Special Offer for Secrets Sanctuary Resort!

Yesterday I posted about the unbelievable resort Secrets Sanctuary Resort in the Dominican Republic that I recently visited.  I am so excited to share that I have a special offer to this resort for one lucky couple!

One couple can stay at this resort for 6 nights in a Monarch Villa Suite.  The resort includes all meals, drinks (including alcohol), many activities, and all gratuities.  They can stay anytime between now and May 2011 (except for the week over Easter).

The value of this is over $5,300 and one couple can stay here for $2,000!!!

First couple to email me and claim it will get this awesome deal!

***Update: this offer has already been reserved.  Keep checking for more specials like this!

Secrets Sanctuary Resort in Cap Cana, Dominican Republic

The next resort we stayed at was Secrets Sanctuary Resort in Cap Cana, Dominican Republic.  This resort is located about 15 minutes south of Punta Cana Airport.  It is an adults only resort and all inclusive.

Infinity pool overlooking the ocean

 The Casino

Seating in the bar area where they had live music almost every night

We LOVED our stay at this resort.  There are about 175 rooms and suites at this resort, but it is really spread out so it feels quiet and private.  If you are facing the ocean, there is a private beach on the far right of the resort (pictured below!).  During our whole stay we never saw anyone on this beach!

The water was really clear and beautiful, and really warm.  There were barely any waves, so we really enjoyed swimming.  The main pool has a swim up bar (love those!), there is a casino, and many other activities available.

We spent our first night in a Ocean View Junior Suite which was very nice.  But when asked if we wanted to move to the 3,100 square foot Royalty Villa, we were ecstatic!  Take a peek inside...

Here is the outside

And here is the entrance when you first walk in!  An outside dining area, the all glass living room to the left, and the huge balcony and ocean straight ahead!

This was our balcony...

with steps that went right into the ocean!

This was our view to the left

This was our view to the right

See the glass on the left? That was our bathtub! 

Here is the view from the bathtub from the inside!

Unbelievable right???  They practically had to drag us out of there when it was time to leave!

At least once a week since then, Dave has asked when we can go back there.  Which I find hilarious because I had to majorly talk him into Dominican Republic because he had heard it wasn't very nice.  Happy to say that I quickly changed his mind on that!

Main pool

I highly recommend this resort to couples that want to relax, do some water activities and have great food and drinks.  We didn't leave the resort at all during our stay, but the concierge at the resort can set up all kind of activities or tours for you.  There are some very nice golf courses nearby as well.

Check back tomorrow for an amazing offer to this resort for one lucky couple!

Zoetry Agua in Punta Cana

I recently visited Dominican Republic with my boyfriend and we stayed at Zoetry Agua in Punta Cana and Secrets Sanctuary in Cap Cana.  We had a wonderful stay at both resorts!  I am going to be sharing our trip all week, starting with our stay at Zoetry Agua Resort.

Zoetry Agua is a really unique, special resort.  It is located about an hour north of the airport in Punta Cana.  It is a really peaceful drive to the resort, and the resort's drivers love to share information about their wonderful country.

The resort has just 51 suites, and is located right on the beach.  It feels really private and luxurious, and the service is amazing.  Everyone learns your name right away, and everyone really goes out of their way to make sure you are having a nice stay.

The resort is all inclusive, but goes far beyond what most resorts offer their guests.  The rate includes gourmet food, premium brand drinks, complimentary room service, a 20 minute spa treatment per guest, horseback riding on the beach, complimentary laundry service, and complimentary worldwide calling.

We LOVED the food at the resort!  It is organic, healthy, and most of all, delicious!  There is a lot of seafood, fresh fruits, and local Dominican food.  The deserts and cocktails were incredible as well.  Our favorite restaurant was Indigo which was located right on the beach.

We stayed in a Suite Caribe which was amazingly luxurious.  There was a living room, gorgeous bedroom, a partially outdoor shower, and the best part- a private garden courtyard with our own pool!  There are also rooms with direct access to the hotel's main pool, and suites directly on the beach.

During our stay we relaxed at the pool and beach, went on a few long walks along the beach, went horseback riding on the beach, took a dune buggy tour (we got so muddy!), and enjoyed lots of amazing food and drinks!

We had a truly amazing stay at Zoetry Agua!  All of that being said, the resort is really quiet.  If you are looking for a lot of activities or nightlife, this resort isn't the best fit.  If you want to relax in quiet luxury, then I highly recommend this resort.

Zoetry Agua provides special, complimentary amenities for honeymoon couples.  And all of my clients receive complimentary room upgrades based on availability when you arrive.  For more information about this resort contact Ever After Honeymoons!

Unique Cruises: Egypt River Cruise

River Tosca ship

The final unique cruise idea of the week is a 12 day River Cruise through Egypt called Splendors of Egypt and the Nile with Uni World Cruises.

The Sphinx in Giza

The cruise starts with two nights in Cairo followed by a flight to Luxor for the start of the cruise.  You then visit Dendera, Luxor, Kom Ombo, Aswan, Edfu, return to Luxor, and then spend two more nights in Cairo before flying back home.  There are a number of excursions available that include visiting the Temple of Karnak in Luxor, exploring the incredible Aswan, and visiting the Pyramids of Giza in Cairo.

Luxor Temple

Sounds amazing right?  Definitely not your average honeymoon to be visiting Egyptian pyramids and temples!  This would be the perfect honeymoon for a couple that is very into history and experiencing new cultures.

Sunset over Pyramids

Prices start at $3,449 per person.

Statues at Abu Simbel

For more information about this cruise or any others, contact Ever After Honeymoons.

Unique Cruises: Galapagos Islands

Next up is an 11 day cruise around the Galapagos Islands with Celebrity Cruises.

One of the many Sea Lions that roam the Galapagos

This cruise starts in Quito in Ecuador and then stops at many places including Baltra, North Seymour, Kicker Rock, P. Baquerizo, Punta Suarez, Cormorant Point, Baroness Outlook, Las Bachas, Bartolome, Urvina Bay, Punta Espinoza, Puerto Egas, Dragon Hill, Puerto Ayora, and then back to Baltra and Quito.

The Galapagos are also home to many exotic Lizards

The Galapagos Islands are known for the unique beauty, and the amount of animals on the islands.  The animals seem unfazed by the human visitors.  The Galapagos Islands are made up of several islands that are difficult to access if you aren't on a boat.  The best time to visit this region is from December to May, although June, July and August are also very popular because many almost are most active during this time.

Old Town Quito

What I love about this cruise is the number of islands you get to visit.  Also you get to spend 2 nights at the beginning and end of your cruise in Quito where you can explore the incredible Old Town area of the city.

The cruise starts at $3,699 per person plus taxes and airfare.

Contact Ever After Honeymoons for more information about this cruise.

Unique Cruise Ideas: Indian Ocean

Think cruises just go to Mexico and the Caribbean?  Think again!  There are cruises to plenty of other amazing destinations as well!

This week I am going to give some examples of unique and exotic cruises that would make fabulous honeymoons!  A big advantage to taking a cruise is that you can see a lot of different destinations without the hassle of changing hotels and spending a lot of time in airports or on trains.

First up is a 22 night cruise to Malaysia, Thailand, India and Maldives with Costa Cruises!

Singapore Cruise Port

This cruise starts in Singapore and then stops in Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, Langkawi in Malasia, Phuket in Thailand, Colombo in Sri Lanka, Cochin in India, Male in Maldives, Mahe in Seychelles, St Denis in Reunion, and Port Louis in Mauritius.

Maldives Beach

The boat stays overnight in Singapore, Phuket, Maldives, Seychelles and Mauritus.  This is really nice because you get to spend a little more time in these destinations.  There are also some days of just cruising, so you can relax on the ship on in the spa, and not be worried about missing out some place amazing.  But what I love most about this cruise is the variety of destinations.  You can experience a wide range of cultures while still getting plenty of time to relax on some of the world's best beaches.

Phuket Beach

The cruise starts at $1,399 per person plus taxes and airfare.

Contact Ever After Honeymoons for more information about this, or any other cruises.

See John Legend, The Roots & Joss Stone in Cabo!

On my recent vacation to Cabo San Lucas, I was able to visit the gorgeous resort Capella Pedregal.  I was blown away by the resort- incredible rooms, unbelievable ocean views, and fabulous service, food and drinks.  I will be doing a more detailed post about the resort soon, but for now I wanted to share a special event the resort is having.

John Legend, The Roots, and Joss Stone are going to be performing at the resort the night of December 11th!

The resort is offering a special 3 night concert package which includes:

-3 night resort accommodations in one of their gorgeous rooms
-Full breakfast daily
-2 concert tickets per room
-Welcome cocktail reception on Friday night with Flamenco dancers
-Grand Finale event reception on Sunday night featuring a Traditional Dressage Horse Show

Great beach, poolside cocktails, and a live concert?  So fun right ?!?!

Contact Ever After Honeymoons for more details about this package and rates.

Real Honeymoon: Hawaii Cruise

Ok so this trip wasn't a honeymoon, but it was definitely a special vacation because Francesco and Natalie got engaged on their first night in Hawaii!  They spent 2 nights in Waikiki and then took a 7 night cruise around the Hawaiian Islands that stopped in Maui, Hilo, Kona and Kauai.  Read on to hear about their amazing trip!

The trip was planned to celebrate Francesco's graduation, but they had much more to celebrate!  Francesco proposed at sunset on Waikiki beach.  And of course Natalie said yes!!!  Great way to start off an amazing vacation!

Francesco and Natalie wanted a combination of relaxation and activities, and by doing the cruise they were able to have both and see most of the Hawaiian Islands.

They started with 2 nights at the Moana Surfrider Hotel right in the middle of Waikiki beach which they loved.  This was the first hotel in Waikiki, and they loved the historical significance and great character the hotel has.

Next was the cruise.  The cabin was a little small, but they loved the ship, and especially the locations of where the ship docked.  They also loved the variety of restaurants to choose from on the ship.

They also loved Hawaii!  As Natalie said, "How could you not love Hawaii?!  It was fantastic.  The cruise is such a great way to see all the islands.  We probably never would have made a trip to the Big Island and it ended up being on of our favorites!  Every island is very different so we were able to get some variety, which is not always possible at a beach destination.  We were able to see an active volcano, a ton of gorgeous beaches, beautiful sunsets, lots of fish, and beautiful mountains all in the same trip."

As for advice for other couples going on a Hawaiian Cruise, Natalie said, "I would also suggest renting cars on the islands.  We were able to see so much of the islands by driving ourselves.  All the rental car companies have shuttles and it was very convenient."  

"Also, it is important to realize that, even though food is included, you will probably still spend a lot on board.  I expected to spend a lot, but the bill was still a little bit of a shock at the end."

Natalie and Francesco described their trip as "amazing, romantic and memorable".

If you are interested in taking a similar vacation please contact Ever After Honeymoons.  I can't guarantee a proposal though!