Recommend June 2013 - (Page 34)

La Puertecita Boutique Hotel in San Miguel de Allende.  WHAT TRAVEL AGENTS ARE SAYING... Have yet to tap into the destination weddings and honeymoons market? Here are a few tips from Angela Turen, president and owner of travel agency Churchill and Turen, and noted as a honeymoon travel specialist by Conde Nast Traveler: "The best way to get your feet wet is to ﬁnd the best honeymoon specialist and become their apprentice. Work for event and honeymoon planners and develop a personal rolodex of the top hotel executives (the director of sales is a good place to start) in the Caribbean and Mexico. Sometimes it’s best to book with a hotel that does not have a honeymoon package. The outcome will usually be better if you can get together with the property to create an exclusive experience that will be truly memorable like sky diving into a ﬁeld of lavender set with one dining table in Provence; a chalet on the top of a mountain in Switzerland; or a small private island with picnic that is totally secluded. A property can look really nice on a colorful brochure; that means nothing. You need to know that management really gets it. One of my favorite questions is, ‘What can you and your staff do to completely blow away these guests? What will you do for them that will have them recounting memories of this honeymoon 10 years from now?’ The hotel’s colonial architecture keeps the feeling of San Miguel de Allende alive with stone arches and columns, vaulted ceilings, and hand-carved stone windows, as well as patios and terraces. Rooms are uniquely designed in earth tones of deep red, green, brown and orange, and decorated with wood, clay, palm, and wrought iron furniture and authentic pieces created by local artisans. Dining options include the hotel’s restaurant and bar serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, and couples are strongly urged to reserve a table at La Palapa, an isolated terrace with views of an ancient 300-year-old aqueduct. Additional onsite amenities include a swimming pool, jacuzzi, and spa, although couples can opt to have their spa treatments by the pool or in-room. Book the Honeymoon Junior Suite, hidden away from prying eyes in a romantic corner of the hotel and surrounded by gardens. It boasts a king-size bed with a jacuzzi and is $270 per night; taxes and breakfast for two are included. lapuertecita.com nizuc resort & spa, riviera maya The newest addition to the Rivera Maya hotel landscape, NIZUC Resort & Spa is for honeymooners who were frugal for the ceremony, but want to splurge on the honeymoon. The property is impressively vast—274 luxe suites and private villas scattered on a 29-acre property with two white-sand beaches on either side of the resort. Located only 20 minutes from Cancun International Airport, guests at NIZUC can take a dip in ﬁve different pools (two are adults-only); savor some Mexican, Peruvian, Asian or Mediterranean cuisine at six different restaurants on property; choose from a selection of tequilas at Havana Lounge; or hang out on the rooftop with some cocktails and a live DJ at Terra Nostra Lounge & Bar. Now to the spa: The 30,000-sq.-ft. NIZUC Spa by ESPA offers Mayan-inspired treatments like the Mayan Cacao massage and the NIZUC Renewal treatment that puriﬁes the skin using natural sea salts and Mexican agave; warm jade and turquoise stones followed by a meditative scalp massage. After the treatments, the concierge can set up a private dinner on the beach, en-suite or on the pier beneath the starry sky. Although the resort lacks honeymoon-inspired packages, its Endless Indulgence Plan (think all-inclusive) is bundled up to offer accommodations; daily breakfast, lunch and dinner; access to watersports; WiFi; 24-hour room service; hydrotherapy access at NIZUC Spa; snacks and beverages during the day; butler service; valet parking and more. Starting rates for a Garden Suite are $656 per night; $1,104 per night for a Garden Pool Villa. (855) 696-4982 or nizuc.com Have the resort’s general manager meet-and-greet the newlyweds; ﬂower petals in the room are always a must. Planning a couple’s honeymoon is, ultimately, a privilege that has no equal." 34 june 2013 30-35 MX Honeys.indd 34 Archived related articles (available on recommend.com/magazine/issue-archive): 'Mooning in Mexico (June 2012) recommend.com 5/23/13 9:25 AM http://www.lapuertecita.com http://www.nizuc.com http://www.recommend.com/magazine/issue-archive http://www.recommend.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recommend June 2013

Editor's Notes/Agent Speak
Hotel Desk: Wedding Bells with Rosewood Hotels & Resorts
Tour Talk: Travel Impressions Plans Perfect Destination Weddings
Royal Clipper's Sail-Away Honeymoon
North American Nuptials
An Ode to Romance
Exchanging Vows in Mexico
Mexico's Honeymoon Retreats
Destination Wedding Powerhouses: A Marriage Made in Heaven
A Destination Wedding for Every Taste
Beach Blanket Bliss
Wonders-of-the-World Honeymoons
Paradise Found
Honeymooning in Ultimate Bliss
A European Rendezvous

Recommend June 2013