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My husband and I recently returned from an amazing vacation at Secrets Maroma, just outside of Cancun, Mexico. I should start by saying, that vacations are awesome, and I highly recommend them!

All joking aside....the resort was absolutely beautiful, the service was fantastic and the food was delicious. Anyone who knows me understands that everything starts and ends with food, and this resort did not disappoint.

Secrets is part of the AM Resorts family, and is an Adult's Only (18 or older) All Inclusive resort. This means that your meals, snacks, drinks (alcoholic and non alcoholic), coffee, tea, margarita on the beach, by the pool, at dinner, etc are all included.

From the Coco Cafe (specialty coffees, sandwiches and pasties, to Bordeaux (French), everything is fresh and delicious. There is also Portofino (Italian), Seaside Grill and Oceana for seafood, El Patio (Mexican) and Himitsu (Pan Asian). The Teppanyaki portion of this restaurant is the only one that requires reservations. The Barefoot Grill and World Cafe round out your options. Don't feel like leaving the luxury of your room? Pick up the phone and order room service at no additional charge. Imagine my surprise when my room service breakfast included tri color sauteed peppers that I did not order.....it finally occurred to me that I had requested salt and “pepper” with my omelette!

You can also take advantage of “Sip Savor and See”, which allows you to visit participating AM Resorts in the area for dinner, drinks and entertainment. During the time that we were there, the resort had Mexican night, complete with a Mariachi Band, and BBQ night with a fire dancing show. Needless to say, it was amazing!

On property, you have kayaking, snorkeling, sailing and windsurfing. There are tennis courts, mini golf , yoga, archery, ping pong, pool activities, dance lessons, cocktail lessons, the list goes on and on!

If you want to go off property, there are tons of tours that you can do. The Ruins in Tulum are just an hour from the resort. Explor Park is nearby for a day of fun and adventure. There is also Xel-ha for aquatic fun. Other favorites were the Cenotes. These are underground caves with swimming areas. Some have diving, and adventure. We stopped at one that was more serene, and the fish therapy was free!

I should mention that I had the extreme pleasure of touring 15 of the AM Resorts in Mexico back in March. I did get to spend two nights at Dreams Riviera and two nights at Breathless. Of course spending 6 nights at Secrets Maroma puts it at the top of the list, but I can tell you that I absolutely loved all of the properties, and would not hesitate for a second to send my clients to any of them (and I have sent them to many!) Dreams and Now properties are family friendly. Zoetry is the Wellness and Spa Resort, and Breathless is adults only where there is always a party going on somewhere.

Does this sound like a vacation for you? Give me a call, and we can start planning!

Anyone can plan a trip.....Let me help you plan a memory!

Miriam Wolf
Cruise Planners, an American Express Travel Representative
866-606-8249

http://www.wolfcattravel.com

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Nothing compares to a Sandals vacation!

Published Thursday, January 9th 2014

Time for a couples getaway, or a family vacation? Sandals and Beaches Resorts are just the ticket!

Get Ready for an affordable luxury vacation!

Published Friday, April 26th 2013

Close your eyes and imagine sailing on a beautiful ship with a Country Club feel. Fine dining, top notch entertainment and did I mention beautiful ports?

I've...Had..the time of my life......

Published Wednesday, December 5th 2012

You've heard the song, you have seen the commercials, but do you truly know what a Sandals vacation is all about?

With 16 resorts throughout the Caribbean set on or near some of the worlds most beautiful beaches, each resort is different and there is something for everyone.

Disneyworld really is the Happiest place on earth!!

Published Thursday, November 1st 2012

The first time I went to Disneyworld, I was in my early 20's. I loved every minute of it and stood in amazement at the Magic Kingdom Main Street parade as characters from my childhood came to life.

Beaches Palace and Sun Palace

Published Thursday, October 18th 2012

As we continue my journey through the Palace Resorts Family, we are going to visit the Sun and Beach Palace Resorts. The Beach Palace is 15 minutes from Downtown Cancun and the Sun Palace is 30 minutes. They both have a complimentary bus to take between their two properties.

The fun in Mexico continues!

Published Tuesday, October 2nd 2012

Welcome to Part 2 of my resort tour in Mexico! Today I am going to cover the Moon Palace Golf and Spa Resort, which is where I stayed. It is in Cancun, and the bonus of staying here, is that you can also visit The Beach Palace or Sun Palace by taking advantage of the complimentary bus that runs between the resorts.

The All Inclusive Palace Resorts in Mexico

Published Monday, September 24th 2012

Hola from Mexico! I spent last weekend touring the beautiful Palace Resorts and The All Inclusive Hard Rock Hotels collection in Cancun, Cozumel, Playa del Carmen and Riviera Maya. In a word, the trip was AMAZING! In 3 short days, we did site inspections of 7 resorts and each one held it's own charm and appeal. Some were very specific in what they offered, and others had something for everyone.

Sail away on an All-inclusive vacation.......Regent Seven Seas -

Published Monday, March 19th 2012

Sail away on an All-inclusive vacation.......

Disney has a lot of news for 2012!

Published Thursday, February 2nd 2012

Disney has a lot of news for 2012!

The Disney Fantasy sets sail for the first time in March as the fourth ship in the Disney Cruise Line. The Fantasy is the sister ship to last years Disney Dream, and every bit as wonderful. With 7 night sailings to the Eastern and Western Caribbean, the Fantasy has a passenger capacity of 4000. There are multiple dining options, Broadway caliber shows, Character Greetings, Disney's Aladdin – A Musical Spectacular and enough pixie dust to go around. For total relaxation the ship has the Senses Spa and Salon. If you like to work out during vacation, you can take advantage of the Fitness Center or Goofy's Sports Deck which includes a basketball/volleyball court, mini golf and virtual sports simulators.

Port of Miami has been home to many cruise lines over the years including Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Norwegian, Azamara and Oceania. On December 23, 2012 Port of Miami will also welcome the Disney Wonder with sailings to the Eastern and Western Caribbean, adding sailings to the Bahamas in 2013.

The Disney Magic is headed back to Europe and the Disney Wonder will return to Alaska in May 2013, departing from Vancouver.

In other Disney news.....On February 29^th, in honor of Leap Year, both Magic Kingdom in Disneyworld, Florida and Disneyworld in California will be open from 6:00am to 600:am on March 1^st. That is 24 straight hours of Disney Magic!

Now for an interesting Disney side note. For the first time in Disney history, workers in the US Theme parks will be allowed to have beards and goatees. When Walt Disney opened Disneyland in California in the mid 1950's, facial hair was prohibited. The policy was revised in 2000 allowing mustaches as long as they were grown during vacation. I can't help but wonder....will Mickey be sporting a mouse mustache??

Anyone can plan a trip....Let me help you plan a memory!

Say Aloha to Micky and Minnie!

Published Wednesday, January 11th 2012

Disney has a new family member and it will require a flight to Hawaii to welcome Aulani their newest resort property. Located on the western shore of Oahu, the resort is 21 acres of beautiful beachfront property and it celebrates Hawaiian culture, history and traditions.

Cruising for Singles

Published Wednesday, January 4th 2012

This is a topic that I often get asked about, and have tried my hardest to accommodate. Cruising for singles. Like it or not, cruise cabins are based on double occupancy and when a single person travels, the cost is basically the same as when two people are in the cabin. This seems unfair to the consumer and I agree completely, however what most people do not realize is that the entire world of travel is set up this way. When you book a hotel you are booking the room and paying the same price whether there are one or two people staying in it. In the cruise world, you actually save a little bit of money because the taxes are based on one rather than two, while tax on a hotel room is based on the cost of the room.

I have been saying for years that the cruise lines have been missing the boat. (Sorry, I could not resist!) Logic tells me that singles generally have more flexible schedules (one schedule is always more flexible than two!) and often times more disposable income. When someone travels alone, they tend to meet more people than when they are traveling with someone. This could even turn into future travel mates which definitely brings more business to a cruise line. Why anyone would not want to cater to the single population is beyond me, and my cruise reps are pretty tired of hearing me complain.

It looks like someone finally listened. There are now two exceptions to the above rule. Norwegian Cruise Line introduced the Norwegian Epic in 2010 complete with a single studio that is designed for the solo traveler. I have had multiple clients stay in this cabin and they all loved it and and described it as cozy. 100 square feet of the best used space I have ever seen, certainly big enough for one person (not too mention tons of storage!) and a separate “living room” area for all of the solo studio inhabitants to meet up for morning coffee or a cocktail before dinner. The best part of course is the price. I applaud NCL for making this available and hope that other cruise lines will copy this model.

Princess Cruise line has addressed this plight as well and offers limited sailings throughout the year with the opportunity for singles to be matched up. If you like to travel and do not mind a cabin mate, this could be a great option for you.

I have personally done match ups for my Tennis Cruises and I am proud to say that not only was the initial matching successful, some of my matched clients have formed lasting friendships and have continued to travel together.

So fear not my single travelers....there are choices and you can enjoy travel without having to bring a friend along.