The Mexico Taxi Project

Attention reality TV addicts! This one's for you! And anyone else considering Mexico for their next vacation...

Check out the super innovative project launched by the Mexico Tourist Board to find out what real travelers think of their visits to Mexico. 

You may view more on their website: The Mexico Taxi Project. Stay tuned for more real travel tales.

Viva la Mexico!!!

HOT New Hotels! Two New Paradisus Resorts coming to Mexico!

That sand... that WATER!!! 

Soon, you can enjoy two new Paradisus Resorts in Mexico. The family friendly Paradisus La Esmeralda and the adults only Paradisus La Perla, located next to each other on one of the prettiest stretches of beach in Playa del Carmen, Mexico.

The luxuriously comfortable decor, true to Paradisus style, can be found in the living spaces:

Sleeping rooms...

And bathrooms...

The Paradisus Playa del Carmen features a two-in-one resort concept with La Perla exclusively for adults and La Esmeralda perfectly family friendly and suitable for every traveler. The El Zocalo area between the resorts features restaurants, bars, and entertainment. Guests from both resorts have free access to El Zocalo freely, making this complex perfect for multi-generational travel & Destination Weddings where some guests might prefer the exclusivity of the adults only section and others don't want to leave the kids behind but both want to spend at least a few important hours together every day.

PARADISUS PLAYA DEL CARMEN LA PERLA OPENS ON NOV 15, 2011

PARADISUS PLAYA DEL CARMEN LA ESMERALDA OPENS ON NOV 30, 2011

Ready to start planning and take advantage of the super low introductory rates? Contact us today!

Being located in the Cancun area, you will be flying to one of the easiest destinations in the tropics. Cancun is serviced by all major airlines, including United Airlines & American Airlines. 

Celebrate FALL with reduced rates & resort credit at El Dorado Resorts.

Last FALL, I was lucky enough to visit the El Dorado Resorts in the Riviera Maya section of Mexico. I was attracted to their Gourmet Inclusive Meal Plan and sustainable practices, in addition to their luxurious amenities. You can read about my visits to El Dorado Seaside & El Dorado Royale & Casitas.

ALL El Dorado Resorts, including El Dorado Maroma located on the BEST beach in Mexico, are on sale this fall. But hurry - you must book by October 13 to secure reduced rates & resort credit.


The Resort Credit includes:
Five $10.00 USD credits towards a bottle of wine
$100.00 USD credit towards a couple's sky massage. 
$50.00 USD credit towards a beachfront dinner.


Ready to start packing? Drop us a line and we'll combine the hotel special with discounted international flights to for a great deal on a luxury vacation package. Cancun is serviced by all major airlines, including United Airlines & American Airlines. 

My Visit to El Dorado Seaside

Of all the El Dorado Resorts, I found Seaside to be the most lush... perhaps this is from its compact acreage or because the hotel also serves as a palm tree nursery for all of the Karisma Hotels so every where you look, are palm trees in varying stages of life.

 

The beach is the perfect size, the water clear and calm...

Every where you turn, you are called to rest... relax... enjoy....

The hotel is not a high-rise, no building is higher than two floors - and from the second story rooms shown above, you have sweeping ocean views...

Least but certainly not last, the cuisine is tops at the El Dorado Seaside as it offers all of the wonderful features of the Karisma Resort's Gourmet Inclusive dining plan. 

Ready to go? Contact us for a custom quote on the hotel package or hotel + flight. There are plenty of cheap flights to Cancun and most major airlines, such as Delta, have multiple daily flights.

{These photos are from my October 2010 visit. See the full album here.}

Cheers,

My Visit to Azul Fives, Riviera Maya Mexico

Another great stop on my recent trip to Mexico was the brand new Azul Fives. I always sing the praises of the Azul & El Dorado Hotels for so many reasons... fabulous and possibly THE best cuisine of any local area hotel, impeccable service, and great locations for a destination wedding. Azul Fives is all this plus a lovely uncrowded beach, little to no beach erosion, a huge winding pool dotted with fun swim-up bars, and perhaps the best feature are the amazing rooms! Go big and splurge on a penthouse unit so you will have access to the amazing roof terrace - think South Beach meets Mexico - an expansive white washed terrace with jacuzzi, BBQ grille, full bar, teak dining table and plenty of space to lounge and take in the sun... and with the amazing views one would expect from a rooftop. Here are a few of my favorite photos:

 There are already plenty of great deals for 2011 at the Azul Fives and other Azul Hotels. Pair one of our hotel deals with cheap airfare on American or any another major airline, and you'll have a great value packed vacation! Olé!

Enjoy the rest of my photos here.

Cheers,

Hurry! 7 Days left to save 50% at Zoetry Resorts!

Have you heard of Zoetry Wellness & Spa Resorts? They are super refined, elegant, boutique hotels with an incredible level of attention to detail. We've been sending happy clients here since they opened and for many, this is the only resort chain they will return to. 

If you book by December 23, 2010, you'll receive up to 50% off + $200 in resort credit for your winter getaway! Blackout dates apply, but this winter promo is valid for travel January 1 to April 29, 2011.

Zoetry has three resorts... Zoetry Paraiso de la Bonita in the Riviera Maya and  Zoetry Casa del Mar Los Cabos in Mexico and Zoetry Agua Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic.

Ready to start packing? Go here.

Cheers,

The 6th Room is FREE at some of my FAVORITE Resorts

{This is Zoetry Agua Punta Cana}

Hurry! Book 6 rooms by November 30, 2010 at any AMR Resort - the parent company of Dreams Resorts, NOW Resorts, Secrets Resorts & Zoetry Resorts - and the 6th room is absolutely FREE! Travel must be completed by April 30, 2011.

Plus, your group will receive a complimentary room upgrade, VIP private check-in and $200 in resort coupons.

Dreams & NOW Resorts are family friendly resorts, while Secrets & Zoetry cater to adults only.

Ready, Set, Go? Let us know!

Happy Weekend,

Azul Sensatori Hotel

Welcome to the Azul Sensatori Hotel. This is check-in:

Complete with easy access for the little ones to check in too... all located in a super chic lobby:

The hotel was completely full during my visit... and it was October - LOW season! This alone speaks volumes about the hotel but also meant I wasn't able to see any rooms. Having seen the rooms at the other two Azul Hotels, I'm confident the Azul Sensatori rooms will not disappoint. 

We did have some time to relax on the super chic roof-top lounge:

This is the view - beautiful pools, clear ocean, and a cruise ship in the distance:

The grounds were lush and green yet still very open and spacious.

We ended our night with a lovely dinner on the beach. Jump over here and see the photos... 

Mexico Tourism Board Launches iTunes App

The Mexico Tourism Board launched the Visit Mexico iPhone application -- the first iPhone travel application to provide nationwide coverage. Users can select to receive information from six regions and all 32 states, in addition to receiving in-depth information about 27 top tourist destinations. The app includes several features, such as online news and weather, interesting activities, videos and Google Map links for top destinations. The application also includes an interactive “piñata” game where users can shake the iPhone to receive a treat -- a destination suggestion. By tapping the name of the suggested destination, users can learn more about its culture, cuisine, climate, geographical setting and much more. This is the perfect game for spontaneous travelers, who love nothing more than jetting away to new and enticing locales.

One of the best features of the application is the “Activities” section located on the home screen. By tapping into this section, users can learn more about Mexico’s wide range of activities. From beaches to camping to entertainment, users can see their favorite activities in a multitude of Mexican destinations, such as Tijuana, Cancun, RivieraNayarit and Queretaro, among others. By using the application, users can also learn more about Mexico’s numerous World Heritage sites, festivals and rich history all with the “tap” of a button.

Get it here, its FREE! 

Have fun,

My Visit to El Dorado Royale & Casitas, Riviera Maya

The El Dorado Royale is one of three El Dorado Resorts - the luxury adults only resorts by Karisma. 

I haven't visited this part of the Riviera Maya since before Hurricane Wilma destroyed the beach. The exposed reef and large sandbags resembling beached whales in the shallow water, were a bit of a shock, but they don't take away from the clarity of the water and might actually be helping the environment as they form artificial reefs. 

The resort has plenty of places to relax with your toes in the sand:

The accommodations at Royale are private villa suites featuring dark wood furnishings, white linens, and marble baths. And every room has a jacuzzi for two...

 The newer Casitas section is more luxurious with outdoor showers, full size beds on every veranda, pillow & aromatherapy menus, and some rooms with private pools: 

The El Dorado Hotels are very popular and were almost at max capacity even in October. We'd love to help you book early and lock in your preferred dates at a great rate. info@caribbeanjourney.com

Click here for more of my photos from the El Dorado Royale & Casitas.

Stay tuned for more reports from my trip! 

Cheers,