When travelling with your spouse/partner, divide your belongings between your luggage. This way if one of your suitcases goes astray upon arrival at your destination, you will have a few clothes to get you by until they can locate your suitcase.
Feb
18
Sue’s Reviews
Location: Jibacoa, Cuba (halfway between Varadero & Havana)
Hotel: Breezes Jibacoa (guests must be 14 years and older)
Date Visited: December 2-9, 2006 (one week stay)
Price Paid: $648 + tax (booked 2 months ahead)
Room#: 2209, Building 15 – ocean view room (total hotel rooms – 250)
Weather Conditions: Weather was very good except for the last day. A large amount of jelly fish, Portuguese man-of-war, also known as the blue bubble, blew in. They are a brightly blue coloured inflated bubble and have very long stinging tentacles. If stung, for immediate treatment rinse the area with seawater or fresh water to remove any tentacles stuck to the skin. Do not apply vinegar. A study has indicated that vinegar in these type of stings sometimes makes the sting worse.
Snorkeling: Did not have a lot of opportunity to explore, but overall it was worth checking out.
Beach: I rated this beach a 5 star as it had plenty of palapas and shade trees.
Food: Cuban specialty restaurant was very good and had a great shrimp cocktail. The buffet offered lobster on Thursday evenings. Overall good food.
Opinions/Tips: The Piano Bar was a great place to spend the evenings. Internet was available for $8 pesos per hour, though it was very slow.
Would I return: Yes.
Feb
14
Sue’s Suitcase Suggestion #3
Identify your luggage! Tie a distinctive ribbon on the handle of your suitcase to make identification simple as those hundreds of bags round the carousel.
Feb
05
Sue’s Reviews
Location: Turks and Caicos
Hotel: Club Med
Date Visited: March 15-22, 2008 (one week stay)
Room#: E2149 – Good location on the resort. Interestingly, no rooms at this hotel have balconies or terraces.
Weather Conditions: Weather was exceptional for the first three days until a tropical storm blew in that resulted in mixed sun and cloud conditions. Evenings were a pleasant temperature as well.
Snorkeling: Hotel provides a snorkel boat that goes out twice a day, 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. We saw an assortment of very large fish, as well as octopi. There is really no snorkeling right off of the resort beach, but I did see one very large starfish in this area.
Beach: Amazing! Incredible large, white, sandy beach that goes for miles in each direction. Perfect if you like to walk the beaches. The ocean was a beautiful colour of turquoise. Pictures do not do this beach and ocean water justice! The hotel offers beach towels as well as sun umbrellas.
Food: Overall good. Excellent breads of all kinds are offered at the main buffet, Grace Bay. We did not like the beer, Turks Head, and preferred to buy Corona. Liquors were of a good variety and you could get premium brands for an additional cost. Sharkie’s Bar located at the beach’s edge, offered amazing entertainment an hour or so before sunset.
Service: Good. Personal service upon arrival in that you get escorted to you room by a staff member who provided helpful information.
Opinions/Tips: Great little open-air shops and small pub are located directly off of the beach, just east of Club Med.
Would I return: To Turks and Caicos Island definitely, but not necessarily to Club Med.
Feb
05
Sue’s Suitcase Suggestion #2
Place a plastic dry cleaner bag over your freshly pressed clothes for a wrinkle-free trip to your destination. It really works!
Feb
05
The Best Deal I Have Seen All Week!
Departure: March 5, 2009
Destination: Riviera Maya – 4* RIU Lupita– 7 nights all Inclusive
PRICE: $727 + tax
Source: Sunquest / Signature
Jan
31
Sue’s Suitcase Suggestion #1
Keep in mind when purchasing a suitcase to pay special attention to the WEIGHT of the suitcase. Most airlines, especially charters, are very strict with the weight restriction of 20 kg per person, and will charge you big dollars for every kilogram you are over. When you think you have found that ideal suitcase, give it a lift with your finger, and you might be surprised how heavy it is when you start comparing it to others of the same size!
Jan
26
Sue’s Reviews
Location: Riviera Maya, Mexico
Hotel: Catalonia Yucatan
Date Visited: November 21 – 28, 2008 (one week stay)
Price Paid: $549.00 each + tax. Booked 1 month before trip.
Room#: 3119 – Partial ocean view, plus pool view. Room was small, no mini fridge. I would not recommend this resort if you want to have three adults in a room. Cot provided was very poor.
Weather Conditions: Very cool at night so bring a sweater and long pants, if you travel at this time of year.
Snorkeling: On the lagoon side the snorkeling was poor; murky water with poor visibility. Ocean side very good.
Beach: Swim shoes needed on ocean side, not required for lagoon area. Many children at the lagoon beach area. Ocean side chairs were situated side-by-side … way too close for my liking.
Food: Overall very good. Japanese Restaurant had the best selection of international liquor.
Service: Excellent front desk service, food service was impressive, and bar service at the beach was a very nice touch!
Opinions/Tips: You can walk easily to the marina where there is good shopping and small pubs.
Would I return: Only if it was an amazing sell-off price.
Jan
25
The Best Deal I Have Seen All Week!
DEPARTURE DATE: Monday, February 23rd, 2009 (7 nights – all inclusive)
DESTINATION: Samana, D.R. – 4* Grand Paradise Samana
PRICE: $697 + tax
SOURCE: Sunquest.ca
Jan
25
Ontario Travel Information
2009 Georgian Bay Visitor Guide is now available for free by calling 1-800-263-7745 or you can download it at www.georgianbaytourism.on.ca.