Kid’s Culinary Capital of Caribbean

This summer consider the Cayman Islands the Kid’s Culinary Capital of Caribbean as the islands welcome your children to explore and get hands on with DIY cooking classes, experience interactive farm-to-table culinary tours, enjoy child-friendly cuisine at five-star dining restaurants, and so much more.  Chef meet and greets and behind the scene tours are also available. Hotel participants in the program include the Ritz Carlton, Kimpton Seafire Resort, Margaritaville, Wyndham Reef Resort as well as the Bon Vivant Cooking School.  This is the first year of this unique program which boast more than 200 restaurants and local eateries and is known as the Culinary Capital of the Caribbean.  The kids program is available through August 31.

Summer Fun with Velas Resorts

Velas Resorts are very popular with our families looking for an upscale and all-inclusive Mexican resort experience.  Again this summer they are offering a family-friendly promotion that includes complimentary stays for children, discounted rates for teens, dedicated kids’ and teen clubs, Summer Camp, baby concierge and more this summer.  At Grand Velas resorts in Riviera Nayarit, Los Cabos, and Riviera Maya, up to two children (ages 4-12) are free when staying in the same suite as the adults from now through October 31. Families traveling with children ages 13-15 to Grand Velas in Los Cabos and Riviera Nayarit also receive a 50 percent discount off teen rates. Additionally, Velas Vallarta in Puerto Vallarta features discounts on kid and teen rates.  At Grand Velas and Velas Vallarta, activities range from sand castle building, Spanish lessons, piñata making and kickball tournaments to animal shows, cooking and baking classes, drive-in movies, eco-cycling tours and more.  Summer Camp at the resorts is held July 15 to August 12, 2018 with special activities such as zip lining, climbing walls, astronomy nights, DIY mandala workshops and more. Throughout the year, the resorts offer dedicated kids and teens clubs, family-friendly entertainment and even a baby concierge to cater to the needs of the little ones.  The top accommodations for families are the resorts’ two-bedroom family suites. The 2,000-square-foot rooms have one king bed suite and a two queen bed suite with a private terrace.

New Gansevoort Villas

Gansevoort Turks and Caicos will open the Gansevoort Villas in June.  The six new four- and five-bedroom luxury oceanfront villas are located on an elevated hillside overlooking the bay at Turtle Tail, a short drive from the resort.  Each villa sits on roughly half an acre with gorgeous water views.  The villa features include indoor and outdoor living areas with floor-to-ceiling windows, an outdoor fire pit lounge area, an over-the-water swimming platform with direct ocean access and a private oceanfront infinity pool and interior courtyard pool with a waterfall feature.  You will also enjoy signing privileges for amenities at the resort, which includes restaurants, spa, water sports and other facilities. Also included in a villa stay are transportation to and from the resort, concierge service, beach club access at the resort, round-trip airport transfers and free internet service.  From June 1 to December 19, take advantage of special introductory rates with savings from 25 to 50 percent, based on length of stay. A four-night minimum is required for all villa stays.

Free Night in Punta Cana Luxury

Get every fourth night free at the upscale Eden Roc at Cap Cana through December 22.  Your package also includes:

• Daily breakfast
• Daily lunch for up to two children (up to age 14)
• One complimentary dinner with a 3-course menu at any of the resort restaurants (alcoholic beverages not included)
• Special family amenity on arrival
• Round-trip airport transfers

Choose from spacious accommodations including the Luxury Pool Family Suite, Two Bedroom Family Residence, Beachfront Two Bedroom Suite or the Three and Four Bedroom Royale Villas.   The larger villas include a butler on call 24 hours a day and a personal chef will prepare all meals.  The resort is a member of the Relais & Chateaux family of hotels and is only 10 minutes from the Punta Cana airport.  It showcases excellent golf, pools, beach with water sports, children’s program, equestrian center, spa and several dining options.  In the Cap Cana development there is also a nature adventure park with caves, cenotes, zip line, cliff diving and more.

Teen Hangout in Punta Mita

Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita has opened a dedicated hangout for guests ages 13 to 19 with both indoor and outdoor modern spaces and interactive programming.  Near the resort’s lazy river and basketball court, the Container is open from noon to 10:30 pm.  The club has a garden area and colorful shipping containers, each with a different entertainment and activity options. The cinema container has an 85-inch television and bean bag chairs, while the video game container has Xbox, PlayStation, Switch, and two virtual reality areas. The gaming container has table games like air hockey, billiards, ping pong, pool, foosball and a Star Wars pinball machine.  Teens looking for outdoor adventures can explore the resort’s daily activities from street soccer and beach volleyball to basketball and panoramic hikes.  Currently the resort is offering every 4th night free through December 22 or half off a second room for children.

Vacation Like a Star in Costa Rica

The Planet Hollywood brand will debut its first all-inclusive resort in Costa Rica this fall on Playa Manzanillo in Guanacaste.  Another Planet Hollywood resort in Cancun is slated to open in late spring of 2019.  The resorts will showcase Hollywood memorabilia and entertainment-themed facilities. They will also incorporate technology such as interactive touch-screen digital displays narrating the memorabilia experience and PHTV in-suite and throughout the resort, keeping your family up-to-date with live streaming of events and activities. The Costa Rica resort will feature 294 suites (junior and higher) including two-bedroom suites that will sleep up to 9, along with fun pools, spa, gym, children’s programming, 6 restaurants and more.  The resort is about 45 minutes from the airport.

Smile Services from Palladium

Did you know that the Palladium Hotel Group offers Smile Services, an entire department dedicated to creating surprises at its resorts in the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, and Mexico?  The team can organize surprises or special treats during your stay to celebrate a birthday, anniversary, graduation, or other special event.  The service is complimentary.  A birthday cake on the beach, playing a prank with a hidden camera, serenading a couple or preparing a romantic surprise dinner by the sea for a wedding anniversary are among many other possibilities.  Surprises can also be organized in conjunction with other celebrations, for example, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day or even International Hug Day! Advanced requests are required.

St. Lucia Family Getaway

Your entire family eats and drinks for free through September 4 at Windjammer Landing in St. Lucia with their Family Getaway Package!  It includes a 5-night stay in a spacious Two-Bedroom Villa with private plunge pool and full kitchen, premium all-inclusive access with unlimited dining and premium drinks, sunset cruise for four and free nanny services from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.  Windjammer Landing’s Mediterranean-style villas are built into a hillside offering gorgeous ocean views.  The resort showcases a secluded beach with extensive water sports program, children and teen activities, plenty of pools and restaurants, spa and gym.  The lush island is ripe for outdoor adventures such as exploring the rainforest, the sulphur baths at the Twin Pitons and more.

New Resorts for the Riviera Maya

Karisma Hotels and Resorts recently revealed several new resort concepts:

Karisma will be opening its first Margaritaville hotel in the Riviera Maya region in 2019; the 355-suite all-inclusive beach resort will embody the laid-back brand’s style. Designed with a casual luxury concept in mind, Margaritaville Riviera Maya will feature swim-up options, several new dining option concepts and a new market called Joe’s Merchant, which will give you the ability to stock your own minibars with drinks and snacks.

A new all-suite Nickelodeon resort will be constructed next to Generations Riviera Maya in 2019, along with the largest waterpark in the region, which will have nine waterslides. In addition to offering all guests butler service and ocean views, every suite will also have either a swim-up or infinity pool configuration. Families will appreciate that each of the resort’s 272 suites will also be connecting rooms accommodating up to two adults and three children. Four villas, including two Pineapple Villas, will also be on property, and in response to the popularity of the Ninja Turtles brand, one will be in the shape of a turtle shell. You will also have a pick of eight restaurants.

Aulani Spring Offer

Disney’s Aulani Resort, on the island of Oahu, has a spring offer valid from April 9 to June 7.  Your family can save up to 30 percent on stays of five nights or longer and 25 percent off four-night stays.  The resort has outstanding pool areas, featuring a lazy river and waterslides as well as a family infinity pool and kids splash zone.  The beach sits on a tranquil lagoon where you can swim, stand-up paddleboard, snorkel and enjoy other water sports.  Disney famous world-class entertainment includes fireside storytelling, movie nights under the stars, visits from Disney Characters and the brand-new KA WA’A, A Lū‘au.  Other amenities abound including several dining options, spa, gym, children’s program for ages 3 to 12 along with tween and teen activities.  Accommodation options include hotel rooms, large suites and spacious villas.  Note that the 3-bedroom Grand Villas aren’t included in the special and some blackout dates apply.