Huge Savings on the new ELITE Rooms at Casa de Campo!

APRIL & NOVEMBER OFFER:
Valid for programs held April 5-30 and November 1-30, 2010
Experience our new Elite rooms with a FREE category upgrade...book now and save up to $300 per room on your
4-night program!

•	Savings represented on rate inclusive of tax and service charges.
•	Available for select dates and new bookings only. Some restrictions apply.

BEST VALUE SEASON OFFER:
Valid May 1 - October 31, 2010
Elite Room with Golf Cart $195 per room single/double occupancy, per night, 4-night minimum.

•	One Complimentary meeting room for entire group stay.
•	One Complimentary function area for private group event (on day of your choice).
•	Private group check-in and assistance of in-house Group Specialist.
•	Complimentary turn down service each night.

In addition, a 5% discount on your choice of ONE of the following:

–	Spa Services
–	Food & Beverage consumption charges
–	Entertainment Charges
–	Group Excursions or Team Building Activities

Casa de Campo Spring Promo

The PUNTACANA Hotel Marks 40th Anniversary with Fabulous Upgrades!

Introducing RiuLand - Riu Hotels New Kid's Program!

Riu suggests that children explore a program of 12 themed days that include Aqualand Day, with games in the pool; Riu Olympic, a day for group sports and individual events; and Piratesland, a day of tough pirate contests and treasure hunting. Two of these themed days stand out for the educational value that tops off the fun: Riu World and Ecoland. The first introduces children to the cultures of different countries through the most popular children’s games from these places. And Ecoland is a day devoted to ecology that encourages kids to get to know the ecosystem of the hotel’s natural surroundings through a number of different activities that also seek to reinforce the importance of caring for the environment. Another feature of RiuLand is that children are always the protagonists, which is why the children’s plays staged once a week in the hotel’s theater are not performed for children, but by them instead. In addition to glittering shows in the evening, RiuLand offers RiuLand Parties, which feature dance games, shows and the Miss and Mr. RiuLand contest, with a prize given to the winners. For more information or reservations, visit Riu Hotels.

20% Off at the NEW Moon Palace Punta Cana!

A Private Island for the rest of us...

A villa by the sea... DR style

One of my loveliest clients, Nicole, just returned from a week at Villa Bahia Rincon in Samana, Dominican Republic. She snapped a few amazing shots to share...

This is the view of the beach from one of the breezy four-poster beds...

The 7 bedroom/7 bathroom villa by the sea has plenty of places to sit and relax... and plan your next visit!

And there's a long term rental special... if you book my March 1, 2009 for travel July 1 to August 30, 2009, you may rent the entire villa for $4500/total for TWO weeks... and only $1500/week for each additional week.

Spring Summer Sale to the Dominican Republic~

Shopping in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic

Punta Cana, Dominican Republic is a vacation destination unlike any other. Where the more traditional tourism hubs like Cabo or Cancun were somewhat gentrified prior to their current and more glamorized state, Punta Cana was scarcely a third-world city before it was seemingly conquered and converted into a mass of hotels and attractions and all-inclusive beachfront amenities.

Likewise, vacationing in Punta Cana is confined to the resort; they are sprawling and lapping over into one another, and the chance of you doing anything absent of a Punta Cana resort affiliation is fairly slim.

To combat any cabin fever that could transpire as a result of keeping cooped up in your hotel, when an opportunity to escape the shackles of an otherwise relaxing vacation emerges, you take it, and you embrace it.

Money—not that you haven't already extinguished enough of it by the time you actually make it to the Dominican, but we spend it, regardless, even while on vacation, and there are plenty of shopping centers in Punta Cana that will happily accept your money. While much of what you find there can typically pick up elsewhere, some are unique to the country and its culture.

Artesany Center - Offers everything from hammocks, crafted before you, to Guayacan wood pieces, to live shows. The Artesany Center inhabits a natural Dominican atmosphere and the crafts sold there are typically authentic and native to the country.

Plaza Bavero - Largest shopping center in Punta Cana. A diverse store selection populates the premises, ranging from drug stores to campy souvenir shops.

Plaza Punta Cana - A smaller bank of stores, situated across from the Occidental Flamenco.

El Cortesito Flee Market - Right on the beach and offering traditional Dominican textiles and food. Offers an eclectic sampling of the country's culture and its various exports.

If not for some novelty memorabilia, or the occasional deal, getting out from your Punta Cana resort and shopping can be your vacation from your vacation.

Punta Cana – Different City, Different Casinos

The city of Punta Cana is one drowned in All-inclusive resorts; a packaged vacation that has become a trend of recent years. All meals, drinks, entertainment, and activities are included in one reasonable price. So venturing from resort-property is somewhat uncommon and tragically limited, right? Wrong. There is a common misunderstanding that an invisible fence, somewhere, is keeping you from venturing off to other properties, and that is just not the case.

Recently, the gambling industry of Punta Cana has seen new casinos post up at some of the larger All-inclusives, mirroring their Vegas brethren in everything from the décor, to the games, and even the odds. No wonder, then, that as you walk through the doors of the city's casinos, that you are overcome by the same accosting characteristics; the flashing lights, the sporadic sirens, table games, and the slot machines. There exist, however, a few subtle differences between the two that run the risk of turning an otherwise enjoyable vacation into one that has you stretching every last dollar.

The Basics

• The casinos of Punta Cana offer the same odds as Las Vegas.


• Bets are accepted in both pesos and US dollars. However, casinos have lower minimum bets for those who play in pesos.


• Compared to Vegas Casinos, Punta Cana's are much smaller.


• Most will cash travelers' checks and allow you to charge chips to your credit card. ATMs are also abundant on the casino floors.
  

Game Differences

• Keno and SuperKeno are played much differently in the Dominican Republic. Unlike Vegas Keno where you select 20 of 80 numbers in the hope of having yours called, this version is played with a marked felt table and player-chosen balls sold for $5 each.
  
  Not only are the odds terrible, but the game is on rented floor space and therefore not affiliated with the casino.


• In place of Texas Hold'em Poker and Seven Card Stud are Caribbean Stud and video poker.


• British single zero roulette is replaced by a double zero version.

Casinos You Should Visit

• Casino at Paradisus Palma Real


• Bavaro Princess Casino


• Rio Palace


• Catalonia Casino

As with any casino experience, it is suggested to find and play the games that you are most familiar with and the ones that have favorable odds.

The casinos of Punta Cana are house in some of its larger All-inclusives, available to non-residents and ideal for anyone just wanting to sample the city outside of what their resort allows them.

Last Minute Fall Specials!

Check out these great FALL Specials I found for Caribbean Vacations and Mexico Vacations!

Rates include roundtrip ground transfers between the airport and hotel, hotel accommodations, the all-inclusive meal plan when indicated, and ALL taxes, service fees. Discounted Airfare sold separately.

Antigua – 4 nights at 45% Off at the Verandah Resort & Spa – 3.5 Stars - $553/per person ALL-INCLUSIVE! Book by 11/15/2008 for travel NOW to 11/30/2008. Contact Us and mention REALDEAL #2956

Aruba – 4 nights & $100 Food & Beverage Credit at the Radisson Aruba Resort & Spa – 4.5 Stars - $537/per person! Book by 11/29/2008 for travel NOW to 12/18/2008. Contact Us and mention REALDEAL #2958
Romantic rooms with great views at the Radisson:

Aruba – 4 nights at the Tamarijn Aruba Resort & Spa – 3 Stars - $595/per person ALL-INCLUSIVE! Book by 11/29/2008 for travel NOW to 12/15/2008. Contact Us and mention REALDEAL #2960

Bahamas – 4 nights at the Sheridan Cable Beach Resort – 4 Stars - $320/per person! Book by 8/30/2008 for travel 8/10/2008 to 10/29/2008. Contact Us and mention REALDEAL #2961

Bahamas – 3 nights at the Atlantis Beach Tower – 4 Stars - $440/per person! Book by 9/2/2008 for travel 8/28/2008 to 10/29/2008. Contact Us and mention REALDEAL #2962

Cabo – 5 Nights, free room upgrade, and $50 Resort Credit at Melia Cabo Real – 3.5 Stars - $544/per person! Book by 11/15/2008 for travel 10/1/2008 to 11/30/2008. Book by 10/16/2008 for travel 10/1/2008 to 10/31/2008. Contact Us and mention REALDEAL #2963

Some of Cabo's clearest water at the Melia:

Cancun – 4 Nights at Great Parnassus Resort & Spa – 3 Stars - $256/per person ALL-INCLUSIVE! Book by 10/16/2008 for travel 10/1/2008 to 10/31/2008. Contact Us and mention REALDEAL #2964

Cancun – 3 Nights at Excellence Rivera Maya – 4.3 Stars - $557/per person ALL-INCLUSIVE! Book by 9/1/2008 for travel 10/1/2008 to 10/31/2008. Contact Us and mention REALDEAL #2965

Jamaica – 4 Nights at 35% Off at Sunset Beach Resort & Spa – 3.5 Stars - $336/per person ALL-INCLUSIVE! Book by 11/13/2008 for travel 8/24/2008 to 12/16/2008. Contact Us and mention REALDEAL #2966

Jamaica – 4 Nights at 40% Off at Beaches Boscobel- 4 Stars - $818/per person ALL-INCLUSIVE! Book by 9/15/2008 for travel 9/1/2008 to 9/30/2008. Contact Us and mention REALDEAL #2967

Puerto Rico – 4 Nights at 40% Off at Rio Mar Beach Resort & Spa – 4.5 Stars - $362/per person! Book by 10/17/2008 for travel NOW to 11/1/2008. Contact Us and mention REALDEAL #2968

Puerto Rico – 4 Nights with Buy One Night, Get One Free at Gran Melia Puerto Rico – 4 Stars - $363/per person! Book by 9/29/2008 for travel 8/18/2008 to 12/12/2008. Contact Us and mention REALDEAL #2969

Punta Cana – 4 Nights at 30% Off at Grand Paradise Bavaro – 3 Stars - $249/per person ALL-INCLUSIVE! Book by 8/30/2008 for travel 9/1/2008 to 12/21/2008. Contact Us and mention REALDEAL #2970

Punta Cana – 4 Nights at 30% Off at Excellence Punta Cana – 4.5 Stars - $496/per person ALL-INLCUSIVE! Book by 8/30/2008 for travel 8/24/2008 to 10/31/2008. Contact Us and mention REALDEAL #2971

St. Thomas – 4th Night free at Bolongo Bay Resort, $50 Resort Credit, $100 AMEX Gift Cheque – 3 Stars - $432/per person! Book by 10/14/2008 for travel 9/1/2008 to 10/27/2008. Contact Us and mention REALDEAL #2972

Turks & Caicos – 5 Nights with $400 Resort Credit & Daily Breakfast at the Regent Palms – 5+ Stars - $1275/per person! Book by 9/29/2008 for travel NOW to 10/31/2008. Contact Us and mention REALDEAL #2973

First class luxury at the Regent:

Top Pools of Punta Cana

Vacations and children—not necessarily the most synonymous concepts; so when the two combine, compromises must be made, right? Do you go to the museum or Six Flags? Is it ice cream or sorbet? Do you see the latest animated flick or something with subtitles? In Punta Cana there really are no compromises and if you're ever forced into a situation where one must be made, it will be strictly on your terms.

A way to keep everyone happy and still come out a hero is to choose a hotel with an extremely lavish pool; one that mimics something from Indiana Jones; with multiple tiers and palm trees covering the sky, branches fluttering with the breeze. The pools of Punta Cana truly leave nothing to be desired, so that's why winnowing the best from the rest may seem like just the solution to keeping your kids at bay and smiles on their faces.

The pool at Paradisus Puna Cana is not really a pool; more of a secret lagoon buried in a jungle, which just so happens to be buried in a sprawling luxury resort.

It features a blanket of blue shimmering water interrupted only by large rock clusters, fountains, and swim-up tiki-bars. Lounge beneath thick fans of Dominican jungle flora and unwind to the soothing tune of rushing water and Punta Cana's wildlife.


The pool at Club Med is seemingly larger than Paradisus', and much more oblong, snaking alongside bushels of Palm and huts of thatched roofing.

We came to the conclusion that, although an otherwise dazzling presentation, the pool at Club Med is certainly geared more towards children as its depth is, for the most part, shallow and its location, not as secluded.


A TripAdvisor.com consensus named Iberostar Bavaro a top budget hotel in Punta Cana; no wonder, then, that their pool is epic in size, with only a prominent bouquet of trees and foliage at its center.

Similar to Paradisus Punta Cana, the pool of Iberostar Bavaro is portal to a tropical oasis, teeming with lush vegetation; developing into a setting perfect for lounging under the shade or basking in the sun.

These three pools are products not of trend—no gimmicks to mindlessly entertain here—but instead, blend leafy jungle aesthetics into warm, tranquil waters. If not to keep the kids entertained, these pools will have you out of the room and in the sun all day, as they did us.

Adults Only Caribbean Resorts

Lately, the most frequent question I hear is "What resorts in the Caribbean are for Adults Only?" Below is my short list of faves and you can view more on my website! Picture is from one that always tops my list of recommendations, Couples Swept Away in Negril, Jamaica.





ALL Couples Resorts in Jamaica
ALL Sandals Resorts, Jamaica, Antigua, Bahamas, St. Lucia
Excellence Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
Galley Bay in Antigua
Dian Bay in Antigua
Almond Beach Club & Spa in Barbados
La Source in Grenada
Grand Lido in Negril, Jamaica
The Caves in Negril, Jamaica
Jamaica Inn in Ocho Rios, Jamaica
Royal Plantation in Ocho Rios, Jamaica
Grand Lido Braco in Runaway Bay, Jamaica
Le Sport in St. Lucia
Rendezvous in St. Lucia
Palm Island Resort in the Grenadines

Check back for a list for Mexico's Playa del Carmen and Mayan Rivera!

Choosing a Resort to Match Your Personality

There is that old saying "you can tell a lot about a person by the shoes they wear." Whatever truth that may carry, and my best guess is not very much, it goes without saying that your vacation is a reflection of who you are. College kids travel in hoards to the beaches of Mexico in search of relaxed laws. Some of us, we flock to opposite poles of the world for different flavors of cultural experience. In Punta Cana, the variation between hotels offers a similar range of diversity, truly offering something for everybody.

Punta Cana's resorts span from the personalized,all-about-you services of smaller hotels to the overwhelming extravagance of the chains and boldnamers. What remains constant throughout most of the country and trend to most of the Dominican Republic's hospitality industry are the all-inclusive packages that fulfill almost every demand of a successful vacation. That covered, identifying a hotel that matches your personality, or your shoes, is the next step to finalizing your retreat.

For traveling families, TheStreet.com recommends nothing but the all-inclusives, as they tend to offer special family rates and activities to keep children to tweens occupied. The site suggests booking a reservation at larger reputable hotels.

"Sol Melia's Paradisus Punta Cana gets consistently good reviews." TheStreet.com said, "The sprawling but stylish property has four swimming pools, four tennis courts, a spa and health club, and on-call medical staff. For meals, there are eight a la carte and two buffet restaurants to choose from. Family activities include horseback riding, dance classes, snorkeling and scuba diving. The Family Concierge Suite starts at about $400 per day, including meals and activities. Kids are given t-shirts, floaters and walkie talkies to communicate with their parents."

Vacation planning with a golfing or fishing agenda should look not further than Casa de Campo, home to 3 courses designed by Peter Dye. The greens host international tournaments year-round and are frequented by professionals. Beside the golf, the hotel has over 300 rooms, 9 restaurants, 3 pools, and charters deep-sea fishing expeditions that see its visitors hooking tuna, kingfish, marlin, and barracuda.

In North-East Dominican Republic, the little town of Cabarete, population 20000, attracts a kiteboarding and windsurfing following. Velero Beach Resort, situated on a corner of the main beach, is a minute's walk out the lobby to all of Cabaretes' wind-sports. In the evening, a younger crowd invades the shoreline as the clubs open their doors and DJs spin their records.

To escape the hotel genres and wane to semi-seclusion, Casa Colonial, a hotel that resembles a manor, offer 50 modern luxury-resorts stocked with flat-screen televisions, high-speed internet, mini-bars, and a beach you can walk to just by stepping out your front door. Its spa features 13 treatment rooms and an assortment of massages and facials.

Contrary to popular pigeonholing, Dominican resorts are casually veering from the gimmicky nature of the all-inclusives of yore. Long past is the cattle-hearding of buffet lines and the screaming children darting wildly through the corridors. Hotels now opt for the serene and assimilate what comes naturally to the Dominican Republic as their sole theme.

Secrets & Dreams Resorts Updates!

Secrets Resorts & Spas are fabulous all-inclusive adults-only properties and very popular with honeymooners! Secrets Resorts offer Unlimited Luxury with huge rooms, 24-hour concierge service, top shelf beverages, gourmet restaurants and more! There are 5 new Secrets Resorts being added to the collection in 2008 & 2009. They are:

JetBlue Adds More Caribbean Flights!

Since starting service to the Caribbean, JetBlue often has the best deals around for the markets it serves. Starting this winter, JetBlue will add the Dutch/French combo island of St. Maarten/St. Martin and Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic to its schedule. Both of these new destinations will be served with flights from JFK in New York.

JetBlue Adds More Flights to Aruba!

On June 30, JetBlue is set to add Saturday-only nonstop service to Aruba from Boston with fares ranging between $149-$399 each way. JetBlue currently flies to Puerto Rico, Bermuda, Cancun, Bahamas, and the Dominican Republic.

Mr. Nicklaus has completed the first of 3 courses planned for the new Cap Cana development in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. The first course, Punta Espada, is open now and the other 2 courses will be opening in the near future. The completion of all courses will swiftly make the Dom Rep the top Caribbean golf destination. Punta Espada is less than 20 minutes from the Punta Cana Airport.