The Rock At Punta Mita
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Where service comes first..
Now that the weather is turning chilly, it is time to start thinking of spots to warm up in. If you are looking for somewhere a little off the beaten path, with beautiful scenery and first class service, I would highly recommend the Four Seasons Punta Mita www.fourseasons.com.
Punta Mita is located approximately 45 minutes north of Puerta Vallarta, Mexico. It is a newly developed resort area that will have many other new luxury resorts opening within the next few years. From the moment you arrive, the service is top notch. You are welcomed with a mango cocktail and cool towel. The check-in process is quick and easy. Within minutes, you are transported around the tropical resort via golf cart with a personalized tour of the pools, beach and restaurant. Since we arrived hours before check-in our room was not immediately available. The bellman had indicated he would come and find us on the property when it was ready. I was slightly suspicious. I have been at many hotels were they are allegedly going to contact you when the room is available and it never happens. That was not the case at the Four Seasons Punta Mita. Ninety minutes later, the bellman approached us while lounging at the infinity pool to let us know that our luggage was going to be delivered to our room. Due to our wait, we were upgraded to an ocean view room. The room was lovely and had a great view of the Pacific Ocean. The sunsets over the ocean were breathtaking. The resorts amenities are also fantastic. They have a beautiful infinity pool, a quieter spa pool and a lazy river for floating the day away. They have many activities scheduled throughout the day including golf and tennis lessons, nature walks and beach yoga. One of the biggest draws was when the local fisherman brought the fresh catch to the beach for the chefs. The fish were placed in a large tub for all to see. It caused a frenzy of activity and many guests wanted to order their dinner from the fresh catch. The chef is there to take your dinner order and help you determine the best preparation depending on the type of fish. While all of these things helped shape my view of the Four Seasons resort, I think the best thing about the resort is the phenomenal service provided by the staff.
I think the best example of the Four Seasons five star service was discovered by accident. On the first day there, we were eating lunch near the beach and saw two people stranded about 50 yards out into the water on top of a very large rock. The two individuals had been kayaking nearby and were pushed into the rocks by the very strong current. Due to the high tide and rough seas, the kayak had overturned. The waves were crashing over the top of these two people while they clung on to the rocks for dear life. We then realized that these two people were actually two teenage boys with very worried parents crying out for help from the beach. The Four Seasons staff swung into action. About 10 lifeguards, the Four Seasons management team and emergency medical staff descended on the beach. They formulated a rescue plan and with the whole resort watching, the staff risked their lives to save the two boys. The boys were getting pounded by the waves as they were perched on the rock. Two of the lifeguards rode out to the rocks via Jet Ski and made their way up the rocks to the boys. While battling the waves, they were able to coax the boys down to rocks and into the water where they were able to get them to shore. During this whole process, the Four Seasons staff on the beach had set up umbrellas and brought bottles of water for the guests watching the scene unfold. It was an amazing rescue. It showed that the Four Seasons staff was willing to risk life and limb to make sure their guests were safe.
Deal at the Bellagio!
Comments There are so many great deals at the Bellagio. As you may recall, the Bellagio is my fav hotel in Las Vegas. We stay there every year. Here is a great deal for a short trip and the 3rd night is free! When has the Bellagio, ever given anything away for free?
Another deal in Vegas!
The Palazzo Las Vegas - Resort Hotel Casino
When we were in Vegas, we went to the Palazzo. It is a beautiful new hotel within the Venetian complex. We also had drinks at Lavo which has now turned into a hot spot -complete with celeb sightings. This is a great deal to stay at the Palazzo.
Max Napa Tours
Comments I will be heading out to San Fran in a couple of weeks. I really would like to take a day trip to wine country. I do not want the hassle of a large tour bus and large tour group. I don’t handle large crowds of people well!! This Max Napa Tours looks great with groups of 2 to 6 people. They also help with the planning of the day. Has anyone taken this tour?
The Venetian - Resort, Hotel, Casino.
Comments Check this link out for a great deal in Las Vegas! I wish I could go back!
In Search of a hotel ….
San Francisco Hotels - Modern Luxury Hotel With An Edge | Clift Hotel in San Francisco
I am traveling to San Fran in the next few weeks and I am looking for a cool hotel to stay near Union Sqaure. My brother , Frank, recommended the Clift Hotel. After briefly looking at the website, it looks like a great place. Does anyone have any other suggestions?
Leaving Las Vegas
I just returned from my yearly trip to Las Vegas. It is amazing to see how much has changed each year that we visit. This year we decided to try a few different things from our normal itinerary. We did stay at the Bellagio. (www.bellagio.com) It is our favorite hotel on the strip for many reasons. For me, the Bellagio experience starts with the smell when you walk inside. The Bellagio was one of the first hotels that started using a signature scent to help shape the experience. The minute you walk into the hotel, there is a very welcoming scent. It is not something that you can pin point but when you smell it again it brings back memories of the Bellagio. They also have very comfortable rooms, large bathrooms, firm pillows and great views of the strip. The pool area is also beautiful. They have well manicured roses and Italian inspired gardens surrounding the pool. There are plenty of chairs available. One of the very nice things, is it is not necessary to rush out first thing in the morning to stake out your spot at the pool. There are many chairs available and helpful pool attendants to assist, if necessary. They also have many cabanas available for rental if you are looking for even more hospitality. As much as I love the Bellagio, I did contemplate trying out the newly opened Palazzo Hotel. After visiting it, I will seriously consider staying there for a couple of nights on my next trip. It is a beautiful hotel. It is the new tower that is connected to the Venetian. It is very high ceilings and wide hallways. The wide hallways keep it from feeling cramped when the people started to pile in. They have a bunch of great new restaurants including the Wolfgang Puck steakhouse named, Cut and a great small-plate place named, Lavo. Both spots had great lounges to start your evening off with a glass of Prosecco or a martini.
Another, new spot that we tried was Koi. Located in the Planet Hollywood casino, Koi is a Japanese fusion restaurant. They have a large menu of sushi and other cooked dishes such as Kobe beef pot stickers (my fav). The great secret of this restaurant is that they have a large area of windows that overlooks the fountains at the Bellagio. We only found about this by accident. We asked to be moved to that area when being seated. We were told that the tables within this area are only available when spending a $100 per person including alcohol. While this may seem like a lot, please remember this is a sushi restaurant. Many of the dishes are in the $20- $30 range and the cocktails start around $12. Therefore, it is VERY easy to meet this minimum. There were only a few other tables taken in this room. You are seated on comfy couches with lots of pillows and have a fantastic view of the setting sun and fountains at the Bellagio. We easily made the $100 minimum without ordering anything that we would not have ordered if seated in the regular dining area. The second secret tip that I will offer is a great place to watch the Bellagio fountain show. The restaurant Prime has a great patio that only serves cocktails and dessert. If you eat at Prime, you get preferred seating on the patio for dessert. However, if you go early enough, they will allow you have cocktails and watch the show without first eating dinner at Prime. This patio provides a front row view of the fountain show with the beautiful Paris hotel and Eiffel Tower in the background.
It was another very successful trip to Las Vegas, I only wish I could have come back with more money.
Photo Attributed to Frank Gruber
