Well, this was our last full day here in Cayo Paredon, Cuba. I am definitely going to miss the Sun, the sound of Ocean, and these amazing people.
For people who have concerns about traveling to Cuba... is it warranted? I will say, and I tell this to my clients, do your research. In my experience, it really varies from resort to resort. Yes, there are still some shortages. They vary day to day. We had eggs every day, and yes, buffet food was repetitive, but will you go hungry? Absolutely not. There was always rice, pasta, sometimes potatoes, sweet potatoes, fresh chicken, pork and fish being grilled, lamb, limited fruit and veggies, but they definitely get creative with what they have.
As far as drinks, for a couple of days, the only option for pop was Fanta bit, then they did have their version of Sprite and Cola as well, beer, wine, and different slushie drinks. Rum was the main spirit, but the lobby bar and Blues bar had a few other options.
Yes, they are limiting the toilet paper distribution. We always had some in the room, but did go to bathrooms in the resort that didn't have any. But when I tracked down a cleaning person, they happily brought some in.
This resort, the @vilagale Cayo Paredon, is still fairly new, and I believe they still have some bugs to work out.
I'll be posting a full review on TripAdvisor. Look for it under TravelwithNelia.
P.S. thanks to our new friends @supremebulldogs1210 Vickie and Doug for letting us hang out with them this week!
We arrived at the @dreamsfloraresort yesterday afternoon, and this resort is stunning.
The check in, and front desk staff were super friendly, as we were greeted with champagne. As my sister in law @kristie.santos says, when a resort starts my stay with a glass of champagne, you know it's going to be a good one!
The resort kindly upgraded us to preferred club tropical suite. A large room with a comfy king bed, a nice high table with stools mini bar and nespresso machine. The bathroom with double sinks, large walk in shower and separate toilet. The room is nicely decorated, modern and fresh.
I'm looking forward to sharing more of this beautiful resort with you! Stay tuned!
#travelwithnelia #ttand #thetravelagentnextdoor #dreamsflora #dreams #puntacana #dominicanrepublic #travelingwithfriends #birthday trip #big50
Can you still find last-minute deals?
If you are a solo traveler or a couple of people traveling together and aren't picky about your destination, go for it.
As many of you have noticed, prices are up! Even comparing prices from January to this coming January, there is a significant difference.
If you have your heart set on a specific destination and resort if it's a special occasion...don't risk it. Have a travel agent watch the price for you and book when you get to a number you are comfortable with.
#travelwithnelia #bookwithme #allinclusive
#lastminute #beachvacation #vacation #takemetothebeach #toesinthesand #workwithanagent #ttand #traveltips
Travel Tip time!
When is the best time to book your all-inclusive vacation?
Let me know if you have any questions or want to start looking into your next vacay!
#travelwithnelia #traveltips #allinclusive #beachvacation #getaway #booktoday #bookwithme #letmehelpyou #vacation #toesinthesand #Mexico #dominicanrepublic #Cuba #costarica
Add this to your list of must sees when in Sao Miguel Azores
Our afternoon #isletofvilafrancadocampo
This beautiful lagoon is actually located in a perfectly circular volcanic crater surrounded by lush vegetation. It is a protected, uninhabited area with only a limited number of tickets sold to enter the islet with only one contracted boat company servicing the transport. It's a quick boat ride over from the marina at #Villafranca .
There are washrooms there but no other services. You are allowed to bring your own food and drinks if you are spending a few hours there.
There are all kinds of beautiful fish in the water but bring water shoes as the rocks are slippery.
This is definitely a great spot to check out and not expensive, at about 10-12 euros per person.
Add this to your must do list when visiting Sao Miguel, Azores...
Our afternoon #isletofvilafrancadocampo
This beautiful lagoon is actually located in a perfectly circular volcanic crater surrounded by lush vegetation. It is a protected, uninhabited area with only a limited number of tickets sold to enter the islet with only one contracted boat company servicing the transport. It's a quick boat ride over from the marina at #villadecampo .
There are washrooms there but no other services. You are allowed to bring your own food and drinks if you are spending a few hours there.
There are all kinds of beautiful fish in the water but bring water shoes as the rocks are slippery.
This is definitely a great spot to check out and not expensive, at about 10-12 euros per person.
Our afternoon #isletofvilafrancadocampo
This beautiful lagoon is actually located in a perfectly circular volcanic crater surrounded by lush vegetation. It is a protected, uninhabited area with only a limited number of tickets sold to enter the islet with only one contracted boat company servicing the transport. It's a quick boat ride over from the marina at #villadecampo .
There are washrooms there but no other services. You are allowed to bring your own food and drinks if you are spending a few hours there.
There are all kinds of beautiful fish in the water but bring water shoes as the rocks are slippery.
This is definitely a great spot to check out and not expensive, at about 10-12 euros per person.
What is stopping you from booking your winter getaway? Summer might just be starting but if you are considering a Winter vacation the time to start planning is now.
DM me or email me st [email protected]
#travelwithnelia #travelallinclusive #wintergetaway #cubatravel #mexicotravel #dreamvacation #dominicanrepublic #toesinthesand
Did you know you are entitled to monetary compensation for your delayed flight?
When your flight is delayed, start taking note of what the airline is telling you: What is the reason for the delay or cancelation? What is the delay from the time of departure on your ticket? What time did you actually get to your destination??
Check out the CTA website. They provide you with links to every airline compensation form. There is a lot of great information about passenger rights.
https://otc-cta.gc.ca/eng/splashify-splash
#travelwithnelia
#traveltips
#travelwithme
#knowyourrights #cta #canadatransportationagency #claims #airlinedelays
We have had a wonderful stay here at the @gran.muthu.almirante.hotel in Holguin,Cuba.
If you have any questions about this beautiful place, let me know.
Goodbye for now @gran.muthu.almirante.hotel
#travelwithnelia #granmuthualmirantebeach #mgmhotels #holguin #cuba #cubatravel
Welcome to the MGM Gran Muthu Almirante Beach resort in Holguin, Cuba. A big thank you to the hotel for upgrading our room to a Junior Suite, Oceanfront view. This room is amazing. What an incredible view.
Our room has a king-size bed, very spacious, with a sitting area and pull out sofa. The balcony has a stunning view, with a comfortable sitting area to enjoy a nice drink before heading down for dinner. There is a ton of closet room with 2 double closets, plenty of drawers and an in room safe as well. The bathroom in this suite has a big jacuzzi tub and walk in shower, and double sinks. They offer plenty of toiletries, including toothbrushes, loofah, shaving kit, shampoo, conditioner, and lotion.
Upon arrival, we were greeted with a welcome 🍸 drink and a quick and easy check-in. A lovely representative greeted us and gave us some quick info about the resort while we waited for our turn for check-in. The customer service staff at the reception desk are very helpful.
The resort is the perfect size. Big enough to offer the amenities and activities you want to have access to while still being accessible and walkable.
Speaking of accessible, this resort has an elevator in their main building and buildings 3, 4 and 5, are connected by a walk way, so very accessible for anyone with any assistive devices or for anyone who might have issues walking long distances or climbing stairs. The resort also has staff driving guests down to beach access if needed.
I know many are reluctant to try Cuba because of the food, but here at this resort, I can say we haven't felt we are lacking in anything so far. The food we have had so far has been very good. Of course, you are going to find you won't have as many options as you would back home, but we haven't been disappointed yet. We are looking forward to trying the a la cartes this week.
If you book in the adults only VIP section you do get butler service and other amenities. They will help you book you a la cartes, otherwise
We're here! Gran Muthu Almirante Beach , Holguin, Cuba.
So much to say already about the resort and we haven't even been here a full day yet.
Be prepared for daily posts on this fabulous resort!
Thank you #granmuthualmirantebeach for the upgrade to Junior Suite. Our room is beautiful and what an amazing view.
Ok friends, if I can give anyone some genuine advice...it would be...don't wait!
If you have specific dates you can travel, a specific destination in mind...Do. Not. Wait.
Inventory is low and flights are booking up fast. The problem is not usually availability at the resort, it's flights! Airlines took a big staffing hit during the pandemic and they just can't operate the same volume of flights that they used to.
I waited 3 weeks to book my holiday, more because I couldnt nail down my husband as far as commitment to a resort. When we finally decided to book, the destination we wanted was not available for the month of January.
If you aren't fussy about where and when you go, sure, wait it out and take the risk. Otherwise...you take the risk of not getting what you really want.
#travelwithnelia #bookwithme #don't wait #booknow #travel #allinclusive #beachnvacation #letsgotothebeach
If you are staying in Central Portugal there are a few spots you may want to visit.
These 3 destinations are all within 20-25 mins from one another so makes for a great full.day of site seeing. You may even want ro stay a night in Nazare and take advantage of that beach for a other day!
Nazare is a world known beach town, known for some of the biggest waves in the world. A surfers dream. A seaside town still drenched in traditions. If you happen to be there on a Saturday you can catch the fishermen dragging their full nets on the beach. You will still find some of the older residents wearing tradional clothing. Its a unique blend of tradition with a modern twist. Take the Funicular up to the cliffs above the beach and take in the sites. Up at the top, a town called O Sitio, you'll find shops, restaurants, locals selling local specialties. You can easily spend a day here between enjoying the beach, walking the beachside strip or checking out the fisherman's village.
Alcobaça Monastery- a UNESCO World Heritage site. This is one of the first examples of Gothic building in Portugal, this beautiful Monastery was completed in 1252. The story behind Alcobaça is for the romantic at heart, a tragic love story, Portugal's version of Romeo and Juliette.
In Alcobaça there are a few other sites to take advantage of if you are planning to spend the day, but if it's a little sand and sun you want to catch here check out Baia de São Martinho do Porto. It is what remains of a coastal lagoon.
Now it’s a big bay, the shape of a clam shell, calm waters.
Batalha Monastery- another UNESCO World Heritage site. Another example of Gothic art, this was constructed in honor of the victory of the battle against the Castilians. Constructed was completed in 1557. I've been here every time we travel.to Portugal and I can never get enough of the amazing architectural feat this was. To look at the intricate details in the building of both the exterior and Interior, it amazes me to thin
Azul Beach Resort Riviera Cancun
We were at this resort in March 2019 and were treated to an upgrade thanks to friends of ours who have time shares through the Prestige Travelers program.
We shared a beautiful connecting suite with our 2 kids and it was most definitely impressive.
The resort itself was a great size, not so big that you couldn't comfortably walk to wherever it was you wanted to go. It was kept up and clean. The grounds were immaculate. You ran into the occasional local iguana, but they didn't really seem to bother anyone.
The food was amazing. Everything from the buffet to the a la cartes had so much to choose from and the quality of food was 5* for sure. The Mexican restaurant was one of my favs and the beach BBQ was a great lunch option!
The spa was lovely and the gym was well equipped but it didn't open till 8am. For me I like to get a workout in nice and early so I don't miss any of my day. No, I don't sleep in while on vacation...most days I like to be up to watch the sunrise over the ocean.
The entertainment was fun during the day around the main pool and there were plenty of activities to keep a person busy. Evening shows were great.
The only downside to this resort, in my opinion was the beach. Workers had to be out before sunrise to start cleaning up the seaweed and worked tirelessly all day. The water was a bit murky and the seaweed was just off-putting. If you aren't a big beach person or don't venture into the ocean this resort is top notch and worth a visit.
Overall an excellent property!
#travelwithnelia
#cancun #azul #azulbykarisma #mexicotravel #allinclusive #5star #tripcancellationinsurance #bookwithme
Hey...here's an idea...call me!
Can I help you book you next all inclusive vacation? Yes! Let's get you there!
Send me a message!
May 3 and we are still having these dreary, grey days...take me back to the DR.
Ok let's talk Cuba. Cuba gets a bad rep, in my opinion. My husband and I love Cuba. It's just, well...Cuba.
Yes i know, the food. It is not the reason you go to Cuba, but I can promise you we have certainly never gone hungry. Yes you will not find the large variety that you will find at other destinations. I can do a separate post on the why's of that later.
We traveled to Holguin in 2020, just before the pandemic hit. We stayed at the Playa Pesquero resort. If you enjoy snorkeling, and being on the water, this is the place for you. They offer guests free catamaran rides and paddleboats, as well as snorkel gear if you want it.
The grounds were spotless and they had a variety of a la cartes, ice cream bar and an amazing coffee bar.
The large pool area never has a shortage of loungers and there is never enough to say about the beaches there. The water is a crystal blue, and clear.
Of all of the places we have traveled Cuba is most definitely the safest place we have been. We never hesitate to leave the resort at any time, take public transportation or walk into town.
The people of Cuba are the kindest, most humble people you will have the pleasure of hopefully getting to know.
All in all Playa Pesquero is on a return to list...
#travelwithnelia
#traveltips #cuba #cubatravel #holguin #beachvacation
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