Recommend June 2014 - (Page 68)

The Nizuc area at Moon Palace. palace resorts & le blanc Palace Resorts is an all-inclusive giant that last year saw an increase in occupancy rates for all seven properties-including the more-exclusive Le Blanc Spa Resort-go up 20 percent over its 2012 numbers; the company also saw an increase in its wedding offerings with about 2,500 ceremonies performed last year, a 28 percent growth from 2012. Palace Resorts is made up of seven oceanfront resorts all located in Mexico-Cancun, Cozumel, Isla Mujeres, and Riviera Maya. What's the draw for travelers? Maybe it's the $1,500 resort credit guests receive when they book a 5-night stay or more that can be used for spa treatments, golf excursions, wedding packages, and off-site tours. Or it could be the all-star line-up of entertainers who performed at the Moon Palace Golf & Spa Resort like Michael Bolton, Usher, classic rock band Chicago, and Ricky Martin. Gibran Chapur, executive v.p. for Palace Resorts, shares his thoughts: "The success and unprecedented growth of Palace Resorts can be accredited to our high-quality product, indispensable team of service-oriented individuals and commitment to surpassing guest expectations by redeﬁning the notion of what an all-inclusive should and can offer." And those offerings expanded last year when Moon Palace underwent a $22 million dollar renovation to its Nizuc section, which added 120 guestrooms, a pool, a new mini-golf course, a beauty salon and kids' club, riu hotels & resorts RIU Hotels & Resorts is welcoming guests at more spots throughout the Caribbean with the debut of the 252-room Riu Palace St. Martin. The property, located beachfront in Anse Marcel on the French side of the Dutch-French island, offers several restaurants bars, pools, sports and aquatic activities, a mini-club for the little ones, a complete spa and marina, as well as venues for weddings. Over in Aruba, the the 482-room Riu Palace Antilles, which will be located next to the Riu Palace Aruba, will debut next winter directly on Palm Beach and will be exclusively for guests 18 and over. And in case you didn't hear, the Riu Palace Jamaica, exclusively for adults, opened this past winter near Montego Bay. riu.com or riuagents.com Riu Palace Jamaica. 68 june 2014 The Playroom, where kids are entertained with a creativity area, Xbox and arcade zone, movie theater and mini soccer ﬁeld. Book the Kids Stay Free package and up to two kids 12 and under stay and eat free at four Palace Resorts. All-inclusive accommodations rates start at $172 pp. Le Blanc Spa Resort itself has garnered a few accolades recently, including another ﬁve-diamond award-its fourth in as many years-and a place on Conde Nast Traveler's Best Places in the World to Stay in 2014 list. Adding to the luxury vibe is a new menu at Lumiere, the hotel's most exclusive restaurant serving Frenchfusion cuisine, and the enhancement of spa services. The resort is promoting its healthy side with a buffet at the main restaurant that offers healthy options and a new area by the Sol Pool that offers natural fruit smoothies. palaceresorts.com or palaceproagents.com Sandals LaSource in Grenada. sandals resorts & beaches In December, Sandals Resorts' Luxury Included collection welcomed the Sandals LaSource Grenada Resort & Spa to its portfolio. Situated on 17 acres along Pink Gin Beach, Sandals LaSource Grenada offers guests posh accommodations that range from Luxury to Club and Butler levels. In fact, the property boasts a total of 225 rooms within three separate villages: Pink Gin, Italian and South Seas. Along with the nine gourmet restaurants, including the brand's ﬁrst steakhouse, a ﬁtness center, ﬁve pools, and Red Lane Spa, guests can keep themselves busy both on land and in the water with activities like snorkeling, scuba diving, windsurﬁng, table tennis, basketball, beach volleyball, Hobie Cats, and board games. Sandals LaSource is located minutes from Maurice Bishop International Airport. Room rates for the resort's Luxury level start at $272 pp. On the Beaches side, the Beaches Turks & Caicos Resort Villages & Spa recently expanded by introducing a new themed village to the property, the Key West Luxury Village. This new addition to the resort, alongside its Italian, French, and Caribbean villages, feature contemporary studios, multi-bedroom suites and villas that are ideal for multigenerational family travel. Additional upgrades include three new restaurants added to an already long list of dining venues located throughout the resort; an all-new SkySlide at the Pirates Island Waterpark; new butler cabanas circling the pool at the French Village; added hibachi tables at Kimonos restaurant; golf cart transfer service; and a new Sesame Street character as part of The Caribbean Adventure with Sesame Street themed activities, Oscar the Grouch. beaches.com; sandals.com or taportal.sandals.com recommend.com http://www.palaceresorts.com http://www.palaceproagents.com http://www.riu.com http://www.riuagents.com http://www.beaches.com http://www.sandals.com http://taportal.sandals.com http://www.recommend.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recommend June 2014

Editor’s Notes
Hotel Desk: Seattle’s The Edgewater Rocks
Tour Talk: Apple Leisure Group
Caribbean Weddings: Choices, Romance & More Choices
Honeymoon Havens for all Sorts of Lovebirds
Nuptials at Sea
Wild Honeymoons!
Latin America for Lovers
Colombia Travel Guide
A Fairy Tale Honeymoon
All-Inclusive Powerhouses
Iberostar Playa Mita
Let’s Get Hitched!
Romantic Retreats
Unforgettable Honeymoons a World Away

Recommend June 2014