# Thinking of sun, sand & sea for your next vacation this winter ?



## Recipes Make Magic (Aug 25, 2019)

My SO and I love to travel and have do so each year, at least once every year, for quite some time now.

Now that we're getting on in years & prefer sticking fairly close to home 
( & flying direct, non-stop if we can), we've gravitated to the convenience and moderate cost of all-inclusive, adults only resorts, mainly in Mexico, where we love to vacation.

We've tried quite a number of different venues over the past few years, and have gotten a little fussy about location, size of resorts, ambience, food & service, and places to see/things to do.
 We want to make sure the cost is well value-justified .


So, if any of you are inclined to enjoy vacationing somewhat along these lines, but not sure where to go, I'd be our pleasure to recommend a couple of superb resorts we've had the pleasure to find & go to, along with 2 new resorts we've booked for the near future, this assuming the forum's rules allow this type of vacationing recommendations.


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## CWS4322 (Aug 25, 2019)

Not that I get to escape MN winters, my favourite US place is Catalina Island. It is not what you want, but it is sooooooo relaxing and quiet. My other favourite places are Aruba and US Virgin Islands. And in the summer, Juist.


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## bbqcoder (Aug 26, 2019)

Recipes Make Magic said:


> I'd be our pleasure to recommend a couple of superb resorts we've had the pleasure to find & go to, along with 2 new resorts we've booked for the near future, this assuming the forum's rules allow this type of vacationing recommendations.



Sure, please do share your recommendations and your experiences at these resorts.  I would love to hear it!


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## Recipes Make Magic (Aug 26, 2019)

OK, here's the first one:


Grand Fiesta Americana, a 173 room adults only, all inclusive resort just 15 minutes south of Puerto Vallarta (about 30-35 minutes from the airport).
Fairly new - not more than 3 or 4 years old, clean and well-maintained.
It's said to be 5 stars, but there's no such thing in actuality - at least as far as we're concerned. This one is rated 4.7


Right on a nice sandy beach - 3 attached buildings of approx. 11-12 floors each, with all rooms facing the beach, pool areas and the ocean.


If memory serves, it has 5 restaurants - one buffet, and 4 ala carte - all with excellent dishes, well-prepared and presented, particularly at the Asian & Italian venues. Food taste & quality is of utmost importance to us in all-inclusive resorts, where the average resort is often hit & miss when it comes to food, and lacking in quality, and the drinks watered down.


Not sure about prices there today in USD's, but cost for 2 all-in- (accommodation, food, and flights) is estimated to run about $3,000. for lower rooms, up to around $4,000. or so for rooms from floors 6 to top of bldgs.


The higher floors which contain the more pricey rooms include unlimited use of a private, large lounge area, where breakfast and lunch buffet is served daily, and which includes inside & outside balcony dining, as well as a good-sized sunning/sitting area outside. It was great - we used this facility every day - hardly anyone there most days.


Overall, one of the best we've been to over the past 5 years - and we go to mexico every year, at times twice a year.


We highly recommend - well worth it. Apologies if my estimated pricing is currently off the mark - check it out from your location.


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## Recipes Make Magic (Aug 26, 2019)

*Here's # 2 Resort & Spa:*


*Breathless Resort and Spa, Cabo SanLucas, Baja.*
*
*
*Another adults only- all-inclusive--- 169 'suites' (large rooms) offering a stunning marina or ocean view (andthe arch at the tip of Baja, adjacent to the town of Cabo San Lucas). Again,fairly newish and 5 star - critically rated @ 4.5 or better.*


*6 gourmet eateries I believe, 2infinity pools, and an award winning rooftop lounge and open air lobby - modern& beautiful, clean & well-kept throughout.*


*This resort is more spread out thanGrand Fiesta Americana, so a bit of walking to the restaurants, but with greatbeach & ocean views -  where themeals  are pretty much on a par with theprevious resort, well presented dishes & of very good quality & taste -no disappointments here. Excellent knowledgeable staff and great service.*


*Lots of fun activities to be involvedin daily, and a BBQ night around the pool one night of the week we were there wasoutstanding - a highlight where we made a lot of new friends ! *


*All-in cost including flights isestimated to be around $3,500. USD per couple for lower floor rooms, orslightly higher than GFA, and $4,500. to say $5,000. for x-hale club suiteswhich offer club lounge exclusivity & other perks.*


*Check it out - the photos say it all !*

*Are you interested in ourreviewing  2 more Mexican adults only,all inclusive resorts ? *


*Apologies, I neglected to mention that estimated cost at both resorts are for a one week stay for 2.*


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## GotGarlic (Aug 26, 2019)

Anyone going to the Maya Riviera this year might want to check on the status of the seaweed invasion from the south. It sounds pretty nasty, especially if you want to do any snorkeling or scuba-diving or hang out on the beach. 

https://www.npr.org/sections/thesal...e-seaweed-invasion-yucat-n-towns-get-creative

Btw, when we went to that area 20 or so years ago, we picked a place that included a couple of excursions. So we were able to visit Chichen Itza and the fort at Tulum while we were there. It was a great trip.


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## Recipes Make Magic (Aug 26, 2019)

Thanks for the info GG,
Both resorts I've reviewed though, are on the west coast side of the continent - on the Pacific Ocean, while the Maya Riviera you mentioned is of course on the east coast, from Cancun on down to Tulum. 


Not that there isn't seaweed problems on the pacific side as well, on or near the Nayarit Riviera, which extends from Nuevo Vallarta north to Punta Mita. Troublesome seaweed accumulations are known to occur occasionally in this area too.


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## GotGarlic (Aug 26, 2019)

Recipes Make Magic said:


> Thanks for the info GG,
> Both resorts I've reviewed though, are on the west coast side of the continent - on the Pacific Ocean, while the Maya Riviera you mentioned is of course on the east coast, from Cancun on down to Tulum.
> 
> 
> Not that there isn't seaweed problems on the pacific side as well, on or near the Nayarit Riviera, which extends from Nuevo Vallarta north to Punta Mita. Troublesome seaweed accumulations are known to occur occasionally in this area too.


Gotcha. I just reread your first post - you didn't mention where in Mexico you were talking about, so I guess I assumed you meant the east coast, since that's where I've been 

Did you read the article, though? This is apparently much worse than has happened before to the point of covering the beaches and killing sea life by blocking the sun over large areas. I imagine that as the oceans continue to warm, this will become a worse problem throughout the tropics.


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## Recipes Make Magic (Aug 26, 2019)

GotGarlic said:


> Gotcha. I just reread your first post - you didn't mention where in Mexico you were talking about, so I guess I assumed you meant the east coast, since that's where I've been
> 
> Did you read the article, though? This is apparently much worse than has happened before to the point of covering the beaches and killing sea life by blocking the sun over large areas. I imagine that as the oceans continue to warm, this will become a worse problem throughout the tropics.


 
Yes, you're quite right, GG - my bad.

You've have needed to go to my 2 reviews to see that they were for resorts in Puerto Vallarta & Cabo San Lucas on the Pacific side.

And yes, the seaweed invasions are very serious problems, which I have read also extend to the Dominican Republic, where there's  even worse problems in some of the tourist areas -  murders  in the street - drug gang wars that innocent people get caught up in - and even child/young person abductions for the sex trade. So stay away from there for vacationing.


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## Recipes Make Magic (Aug 26, 2019)

*Thought I'd proceed with reporting on #'s 3 and 4 resorts,  and hope you enjoy reading through them:*



*Report on # 3 -  all-inclusive, adults only resort - PuertoVallarta. Mx.*
*
*
*We're booked for this one -  8 nights in late October next.*

*Villa Premiere Boutique Hotel &spa.*

*- Only 80 rooms on 7 floors - allocean view, on best beach in P.V. town - reported as having an ambiance ofprivacy & exclusivity, with first class service*

*- Ranked #7 of 130 resorts in P.V.,and #1 best small resort - fully renovated in 2017 - & rated @ 4.6 stars*
*
*
*- 10 minutes from P.V. airport, andonly 10 minutes walk to the Malecon, the well-known boardwalk in downtown P.V.,where many classy restaurants and boutiques await your attendance &inspection*
*
*
*- 3 fine eateries, 2 pools - one withswim-up seating bar, and the other an infinity pool nearly on the beach.Majority of reviews rate the staff service & attention as being asexcellent as it gets,  and all the foodofferings truly outstanding - high praise indeed*
*
*
*Cost for 7 nights for 2 persons  is estimated at a low of $3,000. USD, up to$3,500. or so for top floor spa suite oceanfront ( 850 sq. ft.) - and dependingon where you're flying from, you may also be able to include business classflight seating for around $4,000. total all-in*
*
*

*Sounds superb - we're looking forwardto it - can't wait !  *


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## Recipes Make Magic (Aug 26, 2019)

*#4 Adults Only All-Inclusive Resort -Cabo San Lucas*


*Le Blanc Spa Resort:*


*I always save the best for last ! *


*This is a large 375 room,newly-built, 5 star state of the art, opulent resort - a sister to it's 2 or 3year old resort in Cancun on the east coast.*


*I'd never seen or heard of any A.I-A.O. as magnificent as this one, and my wife and I couldn't pass it up - we'vebooked it for a week for March next spring.*


*Both this resort and it's sister havereceived unbelievable rave reviews from the outset - this one in Los Cabos*


* -approx. 30 minutes from the airport, boasts 8 world class restaurants where itis said you'll have unique and sensational culinary experiences prepared by topmexican chefs.*


*There are 6 bars and 4 poolswell-located on the lush grounds. 95% of reviews to date report that theaccommodations, food and service are absolutely second to none.*


*Several reviewers have actually ratedthis 5 star resort as being  6 stars !*


*Of course, this obviously superb,one-of-a-kind new resort comes at a price. A middle of the road Royal DeluxeOceanview room will price out this 7 nights for 2 all-inclusive with flights,likely into the $ 6,000. to $ 7,000. USD range.*


*But I'll comment no more, and let the125 photos of this place say it all !*


*Hopefully this link will produce themfor you. If it doesn't, simply google a link for 'Le Blanc Spa Resort - LosCabos - Expedia'*


https://www.expedia.ca/Los-Cabos-Ho...usive-Adults-Only.h18584139.Hotel-Information



*BTW, I've concentrated on west coastresorts mainly because we're in Vancouver and can readily fly direct non-stopto these locations in under 4 hours. It should appeal mostly to you folksliving on or near the west coast, since your lower flight costs should lessen the $$$burden.  *


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## Recipes Make Magic (Aug 26, 2019)

Over 125 views to date, but there doesn't seem to be much interest, with the possible exceptions of bbqcoder and GG -   


August too early to be in a vacation frame of mind, or the venues not appealing, I suppose ?


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## Andy M. (Aug 26, 2019)

Sorry, just not interested in a Mexico vacation. Your resort reports appear to be comprehensive.


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## Cheryl J (Aug 26, 2019)

Recipes Make Magic said:


> Over 125 views to date, but there doesn't seem to be much interest, with the possible exceptions of bbqcoder and GG -
> 
> 
> August too early to be in a vacation frame of mind, or the venues not appealing, I suppose ?




Hi, Paul.  You've gotten a lot of views on your posts, and the venues do sound very appealing! Would love to go there.  There are several of us here who have home issues at the moment and can't just drop everything to plan a trip.  Thank you so much for sharing!


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## Recipes Make Magic (Aug 26, 2019)

Andy M. said:


> Sorry, just not interested in a Mexico vacation. Your resort reports appear to be comprehensive.


 
Thanks for expressing your view Andy - it's a fair comment - many people have no interest in Mexico for vacationing.

I'm curious though - may I ask what type of vacation you find appealing ?

Over the years, my wife and I have undertaken a lot of different types of vacationing - from month long car tours of European countries - (loved France & Italy for this )- to visits to a number of Asian hot spots like Bali, Singapore & Hong Kong - to renting oceanfront villas cost-shared with friends in several Caribbean islands - some more than once - to building and enjoying our own an oceanfront villa in Provo, in the Turks & Caicos, as a shared investment, rented out for 5 years, before selling when it got to be a lot of work.

But of course as we've aged, we've moved on to easier vacationing approaches, to be closer to home,  have less 'getting there' hassles, and of course at less cost - and found that all-inclusive mexican resorts in excellent climate & weather have fit the bill recently.


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## Recipes Make Magic (Aug 26, 2019)

Cheryl J said:


> Hi, Paul. You've gotten a lot of views on your posts, and the venues do sound very appealing! Would love to go there. There are several of us here who have home issues at the moment and can't just drop everything to plan a trip. Thank you so much for sharing!


 
Many thanks Cheryl - your positive comments are most appreciated.
If, as and when you get the opportunity to plan a vacation trip, please don't hesitate to PM me if you feel I can be of any help in selecting.

Everyone needs a vacation every once in a while, don't they ?


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## bbqcoder (Aug 26, 2019)

Thanks for the reviews, Paul.  It's good to have some feedback for when we plan a trip to take next year.

Do these places have the option of going not-all-inclusive?  I try to not eat/drink a lot on vacation to maintain my health/fitness.  With all-inclusive, one might eat/drink more to get a return on their "investment" but in reality, you're punishing your body.


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## Cheryl J (Aug 26, 2019)

Wondering if you two are travel agents, RMM and BBQ...?


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## Recipes Make Magic (Aug 26, 2019)

bbqcoder said:


> Thanks for the reviews, Paul. It's good to have some feedback for when we plan a trip to take next year.
> 
> Do these places have the option of going not-all-inclusive? I try to not eat/drink a lot on vacation to maintain my health/fitness. With all-inclusive, one might eat/drink more to get a return on their "investment" but in reality, you're punishing your body.


 
Absolutely - we usually book through Air Canada Vacations where you can either select all-inclusive (for all meals), or no meals at all, or European plan - breakfast only.  

If you're in the U.S., I'm certain you could book through Expedia, or whoever, and get similar options with corresponding pricing.


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## Recipes Make Magic (Aug 26, 2019)

Cheryl J said:


> Wondering if you two are travel agents, RMM and BBQ...?


 
No way, Cheryl, we're just regular vacationers, but retired quite some time ago, and through experience of booking & doing, we've gained a lot of knowledge of what to look for and expect.


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## Cheryl J (Aug 26, 2019)

OK.


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## Recipes Make Magic (Aug 26, 2019)

Cheryl J said:


> OK.


 
Where are you located in California, Cheryl ?

It strikes me that wherever it is, you could likely fly direct to either Los Cabos, or Puerto Vallarta, very inexpensively - thereby cutting your cost of one of these vacations quite significantly.

It's been quite a few years since I lived in L.A. - but I seem to recall that we could fly to Cabo for about $200./person return, or less.


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## Andy M. (Aug 26, 2019)

Recipes Make Magic said:


> Thanks for expressing your view Andy - it's a fair comment - many people have no interest in Mexico for vacationing.
> 
> I'm curious though - may I ask what type of vacation you find appealing ?...




For 18 years, SO and I spent our winter vacations in Aruba. We started with one timeshare week then added a second. It was terrific while it lasted. We made a lot of friends while we were there. We have since sold our timeshare and now if we want a winter break we go to FL where we have relatives.


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## Cooking Goddess (Aug 27, 2019)

We don't take pricey vacations...we paid for college for two kids. 

All kidding aside, we're more the "choose your own adventure" kind of travelers. I like to plan, I like to have a selection of possible options along the route, and we live to be surprised if something comes along that we didn't know was there. Almost all of our vacations/travels have been via auto. I bet a pilot wouldn't divert his flight if I commented "hey, that looks interesting - can we stop?", but Himself is always ready to go off-route. We usually build in an extra day for travel on the "out" side of vacation, just in case we want to explore. The "back" can take even longer, as long as we don't have any commitments - you know, doctor appointments.  My FIL gave us his Fort Myers Beach timeshare week in 2001, when he became too old (81) to travel. We would swap it for somewhere different each year when Himself was working, in case he would get called back to work to assist a client. Once that ship sailed, we do go to FMB each year for a week in lieu of retiring to FL. I've been (very slowly) working at getting us moved back to OH, which is home, so that we're closer to a lot of things we'd like to see. We've never bothered getting passports; we're still working our way through so many wonderful places to see in our own country. So far, 34 states down.

As long as you enjoy these vacations, carry on.  As long as we can manage driving ourselves around and exploring, I think we'll stick with our plan. BTW, you mentioned that you prefer these vacations "as you've aged". If you don't mind my asking, at what age did you feel these were best for you? Asking for a friend...


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## bbqcoder (Aug 27, 2019)

Cheryl J said:


> Wondering if you two are travel agents, RMM and BBQ...?



Nope, not a travel agent.  I work as a software developer.




Andy M. said:


> We started with one timeshare week then added a second. It was terrific while it lasted.



It seems that you found a lot of value doing the timeshare route.  Did you go to the same place every year or did you trade it for a different place?  Was this cost effective?


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## Andy M. (Aug 27, 2019)

bbqcoder said:


> ...It seems that you found a lot of value doing the timeshare route.  Did you go to the same place every year or did you trade it for a different place?  Was this cost effective?



Timeshare seemed attractive to us. Our apartment had a fully equipped kitchen so we could pick up some groceries and eat breakfasts and lunches there. We'd generally go out for dinner. Our resort was more laid back and quiet, which we liked. 

There is some debate on whether timeshares are cost effective. It's one way to go. We really liked Aruba and our spot there so we went back every year rather than trading. We had super prime weeks in a top resort area so could have traded for anywhere else if we chose.

We sold one of our weeks for more than we paid and the other for a little less. So I guess we did OK.


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## Recipes Make Magic (Aug 27, 2019)

Cooking Goddess said:


> We don't take pricey vacations...we paid for college for two kids.
> 
> All kidding aside, we're more the "choose your own adventure" kind of travelers. I like to plan, I like to have a selection of possible options along the route, and we live to be surprised if something comes along that we didn't know was there. Almost all of our vacations/travels have been via auto. I bet a pilot wouldn't divert his flight if I commented "hey, that looks interesting - can we stop?", but Himself is always ready to go off-route. We usually build in an extra day for travel on the "out" side of vacation, just in case we want to explore. The "back" can take even longer, as long as we don't have any commitments - you know, doctor appointments.  My FIL gave us his Fort Myers Beach timeshare week in 2001, when he became too old (81) to travel. We would swap it for somewhere different each year when Himself was working, in case he would get called back to work to assist a client. Once that ship sailed, we do go to FMB each year for a week in lieu of retiring to FL. I've been (very slowly) working at getting us moved back to OH, which is home, so that we're closer to a lot of things we'd like to see. We've never bothered getting passports; we're still working our way through so many wonderful places to see in our own country. So far, 34 states down.
> 
> As long as you enjoy these vacations, carry on.  As long as we can manage driving ourselves around and exploring, I think we'll stick with our plan. BTW, you mentioned that you prefer these vacations "as you've aged". If you don't mind my asking, at what age did you feel these were best for you? Asking for a friend...


 
I retired early - at age 59. I'm sure it's quite different for many people, but it was probably around my mid-60's when I was diagnosed with osteo-arthritis in both hips - so as you can imagine, lots of walking caused quite a bit of pain as time went on. 
I've had surgery to replace one hip since then, and the second is scheduled for sometime mid next year- date to be set later this year.
. 
Meantime, this resulted in changes to our vacationing desires - to try & avoid a lot of walking (so walking tours were out) - e.g. venues where we could fly direct non-stop - and all-in-one resorts became our go to vacations since they didn't involve a lot of walking here and there to see stuff, which we're no longer inclined to do as the body ceases to function as well it used to. LOL


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## Recipes Make Magic (Aug 27, 2019)

Andy M. said:


> For 18 years, SO and I spent our winter vacations in Aruba. We started with one timeshare week then added a second. It was terrific while it lasted. We made a lot of friends while we were there. We have since sold our timeshare and now if we want a winter break we go to FL where we have relatives.


 
I can certainly appreciate why you liked Aruba so much, Andy.

One of our best Caribbean vacations we had was renting a villa with friends for 2 weeks in neighboring Bonaire ( the ABC islands including Curacao)- a super island  that I believe is still considered the 2nd or 3rd best scuba diving spot in the world, after The Great Barrier Reef of Australia, and then the Turks & Caicos Islands.(the latter a toss-up with Bonaire for 2nd place)

The people, the food, the architecture, and the laid-back lifestyle  of the ABC islands are second to none, imo.


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## Cheryl J (Aug 27, 2019)

Recipes Make Magic said:


> Where are you located in California, Cheryl ?
> 
> It strikes me that wherever it is, you could likely fly direct to either Los Cabos, or Puerto Vallarta, very inexpensively - thereby cutting your cost of one of these vacations quite significantly.
> 
> It's been quite a few years since I lived in L.A. - but I seem to recall that we could fly to Cabo for about $200./person return, or less.




SoCal desert. Thanks for the info Paul, but for many reasons that trip just wouldn't work for me...


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## Recipes Make Magic (Aug 29, 2019)

Only about 50 sleeps till we leave on vacation to Villa Premiere in P.V.
Can't wait !


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## Recipes Make Magic (Aug 29, 2019)

If any of you decides one of these resorts  might be the vacation spot for you & books it - please eventually let us know how it went for you. We'd be most interested.


When we get back from Villa Premiere in P.V. in November, we'll do a follow-up review to give you the lowdown on our stay there & whether it's a keeper or not.


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## Cooking Goddess (Aug 29, 2019)

Recipes Make Magic said:


> Only about 50 sleeps till we leave on vacation to Villa Premiere in P.V.
> Can't wait !


I hope that resort is all you hope it to be, *RMM*.

We have 71 nights before we check in to our timeshare on Fort Myers Beach. I'm really not a "Florida person" (Himself wanted to retire to FL. I told him to marry someone else since I didn't. He picked me.  ). However, I'm actually looking forward to getting to FL this year! (And looking forward to seeing *tinlizzie* again.  ) We skipped last year since the small place (22 units) was undergoing a large renovation. FL during Labor Day week is not my idea of fun.


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## CWS4322 (Aug 31, 2019)

I have been looking for vrbn rentals in Texas (Nov 1 - Mar 31) that allow pets, are handicap equipped, have a fenced yard, and a pool. Now I just have to convince Dad we could do this. Okay, we'd be hauling a trailer and dealing with Mom's issues, but I really don't want to deal with another MN winter--the snow, the cold...ugh...so far, I am focussing on Austin and San Antonio.


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## Kayelle (Aug 31, 2019)

Recipes Make Magic said:


> Over the years, my wife and I have undertaken a lot of different types of vacationing - from month long car tours of European countries - (loved France & Italy for this )- to visits to a number of Asian hot spots like Bali, Singapore & Hong Kong - to renting oceanfront villas cost-shared with friends in several Caribbean islands - some more than once - to building and enjoying our own an oceanfront villa in Provo, in the Turks & Caicos, as a shared investment, rented out for 5 years, before selling when it got to be a lot of work.
> 
> But of course as we've aged, we've moved on to easier vacationing approaches, to be closer to home,  have less 'getting there' hassles, and of course at less cost - and found that all-inclusive mexican resorts in excellent climate & weather have fit the bill recently.




*RMM*, thanks for your most interesting reviews of the Mexican resorts. You should have a wonderful time on your next trip south. Places like that were my choice too in my previous life with my late husband. We stayed at several, both in Mexico and Jamaica and although we enjoyed them, they are part of my past. Western Mexico has no magic for me anymore. I much prefer Hawaii.
When I met and then married Steve the "Souschef" known here, my travel experiences expanded beyond my wildest dreams. You may be interested in reading some or all of our extraordinary adventures.
Travels Around the World With Steve & Kathy


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## Recipes Make Magic (Aug 31, 2019)

Kayelle said:


> *RMM*, thanks for your most interesting reviews of the Mexican resorts. You should have a wonderful time on your next trip south. Places like that were my choice too in my previous life with my late husband. We stayed at several, both in Mexico and Jamaica and although we enjoyed them, they are part of my past. Western Mexico has no magic for me anymore. I much prefer Hawaii.
> When I met and then married Steve the "Souschef" known here, my travel experiences expanded beyond my wildest dreams. You may be interested in reading some or all of our extraordinary adventures.
> Travels Around the World With Steve & Kathy


 

Thanks for your kind words, Kay.

I'll definitely have a peek through your travels....


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## Kayelle (Aug 31, 2019)

Recipes Make Magic said:


> Thanks for your kind words, Kay.
> 
> I'll definitely have a peek through your travels....




There's a lot to see there RMM.. 41 countries, 51 trips, 500 travel days, and 17 cruises. I'm grateful for every moment with him.


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## Recipes Make Magic (Aug 31, 2019)

Wow - truly enjoyed reading through your travels, Kathy & Steve - many thank for posting.


My wife Linda of near 30 years and I, (2nd marriage following my first wife's passing from cancer at a much too early age),  have also undertaken a significant amount of travel, which you've likely already gathered from my various comments, but I'm quite certain we still fall short of the numerous travels you've enjoyed !


Having lived in 18 different cities at various times, some for only a year or two, including stints in Singapore, Hong Kong, Paris, London,
Los Angeles, New York,  Grenada Isle, and Provo in the Turks & Caicaos, among many others throughout Canada, have certainly broadened our scope for a great deal of travel accumulation.


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## jennyema (Aug 31, 2019)

We go on one big trip every year.

Australia, Bora Bora, Morocco and this year Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Bali and Dubai.  Taking an Orient Express-type train from Bangkok to Singapore.


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## Kayelle (Aug 31, 2019)

That sounds fantastic Jenny!


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## Recipes Make Magic (Aug 31, 2019)

jennyema said:


> We go on one big trip every year.
> 
> Australia, Bora Bora, Morocco and this year Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Bali and Dubai. Taking an Orient Express-type train from Bangkok to Singapore.


 
I lived in Singapore for a few years  -visited all those countries several times and loved it.

If this is your first visit to that part of the world, you'll have a great time- especially the train ride from Bangkok to Singapore. And I know you'll find Bali extremely interesting.
Malaysia may seem a bit quiet compared to the other countries, but it can surprise you with it's beautiful architecture, among other things.

Don't be shy about trying all those countries' best/favored food dishes - unbelievable  flavors in many of them !


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## Recipes Make Magic (Sep 22, 2019)

With winter weather fast approaching, I thought it'd be timely to search out some more potential adults only, all-inclusive resorts easily & quickly reached from our west coast location - for 2020 booking.


For any of you folks in the western portion of the U.S. or Canada looking for, or at least thinking about, a possible wonderful vacation spot not too far from home, here's 3 that I found that meet with  4-5 star criteria expectations in most people's book:


I'm quite sure Linda & I will choose one of these, or some other among a few others we've found too, to go to later in 2020. 


You might want to check these out -


- The Hacienda at Hilton - Puerto Vallarta, Mx.


- Casa Velas Boutique Hotel - also Puerto Vallarta- only 80 rooms


- And here's a real neat one - further away - but you'd love Jamaica - been there several times & love it:


- Excellence - Oyster Bay - Montego Bay, Jamaica


You folks in the east should check this one out - more easily reached, and less costly too from all mid-eastern - east coast locations.


Have a look - it's super just looking at the pics !


-


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## Silversage (Sep 22, 2019)

Our subdivision has a sign at the entrance.. "We live where others vacation."


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## Recipes Make Magic (Sep 22, 2019)

Silversage said:


> Our subdivision has a sign at the entrance.. "We live where others vacation."


 

That is very true, and a wonderful area to live in.

I have friends in Florida though, who like to vacation away from home once in a while, say for example, to ski in Aspen or Vail, or even in B.C., Canada - to temporarily escape the heat & humidity.


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## Just Cooking (Sep 25, 2019)

Silversage said:


> Our subdivision has a sign at the entrance.. "We live where others vacation."



That's cute..  

Jeannie and I used to take a break from our home on Monterey Bay to travel a couple of hours south to Morro Bay, for long weekends..  

Different places to explore, different restaurants, etc..  

Ross


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## Cooking Goddess (Sep 25, 2019)

Silversage said:


> Our subdivision has a sign at the entrance.. "We live where *others vacation*."


Some people feel that one week per year in FL is enough.


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## Recipes Make Magic (Sep 28, 2019)

I thought it might be timely to refer you to post #10 above re: our impending vacation stay at Villa Premiere Boutique resort in Puerto Vallarta, Mx. 


It's just a couple of weeks away & we're really looking forward to it -  mainly because it's the first 5 star resort we've booked that is adults only - but only 80 rooms - small and presumably quiet, private and easy-going
 - and with the best of food, service, and ambiance.


We shall see, and I'll be sure to give you our candid review of our experience there.


Who knows - based on the reviews - there may be some of you that feel this type of resort may be just what you're looking for, or that you need to really relax & enjoy !






This will be a relatively new experience for us


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## Kayelle (Sep 28, 2019)

I'm sure you'll have a wonderful time Paul. 

I've been wanting to mention in this thread that I know you must be aware of the tainted liquor problems in some of these Mexican all inclusive resorts. Please tell me you are aware of the ongoing problems as they are really concerning.


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## Andy M. (Sep 28, 2019)

Kayelle said:


> I'm sure you'll have a wonderful time Paul.
> 
> I've been wanting to mention in this thread that I know you must be aware of the tainted liquor problems in some of these Mexican all inclusive resorts. Please tell me you are aware of the ongoing problems as they are really concerning.



I hadn't heard of the tainted alcohol in Mexico, just the Dominican Republic. It appears to be spreading.


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## Recipes Make Magic (Sep 29, 2019)

Serious tainted alcohol issues in Mexico are not widespread - in fact they are few and far between - The last well reported incident I read about was the decease of a young couple at a resort near Playa Del Carmen some 2 years ago. (The east side of Mexico near Cancun).
The couple were highly intoxicated, with overly excessive amounts of alcohol in their systems, and pure alcohol poisoning was said to be the cause of death. (Nothing toxic added to the alcohol).


From what I've gathered, a very few lower class (e.g. 2 stars) Mexican resorts checked out by Mexican authorities have been found to be carrying & serving poor quality, home-made liquor brews (particularly tequila) that in some cases could have caused discomfort/minor temporary health problems in some individuals. Apparently not a large problem by any means, as these resort types largely serve watered down drinks in any event.


Linda & I have travelled to Mexico extensively for at least 25 years, and have never heard of, or seen, any type of such an issue at any of the many resorts we've vacationed at.


The 3, 4 & 5 star resorts in Mexico are so very careful about maintaining their reputations to ensure repeat tourist business, that they police themselves extremely well in regard particularly to the alcoholic liquors they serve.


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## Recipes Make Magic (Sep 29, 2019)

P.S.
I don't mean to appear to be making light of these occurrences - they can & do happen - at a number of different places around the world.
But they are not overly frequent - certainly not on the western- Pacific side of Mexico


The ones in Mexico though, are close to home and get reported widely in North America. 
I often take what's repeated on google with a grain of salt - as many reports seem to be sensationalized, overly dramatized,  exaggerated, or even lacking in facts or untrue.


Our experience at all Mexican resorts to date has been nothing short of very good - we do take care and are quite careful with what we eat and drink.
All of our vacations have been well researched and all the reviews taken note of.
I seldom have more than 1 cocktail a day - and usually stick to a beer or glass of wine from a freshly opened bottle.
We drink only bottled water, and not much of that, and check that it was properly capped, and the source known if we can determine that.


Nuff said though - we remain aware & wary.


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## Kayelle (Oct 1, 2019)

I don't want to sound like an alarmist Paul and now I'm assured you know that Mexico has always had it's problems with bad water, and now bad liquor. 

On our final trip to Mexico, my late husband and I enjoyed an upscale all inclusive resort and I became deathly ill the day after getting back home. I was hospitalized for three days on IV's and it turned out to be the milk I enjoyed with my meals there. My husband hated milk. Once you have been poisoned (and live) you never forget it.


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## Recipes Make Magic (Oct 1, 2019)

Kayelle said:


> I don't want to sound like an alarmist Paul and now I'm assured you know that Mexico has always had it's problems with bad water, and now bad liquor.
> 
> On our final trip to Mexico, my late husband and I enjoyed an upscale all inclusive resort and I became deathly ill the day after getting back home. I was hospitalized for three days on IV's and it turned out to be the milk I enjoyed with my meals there. My husband hated milk. Once you have been poisoned (and live) you never forget it.


 

Your concern is appreciated Kay - thank you.
Very sorry to hear of your terrible experience with milk turned bad - an occurrence which can be experienced from time to time at vacation spots anywhere.


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## Recipes Make Magic (Oct 1, 2019)

Or from food poisoning of any kind for that matter.


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## TATTRAT (Oct 1, 2019)

I much prefer cruising to land based trips. It's the benefits of an all inclusive resort, but you get to wake up in another location every day or two.


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## Recipes Make Magic (Oct 1, 2019)

TATTRAT said:


> I much prefer cruising to land based trips. It's the benefits of an all inclusive resort, but you get to wake up in another location every day or two.


 
We've done that too, many times, and agree with you - to a certain extent.

But now we find that getting to & from the departure and return cruise ports can be somewhat of a hassle, not to mention the  extra cost of flights thereto & back, and the higher cost of most cruises, depending on where to & from, and for how many days, over & above what the overall cost is for an oceanfront all-inclusive resort.

Besides that, yes, you get to wake up in a different location every day or two, but a lot of them are rather blah, and easily forgotten about. I don't think that's any advantage.

Having said that, different strokes for different folks, right ?


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## Kayelle (Oct 1, 2019)

Paul, have you cruised to Hawaii round trip from Vancouver? Traveling without any airports at all is a wonderful thing. There are few places (if any) in the world as beautiful as Hawaii. We will be doing our second round trip out of Los Angeles in March we loved it so much the first time. We'll have a full two room suite, and all the perks that go along with this 15 day cruise. You really should check it out...
https://www.princess.com/cruise-search/details?voyageCode=A032


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## Recipes Make Magic (Oct 2, 2019)

Kayelle said:


> Paul, have you cruised to Hawaii round trip from Vancouver? Traveling without any airports at all is a wonderful thing. There are few places (if any) in the world as beautiful as Hawaii. We will be doing our second round trip out of Los Angeles in March we loved it so much the first time. We'll have a full two room suite, and all the perks that go along with this 15 day cruise. You really should check it out...
> https://www.princess.com/cruise-search/details?voyageCode=A032


 
Have vacationed on one or another Hawaiian island several times over the years, but not ever cruised there. (doing so from Vancouver & return would be very pleasant, I'm sure)

Thanks for the link Kay - very interesting - we'll look into that cruise for 2020 at around this time of year.


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## TATTRAT (Oct 3, 2019)

Recipes Make Magic said:


> We've done that too, many times, and agree with you - to a certain extent.
> 
> But now we find that getting to & from the departure and return cruise ports can be somewhat of a hassle, not to mention the  extra cost of flights thereto & back, and the higher cost of most cruises, depending on where to & from, and for how many days, over & above what the overall cost is for an oceanfront all-inclusive resort.
> 
> ...



I guess being close to a terminal does help. Even for our transatlantics, it's only a 3 hour train to NYC...or a 6 hour flight, but last 2 time, air has been under $300 (through the cruise line) so a bargain.

I guess depends on the locale. We still think of Iceland, the Shetland isles, Belgium, France, The UK, The Azores, Barcelona, Portugal and many many more, and can't wait to get back. The Bahamas are the only place I would still go back to if it was on an itinerary, but be meh about. One of the reasons we actually prefer it over a land based all inclusive, especially in areas where they don't recommend going off campus.

The HI circuit from BC is really quite an awesome trip. Looking to go out of BC for our first Alaskan cruise maybe next year, or the year after. I quite like BC, lived/worked at Whistler for 2 seasons, and fell in love with the whole Pacific NW.


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## larry_stewart (Oct 3, 2019)

My next vacation is Cleveland


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## Cooking Goddess (Oct 3, 2019)

I'm jealous, larry! I hope you get to Westside Market while you're in town. Enjoy America's North Coast. [emoji813]


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## TATTRAT (Oct 4, 2019)

larry_stewart said:


> My next vacation is Cleveland



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MmSW-OM8h8c


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## Kayelle (Oct 4, 2019)

TATTRAT said:


> I guess being close to a terminal does help. Even for our transatlantics, it's only a 3 hour train to NYC...or a 6 hour flight, but last 2 time, air has been under $300 (through the cruise line) so a bargain.
> 
> I guess depends on the locale. We still think of Iceland, the Shetland isles, Belgium, France, The UK, The Azores, Barcelona, Portugal and many many more, and can't wait to get back. The Bahamas are the only place I would still go back to if it was on an itinerary, but be meh about. One of the reasons we actually prefer it over a land based all inclusive, especially in areas where they don't recommend going off campus.
> 
> The HI circuit from BC is really quite an awesome trip. Looking to go out of BC for our first Alaskan cruise maybe next year, or the year after. I quite like BC, lived/worked at Whistler for 2 seasons, and fell in love with the whole Pacific NW.




You'll love that Alaskan cruise *Tat*! You're so right about your home location being a big factor with travel. It's a big a deal depending on what coast of the USA you're nearest. We've enjoyed several trips to Europe, but flying across the country and then on to Europe can be a killer with a minimum 11 hrs. flight time. We have flown west for 11 hrs and landed in Tahiti.


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