EZTravelpad

Bolongo Bay Beach Resort in St Thomas - a Review

Bolongo Bay Beach Resort in St Thomas, USVI is good choice for All Inclusive Resort

A large part of my job as a travel consultant/advisor with EZTravelPad revolves around touring, experiencing and understanding a wide variety or resorts to better be able to help people with deciding what their best choices are on their next vacation

Often there is a great deal of similarity between resorts and even between destinations, but sometimes I find something that is unique, and I believe Bolongo Bay Beach Resort in St Thomas to be one of those - a family friendly resort that is not fancy, but delivers on their promise of being a laid-back spot, managed by the owners and it’s definitely the kind of place WHERE EVERYONE KNOWS YOUR NAME!

 

 

Bolongo Bay Beach Resort is a family friendly resort located on the island of St Thomas in the US Virgin Islands. As such, a passport is not required for US citizens to visit so this is a popular choice for those people wanting to experience an authentically Caribbean island feel without straying too far from the feel of the US. It is significantly more affordable than the other US island destination of Hawaii, which is also very popular for Honeymoons (but Hawaii does not offer all-inclusive resorts)

Couples wanting to enjoy a tropical island without the need of a passport should consider the US Virgin Islands

On the surface the Bolongo Bay Beach Resort is a bit primitive- not fancy or luxurious in the least, but when you scratch the surface and look a little deeper the friendly service and family feel of the resort more than make up for the rather dated accommodations.

Upon entering the resort, honestly, I was a little disheartened with what felt like a motel that hasn't changed much in the last 40 years - as depicted in this photo of the front desk

The rooms were very basic, the restaurant and common areas were not grand, and the beach was not vast

BUT- I had a total change of opinion ofter spending only an hour or so with my resort host Colleen (who quite obviously DOES know everyone's name)

Sure, Colleen was welcoming and polite and nice, as all resort management always is when hosting a travel agency having a look around - but this went a little deeper. She was more engaged with her staff and more friendly with the guests....and more American (a California transplant to the island many years ago) than most - in short, she sold me on the fact that this place is different - it's like going to your home.... in the Caribbean!!

Bolongo Bay Beach Resort may not be fancy - it's not luxurious - but it is most definitely welcoming and friendly and clean and comfortable, which is not a bad thing!

For so many people comfort and clean and friendly are more inportant than luxury and the "wow" factor, and if this describes you then this might be an excellent choice for your next vacation to the Caribbean

Honeymoon couples staying 7 nights can enjoy inclusions such as

• a sunset catamaran cruise
• a catamaran cruise to snorkel with sea turtles
• a la carte dining including lobster, steaks
• and much more...

 

Competitive pricing vs. other resorts in the USVI make this resort with an all-inclusive option a strong contender for those vacationers (especially Honeymooners)  who choose not to acquire a passport and would prefer to saty on "U.S. soil"

 

Some fun things to do include

• Paddleboarding
• Windsurfing
• Scuba lessons
• Hobie cats
• Water trikes

Oh - and napping under a palm tree - that's a fun thing too!!

There is much more to convey, so when you are ready to decide on your next vacation turn to EZTravelPad where we like to think of ourselves as - "Your friends....in the travel business"

Feel the Need for Therapy? - Try Vacation Therapy

Vacation Therapy is Here Now - Take the Cure!

That's right - sometimes you just need to catch a little fresh air in a different place to clear your head - rejuvenate - recharge

There are dozens of offers ranging from 2 for 1 - to Frre air - to shipboard credits - to - Free hotel nights - to pre-paid gratuities and much more...

But the main thing is to get the help you deserve - the help that EZTravelPad can offer - help that is all complimentary!

Call us now and get started living

 

Here is an Awesome Opportunity For Your Cheerleader

Train with the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders and do it in paradise!

Here's an exciting last minute opportunity to experience training with the world-renowned Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders for a wonderful, three-day cheerleading camp at IBEROSTAR Cancún! For a fabulous rate of $599, for two adults and one child, it is not only a great opportunity for a family getaway, but it will also be the experience of a lifetime for their little cheerleader to dance with the famed Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders.

The Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders are one of the most recognizable brand franchises in the world. And, what little girl wouldn't love an opportunity to learn cheers and dance routines from the world's best, and then take them home to impress their friends? And her family will be thrilled to enjoy the finest in hospitality, accommodations, recreation and dining at Iberostar's newest shining star, IBEROSTAR Cancún.

For more info contact "Your friends....in the travel business" at EZTravelPad

Cirque Dreams at Moon Palace Resort in Mexico

This Just In - Amazing Entertainment in Paradise this Summer!

 

If you have not gotten your summer vacation plans set yet then this may be a must see -

Why Palace?

With several area resorts to choose from you can't miss - whether you would prefer to experience the adults only sophisticated chic of Le Blanc Spa - or the laid back nature of Playcar Palace, tickets are comp & so is the transportation to see the show

PLUS-

If you were not already aware, on stays of 5 nights or longer Palace includes $1500+ in resort credits to be used for cool things such as swimming with dolphins, golf, spa & more -

For more info and to check availability get with your travel agent.

What, don't have one? Then get with EZTravelPad - you'll be glad you did! 

 

 

 

Perfect Valentine's Day Present - give them Enrique Iglesias

Give the Gift of Enrique and $1500 resort credits as a bonus!

Palace Resorts in the Cancun area offer free tickets to Enrique Iglesias show

This is your chance to catch international sensation Enrique Iglesias in concert at Moon Palace Golf & Spa Resort. With worldwide hits like "Bailamos", "Hero", "Be with You", "I Like It" and "Tonight I'm Loving You", concert attendees will be treated to a performer that Billboard has called The King of Latin Pop.

Details:

Receive 2 Free tickets to ENRIQUE IGLESIAS Concert at Moon Palace Golf & Spa Resort when you stay at the following Cancun area Palace resorts - Beach Palace, Sun Palace, Moon Palace Golf & Spa Resort, Playacar Palace and Le Blanc Spa Resort.

Stay a minimum of 7 nights and travel between March 4-16. This is a perfect opportunity to get out of winter and into the sun & fun - plus take advantage of $1500 in resort credits in addition to the show!

Get with EZTravelPad early today for a confirmation that can be the perfect gift for your perfect Valentine - and will create a memory to last a lifetime....

Newlywed Christmas Gift idea - A Presentation Competition - LOVE This !!

A Most Memorable Christmas Gift To Each Other -

 

 

I just received an email from a new bride. I had helped with the Honeymoon to St lucia earlier this year so naturally she turned to me for another idea. This is just so cool - had not heard of doing this before, but I LOVE the idea. In her own words, here is part of what she wrote me...

"instead of Christmas presents this year we would each plan out a vacation idea to present to one another and then decide on which one to take. We have to do a whole presentation with every detail planned, including little things like how we get to airport and where we eat and what we do (of course we won't have to follow the plan exactly when we actually take the vacation, its just to give the other a big picture idea of what we could do). So we each get to plan whatever kind of vacation we want for whatever date we want in 2012 and then whichever one we agree on on Christmas morning we will then book as our Christmas present"

How much fun is that? Great idea, huh?

Give the gift of a memory that will last - give the gift of an experience to share together - give the gift of an adventure - give the gift of travel....

If this sounds like a great idea to you too, and you would like a little help with the process - turn to "Your friends....in the travel business" - EZTravelPad is here to help!

So How is a Vacation in Mexico These Days?

Mexico Offers Great Value in Resort Vacations + Safety

Friendly staff at Fairmont Mayakoba in Riviera Maya

I just returned from the Cancun and Rivera Maya area of the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. I know what you are thinking, how can I be writing this blog post with my head cut off, right? Well I am living proof that not every tourist to the resort areas of Cancun and the Mayan Riviera gets killed or kidnapped. In fact, I was traveling with a rather large group of travel agents and none of us even got so much as Montezuma's Revenge - (although I think one lady had a bit of a hangover one morning).

Poolside at Grand Velas in Riviera Maya

Contrary to popular myth, the tourist areas have been largely spared from the violence revolving around the Mexican drug cartel wars - and in particular, the Yucatan Peninsula and tourist areas of Cancun and the Mayan Riviera (the 100+Km stretch of gorgeous beaches south from Cancun) are a world away from trouble - unless trouble means another shot of tequila, then you got plenty of trouble there!

Seriously, it is a completely wonderful area for tourists with scores of excellent resorts that offer all manner of vacation fun.

wine lover? Dreams Riviera Cancun might be for you

 

• Looking for a 4 Diamond or 5 Star resort experience? There are plenty of choices.
• Interested in a budget all-inclusive? They've certainly got that covered.
• Looking for a perfect Honeymoon or Destination Wedding location? Great Choice!
• Want to experience the real Mexican culture at a boutique hotel in a quaint Mexican town? ok
• Seeking Adventures like Zip-lining, cave tubing, water skiing, para sailing? You sure can
• Want to dive in a world class reef - even dive with Whale Sharks? You can do that too!!
• Hunting for a great place for a family vacation - kids stay free at many family friendly resorts 
• Time to hit the links with some of your golfing friends? Fantastic courses!!

Americans Are Absent - But Other Nationalities Are Loving the Value

I have spent 12 nights in the area recently, during 2 separate trips, mostly revolved around visiting a wide variety of resorts so that I can better serve my client base. During one conversation with the manager of one of the Fiesta Americana resorts I learned that a few years ago Americans made up the largest majority of vacationers at the resort. Today US tourists are 5th as a group behind Brits, Brazilians, Japanese & Chinese - in no particular order....5th!!

As I sat in the spa one day during a treatment (gotta love the $1500 resort credits at Palace Resorts!) I had a conversation with a very intelligent gentleman from England. He had been to the area many times, and was well traveled in general. I asked him if the bad press was negatively deterring British from enjoying Mexico as a vacation spot and he related- absolutely not. His opinion was that it was strictly a US prejudice that is primarily fueling the hype...that the significant influx of Hispanic migration to the US in search of jobs over the past couple of decades has contributed to the perception of Mexico being unsafe for tourism....he makes a good point and may be on to something.

I don't claim to have all the answers -and there certainly is significant gang-on-gang violence in the country - WAY too much. Keep in mind though that it is far removed from the tourist areas that millions enjoy every year. There are literally dozens and dozens and dozens or resorts to choose from (so many that the help of a travel pro is quite helpful - wink wink), and the trouble you hear about on the evening news is generally 1000 miles away - or more.

Danger is everywhere in this world, and I'm not going to quit swimming in the ocean because there are sharks in there - I'm not going to forgo a trip to California because of gang violence in Compton - nor will I move from the Midwest because a tornado could hit - be smart, choose wisely, but don't dismiss Mexico as a great destination for a fantastic destination!!

And when you are ready to thin kabout it - give EZTravelPad a shout - we're here to help...

Holiday Inn Sunspree in Montego Bay, Jamaica - a Review

Montego Bay's Holiday Inn Sunspree - Appealing to Families

The Holiday Inn Sunspree in Montego Bay, Jamaica (Mo Bay for short) is surprisingly good in some aspects, and not surprisingly (considering the cost) misses on a couple of other fronts.

In Brief- Holiday Inn Sunspree in Montego Bay is located a mere 5-10 minutes from the airport in Montego Bay, jamaica. The resort is full service and all-inclusive but with somewhat limited choices.

The 524 rooms are spread amongst over half-dozen different room blocks fronting the 1/2 mile of restored beach that also features a small private islnad just off shore.

There are nearly a half-dozen places to grab a bite to eat, but the bulk of the restaurant business is done at Portside Buffet Restaurant.

Of course there is a staffed Kid's club - of course there is a wedding staff - of course there are different bars to choose from - and yes, there is an adult section complete with pool and jacuzzi

 

 

What's good?

• Warm Jamaican smiles - you can generally count on great hospitality anywhere you go in Jamaica
• Nice Beach with private island - since the property is large and oriented along the beach there are good stretches of sandy beach
• Sorrento, the Italian restaurant was much better than I expected. Remembering that this is a modestly priced all-inclusive property I did not expect much, but the bacon wrapped filet cooked medium rare was actually cooked to medium rare and was not a bad cut. Served with friend polenta (pretty good) and a root vegetable along with an appetizing dessert, choices were good and the preparation was great.
• Coffee - Gotta love some Jamaican coffee!

 

What's not good?

• Pillows - I just can't stand the huge round overstuffed synthetic pillows
• Elevators - slow and HOT, but fortunately its a short ride to where you are going

In a general sense the entertainment was good compared to other all inclusive choices. The featured singer the night I was there was tremendous. Family daytime activities were fair with limited participation.

Would I book a family to Holiday Inn Sunspree in Montego Bay? Sure....it's a good value for the right family, and better in many aspects than competitively priced family friendly products located close by.

is it the right fit for everyone? - No.

For more info please contact EZTravelPad - we are here to help save you time and money!

1 More thing- check out the EZTravelPad's YouTube channel for some video and more              

 

 

The Sales Are On... Cruise, Resort or All-Inclusive

Deeper Than Normal Discounting Available Now

Fall is traditionally a great time to plan vacations for the upcoming Holidays, Spring Break & Summer vacations. booking early means capturing savings that may not be available later and also having great choices in the selection of flights, rooms, etc. This fall is shaping up to be even better for locking in sale prices due to the economic uncertainties as a result of many factors in the past few months.

Here is a snippet from one travel supplier that sums up the situation-

"The sales outlook for the month changed shortly after the national debt
fiasco caused the stock market to become incredibly volatile. The economic
news grew increasingly bad, with Europe's economic issues in the forefront, bad
unemployment numbers, etc. Consequently, sales started to slow down, and, in
our case, we experienced slight increases in cancellations of cruise and tour
vacations."

So while you may think that the national debate on the debt crisis was a negative, you may actually have your local politician to thank for getting your cruise (or other vacation) price knocked down an extra $50 or so....At EZTravelPad we like to think of the glass being half full ;)

Best advice though, is to get your plans settled as soon as possible - a few days of a good mood on Wall Street could change things very quickly....

Remember, it pays to do business with your friends....in the travel business

Free Press is Great Press!! - Appearance on WSBT's Business Break

Scott from EZTravelPad appears on WSBT Business Break

Recently EZTravelPad was invited to a segment called Business Break on South Bend's WSBT TV.

Business Break is a regular segment that features local businesses and community events to help viewers become better informed about what is available in their community.

 

   

Remember- you can go out into the wilderness of the internet on your own to plan your vacation, or you can get help - AT NO ADDITIONAL COST - from an agency like EZTravelPad

The choice is yours

IF you choose to go it alone, here are a few links that can help.

Booking simple flights or flight/hotel combos this link or this link

Booking hotels only at hotels.com

Finding Vegas deals on shows and more at this link

Finding deals in Orlando at this link

Big savings on restaurants all across the US at this link

Beat the fees for checking luggage with a new bag at this link

Find deals on cheap all inclusives and more at this link

Handle your own cruise at this link

Insure your vacation investment with better insurance coverage at this link

Thinnk you're going to save a little money using bookit.com? It's at this link

So these are just some of the best of the multitude of options for handling your own travel planning. There's nothing wrong with doing it yourself so feel free to take my suggestions for some of the best places to shop- but there's also nothing wrong with getting a little help from a travel pro.... a travel pro who will no doubt make your life easier, and makes save you a few dollars in the process!

Oh, there is 1 other place you can go to shop without picking up the phone or composing an email to EZTravelpad, and that is www.eztravelpad.com

Save travels!