New year... new daily posts..more resorts

Hi travel fans out there. Today is a brand new day..prepare for a daily dose of Sue...

This is the New Logo of the company and I welcome all of my readers. 
Many new things have happened in the travel business since we last communicated. Here is just one!

Karisma resorts, who operate all El Dorado, Nickelodeon, Azul and more made an announcement last week:

KINGSTON, Jamaica -- Travel Agent was on hand Tuesday afternoon for a monumental signing between Karisma Hotels & Resorts and the Jamaica Tourist Board.

It calls for 10 new Karisma Hotels & Resorts properties representing 5,000 new rooms in Jamaica. All of the rooms will be ready within the next 10 years, with the first scheduled to open around the summer of 2018.

Dubbed "Sugarcane," the resort represents an investment of more than $100 million,Rafael Feliz, Jr., corporate brand manager for Premier Worldwide Marketing, told Travel Agent last year. 

Sugarcane will be located in the parish of St. Ann and is about 40 minutes from the Montego Bay airport. It is also 10 minutes from the famous Dunn's River Falls in Ocho Rios. Mandy Chomat, vice president of sales and marketing for Karisma Hotels & Resorts, told us in December that it will be the only area in the Caribbean with such a concentration of luxury hotels.

Travel Agent was told by several Karisma Hotels & Resorts officials that there has been no official discussion on whether the company's new Nickelodeon Hotels & Resorts brand will be included in the resort complex.

For those of you who don't know...Karisma is the gourmet inclusive brand. Best and I mean Best food I have found anywhere in the islands. Prepare to have your mouth water...and gain one or two pounds. Jamaica here we come..

Last summer I took my son, his wife and daughter to Azul Beach in Cancun. Upon arrival my granddaughter was greeted by Spongebob, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and a big milshake with whipped cream..I would rather have that than a cocktail..yum..

Here are a few photos of that trip..first and foremost, my granddaughter Samantha!!

Monkeys, milkshakes & magic.

Imagine creating an entirely new genre of luxury beachfront family hotels – from scratch. You’d start with the most unspoiled white-sand beaches in Mexico and Jamaica. You’d cater to families, but welcome couples, brides, grooms and groups.

Accommodations would be luxurious, from beachfront Jacuzzi® swim-up suites to rooftop Sky Suites to private oceanfront villas. Here you’d discover personal concierge, 24-hour room service, baby amenities and toys. You’d offer supervised daytime activities and clubs for teens, tweens and toddlers, allowing parents to enjoy luxuries such as cozy beach beds with beach butler service, adult pools, swim-up bars and Zen-inspired spas. Then you’d make the entire experience Gourmet Inclusive®, with superb international à la carte cuisine and other gourmet delights.

What would you call these enchanting Caribbean beach escapes under brilliant indigo skies? You’d call them Azul.

all them Azul.

• 
  

• Karisma Gourmet Inclusive® Experience Features

• Welcome glass of sparkling wine
• Accommodations as selected
• Alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages from a selection of domestic and international premium brands
• All meals and specialty snacks
• Complimentary Wi-Fi
• Free International calls
• Daily activities program
• Azulitos program
• Playhouse
• Kayaks (marine park federal tax may apply)
• Scuba diving clinics in pool
• Spanish lessons, yoga, stretching classes, aqua aerobics, dance, cooking classes and more
• Fitness Center
• Special nightly entertainment, shows and live music
• Cribs, bottle warmers, sterilizers, baby baths, changers, strollers, bath robes, baby sleepers, baby monitors, high chairs and pack n' plays
• Gerber baby food available in all restaurants and from room service

.

Travel, travel and more travel...Hyatt Ziva, Hyatt Zilara Jamaica.

Hello out there my friends,

It has been quite some time since we last spoke about the wonderful world of travel. I was invited to go to the grand opening of the Hyatt Ziva and Zilara in Jamaica.  These resorts used to be the old
Ritz Carlton Rose Hall Jamaica and after a year of renovations they have become the sparking gem of
Jamaica.
The resort is run by a Jamaican staff so the feel of Jamaica has not been lost like so many other of the newer resorts in Jamaica.
There are two sides of the resort. One is the Ziva (the family side) and the newly built Zilara which is adults only.
Staying on the Zilara side will gain entrance to Ziva...but not the other way around.
Everything is new...even the new expanded beach. The Moroccan themed bar upstairs on the Ziva side looks like a trendy south beach bistro.

This resort has a Brazilian steak house, french restaurant, authentic jerk outdoor restaurant, coffee bar with pastries 24/7..ooh la la.

Take the family, take your friends and come on down to the Hyatt in Jamaica,where this all inclusive
resort will amaze your senses.


Hyatt Ziva Hyatt Zilara Rose Hall Grand Opening


 

A new day in the life of Travelsue

Today begins a new life for me. I still will be one of the voices of the all inclusive travel industry. I will just try to post every day and see where that takes me.

Here we go. I just came back from Punta Cana..Majestic Colonial and Majestic Elegance.
If you can, stay in the club section. It is fabulous.
I did not meet a single employee who had a frown on his or her face and all either spoke english or did their best to speak english.
Friendly beyond belief, I had always felt that the dominican republic was just not my cup of tea.
Run by an amazing group of people, including Pauline...There is something to do every minute of the day and night.
Amazing food, buffets and a la carte galore, the chef is simply amazing.

Located on a beautiful stretch of bavaro beach, I can only rave about this resort and show you the most amazing time I had.
Below is the foam party

Everything else

                                       





Until tomorrow when there is more more more

Weddings in the Caribbean

Hi friends..

This is my new office logo for the company. I really like it but we know a logo doesn't say much. This says sun and palm trees..so for the past 20 yrs I have been selling trip for fun in the sun. 

After thinking long and hard what direction I want the next 20 years to go it, I

have decided to specialize. That doesn't mean I won't sell everything to my faithful clients, it just means I have chosen what I consider the best for sun and fun and want to concentrate on the below:

DESTINATION WEDDINGS...everywhere..Do you know it's much less expensive to have a destination wedding that to have a wedding and honeymoon?

Your wedding becomes your honeymoon when you choose a destination wedding:

Lets start with islands:

Antigua- Sandals or Grand Pineapple (soon to be a Beaches)

Aruba--Occidental, Hyatt,Marriot..only Occidental is all inclusive

Barbados--Sandals Barbados is my only choice-get married in one day.

Bahamas--Sandals Exuma and Sandals Royal Bahamian in Nassau.

Also in Nassau..the new Warwick in Paradise island and the new Melia in cable beach.3 days to get married

Curacao--eh..not sure..Sunscape used to be a great property..I need to check it out. 

Dominican Republic

Punta Cana--

Dreams Resorts

Now resorts

Secrets Resorts

Excellence Punta Cana

Iberostar resorts

Royalton and Splash resorts

Paradisus resorts

Majestic resorts

Casa De Campo

Hard Rock Punta Cana

Jamaica..go on Thursday..get married on Sat..easy as pie

Azul Sensatori Jamaica

Beaches Resorts

Couples Resorts

Grand Pineapple Resorts

Half Moon Resort

Hyatt Ziva and Zilara

Jamaica Inn- the oldest resort in Jamaica

Jewel resorts

Moon Palace Jamaica Grande

Royalton White Sands

Secrets resorts

Sunset at the Palms

Sandals Resorts

I have decided as a sub specialty to do jewish weddings.

YOU CAN HAVE A JEWISH WEDDING AT MOST RESORTS IN JAMAICA. THERE ARE TWO RABBIS ON THE ISLAND AND ONE SPIRITUAL ADVISOR WHO CAN AND DOES JEWISH WEDDINGS.

Rabbis from Chabad will travel to most caribbean islands to do jewish weddings and Beaches Turks and Caicos offers kosher food.

Next blog will be weddings in Mexico.........

Contact sue@atimetotravel.com for any information.

Sandals Resorts Lovers:

 Sandals Carlyle will become Grand Pineapple Carlyle in December 2015. 

 A charming and  quaint 52 room resort located in the heart of Montego Bay. Call Sue at A Time to Travel near Miami,FL at 954 -575 6101

Sandals Barbados will open in January 2015.

Watch for news about "Family Friendly" Beaches Antigua and  Beaches Barbados

news:

Sunset Jamaica Grande will become Moon Palace Jamaica Grande in Ocho Rios Jamaica...in the spring of 2015. What a fabulous family resort. 

Braco Village in Discovery Bay Jamaica will soon become a Melia All Inclusive Resort. Can't wait!

Ritz Carlton Rose Hall is opening in November as the adult only all inclusive Hyatt Zilara and 

the family friendly Hyatt Ziva. Check Out This Luxury Resort:

Above: The New Hyatt Zilara (Formerly Ritz Carlton Rose Hall Resort) Montego Bay,Jamaica

St Thomas USVI (US Virgin Islands)

Sugar Bay Resort will become Dreams Sugar Bay resort and will open as an All Anclusive Resort.

NO US PASSPORTS REQUIRED.

Mexico
Good news for Cabo...Only minimal damage to the resorts from the latest  September 2014 hurricane.

So many resorts to open soon in Cancun/Riviera Maya.

The Finest Resort Playa Mujeres by the Excellence Resorts Family Friendly

Secrets Playa Mujeres opening this fall.

Royalton Cancun to open.

Dreams Sands will open soon.

No Extra Fees or Hidden Surprises with A Time to Travel. 954-575-6101

Specializing in All Inclusive Destination Weddings-Honeymoons A Family Vacations Since 1994.

I needed to post this

 

On This New Wedding “Trend” of Brides and Their Bridesmaids Showing Their Bare Butts for a Photo: No, No, No, No, No, No

By Carrie Denny  |  June 27, 2014 at 11:41 am

 

I borrowed that string of No‘s, readers, from the subject line of one of the many people who have emailed me to make sure this—this thing—is on my radar, because it very succinctly sums up my reaction to it, too.
Here is the thing we’re talking about. I’ll pause a minute while you soak it in:






Here's the thing: When it comes to weddings, you will be hard-pressed to find a person who is more whatever-floats-your-boat, whatever-blows-your-skirt-up than me—I am always preaching to brides not to worry about trends or what's "cool" or what's "in" or what the "rules" are, because I truly believe that especially when it comes to something like a wedding, everyone should do what they want—and I'm not suspending that for this. If you really feel like this fits you and your vibe and your wedding (like, I kinda get that feeling from the fishnet-donning bride and her party above?) and if you really feel certain that in 40 years as your grandchildren page through your well-worn wedding album and come upon this photo that you will beam and say, "Didn't Grandma look good, honey?" then by all means, knock yourself out.
But what I am saying is that I don't like it. I don't even get it. There doesn't seem to be a consistent motivation, judging by the evidence: Is it supposed to be coquettish? Cute? Mischievous? Sexy? Silly? Rebellious? Burlesque-ish? Little-girl-and-the-puppy-on-the-Coopertone-bottle-ish? Cheeky (and yes, I am cringing at the pun)? I honestly don't know.
There is a time and a place for a bare ass, see, even when it comes to weddings—a boudoir shoot! Your wild bachelorette party! Your clothes-optional honeymoon! Even that ridiculous "morning-after" photography, if that is still a thing that people are doing—but your actual wedding is not it. I don't care if you are spending $2,000 or $20,000 or $200,000 on your celebration, your wedding is not the appropriate backdrop for a bare ass, unless of course you and your new mister are overcome with newly-married passion and get at it in the coatroom/limo/bathroom, in which case by all means, God bless.
Just, no.

My first trip to Sandals Grenada

Hi friends!

It's been a long long time since my last post, but soon you can find them coming in fast and furious.
I have done a good bit of traveling and here I am to tell you about the oh so very wonderful
Sandals La Toc Grenada.

Ok, so the flights aren't the best but it's well worth getting there at 730pm. This resort
encompasses the best that Sandals has to offer. Butch Stewart took the best of all of his resorts
and placed it in one beautiful resort.

Located in the southern caribbean, just north of Trinidad, be sure to bring your sun block because that sun it hot. And you won't feel yourself getting fried. Maybe sunblock 75?

Upon arrival at the resort, just 2 minutes from the airport, you go over a hill and then see the twinkling lights
of the resort and surrounding areas. Can take your breath away.

Ok so the first night is an eat, drink, merriment..I don't think so because you are so tired from the day of travel.  And if you really don't want to spend all that for one night you really wont
get to experience, stay at a small hotel near the airport and then venture over to Sandals 
the next morning. Its very easy to do.

Ok waking up in the morning..you have the wonderful buffet, or the sit down breakfast at the
french restaurant.  Sign me up for the sit down every single day. The atmosphere, oh so romantic. Of course I was with my friend, and she and I don't feel the romance.

The pool, the beach...just everything and anything to choose from. The south seas
pool is the main pool. I wouldn't say it's the noisiest pool I have ever been to, but certainly
the drinks were flowing.

Night one..dinner....the super fabulous Butch's Chop House, with their signature dish, 
filet and lobster...Melts in your mouth, no butter required. WOW..

There is evening entertainment at the library, bars galore, or simply get a second
dessert at Cafe de Paris. Yum!!!

I must give kudos to Soy!!! I am not a sushi fan...but holy ....... this place was amazing..right on down to the chocolate martiinis. 

Although I was only there for a few days. Every single thing was perfect. From the dining,
to the staff to the housekeeping team. This resort is an absolute must!!!!

I can't wait until I go back...OH WAIT. I go back on Sat April 26 for the grand opening.

Come one, come all to Sandals Grenada...