Tell me about the Resorts you've stayed at?

[Marsha Walker]

Hello All,

Still trying to figur out a retirement gift for the folks. Please tell me about the resorts you may have stayed at or are thinking about. If you would do it again etc. Man this is tough to decide on. Thanks for the help. Marsha

 

[P M]

Would they like a cruise? Great way to go somewhere interesting and everything is taken care of for you. You can do as much or as little as you want.

 

[Richard Kolb]

I've stayed at at the Gran Bahia Principe Coba in Mexico, that place was an awesome deal and I'll stay there again if my company ever gives me another $5000 bonus. I went to a place called the Viva Windham palace or something like that in the Dominican Republic. I'd got there again if I could ever afford it, which isn't likely. I've also been to Jamaica but I'd only go there again if it was free. For our next vacation I hope to convince my wife a nice cabin on a lake in the US would be good. Maybe a B&B for a long weekend.

 

[Tom Schindler]

I hear Punta Cana, DR is pretty sweet and cheap. Another thought is a trip to Las Vegas.





Tom

 

[Richard Kolb]

Vegas stinks, try Reno. Especially for older people, Reno is what Vegas was 20 years ago.

 

[Paul Howard]

Send them to downtown Vegas, I like it much better than the strip. I stayed at the Fitzgerald last time and loved it. Every thing is within walking distance and much lower gambling limits.

 

[A1cntrler]

We have been to Atlantis in the Bahamas. It was really nice and the food was unbelievable. We had never spent so much money on one meal for the two of us, but it was our honeymoon. (We spent close to 300 bucks for a meal, but there were several bottles of wine involved.....) The accomidations were awesome, and plenty of excursions as well. We have also been to Aventura Palace near Cancun. It was really nice as well, and it was all-inclusive. The food was not neary as good as Atlantis. As for the most relaxing experience: We have been on 3 cruises, all of them to the carribbean, and all of them great. One was on Carnival, one Norwegian, and one on Royal Carribbean. Norwegian was my favorite. They all offer pretty much the same things to do in port. It is just laid back on the cruise ships. Go to dinner, catch a comedy show, watch a play. Food is usually top notch, and nighttime entertainment is great as well. We got two of our cruises from the site listed below, but you can get great last minute deals from www.travelzoo.com, or check out your local warehouse club (BJ's, Sam's or Costco)



Send them on a cruise!! Most on the east coast leave from Miami, but there are also ports in Norfolk, VA, Charleston, SC, New Jersey.

 

[Ken Stewart]

Elephant Walk, Destin Florida ... very very nice.

 

[Deleted deleted]

I think she asked for resort ideas guys, not trips to Vegas. If you're not a gambler, Vegas would have zero appeal. I know, I've been there and don't care if I ever go back.



Only thing Vegas is good for is cheap flights to get in the vicinity of the Grand Canyon

 

[Fred]

This resort was very nice, but Acapulco was not so nice. I felt like I needed eyes in the back of my head. :unsure:

 

[Fred]

Another very nice resort, but the beach is rocky. Cabo San Lucas is much nicer than Acapulco. The water in the Sea of Cortez and the Pacific is crystal clear. The arch is nice to see.

 

[Tom Schindler]

If you're not a gambler, Vegas would have zero appeal.

I am not a gambler and I enjoyed my trip to Vegas. Plenty of things to do all for little cost.





Tom

 

[Fred]

Also a very nice resort. Good 'local' shopping nearby, resort provided shuttle.



All of these RESORTS were niiiiiiiice. Going off the resort property at each of them made me sooooooo glad to live in USA. It was still nice to go see other parts of the world.

 

[Fred]

My favorite trip away from the continental 48 was Oahu. Beautiful, far away, exotic things to see, PLUS I felt perfectly comfortable to walk around nearly anywhere, day or night. Walked to the top of Diamond Head. Saw Pearl Harbor. Sea turtles on the North Shore. Stayed at Waikiki Beach, very nice. Just so happened that the 50th state state fair was going on while we were there, so we went just 'cause we were there.



We didn't stay at a resort there, but the hotel was real nice. View from the front of the room was the ocean and out the side was Diamond Head. This was my pick, even though it wasn't a resort. I felt like the whole town was a resort.

 

[Thomas Rogers]

Might I suggest a NYC - Times Square Weekend....



- Plane tickets to NYC, arrive Thursday evening or early Friday afternoon

- Limo to and from the airport

- Hotel reservations at Marriot Marquee in Times Square (Thur/Fri through Sunday)

- Dinner reservations for Thursday (if applicable), Friday and Saturday night

- Tickets to a show at Radio City Music on Friday evening

- Matinee tickets to a broadway show Saturday afternoon

- Brunch reservations for Sunday

- Give them cash in an envelope before the trip, along with all the tickets, reservation #s and info...that way the cash can offset meals and such they will put on their own cards.



Expect to pay about $500 in show tickets (2 shows x 2 tickets), $200+ a night for room; $100 for each dinner meal (for the couple), $25 to $50 for breakfasts and lunches; $100+ for the limo...ad in 15% for tips, and more for misc....$1200 to $1500 total, with more for plane tickets.



They would never forget it...only need to pick the right weekend with a good show at Radio City and available matinee seating at a Broadway show the next afternoon.



TJR

 

[J Piroth]

The nicest place I've ever stayed is the Fairmont Kea Lani on Maui. The resort is incredible, located in the Wailea section of Maui, alongside several other high-end resorts like the Four Seasons, Grand Wailea, etc.



It's hard to recommend a place without knowing what your folks are into. Here are a couple of other options:



Casa Marina, Key West: Grand old Flagler Hotel on the beach. (I got married there.)

Don CeSar, St. Pete Beach: Another Flagler Hotel on Florida's west coast. Gorgeous, if you don't mind a lot of pink. (Very popular with older tourists, or people looking for a more laid-back time.)

El Tovar or Bright Angel Lodge, Grand Canyon: Both are on the South rim of the canyon.

Sea Pines Resort, Hilton Head Island: Great golf, nice beaches and a variety of places to stay, from rental condos to the four-star Inn at Harbour Town.