty much
whole day without going out and the water colors are amazing. Same is true for variety of tropical fishes that we
saw while snorkeling. We will send you few pictures over next couple of days.
Thanks again for booking us this wonderful vacation.
Predrag
Dreams Resort Cabo San Lucas
October 2005
We had a great trip. Every flight
was right on time, no delays. For international travel use Delta and go through Salt Lake, they only have two international
flights a day. It took 20 minutes to go through customs, immigration, get bags, check bags and get to connection flight.
Resort was beautiful and very relaxing. All restaurants on the water with a great view. Food was excellent and
no waits ever. swim up bars great. we could eat at the pool, never had to leave. We requested king size
bed and upper floor, and didnt get either, this was our only complaint. Would definately go back.
Thankyou,
Kyle
Gala Resort Playacar
October 2004
Hi Vivian,
I wanted to tell you that our vacation to the Gala Resort Playacar was absolutely fantastic!
Our connecting suites were just right for 2 older kids and us and it was a nice walk to main hotel complex. There's
even a golf cart that visits the Haciendas about every hour for drink service by the little pools!
We did 3 excursions:
Chitzen Itza, Isle de Mujeres (including dolphin swim), and 1/2 day snorkeling. All were very good and we look forward
to visiting Tulum, Xel Ha and full day of snorkeling on next trip (whenever that will be).
So thanks for your advice
and help in booking our trip. I'm already looking forward to next journey south!
-- Janis
Couples Resort
Negril, Jamaica
July 2004
Vivian,
We had an incredible time. Everything was very beautiful, and we ended up
with some awesome pictures and
wonderful memories. We only we wish we could
have stayed longer.
Couples was very nice. The rooms were clean but just
a little on the damp
side. (but I guess that's to be expected in the Caribbean) The food was
great and of course there
was plenty of it. The service was excellent as
well. Everyone was so friendly and always seemed willing to help. Kim and
I
have already talked about going back and who we would like to take with us
when we go.
We would just like to
thank you for your help and for recommending Couples
because we truly had a memorable honeymoon.
Thank you,
Jonathan
and Kim
Barcelo Playa Tambor
Costa Rica
June 2004
Dear Vivian,
We had a fantastic time! We would highly recommend Barcelo Playa Tambor, especially for kids.
Our son had a great time. We were pleased with the 3 half-day tours we did through the hotel.
We did the first 3 trips in their brochure. 1) boat ride to Montezuma and hike to waterfall
2) visit to curu 3) boat ride to isla tortuga (snorkling from boat). Visit to curu was favorite due to amount of monkeys
we saw followed by isla tortuga. Montezuma is a "hippy" town ie lots of drug use so given that I am a social worker
I found this place very sad. But we saw dolphins in the ocean which was great. The waterfall was, well, kind of like
the other waterfalls we have hiked to on other trips!! My son also enjoyed feeding the crocodile on their night hike
and horseback riding. Thanks for your help. We will be recommending you
to our friends. We will go again somewhere next summer and will be contacting you.
Paradisus Playa Conchal
Costa Rica
May 2004
Hello Vivian!
We had a fabulous time at the
Paradisus Resort! The resort was beautiful. The staff was extra friendly! It looked like everyone staying
at the resort was treated with this special attention.
The food was the best Ive ever
had. We did the breakfast buffet almost everyday fresh fruit, omelets and smoothies made to order, fresh breads, etc.
We did order room service one morning and it was great! We usually ate lunch by the pool at either the café (pizza or
burgers) or at the buffet by the pool I think Mira they had great choices fresh fish, rice/beans, salads, soups excellent
pulled pork! Dinner we made reservations that morning while at the breakfast buffet we loved them all I particularly
liked Spices, but all had wonderful food and service!! Hole 19 is good too for a quick lunch before an excursion.
The resort didnt feel crowded
I dont know if it wasnt full or if it was because of the size of the resort and how it is very spread out. It was very
hot! But we knew it would be. We lived in the pool and at the pool bar most of the time. We met lots of
people that we are still keeping in touch with from Washington to Texas we have been to several resorts and never met as many nice people. Most said the same thing
about the resort loved it.
We signed up for activities the
day we arrived. We did the free horse back riding it was great! About 1-1/2 hours on a path up a few hills had
a great view of the ocean, then rode back on the beach. Chip and a few others galloped on the beach but most of us were
content trotting. We also did the sunset cruise we went with a few other couples that we met had a blast.
We saw about 50 dolphins jumping around the boat the captain went around a few times so we could stay with them and take more
pictures.
We went to Tamarindo once we
were told it was a great place to shop. It was not. I wouldnt recommend it. The beach was beautiful, very
different from the Caribbean. Chip did the kayak tour and snorkeling (also included).
He said it was fun, but there was a red tide for 3 days, so we couldnt swim from the beach during that time. Usually
there were only 10-20 guest from the resort out on the beach most stayed in the resort and at the pool. The peddlers
outside the resort gate on the beach never bothered us very friendly.
We did pay for 2 excursions.
The ATV sunset tour. This was 2 hours along the beach and up a mountain awesome view!! We got VERY dirty.
We stopped at a little beachside bar and had a beer watching the sunset it was just the two of us and the tour guide.
He let us race and play around on the ATVs for about 20 minutes FUN! Then we did the ½ day canopy tour it was fun a
little scary (but well worth doing)!
We did go off campus one night
with a group of people that we met to have dinner at the Happy Crab or something like that only about a 5 minute cab ride
toward Flamingo. We had a table set up on the beach lobster and shrimp awesome!!! It was a little pricey, but
the atmosphere was well worth it! We were on the beach looking up at a full moon!
Ill send a few pictures soon
Chip broke my camera when he was galloping on the beach!
Overall, we had a fabulous time!!
The flight was a little long (3.5 hours from Atlanta), but we will probably
go back when it is more plush green instead of the dry season. I doubt we will take the kids with us if we go back the
kids camp wasnt as nice as the Gala we didnt see many kids at all! Our next trip will probably be back to Mexico with the kids. Thanks again for all that you did and we will be in touch for our next trip.
Jenni
Gala Resort Playacar
May 2004
Hi Viv -
Well, just wanted to send you a BIG THANKS from Lyd, Rick, Laurie, John, Taylor and Erika for planning
our vacation. We loved the GALA Resort in Playa del Carmen, Mexico. Planning a vacation with two separate families could of
been a nightmare but you arranged everything perfectly.
The Gala Resort is definitely geared to families although couples
would love it there too. I think it my be too quiet of a resort for singles. The Gala has a great kids club
and that would of been wonderful if only our children would go to it. Erika and Taylor wanted to swim with their dads in the
pool - although that
was good because it gave Laurie and I some R & R time.
The Beach at the Gala was beautiful
- it wasn't too crowded and providing we didn't sleep past noon we were able to find a nice shady hut for the
girls. The
food and service was great. When Rick and I arrived at the resort they had placed us in a room that did not have
a balcony , within 2 days they moved us
to an Oceanview room which was incredible.
The only thing that could
of made our trip a 10+ would of been the weather. I think we arrived in Mexico the same days as the clouds..
Anyhow,
thanks again for planning this vacation for us.
Lydia
Barcelo Playa Tambor
Costa Rica
April 2004
We had a wonderful time. I think the beach rates as one of the best I've ever seen.
The rooms were fine, the design of the resort well done, the food good, the music at the pool too loud, the staff wonderful
and my daughter loved the evening shows! The resort was full of Costa Ricans for Easter Week, which was great, because
we got a lot of Spanish immersion. Thanks for all your help. We will definitely go back to Costa Rica!
Reef Coco Beach
April 2004
The vacation was outstanding. My wife and I had an absolutely wonderful
time. The Reef Coco Beach was a great place. In fact, we are planning to take our two young children (4 and 7
years old) back with us in a year or two. The accommodations were perfect, the staff very friendly and helpful and the
location could not have been better. Thank you for the suggestions and help in making for a great vacation.
Sunscape Tulum
March 2004
Hi Vivian,
We really enjoyed the Sunscape. I
loved the beach with all the palm trees, hammocks, and of course the beach bar with swings! The service was wonderful.
The little restaurants were so quaint!
We met another couple at the resort that
we hung out with. They were going to a sister resort- Secrets Capri- for the last few days of their vacation.
The funny thing was that the management at Sunscape asked if we'd be interested in trying that same resort for our last few
days (apparently they overbooked at Sunscape). We voluntarily went to Secrets just
to try something different and to be closer to the airport for our return. Although the place was very beautiful (marble
everything) and the rooms there were nicer, I found myself missing Sunscape. It was just as you described it- very elegant
but casual and relaxing! More my style. My husband like Secrets a bit better. They had a huge pool with
rafts to float in and a swim up bar. We had great weather and too much good food.
Thank you for the recommendation.
Club Med Sandpiper, Florida
March 2004
Vivian: I just wanted to thank you belatedly
for all of your efforts in booking and confirming our trip to Club Med Sandpiper. It was the closest that we have ever
experienced to a perfect family vacation. Excellent food, accommodation, activities and value. The rooms, which
were adjoining were spacious and clean and well situated to enjoy all of the attractions. The staff, particularly the
general manager Kevin who set a wonderful tone for the village, were enthusiastic, professional and thorough, and kept everyone
in my family, particularly my 14 year old daughter who was involved in the teen program, busy and happy. thanks again,
Katherine van Rensburg
Club Med Ixtapa
March 2004
Hi Vivan,
We had a wonderful time - thanks so much for setting everything up. Our room location was perfect
(lower level in Vista) - the baby club was great -
and we just generally had a wonderful time.
The location is
beautiful, the people are nice, and the food is good . We would definitely return (but only with children!).
Thanks
again!
-Jenny
Club Med Ixtapa
March 2004
Hi Vivian
We really enjoyed the trip and appreciated all your help with the reservations. Unfortunately
with the resort being sold out we didn't get the Punta beach front rooms and were placed in the Pueblo Building but that
was ok.
Based on our experience in Punta Cana Club Med last year here's our rundown of Ixtapa:
Ixtapa Likes:
- more organized than Punta Cana in terms of check-in (already had our keys and rooms pre-assigned)
and didn't have to wait
- Kids clubs were much better in terms of activities, organization, facilities and setup
- Food and selection was excellent compared to Punta Cana
- never a line up at the bars whereas at Punta Cana there was almost always a line up (especially
around dinner/after dinner)
- Beach was excellent
- rooms were superior to Punta Cana
- Air Transat's ability to pre-book seats was excellent and took away concerns we wouldn't be
able to sit together
- service staff at Ixtapa was excellent/very polite
Ixtapa 'dislikes' compared to Punta Cana:
- Common opinion/concern from everyone we spoke to who had been to other Club Meds was that the
Ixtapa GOs were not as outgoing/nice etc... There were of course a couple of notable exceptions where the GOS were excellent,
but for the most part they were not as friendly as the GOs at Punta Cana
- missed the blue water/white sands of Punta Cana but nothing of course can be done about that
Aside from that we had an excellent vacation and would recommend this resort to friends. Next
year we will be trying another Club Med, this time in the West Indies.
Sincerely,
Brent
Reef Coco Beach
Riviera Maya
March 2004
Hi Vivian. Nice to
hear from you.
we really enjoyed
our time and the Reef Coco was great for us as a family. The size was great. We felt comfortable with the kids being on their
own and knew where to find them.
The staff were great
and very friendly. They took time to get to know you. The food excellent and the restaurant superb.
The beach and
ocean wonderful.Rooms were fine you do not need much as you spend so little time in them.They were doing
lots of evaluations with people, so they were trying to get feedback and the things we commented on are:
They never seemed
to have enough or any tennis balls, no basketball, no ping pong balls on night and on one day had no volleyball to play with.
My Nick was always wanting to do sports so this impacted him a few times. We recommended they always have them in stock.
The entertainment
wasn't great and the day they brought in a professional dance crew we did not hear about it so missed that one.
This resort would
not be great for the teens but since our kids aren't quite there it met our needs.
Overall a fantastic
holiday and we are now hooked on the all inclusive resorts. Thanks for all your help. I am speaking highly of you to the person
in Calgary which you referred to me. Feel free to use me as a reference.
Hope to have you organize
another holiday for us--
Hi Vivian,
Weve been home 8 days now and Im just
getting organized again. We had a fabulous time!! The resort was beautiful and clean, great location. The
food at the Latin and Italian restaurants was delicious. The staff are very friendly and the service was excellent.
The buffet food -- breakfast very good
n
Lunch never ate there always ate at the snack bar it was excellent
n
Supper average the items off the grill were very tasty but the buffet tables were quiet average.(Not a
big deal as we ate at the other restaurants 4 times)
The entertainment was average at best.
I know the entertainers work hard to do the performances, so we enjoyed them. We did enjoy the casino night a little
different so it was fun.
Always clean towels. It was tough
to get a palapa, luckily we had someone who couldnt sleep in the mornings so he would get up one at 6am( which was about the
time you had to secure one for the day). They could certainly put in a few more on the beach.
The entertainment crew could use a few
more supplies, like volleyballs, water toys, balls ets. This staff was also friendly and good at getting people to participate.
All in all we were impressed with the
Reef Coco and would definitely recommend it to our friends, especially those with young children.
We are already looking and hoping to
go again next year. If you see any great deals along the Mayan Coast,
please email us.
Thanks again for securing our family
and the Brenneis family with accommodations for our holiday. We had a fabulous time!!!!!
Akumal Beach Resort
Riviera Maya
February 2004
Hi Vivian -
I had planned to send you a thank-you note as soon as we returned. We had a great trip!
The Akumal Beach Resort was an excellent choice for us. It seems to be going very well under the new Venta ownership.
The food was good, the staff were friendly, and the beach was wonderful. The weather was a little cloudy and rainy for the
first few days, but that's hardly in the resort's control! We have recommended the resort, and your services, to friends.
Thanks
very much!
Sally
Sosua Bay and Samara
Dominican Republic
February 2004
We had a fabulous vacation! The food at Sosua Bay was exceptional,
although we tried not to eat too much. The people there are very nice and the service was good, but the room furnishings
were very minimal (no comfortable lounge chairs, no desk or table) and the A/C was too big for the room, so we froze at night,
but when we turned it off it got hot. But basically, we enjoyed it very much — I think mainly for the swimming
and relaxation. The gym was minimal but my husband was very happy that we found a large, well-equipped gym a 15-minute
walk away.
The trip to Samana was a little bumpy, but interesting and scenic.
We loved it there. All the guests are Europeans (mostly German and French) so it made us feel like we were in Europe,
which we liked. The food is ok, not great, although the deserts were better here than at Sosua! But the grounds
are gorgeous and the beach and swimming were fantastic. We didn't go on any adventure trips — it seemed like it
would be too hot and humid and there was plenty to at the resort. We really like going to 2 different places because
it made the vacation seem longer. overall, we prefered the place in Samana because the surroundings were more beautiful
and SOsua was too crowded, but they both have plusses and some minuses.
Thanks again. (I gave your name to my cousin who want to go the
DR.)
Regards, Wini
Barcelo Playa Tambor
Costa Rica
January 2004
Hi Vivian,
The trip
was great. Weather, of course was perfect. Hotel was spotless, manicured, and very new looking. Food was well above average,
and the chef who does art work with food was incredible. We were in the green buildings, furthest from the pool, which worked
out perfect, not a long walk.
Flights were perfect,
albeit, had to wait 3 hours to transfer to Playa Tambor, such is life. Sansa didnt charge us for extra weight either, a bonus!.
Hotel staff were good, although not overly friendly, which was ok. Only complaint about the resort: Not enough cleaning staff
around the pool area during the day, and the pool maintenance man did not clean the pool often enough, mainly in the area
near the bar/food palapa.
Horseback riding was
enjoyable .
Golf was fine.Thanks for your services and will be in touch in the future. Heading to the
cayman Islands in May so if you can find a great place for peanuts, let me know. I'll use air miles for the flight.
Oh yea, we met a travel
agent on holidays from Canada. She couldn't believe what we paid for the hotel. BRAVO VIVIAN.
Palladium Bavaro Grand Resort
Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
January 2004
Hi Vivian,
I've been meaning to contact you-- it was absolutely wonderful and we all had
a fabulous time! The two rooms were adjacent, which worked out very well, nonsmoking as requested, close to the pool
and spotless. The staff was friendly, helpful and especially sweet to our youngest. The beach was lovely,the pools were
great, we enjoyed sailing, kayaking, miniature golf, etc.We never ate at the ala carte restaurants, as the buffet was
so family friendly and casual. The food was great, although Steve and I would have liked more Dominican fare.
We went on several of the organized excursions-- one to coffee and sugar plantations, through a typical home and
into a school, which was very interesting, all in an open air vehicle, which made it great fun! We had worried we would
feel too sheltered staying at the resort and like we weren't really seeing enough of the country. However, it was so
remote and undeveloped in that region, and we don't speak Spanish, so this was a very comfortable way to see a bit of
the culture and countryside.We also went snorkeling and swimming with sharks, and skin diving-- all a great successes.
The only thing we thought could have been improved was the evening entertainment-- more child oriented (earlier) shows
would have been nice. This wasn't a big deal, though, as we were usually so tired we were happy just to sit on
our balcony and look at the pretty night sky! Anyway, we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves, would recommend it to others,
and thank you very much for all of your help and information! Can't wait to go back! Thanks again--
Jane
Barcelo Playa Tambor
Costa Rica
January 2004
Mornin Vivian,
I wanted to thank you again for arranging our trip to Tambor, Costa Rica. It was
by far one of the best vacations I have been on. From the accomodations, to the service and of course the fabulous weather,
I couldn't imagine it being any better! We had a fantastic time!
The hotel was clean and well maintained with a beautiful landscape. The buffet had
good meals that we were accustomed to but the al la carte was geared towards "fine dining" with more exquisite tastes. In
my opinion the lobster was the best dish served there. At the buffet we found it neat to be eating outside without any walls
and had birds flying in under the roof. The beer was on tap and after one day we were into the liquor, for which I beleive
we tried every brand they had.
We went on as many excursions as possible but obviously could not do them all in
the amount of time we were there. We visited the town of Montezumu
twice since we liked it so much and on one of the later days we did the canopy tour and went on the zip lines. There were
very intimidating at first but after speeding down the first zip line we seemed much more confortable on the second one.
We also visited Curu National Park where we seen all kinds of different animals including
white faced monkeys, iguanas and a 12ft snake that scared me almost breathless.
On behalf of all of us we thank you so much for putting this trip together for us
Vivian. We had a fantastic time from beginning to end and could not have been more pleased. We would recommend Barcelo Playa
Tambor to anyone who wishes to have a vacation there!
Sincerely, Mitch
Royal Solaris, Cabo San Lucas
November 2003
Hola Vivian!!!!!!!!
When you suggested the Royal Solaris, you said 5 star,
that turned out to be a very conservative statement. The trip was great. The hotel, grounds, food, bars, the whole
experience was excellent all the way. The most outstanding feature was the staff. They were always nearby if needed,
but never overbearing or intrusive. Friendly folks ready to assist or just spend a few moments in pleasant conversation.
Our "group" said to tell you good job !!
Don
Iberostar Tucan
August 2003
Hi Vivian.
Everything went very well. I liked the resort
very much, so did the kids. The food was excellent, This goes for the buffet and the restaurants. I liked the food better
than the food at the Occidental Flamenco in Punta Cana.
The entertainment team was very friendly.
Thanks,
Adriana
Viva Vallarta
June 2003
Vivian-
We had a wonderful time - thank you so much for the recommendation. The place was pretty
low key the first half and more people started to come towards the end of our stay - but still no where near capacity.
The activities staff was particularly nice and as you mentioned - the nightly performances and entertainment were exceptional.
People we met who had been to other places said the activities/entertainment were far better at Viva. The food was good
and the only real down side was the beach and it wasn't that bad - just a bit rocky and the kids got a little skinned up boogie
boarding. Other folks said the beaches in Nuevo Vallarta were much better. We went to the Mariettas - very nice,
snorkeling and bird watching, one day to Puerto Vallarta (hot), and one day to Siyulita (I didn't go but my family loved it).
Anyway, thank you again and please keep us in the loop if you hear of any other bargain opportunities
in the future.
Suzanne
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