Tag: Romance

Cuban Resorts

Iberostar Ensenachos, Cayo Santa Maria (Isla).
Cayo Ensenachos Santa María Clara, Cuba

Iberostar Ensenachos

Iberostar Ensenachos

Well, I am overdue on my articles but, I am still unsure of what to say about this resort, this area and this Country. It is almost a question of writing about the country to understand the resort.

One one hand, I want to compare this resort to other Caribbean resorts I have stayed at, that were of a comparable price but then on the other hand, I have to look at this and say, ”This is Cuba!”. Read on to understand.

If I were to say all things are equal and I am comparing the rooms, service, restaurant quality, beaches etc. from other resorts to this one I would come up with a different chat to the one I have today. It is almost each area need to be rated. For example, the beaches in this area are among the best in the world. I’m not just saying this, it is a fact in the Cayo Santa Maria area. Much better than the other areas where resorts are allowed in this country and yes, even better than Bavaro or Negril.

On the other hand, we have all the problems of the Cuban Management System to contend with. Up to this point, I really don’t understand this part fully. I know that multiple resorts have pulled the on site upper management and replaced it with experts in the field. However, they were not experts in the local government and improvements did not happen as planned. This seems to be a consistent theme among the resorts.

You may not know what I am referring to here so just as a point or two for reference and there are many. Let’s see; from time to time, you may not have beach towels available. the official excuse for this is that all towels need to be laundered and serviced by a local Cuban company, employing people in the nearby towns and even building these towns to a larger size. At first, this sounds great. As Canadians, we tend to say, it is okay to go multiple days without a clean towel, as long as we know we are sacrificing to save the local economy.

This is a very real problem and will happen to you at some point on a trip to this country. What I do not understand is why the management, knowing that from time to time, this is going to happen, do not stock an extra week’s worth, or even two weeks worth of towels at the resort so they have a supply to draw on as needed? Seems like an easy solution that would be paid for with the saving of one bad review, not to mention 20-30 about this problem.

Another example would be repairs to pool areas, walkways, lighting I.e. Maintenance problems; Honestly, this one happened to me personally. I had a maintenance issue in my room and they were sending someone over as soon as “he” was free. this seemed odd to me so after a few minutes, I used my property management background experience to solve the issue and called and cancelled the request. When i did, I asked how many were on call for issues and i was told that there was one person for this.

I went out and headed for the main lobby and as i was walking along the path, I noticed one person working on the wiring to the path lights. I stopped and chatted to him and between broken Spanish and broken English, it soon became apparent that he was that one person looking after everything. Now, since the resort is supposed to be employing local Cubans for this work, wouldn’t it make sense to hire four or five people to make sure that no one on the resort who has a problem has to wait an excessive amount of time?

Again, I don’t profess to understand the problems with the Cuban government, but I do understand good Hotel Management and from what I could see, many of the problems I have encountered in four trips to this country are never what they seem to be. There just can’t be that many bad managers.

We Canadians are a very mild-mannered people. You can step on our toes as long as it does not hurt too much. I do think that so many of the positive reviews are Canadians defending this cherished little island that we have had as our private playground for far too many years. This is going to change for all of this country over the next several years if relations with the US start to allow tourists from that country to come to Cuba.

Americans are not Canadians or people from the EU. I can just about guarantee that they will 100% not put up with the poor management that takes place at these resorts currently. I am not just talking about Cayo Santa Maria Resorts, but also Varadero and Cayo Coco as well.

In the past, we Canadians have enjoyed trips to Cuba at one half the cost of Jamaica and about a third less than the Dominican Republic. but, this year, it is changing. I think mainly because of the demand, costs are climbing closer and closer to other Island nations and with that, they will have to compete with some of the best resorts.

Even with a hands down best beach area, they can’t continue to offer terrible service, terrible food, terrible mold filled accommodations. The sad thing about this is that it seems that it is the Cuban Government, according to the resort staff, that have caused this problem. What seems to be missing is the damage it is doing to the reputation of the nation on whole. If there are government regulations that are to be followed, then at the same time the government should have regulations on Minimum standards. resorts should face fines or penalties if they are found to be damaging the image of the Cuban Nation.

Can the Cuban tourist industry be saved? Of course it can, but not by this article. I doubt I will find a buyer for this rant so it will go largely unnoticed short of Social Media. No the solution to all of this will come from an unexpected area. I truly believe that people from the USA will be allowed to visit and spend their money in Cuba in a few years. When this happens, the reviews and hostile response that they will have for problems will force the Cuban government and the Resort Owners to come to a quick solution. Let’s see what happens.

Permanent link to this article: https://stevestravelblog.com/?p=503

INTERCONTINENTAL TORONTO CENTRE

 InterContinental Hotel Toronto Centre

InterContinental Hotel Toronto Centre

INTERCONTINENTAL TORONTO CENTRE

Stayed August 14-16, 2014

Room: King Suite on the 19th Floor.

What a delight to stay at the Intercontinental Toronto Centre. I was on a trip to a conference and I wanted to be within walking distance. This seemed like a good choice. Being part of the IHG Hotel line, I was able to take advantage of the priority check in which had me in my room in a few minutes. This was a nice surprise since I arrived after 5 PM and I was concerned about a check-in at this time of day.

No worries at this place. My fist session was at the Roy Thompson Hall at 7 PM which was only about a 4 minute walk from this hotel. I had time to order and eat a delightful room service burger and still had time to walk, not up the street, but rather through the City Way. An internal walkway that went through several of the downtown buildings.

Azure Staff -- Great Food

Omelet Staff -- Great Food

Omelet Staff — Great Food

The next two mornings I had a delightful breakfast buffet at Azure, the restaurant inside of the hotel. I do like a buffet, but I am fussy eater in that I want to have fresh, hot, well seasoned food with great service. They have it all here. I usually go do different spots for each meal but I wanted to come back and try more of the food here the second day. Not only was the omelets service excellent, the rest of the choices were all good as well.

I have two other points for you in this review. Usually, I like to give kudo’s to a staff member or two that I think went above the call and offered excellent service. I honestly cannot do that here. Everyone from the hotel front desk to the staff at Azure were all great. Fast efficient and making sure I wanted for nothing. Hat’s off to the staff here. Good staff means a great management team in the background. This means you should have a great experience as well. I am including a few photo’s of staff members.

INTERCONTINENTAL TORONTO CENTRE Spa

INTERCONTINENTAL TORONTO CENTRE Spa

I did not have time to treat myself at the Spa, but, I did take a walk through and the Spa facilities look very nice. I wish I had of stayed an extra day to unwind from everything and indulge myself here. Maybe next time.


Finally, if this is just a stopover, then this won’t impact you as I am sure all the rooms are great, but if you are coming for two or more days, I would highly recommend upgrading to a suite. I did and I was super pleased. It is only a modest increase and to have a separate room, separate from the bedroom to relax in, just make it feel so much more relaxing. I have stayed in other hotels where it was not worth it, but at the Intercontinental Toronto Centre, it is worth the upgrade 100%
Book InterContinental Hotels and Resorts today!

I do want to say that the prices might seem high to the budget traveler to stay in the downtown core, but I compared most of the hotels in the business district and I found this hotel to be of great value. If your travels are taking you to Toronto, save on all the daily cab fares and treat yourself to a hotel stay here. I am recommending this one.

INTERCONTINENTAL TORONTO CENTRE Business Desk

INTERCONTINENTAL TORONTO CENTRE Business Desk

INTERCONTINENTAL TORONTO CENTRE Bathroom

INTERCONTINENTAL TORONTO CENTRE Bathroom

INTERCONTINENTAL TORONTO CENTRE Suite Room

INTERCONTINENTAL TORONTO CENTRE Suite Room

INTERCONTINENTAL TORONTO CENTRE Bed Area

INTERCONTINENTAL TORONTO CENTRE Bed Area


Permanent link to this article: https://stevestravelblog.com/?p=331

Beware of the Hidden Mega Resort!

Looks like a beautiful Resort, But beware, it is larger than you think!

Looks like a beautiful Resort, But beware, it is larger than you think!

I am finding a disturbing trend in the resort industry. It’s been known for awhile now that most people don’t really like a resort with 2,000 plus rooms in it. In fact the perfect maximum size seems to be between 6-750 rooms. If you find a resort with say 1-200 rooms, many people would expect to pay a premium for this type of location.

This is creating a dilemma for the resort operators that want to have as many people as possible per square metre of ground space as this means maximum revenues can be achieved. So what is “their” solution? It seems the trend is to still put up these mega resorts, but to simply divide them into smaller sections called … wait for it … Resorts!!

That’s right; they have a layout of say 2,000 rooms, running down to the beach. It has a centre pool area and specialty restaurants at the top and somewhere near the bottom. You know the ones I am talking about. Here is the Steak, the Italian, the Japanese, the Seafood, etc.

So here is what is happening. All the rooms to the left of the pools are called Resort “A” and the ones to the right of the resort are called Resort “B”. Now they can advertise a resort of 1,000 rooms instead of the 2,000 rooms. But wait, it gets better. This number is still too large for that magic figure, so they take the rooms closest to the beach and make them Premium and … you guessed it, these are now another Resort. Let’s say “C” and “D” of 250 rooms each. These rooms are usually “Adult Only” and come with Premium drinks a private small, sometimes very small private pool area and so on.

You are looking at 6 different resorts when advertized to you.

You are looking at 6 different resorts when advertized to you.

Now the main two resorts are now reduced to that magic number of 750 rooms each. Here is where it get’s nasty in my books. If, for the entire 2,000 rooms, there are say 7 specialty restaurants, they are available to everyone at all the “Resorts”. The same goes for the main pool area and sometimes the one pool swim up bar and other bars. So, what is advertised to us, the buyers of these rooms? They will tell the tour operator the following

  • 750 rooms
  • 7 specialty restaurants
  • 2 buffet restaurants
  • 8 bars (only one open at night in the main lounge area)
  • 1 large swim up bar
  • 1 Gym
  • 1 Spa
  • Beautiful beach area.

The problem is that this is all true except all of these services are being shared and sought after by 2,000 room guests or say 4,500 people.

4,500 people competing for

  • Restaurants
  • Seating at the bar areas and show areas
  • Spa appointments
  • And a seat by the pool or beach.

Any experienced traveler knows in these situations, that if you have one person in your party that is an early riser, they are elected to travel to “your” spot and claim your chairs for the day with the old towel and book routine.

But, we, as innocent travelers arrive at our 750 room resort with all of the restaurants and amities, do not feel the need to rush down and select your reservations for the entire week and guess what happens? You are at the buffet for most of your trip, you missed the lobster that you saw in the picture and it takes you 4 days to figure out the towel and book routine.

Of course, the Premium section does not have to go to the main guest services to book the restaurants. They have a special number to call or a private guest services that will either book the restaurants for you or in some cases, sometimes depending on your tip in advance, will watch for a cancellation and get you in whatever night you want.

Have a closer look at the bottom of the map, you will see two of the "lobbies"

Have a closer look at the bottom of the map, you will see two of the “lobbies”

So, what do we do about all of this? Can we boycott it and expect it to change? On a trip I took last year to Mexico, this really became apparent to me and started me on this research. I called the resort and they said this is normal business, I called the tour operator and they said they cannot check on the facts sent to them from every resort and have to assume they are telling us the truth.

Well, that was a year ago and you will still find the same resorts advertized as smaller ones. With a very small amount of work, it is easy to figure out. The resorts do not hid it once you are there, so if you find pictures people take of the resort maps, of the names of the resorts as you drive in, you will pick up on this.  As well all most any resort built more than 10 years ago is most likely a single resort. It is the newer ones that are constructed to take advantage of this.

To give you some examples of this, and yes, I know you are waiting for this part, let look at the Majestic / Colonial resorts in Punta Cana of an example of this done right. Here they have two resorts next to each other. I say next to because everything advertized as being in one resort is in that resort. There are no ads to my knowledge where they include any restaurants from the sister resort.

They have the Colonial and the Elegance resorts. Each has its own pool areas, their own restaurants, etc. but you can walk from on to the other easily.  

In Mexico we have the newer style example. For example, you can book a room at the Grand Sunset Princess but, at least through Canadian tour operators, you cannot book a room or even have a hint that, across the pool the Grand Sunset Riviera exists. I just re-confirmed now and they still advertize that this resort has the following:

Property Amenities : • 672 Room(s) • 12 Pool(s) • Medical Centre ($) • Beauty Salon ($) • Air Conditioned Gym/ Fitness Centre • Jacuzzi • Kids pool • 11 Restaurant(s) • 9 Bar(s)

Once you arrive, you will discover that most of these are shared between over 2,100 rooms. To me, this just does not seem right and YOU need to be aware of this beforehand.

What can we really do? Check out the resorts. I strongly recommend that you read the reviews I have posted here at https://stevestravelblog.com and everyone’s reviews at TripAdvisor.com Spend one hour researching the Resort, not for what you want, but what you now know you do not want. Ask questions on blogs and you usually will receive answers quickly.

I hope this has helped you have a great upcoming vacation.

Yes, that is my hand and I was being a "Crazy Gringo!" but having fun at this huge resort.

Yes, that is my hand and I was being a “Crazy Gringo!” but having fun at this huge resort.

On a final note, I am not saying that you will not have a great time at these resorts. Most people have an awesome time, I just want you to get what you pay for. I would guess that up to 80% of travelers go for the fun in the sun, the more the better and only go indoors to grab a bite at the buffet and to sleep. It is for the ones that enjoy the extras and the atmosphere expected that may experience disappointment without this information. At the Resort(s) I am talking about in this article, the staff were all fantastic. 

Enjoy, travel well, and I just might bump into you somewhere this spring season.

 


Permanent link to this article: https://stevestravelblog.com/?p=211

Let’s talk Florida!

Let’s talk Florida! — for today, it’s Anna Maria Island!!

I know that as soon as I say “Florida” most people will automatically think of Orlando, International Drive, Universal Studios and of course the place with the mouse, Disney.  Now, don’t get me wrong here. I grew up with Disney and later Universal. I am a coaster freak, and lately I have become a real fan of the simulators like Despicable Me. At the age of 53, I loved being transformed into a Minion and flying through everything. I will talk more on these areas in another article, but just not here.

There is more to the great state of Florida then the theme parks. Although we “travel” we still like to have several trips to Florida each year. This is a great place to really unwind and still have a week of full days with lots of activities, no matter where you are. Well, within reason. There are some places that have really nothing to do, but just relax, and that can be perfect as well.

Anna Maria Island Beach

Anna Maria Island Beach

Today, I want to introduce you to a spot that has great relaxation and yet is close to fun activities in almost every direction toy can travel. Anna Maria Island is located on the Gulf Coast of Florida, travelling south from Tampa and St. Petersburg, you will cross the Skyway Bridge and land in the Brampton area. Just turn towards the Gulf of Mexico and over a few island causeways, you will find yourself on Anna Maria Island. A touch of the past. This is actually the first of  three islands connecting to each other call North, Central and South Island, North being the actual Anna Maria Island.

Besides having many locations that you can stay at the give you that million dollar view every evening as the sun goes down, there are a lot of things to do, all within easy reach by car. Wait a minute …

Anna Maria Island Sunset

Anna Maria Island Sunset

Did I almost blow past the sunsets, just like that? As with many locations on the Gulf Coast, the sun sets straight out in front of you on the beach. The sunsets are truly spectacular and can make for a romantic evening, if that is what you are looking for. Just be on the beach at Sunset, and you will see what I mean.

The beach is truly a first class beach. I do like to get my walks in on the beach with the surf lapping on my heals as I walk as far as I want and then head back to enjoy the rest of the day. Some people here end up walking very slowly and spending relaxing hours on the beach doing something that you don’t normally find as an activity. That’s right, “Shark Tooth Hunting.”

I was introduced to this great “sport” by my friend Bill Hall. He dawn’s his bike bandana and start walking, looking intently at the spots where shells would gather and wash up in the eddy’s . He is as happy as a clam and had more relaxation then many would from a good jig saw puzzle.

Miles of Beach at Anna Maria Island

Miles of Beach at Anna Maria Island

I know this may sound strange to some, but for some reason, connected to the currents of the Gulf, Sharks would end up somewhere in the ocean to die. Over time their teeth would become mineralized by the ocean replacing the calcium in the teeth with the minerals found in the ocean. The result is fossilized sharks teeth and again for reasons I do not understand, they are very concentrated on this beach.  Go figure. For people that “want” time on their hands and surf sound the day away, this can be heaven. A treasure for those that do not need to find a treasure.

For others, like my wife, Judy, It is a good 3-5 mile brisk walk to start the day and then on to new adventures. Some days this included popping over to Brampton for a relaxing day of shopping and your Starbucks fix.  If you like flea markets, you have to take a trip to the Red Barn Flea Market in Bradenton.  With 145,000 S.F. of space, it really does have something for just Red_Barn_Flea_Market_3[1]about everyone.  If you are renting a home on the Island for a week, the Red Bard has a great Farmers Market with rows on rows of fresh produce.

If that is not in the cards for the day, you can head on down to the peer and  locate some great food. Either on the peer, but also in many other areas. By tradition, you have to visit Rotten Ralphs for some great eats. With 7 miles of beach front, there are many great choices in the food area.

If you like pancakes, you can fins that as well, right on the beach. A nice walk and then another to work off the carbs. really though it is a very nice social event and well worth taking it all in.

Now if you want to do this, you will need accommodations, and the three islands off three different  distinct choices. The North Island (Anna Maria Island)  is more ritzy and offers some unique choices while the South island is more of the up coming place for clubs and moderate rooms.

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While not well known to the public at large, this area is well supported on the Net. Check out these sites to help you chose where you should stay on your next get-a-way or romantic trip.

 The main thing to realize is that at Anna Maria Island, you have a taste of the real old Florida. Sit back, relax, enjoy good food and share the moments with friends. But, remember you are still very close to the modern Florida and yes, i do recommend that you take some day trips. Perhaps up to Tarpon Springs where they harvest sea sponges or into Tampa to the Aquarium or to Busch Gardens and hit a few rides with or without the kids.

If you want to have still another different Florida vacation, I will be sharing on Central Florida in an upcoming post. Heading to the other side of the state, I will have separate posts on the theme parks area of the state. Stay tuned for this. 

If you liked this article, I do ask that you

  1. Subscribe to my Blog at Steve’s Travel Blog
  2. Like our Facebook Page and
  3. Send us your comments to help us in future posts.

For more information please check out these links

https://www.facebook.com/amisland

There are rates for every price range. Here is a site that is well maintained and offers a great selection.

https://www.facebook.com/amiaccommodations

don’t forget the Flea Market 🙂

https://www.facebook.com/RedBarnFleaMarket

Another great resource. 

http://annamariaisland.com/

 


Permanent link to this article: https://stevestravelblog.com/?p=137

Majestic Elegance Punta Cana — A slice of Paradise

Majestic Elegance Punta Cana --  Awesome Resort

Majestic Elegance Punta Cana — Awesome Resort

Majestic Elegance Punta Cana, Bavro Beach, Dominican Republic

I have tried very hard to figure out how to describe this resort that was by far the best that we have ever stayed at. Was it the quality of detail, the majestic care of the resort? How do you describe a resort that goes above and beyond? A resort that not only gives you everything you would expect but so many things that you would simply not find anywhere else, period. How would you describe a resort that should have more stars than allowed?

Elegance. In this case Majestic Elegance. Can you tell we were impressed by this resort? Truly we were. Okay, this may sound over the top, but I have struggled for days on how to describe this place.

I am torn between writing this as praise to the staff and management and trying to convey how you too can have a wonderful vacation at this 10 star out of 5 star resort. I have to admit that at other resorts, we have always had a great time. My business is property management and real estate sales, so I am used to asking people their names. In this case, I think that this is part of the great service. The simple caring about others goes a long way. You go, you are open happy and meet new people and have a blast.

Majestic Elegance Punta Cana -- Buffet Staff

Majestic Elegance Punta Cana — Buffet Staff

But the difference here is the staff, no, not just the staff. These folks have received great training and support from great management. I watched the management level personal walk around and interact making sure all is well. At restaurants, and the buffets, they are there, somewhat in the background greeting people and making sure that you are satisfied and happy.

I do want you to say hi to these great staff people but, I really did not find any staff that was not super friendly. We were in the club section so the staff included Clora, Ysandra and of course Felix and Mariano. Like in the restaurants, the staff at the bars and on the beach were never far from a supervisor / manager that was also making sure you had a great time.

DM 2011 014

Majestic Elegance Punta Cana — Staff on the Beach

 

 

Check out the photos of my wife, Judy on the beach. She wanted to get one picture of a staff and others literally RAN to get in the photo that turned out to be a series of 4 photo’s with Judy being lifted up by the girls. Again it all comes to great management that produces and maintains high standards that translate in to the great staff and a great experience for you.

I booked the plane separate from the resort. This was to be a special trip for our anniversary and I wanted to fly business class and to have an excellent Club room. (A post on travel points and flying business class verses pre-packaged vacations will be posted soon, if not already)

Majestic Elegance Punta Cana --  Raul Garcia Carpintero, Room division Manger

Majestic Elegance Punta Cana — Raul Garcia Carpintero, Room division Manger

I did have a few questions and needed to arrange for transportation to the resort from the airport. I wrote to the resort and Raul Garcia Carpintero, Room division Manger promptly wrote back with everything arranged. When we landed, we had a driver with a sign for the resort with our name on it. After a quick smooth drive and no stopping at multiple resorts as on a bus, we were greeted by Junior, our butler who looked after our check in and took us to the bar for a relaxing drink. While there, several management personal were there and one made a formal introduction to me to Raul. What a nice touch to be able to shake the hand of the person that personally made me feel comfortable about coming to this resort.

The surprises just kept coming. Our door had a Happy Anniversary banner on it and chilled bubbly was waiting inside our room. Needless to say, we felt like we were in a little piece of paradise from the moment we arrived. I don’t want to make this a huge report, but the level of quality was perfect. We took a walk through paradise down to the Club Pool where they had Canadian Club (A blend of Canadian Rye Whiskey that is usually never found in the Dominican) there for the asking. Then off to rest in the sun and pool.

Majestic Elegance Punta Cana -- Bailey Beds by the pool

Majestic Elegance Punta Cana — Bailey Beds by the pool

We could have reserved a Bailey bed and a few did that week, but there was no real need. In fact we went to the same spot all but one day as there was an ample supply. You could move the wicker pool beds around to get the perfect sunshine or let the palm tree leafs flicker over you in an extremely comfortable Bailey Bed. It was not a tough week. My hat is tipped again to the great staff who were on a constant walk up and down the pool either as a waiter delivering drinks or as management making sure there was nothing else you need. To give you an example of this, we brought a pool float and left it by the pool one night. The next day it was gone, but Benny walked by and in a flash he retrieved it from somewhere safe.

If you only go to the buffet, you will not run out of choices as the variety of food changes and all are delightful. This may sound like a broken record, but again the staff was great and management was there making sure all was perfect. Now, I do want to take a moment here to say, that this is a wonderful country, and the people working here as in any resort have families to feed and a small dollar tip goes a long way to help. So, yes, we tip with joy and gladness. It is our easy way of blessing the staff that work so hard to give this level of

Majestic Elegance Punta Cana -- Staff

Majestic Elegance Punta Cana — Staff

over the top service. I urge you to tip all the people who you come into contact with, up front, not at the end of the meal. A dollar to the greeter, a dollar to the waiters with coffee and water. Three or four dollars and you have made an impact on the lives of 3 or 4 people who are giving their all to you. Also if you can learn just a few key Spanish phrases you will make their eyes light up. To say good morning instead of Hi or when they ask how are you to be able to answer them very good is a game changer. The greeter at the buffet lit up when we came through the door each day. I am so sorry that I do not remember her name, but she asked me in Spanish how I was after I answered her English question the first day in Spanish. She remembered that little detail and was delighted that we tried.

Of course, go to the other restaurants as well. The steak house was great. Look at the pictures to see how great the staff was here and yes I am a steak lover and it was extremely good.

Majestic Elegance Punta Cana -- Resturant Staff

Majestic Elegance Punta Cana — Restaurant Staff

My wife is a seafood lover and the lobster tail was far better than expected. (Remember we are from the east coast of Canada and get Rock Lobster cheap. This was warm water spiny lobster (no claws, really a different animal) and I was not expecting much, but the chef prepared this in excellent fashion.)

We spent days lying in the sun, walking the beach for what seemed like miles, meeting new friends, and just hanging out around the pool. Once we were relaxed we went swimming with the sharks which was fun, but did not compare to this resort. We were booked for another excursion the next day and we cancelled. Drive on a bus or stay in paradise, … real tough decision.
One of the reasons we booked the transportation separately is that on the day we leave, we like to enjoy the resort, not the airport so, we always end up taking a taxi to the airport as the buses leave way too early at all resorts. We got up, ate, went to the spa where my wife got her nails done and I relaxed with a full massage then we checked out of the room at noon, enjoyed a nice lunch and then went to get our cab. As we were leaving the staff and management were doing a professional photo shoot so they are all there to thank and say good-bye to. As we got in the cab, it just happened that all the management were out front talking. We waved good-bye and the entire management waved back. Knowing the level of care that Raul put into our trip I have to wonder …. Was that planned as well??

Majestic Elegance Punta Cana -- Club Entrance

Majestic Elegance Punta Cana — Club Entrance

Go to the Majestic Elegance; if you are a couple 100% do the club (Adults only). It is worth the upgrade many times over. There are so many perks from free internet in the room to the managers party to the premium drinks, to the extra relation you will only only only find in the club section.

Please let me know if you found this review helpful. Look at the pictures, they do tell a story and feel free to contact me with questions, but really why ask me when the management makes it a point to write back look after your needs even before you book the trip. Cheers.

Room Tip: If you stay in the Club, ask ahead of time for the left side of the resort. This is where the management dinners and other club events take place. No biggie as it is only a 2 minute walk around the seafood restaurant.

Ask for Raul. Tell him I sent you and recommended the resort. So far, I know of over 40 people who have been here.

Permanent link to this article: https://stevestravelblog.com/?p=75