Silversea Cruises, Here We Come Again!

Those of you who regularly follow my blog know that I'll do anything to stay off the road during the summer. That summer 2009 has been less than stellar, weather wise, I may not have resisted a chance to break out the Tumi as hard as I normally would!

But our annual Autumn sojourn to southern Europe is just 5 weeks away. Again, we'll be starting in Rome which gives us yet another chance to enjoy Fortunata del Pantheon - our favorite seafood restaurant ANYWHERE!

This time we will be visiting more places in the South of France and Monaco. Can't wait!!!

We have been urging our clients at my travel agency to "move up to luxury cruising" because the bargains are truly ridiculous! (Check back to my blog post on this.)

Cheers,

Dick

El Dorado Resorts in Mexico set a New Standard!

OK, so it was back in April when I said I would blog about the three El Dorado Resorts along the Riviera Maya. So, I've been busy since the golf courses opened. (Hope my wife doesn't see this!)

As I said in my April 22 post, we had stayed at the RIU Tropical Bay in Negril just 5 days before visiting the El Dorado Resorts. Our clients love RIU resorts for family vacations... but for romantic, adult-only escapes, we passionately beg our clients to try the El Dorado Royale, El Dorado Maroma or El Dorado Sunset. Imagine an all-inclusive resort with no buffets, no wrist bands and no need to fight for limited reservations in the themed restaurants! Imagine a place where all restaurants are Gourmet!

Here's the trick, though... each of these properties presents a distinctly different style and ambience. (Which one will be right for you? You really need a good travel agent who has been there - and who knows your lifestyle and preferences... I can recommend one if you wish!)

We stayed at the El Dorado Royale, the largest of the three, about half way between Cancun and Playa del Carmen. The ambiance was romantic but somewhat lively and the Spa was drop-dead fabulous. Even within this one resort, there were two distinct atmospheres. The junior suite section and the casita section are quite different in several ways. (Hint: The Royale is large enough to host smaller corporate meeting groups.) It was hard to decide which restaurant we liked best - they were all fabulous. We visited the other two resorts and had a hard time picking a favorite. We agreed that it all would come down to what we would be looking for in a specific outing... not only in terms of the elements of the properties but also with regard to location. If you want to know what I mean by that, send a comment or email me at dick@gatewayexpress.com.

These resorts take all-inclusives to a new level. Here's a link to more details of the El Dorado Resorts!

Cheers,

Dick

Wynn Resort in Las Vegas is Awesome!

Hi from my annual Travel Agent Conference in Sin City! You might believe from media accounts that Las Vegas is "on it's back". Don't believe it!!!! Yeah, business is down a bit but, believe me, this place is still rocking! Vegas hotels enjoy the highest occupancy rate in the world... normally about 95%. Now it's down to around 91% - not bad, eh? Actually, it's good (for us) that the crowds are slightly smaller. Wait times for seating at the nicest restaurants are down to 30 to 45 minutes. For those that still take reservations, it's a bit easier to get one at the prime dining time. Tee Times and Greens Fees are easier and lower. Prices for the best shows are down 10% to 20% through discount coupons issued when you check in to your hotel.

This is my first experience with Wynn Las Vegas as well as the new Encore Tower and the complex is amazing! I would describe this place as "Elegant". Everything about it is tasteful... and to walk out the back door and be on the tee of a great golf course - well, how does it get any better? The folks at the Wynn are very saddened by the sudden death of Danny Gans. It is clear that he was not just a contracted entertainer - he was obviously truly loved by those around him at the resort. There were heartfelt "good-bye to a friend" postings all around the property. More on Wynn Las Vegas later... If you are thinking of visiting, I have some free tips for you. Email me: dick@gatewayexpress.com

This trip taught me a new reality... those of you who know me are aware of my increasing bald spot. (The golf cap I'm wearing in my profile picture is purposeful.) Well, I forgot my hair brush and have survived for 4 days without one... and nobody has noticed!

Cheers,

Dick 

Taking All-Inclusive Resorts to a New Level.

We've just completed an interesting few weeks having visited Jamaica for the first time in about 12 years then, just 5 days after returning from that trip, headed off for Mexico's Riviera Maya.

What a contrast! Both destinations and both of the all-inclusive resorts were absolutely great... in Negril we stayed at a family-oriented resort but in Mexico we chose an adult-only property. 

At Gateway Express Travel we book hundreds of families at a variety of RIU Resorts throughout Mexico, the Caribbean and the Bahamas. Their top tier of resorts, referred to as "Palace Class" properties, present the very best in accommodations, service and food.  RIU Palaces and their slightly more moderate standard class properties are perfect for family vacations. Over the years of sending clients to RIU's we have received just one complaint - and we didn't feel that one was a valid objection. (There are those that are just plain cranky, aren't there?)

Our stay at the RIU Tropical Bay was close to perfect - and we tip our hats to the employees who served us so well and made it clear that they appreciated our visit.

But here's where the contrast begins: The resort on the Riviera Maya took us to a new level. With no children present, the quiet was deafening and the ambiance was romantic without being boring. And the Spa was fabulous. If you have ever been to an all-inclusive you must paint a mind's-eye picture of a place with gourmet dining in 4 or 5 restaurants, no buffets and no wrist bands! And that's just for starters!

More on this experience next time. Stay aboard!

(If you are curious to know what resort I'm talking about, email me at dick@gatewayexpress.com)

Dick

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Luxury Cruises at Unbelievable Prices!

If you have followed my rants on this blog over the last couple years you know how I sing the praises of the 3 luxury cruise lines. 

Well, if you have EVER "thought about it", now is the time to jump! The luxury lines, Seabourn Cruise Line, Silversea Cruises and Regent Seven Seas are offering unbelievable incentives to book now for all of 2009 and through most of 2010! There are numerous examples of buying a $5,000 cruise for $2,100 to $2,300! When you consider that everything is included - gourmet dining (for which there is a surcharge on other lines), all cocktails, fine wines  all gratuities and even some complimentary Shore Excursions - experiencing the best is really not all that much more expensive than a "premium class" cruise. 

In an era of family travel, these three lines are truly adult-oriented experiences. On our first Seabourn cruise in 2000, we were in the 'taking a break from kids' mode... but now we are confirmed "Empty Nesters" and especially enjoy being in a refined, adult atmosphere. We recently enjoyed our 7th European sailing - 3 with Silversea, 3 with Seabourn and our most recent was with Regent Seven Seas.

Take a look at a comparative profile of these lines along with some current examples of the incentives at my agency, Gateway Express Travel. 

Cheers,

Dick

 

There's NEVER Been a Better Time to Travel!

The bargains are beyond anything I've EVER seen in my 34 years in the travel business! 

My travel agency just booked a few clients to Las Vegas - Round Trip Northwest flights from Minneapolis and 3 nights at the magnificent Wynn Las Vegas for $371 per person INCLUDING taxes and bellman gratuities.

This package one year ago was about $700 per person.

Ya Gotta Go!!!!

Dick

Why You NEED a Travel Professional - part 3

OK, I'm going to get off this theme, but every day we hear another story of woe from someone who has returned from a "blown vacation". Actually this title should be "Why you Need to Listen to your Travel Professional".

My travel agency has a few favorite resort groups... one that we like for families with teens; one for families with young children; one for couples looking for a peaceful, romantic escape where other people's children are not part of your vacation. In each case, our favored group is not the only quality group in that category - they are simply the ones with which we've had the most success over the years. (And, over the years, they change as some get stale and new groups emerge.) 

A client who we have sent to various RIU Resorts in Mexico over the last 4 or 5 years decided to go for a change of pace (They really, like most of us these days, were trying to cut costs a bit.) They had heard of another resort group from friends. We actually send some clients to this company - but we're careful as to who we recommend it to. It was a no-brainer to us that, given their past experiences, they would find this to be disappointing. But, they insisted.

And we were right. They found the resort facilities to be excellent... "Beautiful Grounds; Great Rooms; very clean; nice uncrowded pool areas and great beach".  Service and quality of food was quite a different matter... "Far less service than RIU's;  Hotel staff was not interested in helping us; consistently at buffets, once they seated us, they disappeared. We had go find our own coffee refills; Bar service very poor. Understaffed... and the staff that was there was totally inattentive; specialty restaurants were very nice but food was just ok... service was a little better than described above but not great. Food quality at the buffets was poor."

Nuff said! If you are accustomed to 5-Star quality, 3-Star won't cut it! We all need to reduce our spending a bit, but this isn't the way to do it. We typically advise clients to shorten their trip rather than to go down in quality. You are always going to remember the experience (good or bad!) but you won't remember whether you were there 7 nights or 5 to 6 nights!

Cheers,

Dick

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You NEED a Travel Professional - part 2

If you flash back to my post of September 5, you'll see how easy it is to make a bad choice even in Paradise. We hear horror stories at our travel agency nearly every day. Here's the latest...

A young woman returned from her honeymoon in Naples, Italy in tears... booked a hotel on the internet and it was a dirty pit. We hear this again & again: "It looked really cute and the price was really good." (Ever hear of PhotoShop?) Not only would a GOOD travel counselor never put a client in such a hotel; they would have warned clients not to go to Naples which is one of the dirtiest cities in all of Europe. Amazingly, one of the most beautiful places in Europe is Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast - just 30 miles south of Naples!

Honestly, kids... I'm not shilling for my travel agency - in fact, I won't even reference my company here! My point is that you need a good agency. If you don't have one, check with the American Association of Travel Agents . There is no guarantee that every ASTA member agency is excellent but your odds are extremely good.

Cheers,

Dick

P.S. - If there ever was a time to travel now is it! The incentives being offered by resorts, cruise lines and vacation packagers are phenomenal. We just booked a client on a luxury European cruise in June for $2,798 per person. The same itinerary in 2008 - even with discounts at that time was $4,119. Brochure price is $4,876. 

A brand new 5-Star all-inclusive resort at Puerto Vallarta is now $1,279 including airfare, ground transportation, taxes, fees, etc! last year we were selling identical "sister properties" in Los Cabos and Playa del Carmen for around $1,600.

Happy New Year from Madiera

Well, not exactly! As I reported back in December, we sailed into Funchal, Madiera - Europe's best-kept secret - ending our fabulous 8-day cruise just before Thanksgiving.

 

Almost 500 miles off the southern Moroccan coast, this very quaint and atmospheric Portuguese island is quite off the beaten path - and thusly ignored by North American tourism. But, it is well worth the effort - a 2-hour flight from Lisbon.

Our favorite cocktail lounge on the gorgeous Seven Seas Voyager looks over the bow of the ship and, all week long, was almost like our private lounge since we are late diners. Typically, we were enjoying our cocktail hour while most passengers are in the various dining venues. But, on this night, we were sailing into port just after dark and the word had been spread that, with Funchal's Christmas illuminations in place place and on, the view was not to be missed.

Well, we discovered upon arrival at the Observation Lounge, that not only was there no place to sit - there was no place to stand! Our turf had been invaded! 

Nobody on-board was disappointed! The view was enchanting! The town expands up into the hills from the waterfront downtown area and the sky behind was a deep purple since it was not yet totally dark. The town itself is extremely charming but the addition of the Christmas lights made the scene all that more captivating. Matching the town's charm are a couple hotels that overlook the town and the harbor. Elegant and charming, indeed!

If you want to be "different" and visit European places that your friends haven't, Ya Gotta Go!!!

Cheers,

Dick

Home Again, Home Again!

Well, another fabulous trip is, as they say in Hollywood, "in the can". And what a trip it was! Since I blogged from the ship enroute from Tunisia to Cartegena, Spain we 'ate our way' to Malaga, Spain for a day at the Alhambra Palace in Granada then on to Casablanca, Morocco before ending up in Funchal, Madiera.

Although I visited the Alhambra 5 or 6 times back in the 70's, it was still a fun day - I forgot a lot in those 30 years! (Isn't the aging process wonderful?) I also had a small corporate incentive group in Casablanca in the 80's and was astounded at how this exotic destination has modernized in the ensuing time. The contrasts between the modern "business centers" of the city and the "old" parts of the city are striking beyond description. Imagine time-warping between businessmen in suits and ties driving Mercedes and the old markets (Casbahs) where you feel like you're back in the 40's where Humphrey Bogart is likely to appear!

And, then, Madiera! This is Europe's best-kept secret!!! Very quaint and atmospheric. Almost 500 miles off the southern Moroccan coast, this Portuguese island is quite off the beaten path - and thusly ignored by North American tourism. But, it is well worth the effort - a 2-hour flight from Lisbon. More on this later.

I've been preaching this for years, but anyone who likes cruise vacations (and who doesn't?) and enjoys cocktails and fine wines NEEDS to step up and treat themselves to a luxury cruise line. Seabourn, Silversea and Regent Seven Seas are exquisite - service beyond anything anywhere, cuisine beyond anything anywhere, and all the finest in wines and spirits included. Take a look at a more detailed description of "Cruising in Style!"

All that said, It's good to be back home - just in time for Thanksgiving.

Cheers,

Dick

Hi from the Cigar Bar on the Regent Seven Seas Voyager

After port stops in Palermo, Sicily and Tunis, Tunisia we're "at sea" today so thought I would take the opportunity to say Howdy!  As with any of our trips that begin (or end) in Rome, we enjoyed our 'almost annual' dinner at Fortunato al Pantheon near the famous Pantheon (no kidding?) and the Trevi Fountain. Same table for 8; same waiters; same fun - as you see from the picture!

Most of you will agree that there are some places that you visit once and say, "It was a great experience, but one time is enough". (Athens comes to mind!) Rome is one of those places that I will never tire of. It's not only "our" restaurant; it's everything! One almost doesn't even need to "do" or "see" - just be there. Walk the streets, have a coffee or a wine at a sidewalk cafe when the feet get tired, browse the shops. (I feel the same about Paris and London!)

Well, we've been to Sicily a couple times before so this stop, although very pleasant, was pretty uneventful. Tunisia, on Africa's North Coast, was quite a different matter. A Muslim country on the African continent is always good for a "different feel". A wonderful experience, but it does fall into the "former" category defined above... once is enough. Among several interesting stops was a visit to the American Military Cemetery. (Patton's and Montgomery's forces pretty much began their WWII march to Berlin fighting Rommel's forces in the Sahara desert regions of Tunisia.) We, with the help of a remarkable American Serviceman, we found the grave of the brother of a friend... a meaningful day, indeed!

For those of you who may be worried, we're being well-fed (and "watered") on board this fabulous ship. The next two stops are in Spain then another exotic port - Casablanca, Morocco. Then, the end of the road is Funchal, Madiera - one of the most under-rated places in all of Europe! Talk to you again "down the road"!

Cheers,

Dick

Time to Break Out the Tumi

It seems like such a short time ago that I announced that we had come to the end of the road and were parking our luggage in favor of the Lake Season. I looked back at that Blog Post of June 13th with amusement - and frustration with how fast summer zooms by!

Well, as we close up the cabin, it's time to prepare for our November Cruise from Rome to Funchal, Madiera. We ALWAYS recommend to our travel clients that they fly to the cruise departure point a day or two early. (Even for Caribbean cruising; but especially when cruising outside North America.)

Our trip, for the 4th time, will be with an extra day in Rome and dinner at our favorite Rome restaurant - Al Fortunata del Pantheon. This year's adventure will be aboard Regent Seven Seas cruise line and will take us to some "repeat ports" and some exciting new ones such as Malaga, Spain on the Costa del Sol and ports along the North Coast of Africa. 

As much as I hate accepting the passing of summer, we're looking forward to this adventure.

Cheers,

Dick 

Don't Make a Vacation Decision based on Web Pictures!

I played golf yesterday with a guy who had just returned from a 25th Anniversary trip in Hawaii. (Wailea, Maui to be exact.) He and his wife were very disappointed with their gorgeous 5-Star resort hotel. (You may ask how anyone could be "disappointed" with a 5-Star hotel?) The place was beautiful, the service was great... and it was crawling with families with small children!

Your first thought might be that this mainly impacted their time at the pool or on the beach but it affected the entire experience. They knew immediately that they were in trouble - upon settling into their room and changing into tropical clothing they went to the lobby bar for an "Aloha Cocktail". There were a number of preschool-age kids running around the lobby area just 30 feet from them. One was yelling at a sibling; the sibling was crying. How's that for romantic?

This fellow, whom I had just met on the first tee, related that the restaurants were very nice and the food was excellent but, again, they were far from relaxing or romantic. He added that the menus reflected the nature of their clientele.

As it happens, there is another 5-Star resort hotel right next door and I have stayed at both over the years. The ambiance of the two could not possibly be more opposite. Years ago, both were elegant... now one remains so with an adult clientele while the other began marketing to family vacations a few years ago.

If you look at the websites of both, you will not be able to distinguish between them. Both look fabulously classy with pictures that could possibly be interchanged. The only hint, if you have a trained eye, is a water slide in the distant background of one pool picture. A good travel consultant (like my agency - Gateway Express Travel) would have known the difference and saved this fellow's trip!

Cheers,

Dick

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Mid-Summer Report from the Easy Chair at the Lake!

As reported last month, the Tumi luggage is parked for the season and, as much as I enjoy the travel scene, it's sure nice to be "temporarily divorced" from TSA inspectors & molesters! I didn't think I would ever say this, but I truly feel sorry for the airlines. If they just parked their birds and said the hell with it, I don't know if I would blame them.

Actually, business at our travel agency (gatewayexpress.com) has been very good this summer. Given that this is typically the "dog days" for travel in the the Midwest market (we're not the only ones who cherish staying close to the BBQ grill this time of year), things haven't been bad. An increasingly big part of our leisure business over the past several years has been family spring break trips mostly to Mexico. Bookings for next April have begun earlier than I can ever recall.

Oh well, these days at our lake place on Woman Lake near Longville, MN are what life is all about this time of year. But, I must admit that I'm starting to think about that Mediterranean Cruise that we're taking in November. We'll start in Rome (our fourth visit to Rome... which means another dinner at Al Fortunata del Pantheon - our favorite restaurant in the world!) and will end up in Funchal, Madeira, A new port for us. The travel bug lives!

I hope you all are enjoying Mosquito Season!!!!!

Dick
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Whew! I've come to the End of the Road...

... for a while, at least! Since mid-April I've had 5 trips - Tucson, Boston, Phoenix, Las Vegas and Alaska - but have come to the end of the road for awhile! Whew! Now it's time for summer weekends at our lake place in northern Minnesota and to catch up on the golf game! For those of you fellow Minnesotans (and Wisconsinites), you know that there is no greater place to be during the summer than home!!!

So until our next trip to Europe (a Regent Seven Seas Cruise from Rome to Funchal, Madeira) in November our Tumi luggage resides in deep storage!

Speaking of Cruises in Europe, we are seeing the biggest season ever for selling European Cruises at our travel agency. There are more ships in Europe than ever before - and they are largely sold out already. The cruise lines have already opened booking for 2009 - the earliest that the industry has ever come out with future sailings. If you are interested in explanations for this phenomenon, go to Cruise News at www.gatewayexpress.com.

Cheers,

Dick

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Alaska Cruise: All's Well That Ends Well!

Well, we're back in Minnesota looking for the sun! It has rained constantly since we returned - feels like Seattle albeit a bit warmer. In a way, it's hard to believe that it took me 63 years to get to Alaska since our travel agency (www.gatewayexpress.com) has sent hundreds of clients there over the years... but in another way, it's no shock - we hate to leave Minnesota in summer leaving our limited travel time & funds for winter escapes! Our Princess Cruise aboard the Island Princess was spectacular! (At Gateway Express Travel, we feature Princess Cruises and Holland America Line for family travel and Silversea Cruises for upscale, adult-only trips.)

When I last posted we were in Juneau about to head out for an evening of whale-watching. For me, that was the highlight of the whole trip... being able to get within 200 feet of the magnificent beasts! At one point we came up to a mother and baby cavorting playfully together. The youngster was just learning the "moves" and it was fun to watch.

Then it was off to Skagway where we went out for some King Salmon fishing. Although we got skunked, it was a gorgeous day on the water. We saw Black Bears along the shore, Sea Lions and a lot of Bald Eagles. The cruise ended with two days of sailing through Glacier Bay and College Fjord. In the latter, we saw numerous Seals perched on large chunks of ice that had broken off the glaciers. On one of these mini-icebergs we saw a new-born seal with its mother. There was some blood on the ice indicating that the baby had been born within the last couple days. After a very scenic 2-hour rail trip from Whittier to Anchorage aboard the Princess Express that continues on the their Wilderness Lodges in the interior, our day in Anchorage was pretty uneventful. We disembarked about 7:00AM and had a 9:30PM red eye flight home. We intentionally gave ourselves the day to explore Anchorage... that is the one thing we would change. There's not a lot to do or see in Anchorage. We were ready to get home to our 2-year old Cockapoo, Hat Trick! The 1:00PM flight would have been perfect!

Cheers,

Dick

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Alaska Cruising... another vista explored!

Here's more proof of my infinite wisdom... after enduring 6 months of Minnesota winter, I and my family had to find more snow & ice! This post comes from Ketchikan, Alaska - the first stop on our family's 7-Day Alaska Cruise with Princess Cruise Line.

As much as I crave the 70 to 80 degree Minnesota weather we have waited so long for, I must admit that this place is gorgeous! Another favorite routine of mine while vacationing - getting up at 5:30 in the morning and dressing with 6 layers of clothing to avoid hypothermia while Halibut fishing and crabbing. Again, I have to admit that it was a memorable experience even though we only caught two Snappers and two crabs amongst the four of us. The highlight of the day, breath-taking scenery aside, was having 6 Eagles fly right down to within 100 feet of our skiff. The guide whistled and threw out the remains of one of our Snappers and the Eagles came flying. Truly awesome!!!

Well it's back to "work"... I'll talk to you from Skagway, Alaska in a couple days.

UPDATE: Friday, May 23 - After a spectacular day in Juneau, Alaska we are now in Skagway. Yesterday will be hard to top... our boys flew by helicopter to a distant glacier for a glacial trek. While they were gone, we hiked the trails alongside the Mendenhall Glacier (pictured here)... not an easy walk in the park but absolutely stunning!!! That evening we went on a whale-watching excursion that , for us, was the show-stopper! I'll be anxious to share more on that when I get back to WARM Minnesota. (Thought those two words would never be used together!!!)

Cheers,

Dick

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Quiet Las Vegas? I'm not kidding!

If you love to party... but want to be able to "turn it off" at times, there is more to Vegas than the circus-like atmosphere of The Strip. As I wrote about a year ago in my Quieter Side of Las Vegas blog post, there are hotels or sections of hotel complexes where you don't need to wade through throngs of gamblers in a cavernous casinos to get to the elevator to your room. A good example is the new Palazzo Towers at the Venetian. It features a private off-Strip entrance and quiet elegance - still you are just a 5-minute walk to the main attractions of the Venetian. Link back to that post for descriptions of such meccas as THE hotel at Mandalay Bay or the Signature Towers adjacent to the MGM Grand.

On my visit last week, I ventured out to Lake Las Vegas and the incomparable Ritz-Carlton Resort Hotel. This place is magnificent! (What else would you expect from Ritz-Carlton?) The casino is not actually in the hotel, but is adjacent as part of the Italian Village with numerous restaurants and shops. So, you can have the excitement that most go to Las Vegas for - when you want it! And, for a night on The Strip for a major show or just to go for the whole enchilada, you only have a 25 minute drive. I stopped at the Ritz-Carlton for breakfast before playing the incredible Reflection Bay Golf Club. All through my stay in the dining room everybody - even the bus boys - addressed me by name. OK, so that's just very good training. Right? Here 's where they go way beyond training... I walked around the property and the Village including the lakeside stage where Andrea Bochelli performed a couple years ago. Almost an hour later, I came back through the restaurant and again was greeted by name by the hostess. That's cool!

The other Resort Hotel at "the Lake" is Loew's. It's not a bad place but, with the R-C just down the road, don't bother. Very confining since the Reflection Bay golf course wraps around it. There is no comparison! Whatever the price, the Ritz-Carlton is well worth it!

Cheers,

Dick


To comment, please click the "comments" link below, type in your comments then, under “Choose an Identity”, select “Nickname" if you want to leave a name (your name or a ‘blog handle’) or just leave it blank. OR, you can select ‘Anonymous’. I would love to hear from you!

Hello from Las Vegas!

This place is ridiculous! My annual sojourn for a technology conference is underway and, as usual, the landscape changes from my last visit are absurd. In just one year, the Wynn Las Vegas has opened a second tower called "Encore", the Trump Hotel & Casino is open, The Venetian has opened a new tower called Palazzo, the second tower at Bellagio is now open as is the 3rd new tower at Caesar's Palace, the massive City Center project (almost 8,000 new rooms) which was just a (huge) hole in the ground 12 months ago is almost half way completed, and the Stardust and Frontier hotels have been bulldozed.

The construction cranes - too numerous to count - have been dubbed Nevada's State Bird!

The ridiculously upscale shops at Caesar's, The Venetian, Planet Hollywood and Bellagio have all been expanded and more are coming. I walked through several of them and, unlike the malls at home, did not spot one single vacancy.

For anybody that worries about our economy, come here for a few days! The place is full with a 94% rooms occupancy - the highest rate in the entire world!

Cheers,

Dick

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...more on our Spa Resort stay:

As I said in the last post, I'm not ordinarily known for an ability to lay around and do nothing. But, this place just soothed the beast! For 3 days my golf clubs sat in the corner... and those who know me would be shocked to hear that it didn't bother me a bit! We did spa treatments each afternoon (I didn't go in for any of the exotic treatments - just some great massages) just before getting dressed for cocktails and wonderful dinners. After dinner, we would go to the wine bar off the outdoor section of the lobby and just sit overlooking the grounds and the ocean. What a way to end a perfect day!

OK; so what's so great about a massage? We all have had them at our local health clubs or day spas, right? Apart from the fact that spas in these 5-Star Resorts are something special, the total environment is one of relaxation. They are so quiet and peaceful that you generally will feel as if you are the only client in the spa.

And here's the real difference: When I go on a golf trip with the guys, the thing that makes it so special is that we are away from all the normal commitments. Nobody is late to the course because of a business tie up. Nobody has run off after golf because of a kid's game or concert. Nobody is pressured to be home in time for dinner. After golf on these trips, all we need to worry about is how much time we have for the pool or hot tub before getting ready to go to dinner! Same thing here: You have enjoyed a leisurely breakfast, taken a walk on the beach and relaxed in the sun at the pool before going to the spa. After your massage, you have as much time as you want to relax in the spa's lounge or whirlpool. Cocktails and dinner are on your terms.

If you are one who THINKS you are not a "spa resort type", think again!!!!!

Cheers,

Dick

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