15 April 2014

Cancun and Riviera Maya is a very popular Honeymoon destination from Ireland, so I decided to go on my own holiday to see what this area has to offer. I first stayed in Secrets Maroma, 40 minute transfer from Cancun. This is my top selling hotel for Honeymoons so I was so excited to stay here and it didn’t disappoint. On arrival we were met by a bellboy who brought us to preferred club check in, we were handed a cool towel and glass of champagne. It set the tone from the start. We were shown to our Preferred Club Junior Suite Ocean View, which was WOW! The room was huge, with amazing double Jacuzzi bathtub and outdoor Jacuzzi on balcony, such a treat with amazing sea views. Our mini bar was stocked up every day with our favourite drinks. We enjoyed room service delivered in a secret box for private room service delivery. All accommodation blocks have their own concierge for that personal experience. Maroma is a stunning 5 star adults only hotel with service to match. It’s an All Inclusive property so a la carte meals, all drinks and activities are included. The resort has plenty of dining options from Italian, French, Mexican, Seafood, Asian and Coco Cafe. We really enjoyed the Teppenaki experience at Hibsu is a must and the French was delicious. The breakfast at World Café buffet is amazing, huge selection to suit everyone’s taste buds! We went kayaking in the morning, beach volley ball in afternoon, in-between been served my favourite cocktail by beach or pool. We also hired a jet ski which was fun. There is plenty more going on so it can be as actioned packed or as relaxed as you wish. The beach is an award winning beach with powder like sand, it is pure heaven. The Spa Pevonia is total indulgence with Hydrotherapy pools, sauna, and steam room. We took a taxi into Playa Del Carmen one evening for some shopping which was about USD 20 each way, took 15 minutes. There are plenty of shops in the area and has some nightlife with outdoor bars and restaurants. After total relaxation in Maroma I went to stay in another of Secrets properties, Secrets the Vine in Cancun. This hotel is located in the hotel zone and 10 minutes from the airport. This is a new hotel which is modern, contemporary, chic and fun! Our Preferred Club Deluxe Ocean View room was huge on the 22nd floor. This is a high rise building with amazing views of the beach. All rooms have sea view. I loved the atmosphere of this hotel and they also had plenty of activities day and night. We went to the night club Coco Bongos which was amazing experience, we got VIP tickets which includes drinks all night, full table service and seats. I also took time out of my holiday too go and see lots of other properties, so if you want first-hand information on any of these please contact me. Outside of the resorts the Riviera has so much to offer. You can visit ancient Mayan Ruins at Tulum or we visited Chichen Itza, it is a full day tour but well worth it to experience for Mayan culture. You can also spend the day at Xcaret eco-archaeological site or swim with dolphins and lots more. All of Secrets properties are adults only & All Inclusive, but are all very different. Mexico has something to offer everybody so please contact me and I can arrange a true Mexican holiday to suit you.

11 April 2014

As I arrange lots of honeymoons to the Caribbean, I decided to experience a Caribbean Cruise for myself and decided on NCL Epic. We flew to Miami with Virgin Atlantic via London Heathrow. We stayed 1 night pre cruise at the Winter Haven Hotel on Ocean Drive South Beach. This is a beautiful modern art deco style hotel, located at the end of Ocean Drive, so it’s not too noisy and it is just 15 minutes from the Port of Miami. Epic is truly amazing ship with excellent facilities on board. Every day we had arranged to do something on board. There is an Ice Bar, which was cool drinking from ice glasses at sea! 2 Bowling allies, a sports court, an aqua park for children. I loved the quite zone on deck with sun loungers to get away from the busy kids pool area. The entertainment was excellent; I loved the Blue Man Group which was really entertaining. We saw the Legends in concert and my highlight was the Cirque Dreams Dinner in the Spiegel Tent. This is an intimate dinner with outstanding performers and was a lot of fun. Spice H20 is where the pool floor rises and becomes a dance floor. It can transform into a nightclub under the stars! There is also the option to watch movies under the stars & you can’t forget a visit to the casino. You can pre book your entertainment online up to 45 days before your sailing date. There are a huge range of restaurants, up to 20 to select from. I don’t think we got to eat in all restaurants in the 7 days. My favourites weres Teppenyaki, Cagneys Steakhouse & Moderno Churrascaria which is a Brazilian restaurant. When we got on-board we booked our restaurants for each night immediately so we wouldn’t be disappointed. Epic is very family friendly with an Aqua Park with 3 multi storey slides including Epic Plunge, a 200 foot tube and bowl slide. There is a children’s club; recess & a teen club called Entourage. This will keep all ages busy with various activities. They have walkie talkies for parents & children, so you can keep in contact with them all the time. They have Nickelodeon at Sea where you can meet Dora the Explorer and Sponge Bob Square Pants & full sports complex with rock climbing walls. Epic has the biggest spa at sea with hydrotherapy pools, jacuzzi, relaxation area, sauna. We did purchase a spa pass that was valid for the 7 days, we did use it every day and it was well worth the money and you also have access to the adult only area. We also used the gym which had excellent facilities, one of the best I’ve seen at sea including many classes you can sign up to do on first come first served basis. It also has a full spa with private treatment rooms so you can pamper yourself. Pure Bliss! The ports of call were St Marteen, St Thomas & Nassau. My favourite was St Marteen, it really gave me that Caribbean feel with crystal blue waters & beautiful golden sand beaches. It’s a shopping mecca for electronics and jewellery with the island being both tax & duty free. We also went to the famous Maho beach, the beach is at the end of the runway so you can see planes landing & taking off. It was a super experience and yes you can be blown over from them taking off! Epic has the options of outside, inside or balcony cabins. We stayed in a balcony cabin which was beautiful. It was very modern with plenty of storage & amenities. It was great being able to sit out on balcony and relax. There are also suites on board including the Haven area which are private suites with their own private pool area, restaurant, bar & sun deck. They also have single cabins on board so an excellent way to meet other people. Epic is suitable for couples, families, singles, spa break. It does have the WOW factor and has so much to do on board, you won’t be disappointed. Please call me for more details on Epic or any cruise you might be thinking about going on.

09 April 2012

I was really looking forward to my trip to Berlin which is fast becoming a very trendy city break destination. I couldn’t wait to see what Berlin had to offer and I wasn’t disappointed. I stayed in the trendy neighbourhood of Prenzlauer Berg. This is one of Berlin’s most attractive neighbourhoods with trendy fashion boutiques, the oldest Beer Gardens & plenty of restaurants. It is central with trams & underground straight from the airport. Berlin is so easy to get around with underground & trams. We bought a 3 day Berlin Welcome card which includes travel all over Berlin & discount on all the top sights and restaurants in Berlin. Once I figured out city map & underground map, we set off for some sightseeing! First stop was Brandenburg Gate, which was at the main entrance into the city surrounded by the wall for thirty years. Next was Checkpoint Charlie, the famous crossing between East & West Berlin, last but not least The Berlin Wall had some amazing graffiti paintings on the wall depicting stories of the wall. Berlin is famous for its nightlife, where this city never sleeps. There are some clubs & bars in the Mitte area & Friedrichshain. Plenty of restaurants in the area including the White Trash Fast Food which is a sight to be seen, including a restaurant, Club & Tattoo Studio. We also had to sample the many delights from the Currywurst stands in Berlin and then people watch in Berlin Alexanserplatz which was interesting to say the least. Berlin is a fantastic city and I will be definitely be back, as there is a whole lot to see here and unfortunately we didn’t get to see the entire city in the short space of time. Until the next time, Auf Wiedersehen

09 April 2012

The main reason for this trip to Barcelona was a birthday trip for my boyfriend to Nou Camp Stadium, but I will look forward to seeing when else Barcelona had to offer. We stayed in the El Born area of Barcelona, it was very quaint with small side streets with delicious tapas restaurants & trendy boutiques & bars. It’s also home to the Picasso museum. El Born is the one of the most fashionable areas of the city. We were 5 minute walk to underground station of Jaume 1 which we were able to get around everywhere in Barcelona. You are also 10 minute walk to the beach & Las Ramblas so location is superb. First stop had to be the Nou Camp stadium. We did the tour which was fantastic would highly recommend it. Its totally blew both of us away exploring the grounds & memorabilia. We did the Barcelona hop on hop off city bus tour to see major sights of Barcelona. My favourite was the “Cathedral Sagrada Familia” & Park Guell. The Cathedral is stunning and the detail of his work is amazing and is still unfinished. The Park Guell has the famous Gaudi dragon at the entrance. Throughout the park out can see his works including the twisting rock pillar’s to the house where Gaudi lived which is now a museum. Barcelontea is the beautiful port area with fabulous fish restaurants, shopping and plenty of bars. There is also a beautiful beach in this area and apparently it is the place to be seen in the Summer time! Barcelona is a great city break or as a pre cruise option or even as a two centre with the Costa Doarda. I know I will be back to this beautiful city.

24 September 2012

I was lucky enough to be invited on a ski educational with Topflight to Meribel & Val Thorens. This was my first ever ski trip, so I was very excited to get on the slopes. Val Thorns is the highest ski resort in France with an altitude of 2300m therefore offers excellent ski conditions. It is perfect for beginners, intermediate, advance ski and snow boarding. Val Thorens is part of the three valleys which links with Meribel, Le Menuires, Mottaret, Courchevel & La Tania covering over 600km of piste. We stayed in the Hotel Le Val Thorens which has excellent facilities including spa, ski shop & doorstep ski. We were able to meet our ski instructor at the ski shop & get our ski gear. I was ready & headed for the ski slopes for my very first lesson. I was very nervous, but I did I really enjoyed it, after a lot of falls, I managed to ski down my first slope. It was a fantastic experience. When I got to the end of the slope, I was delighted to see that I could take the moving carpet back up the slope & not the ski chairs, that’s for the next trip. I was surprised at how much Val Thorens as a resort has to offer. It has excellent facilities including leisure centre, heated children’s fun park, badminton, tennis, squash, football, table tennis, climbing, and cinema. Apres ski is lively, with plenty of bars, restaurants & nightclubs. The food was always excellent with great variation of restaurants. The cheese fondant is very popular which I loved & chilling out in the afternoon in the bars & restaurants by the slopes and watching the world go by. The resorts offer a huge range of accommodation including hotel, self-catering apartments & chalets. Meribel is a much smaller & up market resort with an altitude of 1700m. We stayed in Madame Vacances Chalet De Meribel. I was great for a group as it has great facilities and was only a short walk to centre of village. The resort offers hotels and self-catering accommodation aswell aschalets. We did not get to ski there, but we did get to enjoy the Olympic ice staking rink & the Health Spa which was wonderful to relax & see the slopes from the relaxation area. The resort offer excellent skiing for beginners, intermediate, advance ski & snow boarding. I am really looking forward to my next ski trip and will hopefully make it onto the bigger slopes.

01 May 2014

Lisbon or as the locals call it Lisboa is a stunning city. As you stroll around, you'll find wide Esplanades paved with black and white mosaics, open squares where you can buy freshly roasted chestnuts in paper cones, mazes of cobbled alleys, and steeply winding streets along which quaint trams pass by. We checked into the Sheraton Hotel, which is located close to the Avenue Liberdade. The hotel is 5* with beautiful spa & outdoor swimming pool, great in the summer time. That night we went to sample some Fado music, which is local folk music in Clube de Fado rastaurante. The Fado was excellent and it was great to experience the local culture. Next day we went to see Jeronimos Monastery where it’s an UNESCO World Heritage site and the resting place of Vasco Da Gama. The architecture in the monastery was outstanding. Further down the Tagus River lies Belem Tower which dates back to 1515, it was a fortress to guard entrance to Lisbon’s harbour. You can see the Vasco de Game Bridge which was built by Armando Rito who also built the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. We made our way back to Belem to the famous Pasties De Belem Pasties shop for some local custard tarts which are delicious. On our last day we took the famous tram No 28 which goes up to the top of the biggest of the seven hills in Lisbon where St George Castle – Castelo De Sao Jorge lies in the Alfama area. The castle dates back to the 15th century and it has stunning view over Lisbon where you can see Palace Square. There are plenty of little crafts shops and cafes in this area. On our last night we ate in the fabulous Resto Chapito, and sampled the nightlife in the Bairro Alto area. Lisbon surprised me in so many ways, the food, people, architecture is just breath-taking. Lisbon is a charming yet cosmopolitan city. It’s so quaint & quirky and it’s not like anywhere else I have been to. I will definitely be back to Lisbon and I will explore the areas outside of Lisbon like the Estoril, Cascais & Sintra. If you would like to learn more about Lisbon or are interested in any other city break please give me a call.

11 April 2014

I was looking for a city break with a difference so I chose Krakow and I wasn’t disappointed. We flew direct and stayed in the Sheraton Krakow, great 5* hotel overlooking the Wisla river and near famous Wawel Castle with stunning views to both, only a short walk to city centre. Krakow was not destroyed in the war like other Polish cities and for this reason it still holds its original beauty and charm. The main square is stunning with beautiful restaurants where you can watch the world go by. It is one of the prettiest and cleanest cities I have ever been too. We took a Horse-drawn Carriage tour of the old town which is a fun way to see the city. We also took a walk down to the Jewish Quarter and went on a boat tour on the Wisla River. Krakow has so much to offer and Wawel Castle is a must. I took a half day trip to see the salt mines; an unforgettable experience, the main chamber was a highlight with sculptures and chandeliers all made from salt and it was amazing to see. I also went to Auschwitz concentration camp on a full day tour; this was a harrowing experience. You can take a trip to the mountains and visited Zakopane, one of Poland’s main ski resorts in the winter. I loved Krakow with its beauty and charm and I plan to be back again in the near future.

21 July 2011

I had the pleasure of being invited on city break with Turkish Airlines to Istanbul. We flew direct from Dublin with Turkish Airlines to Istanbul. The flight was just over 4 hours. When we got onboard we were given complimentary pillows, blankets & headphones to sit back and relax and enjoy our own personal entertainment system. We were offered a menu to choose from for meals and also had a choice of complimentary wines, beers, liquors and soft drinks. The service was excellent from start to finish. On arrival in Istanbul airport we paid €15 for our visa and went to baggage area where our bags were waiting for us. We took a short transfer to Madison Hotel, located in the vibrant Taksim area. After settling into our hotel we went for a stroll in the area and sampled the fine cuisine Istanbul has to offer. Our first day was full of sightseeing. We had a guide bring us to the Topkapi Palace, which dates back to the 1460. The Palace was residence to the Ottoman Sultans. There are many different areas within the Palace grounds to explore. The Treasury showed some Ottomans jewellery and clothing showing us the life they had back then. We had coffee in the restaurant which had amazing views of the Bosphorus, where East meets west. We then visited the Hagia Sophia Museum and then to the Blue Mosque which is stunning to see. After our lunch outdoors we were ready for some shopping, so where better to go than to the Grand Bazaar. It certainly lived up to its name with over 5,000 shops selling anything from carpets, jewellery, hand-painted ceramic, antiques, leather goods and spices. The Grand Bazaar is known for the World’s greatest shopping experiences. We also visited the local spice market, where I bought some traditional Turkish delight, spices and teas. As if I hadn’t had enough of shopping we took the local metro train and went to a shopping centre ‘Cevhir’ where it had many shops that we have here at fraction of the price. On our last day we visited many hotels in the Taksim area including the Lares Park, Gonen, The Richmond, The Point, The Konak and Titanic Hotel. Each hotel was different and can cater for my clients personal requirements. Istanbul has it all amazing culture, sights, shopping, great nightlife, fine cuisine and wines. It is easy to see why Istanbul was awarded the European City of Culture in 2010. For more information on Istanbul and to book hotels at great rates, please call me.

14 April 2011

I travelled to Disneyland Paris with friends & their 2 children for Halloween. This is my third trip to Disneyland Paris & I was as excited as the times I visited before. We flew from Dublin to Charles du Gaulle and got the shuttle which took 40 minutes. We checked into our hotel The Newport Bay Club, we had two interconnecting rooms. The hotel has a New England Yacht Club nautical theme. There were characters around the hotel all the time & the hotel also had leisure facilities & a free shuttle bus to the parks. The children couldn’t wait to get to the Park, so we walked over which took 5 minutes. We were all bursting with excitement as we made our way up Main Street USA. The parade was taking place, it was so amazing to see all the children’s faces light up when they saw all the Disney characters, Disney’s magic was alive. There are 4 different lands in Disneyland Park. Adventureland with Indiana Jones, Pirates & the Caribbean. Fantasyland with Mad Hatter’s Tea Cups, Peter Pan, Dumbo, and Sleeping Beauty’s Castle. Frontier land with Big Thunder Mountain, Thunder Mesa Riverboat & Discoveryland with Buzz Lightyear, Space Mountain, Star Tours. My favorite was Disney Walt Studios with Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, Cars Rally Race, Aerosmith Roller Coaster, and Crush’s Coaster & Stitch Live. Make sure you take advantage of fast pass & baby switch were both parents who want to ride attractions can take turns without having to wait for the second time. Disney Village has many shops, restaurants & Imax. We also a saw Stage shows, Fireworks & plenty of Parades. You can also have breakfast or dinner with the characters in Café Mickey or experience Buffalo Bills Wild West Show. I absolutely love Disneyland, I highly recommend it. Disney is for all ages young & old. I keep getting blown away by it each time I go. I can’t wait to go back as they are always new attractions to see. I have visited all the Disney hotels & hotel outside of the park. I would be happy to recommend a hotel to suit you.

06 July 2010

My love affair with Asia continues. Destination -India! I visited the state of Goa which still holds true to its chilled-out hippy past, the state of Kerala -a spiritual Mecca and the hectic city of Mumbai, the home of Bollywood. Goa is a beach lovers’ paradise. We spent our time in Ashwem, Baga, Anjuna and Palomen. Each beach has its own personality. Ashwem is visually stunning, very quite & relaxing. Baga beach has a buzzing night life full of bars & clubs. I loved Anjuna beach, laid back with a distinctly hippy vibe. There was also the most amazing night market every week, a bargain hunters’ dream, with music and food stalls to make a night of it. We rented bikes to explore the surrounding areas and would highly recommend it. We went further south to Palomen beach; this coconut fringed bay reminded me of Thailand. The restaurants along the beach front had fabulous seafood. We booked a boat trip from Palomen beach and we were delighted to see dolphins and majestic sea eagles up close. An overnight 14 hour train journey took us from Goa to the southern state of Kerala. We arrived in Allepey, home to the backwaters, with 1 night in Allepey and then went aboard our own private house boat to travel through the backwaters. We had our own local chef on board who cooked typical Keralan cuisine. This was a truly unique experience. The serene waterways are fringed with palm groves and paddy fields and offer a striking spectacle of the local rustic way of life. The spectacular sunsets, slow pace and luxury of the house boats would make it a perfect honeymoon trip. Next stop was to the cliff top beach resort of Varkala, home to yoga and meditation, Ayruvedic. A little something for the mind, body and soul! Trying some of the Ayruvedic treatments is a must. Fabulous arrays of spices are sold at stalls along the cliff top and we decided to book a cookery course to discover how to use of them. Onto bustling city of Mumbai, when we arrived to a hotel in Cabola area after an interesting taxi journey through the city we were ready to explore. We made our way to the famous Café Leopold’s for dinner and then to the Cabola night market for some shopping. Next day we went to India Gate and took a ferry through Mumbai’s busy harbor to Elephanta Island. Elephanta Island is an UNESCO World Heritage site. Described as “City of Caves” the island has a temple carved into the bare rock. Our last adventure was a slum tour which I was nervous about but also very much looking forward to it. We booked with a company called ‘Reality Tours’ which I cannot recommend highly enough. Reality Tours are supported by the slum residents as they put the money back into the community by providing literacy classes and computer classes to adults and children. We felt safe and welcome at all times on the tour. The tour of “Dharavi” was a real eye-opener. Talk about blowing away preconceptions, Dharavi is a hive of small scale industries with annual turnover of US $665 million. We saw recycling, making clay pots, a bakery, a soap factory, clothing manufacturing and leather tanning. We also visited the residential areas where we saw how peopled really lived. The people in India are quite simply the friendliest I have ever met. It is a matter of national pride to them to make you feel welcome. Their open smiles and distinctive ‘head waggle’ draw you in from the first encounter. There is so much more to see and do in India and will definitely will be back to encounter Northern India with Kazakhstan, Taj Mahal & a safari. India, truly inspiring!