What’s not to like about luxury hotels?

Posted on October 11, 2011 by Christine May (Managing Editor)

When my husband and I recently stayed at a Secrets Resort & Spa in Punta Cana, we completely lost ourselves in the elegant setting. The personalized service and the fact they try never to say ‘no’ are the main features in choosing a luxury hotel over a more traditional resort. There really are so many benefits in choosing all-inclusive vacation! You can even save money on a travel experience where you don’t have to worry about a thing because meals, drinks and entertainment are all included.

There are many additional advantages!
Among the features of a luxury hotel are knowledgeable concierges, business centers, quick laundry and ironing services, around-the-clock room service and attractive areas for business meetings or destination weddings and honeymoons. They have superior food, top shelf liquor, 24-hour room service to fit your schedule, fully equipped business centers, better gyms and more comfortable beds and sheets. My husband and I took advantage of the all gourmet restaurants while we were there. One night, during a romantic dinner, we were even serenaded with a singing duo. Then my husband decided to join in, how funny!

They meet and exceed expectations
You know all your expectations will be met because the goal is to wow you, to surprise you, to make your day in some unexpected way. Their job is to anticipate your needs, to engage you in appropriate and relevant conversation, to charm and go beyond what would be a standard transaction. My husband and I were surprised with a complimentary pool-side massage together – what a slice of heaven! Another fun activity was the nightly entertainment! They had musicians, magicians, and dancers – a total variety of fun things to enjoy. Luxury hotels go the extra measure and it makes all the difference.

Boutique hotels, like Zoëtry Wellness & Spa Resorts and Secrets Resorts & Spas, truly represent the highest level of luxury accommodations. They operate with socially responsible practices. There is exceptional service in natural and enriching environment. Overall, luxury hotels offer the utmost attention to detail that will turn your vacation in to the time of your life. I know our luxury romantic getaway was one of the best times we’ve had together! I recommend that everyone try it, go ahead splurge a little!

Zoetry – Everyone should enjoy Endless Privileges

Posted on September 1, 2011 by Chau Tran (Punta Cana Revenue Analyst)

This year’s family vacation was to Zoetry Agua Punta Cana, a beautiful, luxurious, oceanfront property, with the most amazing amenities!

When we first arrived in Punta Cana, we had a driver waiting for us with a private nonstop transfer to take us to the resort. From the moment I stepped foot into Zoetry, I fell in love. We were immediately seated with warm towels and drinks while they checked us in. The exceptional service never stopped.

Zoetry Agua is located on an isolated stretch of beach that gives the resort an exclusive feel. Although we were advised the resort was full, it never felt crowded. Beach chairs were always available and there was never a wait for anything. Easily accessible on the beach, is a batch of coral reef that could be easily seen through the crystal clear water along with tropical fishes. Every night, we would receive the resorts newsletter “Sundial”, which listed all of the following day’s activities. Zoetry offered a wide variety of daily activities to choose from. As a family, we chose to go horseback riding on the beach and took a bike tour around the neighboring towns.

Being as I was in the Dominican Republic, I wanted to try some local dishes. Unfortunately none of the dishes we wanted to try were officially on the menu; however, the Chef was more than happy to cook us up some local cuisine. One of my favorite Dominican dishes is Mofongo. This dish is comprised of mashed up plantains with garlic and a side of fried cheese or a choice of meat with a side of broth for dipping. Another one of my favorite dishes is called La Bandera. La Bandera is spanish for “the flag” as in the Dominican flag. It is named the Dominican flag because it is the traditional meal for Dominicans; consisting of rice, beans, choice of stew meat, salad, and fried plantains The next day, a Zoetry staff member brought us local Dominican fruits like zapote, guanábana and guayaba to make fruit platters and shakes for us. Nonchalantly, I mentioned to a staff member how much my family and I enjoy coconut milk. From the time I made that remark, until the day I left the resort, the staff made sure to have fresh coconuts waiting for us as we arrived at the beach even though I never officially asked.

Due to the small size of the resort, guests are able to become familiar with the staff and vice versa. The staff catered to our every need, if we wanted something, they found a way to get it to us. They made sure you felt like Zoetry was your second home. It made leaving so much more difficult, because not only are you leaving stunning surroundings, it feels like you are also saying goodbye to good friends. On our last day, the restaurant manager surprised us with a special last lunch with all of our favorite dishes.

Zoetry Agua is hands down the best resort I have been to with Apple Vacations. A great resort, offering excellent food and drinks, great service, broad choice of activities, and a relaxing homey feeling, everything I think makes a great vacation. Zoetry Agua is my benchmark for measuring future resorts experiences and what an amazing trip should be.

Customer Care in Resort – Amstar DMC. A friendly face in a faraway place!

Posted on July 28, 2011 by Christine May (Managing Editor)

Each day, thousands of Apple Vacationers are relying on Amstar’s services. In Mexico , the Dominican Republic and Jamaica, Amstar’s enthusiastic and service-minded teams await to tailor your vacation and to convert ordinary stays into unforgettable life-time experiences.

They have an extensive list of services, products and activities as well as a full range of transportation options, exciting and innovative excursions , and a wonderful, multilingual staff. Whether looking for pleasure and relaxation in sunny tropical surroundings, or a boost of adrenaline through exciting adventure and action tours, rest assured Amstar can fulfill those dreams.

Amstar DMC knows what it takes to surpass expectations and bring dreams to life.

When you’re planning your Apple Vacation (online, with a Reservations Specialist or Travel Agent) be sure to check out the various excursions available at your destination. Amstar has many different activities to choose from regardless if you like exciting and thrilling or prefer laid-back or romantic. It’s completely up to you and your style of vacation. If you’ve already booked your vacation, you can still plan your excursion when you’re in resort. Just look for the Apple Representative on the property. A friendly face in a faraway place! The Apple Representatives will happily assist you book an excursion or tour. They can also help you with any questions you may have.

To see a full list of Amstar’s activities and tours visit www.amstardmc.com

*Tours available in Mexico, Jamaica, and Dominican Republic only.

Travel Tips for Punta Cana

Posted on June 29, 2011 by Susan Stoler (Promotions & Special Bookings Coordinator)

Apple Rep., Santos

I’ve been on a variety of trips while working here at Apple Vacations. And to be honest, they’ve all been great vacations. Recently, my husband and I went to Dreams Punta Cana Resort & Spa for seven nights and it was amazing! Here is my experience and personal recommendations for anyone traveling to Punta Cana in the near future.

First off, the flight was smooth and on time. When we arrived at the hotel and were greeted by the staff with a cool towel and a delicious beverage, which was so refreshing. After check-in, we just relaxed on the beautiful sunny beach at Dreams Punta Cana overlooking the aqua sea and surrounded by mountains. The weather was around the low to mid 80’s every day and just perfect. It was heaven.

My husband, Ted, with a star fish on the Saona Island excursion.

The next day, we went to a briefing on different types of excursions offered in Punta Cana. Our Apple Rep, Santos, was very informative and explained in great detail about the available excursions. He informed us about the hotel, the country and its people. What to do and what not to do. And most importantly, he made everyone feel at home. Santos really was a “friendly face from a faraway place.” Thanks Santos for the Welcome.

We decided on the Saona Island and the Outback Safari excursions, both are full day excursions. The catamaran to the island was lots of fun and stopped in this natural swimming pool in the middle of the sea where you could snorkel, and pick up the huge star fish and the sea was an amazing turquoise color. We arrived at Saona Island for a delicious barbecue, merengue lessons and swimming.

Outback Safari Tour

The next tour we took was the Outback Safari Tour, which I enjoyed thoroughly! This is where you truly see the countryside, the mountainside, and how the people live, their homes, their life style, and taste the fresh home-made Dominican food. They are very proud people and so enthusiastic to share their lives with us. From the tobacco rollers, to the rum distillery, sugar cane fields, coffee trees and the school visit where the children were so happy to give us a warm welcome, we loved every minute of this tour. If you like to try different flavors, try their local drink, a Manna Wanna which is a mixture of wine, rum and honey (made only in Punta Cana). They claim it to have medicinal cures and after a taste of it, it will make you forget any ailments for sure. The excursion ended on a white powdery beach at Macao Beach, where the waves were aplenty and perfect for surfing. I was fascinated by this tour and definitely recommend it!

There are other adventure tours, cultural tours, historical tours, golfing, shopping tours, and much more! There is something for everyone, whether you like to keep busy or prefer to relax on the beautiful beaches. If you are feeling lucky, there are also numerous casinos to play games and are located at most hotels. The resorts have daily and evening activities as well. From the dancing shows, the magic show and the circus shows, the entertainment staff at our hotel was truly awesome. They also had children’s shows every night and the kids were having lots of fun!

So is 7 nights too long? No way – with so much to do and explore, I say stay longer!

Are we there yet?

Posted on June 15, 2011 by Eileen Herncane (Editor at Large)

This chair is waiting for you at Dreams Puerto Aventuras!

Yes we are! It is FAMILY VACATION season. There is still plenty of time to book that memorable summer vacation that your family will be talking about for years to come. And in this economy EVERY vacation destination is fighting for your dollar. You may have once thought that a vacation to Mexico or The Caribbean was out of reach. That is NO LONGER the case!

The rates in Mexico and The Caribbean are VERY affordable and with many hotels offering kids stay, play, and eat free for the summer, not to mention the FREE kids camps, it is an ideal choice for your summer of ’11 family vacation. With great rates, luxury spas and exciting kids camps, there is truly an Apple Vacation for everyone.

An Apple Vacation to Dreams Puerto Aventuras in Cancun’s Riviera Maya is a perfect choice for families that has all of the above. For Apple Vacations 72 hour sale 7 nights start from just $899.99 per adult for late June departures. Add $100 per adult for many July and August departures. That includes round trip airfare, unlimited luxury hotel accommodations and all meals, drinks, tips and more! Dreams Puerto Aventuras also offers kids stay, play and eat FREE as well; so children only have to pay airfare and taxes.

Explorer’s Club at Dreams Puerto Aventuras!

In addition to the great rates, Dreams Puerto Aventuras has an amazing Explorer’s club which is supervised. If you follow this blog you know my son LOVES, LOVES, LOVES the Explorer’s club. With the convenience of the Explorer’s club, mom and dad can enjoy some time at the spa, have a nice dinner or even just spend some extra time at the pool.

Stay tuned to this blog for the next few weeks, and we will point out some more great family vacation options to consider this summer. After all, there is no time better spent that on an Apple Vacation with your loved ones.