Recommend February 2016 - (Page 10)

E d it o r 's N o t e s What is luxury? Is it the very best in service, as Jose Luis Cervantes, sales director for Bahia Principe, says in the Luxury Bahia Principe Akumal Don Pablo Collection onsite review on page 21? Or is it discovering the essence of a destination, as Kevin Froemming, executive v.p. & chief marketing officer for Playa Resorts Management, notes on page 20 in the Hyatt Ziva Los Cabos onsite review when discussing what makes Playa Hotels & Resorts unique? Perhaps it's about accessing a unique ambiance, while feeling relaxed in a luxurious environment, which Militza Orama, director of sales and marketing for the Condado Vanderbilt, suggests in the Caribbean feature on page 14. Then again, Lynn Ciccarelli, owner of Bella Vacations and an accredited Virtuoso agent, points out in the Europe feature on page 28 that it's all about the experience, because, as she says, that's "what makes tongues wag these days. Clients want a good thread count, but so much more." Isn't luxury, in fact, all of the above...or whatever makes your clients feel pampered? That could mean having a drink poolside while staring out at the Pitons in Saint Lucia, teeing off surrounded by Arizona's red rock canyons, learning the art of cigar making in Nicaragua, or enjoying one of the Royal Class Suite accommodations set to debut in May on board Royal Caribbean ships. Whatever luxury means to your clients, this Luxury & Spa issue puts the spotlight on the aforementioned indulgences as well as an array of other sumptuous offerings around the globe-from Florida to Kenya and from Costa Rica to the high seas. We'd love to hear from you on luxury travel-from how long you've been selling luxury travel to which luxury brands you book with the most. Enter the Recommend Luxury + Spa Readership Sweepstakes on recommend.com/readersweepstakes, where you'll have the opportunity to participate in the Luxury Travel Survey and be eligible to WIN TWO Delta Air Lines tickets. -Paloma Villaverde de Rico group publisher/editorial director associate publisher editor-in-chief associate editor art director latin america editor caribbean editor cruise editor web editor/copy editor contributing editor corporate director of marketing production manager ad traffic coordinator laurel a. herman terence k. murphy paloma villaverde de rico michelle marie arean janet del mastro carla hunt ed wetschler vivian holley melissa bryant sergio ortiz sharon lewen estrella bibas daimee feliz chairman/founding editor hal herman president/editorial director laurel a. herman executive vice president gary herman miami corporate headquarters: 5979 nw 151st. st., suite 120, miami lakes, florida 33014 tel: (305) 828-0123; fax: (305) 826-6950 caribbean, central & south america, south florida, georgia: terry murphy, terry@recommend.com tel: (305) 828-0123; ext. 120; fax: (305) 828-0799 northeast usa, eastern canada, europe, maryland, virginia, D.C.: monique agaliotis, monique@worthit.com, tel: (917) 244-7000 colorado, utah, idaho, montana, wyoming, texas: laurel herman, laurel@worthit.com; (305) 828-0123 ext. 121 florida, southeast and midwest usa: brenda goodwin, brenda@worthit.com, tel: (305) 828-0123; ext.160; fax: (305) 826-6950 western usa, nevada, new mexico, alaska, arizona, western canada, asia: lisa marie costa, lisamarie@worthit.com, tel: (949) 244-4760 hawaii: alan rock, alanrock1@gmail.com, tel: (310) 721-2825 Official Florida Travel Industry Education Program Recommend has partnered with VISIT FLORIDA to create a course focused on Active Vacations throughout Florida. You'll get the 4-1-1 on the range of active vacation opportunities Florida offers, everything from thrill-seeking activities such as ziplining over alligators and cave diving, to swimming with manatees and playing a round of golf where the masters do. When you graduate as a VISIT FLORIDA Active Specialist, you'll have access to prizes, including a Fitbit, a Trek mountain bike and more; and you'll receive 3 CEU credits from The Travel Institute or 12 CEU credits from ACTA. Graduates also receive sales support from VISIT FLORIDA and a personalized full color, printable certificate. Go to visitflorida.recommend.com to enroll and become a VISIT FLORIDA Active Specialist. E-mail me at paloma@recommend.com let's get social Hang out with us @Recommendmag on both Twitter & Instagram, as well as on facebook.com/recommendmag. And if you want to see what our editors are up to away from the office, follow them @EdWetschler & @AreanWanderlust. 10 february 2016 cancun: margarita alvarez, margarissima@gmail.com tel: 011 52 998 287 1545; fax: 011 52-998 884-1716 RECOMMEND, Vol. 31, issue number 5, (ISSN 0034-1452) is published monthly by Worth International Media Group. OFFICE OF PUBLICATION: 5979 N.W. 151st St., Suite 120, Miami Lakes, FL 33014.Periodicals postage paid at Hialeah, FL and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to RECOMMEND Circulation Department, P.O. Box 171070 Hialeah, FL 33017-1070. RECOMMEND is distributed at no charge to qualified travel agents and tour operators. Paid annual subscriptions are available for $48 in the U.S., $96 in Canada, payable in U.S. dollars in advance. Published for North American distribution. Canada Post: Publications Mail Agreement #40612608. Canada Returns to be sent to Pitney Bowes International, P.O. Box 25542, London, ON N6C 6B2 Copyright© 2005 Worth International Media Group. All rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A. Recommend is not responsible for unsolicited photography, art or manuscripts. Subscriptions: To manage your subscription, visit www.recommend.com/subscribe or email subscribe@recommend.com. recommend.com http://www.recommend.com/readersweepstakes http://orida.recommend.com http://www.recommend.com/subscribe http://www.facebook.com/recommendmag http://www.recommend.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recommend February 2016

Editor’s Notes
Hotel Desk: Spa Offerings
Tour Talk: Upscale Bookings
Different Visions of Luxury for Fast Escapes
Viva Ziva!
Luxury Bahia Principe Akumal Don Pablo Collection
Sailing With the Stars
Kenya, Wildly Appealing
Luxe Escapes
Tres Chic
The Luxury is in the Experience
Official Florida Travel Industry Education Program—Active Course
On the Green & in the [Steam] Room

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