Top 7 Things We Love at Sandals Resorts in Jamaica
April 27, 2012
Sandals Resorts has 7 beautiful locations in Jamaica, giving you the opportunity to indulge yourself in the amazing sights, tastes, and experiences these havens have to offer. Here are some of my favorites: [compiled by Kelly Tierney, Travel Impressions]
1. Sandals Cay Private Island – You must visit this private island when staying at Sandals Royal Caribbean Resort & Private Island. You’ll find a gorgeous beach, pool, cabanas and an authentic Thai Restaurant. You can even have a massage on the island!
2. Sunsets - The sunsets at Sandals Negril Beach Resort & Spa are among the most beautiful in the entire world. They’re especially enjoyable from the Crystal Lagoon Suites, where you can swim outside directly from your guest suite. This is one of my personal favorites.
3. Bluefield Beach Club – This restaurant at Sandals Whitehouse European Village & Spa offers the best authentic Jamaican cuisine just steps from the beach. The jerk chicken is to die for!
4. Ochi Beach Club – Imagine lying on a Balinese cabana and then dining at a new gourmet restaurant directly over the ocean. This is what you’ll experience when visiting the The Ochi Beach Club at Sandals Grande Riviera Beach & Villa Golf Resort. At night, the fire pits create a relaxing and romantic atmosphere that you’ll never want to leave!
5. Champagne and Caviar Bar- The Champagne and Caviar Bar at Sandals Royal Plantation really shouldn’t be missed. The caviar is such a delicacy and it’s the only bar of its kind on the island!
6. Wedding Chapel – If you’re in love and are ready to take the big step with your special someone, consider staying at Sandals Montego Bay, the only resort with its own wedding chapel on the island. Say “I do” in style!
7. West Indian Massage – This massage is so unique and luxurious that you’ll think you’re in heaven for 80 luxurious minutes. You’ll receive a full body massage, hot stone therapy, tantalizing tropical mist, and even exfoliation for your tired feet. I enjoyed one of these massages after a long day of meetings, and it left me feeling completely resorted!
Click here to view some great offers at Sandals properties. You can save BIG!
Kelly Tierney, Associate Director, Sandals Accounts
LOVES Sandals Resorts and has visited those in Jamaica 32 times!
Book Sandals Resorts with Travel Impressions
Agents: log on to Quest for Agents
Travelers: Search our locator to find a Travel Agency http://www.travimp.com/bookonline
8 Best Must-Have Experiences in Puerto Rico
April 20, 2012
Few places can provide the entire package quite like Puerto Rico can. This is an island destination that offers so much for a wide range of preferences, and the fact that it’s easy to get to, makes this a winning vacation combination!
This is my list of “musts” that Puerto Rico vacationers should make every attempt to experience: (Curated by Travel Impressions’ Veronica Vega)
1. Kayak the Bioluminescent Bay at Laguana Grande in Fajardo. This is one of the most magical things I’ve ever experienced. You’ll glide on calm waters through the mangroves in your kayak in the evening dark, as you reach a clearing where you’ll see the diamond like effect of the waters that glitter when stirred.
2. Stroll around Old San Juan. It’s the oldest city under the U.S flag and with its paved cobblestone 7-square-block area, and carefully restored 16th and 17th-century Spanish colonial buildings, this area oozes charm. Great unique shopping and many fabulous restaurants, make this a favorite pasttime.
3. Taste local food favorites. I can’t say enough about the food in Puerto Rico! It’s local delicacies range from rice and beans, fresh seafood, pork or much more. Try mofongo – one of my favorites! It’s a garlicky dish made in combination of plantains and options such as pork or shrimp. I enjoy mofongo with veggies. Of course you can choose from a wide array of local drinks. Did you know the Pina Colada is said to be a Puerto Rican invention? Legend has it, that it was created by a Caribe Hilton bartender.
4. Explore a Tropical Rain Forest. Visiting the El Yunque rain forest is inspiring owing to its natural beauty. You’ll also take in the myriad of living things, sounds, smells, and textures.
5. Zip line Toro Verde. When I visited Puerto Rico this past December, I had the chance to experience the zip line for the first time. I’m not an adrenaline junkie, but if you are, this really fits the bill. They switch it up here a bit, and I experienced a customized grouping of lines along with the infamous Bestia, which means Beast in Spanish. You will be secured into a large body harness, as you lay down to get attached to the cables from your back. Flying through the air like a bird (or, in my case, a screaming loon) was a most exhilarating experience!
6. Experience Rio Camuy Cave Park. The world’s third-longest known subterranean stream has created a sinkhole deep enough to swallow a 30-story building. National Geographic Travel says, “You won’t forget it… ever.” I agree!
7. Paint the town red. This special Caribbean island offers a fantastic cosmopolitan nightlife. Salsa and merengue might be the spice of this awesome little island’s evenings, but there is so much to do in Puerto Rico, and you can find something every night into the wee hours.
8. Rent a car. Some of the best sites and activities I have seen or done in Puerto Rico weren’t researched before I visited; they were surprises I stumbled upon. Driving here is a breeze. Arranging a car rental beforehand is not only effortless but recommended. Puerto Rico is an easy island to explore and every time I visit, I find new reasons to love it!
Click here for amazing vacation packages and offers to Puerto Rico and other Caribbean destinations.
Veronica Vega, Travel Impressions’ Associate Director of Caribbean Marketing.
Profile: Veronica has visited Puerto Rico 6 times and is a huge fan of the island!
6 Best Beaches in Aruba
April 16, 2012
We love these top 6 Aruba beaches! (Curated by Travel Impressions’ Bob Lawrence)
How many have you visited?
1. Malmok Beach – Best for Swimming, Windsurfing, and Snorkeling. Known for ideal snorkeling and scuba diving, the water at this beach is so clear that snorkelers can often see the 400-foot SS Antilla shipwreck from the surface.
2. Eagle Beach – Best for “Anytime” Walks on the Beach and Gorgeous Sunsets. You may want to sip the famous Aruba Ariba cocktail, which includes: Coecoei (liquor) is one of the major ingredients in making the famous “Aruba Ariba.”
3. Baby Beach – Best for Private Times. It’s on the eastern end of the Island and offers vacationers lots of privacy. The shallow clear waters make this beach ideal for wading and beach based snorkeling.
4. Palm Beach – Best for People-Watching and Activities! Along the high rise hotel strip, this popular beach is known for its activities and beautiful garden pathways, and open air bars. It’s a beautiful and extremely active beach.
5. Arashi Beach – Best for Water Activities: including scuba diving, windsurfing, deep-sea fishing, and sailing. This quiet and secluded beach is also known for its excellent snorkeling. Great for vacation activities with older children.
6. Manchebo Beach – Best for Swimming, Reading and Relaxing. Enjoy the gentle surf and wide open, pristine spaces. Tip: Wear sandals down to the beach from the pool. The expansive sandy beach area is quite a distance from most hotels.
Click here for amazing vacation packages and offers to Aruba and other Caribbean destinations.
Bob Lawrence, Travel Impressions’ Senior Director, Caribbean Product
Profile: Specializing in Developing and Creating Packages to the Caribbean: 25+ years; Visits to Aruba: 20+
Vancouver, City of Nature
April 3, 2012
It’s not often that you come across a city like Vancouver, one that so effortlessly combines the excitement of a modern city with true access to the great outdoors. This really is a “city of nature” – look in one direction to see glass skyscrapers, sidewalk cafes and art galleries, then turn around and take in a view of a temperate rainforest, oceanfront beaches and majestic mountains. Vancouver offers a fresh perspective on what it means to visit a city - lose yourself on a hike among ancient trees without leaving the downtown peninsula, have lunch at a busy waterfront market, spend the afternoon on a mountain wildlife-watching, then come back down again to dine and dance the night away in one of the city’s hip neighborhoods. A visit to Vancouver offers a refreshing change to the usual city vacation.
Vancouver, the Getaway City
March 31, 2012
.This audiocast takes us north of the border where we talk to Kristine Sigurdson, Sales & Marketing Manager for Tourism Vancouver. In this segment, our guest provides tips on tours & attractions including the coastal rainforest adventure, Vancouver by air & Hop Off Bus Tour of Vancouver. Additionally, hear why Vancouver is the Getaway City.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Jamaica: Once you go, you know.
January 2, 2012
No other Caribbean island offers as much splendor and diversity as Jamaica. Sugar-white beaches combine with shimmering waters to sooth your soul. Explore a rich island culture that expresses itself in superb cuisine, scintillating nightlife, and the sensual beat of reggae music. Jamaica is large enough to provide for every taste. From the world-famous beaches of Ocho Rios and Montego Bay to the toe-twinkling seven-mile stretch in Negril, to uncharted nooks where romantics can hide away, Jamaica is a paradise for everyone. Read more
Alberta, Canada – Authentic adventures in breathtaking landscapes
December 29, 2011
Snowcapped peaks on a warm summer day? Rugged terrain, endless tress and cascading waterfalls. Meadows abloom in a multitude of colors. Inspiring views and abundance of fresh air. See it. Breathe it. Peace of mind that only comes from the serenity of where your clients are and the memories they take home with them. Welcome to Alberta, Canada and the Canadian Rockies. Read more
U.S. Virgin Islands – St. Thomas, St. John and St. Croix
November 22, 2011
Each of the U.S. Virgin Islands – St. Thomas, St. John and St. Croix - offers up unique charms. St. Thomas is brimming with refreshing water activities, invigorating golf and stirring nightlife. St. Croix is the serene island with an unhurried appeal. St. John is largely a natural park, where a wonderful network of hiking trails beckons eco-tourists. Read more
Hawaii – Welcome to the Islands of Aloha!
November 14, 2011
Have you ever wanted to escape from the chaos of everyday life and retreat to a place so secluded yet exciting you thought it was too good to be true? Well, look no more! Hawaii is the most isolated population on earth – located thousands of miles away from California, Japan and China. Read more
Grand Cayman
November 4, 2011
The Cayman Islands have long been known for sophisticated pleasures set against a backdrop of tropical splendor and coral-infused waters. On Grand Cayman, the silvery shores of Seven Mile Beach are one of the most popular draws in all the Caribbean. Heed the call of the shimmering blue waters and scuba dive or snorkel in a colorful undersea world. Read more
-
Follow Us!
