Design Your Vacation by Amie

11/09/2024

Finally had the opportunity to connect with clients that did a destination wedding in Germany and then honeymooned in Italy. It brings me so much joy to play a small part in my clients memories that last a lifetime.

10/22/2024

Do I have any skiers out there? If so, the Colorado mountains are starting to see their first significant snow of the season and resorts will be opening for the winter in the next few weeks!

If you’re looking to get your family on the slopes for the first time, I’d love to assist in planning what is sure to be a memorable trip!

09/29/2024

National Coffee Day? I thought that was everyday… I am drinking my coffee, checking in on my favorite resort in the Mexican Caribbean.

Resorts were mildly affected by Helene this past week, but all reports indicate that staff worked hard to ensure that guests were well cared for during the storm and operational disruptions were minimal.

Hurricanes, illness, personal situations- all good reasons to have travel insurance. I include this as part of all quotes to all inclusive vacations.

Thinking of getting away? Reach out!

09/19/2024

In April 2024, the MICHELIN Guide debuted a brand new distinction: the MICHELIN Key. While the MICHELIN Star recognizes the most outstanding restaurants in the world, the MICHELIN Key does the same for outstanding hotels.

There are five universal criteria when selecting hotels: excellence in architecture and interior design, quality and consistency of service, overall personality and character, value for the price, and a significant contribution to the neighborhood or setting.

Just like a MICHELIN-rated restaurant, a MICHELIN-rated hotel can earn One, Two, or Three Keys.

One Key: a very special stay.
Two Keys: an exceptional stay.
Three Keys: an extraordinary stay.

In the Riviera Maya, here are the resorts that have earned keys:

3 Keys:
-Hotel Esencia

2 Keys:
-Banyan Tree Mayakoba
-Etero
-Palmaia
-Rosewood Mayakoba
-Maroma, a Belmond Hotel
-Casa Chable

1 Key:
-Waldorf Astoria Cancun
-Nomade Holbox
-St. Regis Kanai
-Viceroy Riviera Maya
-Chable Maroma
-Be Tulum
-Milam
-Wakax Hacienda

Have you ever stayed in a MICHELIN-rated resort/hotel?

09/13/2024

Repeat clients recently booked this amazing resort in the Riviera Maya…. No better way to beat those post-holiday winter blues than having a beach vacation to look forward to 🏖️☀️🧉

09/07/2024

A lesson some have had to learn the expensive way… While we may think it is a bit ridiculous, we need to remember that when visiting another country, we must abide by their rules.

Traveling With A Laptop And An iPad To Mexico? Prepare To Pay Hundreds

Travelers bringing electronic devices to Mexico are getting hit with hefty fines at Cancun airport. Here's what to know about visiting Mexico with laptops and iPads.

08/18/2024

Do you enjoy traveling with your girlfriends or as couples? Allow me to take the stress out of the coordinating and planning for you. You pick the destination, I’ll do the research, make the bookings and take care of the details.

08/07/2024

Did you know that Disney has a resort in Hawaii? There is not a theme park, but there are character interactions and dining. I recently assisted with a friend and her son’s first trip to Aulani and they loved every minute of it… Spend days on property or get out and explore the island, I can assist with all of it!

07/29/2024

Is Costa Rica on your radar? If not, you should consider adding it! Great for families, couples and groups alike. There are a few all-inclusive options, but spending time in the jungle either on excursions or tours is key. You can even do a split stay!

I just had a sweet family spend time in the Arneal area and split their time between two resorts with different vibes and they loved it!

This is definitely a top location contender for our family vacation next year… 😍🇨🇷🌋🦥

07/25/2024

For the Southwest fliers out there… what do you think? Will this change who you fly with?

Southwest Airlines is shifting to assigned seats for the first time in its history, a change that will allow the low-fare carrier to charge a premium for some of the seats on its planes.

07/19/2024

Aloha! When your friends (and clients) head to Kauai to officiate a wedding; a helicopter tour is a must! Many parts of the island are remote and not accessible, so a birds eye view is the best view.

07/11/2024

Kansas City travelers - beginning in 2025, Alaska Airlines will begin offering seasonal non-stop service to Cancun and Puerto Vallarta! This will make three non-stop options to Cancun from KCI. Reach out to me and let’s get those winter beach vacations booked! 🏖️✈️🍹🧉

Alaska Airlines says the new nonstop options are in response to “increased leisure demand to warm weather destinations during winter.” See where you can go and when.

06/25/2024

4️⃣0️⃣ years of marriage deserves a little (or a LOT) of celebrating…. A couple of weeks ago, I planned a last-minute getaway to Cancun for my Dad and Step-mom! They are habitual cruise people, but I was able to get them out of their comfort zone and into an all-inclusive (with air and transfers) for less than what four days at Big Cedar Lodge costs.

What do you want to celebrate?!? ❤️🥂🏖️👰🏻🤰🏻👨🏻‍🎓

06/22/2024

The week after re-entry from a long vacation is always tough. However, as l sit down to read a book on this warm Friday night, I am reminded of the beautiful Livraria Lello in Porto. It is said this bookstore inspired the Hogwarts Library in Harry Potter. JK Rowling lived in Porto while writing the first book of the series.

Tickets were required and I highly recommend buying the upgraded ticket for the earliest entry. I was the fifth person in and was able to take a few pictures without anyone around!

It was a must see for this book loving, book nerd… 📚🤓

📷 credit: Mark Murphy

06/17/2024

Happy Father’s Day! May you continue to make memories with those you love the most.

06/14/2024

When traveling between Lisbon and Porto, we hired a private driver so we would have the opportunity to visit a couple of additional towns on the way. One of the towns we selected was Nazaré.

Nazare is known for having the tallest (and most dangerous) waves in the world between October and February each year. It was an American surfer 🏄 which pushed for Guiness to evaluate/measure the waves and he has remained here all of these years. It was interesting to learn why the waves are so large here and how surfing has positively changed this community!