FRIDAY'S FOTO--Kitty Hawk NC

Spent a lovely week on North Carolina's Outer Banks.
Here's the view from where we sat in Kitty Hawk.
So much to do and so much to see and
so much delicious, fresh seafood.

CARIBBEAN SUN IN CANCUN, MEXICO'S TEMPTATION

One inauspicious way to begin a vacation in Cancun, Mexico’s tropical climate is being dressed for New York’s December weather and knowing that Rob's luggage, filled with light-weight clothes, is not with us; rather, thanks to a JetBlue glitch, Rob’s luggage is sitting in Montego Bay, Jamaica. 

 A second inauspicious way is spending so much time in the airport filling out lost luggage reports that by the time we get through Customs, our driver has left! 

BUT a dispatcher from a Marriott resort sees the reservation voucher in my hand, tells us our man is a friend, calls him on the phone, and he is back in a few minutes. What appears to be continuing disaster is put to rights. We have a pleasant ride to Temptation, our hotel, and when we arrive, we heave sighs of relief.  I unpack my luggage, and then we head to Margaritas Restaurant for a late lunch and, you guessed it, margaritas.  This is a true-life experience where the words, "I need a drink" applies. Rob’s luggage is expected the next afternoon.

We like Temptation Resort and Spa (see http://thirdagetraveler.blogspot.com/2010/01/temptation-in-cancun-great-respite-from.html), and we like Cancun. Even before we enter the lobby, the thematic red and white colors as well as the signature sight of an apple announces that we've entered a tempting world. We move quickly from the lobby to the VIP reception area. Temptation is an all-inclusive hotel as well as a timeshare, and as owners here, we are treated very nicely. As in many all-inclusives, we are banded at check-in.  White wrist bands for owners, red for hotel guests.  Instantly distinguishable and important.

Our room, red and white, continues the theme.  On one wall is a metal sculpture, a lone, lazy tree branch whose end is dropping leaves and a single apple. On the dresser is a silver metallic sculpture of a man and a woman familiarly entwined. Tucked in the bed’s headboard alcove is another apple, and beneath the smoky glass of our night tables as well as behind the apple alcove glow soft seductive red lights. It's sleek, modern, romantic and charming. Our balcony has a spa as well as a privacy shade. It's all quite seductive. As owners here, we also receive sparkling white spa robes and slippers, a nice touch.

But Cancun, after all, is for the Caribbean sun which we cannot really enjoy on our first afternoon as we wait for Rob's luggage to arrive. On day 2 we are ready to make up for that. The resort is comprised of a series of red and white buildings, whose angular design affords as many ocean-view rooms as possible and also breaks up the resort into sections that belie its size and the number of visitors. The feel is intimate. 

Nestled among the buildings are the three swimming pools that also serve as dividers of sorts as each attracts a different type of guest. There is a sports pool for lap swimming, water volleyball and basketball as well as a host of other organized or pick-up games. On its deck, one might play corn hole.  Or just laze in one of the sunbeds and be spectators. 

There is the "fun" pool, the biggest pool, with the swim-up bar where the music booms, the hotel staff runs games and contests, and is friendly, outgoing, and enthusiastic. 

There is the quiet pool, where only if the Caribbean breezes blow quite right does one faintly hears sounds from the "fun" pool. It has its own bar and swim-up bar.  At one end are several whirlpool spas. 

Just stop to pick up your bright red (for guests) or sparkling white (for owners) towels and head to the pool or beach section of your choice.  (Those white towels are your entry “keys” to some special benefits.)

Remember, we're on the Caribbean, and the long stretch of beach that is Temptation’s is also cleverly divided by different activity offerings, so no one gets that jammed Coney Island feeling. There are lounges, cabanas, hammocks, four-poster beach beds rimmed with billowing gauzy white fabric ready for occupants.  There's a special section for owners, both on the beach and on a separated deck above the “fun" pool.  This section has a bar all its own and waiter service.    

The Caribbean Sea is beautifully multi-hued in shades of green and blue. Cool sand underfoot. Gradual slope into the water. Clear, clear, clear water. We watch small silvery fish dart back and forth in tiny, shiny schools. We cool off in the calm waters and watch, down the beach a bit, a woman taking her first sailboard lesson and a man working on his newly learned paddle board technique. Life here is enthusiastically relaxing.  That doesn’t mean sitting all day.  There’s something going on to suit everyone’s taste.  We like the catamarans.  There’s always a nice breeze to make good sailing.

There are docks at several points along the beach where yachts are moored. Owners have access to a yacht for 10-person private 4 hour party at a reasonable cost. The group can be arranged for you, and we're seriously thinking about this for our next visit.

Temptation is an adult-only resort.  I do not mind the absence of children one iota.  We like the freedoms of adult-only.  The ages of the guests range from the early 30s to the 70s.  Everyone is friendly, and there are many Europeans here.  

Our favorite couple this time was a young couple from Wales.  He tempted his wife to come out on a jetski, calming her by saying it's not a fast ride. (?)  She came back after five minutes, green and wobbly!  Then he took off again!  Solo. We also met a man who comes about five times a year "just to get away."  He would be back in six weeks!  We also met a couple from Canada for whom this trip was their eighth visit and they are finally thinking of buying here.

in Bella Vista

As an all-inclusive resort, you've got to consider food, and at Temptation it is excellent and varied.  Choose room service or a marvelous breakfast buffet at El Embarcadero. Folks show up at this informal setting wearing just about anything imaginable.  

There is also a lunch buffet, but Rob and I prefer Margaritas and the idea of a leisurely meal. 

Dinner is another matter. If you choose informal, there is a dinner buffet or there is the relative informality of Margaritas.  If you prefer dining to eating, however, you need to put on those nice casual clothes, lose the sandals and add to the romantic ambiance of a candlelit meal where service is impeccable, nothing is rushed, and everything is delicious.  Here you have several restaurant choices. There is a lovely restaurant, Bella Vista, featuring seafood and Caribbean cuisine where Rob and I enjoyed our first night; there we will have the owners-only lobster dinner later in the week.  Il Placere is the Italian restaurant which I remember with gustatory fondness and where we need reservations (yes, even owners do). And there is the reservation-required Asian restaurant, The Village Wok, also serving excellent meals, wonderful ambiance, and a superb dining experience.

 If by chance you experience some late night craving,  it is available at PatyOs, the evening place for drinks, music and entertainment, all in abundant and often loud quantities.   We actually enjoy sitting just outside PatyOs on some wonderfully comfortable chairs, people watching, and sipping our Fundador brandy, Spain's largest exported brandy dating back to 1874. Nice. We sometimes switch to Presidente, made from Mexican grapes, or to Don Pedro, another Spanish Brandy.  Variety is the spice of life. 

I believe Patty Os is open for “snacking” all night.

Activities. There is an entire travel agency in the main building.  This area of Mexico is a great jumping off point to see and do things you’ve read about in history books.  Visiting  Chichen Itza, the pre-Columbian Maya city,  is an extraordinary daytrip.  It’s mind-blowing and full of mystery and magic as well as incredible architecture and history.  On this tour were stops at other sites along the way and explanations of plants and buildings.  Wonderful outing.  You might want to go snorkeling in a cenote.  Visit an Indian home.  Shop in the upscale mall in Cancun.  Visit World Heritage eco-archeological Xcaret Park where you can swim with the dolphins, snorkel, and get a taste of Mayan culture.  It’s a fantastic place.  Attend a bullfight (which I found disgusting and will never, ever, do again anywhere).  (I blame that mistake on Ernest Hemingway!)

 In addition to offering any type of tour you might desire from companies represented right here in the hotel,  guests cruise the Caribbean on Temptation's party boat, go snorkeling, use jet skis, sail catamarans, or take a ferry leaving from the hotel  across the eight miles of water to Isla Mujeres, a delightful island as far away from Cancun in temperament as you can get. I cannot forget to mention the great Beauty Parlor where we've had, in the past, massages or Temptation's Cigar Bar. Wonderful  There is no way you can be bored!

A few words about staff. You will be hard pressed to find a more accommodating, friendly, and conscientious staff anywhere. They remember you, say hola when you pass anyplace at the resort and help make your stay memorable. Need help with your Spanish? They'll try to help you. I include everyone. Without exception.  This has been true each time we’ve come, so it is part of the hotel, and, we’ve found when we leave the hotel, the Mexican culture.

At Temptation, ownership definitely has its rewards. If you read online reviews of the resort, you might come across several complaining about the special treatment owners receive. It's true. That's part of the allure. We've owned for five years. But here is a warning.  I do not recommend buying here. You are buying in a foreign country, and if the company does not honor every aspect of your contact, you have little recourse.  We felt that a section of our contract was not being honored. We did discuss it down here (phone calls from home were not returned and emails went unanswered), and we did reach an unsatisfactory compromise. However, we would never buy anything from this company again because we cannot trust their word or even their written contact.  On the other hand, we will continue to come and enjoy ourselves. No use cutting off our noses to spite or faces. 

So I recommend coming as a guest.  Yes, owners are special, but this resort treats all its guests well.

There are a few places on the property that look a touch tired, but maintenance is ongoing. We had a leak in the showerhead; it was fixed within a short period of time. There was hurricane damage throughout Cancun a few years ago, and there has also been a lot of re-building.  I've read some negative reviews, but that has never been our experience, and as they are so few and far between, I consider them anomalies. 

This is a big resort employing a great number of people.  Restaurant windows sparkle. Everything that should be white--the gauzy fabrics and beach beds--on buildings and borders are crisply dazzling white. The beach is raked. The chairs are arranged.  The towels are big and plush.  We have never been disappointed.

The sport pool early in the morning

One thing about Temptation--you can relax and luxuriate in the sun, swim in the Caribbean, or you can knock yourself out and go home in need of a vacation. No matter how you work it, there's no reason ever to be bored even if you never leave the resort.

If things go as planned, we will head back sometime in 2015 for another good week.  We just hope our luggage decides to come with us!

I love towel sculptures!!!!

AUTUMN IN THE SHENANDOAH VALLEY OF VIRGINIA

The  Massanutten Resort in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley has become our place to bring friends and has also evolved into the meeting spot for my yearly reunion with my cousins. (Use my “search” box and keyword Massanutten to see earlier posts)

 Rob and I head down from New York’s Hudson Valley; my sister and her husband come down from the Adirondacks in New York State; Rita and her husband come over from Richmond, and Bill comes in from Tucson, Arizona.  I wish I could remember the number of times we’ve been in Massanutten, and while you may wonder how we can find ways to occupy our time, the richness of the Shenandoah Valley never ceases to leave us with the words, “Next year we’ve got to include….”  This year—this past week—was no different.

My sister owns timeshares there and we trade one of our timeshares through RCI, so our accommodations are spacious and comfortably furnished for lounging and visiting.  The two-bedroom units have two bathrooms, Jacuzzis, fully equipped kitchen, sofas and chairs, a dining area big enough for 8, a balcony, and a fireplace.  The one bedroom unit is equally equipped sans second bathroom.  So we are ready in all kinds of weather to catch up and enjoy each other’s company.  You cannot do this with hotel rooms, that’s for sure.

Although leisure is part of vacation, don’t think we sit around all day, and as we are not attached at the hip, we sometimes go our separate ways.

Most days we breakfast in and meet for whatever we plan to do in the AM.

Rita and I like the water aerobics class at the Woodstone Pool.  It’s a 1 hour workout with weights and noodles.  Sometimes Rob uses the gym and treadmill; Bill likes to walk.  Robyn and Neal relax with lattes.  It's all good.

But later in the AM we meet to head up Massanutten Mountain.  

As a four-season resort, Massanutten Mountain is great for skiing in winter, but in the fall, a ride up the ski lift to the top of the mountain gives us panoramic views of the Shenandoah Valley, the sunlight hitting the autumnal colors and gifting us with bright, vivid, oranges, yellows and reds.  At the mountain’s peak we have hiking options on marked trails.  We can ride down the chair lift, or we can walk down the mountain, sometimes seeing wildlife and almost always seeing bear scat along the way.

somewhere WAY DOWN there are our accommodations

view at the top of the ski lift

We follow our chair lift ride with a walk near Painter Pond where we check out the fishing prospects.  We don’t fish, but there are people there trying their luck.  It’s lovely to sit in the sun, absorbing the rays and once again enjoying the colors—this time from a different perspective.

Enjoy fragrance?  We head over to White Oak Lavender Farm where the shop is so aromatic, it seems another world.  Lavender ice cream, perfume, soaps, jams, and more.  I'd rename that shop Everything Lavender.  Robyn could not resist the horses and went over to say hello.

At this time of year the lavender is not the purple with which we are
familiar, but the fragrance is still in the air

We plan to go out to dinner at some point, but as we prepare for our reunion, each of us is responsible for dinner one night.  This begins with a long cocktail hour and lengthy dinner with accompanying conversation, laughter, catching up and remembrances.  Wine flows freely; desserts are varied.  We each bring the things we like, and it’s always good. 

The TV plays a lot of football and the World Series.  Some of us watch; some play the card game Phase 10.  No pressure.  Lots of feet-up relaxing.

During the day weather is beautiful, so heading north 30 miles on Skyline Drive we stop at several overlooks to gaze in awe at Nature’s beautiful canvas.  Our National Park System is extraordinary and well-run. The annual or lifetime passes are great money-savers, and there are additional savings for seniors over 62.  Check that out when you click on my Skyline Drive link.

We make a quick visit to the Ranger Station at Big Meadow for maps and advice before heading to Limberlost Trail, a circuit loop of a little more than a mile that takes us through the woods, over streams, and across horse trails with fresh tracks.  In summer we would have been canopied in green, but this time of year we can see into the woods and up to the sky.  Sunlight shines down in streams and sparkles against the yellow, brown, and red leaves piled high on the mountain’s floor.

beginning of the Limberlost Trail

The Ranger had warned of a big black bear hanging around the picnic area we choose, but when we get there, traveling a bit farther north, other leaf-peepers are setting up at tables, a campfire is crisply burning, and the wide open area seemed perfect for our picnic.  No one needs jackets, and at some point we each have our face pointed at the sky, eyes closed and enjoying the sun’s warmth.  Life is good.  Sometimes it’s the simplest of days that prove the most valuable.

We enjoy the day so much and spend so much time up in the mountains that we have to forego our last plan—a trip to Old Hill Cider Mill.  That’s one thing we’ll have to put off until next time.  And it slips my mind that we could have squeezed in a stop at Rt. 11 Potato Chips, the best chips on earth, for a quick tasting and to see if they were cooking chips.  Next time.  And there was also a 12 acre corn maze up that way that caught our fancies.  Next time.

One morning Bill and I play golf at Woodstone, one of Massanutten’s two courses, and it is great for me.  I love playing with him, and this is our once-a-year-day.  It's warm out there despite the season, and Bill gets a bit sunburned.

Speaking of golf, one day Robyn and Neal and Rita and Bill played miniature golf at the resort.  They have the best miniature golf courses I’ve ever played, and that’s always a lot of fun. 

One afternoon just before sunset, we head to the CrossKeys Vineyards for a wine tasting.  Not only is this the kind of winery you'd see in a movie as it is nestled in the rolling rises in the valley but also it boasts a lovely array of flavorful wines, a restaurant, and a gorgeous patio to sit, sip and watch the sun set.  Which is exactly what we do.

CrossKeys 

The vines are almost ready to be put to bed for the winter

Weather let us down on only one day, but the constant drizzle and mist did not dampen our plans.  We went to Plan B. The rain began just as we all reached our morning rendezvous--right outside Hank’s Smokehouse, one of our favorite stops in Virginia.  While our four companions headed off to the movies, Rob and I took some scrumptious take-out home (pulled pork sliders with 2 sides), got cozy in front of the fire, slowly savored our lunch, sipped wine, and read until they returned.  I debated playing a movie as we brought our Dongle and Samsung Tablet so I could get cc, but I am reading the third book of Ken Follett’s Twentieth Century Trilogy and found it difficult to put down.

We celebrate two birthdays while we’re away, Bill’s and Robyn’s.  This year that was my dinner-prep night, and dinner included the birthday cake my mother used to make for us—chocolate pudding and graham cracker cake.  Great evening.  Great celebration—including Robyn’s special birthday chapeau a picture of which sisterly instinct tells me I best omit.

It’s only a few days once a year, but these are days I relish.  This is what life is about.  My family might be for me, but the Shenandoah Valley is for everyone.  If not the Massanutten Resort which, as many resorts are now, both hotels and timeshares, rent a cabin in the mountains as we did for Rob’s 60^th birthday, or try one of the b&bs in the area.  Stay up at Big Meadow.  Explore caverns, Civil War sites, Mennonite markets in Dayton, or enjoy any of the myriad offerings of this area.  I guarantee there is something for everyone.

ARUBA'S DIVI PHOENIX--CHARM IN A TIMESHARE



The Divi Phoenix from out on the jetty

 Aruba’s charm is irresistible.  For many tourists, the introduction is simply a day stop on a Southern Caribbean cruise—a day of shore excursions to the beaches or a tour around the island, a walk  around historic Oranjestad where homes are painted in soothing pastels, a visit to the vibrant, colorful markets, or a meal in one of the excellent dining establishments the island has to offer.  Almost inevitably, the seed is planted to return to this sliver of paradise tucked warmly in the Caribbean.  And so you do.  So we did.

Rob and I stayed at the Divi Aruba Phoenix Beach Resort, a condominium type hotel and timeshare (I surmise the new term is “vacation ownership”) in the high-rise section of hotels.  More on Aruba’s hotel areas in a later post.

There are five Divi hotels in Aruba: Divi Aruba Phoenix Beach Resort, Divi Village Golf and Beach Resort, Divi Dutch Village Resort, and two all inclusives, Divi and Tamarijn Aruba.  Vacation ownership is available in all, and full ownership is available at the Residences at Divi Village Golf and Beach Resort.  This is just one company.  Think of any major hotel chain, and it is represented in Aruba in a big way.

We also saw building going on for permanent residences intended for foreign retirees.  Perhaps that is the next step for this country.

Terrafuse

You know Rob and I are fans of timeshares, and the Divi Phoenix is a pleasure.  Our suite is big and comfortable and very nicely appointed.  In the living room there hangs a glass sculpture reminiscent of Chihuly, but made in Aruba and called Terrafuse.  The Terrafuse studio, by the way, offers classes and tours if one is here long enough, and the work is quite marvelous.  We met a man who had taken classes there and loved it.

Our one bedroom suite is lovely and painted in the relaxing, happy shades of teals and beige with the same colors incorporated in the artwork on the walls.  It is nicely decorated with comfortable furniture, a sofa, wicker chairs, and a coffee table in the living room, more than ample dresser and closet space in the bedroom and hallway in addition to the comfortable king size bed, a fully stocked kitchen, and two complete bathrooms, one with a whirlpool bath and a separate glass shower, and the other with a glass shower.   A louvered utility closet houses a washer/dryer.  There are televisions in the living room and bedroom.  The living room couch is a convertible should there be up to four in a party. There is a small dining area with room for four, and a kitchen island with bar seating for four. 

What a beautiful way to start an evening.

The balcony overlooks the central part of the resort, the pools toward one side, over palm trees to the ocean in the center, and to the beach and ocean on the other side.  Just sitting on the balcony, cocktail in hand, watching the sun set over the ocean is one of the most wonderful parts of the day.  The sun set around 6:15 PM during our visit, and we make sure to be on the balcony or in some picturesque location each evening so we can savor the beauty. 

from our balcony

At night colored lights fill the pools gently changing hues and creating a delectably romantic atmosphere.

The first night we arrive, we enjoy dinner in the hotel at the Pure Beach restaurant.  It was the finest Mahi Mahi I’d ever eaten, but more specifics on Pure Beach in a later post.

The Divi Phoenix has two freshwater pools, one with a swim up bar (need you ask if we swam up?), but we were not here for swimming pools.  There’s a smaller pool in another section for water games.  Each morning I join a terrific water aerobics class that actually has men attending as well as women!  Most unusual.  I like these and participate each morning while Rob walks.  He’s not into water aerobics.

No problem relaxing here--and plenty of shade. 
Make sure you use a strong sunscreen.

The beach is fantastic.  There are ample palm trees and palapas to provide shade, and though there are the usual idiots who bring some item down before sunrise to “reserve” their space under a palapa, there are ample lounges and space in the shade for everyone.  Hammocks stretch between trees, but Rob and I have no problem snoozing on our lounges.

The sand is cool under foot, the trade winds belie the heat, and the water is a perfect temperature with an easy slope and sand bottom.  People float around on Swimways Spring Floats or rented floats.   It’s heavenly!

One important word of warning.  You need a good sunscreen.  The trade winds may make you feel cool, but you are very close to the equator.  The sun’s rays are very direct here, and I saw several people resembling lobsters.  Don’t be one of them.

If there is one negative aspect to spending a week in this kind of setting is that it has spoiled us for hotels which usually lack enough comfortable seating, and unless it’s a suite hotel, you have only one room. These days, I feel cramped!  I think I am spoiled.

Some people complain that there is the hard sell when you stay at a timeshare.  Sometimes that is true, and you just say no to invitations to tour.  In Aruba it was very different.  It was so low-key even we were surprised.

I think it all fits in with the Happy Island idea.  It works. 

We flew United, and when we boarded the plane, we were handed a big, Oprah-style magazine called Destination Aruba.  It was filled with history, information about transportation, money, post offices, medical facilities, prominent people, restaurants, festivals, duty-free shopping etc.  There were lots of advertisements for just about everything imaginable.  I read it cover to cover on the trip down, learned a lot, and altered some of the plans I already had in my head.  We hit the Aruban ground running.

As we headed to pick up our luggage at the airport, we passed a big Divi table, and people were handing out free Divi bags (similar to but bigger than the recyclable grocery bags) to everyone regardless of their hotel destination.  Inside was a slim brochure on the different Divi resorts, but outside was stamped the Divi logo.  Each tourist became a walking advertisement, but there was no attempt to do anything more.  I saw these bags all over the island.  They were light, folded, and big enough to carry many things.

At the Divi Phoenix we never received the usual “breakfast or lunch invitation plus tour,” but we were invited to meet a hotel concierge.  We did that, and he simply checked that everything in our accommodations were all right, helped us with suggestions for restaurants serving authentic Aruban cuisine, and answered our questions about the supermarket shopping and festivals.  Not once did he suggest a tour of Divi property or anything vaguely resembling a sales pitch.  If we were interested, apparently it was up to us to ask.  We weren’t, so we didn’t.




The welcome party with music, drinks, hors d'oeuvres, and
a lot of friendly folk.



A friendly staff is always
welcomed

  On Monday evening there is a welcome party—drinks, hors d’oeuvres, music.  No sales pitch, but a lot of information about resort activities, getting around the hotel strip, etc.  I had already become acquainted with Balashi Beer, the island brew, so I was quite content and enjoyed meeting some of the other guests.

No pressure—just relaxation, beach, and water.  Aruba is One Happy Island.

PALM DESERT'S BEAUTIFUL TIMESHARE



Magnificent golf course & mountain views



Palm Desert Springs Villas, a timeshare we are visiting for the second time because our friend, Beth, is an owner here, is just one step from paradise—or maybe closer. Palm Desert is a special destination anyway, and traveling here in January away from New York's winter is a great escape. I write this from the patio overlooking the golf course. It is a bit too cool 67º, so swimming at one of the many pools here is out. But lying in the sun is not.

The unit is a double lockout, two separate units with a common foyer leading to the locked units. We are in the smaller unit, but don't neglect the jacuzzi, the granite counter tops, the super big glass shower or the lovely private patio.

We don't use the fitness center because there are beautiful paths past ponds with swans and ducks, views of the mountains beyond, and the beautiful golf courses or tennis courts.  It's too bad we can't walk the cart paths.  We've used the spa at the gorgeous Mariott Hotel abutting their timeshare property.  Super.



Nice villa view.  When the fountain is flowing, it's lovely.



I've recently posted on our California vacation and some of the places we've visited, but to those add a California Windmill Farm tour, the aerial tramway in Palm Springs, horseback riding in the desert, the Palm Springs Follies, and more interesting and good restaurants than I can name.  Relax or run around or do a combination of the two.  It was a great week.  Whether you use Marriott Vacation Club or trade through RCI, this is a definite destination.

I periodically write about our timeshare experiences, and each one has been terrific. I think timeshares work best for people with flexible schedules who can make vacation arrangements well in advance and for people who plan on going to the timeshare they own on a yearly basis. Here are some photos of this Marriott Resort. Enjoy!

Here are links to my previous posts on this vacation:  http://www.thirdagetraveler.blogspot.com/2012/02/another-wonderful-national-park-joshua.html      http://www.thirdagetraveler.blogspot.com/2012/02/taste-of-29-palms-california.html       http://www.thirdagetraveler.blogspot.com/2012/02/roughley-manor-outstanding-inn-great.html

Great places to walk in a beautiful setting

It's a big resort without a big feeling

Sunset from my chaise lounge at the pool.  Ahhhhh!

WE HEAD TO FLORIDA FOR WARMTH. HUH???

181 South Ocean Ave.

West Palm Beach, FL 33404

(561) 836-4000

Back at Palm Beach Shores Resort and Spa for the third time, I feel as if we are coming home. Our stay this year, from February 21 through March 7, becomes two weeks of below normal temperatures. Not the vacation in the sun I know and love. The temperatures put a definite kink in plans to luxuriate on the sands, but we are away from those miserable northeast snowstorms, so this is the place to be.

We come here on a time share trade. Walk in off the street or book through Travelocity and this hotel will cost in the neighborhood of $325.00 per night. Our one bedroom suite is immaculate, totally stocked to make our stay easy and very comfortable. From our balcony we have a beautiful view of the heated pool and, more importantly, the ocean which this year, unfortunately, is colder than the air temperature. The ocean isn't tempting, but watching it and hearing the surf pound the shore is sooo relaxing and soothing. The pool is heated, the spa is at 104º which is the temperature we keep ours at home, and the beach just a short, inviting walk across the sand dunes. On the beach we can rent a wind screen or umbrella if we wish. There’s food and bar service, and that works out well. On three days during our stay Rob and I did spend time on the beach, but this photo was taken on a day I bailed out and, in a rare moment for us, left Rob to soak the rays (freeze) on his own. I did try to persevere but when I had to wrap up my toes.... At Palm Beach Shores, for timeshares at least, towels are changed daily, supplies are replenished, and trash is removed, but only once during the week is there complete housekeeping. If that is a concern, for an extra fee one can have complete housekeeping services, but frankly, I can make my own bed without any adverse reactions. Palm Beach Shores Resort is a Gold Crown Resort, the highest ranking in the timeshare resort world, and it is because of the amenities and because it is right on the beach. That is our main requirement. This is far from some of the luxurious resorts in which we've stayed, but it suits us just fine, and we will be back again. This is no place like home where the beach and the ocean are a long car ride away.

Another extra special aspect of this hotel is the staff. The staff is efficient, friendly, and an absolute pleasure. That has been true each time we've stayed here, so I know it's not an aberration. They aim to please, and they will react quickly to requests, make very good suggestions, and offer ways to make our stay enjoyable. Last time we were here, for instance, I forgot my bathing suits when we left for home. I realized it when we reached Orlando for a three-day stop at Epcot/Disneyland. I called, and by the time we got home four days later, the package with my suits was waiting for me.

With the weather as cool as it has been, it was particularly heartwarming that the one night when a freeze was forecast, notes were slipped under the doors reminding us to draw the drapes to hold in the heat and also reminding us of extra blankets in the closet. That's just one example of the little extra thought shown here. I like that.

Certainly I'm not in favor of the daily parking fee; on the other hand there is valet parking. I don't like the daily in-room safe fee either. But I love the free internet in the room—either wireless or cable. There is also wifi in the lounges downstairs. They have a very good restaurant, the Islander Grill and Tiki Bar with daily specials. There's a happy hour, live music around the pool, two movie nights, and daily walks and activities if one chooses to participate. The exercise room is also nice, but Singer Island is a wonderful area to walk—if it's not too cold. The John D. MacArthur Beach State Park is close by, and there are wonderful walking trails there too. Each year we intend to ride bikes, but we haven't yet. Maybe next year.

If you're a time share owner who trades through RCI, think of Palm Beach Shores Resort and Spa, or if you're looking for a nice, suite hotel on Singer Island, Florida, think of Palm Beach Resort and Spa. But please make sure you leave two weeks for us! Look in Third Age Traveler labels under Florida for some good restaurant suggestions and our reviews of the auto-train which we took one-way this year.

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TEMPTATION IN CANCUN--A GREAT RESPITE FROM WINTER

I love Cancun. Don't come here expecting to be seeped in Mexican history and culture; for that you travel as we did last year to places like Chichen Itza where you'll stare in wonder at the magnificence of the Mayan culture. Cancun, on the other hand, was created specifically to draw tourists, and it does so successfully. Come here for the vitality, friendliness, fun, sun, sand, and Caribbean Sea. Visit El Centro for its shopping, Corrida del Toros (once was enough for me), Mercado 28 and good Mexican restaurants, but remember that this city is a result of hotel building.

Last year Rob and I stayed two weeks outside The Hotel Zone, a fifteen mile strip along a gorgeous beachfront lined with hotels, clubs, shops, places to begin tours to other parts of Mexico. We stayed in a sister hotel to the Temptation Resort and Spa where we are this year. It was much quieter last year in the family-oriented Blue Bay Club. http://thirdagetraveler.blogspot.com/2009/03/mexico-and-time-in-cancun.html. We took day trips, snorkeled, sailed, and had our son and our friends join us in our suite. We enjoyed ourselves so much we bought another timeshare—from Premier by Original. Unlike the Blue Bay Club, Temptation is adults only. Twenty-one and over. There's a vivaciousness and tone geared to adults, and we find it a welcome change. Because we are only here for a week, our plans are different, and we are looking for the action and atmosphere of this resort.

Temptation Resort and Spa's décor is red and white, and we like the fresh feeling of it all.

Place these colors against a backdrop of green palms, three blue pools--a fun pool, a sports pool, and a quiet pool, and the sparkling aquas of the Caribbean, and we feel just fine. Our room is charming with a balcony overlooking, to the left the marina with its complement of incredible boats including the one we are entitled as owners to use during our stay, to the center the beach and sea, and to the right the big “fun” pool with swim-bar. Although the hotel is completely booked, it is run so smoothly that there is never a crowded feeling.

During the day there's action and music on shore and views of parasailors, windsurfers, hobycat sailors, and of many other water activities. The music at the fun pool is loud, happy, and spans decades and music styles. It begins early, but then it is New Age morning music. It changes throughout the day, and it's great. Early mornings bring glorious sunrises, and evenings bring the lights of Isla Mujeres out in the distance and lights of two dinner cruise galleons from farther down in the Hotel Zone.

As owners we are treated as royalty with our own VIP room and “butler,” Alberto who makes arrangements for us, particularly advance reservations in one of the four excellent specialty restaurants: Asian, Italian, Tex-Mex, and Seafood. Other perks we receive are free wifi, lovely bathrobes, “premier” menus at the restaurants in addition to the regular menu, higher quality liquor, Bacardi Anejo for example. At the beach there is a “Members Only” section where a separate bar and chaises are set up. This is not to suggest that regular hotel guests are treated badly. Indeed, looking around I see nothing but happy faces.

Escaping the frigid temperatures at home this January, we arrive to find our room's thermostat set to 65°. That's where we keep the temperature at home which my son describes as a “meat locker.” We raise the thermostat to 68°. Unlike last year when we did a lot of sightseeing, we intend this week to be a beach escape with snorkeling in a cenote as our only day trip. We already know we'll be back. From Temptation we can sail HobyCats to our hearts' delight, and that means every day possible.

Our routine is simple. After breakfast we walk along the jogging/walking path on the hotel zone or use the hotel's gym. The gym is nicely equipped, and its floor-to-ceiling windows overlook the sports pool. In addition to the usual accoutrements, there are bowls of fresh fruit. We spend the rest of the day at the beach. We keep the bartender/waiter busy preferring lunch here although we sometimes tear ourselves away for El Embarcadero for the luncheon buffet.

It is winter here, and the sun disappears behind the hotel sometime around 3 PM, so we have time to shower and change before heading to Paty O's to begin the evening activities.

We try each of the specialty restaurants, and each is superb. I cannot show you photos because they are beautifully but dimly lighted. The décor is lovely and in keeping with the food. Service is exceptional. What I especially appreciated is the high ceilings and the noise absorbing décor. I hate the bare walled, techno style with nothing on either wall or window to absorb sound. At Temptation, the ambient noise did not prevent soft conversation, something dearly missing from most restaurants today.

We are so relaxed we decide to forgo the cenotes this year and spend some more time in the spa becoming even more relaxed with massages! The concierge helps me find a tour where we can snorkel in three different ecosystems, and that sounds grand. If we come back here next year, I’ll keep that in mind, but we might head to Cabo where there is another Temptation. That’s mighty tempting.
One more thing: I'm a sucker for towel sculptures, and our chambermaid was an artist.

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