Real Honeymoon: Australia

Happy Monday everyone! I hope you all had a fantastic weekend. Today, I am excited to share with you Jay & Abby's honeymoon escape to Australia. Jay & Abby were married last winter but wanted to honeymoon somewhere with nice, warm weather, so they figured that Australia would be the ideal location because while it was winter in the states, Australia was in the middle of their summer months. Although the couple didn't realize that their summer is actually the wettest time of the year, they had beautiful weather nonetheless.

The newlyweds, Jay & Abby.

Jay & Abby enjoyed the hustle & bustle of the city life in Syndey for the first days of their trip, then traveled to Hamilton Island where they relaxed in a beautiful lagoon and walked along the serene white beaches, and wrapped up their trip exploring the Great Barrier Reef and experiencing the luxury of Cairns. At two of the three hotels, the lucky newlyweds were met with room upgrades and champange in celebration of their marriage. They also were upgraded to an exit row for their flights between Sydney & LAX! A much appreciated upgrade, seeing as they were traveling at least 13 hours each way.

Sydney at Sunset - image via My Opera

 

 

 

 

Abby at the Aquarium in Sydney

Jay in Sydney

Jay & Abby at the Taronga Zoo.

Kangaroos at the zoo!

Beautiful white sand beaches

View of Hamilton Island

Relaxing, fun, & memorable, Jay & Abby's Australian getaway made for their ideal honeymoon and I am so happy I was able to help them out! And come on, aren't these beaches just to die for?! Wishing I was relaxing here right now.

Wishing this was me! Image via IslandReefJob.com

Interested in planning your honeymoon in Australia? Contact us! hello{at}everafterhoneymoons.com

Travel 101: Tips for All-Inclusive Resorts

Happy Friday everyone! Today, I want to spill some secrets to taking full advantage of all-inclusive resorts. Now when I say "all-inclusive," I'm not talking the ginormous resorts that offers all-inclusive packages for college spring breakers. I am referring to the more high-end all inclusive properties, consisting of only a small number of rooms (usually under 100), excellent food and drinks, and with outstanding service. Some of my personal favorites include Zoetry Paraiso de la Bonita in Riviera Maya and Hermitage Bay located in Antigua.

Hermitage Bay - Antigua

Zoetry Paraiso de la Bonito - Riviera Maya

Here are a few tips to keep in mind if you are staying at an all-inclusive paradise:

• Dress Code
• Always check the hotel's dress codes for their restaurants before you leave home. 
• For example, I know most guys when traveling to a beach resort typically pack a total of two pairs of shoes: flip-flops and tennis shoes. However, some of the restaurants in your hotel may require closed toe dress shoes for guys. 
• Plan Ahead
• When you arrive, check to see if any restaurants require reservations.  Also sometimes restaurants are only open on certain nights, so ask to see a schedule.

Be sure to order the Coco Loco at Zoetry Paraiso de la Bonita!

• Ask for what you want
• Don't assume that because it is an all-inclusive, you only get cheap alcohol. With most all-inclusive resorts, you can ask for specific brands of alcohol and it will be included.
• Take advantage of room service
• Most people write off room service when traveling because it is known to be so pricey, but it is included at most all-inclusive resorts.  So take advantage of breakfast in bed, dessert in your suite or an afternoon order of margaritas and guacamole!
• Gratuities
• Almost every all-inclusive resort will include gratuities. But if someone goes out of their way to provide excellent service it is nice to tip them.
• Be sure to travel with small bills for those times you want to slip a helpful staff member a tip. Nothing is worse than scrambling through your wallet in search of a little tip and finding only plastic or big bills.

I hope these tips were helpful! Do you have any advice I left out? Where is your favorite all-inclusive resort? If you enjoyed this post, be sure to check back soon for our post on the pros and cons of all-inclusive resorts!

Destination Spotlight: Komaneka Resort at Monkey Forest

Happy Wednesday everyone! I can't believe how quickly this week is flying by... I have so many couples out and about in luxurious destinations all around the world! I can't wait to hear about all of their journeys when they return! Today, I am super excited about featuring one of my favorite honeymoon destinations, Bali. One of my favorite places to send couples who want to go to Bali is the Komaneka Resort at Monkey Forest.

Komaneka at Monkey Forest

Private Pool at a Villa Suite

Nestled in the vast forests of Bali, but only minutes away from Ubud, the cultural hub of Bali, sits this hidden gem. Each room at the intimate Komaneka property features a spacious and airy accommodations overlooking the vast rice gardens and forest that enclose the hotel. Komaneka's prime location allows guests to escape in this Indonesian paradise or venture out to the hustle and bustle of the city of Ubud, Bali's cultural hotspot. You have to check out this property, it is just to die for!

Infinity Pools and Jungle Views

Room Overlooking a Rice Paddy.

Pool at Komaneka at Monkey Forest.

Honeymoon Suite

View of the Rice Paddy from the Balcony

I just cannot get over how beautiful this place is, I've never seen so much green! And the staff... they are wonderful!! So warm and helpful, they truly make you feel like family. You can see why Komaneka at Monkey Forest was rated at one of the Top 10 Luxury Hotels in Asia by TripAdvisor this year!

Amazing, huh?

Would you like to spend your honeymoon in Bali? Send us an email for more information! hello{at}everafterhoneymoons.com

Real Honeymoon: French Polynesia

Good afternoon! Hope everyone had a fantastic weekend. Over here on the West Coast we are suffering the cloudy "June Gloom," and it is certainly not helping me out on this Monday. Thankfully, I have this exciting destination to share with you! This is actually a wedding and honeymoon in one! This sweet couple, Marlene & David, agreed that they wanted to elope to a tropical island paradise for their wedding, and what better than the islands of Tahiti?! Marlene and David started at the beautiful Hilton Moorea Lagoon Resort & Spa and then journeyed north to the exquisite Four Seasons Resort in Bora Bora. Literally, these places cannot get any more beautiful. First, here are some breathtaking photos of their hotel in Moorea, and then continue below to see the wonderful spot in Bora Bora.

View from Above of the Hilton Moorea.

Sunset at the Hilton Moorea

Crystal Clear Waters Surrounding Each Room

Talk about curb side service!

And below are some photos of the Four Seasons in Bora Bora, where Marlene & David tied the knot and spent the remainder of their honeymoon. The couple had always dreamed of venturing to the Tahitian Islands and I was more than happy to help them out. They had the pleasure of staying at two impeccable hotels with stunning amenities and incredibly genuine staff. For Marlene and David, two simple words sum up their trip, magical and memorable.

View from Marlene & David's room at the Four Seasons

Marlene & David's Wedding Altar

David's stylish wedding arrival, so fun!

Marlene, David, & their Tahitian Wedding Party

The newlyweds!

The beautiful island of Bora Bora

View of the Four Seasons Bora Bora

Take me there!

I always love sending couples to islands in French Polynesia! Bora Bora especially, is one of the most beautifully romantic places I have seen. Happy Monday everyone! Here's to a great week!

Interested in planning your honeymoon to somewhere in French Polynesia? Email us at hello{at}everafterhoneymoons.com and we would love to help you out!

Travel 101: Packing Tips Everyone Should Commit to Memory

Whether it is a spur of the moment weekend in Vegas, a romantic getaway, or just a short trip home to see the fam, there are some packing tips and tricks that everyone should commit to memory. So I am excited to talk about some of the obvious (and sometimes not so obvious) tips and tricks I have picked up along the way from even the most seasoned of travelers.

Image via BussBuss

• Roll. Never Fold. 
• By rolling your clothes, you eliminate unnecessary wrinkles and make the most efficient use of the space in your bag. Got a big sweater or long sleeve shirt? Fold it in half and then roll it. A vertical crease down the middle is much easier to shake out than wrinkles all over. 
• Don't bother rolling pants and jeans. Simply fold those in half and have them line the bottom of your suitcase or bag. 
• Check the Weather. 
• It does get cold and rainy at the beach and hot and muggy in the mountains.
• Carry a Fully-Equip Carry On 
• Always carry a change of clothes and a few toiletries on the plane. 
• Never get on a plane without the following: 
• A huge scarf or blanket of some kind:  Airplane blankets are disgusting. Period. 
• Socks: Cold feet are the worst. Especially on long flights. 
• Snacks: Airlines charge for everything these days. Why pay to eat their mediocre snacks when you can bring your own yummy ones?
• Never pack valuables in the luggage you are checking. 
• Jewelry - One of the girls in the office packed all of her jewelry in a checked bag, and she had quite the collection, including a number of vintage pieces from her mom, and it all got stolen. Bottom Line, you wouldn't pack your wallet in your checked luggage, so don't pack your jewelry. It will "disappear".
• Pouch Everything. 
• All your electronics in one. All your toiletries in another. And so on. It really makes life so much easier when you're digging through your bag in search of deodorant or a phone charger.
• Leave some room.
• Make sure to leave some space in your bag for things you want to buy on your trip!

So those are just a few tips I thought I would share. See anything I left out?? 

Happy Friday everyone!