Live Broadcast from Punta Cana

Posted on February 13, 2012 by Juliana Gover (Social Media and Marketing Intern)

Ross Brittain and the morning show of WOGL, a Philadelphia based radio station, and Apple Vacations’ very own, Sue Stoler and Rosemarie Zamarin, recently visited Punta Cana. They stayed at Now Larimar during their seven night stay. Sue and Ro also toured three of the most beautiful hotels in Punta Cana… Secrets Royal Beach, Riu Palace Bavaro, and Gran Bahia Principe. The junior suite you see below is the kind of accommodations our clients receive if they were to stay at the Gran Bahia Principe.

During their stay at Now Larimar, they enjoyed the wide variety of restaurants in the hotel. Sue strongly recommended the French restaurant, Mercure, but also admitted that they were all wonderful!

Now Larimar Punta Cana

WOGL had a live broadcast at Now Larimar on November 4-8, 2011. Lucky, WOGL club members had the chance to win a stay at this beautiful and luxurious resort.

from left, Frank Lewis, Rosemarie Zamarin, Valerie Knight, Susan Stoler, and Ross Brittain

Modern & Magnificent Riu Palace Bavaro

Posted on February 3, 2012 by Juliana Gover (Social Media and Marketing Intern)

As told by Ildi Samuelsen with Christmas City Travel

Being a travel agent, this was not my first trip to Punta Cana. However, Riu Palace Bavaro definitely gave me a surprisingly new feeling with all the modern and magnificent luxuries at the resort. For those of you (a.k.a. travel agents and experienced Caribbean travellers) that know the area, it’s located on the beach of Arena Gorda. These beaches are arguably some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. There’s pristine white sand, turquoise waters, even coconut palm trees growing right down to the sea’s edge. No postcard does justice to the beauty of this place. Hand’s down – I have to say Riu Palace Bavaro is truly exquisite!

Of course the hotel staff was friendly and personable. It was a nice touch to see multi-lingual hotel employees. It obviously made it easier to cater to all kinds of visitors. The accommodations were remarkable and kept with the contemporary style of the resort. My companions and I were joking that we didn’t need the pool or the beach because we could simply spend a week in our luxurious rooms. (I’ll also mention that each room was wonderfully air conditioned and there was 24/7 room service – always a plus in my opinion). For anyone who wanted or needed to do some business on their getaway, there’s a state-of-the-art business center with different office and meeting spaces which included free wireless internet in designated areas. This is where I used the telephone features of the Apple Vacations “On The Go” App to call home and check on my loved ones.

Needless to say RIU Palace Bavaro has a lot to offer.

There’s a limo or town car service available for the guests to use –some of the neat places to visit in town were Aquaworld, Playa Delfines, El Rey Ruins, Las Isla Shopping mall, Luxury Avenue and more
You can try the ultra-chic and relaxing spa that offers facials, body treatments, massages and other beauty services
Of course the resort has entertainment for both the kids and adults – A great variety of live music, casino, marine park, and a night club
For those who like to stay active during their vacation, there was a gym, multiple tennis courts, table tennis, pool volleyball, windsurfing, sailing, kayaking, snorkeling, a beginner class in scuba diving, body boarding, horse riding, and other aquatic activities. There is an eighteen-hole golf course located nearby.

If you’re wondering about the food – Don’t worry – There are nine delectable restaurants and each has its own unique theme and culinary specialty. When you want to take a swim, you have four pools to take a dip in, two of them with adjoining Jacuzzis and there’s a children’s pool, too. My friends and I spent a lot of time at the smaller pool where the swim up bar was located. Look at this picture… Need I say more?

I would absolutely recommend this resort and hope that some of you readers get a chance to experience it firsthand.

Do people ever really win an Apple Vacation?

Posted on February 1, 2012 by Christine May (Managing Editor)

Everyone wants to win a prize. But, do people ever really win an Apple Vacation? Yes they do! Here is a review from a happy prize winner from Facebook who just returned from Punta Cana.

We want to thank Apple Vacations so much from for such a wonderful trip to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.

We really were amazed the way we were treated. We won the original 3 day fully inclusive trip but live in the Boston area. When we mentioned we would have to fly from Boston to pick up the departure the day before the trip, you upgraded us to a Boston departure, for a 7 day fully inclusive vacation! Then when the original resort was overbooked, we got upgraded yet again to one of the best on the Island, Secrets Royal Beach. Our room was a beautiful Junior Suite with Jacuzzi and far exceeded our expectations. The resort was fantastic, it had great food, a great location, and the staff was so friendly and helpful.

We found that the whole trip to be well run and supported by your Amstar representatives. They had all the relevant information for the resort and good advice for day trips that were available. My wife lost a bag on one of these trips and they both followed up with the outside tour operator, they found the bag and got it back to her intact.

The way we were treated was exceptional, and we would not hesitate to use or recommend Apple Vacations in the future. Our daughter who entered us in the contest said how much she had enjoyed using Apple Vacations for her vacation and how accommodating you were. We can certainly confirm that and want to thank you all again at Apple Vacations especially Susan for a wonderful (free) vacation experience.

T & D
Boston, MA

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.