Tag: Caribbean

The Caribbean is an idyllic destination for tropical nuptials and Almond Resorts is now giving couples the chance to get married abroad for free at its collection of all inclusive resorts in Barbados.

Engaged couples will receive free Caribbean weddings when they book seven nights or more in a deluxe room or higher category at Almond Beach Club & Spa or Almond Casaurina Beach resort.

The Wedding for You Complimentary Package includes the choice of a wedding location at the hotel property, a professional wedding coordinator, a registrar, single tiered wedding cake, bouquet and boutonniere for the bride and groom, bottle of Champagne, a Best man or Maid of Honour if required, postcards of the property and island, and all taxes, government fees and charges.

Couples who book at least ten nights in a deluxe room category or higher and stay at any of Almonds Resorts’ properties to host their free Caribbean weddings will receive the Unforgettable Wedding For You package which includes all of the above-mentioned extras in the basic wedding package plus additional extras such as a decorated guest room, manicures for the bride and groom, a special celebration dinner for two with personalised menus, breakfast in bed the morning after the wedding, and two commemorative glasses.

The luxury resorts can cater for Barbados weddings of any size and couples can upgrade their wedding package to the Treasured Wedding For You package, the Opulent Wedding For You package or the Platinum Wedding For You package.

Married couples who are looking to renew their vows with a romantic Caribbean wedding ceremony will receive a free package if they stay for at least seven nights in a deluxe room.

The Vow Renewal package includes a wedding location of their choice at the property, clergy/magistrate, bottle of Champagne, single-tiered celebration cake, and a corsage for the bride and boutonniere for the groom.

Couples can choose from romantic beach weddings, ceremonies in lush tropical gardens or nuptials by the poolside at either of the luxury all inclusive resorts.

Barbados is a perfect location for romantic destination weddings and brides and groom can enjoy unique white pink sandy beaches; calm turquoise waters that are perfect for snorkelling and scuba diving activities; world-class golf courses; and thriving wildlife reserves.

Looking for a golf included, scuba included vacation? Or how about an all inclusive luxury resort providing all these facilities in the middle of the beautiful pristine waters of the Caribbean? The Sandals All inclusive luxury resorts provides the perfect getaway! Golf, scuba diving and water sports galore. If youre looking for an adventure filled holiday, Sandals is the perfect spot for you!

Golf And More Golf

If youre looking for a vacation filled with a whole lot of golf, then Sandals challenging golf courses in Jamaica and St. Lucia will have you sweating it out! These green globe certified luxury resorts. The Sandals Golf and Country Club is huge, with 18 holes and a yardage of 6502!

Its scenic location at a height of 750 feet among the hills of the Ocho Rios makes it a perfect place to admire natures beauty AND play your favorite sport! If youre looking for a golf included vacation, then this is definitely up to the mark, to say the least! Oh and did I mention that tipping is completely optional?

Theres more golf from Sandals at St. Lucia too! This course however is smaller with just about nine holes and a yardage of 2475.

But in no way is it any less challenging because it is set among rolling hills and challenging fairways! If youre a Sandals guest, green fares is included for you! So when I said golf included, I meant it! There are also complimentary PGA golf clinics on the properties of these all inclusive luxury resorts!

Scuba Included Too!

Luxury included vacations at the Sandals all inclusive luxury resorts are made even more special because they come with scuba included packages. You can enjoy he most amazing dives in the Caribbean and all with the help of the guidance of certified professionals, not to mention high quality equipment! In fact, if youre a newbie, you can also learn diving to a depth of 30 ft underwater!

You have to pay a fee for this lesson of course!

Not just scuba diving, Sandals offers a whole range of water sports for your comfort and pleasure. These include snorkeling, kayaking, sailing, waterskiing, hobie Cats, windsurfing and even Aquastrikes. However, do keep in mind that water skiing and glass bottom boats are not available at all properties. This can however be overcome if you go in for their Stay at 1, Play at 7 offers, which allows you to enjoy the facilities of ALL resorts even if you stay at just one property!

At the Sandals Luxury included vacations are beautifully done and the staff goes out of their way to ensure that you have a pleasant stay at Sandals all inclusive luxury resorts!

The founder of Smiles and Miles Travel, Ellen Paderson, has recently shared some of her tips on booking an excellent all inclusive holiday for foodie and those concerned about the quality of food on an all inclusive meal plan. Paderson, who has made it her goal to search for the top Caribbean properties offering all inclusive service in recent years, can now enlist the best getaways for experiences the best all inclusive holidays in the Caribbean as well as the advantages of this type of holiday, sometimes rejected by travellers due to predisposition about the food, the activities or the price.

She points out that its much less stressful for guests, and makes it easier for them to relax, knowing that everything has been paid for in advance. By booking an all-inclusive trip, holidaymakers guarantee accommodations, meals, beverages (alcoholic and non-alcoholic), recreational service and gratuities. However, Paderson advises travellers to make sure they find out all the details before making a booking, since the concept of all inclusive is not always the same for all resorts.

Travellers should ask their travel consultant to get to the bottom line to avoid surprises, said Ellen Paderson Of course, if you like trying local restaurants, exploring other locales off the resort, touring, etc., the all inclusive option removes much of the spontaneity that can make nice memories too.

Nevertheless, many of these properties offer extras that arent included in the rate such as spa treatments, golf and baby-sitting. Paderson, who has been in the travel industry for over 20 years, has selected as her favourites what she considers to be the best all inclusive resorts in the Caribbean due to their fine culinary options, beautiful surroundings, excellent service and great recreational activities with no extra cost, such as scuba diving. The Grand Velas Resort Riviera Maya, the Azul Beach Hotel by Karisma, the Sun Palace, the Beach Palace, El Dorado Seaside Suites, El Dorado Maroma by Karisma and the Beach Turks & Caicos Resort Villages & Spa are in Padersons list of the highest-quality getaways in the region with great meal options for foodies.

If travellers are interested in going for high-end all inclusive holidays in Cancun at a truly luxurious venue, the Grand Velas Resort Riviera Maya is a wonderful choice. Located just five minutes away from downtown Playa del Carmen, the hotel offers 5-star dining at any of its 15 restaurants and an excellent 24-hour butler concierge service. The Sun Palace and the Beach Palace in Cancun, Mexico, are also gems among luxury all inclusive hotels in the Caribbean. Guests at the Sun Palace will enjoy a stocked minibar and a liquor dispenser with brand-name label whiskey, tequila, rum and vodka in their rooms, as well as the privilege to use the amenities at other nearby Palace resorts, meanwhile at the Beach Palace, guests will have a stunning view of Nichupte Lagoon and will be able indulge in the Jacuzzi tubs that can be found in all the hotels rooms.

The two Karisma properties earlier mentioned, have excellent seafood choices in their restaurants as well as great service. The Azul Beach Hotel with a popcorn room service for guests who want to stay in with a movie is more suitable for families, while El Dorado Maroma, with its excellent cuisine and beautiful white-sand beach, will be ideal for holidaymakers looking to relax. El Dorado Seaside Suites adults-only resort is a perfect getaway for honeymooners, which includes two swim-up bars and offers great spa treatments such as the Beachfront Sky Massage. Beaches Turks & Caicos Resort Villages & Spa, on the other hand, has excellent options for children such as scuba diving lessons, and a great waterpark. The hotel specialises in offering great food for guests who have certain allergies as well as vegans and vegetarians.

Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide is planning to build a new resort in the Dominican Republic after it signed an agreement with development partner Grupo Punta Cana. The Westin Puntacana Resort is expected to open to tourists taking Dominican Republic holidays in late 2013 in the Playa Blanca area of the Puntacana Resort and Club complex.

The new resort will have 204 luxurious rooms including 16 suites, and guests going on holidays to the Dominican Republic can enjoy facilities such as a large swimming pool, full service spa, fitness centre, 24-hour business centre, meeting and wedding rooms, children’s club, walking trails, lobby bar and a poolside grill.

Brian Povinelli, the Global Brand Leader for Westin Hotels and Resorts, commented: “The Westin Puntacana Resort is a highly anticipated addition to our growing resorts portfolio, offering travellers a refreshing, island retreat on one of the most popular islands in the Caribbean.

“The new resort will offer all of the Westin brand’s signature programs and amenities, designed to inspire wellbeing and send guests home feeling better than when they arrived.”

During holidays in the Dominican Republic, travellers staying at the new resort will also have access to first-class amenities at the Puntacana Resort and Club, such as championship golf course, nine gourmet restaurants, a Six Senses Spa, a 1,500-acre ecological reserve and three miles of pristine white sand beaches.

The resort is the first of two Dominican Republic hotels that Starwood Hotels and Resorts is planning to open over the year or so. The first property, Four Points by Sheraton Punta Cana Village, is due to open in October, 2012 and is also being developed by Grupo Punta Cana.

Punta Cana is situated on the easternmost province of the Dominican Republic in the Caribbean and travellers from all over the world head to the region every year to experience tropical Punta Cana holidays amid stunning natural scenery that is made up of white sand beaches, turquoise ocean waters, lush green landscapes.

“We are delighted to expand our partnership with Starwood Hotels and Resorts to be able to share the Puntacana experience with even more travellers as they visit the Dominican Republic,” stated Alberto Abreu, the Executive Director of Hospitality at Puntacana Resort and Club.

He added: “The Westin Puntacana Resort will allow even more visitors from around the globe to experience the one-of-a-kind beaches, weather, and activities available in our country, and at our resort. We look forward to welcoming more guests into the Puntacana family as we move forward with this project.”

Hotels and resorts across the Caribbean have launched special wedding packages and promotions for couples planning to get married on this years triple date 12/12/12.

Hundreds of engaged couples are planning Caribbean weddings on what will be the last triple date for 89 years and wedding planners are busy organising special ceremonies across the region.

Triple dates occur twelve times in every hundred years and this years triple date is said to be lucky because in numerology, the number 12 is regarded as the number of completeness because there are 12 hours on the clock, 12 months in the year and 12 signs in the zodiac.

This years triple date falls on a Wednesday and though this is not a typical day for destination weddings, hundreds of couples are booking 12th December at venues across the Caribbean and the rest of the world so they can get married on the unique date.

Sandals and Beaches Resorts already have 92 Caribbean weddings booked across their 18 resorts and they are offering a complimentary Beautiful Beginnings ceremony to all couples who book 12/12/12 weddings and stay for a minimum of six nights.

In 2011, Sandals hosted 150 weddings in the Caribbean on the last triple date 11/11/11.

Breezes Resorts has seven Jamaica weddings booked on the lucky date and couples will receive resort credit equalling 12 per cent of their total stay, including upgraded wedding packages and accommodation.

Couples planning weddings abroad at Ocean Two Resort & Residences and South Beach Hotel in Barbados between 1st November and 12th December, 2012 will be able to take advantage of a $12 traditional wedding package if they stay for a minimum of 12 nights. Family and friends attending the Barbados wedding will also receive a 12 per cent discount on accommodation at the hotel.

The Amaryllis Beach Resort in Barbados is offering a complimentary package worth $850 when brides and grooms book a suite for a week. They will also receive a 25 per cent discount on rooms until 21st December, 2012 but bookings must be made by 15th April, 2012.

Hiltons El Conquistador Resort in Puerto Rico has a special offer for its Love in the Sun package. Couples pay $5,000 (saving $2,012) and they will receive the wedding ceremony, venue, minister, photographs, music, drinks vouchers, room upgrades, champagne and chocolate on the wedding night and passes to the water park.