Travelonly Laura Benoit

28/12/2023

I hope everyone has had a wonderful holiday season so far! The boys and I snuck in a quick getaway to Cancun between hockey and the holidays. We stayed at Riu Palace Costa Mujeres. I wanted to check out the Costa Mujeres area north of Cancun. The beaches and water were gorgeous. Resort wise, it was a pretty typical Riu property with modern decor and waterpark. The nightly entertainment was better than some I have been to. We were a bit disappointed in the rooms and service but if you are able to get this at a good price, I certainly would still book here.

We took a day to do a self tour of Isla Mujeres. This was definitely the highlight of our trip. We took a ferry which was easy to get to and rented a golf cart when we got there. It was busier, bigger island than I thought it would be but the snorkeling was some of the best I’ve done in Mexico and it was neat to be able to explore on our own. The tacos were the best we’ve ever had!

22/11/2023

It’s that time of year again!! There are definitely great deals out there. The really good ones are in those first 2 weeks of December but some do stretch out over the more popular times. If you’ve been thinking about a winter vacation, message me and I’ll add you to my hot deal watch list 😎

12/07/2023

After 16 years in the travel business, it’s crazy how many times I’ve heard people doing something like this when booking online 🫠

366K likes, 1946 comments. “That was a fun surprise waiting for us at the Costa Rican airport 😅”

25/05/2023

Another adventure in the books! We have a very small travel window with our winters busy running around for hockey so it feels like we have to jam it all in within a few months. I was finally able to take the family on a 4 day Bahamian Royal Caribbean cruise. It is something I’ve been wanting to experience with them. It was out of Port Canaveral, Florida so it was pretty tough to just drive past Disney World so we added 4 days there. I was excited to be able to experience all the changes and new rides since I was last there. I am not a big fan of the new Genie Plus and having to pay for fast passes and wake up at 6:55 AM to book your day. I do see the perks of it but I definitely see a lot of issues with it. It does sound like changes are coming for next year though.

We stayed at the Coronado Springs Disney Resort. We were very impressed with this resort at the moderate price point. It had beautiful grounds and the rooms were updated with lots of space. We even went fishing in one of the Disney lakes for a few hours to enjoy more then just the rides that Disney World has to offer. Our favourite ride was definitely the new Guardians of the Galaxy ride. We also went to the new Space 220 restaurant that makes you feel like you are in a space station. It was really neat!

Then it was onto the cruise. It is a fantastic family holiday for kids any ages. There is so much to do. From waterslides to wave simulator, it’s never boring. We found the evenings just as much fun too. There was always trivia or karaoke or the large stage productions to see.

Atlantis was a big highlight. The lazy River was like no other I have done. There were big rapids as well as waterfalls and calm areas. The waterslides were pretty amazing too. Coco Cay, Royal Caribbean’s private island, was a cool place to visit. It had North America’s tallest waterslide that all the boys agreed was the fastest they’d ever been on. I enjoyed the post card beaches and water there.

It was definitely not a relaxing trip but it was one we won’t forget!

13/04/2023

We had a great escape with 3 other families to Riu Jalisco in Nuevo Vallarta. It is a great family resort. Everything is very kid orientated with every restaurant but one being buffet style. It does not have the big waterslides but lots to do for families all day. The rooms are family friendly with many having bunkbeds or 3 beds. It’s a solid 4-4.5 star I’d say and an excellent budget friendly resort. The kids boogie boarded in a very swimmable ocean and $15 massages on the beach were a hit! I toured Riu Vallarta which we have access to as well and it was more modern and a bit less kids everywhere.

25/11/2022

Black Friday travel deals have been huge already this week. If you haven’t booked your winter trip yet, now is a good time!
✈️🏝️🛳️

19/10/2022

Travel is in full swing ✈️🏝! People are ready to travel again. Trips are starting depart. I have a very excited family going on the Disney Spooktacular Cruise over Halloween leaving very soon. There are lots of good deals still to be had if you are thinking of going away over the winter. I booked a family on the worlds largest cruise ship with Royal Caribbean last night that had kids free and 30% off all guests which saved my clients thousands of dollars 🛳🥂

22/08/2022

One of the questions I get the most is when is the cheapest time to take a winter vacation. For the most part, the first 2 weeks of December are your cheapest times. Also the second week of January can be better priced then other weeks.

Riu Palace Pacifico for 2 adults and 2 children flying out of Edmonton on December 4 with direct flights in a Junior suite is $5780.00 total including taxes, flights, transfers, luggage and all inclusive stay. This is a great resort on the Puerto Vallarta side in the Riviera Nayrait area. The seaweed on the Cancun side has been a big issue lately that they are hoping will continue to get better into the winter. People are looking at the Pacific side more then usual due to this. Most beaches are swimmable around Puerto Vallarta and the whale watching is amazing right from many resorts in the winter months. The resorts aren't as big or have as many kid activities as the Cancun side but many clients prefer a bit smaller, less busy resort.

23/06/2022

This will be a neat addition to Universal Hollywood opening early 2023. My family and I just visited there this year and the new Secret Life of Pets ride is a really cute ride for little ones and the revamp to Jurassic Park ride is worth the trip alone!

Ready to experience Mario Kart™ like never before? Put on the special goggles and battle Team Bowser on iconic Mario Kart courses alongside Mario, Luigi, and...

10/06/2022

USA finally lifting Covid testing for international travellers to enter 🙌🏼. Who’s ready to go to Vegas or Disney 😎. Also no more random testing in Canada when coming home.

https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/coronavirus/u-s-lifts-covid-19-test-requirement-for-international-travel-1.5941487

The Biden administration is lifting its requirement that international air travellers to the U.S. take a COVID-19 test within a day before boarding their flights, easing one of the last remaining government mandates meant to contain the spread of the coronavirus.

03/06/2022

It might be gorgeous outside but let’s talk winter 🥶…ok don’t keep scrolling. I am just here to send out a friendly reminder that if you are thinking of going away this winter things are filling up crazy fast! Especially if you plan on going around Christmas, Easter, Family Day or in March.

Here are a few pictures of one of my top picks for families this winter. Dreams Natura in the Riviera Cancun. It is a brand new, smaller resort which has large waterslides and a lazy River for kids but still keeps the integrity of being in nature. It is an absolutely gorgeous property for all resort lovers to enjoy. It has lots for kids to do but adults as well. One of the best features is the spa makes you feel like you are in one of the regions incredible cenotes 😍.

Message me if you you want a free quote on your winter trip.

02/03/2022

We decided to sneak away to Puerto Vallarta for a few days. It was good to learn the ropes of navigating the testing and Covid world. We stayed at the Hilton Riviera Vallarta. It had a great beach and every room had a gorgeous oceanview for whale watching. Food was pretty good as well. A solid 4-4.5 star. It was great to have some friends join us and kept the laughs rolling. Karaoke and silent discos definitely added to the entertainment. Even caught some of the boys hockey games from the cabana 😎.

20/02/2022

Well it has been a minute…it has been so exciting to be booking more and more trips again lately. There are still some restrictions but they are slowly easing and people are ready to explore the world again ✈️ 🌎 . If you are on the fence or have any questions about being able to get the heck out of here, feel free to ask me anything. Let’s get back to filling those bucket lists 🪣 🏖😎

12/05/2021

Well travelling is slowly starting to look more and more possible this winter! I have already booked quite a few trips including myself 🙌🏼😎. Most trips just need a small deposit or some just a credit card to hold. Companies are being really flexible. WestJet Vacations protection for example, allows you to cancel up to 25 days before your trip and get a full refund and not just a credit.

Things are already booking quick. In peak season, room categories are selling out and places like Hawaii are already really booked up. If your post Covid world includes travelling, let’s get you started and give you something to look forward to!