Confessions of an all-inclusive virgin

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I just got back from a visit to Punta Cana, and my trip report (with photos of all the resorts that I toured) will be ready soon.  In the meantime, I have a very interesting blog post from my travel companion, my sister Kate.

Kate is a busy mother of two little girls, and has a very demanding full time job as well, so she jumped at the chance to spend a couple of days on the beach. But she is also a sophisticated New Yorker and a bit of a “foodie”, so I was not at all sure what she would think of our all-inclusive resort. Her first-hand report is below:

Before my recent stay at the Majestic Colonial in Punta Cana, I had never been to an all-inclusive resort. And to be honest, when the opportunity presented itself, I was so excited about the prospect of a few days on the beach, without the kids, that I didn’t really give much though to what I expected the all-inclusive experience to be like. But my trip — in addition to being a much-needed respite from the chaos of being a full-time working mom — was a great introduction to this type of travel experience. Here are my “takeaways,” for any other all-inclusive virgins out there:

1. All-inclusive resorts are a great way to stick to a budget. If you (like me) have a spouse who enjoys his cocktails on the beach, or kids who aren’t sure what they want to eat and like to sample a little bit of a lot of different things, having everything paid for up front takes away the stress of overspending.

2.  There was no sacrifice on the quality of service or amenitites. The grounds were beautifully kept, the beach was gorgeous, and the rooms were clean. We even had the same “towel animals” and flower petals left in our room each night that I got on my honeymoon at a very high-end resort.

3. The food, on balance, was fine. With one exception (dinner at a restaurant that had reopened that very night after a major fire), the meals were pretty good. The quality and variety of the buffets was better than I would have expected. The restaurant dinners, on the other hand, were not as good as I had hoped they would be. But I like to eat out and am used to NYC restaurants, so I have high expectations 🙂

4. All-inclusives — at least this one — are a good option for a family vacation. The resort was very kid-friendly (shallow pools; variety of restaurants; kids’ activities, etc.), without being obtrusively so. Although I probably wouldn’t have considered it before, I would now. 

Sage advice from one of our favorite caterers

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I had to share this recent blog post from our friends at Coastal Gourmet Catering   In working together on an educational seminar for brides and grooms, we each learned a lot about the other’s business. They then took the next step to share that newfound information — about why and how to use a travel agent — with their catering clients. Love it!  And you’ll love the creative, beautiful, delicious touches that they can bring to your next event 🙂

The Reef Playacar

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Even more than a honeymoon, a post-kids getaway needs to be romantic, rejuvenating, and memorable. Sounds like Teri and Jared’s recent escape to The Reef Playacar was all that and more:

Hi Ann,
 
Nice to hear from you!
We enjoyed our time in Playa del Carmen!!
 
The resort grounds were stunning, gorgeous really! Gorgeous beaches, gorgeous views, etc. The food was good. We enjoyed the Terrazza Grill (we both had steak and it was yummy!) and the Italian restaurant. The snack bar was not very good at all, but the buffet had a variety of choices. We only went for breakfast and lunch, and I much preferred breakfast. The drinks were great, and we always had good service at the bars and the restaurants.
 
Once we got into our room, it was ok. At first, we received a room with 2 double beds but it was close to the beach. However, given the reason for the vacation, we asked to change either to a King (as you requested) or a queen bed, at least. They were able to locate us one, closer to the front of the resort, whch was fine with us. 
 
Playa del Carmen itself was great! We enjoyed the beach, we went into downtown one evening and had a great time.
 
Since we were there for such a short time, we chose not to do an excursion, however if we return, we would definitely do something!
 
Thanks for all of your help!
Teri

My investment strategy

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I don’t live in a fancy house, or drive a fancy car, and you’re much more likely to find me shopping in TJ Maxx than in Nordstroms, but my family is rich in something that matters much more to me than material possessions – and that is experiences.

My kids have kayaked through mangrove swamps in The Keys, climbed waterfalls in Jamaica, and ziplined through the treetops in Alaska. They’ve been to a hockey game in Montreal, a musical in London’s West End, a “session” in a Dublin pub, and a wedding in Poland – and they are still in high school! The things that we’ve seen and done together as a family, the cultures we’ve experienced and the places that we’ve explored have opened our eyes, broadened our horizons, and built a treasure trove of memories that we will share forever.

Sure, my daughter probably would have preferred to have a designer handbag (or a car, for that matter) for her sixteenth birthday, but I can guarantee that she will never forget the weekend that she and her friends spent in New York City instead. And my son would certainly have preferred to find video games under the tree this Christmas instead of a trip to London and Paris with mom and dad, but even he was struck speechless by Notre Dame.

So I will continue to invest in experiences rather than things. And to “drag” my kids along with me every chance I get. Because my time with them is short (my daughter graduates next year, and my son will be right behind her) and I know that I am giving them a gift that’s far more valuable than any possession.

Who am I kidding, though, right? My husband and I probably get more out of it than the kids do! We’re the ones who will be sitting around some day reminiscing about New Year’s Eve on the Champs Elysees, and the time we watched glaciers calve from our balcony in Alaska, while the kids are off having new adventures of their own, with their own families. And maybe THAT is the biggest gift we’ve given them – the desire to see, and do, and explore rather than to acquire.

I hope so!

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You provided excellent guidance for us. I appreciated that you really had us think about what was most important to us when we were selecting the right cruise – and not to totally focus on what other people had to say. THANK YOU for helping to make this a memorable trip for our family! It really was a trip of a lifetime!

– Clare and Mark (family cruise to Alaska)

The level of service we experienced was out of this world (and we did NOT make it easy on Ann). We weren’t quite sure where we wanted to go, when we would be able to go, or what “vibe” we were going for. After asking us some key questions (what we liked, didn’t like, why, etc.) Ann helped us narrow down our trip details and planned the honeymoon of our dreams. She helped book some of our excursions, answered some emergency questions while abroad and was always available/willing to help. I think it’s safe to say we won’t be using anyone else for future travel planning – Ann is a rockstar!

– Carli (Italy and Spain)