Old town Dubrovnik from the gondola Our second day in Dubrovnik started with a leisurely morning that permitted catching up with work. After a lovely outdoor breakfast, I joined two other participants on a “site inspection” of the fabulous Villa Dubrovnik Hotel - part of The Leading Hotels of the World. Carved into the rocky… Continue reading Europe opens up – Croatian countryside

Hotel Bellevue Dubrovnik After a restful first night at the luxurious Bellevue Dubrovnik, I got going with a 5000 step early morning walk. After all, I had steps to make up from the travel day sitting on planes. A comfy 84 degrees of Mediterranean weather made this ever more enjoyable as did the spectacular scenery… Continue reading Europe opens up – Old town Dubrovnik

United 194 from SFO The wait is over, Europe is opening up for Americans and I am not delaying any longer. In fact, I just arrived in beautiful Dubrovnik, Croatia for a few nights of discovery and education. This medieval town perched along the steep Adriatic coast is a UNESCO World heritage site that draws… Continue reading Europe opens up – Journey to Croatia

From the pool this hotel looks like a cruise ship My four nights at this brand new property wrapped up with a leisurely morning in the pool and a pleasant lunch at Bluewater Grill on the rooftop section or deck 17 if you think ship. While the overall food and beverage offerings I experienced were… Continue reading Conferences return – Reflections on Dreams Vista Cancun

Day of action at Xplor park by Xcaret Two days of conference agenda and business meetings completed, Saturday morning awaited with active choices. From a large selection, I picked the action packed Xplora park option which provided an immersive experience of the geologically unique features of the Yucatán peninsula. Troglodytes are the mascot of this… Continue reading Conferences return – Exploration day

Caribbean from 36’000 feet With everything we have lived through of late, the fact that it has been 15 months since my last travel industry conference seems trivial. Yet, meeting colleagues and trade partners in person is hugely beneficial and meaningful. Thus my excitement is high to personally attend and report from the Apple Leisure… Continue reading Conferences return – Cancun calling

Let me start by answering the question I had asked myself last Saturday on arrival. Will Punta Cana live up to the standards set by my 30 year memories? Unequivocally YES! Airport lounge with United plane arriving My week here was just as magical as tge one 30 years ago from secveral perspectives. The Dominican… Continue reading Got vaccine – Will Travel – Punta Cana final reflections

Zoetry oceanfront pools and villas A last stop on my journey of re-discovery in the Punta Cana area is the AM Resorts group brand Zoetry which features around 100 rooms in a spacious and entirely wellness focused settings. My room is one of the “swim-out” suites with access to a private waterway. Lovely and very… Continue reading Got vaccine – Will Travel – Zoetry wellness & SPA

Resort entrance - former monastery ruins After four wonderful nights at Club Med Punta Cana it was time to move on to another popular property for a stay to check things out. We took a short taxi ride over to the private development area of Cap Cana to Sanctuary Cap Cana all-inclusive adults only resort… Continue reading Got vaccine – Will Travel – Sanctuary Cap Cana

Stunning lobby with pool and oceanviews This morning we left early for a site inspection of Club Med’s 5 Trident property 50 miles north of Punta Cana at rustic Playa Esmeralda, close to the town of Miches. This newest of Club Med villages features 335 rooms acros 4 categories catering to all needs from honeymoon… Continue reading Got vaccine – Will travel – Club Med Playa Esmeralda

Famous blue trident Club Med logo It’s been even longer than my last time in the Dominican, that I stayed at a Cub Med property. It was at the ski village at Leysin in the Swiss alps which is a far cry from this modern Caribbean village feel that greeted me. Lush garden setting on… Continue reading Got vaccine – Will travel – Club Med Cap Cana

Flight map on United from Chicago Fond memories of our special trip to Punta Cana with and for my late mother’ birthday are flashing through my head as I fly on United high above the clouds somewhere over Ohio. Deplaned at Punta Cana airport “Has it really been that long since we spent that memorable… Continue reading Got vaccine – Will Travel – Punta Cana arrival

Got my two jabs - Thanks Anthony My silence over the past month was entirely due to my desire to manage a vaccine appointment. Perseverance they say pays off and I am pleased to report that I am good to go. So, where am I off to next you wonder? Suitcase packed for my next… Continue reading Got vaccine – Will Travel

Tandem dive of humpbacks in Banderas Bay As I cruised out into the stunningly beautiful and vast Banderas Bay aboard the Ecotours whale observation vessel, it became quickly evident that Covid-19 not only disturbed our lives, it also affected marine life. For the thousands of humpbacks that come down here for winter every year far… Continue reading Crisis as an opportunity – part 3

Iberostar Punta Mita pool are The first two days hours in Puerto Vallarta were overcast with a marine layer that finally burned off just in time for a break by the pool today. This mid-market beachfront property features 452 rooms with varying views (garden to pool to ocean) and tops out with its Presidential Suite… Continue reading When crisis becomes an Opportunity – continued