Totem Travel(425) 821-4100   (800) 321-7907

Planning a 12/12/12 Sandals Wedding??


Since 2001, couples have enjoyed the opportunity to have an easy wedding anniversary date to remember with dates like 01/01/01, 02/02/02 and 03/03/03 and destination wedding venues for those special dates have sold out 6-9 months ahead. In 2012 we have one last opportunity and it’s a great time of year for a tropical beach wedding in the Caribbean.  So if you’re thinking about 12/12/12 we are advising couples to plan ahead! Way ahead! In fact, now is good!

At each of the 13 Sandals Resorts the Beautiful Beginnings Weddings, by Martha Stewart  are free for guests staying at least 6 nights, in a qualifying room category. This wedding package includes the wedding license, flowers for the bride and groom, a wedding cake, music, and a special dinner the evening of your wedding. Of course, a licensed officiant is included too and there are special extras for wedding groups starting with as a few as 5 rooms !!

If you prefer something a bit more lavish, many different Martha Stewart wedding themes are available: the Flutter of Romance, which is charming and sweet; or the Chic and Natural theme with clean lines and organic elements that set a modern, romantic tone. When in the Caribbean…….perhaps a sun, sand, and sea theme is more to your taste. The Seaside Serenade theme with vows being exchanged under a bamboo arch and the bride’s bouquet embellished with seashells, really bring the feel islands to your wedding.

Any of the wedding themes can be personalized by adding your own music, or inter changing portions of the wedding themes.

With 2012 fast approaching, confirming your 12/12/12 wedding date early is imperative. Sandals policy allows for price adjustments should the room category reserved becomes less expensive after deposit has been applied. So you have nothing to lose by booking early, and everything to gain! Totem Travel is a Preferred Sandals and Beaches Agency and we have visited all 13 of the resorts many times.  You can contact one of our three Sandals Specialists by phone or email with any questions or you can book on line.  There is no extra charge for our expert services so the price will be exactly the same either way!

Aston Maui Hill, family sized condos in Kihei, Maui



Click here for a slideshow of Aston Maui Hill

Maui Hill is a beautiful property in the Kihei area of Maui. As you can derive from the name, it sits on a hill overlooking the ocean. While it is not on the beach, it is just a short walk to Kamaole Beach.

Quote from a recent honeymoon couple:

Aston Maui Hill was perfect! We really enjoyed staying in Kihei also! We had a wonderful time in Maui. We can’t wait to go back! Thanks again for all your help!
-Sara and Patrick

Most units give you a view of the ocean, some more than others. The gardens are beautiful, so whether you book an ocean view or garden view room, your lanai will afford you a lovely view. We thoroughly enjoyed this feature for our breakfast! Fresh pineapple and papaya, with Kona Coffee on the lanai in Maui, what could be better!

Maui Hill has 1, 2 and 3 bedroom units. It is one of the few properties on Maui that do have 3 bedrooms, and allow 8 people in a unit. Each of the units is privately owned so actual furnishings vary from room to room. All units have 2 bathrooms (except the 3 bedroom which has 3 bathrooms), 2 televisions, private lanais, kitchens, AND a washer and dryer (a big plus with children!!). They also have free high speed internet access, if you need to keep in touch.

Because Aston Maui Hill has multi-bedroom units at an affordable price it is the perfect family reunion venue, or accommodations for a bridal party.

Kitchens are fully equipped with a refrigerator, range, micro-wave, and dishwasher. Small appliances such as toasters, coffee makers and blenders are also included. All kitchens are fully stocked with pots and pans, dishes and flatware, coffee mugs and drinking glasses. You just supply the food!!

Each bedroom is furnished with a queen bed, and the living room has a sleeper sofa. The 3rd bedroom in the 3 bedroom unit is a loft with an attached bath.

The property itself, offers a swimming pool, jet spa, a putting green, shuffleboard, tennis court, barbecue area and an internet workstation in the lobby. And the property is entirely smoke-free with smoking allowed in designated areas only.

While, Maui Hill does not have a restaurant, there are many within a short drive, as well as several grocery stores.

I thoroughly enjoyed my stay at ResortQuest Maui Hill, and I know that you will too! If it’s time to book your Maui vacation please call, email or book online and Get Personalized help from a travel expert at no extra cost!

sandi@totemtravel.com
425 821-4100

Disney is coming to Hawaii!!


On the Magical date of August 29th, Oahu, Hawaii officially welcomed Aulani, A Disney Resort and Spa.  Aulani does not mean magical Hawaiian Vacation, but it should.  This brand new, luxury hotel, on the west side of the Oahu, is just that: Magical!!

Amazingly, the Disney Imagineers, have created the Aulani to fully represent the local Hawaiian craftsman, by incorporating many of the Hawaiian fabrics, beautiful flowers, and native Hawaiian woods, with the quality and fantasy that is Disney.  Your children will be searching for Mickey in the pineapple-patterned Hawaiian quilts. Or turning on the living room lamp to see a silhouette of Minnie Mouse hanging ten on her surfboard!  Or find Mickey hiding in the patterned wall coverings.

Disney has tried to celebrate the Hawaiian Culture in every way:  the foods are grown by local farmers, the fish caught fresh daily, and the thousands of fish you see while snorkeling in Rainbow Reef, are native to Hawaii.  Hawaiian dancers entertain on special nights, and of course, no Hawaiian visit would be complete without hearing a few Hawaiian legends.  No one can “Talk Story” like the local Hawaiian storytellers!

When we think of Disney, we think of children, of course.  And Aulani is no exception.  The kids will have a great time visiting Aunty’s Beach House where they can experiment making special goo that really food for the Manta Rays!  (Which they will be able to fee at the Resort’s Conservation pool) Or blast self-made volcanoes on the beach!  Can’t do that at Disneyland!!  But some of the Disney characters on vacation too, so you never know who might show up!!

Teens are going to be thrilled with the idea of their own spa, Painted Sky, and the teens-only parties!  Even guided excursions and surfing lessons are available just for your teens.

What are the adults going to do while the kids are off having all this fun?  So many ideas!  How about customized spa treatments at the Laniwai Spa? Or maybe a romantic dip in the sunset whirlpools?  Of course, guided excursions are available to some pretty amazing places, too!  Golf?  Of course!  It’s only a few steps away.

Have you thought about a honeymoon in Hawaii?  The Aulani has beautiful accommodations, lots of activities, romantic sunsets, and good food!  I always say that a happy marriage is about having fun together!  What could be more fun that Disney!!  And Hawaii!  At the same time!

Aulani is the perfect combination of Hawaiian Culture, Disney fun, water fun and beautiful sunsets!  Please contact Sandi to book the newest Disney destination: Aulani, A Disney Resort and Spa.

sandi@totemtravel.com
425-821-4100
or 800-327-7907

Sandals Grande Riviera Beach & Villa Golf Resort is getting a makeover!



Click here for Slideshow of Sandals Grand Ocho

 

By the end of this summer, Sandals Grande Riviera Beach & Villa Golf Resort will be enriched with new restaurants, a chic new Beach Club, enhanced amenities at the beach and the pool areas. The Red Lane Spa has been refurbished, along with guest rooms and the Riviera Villa Suites!

Sandals Grande Riviera has always been a good choice for a Destination Wedding,  honeymoon, anniversary celebration, vow renewal, (my husband and I renewed our vows on our 35th on the beach at Grande Riviera) or just a great couples get-away. Now it’s a great choice!! Sandals Grande Riviera has added several restaurants, which brings the total number 14! I think a longer vacation is in order! Among the culinary options are Sushi, brick-oven pizza, Asian fusion cuisine and a Mediterranean restaurant right on the beach! Sandals Grande Riviera has also added a fine-dining restaurant on the pier! Dinner at this restaurant, Kelly’s Dockside, will be the perfect romantic end to the evening.

The Riviera Seaside pool area has increased deck space and a new Jacuzzi! New cabanas have been added to the Riviera Great House pool, which features serene music and draperies for privacy. Sandals Grande Riviera’s new Riviera Beach Club will feature a brand-new boardwalk lounge with stylish outdoor furniture. The boardwalk area features romantic fire pits and an observation deck to take in the beautiful sunsets! The Beach Club also has many more cabanas and full service butlers for guests in select suites providing fresh fruits and drinks! How decadent is that?

My favorite accommodations at Sandals Grande Riviera are the Riviera Villas which are tucked into the mountainside. Most of these units are fourplexes (some are duplexes) with semi-private plunge pools. These are great for couples traveling together. Think Destination Wedding! You would all have a private suite, but a great common area around your own pool! Not only that, but all of the Riviera Villas will now have 24 hour room service.

Once the reinvigorating in completed, all of the rooms and suites within both the Riviera Villas and the Riviera Seaside sides of the resort will have new linens, mahogany furniture, upgraded bathroom fixtures, iPod docking stations, and plasma TVs.

Sandals Grande Riviera Beach and Villa Golf Resort is going to be your new favorite destination! With 14 restaurants, beautiful pools, newly refurbished rooms, and suites with pools, how could it be anything else? Oh and don’t forget golf! Greens fees are complimentary, as is the transportation from Sandals Grande Riviera!  As Certified Sandals Specialists, the staff Totem Travel has visited all of the Sandals Resorts, and would love to help you make the right choice for your holiday at Sandals!

Please email: sandi@totemtravel.com; call 425-821-4100, or book on line!

Luxurious, Quiet, Romantic, Tropical Kauai Resort: St. Regis Princeville Resort



Click here for slideshow of St. Regis

The St. Regis Princeville Resort, on the North Shore of Kauai, right on Hanalei Bay, is the ultimate in luxury.  The St. Regis is home to 2 world class golf courses, Halele’a Spa, a huge infinity pool surrounded by beautiful tropical gardens, and 5 sumptuous restaurants.

The St. Regis is an average size hotel, but that’s where average ends!  The rooms and suites are magnificently furnished and feature several amenities that are not available at most hotels:  large widows with plantation shutters, and luxurious, out of this world, marble bathrooms with huge soaking tubs.  The most unique feature is a transparent glass reveal.  This allows windows beside the tub to be controlled to display a beautiful oceanview, or opaque if you prefer privacy.  You decide!!

The pool, with its natural lava rock and water features, reflects Hawaii’s tropical outdoor lifestyle.

Private, luxurious, poolside cabanas are available to rent for full and half days.  Prefer the ocean to the pool?  No problem, the beach is perfect for snorkeling and kayaking or just sunbathing and enjoying the breathtaking views!

To make your stay even more memorable, take advantage of St. Regis Signature Romantic Candlelit Dinner.  You will enjoy a private, elegant customized dinner for two.  You will meet with the chef to discuss your food preferences and any dietary restrictions to ensure the perfect 4 course meal for the 2 of you!  Private entertainment can also be arranged!  Talk about romantic elegance!

In addition to the private dining option, St. Regis also has 5 restaurants to satisfy everyone’s dining expectations.  There’s even a Dinner Show Buffet with great Hawaiian cuisine, hula dancing, and storytelling.  I know that guests from the Seattle area want to know: is there Espresso!! Yes, there is!  The Napali Café has a full complement of espresso, lattes and cappuccinos, as well as salads, sandwiches, and baked goods.

If the St. Regis Princeville Resort sounds like your perfect romantic getaway, please email or call 425 821 4100.

I look forward to helping you plan a visit to the St. Regis Princeville Resort for luxury at its best!

Get personalized help from a travel expert at no extra cost!

 

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