The Hotel Lobby

Crowne Plaza in the heart of Time Square, NY offers a romantic Post-Valentine’s Day Getaway.

For those who think Valentine’s Day is for amateur lovers or have a mental block about making plans to express their appreciation for their beloved on Cupid’s Big Day, the Crowne Plaza Times Square - on Broadway between 48 and 49 Streets -rescues their love lives courtesy of the Valentine’s Procrastinators’ Program.  With a pre-planned amorous gastronomic experience, romance inducing in-room amenities, breakfast-in-bed, commemorative memento and a Valentine’s Day reminder on Feb. 1, 2011, the Valentine’s Procrastinators Program will be worth the wait.  The program will be offered starting Feb. 19 and 20 - the weekend after Valentine’s Day, when canoodling couples dine on limited, so-called “romantic” menus at inflated prices in overcrowded restaurants. It will be available through March 28.

King Room

The road to romance in Times Square will begin with a private pre-arrival consultation with the hotel’s concierge to determine the perfect restaurant for the make-up dinner according to personal culinary and atmospheric preferences.  Once decided upon, the reservation will be made for the establishment where prices will be lower and choices larger than they would have been on February 14.  Meanwhile the Crowne Plaza Times Square, reinvented with a recent $85 million renovation, will set the stage for passion immediately upon arrival with a bottle of Champagne, bouquet of flowers and Godiva chocolate in one of its 770 guest rooms.  Since all the hotel’s guest accommodations feature stunning cityscape or Hudson River views, Valentine’s Procrastinators’ cosseting breakfast-in-bed will have an unforgettable background.  A commemorative frame will make it difficult to forget or ignore future February 14ths.

And just to make sure there are not repeat offenders, the Crowne Plaza Times Square will send a Valentine’s Day reminder on Feb. 1, 2011, accompanied by a custom created romantic dinner menu - complete with recipes - inspired by the restaurant they chose for their 2010 Valentine’s Procrastinators’ celebration.  No excuse for a memory lapse, no need to join the amateur lovers’ ranks at a restaurant and no reason to procrastinate making plans.  They will already have been made with a little help from the hotel.

The Crowne Plaza Times Square’s Valentine Procrastinators’ Program is priced from $345,* including:  one-night stay on Friday, Saturday or Sunday; pre-arrival concierge consultation and restaurant reservation;  in-room Champagne, flowers and chocolates; breakfast-in-bed; commemorative frame; and 2011 Valentine’s Day reminder with custom menu and recipes.

For reservations, please call 1-800-243-6969 or visit www.cpmanhattantimessquare.com.

Your Suite Ready For Romance

Las Ventanas’ ‘Mini-Moon’ Is the Perfect Match for Couples Who are Short on Time (or Funds), but Want A Five Diamond Romantic Getaway or Honeymoon!

Don’t have the time or the funds for a full-on two-week honeymoon at a top resort? Head to LOS CABOS, Baja California, Mexico, when you want to escape for just a few days to someplace extraordinary honeymoon or RELAX?

Relax with a massage!

Then Las Ventanas al Paraíso, A Rosewood Resort has the perfect match for you – a ‘Mini-Moon’ to the only Five Diamond resort in the destination of Los Cabos.

Las Ventanas has been widely heralded, particularly with awards and kudos from magazines and travel organizations, as one of the world’s most romantic resorts. It originated the concept of a Department of Romance – which will work closely with you and your one-and-only to plan and create personalized romantic experiences that fulfill your desires and fantasies.

There is an irresistible magic at Las Ventanas – embodied in the intimate ambiance and personalized service – that is a sensual magnet for lovers. A third of the resort’s business is weddings, honeymoons and anniversaries; a civil marriage ceremony can be arranged on property, whether you plan well in advance or elope.

The Resorts Pool

Las Ventanas’ Mini-Moon, called the Runaway to Paradise Package, includes: A suite for three nights, full breakfast for two daily, a welcome margarita for two at the Tequila, Ceviche & Sushi Bar, a Herbal Healer Massage for two (60 minutes), unlimited use of spa and gym facilities, roundtrip airport transfers, and LVP Air Meal for two for the trip home. Rates start at $2,458.

Las Ventanas has been among the world’s most acclaimed resorts since it opened in 1997. It brought, for the first time, the highest international standards of luxury and service to Los Cabos and played a lead role in elevating it to Mexico’s most upscale destination. Las Ventanas features 71 exceptionally spacious suites with exquisite furnishings, unique appointments hand-crafted by Mexican artisans, magnificent views and individual telescopes for stargazing;  three different dining choices, including The Restaurant, the Sea Grill and the Tequila, Ceviche & Sushi Bar;  and the most extensive  array of ultra-luxury amenities of any resort, from Pool Butlers to private movies on the beach to aromatherapy turndown.

Sunset Dinner On The Beach

Visit the Site here at www.lasventanas.com

Las Ventanas is part of Ty Warner Hotels & Resorts, LLC, founded by entrepreneur Ty Warner for the purpose of acquiring one-of-a-kind, irreplaceable luxury hotels and resorts throughout the world.

A few weeks back I boarded a flight to the Dominican Republic on US Airways flying first class from NY to Charlotte and then direct to the Dominican Republic. I have had numerous things shock me as well as surprise me in my travels over the years, but this first class experience left me in awe and even angry. I was angry for the people with me in First Class who paid the extra money or miles to experience the luxury normally associated with First Class and even angrier for the newlyweds setting out on their much awaited and planned honeymoon.

For us, this bad experience didn’t sour our vacation, we just made a mental note to avoid this airline in the future and made light of the situation with the people around us.  However, I couldn’t help being upset for the couple in front of us who were on their honeymoon, her proudly wearing an adorable “The Bride” T-shirt and her groom, although mortified, wearing his “The groom” T-shirt were heading out on their once in a lifetime honeymoon vacation.

For them, having never flown first class before were let down to say the least, especially after having saved up for this honeymoon adventure and splurging to experience the FULL red carpet experience that “First Class” was said to bring. Shortly after take off with bad service and the chatter of the angry people around them, they began to realize they had wasted their money.

The slight difference, and I stress the word “slight”, of First Class and Coach on this US Airways flight was that first class offered 12 larger seats then coach, served an inedible meal (that they ran out of after passenger 7) a few choices of complimentary alcoholic beverages, (which ironically they ran out of twenty minutes into the flight) leaving you with vodka or beer or wine to choose from and some of the WORST service I have seen. One thing that comes to mind is when I went to use the ladies room, I had to interrupt the flight attendant from reading her newspaper to let her know that 4 people needed a beverage and after sucking her teeth she reluctantly got up to help them. I was waiting for the pilot to come out and ask someone else to fly the plane!

Had the couple just flown coach they could have purchased the following: 4 Vodkas, or any alcoholic beverages that were served in First Class, 2 Salads, the same that were served in first class, and exaggerating that the items were each priced at $10.00 (I am sure they were less) it would have cost them a grand total of: $80.00 verse buying two “First Class” tickets.

That being said, when I think of my experiences in first class I envision the over friendly and wonderful service, the private closet to hang your coat, the welcome cocktail in a normal glass, a sip of champagne or mimosa, the decent if not great food and that special feeling that first class just gives you. It is the best way to fly and the BEST way to start off your honeymoon when you do your homework and know the airlines and the plane.

Things you should look for BEFORE splurging the extra money you could EASILY use somewhere else in your trip! (i.e. couples massages, excursions, tours, or even a fancy dinner.)

Things you should consider before booking first class!

• How long is your flight?

• (If your flight is only 2 hours, you may want to consider saving the cost of this first class ticket and putting it into something on the trip that you will enjoy more)

• Also on the shorter flights you will notice some airlines offer very little service in the First Class / Business Class area.
• How old is the plane you are flying?

What airline you are flying!

(This makes a huge difference. You need to do your homework here, check the airlines first class reviews.)

• Find out what kind of lounge the airline offers and be sure to make sure you are able to get into the lounge pre and post flight.

• Does the lounge offer complimentary alcohol or food

• Use of private bathrooms

What kind of plane you are flying!

This is so important! If you are flying an older plane, the first class “services” may be little, if not any different then regular seats! The older planes may have a bigger seat, but first class Experience is not always equal on every airline and every style plane! In some cases I’ve experienced

• Plastic glasses

• No meal or only a boxed cold lunch

• Very little bar service

• No champagne

• Single rows of seats so you will not be together!

Doing your homework on this will not only save you money, but also let you know what to expect when you got there so you are not disappointed.

As someone who spends her days discovering and reviewing places to vacation and honeymoon, it does make it incredibly hard to choose where I spend my time away for my personal vacations. This past November we decided to travel with our families to Mexico to enjoy a cruise down the Pacific coast. Since we were heading out with our parents, we wanted a vacation that would be accommodate all of our ages and keep us together to still feel like a family vacation. We didn’t have a lot of time to plan and knowing that we wanted to visit LA, we had an idea of where to look and with the trip around the corner we searched cruises and booked the first one we found that fit the time frame we knew we had.

The Princess Sapphire

That being said we booked the Sapphire Princess Mexican Riviera 7 day cruise. We booked a variety of suites for our group; we had two Penthouse Suites and two mini suites. It was great to see the difference in rooms and if you have never cruised before then you know you will want to spend the extra money to get a room with a balcony, it makes a huge difference. And if you like space, you will want to book the biggest room your budget allows.

The Portinfino Suite

We flew private out of NJ the morning of the cruise, so we were not concerned about missing the boat or being late, however with airports and security as tight as they are today, you need to leave plenty of time! Remember, the BOAT does not wait for anyone. If your flight is more then 5 hours and the window is very close to the final boarding time, you should consider traveling the night before to ensure you do not miss the boat. ALL cruisers should also know that you can usually board the ship much earlier then the paperwork says, so you will want to be at the ship on time, if not earlier! The best way to check this is to call the ship and ask them what time they are going to be letting passenger’s board. You will also want to ask if your room comes with any special boarding time or VIP service. We landed with a few hours to spare, so we had brunch and arrived at the boat in time for the VIP boarding offered with our suite.

Our Deck Chairs

VERY IMPORTANT. When you book your cruise you must take the insurance. If you wake up the week you are going on a cruise with an upset stomach, cold, flu or anything contagious, you risk being quarantined in your room for your entire trip. You will be asked, the second you arrive at the dock, to fill out a health questionnaire. You need to be honest here, but be reasonable, if you have a headache and travel has you feeling nauseated and exhausted do not put that down! You only have to put down if you have a virus, flu, or anything that can be contagious and if you do, you should consider postponing your cruise. A week in your room with no outside contact can really ruin a trip.

After boarding the ship, which was flawless and easy, even with the brief security check and a short line, we were on the ship and heading to our room. We were very happy with our room, The Portifino Suite, and were thrilled to find chocolate covered strawberries in our room in addition to a complimentary mini bar set up with both non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages. Our room was spacious with a sitting area, two TV’s and had an amazing balcony with a table for four in addition to two lounge chairs. Our suite also had a large bathroom with shower and a great Jacuzzi tub. Also, with the Penthouse suites you are welcome to take advantage of the boats DVD library in addition to in suite balcony dining. Taking a suite on a boat like this can be the difference on how you enjoy your cruising experience and for your honeymoon or special occasion, shop around and splurge for the room.

Sunset from our room

My overall experience on the ship was quite disappointing & a bit frustrating. When I think about the best part of the cruise, aside from spending time with our family, it was our suite. To list all the items that were disappointing would become cumbersome and honestly get me aggravated all over again. However, with interest to those planning a cruise, I will list a few things so you can avoid them should you decide to take a cruise, and more importantly a Princess Cruise.

1) You will want to plan your evenings and days in advance. Do not rely on the ships entertainment and schedule. We were shocked to find out that although it was listed in the Princess Patter, it would not mean it was guaranteed to happen. On more then three occasions we went to scheduled events and were told they were canceled and or to just find an empty room.

2) Should you be up past midnight, the food at the buffet was not edible and the only entertainment on the ship is the disco. So if are not willing to sit in at an empty disco listening to loud music, you should plan to play some cards or a game together.

3) They spent more time trying to sell us on additional items i.e. wine tastings, art auctions, photos & food items not included in your package then they did on entertaining the guests with what they paid for.

4) In the past when I was on a cruise ship, I always looked forward to the cruise director and being entertained with the traditional not-so-newly -wed game show and other fun shows, however on this ship not only did we not see the cruise director, his assistant was so obnoxious it was the talk of the boat. Making it near impossible to sit through any of his shows.

I could go on and on with lists of things we felt were wrong, but I think you catch my drift. What was the most discouraging thing about this entire vacation was that after our cruise experience I tried to contact Princess to ask them questions and see what they had to say for this and to check if this was just a rare occurrence or unique to this particular voyage. However, I was told that any problems I had should be put in writing and in 4 to 6 weeks I would, possibly, hear back from someone regarding this! I was completely taken back that they spend so much money and time to get people on the ship but take so little effort to care for any customers after leaving. I didn’t let this stop me, I even put a call into the director in charge of customer service to ask if I could speak to her before I wrote my review to give them the opportunity to explain why things went so differently then I expected. However after two calls and no call back, I assumed that it is not important enough for them to handle individual problems.

My purpose for this blog is to make anyone aware before they travel that you NEED to do your homework before you book and be your own travel advocate.

Ask for:

1) Copies of what entertainment is usually like on board

2) A sample of the itineraries and ship details

3) Take nothing for granted, ask as many questions as possible and more importantly be sure to be aware of what your package includes to make sure you get it! Once you are on the ship you won’t remember what was part of your deal and what was not!

4) Before you book, you should investigate what the cruise lines customer service policy is before you book! If it is 4 ~ 6 weeks till someone addresses your issues, you can assume that they are to inundated with complaints to keep up or they simply do not care.

5) You will want to ask your room steward to explain how things work on the first day.

6) Arrange your post travel arrangements BEFORE the trip and do not rely on the cruise ships Internet. At 5am on the last day of our trip we went to confirm our car service on line and when we had no more Internet we were told the cruise was over and Internet was over. We still had 5 hours to disembark and no way to confirm our arrangements. It was a real frustrating moment.

Not everything about this trip was a bust for example we took some of the excursions the ship offered and we were thrilled with the service and arrangements of each one. In addition to that, we enjoyed the ships food, aside from the midnight buffet, and found that he dining selections were way above average and the wait staff at our table was wonderful. Would I ever go on a cruse again, yes there is no doubt? However, the bad taste left in my mouth from no return call or a care that we were unhappy left me certain to never board a Princess Ship again.

In Puerta Vallarta on a ship excursion as a dolphin trainor for the day!

Photo by ©Xdachez.com

When you imagine a couple of Eskimos planning their destination wedding, do you think they plan warm or cold? And where do they hold the reception, back in their igloo or on a beach? I was not to sure but after anyone spends a night at the amazing Hôtel de Glace, you will have no doubt where the Eskimos are headed!

Photo by ©Xdachez.com

Once you check into this amazing hotel made of ice, yes ice, you embark on a once in a lifetime experience as well as an outrageous CHILLY adventure for your destination wedding.

The Hôtel de Glace is located in the quaint and beautiful town of Québec, Canada. Quebec is known for its beauty and offers travelers historic and timeless buildings, wonderful shopping and they host an annual ice festival that attracts thousands.

Photo by ©Xdachez.com

The Hôtel de Glace has been called an igloo from guests who have not experienced it, but for those who have seen it and stayed in it, know that this 32,000 square foot structure of solid ice and snow is no igloo! This amazing life size ice sculpture is clearly an ice hotel and a wonderful place to tie the knot! And to confirm your nuptials you can practice the Eskimo kiss to seal the deal.

Photo by ©Xdachez.com

I, myself, was even having trouble imagining this structure but after looking at the amazing photos and their website, I couldn’t help but think how romantic this structure would be to stay in and to witness or partake in a wedding.

Photo by ©Xdachez.com

The hotel is so different and really caters to couples & weddings, especially the hotels chapel that is simply gorgeous and one-of-a-kind.

I was even in awe as I realized this structure was really made of NOTHING but frozen water and to be exact, 15,000 tons of snow and 500 tons of ice.

The ceilings are over 19 feet high, the walls are covered with original artwork, the furniture is carved out of ice blocks and the rooms and wedding chapel all designed and hand carved.

Photo by ©Xdachez.com

I found it hard to believe, but there is no need because this structure does exist, for a few months anyway! The Hôtel de Glace is open from January till March and has over 65,000 visitors each season and sells over 4000 rooms in the short time it is open.

Photo by ©Xdachez.com

Clearly this is one of the most unique and complex undertakings that any hotel has ever tried to achieve, as it takes approximately five weeks to erect this masterpiece of architecture and covers more than 32,000 square feet of ground.

It is the only ice hotel in America that is entirely made out of snow and ice and it can accommodate 88 people per night. The designers strive to keep to the originality of this masterpiece each year by continually by changing the design and décor of this piece of artwork to keep guests coming year after year!

Photo by ©Xdachez.com

Photo by ©Xdachez.com

The Hôtel de Glace artisans amaze everyone by modifying and creating new elements every year and always offer pure amazement of their finished product. Annually there is no exception to its size, there is always 36 wonderful rooms and theme suites, in addition to the Ice Café, the magnificent chapel where couples can take the icy plunge, an immense lobby with a candelabra lit by fiber optics, an interior courtyard that can hold 400 plus people, hot tubs and a sauna, functional fireplaces, and the majestic reception room named the Ice Bar where animated evenings come to life that will enthrall everyone for hours with entertainment.

Photo by ©Xdachez.com

Those who choose to stay overnight can enjoy the hotel package that includes a ice cocktail in a glass made of ice of course, a tour of the Hotel, your equipment for the night, access to the hot tubs and sauna, and your hot morning beverage and breakfast. This unique lodging experience offers guest a full array of winter activities including cross- country skiing, ice-skating, snowshoeing, dogsledding, ice fishing, snowmobiling and sliding Statistics.

Photo by ©Xdachez.com

Guests who want to give it a go at this icy oasis, are told in great detail how to prepare themselves for this once in a lifetime stay and considering that winter in Quebec is very cold, (with the outside temperatures varying between -13 o F in February to 41 o F in March), appropriate clothing is necessary.

You must layer yourself with three layers of synthetic or a mixture of wool and synthetic materials so your skin can breath, and be sure to have hats, gloves, and boots. If you are not so sure about sleeping on Ice, no need to fret, a comfortable bed is awaiting you.

The Hotel and its furniture are entirely made out of snow and ice, and the beds are too, however blocks of ice form the bed base, followed by a solid wood box-frame that provides the initial separation from the ice, and a thick foam mattress covered by a fleece sheet completes the bed. When the evening arrives, a warm and soft sleeping bag will be delivered to your room with a pillow.

Photo by ©Xdachez.com

Weddings are a common occurrence on the property and with the courtyard big enough to hold 400 people, the sky is the limit.

Photo by ©Xdachez.com

Photo by ©Xdachez.com

The Streets of Cartagena Colombia

The Tcherassi Hotel + Spa is located in Cartagena, one of Colombia’s oldest cities one that brings a fresh new and vibrant place for travelers to enjoy.  This 250 year old colonial mansion comes to life and is situated in the heart of Cartagena’s Old City along the Caribbean coast where guests of this city will find an array of things to do and see.  Whether you want to see the San Felipe de Barajas Fortress, which is the biggest Spanish fort in the New World originally constructed in 1536, the La Popa Convent which is one of the most visited sites in Cartagena, the Church of Santo Domingo or the hill of La Popa which is a great place to appreciate this Heroic City from a distance, with a beautiful view that includes the Caribbean, the Island of Tierrabomba, the tourist area, the walled downtown, La Boquilla, the northern zone and the city in general and all offer wonderful and memorable sights.

An evening in Cartagena

When you arrive in the town of Cartagena, you will find The Tcherassi Hotel + Spa sits subtly on a colorful, narrow street that is lined with historic colonial houses and just steps from Plaza Fernandez de Madrid and other top attractions.  With Cartagena’s old city being such a magical place, there is no wonder why so many claim it is the hottest upcoming destination. There is a vast amount history & culture throughout this country and city making it a great place to experience.  Walking down the narrow stone streets you will find yourself taken back by the beautifully restored and colorful colonial mansions that not only line the streets, they make this town so fabulous to tour. Not only is it now a popular place to walk around, it is very vibrant filled with big plazas, gorgeous old churches and spectacular views of the ocean. I have no doubt that you will feel like you took a step back in time.

The Tcherassi Front Door

At this boutique style and charming hotel, you will find seven unique,  very large rooms all adorned with open bathrooms, exposed vaulted wood beamed ceilings and  custom furnishings that are designed by Silvia. Three of these rooms have soaking tubs as well as lots of exposed brick making the warmth and sexy feel of the decor brilliant.

The Entry Way

The 4 pools are located throughout the property, tow favorites include the main pool which is located on the ground floor and is adjacent to an incredible Vertical Garden with over 3,000 local plants. The second is the rooftop pool that is also wonderful as it adorns spectacular views of a famous tower in addition to the sea.

The Garden Pool

The romance of this new and unique property includes the simple, yet elegant garden that has both the original arches and stone columns that frame the outside of this magical place to steal a kiss or enjoy a quiet moment. It is magnificent and a great place to take a photo. Another place to see this garden is from the wonderful Vera restaurant that overlooks the vertical garden and has a great feel. The property is like a private house and yet still gives you the feel of a luxury property. Seven unique guestrooms, including a large suite with a private pool, occupy the four-story mansion providing an exclusive, private oasis for discerning travelers.

The Mouseline Bedroom with Bath

Guests are welcomed with Tcherassi private label ‘his and her’ bathrobes, as well as custom amenities made with Tcherassi’s own fragrance. Lending to a more residential feel, the amenities are presented in large glass bottles for guests touse while in residence whether in the stand-up rain shower or the separate sunken tubs found in the three suites. Additionally lending to the homey environment, the rooms and suites offer residential style bars and large dressing areas with expansive closets. Custom, private label Egyptian cotton linens adorn the equally customized mattresses; all designed by Tcherassi. Each room is equipped with a 42″ plasma TV with DVD, digital ipod radio alarm clock and complimentary Wi-Fi, which can be used at the full-size working desk. Twice daily, housekeeping service and turn down are offered.

The Vera Restaurant

Be sure to visit the Spa, it is said to be fantastic. Not only is there a spa pool for water based treatments there is two salons for specialty treatments like the famous “Bamboo Massage.” Wellness reigns supreme at The Tcherassi Hotel + Spa which has carved out a great amount of the historic mansion’s space to focus on relaxation and rejuvenation.  The Spa has partnered with Spain’s Germaine de Capuccini, which has been sharing its beauty secrets and techniques with consumers and spas for nearly 50 years.  Although the amenities originate within Europe, many of the over 30 treatments and therapies utilize indigenous Colombian and South American practices and ingredients.

Whether looking to refresh mind, body or soul, guests can also enjoy treatments in the privacy of their suites, on their private balconies or on one of the hotel’s various outdoor patios.  A separate, specially designed menu for these in-room/outdoor treatments has been created solely for in-house guests.

All in all, this city that has been around for ages is now approaching the top of the must see list of travelers across the globe!

This Magical Estate

A popular question honeymooners have is about traveling to Europe, particularly the romantic country of France. My last trip to Europe I had the pleasure of stopping in Paris France for an amazing & very magical few days.  I quickly fell love with the timeless city & romance of Paris. After a few days in Paris, I recommend that couples explore the country and enjoy its rural and historic towns that offer a storybook feel and totally different experience of the fast pace of Paris.  I came across, and fell in love with, the hotel “LA BRETESCHE” located in the spectacular Missillac district of the Loire Atlantique in north-western France. La Bretesche is a majestic Relais & Chateaux hotel steeped in history and stunning natural beauty that will make any new bride feel like a queen in her own castle.  Steeped in history and established in the 15^th century, today, La Bretesche stands impressively at the centre of a stunning 200-acre estate surrounded by moats, a vast lake and even a watchtower.

A Contemporary Estate Room

I was not shocked to hear that the hotel gained 4-star status and has joined the prestigious Relais & Châteaux group. This romantic and intimate Relais & Château Domaine de la Bretesche offers 32 luxuriously appointed rooms & suites (6 Prestige, 7 Deluxe, 4 Superior and 15 cottages). Each room is individually styled and enjoys views of the lake or the sandstone-paved courtyard. Guest will enjoy affordable room rates, and special treats like breakfast in bed, couples spa packages and 200 acres to explore and enjoy a romantic picnic. This Relais & Chateau boasts plenty to do for couples including use of two swimming pools – an indoor pool and outdoor heated pool amongst tennis, cycling, walking, mountain biking, golf, day trips around the region, and there is even horseback riding, polo and hunting available nearby. For those who prefer relaxation, the newly opened, state-of-the-art Spa de la Cour Carrée provides an ultimate pampering experience.  The spa is known as a haven of romance and tranquility, where guests can indulge in treatments, or bespoke face and body care programs.

The Spa

The spa, which is housed in the beautifully restored outbuildings of the chateau on the edge of the forest offers its own indoor swimming pool, fitness room with bike, cardio training, multiple treatment rooms featuring jet massage, sequential zone massage, aromatherapy, oligotherapy, chromotherapy and music therapy. One of these rooms even offers the ultra-futuristic use of hydrotherapy treatments!

The hotel features plenty of places to dine including “Le Club” Brasserie, a contemporary “Club” that offers relaxed all-day dining and even traditional afternoon tea! The Bar des écuries that translates to stable bar, located in the former estate stables, offers a wonderful range of whiskies and liqueurs and with Mozart and Vivaldi playing in the background, it makes for a perfect rendezvous before – or after - a round of golf or perhaps for a nightcap after dinner. “Le Montaigu” is the properties gourmet dining and is run by the hotel’s young & talented Chef Gilles Charpy, who scored an impressive 16/20 in the GaultMillau Guide and boasts one star in the esteemed Michelin Guide.  Charpy’s cuisine combines the flavors of Brittany and Provence, using carefully selected produce from the best local producers. An outstanding wine list features wines from France’s finest vineyards.

The Montaigu Restaurant

As you will see in the photos, this historic property is without a doubt a leader in offering guest a castle experience with service & atmosphere fit for a king and queen, making this a honeymoon haven. www.bretesche.com

As we head into the cold winter months let’s think about warm beaches and the powder white sand of the Dominican Republic. Here, in the heart of the Caribbean, you will discover more than 1,288 km of Coastline with some of the most beautiful beaches of the Caribbean. Find white sandy beaches, diving attractions and unspoiled nature all around the island.

The Dominican Republic is located amongst the islands of Cuba, Jamaica, and Puerto Rico. It is on the isle of Hispaniola, meaning Little Spain, and is divided between Haiti on the west and Dominican Republic on the east - about the size of the state of Vermont and New Hampshire combined

This romantic island is the fastest-growing destination in the Caribbean because of both its low prices and beautiful terrain, especially in the Punta Cana area!

This weeks feature location is The Punta Cana Resort & Club located about 5 minutes from the Punta Cana airport, offering guests door to door shuttle service and a beach front resort that offers great accommodations in a fabulous setting.

This resort, offering three levels of accommodations is spacious and relaxed. Once you’re at this resort you might want to stroll the long stretch of beaches, or go for a horseback ride, play a round a golf on their amazing course, enjoy a spa treatment at their award winning six senses spa, scuba dive, take a fishing tour, enjoy one of the many pools or enjoy the local shopping. If you’re looking for active ways to spend the day, then hit the kayaks, try windsurfing, sailing or try yourself in a game of life size chess.

The property, which includes several levels of accommodations and nine restaurants, a Baskin Robbins and a 4 page room service menu has enough variety to keep guests exploring a new place each night all while never leaving the grounds.

If you are bringing kids to this location they will love the carousel club, a club for kids, the petting zoo, pony rides the smoothie bar or every child’s favorite, the kiddie pool. Not to mention all the water activities families can enjoy.

Be sure to pack the sunscreen, your flip flops and this new must have travel product called the xshot that allows you to take a picture without any assistance. This product is a lifesaver and will change photo albums around the world as it allows couples and single travelers to take more pictures of themselves then ever.

So What do you say? I’m Marie O’Mara from honeymoons.com saying…Let’s Hit The Road.

Hello Honeymoons.com fans!  WATCH US LIVE ON THE ERIK HASTINGS TRAVEL SHOW!

http://www.videowired.com/watch/?id=3918436618

This week I am blogging “honeymoons” ON location from Dominican Republic at the Tortuga Bay Resort located at the Punta Cana Resort & Club. “Tis’ the wedding season”, and honeymooners are on the move.  Although we are not here honeymooning, we are surrounded by couples that are, And they are hard NOT to miss dressed in “on our honeymoon” t-shirts, “bride and groom” t-shirts and that honeymoon smile that says it all.  Couples are also here celebrating weddings, anniversaries and like us, birthdays. We are here for a 40th birthday party and the resort feels alive with guests both from our event and a destination wedding.
We arrived yesterday and as we stepped off the plane onto the tarmac, we were greeted by a representative from the Punta Cana Resort, who then whisked us through the line at customs and out the door of the airport. This is a great service provided by the hotel considering we were on our way to the resort, in an air-conditioned car within 4 minutes of getting off the plane and although our plane had not even fully de-boarded, we were somehow pulling out of the airport.  We avoided lines at immigration, customs & the line for purchasing your tourist card. Let’s just say the resort had our attention.

…..Read the entire blog at:

http://www.onewed.com/blog/savvy-scoop/2009/10/23/honeymooning-dominican-republic