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Planning a 12/12/12 Sandals Wedding??

By Sandi | Published November 11, 2011 | Posted in Sandals Resorts

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

By Sandi | Published November 4, 2011 | Posted in Hawaii


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

New Iberostar all inclusive resort in Cancun, Mexico opening soon

By Patty | Published October 28, 2011 | Posted in Mexico

One of our all time favorite family friendly all inclusive resorts is opening a new location on a gorgeous beach in Cancun Mexico and there are villas and suites for a family of five!  The Iberostar Resort chain purchased the former Hilton Cancun Hotel property and has been busy renovating areas such as the lobby, restaurants and other areas to get them to “Iberostar” standards for the December 2011 grand opening.

The quick facts are this resort sits on a nice big beach and features rooms, suites and villas. There are seven infinity pools, tennis courts, soccer field, spa and gym facilities on site, as well as a 18 hole golf course. There will be 4 specialty restaurants including, Japanese, gourmet, steakhouse and Mexican. They will also be adding a kids club with small water park and youth program area. There will be 426 ocean view rooms, 23 suites and 82 private villas to choose from

For those of you that have experienced Iberostar Tucan or Quetzal or the Iberostar Paraiso complex south of Cancun, this resort will offer the same high standard of service, food quality and clean rooms and environment. The main difference besides location will be their Cancun resort is in more of a modern style complete with sleek infinity pools and more modern interiors in the rooms. And for those of you who have run into the problem as a family of five and having to book two separate rooms at the other Iberostar Resorts, there are private villas at this resort as well as interconnecting suites. This will be a fantastic option if you are a family of five or a family with teens who need more space.

We have sent hundreds of clients to the Iberostar All Inclusive Resorts with great feedback and are excited to have another fabulous Iberostar for families. If you would like help planning a family vacation to the new Iberostar in Cancun or one of their other resorts in Riviera Maya, Jamaica or Dominican Republic, give us a call at 1-800-321-7907. I can also be reached by email at patty@totemtravel.com

Looking for an affordable and fun Fiji vacation on a great beach?

By Linda | Published October 20, 2011 | Posted in Tahiti & Fiji

Click for a Mana Island slide show

Almost every day I plan a honeymoon in Bora Bora or extravagant Fiji vacation but some couples are looking for adventure more than luxury, and not everyone wants to pay five star resort prices for a fun in the sun vacation.  Happily I can report there are affordable vacation options in the South Pacific islands that feature gorgeous beaches, turquoise water, great snorkeling and exciting activities. Some of the best vacation values are in Fiji where our dollar is worth almost two and some favorite budget friendly resorts include Uprising Beach, Mana Island Resort and Nanuya. All are on lovely white sand beaches and offer comfortable clean accommodations and attractive entry level rooms.

Here’s what a recent client had to say

We had a wonderful vacation and Mana Island Resort is the best. Its a little world within a small resort. You have so many activities to keep one busy all day long and into the night. We really enjoyed the bure which was steps away from the beach. Since we do not know swimming we were hesitant to try snorkelling but Jim (he is our best friend now…)  helped us a lot. He took us deep into the ocean and made us comfortable snorkelling. The next day I was snorkeling for close to 5 hours and still wanted to do more!  -  Preetham and Fnu

Another recent client raved about Uprising Beach so check out their comments too!  These two resorts also make a great two island combination with ziplining, river rafting, shark dives and horseboarding (not a typo… this is a new sport invented in Fiji) on the main island of Viti Levu and wonderful water sports and trips to nearby islands from Mana.  So if a fun filled Fiji vacation is an adventure on your list, please contact Linda or Patty, Totem Travel’s Fiji Specialists. We guarantee the lowest prices available and provide our expert planning services at no additional cost.

Review Of Couples Swept Away – Negril by Totem Travel Client Travelled 6/27/2011

By Patty | Published September 29, 2011 | Posted in Caribbean

Hello Patty!!!

So Couples Swept Away… I cannot say enough about this resort. We had the time of our lives. The staff was PHENOMENAL. We LOVED our room – Beachfront Verandah Suite on the 3rd floor (thank you again for putting those requests in!!). For future clients, I would highly recommend paying a little more to be in the newer buildings (at least they seemed newer – but maybe just renovated). These are all the Beachfront and Oceanfront buildings (if you’re looking at a resort map, they are on the right part of the resort). Not only are these buildings nicer, but they seemed larger too. They have TVs, which we wanted. Even though you don’t think you’ll watch much TV, it’s nice to have while you fall asleep or get ready for dinner. They are also NOT by the road, which we heard was quite noisy. So overall, we were extremely happy with the room choice we made!

One of the reasons we chose Negril was for the beach. It did not disappoint. White sand and crystal clear water every day. There were always plenty of lounge chairs available, as well as drink flags. There are also several hammocks up and down the beach that were wonderful to lay in.

The food options were amazing. We have done all-inclusive before and the food here was light-years better than the other places we have been. Feathers restaurant was our favorite place – we ate there two nights. The Thai place was probably our least favorite – but we are very picky about our Thai. I think we are spoiled in Seattle! Patois was delicious… especially the Banana-stuffed french toast at breakfast! The view from Patois was also incredible – you look out over the pool and beyond that to the
blue blue ocean! The other restaurants were also wonderful. We always had stellar service too.

The Catamaran/Sunset Cruise that we got free with the resort was probably our favorite activity!! It took us from our resort, all the way down the coast past Rick’s Cafe to the Lighthouse, turned around, and then stopped so we could swim in caves and go off the slide on the side of the Catamaran. So much fun!! We also took advantage of the other all-inclusive benefits including sea kayaking, snorkeling, glass- bottom boat tour, sailing, etc. We did not scuba dive but it was offered.

The last thing I will say about the resort – if you have clients who are fitness enthusiasts, this is the place to be. Their 10-acre fitness complex is the largest on the island and has everything you can imagine - tennis courts, squash courts, racquetball courts, basketball courts, a huge lap pool, fitness classes, a running loop with cross training stations, an open-air workout room with state-of-the-art machines, billiards, ping pong, a lounge area with TVs, and a rejuvenation bar with energy drinks, smoothies,
infused waters, teas, etc. The spa is also located here and we took full advantage of our free couples massage! Heavenly!!

Thank you again for everything,
Kirsten

Couples Swept Away Negril is a fantastic choice for a honeymoon or special anniversary trip especially if you are beach lovers, as Negril is one of the most amazing beaches in the world. We also specialize in Sandals “Couples Only” Resorts which also offer a romantic honeymoon experience. If you are drawn to a more unique, small, boutique type experience, perhaps The Caves just outside of Negril would fit what you are looking for. We will help you find the right spot and always guarantee the lowest prices. Give us a call at 1-800-321-7907 or you can email me patty@totemtravel.com

I am happy to help!

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