Coconut Custom Travel

27/12/2024

So happy for all of my clients who are celebrating this festive season in warm, tropical clients. Where do you want to go in 2025? Let’s chat!

24/10/2024

I recently returned from a trip to the Los Angeles area, where I was delighted to spend a few nights at the most wonderful hotel in Santa Monica. Meet Shutters on the Beach, a true luxury boutique hotel that is directly on the beach! The rooms are stunning, the pool has ocean views, the service is impeccable, and it’s an easy walk to the Santa Monica Pier and many great shops and restaurants. I was so happy to stay at this quiet retreat after long days spent in the craziness of LA. This is a perfect hotel for people visiting the city, a great place to spend a few nights while driving the coast, or even anyone breaking up travel to/from Hawaii. These are all my photos, and it was overcast until the day I left, so picture this with sun streaming through the windows, warming the pool, and setting outside your balcony!

14/10/2024

Recent booking roundup... Pictured are two resorts on Antigua, two cities in Italy, and a Hawaiian resort. Which appeals most to you? I'm currently booking through the end of this year and into next summer and fall, so let's talk soon!

16/09/2024

Why hire a travel agent? Because do you know that if you take both a laptop and an iPad into Mexico, you can be taxed a significant amount of money? I do, and my clients' travel instructions have shared this information since I learned of it months ago.

I also know which resorts are great for families with young kids, which are great for teenagers, which are great for couples, which are high energy, and which are very quiet, but that's a post for another day.

A story on Forbes.com has travel advisors abuzz over an old rule in Mexico travel that many never knew existed: Inbound travelers may bring in one electronic device—but pay a heavy tax if they are caught bringing in two. So if you need a MacBook Pro for work, forget the iPad for watching movies. Y...

11/09/2024

Last week I said I needed to plan my family's 2025 vacation. I'm finished! Presenting our plans in photos, with something to make every member of our household very very happy! Welcome to the Bahamas: half of our stay will be at a large Nassau resort with zillions of activities and the other half will be at a relaxing luxury resort in the Exumas. Want me to plan a similar vacation for you? Let me know!

07/09/2024

I'm so excited for the sisters who just booked a December vacation to remember! A custom itinerary to London, followed by Paris, ending with a visit to Disneyland Paris!

04/09/2024

August was quiet for vacation bookings but September is already busy! Some people are still looking for last minute fall vacations but most are booking well into 2025. Prices are only continuing to rise, so if you're thinking about something for next year, let's start talking now! (Good reminder for me, as I still need to plan our family's 2025 vacation!)

27/06/2024

As we end the second quarter of 2024, here's a partial list and photos of destinations recently visited by clients of Coconut Custom Travel:
- Destination wedding at a luxury tropical all-inclusive in the DR
- Family adventure vacation in Mexico
- Family all-inclusive trips to Jamaica, the DR, and Mexico
- 25th anniversary trip to an Antigua all-inclusive
- Family multi-island vacation to Hawaii
- Babymoon to a luxury all-inclusive in Mexico
- Multi-generation extended family vacation to Costa Rica

I'm booking trips well into 2025. Where do you want to go next?

24/05/2024

Two days ago, I posted about my anniversary. In a fun coincidence, my friends and clients were also married on May 22, and are celebrating their 25th anniversary on Antigua. Here's a peek at Sandals Grande Antigua, where they chose to celebrate. Happy anniversary!

22/05/2024

Today my husband and I celebrate 20 years of marriage! While we can't get away together for a second honeymoon quite yet, I do hope to take him back to Antigua for our 25th. So for now, enjoy the adventures of the Jarabecks' honeymoon on Antigua in May, 2004. And yes, this hotel is still standing!

14/05/2024

I'm heading to Aruba on Friday! I'm traveling with four colleagues to tour seven resorts, dine at local restaurants, and experience all that the island has to offer. Considering a trip to Aruba? Let’s talk now so that I can scope out the experiences that will be right for you!

06/05/2024

Finalizing some details for my clients' three-island Hawaiian itinerary. They are looking forward to exploring Oahu, Kauai, and Maui, where they will visit Pearl Harbor, enjoy a helicopter tour, see the sights with their rental cars and a GPS-enabled tour app, and much more!

02/05/2024

Excited for my clients who will be visiting Jamaica's newest Sandals resort, Sandals Dunn's River. This resort has so much to offer, including a great location in the stunning Ocho Rios area of Jamaica, access to world-famous Dunn's River Falls, amazing room categories like private pool villas and rooms, and access to a sister resort for more dining, activity, and nightlife options!

29/04/2024

Just booked for a family of five traveling in March of 2025: Viceroy Sugar Beach Resort, Two-Bedroom Ocean View Residence. I think that the three young children in this family will love their private pool, don't you?

26/04/2024

Very excited for my clients who will soon be married in paradise! They wanted a small all-inclusive resort with lush greenery, and a charming Caribbean vibe. Zoetry Agua Puna Cana was their final decision. I think they'll be happy celebrating with their friends and family here!

04/04/2024

You know you've booked a fancy hotel when you get this in your confirmation email:
Estimated time of arrival at hotel:
Pillow (foam or feather):
Wine (red or white):
Dietary aversions/restrictions:

Can't wait to experience my feather pillows and white wine in October!

19/03/2024

Reviews like this are an amazing part of this job. It's like matchmaking - pairing the client with the perfect property for them!

"Rachel made sure she meticulously listened to all the things I said I was looking for. She asked a ton of questions and ensured she had a full understanding of our desires. Up until this point before contacting her, I made myself sick over researching resorts. I thought I was an expert in the Caribbean hotels. I was looking for a boutique and unique place. She told me about Eden Roc which never came across my screen as a place to go. The website didn't do the best job of showing the resort and there wasn't a ton of YouTube videos out there. As always, people had negative reviews (like every place, and there's always people who love complaining no matter what). We decided to go based on her confidence and assurance. Boy are we glad. It was the most amazing trip of our lives. She hit the mark on everything we were looking for. I can't thank her enough for allowing us the opportunity to experience a place we would have never known about if it weren't for her expertise."