Wife wants to nail something down for May next year. Thinking tropical or island type resort. Looking to go somewhere new so no UVI, BVI, Mexico, Belize

Aruba?
Antigua?

All inclusive not needed, like to explore towns (can't do pool/beach all day everyday), Prefer Adults only

Thanks for any advice

https://nayarasprings.com/stay/

I can't recommend this place enough. Stayed there recently for 15-yr. worth every penny and would gladly pay more to stay there again.

Old army - That looks nice!

I know you said no Mexico, but we stayed at the one and only mandarina outside of puerto Vallerta. Similar to the place in Costa Rica above. This place was really nice! The only downside is that food and drink isn't included. Gets a little pricey. However, the hotel and food are really top notch

https://www.oneandonlyresorts.com/mandarina

Old Army,

Nayara looks like a possibility! Which property did you stay at?

I've had a few clients to Aruba recently and it is quickly becoming a new, favorite destination.

Boardwalk Boutique Hotel is really cool and the casitas there are so unique and fun. They aren't a beachfront resort, so that usually deters people but it is a short walk to the beach club area and my clients loved that they were within walking distance to shops and amazing dining. They loved to get out and explore.
I also had clients at Bucuti & Tara and the beach is stunning. They loved the area as well and exploring everything and not staying at the resort for everything.

Anguilla has some amazing beaches and exploring - I like Belmond Cap Juluca and Quintessence Hotel

Antigua has Hammock Cove, Carlisle Bay and Hermitage Bay as my favorites.

The Costa Rica options mentioned above are wonderful too!

oldarmy76 said:

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https://nayarasprings.com/stay/

I can't recommend this place enough. Stayed there recently for 15-yr. worth every penny and would gladly pay more to stay there again.

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This place always seems to pop up when I research trips for the wife and I. My question is what is there to do? Seems very remote and isolated to me?

Here are some good anniversary trips I've taken:

Four Seasons Hualalai on Big Island of Hawaii. The Big Island is a great destination if you like to get out and explore on vacations. Lots to do on the island. Mauna Lani resort would be my second choice of places to stay as it has good snorkelling right off of the beach in front of hotel and reopened in 2020 after a huge remodel.

Rosewood Little Dix Bay We stayed there this summer and enjoyed it.

La Casa Que Canta hotel in Zihuatenejo, Mex. Get one of the rooms with private pool.

The Tides hotel in Zihuatenejo. Get one of the rooms with a private pool. Beach suites probably have the best private pools.

Post Ranch Inn in Big Sur, CA. Lots to do in Big Sur/Carmel/Monterrey area and it is absolutely gorgeous there.

Four Seasons Santa Barbara, CA. Beautiful resort. Santa Barbara is another nice area of CA. San Ysidro Ranch is another place we enjoyed staying in Santa Barbara.

I've also been to Aruba several times with the kids. But, preferred above trips for anniversary/ad

We stayed at the villas. It's adults only on that side but not sure there were even any kids on the "springs" side. The tented area is the nicest supposedly, but the villas are closer to the restaurants on site. The villas all have a hot spring la fed plunge pool tucked in the jungle. I thought it was even nicer than the pictures showed.

There's lots to do on the grounds…hike, spa, 5 restaurants, series of hot springs pools, sloths monkeys, etc around. But you are also a 5 min drive from la fortuna. One day we did the hanging bridges and hiked the volcano. One day we did chocolate and coffee tour. Did a sloth hike. Did rappelling down waterfalls. Did a night jungle from tour. We would take breakfast Early morning on back patio with view of volcano , go out and adventure till early/mid afternoon, and then enjoy the grounds afternoon and evening.

oldarmy76 said:

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There's lots to do on the grounds…hike, spa, 5 restaurants, series of hot springs pools, sloths monkeys, etc around. But you are also a 5 min drive from la fortuna. One day we did the hanging bridges and hiked the volcano. One day we did chocolate and coffee tour. Did a sloth hike. Did rappelling down waterfalls. Did a night jungle from tour. We would take breakfast Early morning on back patio with view of volcano , go out and adventure till early/mid afternoon, and then enjoy the grounds afternoon and evening.

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How easy was it to find sloths on the sloth hike/tour?

Thanks murphyag. Those are all great reccomendations

matthewj042 said:

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Wife wants to nail something down for May next year. Thinking tropical or island type resort. Looking to go somewhere new so no UVI, BVI, Mexico, Belize

Aruba?
Antigua?

All inclusive not needed, like to explore towns (can't do pool/beach all day everyday), Prefer Adults only

Thanks for any advice

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not sure your budget but we stayed at Jade Mountain in St. Lucia for our 10th. It was heaven on earth.

It was easy with a guide. We did a sloth tour just outside of la fortuna and we saw 4-5 sloths as well as lots of frogs, turtles, bats, birds, butterflys, etc. Around Nayara Springs, there was a mom and baby sitting in a tree by the pool for a couple days. You could generally ask around for where people were seeing them. They are very tough to spot on your own since they don't move much.

View and hot springs fed pool at back of Villa.

Couple more pictures of stuff we did around La Fortuna. Didn't carry the phone around much on the grounds, but saw a lot of amazing stuff there too.

Side note...I cannot recommend Secrets Papagayo...thought it was pretty terrible for a number of reasons.

My wife and I did a 10 day private guided trip through Egypt at 5 star properties that ended with 4 days at a resort on the Red Sea. Even including the flight it will probably be cheaper than a luxury resort in the Americas.

kaleb_allison said:

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My wife and I did a 10 day private guided trip through Egypt at 5 star properties that ended with 4 days at a resort on the Red Sea. Even including the flight it will probably be cheaper than a luxury resort in the Americas.

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pix

Yeah, how about some more details

Friends recently returned from the new Ritz in Turks & Caicos recently for a 40th bday celebration. Place looks amazing.

I've stayed at Nayara before and highly recommend. So much to do. We also stayed at the Westin Playa Conchal during the same trip. I recommend breaking it up between interior Costa Rica and coast.

Our 2nd trip to Costa Rica, we stayed at Casa Chameleon in Las Catalinas and I also high recommend, probably my favorite of the 3 hotels we've stayed at in CR. Could definitely do a first half at Nayara and second half of trip at Casa Chameleon.

Another for Nayara. Lots to do around the resort. We enjoyed zip lining the best.
Honeymooned at Jade Mountain a decade ago; said we'd go back for the 10 year but there's so much more to see before we return. Less to do on St Lucia.

We used Memphis tours to plan the whole thing. I'll post our itinerary because posting pictures is a pain. It was $1660 per person in 2019 and it was actually a 14 day trip. The hotels were very nice but not equivalent to a high end resort in the states. The hotel in Luxor was really cool because it was on an island in the middle of the Nile and had an infinity pool that looked like it was in the Nile. I never felt unsafe other than the crazy Cairo traffic and the people were super friendly. The only downside about Egypt is they expect to be tipped for everything. Our private guides were so good I didn't mind and probably tipped them more than they made in a month.

Itinerary day per day
Day 1: Arrival in Cairo - Welcome to the Land of the Pharaohs
Welcome to Cairo, Egypt (around the clock)
Your tour manager will meet and assist you at Cairo International Airport (Arrival Procedures) and will then escort you to your hotel in an air-conditioned deluxe vehicle. At the hotel, your tour manager will assist you with a smooth check-in and review your budget vacation itinerary with you to establish and confirm pick-up times for each tour. Overnight in Cairo.
Welcome drink included.

Day 2: Pyramids Tour
Enjoy your breakfast at the hotel in Cairo before checking out, then your personal tour guide will accompany you to Giza Plateau to visit one of the seven wonders of the ancient world: the Great Pyramids of Cheops, Chefren, and Mykerinus, along with the famous Sphinx and Valley Temple. Then, head out to the Egyptian Museum where the treasures of the boy king Tutankhamen await you. Continue to Coptic Cairo to visit the Hanging Church and Ben Ezra Synagogue followed by a short drive to Islamic Cairo, where you will explore Khan el Khalili, Cairo's oldest and most alluring bazaar. Later, return to hotel and overnight in Cairo
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 3: Fly to Luxor /East bank tour of Luxor Sightseeing
Breakfast in hotel, then transfer to Cairo airport to fly to Luxor. Arrive Luxor airport then you will be met and assisted by a Memphis representative, and then you'll begin your Luxor excursion. Get ready for some of the most interesting temples of the splendid Luxor Temple, which is considered one of the world's most remarkable open-air museums and the second most-visited historical site in Egypt. Onward to the majestic Karnak Temple complex. Back to your hotel, where you'll stay overnight in Luxor.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch.

Day 4: East bank tour
Breakfast in hotel, enjoy the tour to west bank of Luxor to valley of kings, HAtshepsut temple, colossai of memnon , Lunch and overnight in Luxor
Meals: Breakfast, Luinch

Day 5: Luxor / Aswan Sightseeing
After breakfast, board your air-conditioned, wifi-enabled vehicle and head to Aswan. The drive will take about a 3 and a half hours. Upon arrival, you will be met by a Memphis rep and taken to your hotel for check-in. You'll see the world-famous High Dam and the Unfinished Obelisk in the granite quarries, then on to the beautifully preserved Temple of Philae on Isis Island, dedicated to the goddesses Isis and Hathor. Then, sail around Elephantine Island on a felucca boat. Later, you'll head back to the hotel and overnight in Aswan.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch.

Day 6: Abu Simbel Temples
You'll start your day early with a breakfast box at 3:30 am, and then begin the trip to Abu Simbel Temples, about 3.5 hours away by car. Upon your arrival, you'll encounter the remarkable temples built for Ramses II and his beloved queen Nefertari. These temples near the Sudanese border are iconic for their beauty, but remarkable for their modern history as well -- they were completely relocated in 1968 to avoid submersion by the massive Lake Nasser. return to hotel and overnight in Aswan
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner.

Day 7: Drive to Mersa Alam
Breakfast in hotel, then transfer to Mersa Alam by private vehicle. Arrive Mersa Alam. check in hotel and Overnight
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day8: Free day
Breakfast in hotel, Free day in Mersa Alam. overnight in Mersa Alam.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day9: Free day
Breakfast in hotel, Free day in Mersa Alam. overnight in Mersa Alam.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day10: Free day
Breakfast in hotel, Free day in Mersa Alam. overnight in Mersa Alam.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day11: Free day
Breakfast in hotel, Free day in Mersa Alam. overnight in Mersa Alam.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day12: Fly to Cairo
Breakfast in hotel, then transfer to Hurghada airport to fly to Cairo. Meet & assist at Cairo airport. transfer to hotel and Overnight in Cairo
Meals: Breakfast

Day 13: Optional trip to Alexandria
Enjoy a free day in Cairo, or take an optional trip to the glittering seaside city of Alexandria in the north, where you can see majestic Qaitbay Fort, built in by a powerful sultan in the 15th century on the site of Alexandria's ancient lighthouse, then move on to the new and much-acclaimed Library of Alexandria. You'll also visit the Catacombs, a sunken Roman cemetery carved into the bedrock. Return for overnight in Cairo.
Meals: Breakfast.

Day 14: Final departure
You'll be served breakfast at your hotel, and then you will be transferred to Cairo International Airport for final departure.
Meals: Breakfast:

Included:
Meet and greet service by our representatives upon your airport arrival
Assistance with guest relations during your stay
All transfers via private air-conditioned vehicle
Domestic flight tickets from Cairo to Aswan and Hurghada to Cairo
Accommodation for 4 nights in Cairo, including daily breakfast
Accommodation for 2 nights in Aswan, including daily breakfast
Accommodation for 2 nights in Luxor, including daily breakfast
Accommodation for 5 nights in Mersa ALam, on all inclusive
Sightseeing tours Cairo, Luxor, Aswan, Abu Simbel , Alexandria private tour
English speaking tour guide
Entrance fees to all sites mentioned on the itinerary
All meals mentioned on the itinerary
Bottled water during the trip
Portage as needed
30 minutes of local calling (5 minutes international) and a mobile phone loaned for the length of your stay, or an Egyptian SIM card for your unlocked mobile device
All service charges and taxes
Excluded:
International Airfare
Entry visa to Egypt
Any optional tours
Personal spendings
Tipping
Price:
Price per Person in Double per Package: US$ 1660 Min 2 persons
Le Meridien Pyramids hotel
Movenpick Elephantine Aswan hotel
Steigenberger Luxor hotel
Hilton Mersa Alam hotel

10andBOUNCE said:

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I've stayed at Nayara before and highly recommend. So much to do. We also stayed at the Westin Playa Conchal during the same trip. I recommend breaking it up between interior Costa Rica and coast.

Our 2nd trip to Costa Rica, we stayed at Casa Chameleon in Las Catalinas and I also high recommend, probably my favorite of the 3 hotels we've stayed at in CR. Could definitely do a first half at Nayara and second half of trip at Casa Chameleon.

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I've been looking at this place for years. Hotel looks amazing. How is the town? Stuff to do? Decent food and options around? How was it getting from the airport?

Airport transfers from LIR was easy. Had our driver stop at a convenience store to stock up on some Imperial. Resort is not all inclusive. I'd recommend also hitting up duty free upon arrival.

Hotel was awesome. Situated up a cliff; views were phenomenal. The actual town was pretty sleepy - seemed like a new developing area so not much was going on. They had one restaurant located on the beach we went to a few times that was super casual right on the beach. Really nobody was around. Since we were there 5 years ago the town could be much more lively than it was so that is a bit more of a wildcard. Food and drink at the hotel was solid but pricey (duh).

What I liked the most was that there was a little beach just outside of Las Catalinas. Each day I'd pack my backpack cooler with my Imperials, Hotel golf cart would take us down to the town and we would basically hike through the "jungle" for about 10 minutes until we reached the beach. We were the only ones there at the beach and was just awesome. Spent a few hours there before high tide came in and hiked back.

Hotel is close enough to all the Guanacaste region to take advantage of all the eco-tourism. Definitely one of those trips I daydream about often still!

My wife and I did Greece for our 15th, late May. It was perfect. Santorini->Milos->Athens.

Would love to hear any tips you have for Greece. Planning this exact trip right now for April 2023. Athens - Santorini - Milos. 10 yr anniversary trip.

Anybody ever been to Curacao?

I'm traveling now. I can completely bombard you with tips when I'm back on a real keyboard.

My one quick tip : you can save lots of money eating good inexpensive food there, but splurge on the most comfortable and efficient transportation/transfers you can afford.

matthewj042 said:

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Anybody ever been to Curacao?

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It's been 10 years. We did an all inclusive, not really our thing but wasn't terrible. There was a dolphin academy nearby , which we did enjoy. Took a driving tour around the island…there were tons of beautiful secluded beaches around the whole place. The downtown area was pretty and seemed plenty safe. Scuba was good but water was colder than I'd prefer.

We settled on Antigua and booked a stay at Cocobay resort.

Anybody ever been? Anything we should do on the island while we're there?