Postcard from Puerto Vallarta – first evening excitements

Taking up with the dip in the pool on my first night in PV, I began talking with some ladies who were in a good-sized group of people.  We discussed why they come to the Crown Paradise Hotel every year. 

One, it is affordable and all inclusive.  Refreshing fruit-flavored drinks were flowing freely at the pool as we spoke.

Two, the staff has a low turnover.

Three, the rooms are clean and well maintained.

Four, the staff remembers the people from year to year.

Five, it is affordable enough that they can afford to go out one or two nights to an outside restaurant. 

Six, they are all over the age of forty and the age of the clientele in the hotel is not so young that the noise level and entertainment level is ongoing all night long.  It pretty much quiets down after 10PM.  If one wants nightlife, one must go outside the property.  And that is also an acceptable alternative.

Seven, this year they had a bottle of champagne in their room upon arrival. 

Some very good reasons for returning year after year.

By 7:30 we decided we were hungry but did not want to “dress” for dinner.  In our cover-ups, we were able to eat outside at a table in the corner by the palm fronds.  Chicken enchiladas and refried beans, with more beer.  It was acceptably filling if not entertaining.  Pleading exhaustion, we both agreed to head off to our respective rooms for a restful bit of sleep. 

I walked into my oven and knew rest was not going to happen anytime soon.  I called the front desk again, with a two thumbs up for the response of the staff.  Maintenance was up in a flash. They tore out ceiling panels and opened the ducts.  But to no avail.  There was no air conditioning going to be had in room 1810.  They called the front desk to recommend moving me.  Front desk suggested room #1814.  The maintenance fellow was so great.  He went and got a key to check out that room before they moved me and returned with less than good news.  It was as hot, if not hotter than #1810.  In the meantime I was online and trying to G-Chat Video with the family.  G-Chat Video definitely has some issues with international communications. 

As the minutes flashed by, the long day was taking its toll on everyone.  I took all the unpacking I had done, including all the things in the safe, and the drawers and threw it into my suitcases.  The next thing I knew I was walking down stairs to the 7th floor to a new unit.  It seemed questionable as to whether this room was going to be any cooler, but between the air conditioner and the ceiling fan, by 3AM ir was starting to cool down.

I logged into the internet yet one more time to let my family know that I had a new room and that I had packed and unpacked since I last chatted by G-chat (some 45 minutes earlier) and then said good night.  Exhaustion was finally setting in and sleep was begging for a chance.  The first day of Puerto Vallarta was coming to a close, with mixed reviews.  Maybe, just maybe, this would be ok after all.

Postcard from Puerto Vallarta – arrival at my hotel

My fellow travel agent and I arrived at the hotel and were greeted with cold washcloths and a fruity (non-alcoholic) drink.  The desk person could not seem to locate our records (they use paper records here – how quaint).  He left with my passport in hand and then returned to pull my paperwork out of the box in front of him.  I did wonder what transpired with my passport in the back office. 

He gave me the check-in spiel – if I wanted to have the use of the safe in my room, I needed a lock.  There is no charge for the lock, unless I lose the key.  Then there is a $100 fee for the key replacement.  He checked out a remote to the TV to me (again, no charge).  And he handed me a card for pool towel check out.  He assigned me the room # 1810.  That was nice because it is on the top floor.  He then snapped a blue plastic strip around my right wrist which indicated that I was in the all-inclusive plan.  I would wear this wrist-let for the next 5 days.  It felt a bit like a one-sided hand cuff, but it does mean I eat and drink for no extra charge. 

I asked about internet access.  The price seemed to change as it left his mouth.  It ranged from $9 to $29.  The good thing is that you purchase a set number of minutes or hours.  I purchased 24 hours.  As long as you log on, and then log off when you are shutting down, you may use only a few minutes and 24 hours can last a whole week.  But if you don’t log off, it can be used up very fast.  I agreed to the 24 hour plan immediately and then he checked in the fellow traveler.  She was 2 doors down from me and we accompanied a bellman to the 8th floor.  He dropped me off and proceeded down the hall with her in tow. 

I walked into an oven.  It was hot outside and hotter inside.  I walked over and opened the drape.  I checked the balcony door and it was not locked.  I stepped outside and the heat was overwhelming.  I stepped back in and tried to lock the door, but there was not a working lock.  After checking the AC control, I called the front desk.  I want to say two-thumbs up for the response level of the staff.  There was a maintenance person in my room handling the lock ASAP.  The air conditioning was a whole other issue.

My fellow traveler and I agreed it was a good idea to adjourn to the bar for a drink.  After unpacking and laying out toiletries, we met at the elevator and headed to the pool bar.  There was a menu of drinks.  There were a number of fruity flavored margaritas, but not a straight up margarita.  The same was true of the martinis, the daiquiris and well drinks seemed out of the question.  We settled on mojitos.  Then we saw him break out a huge bottle of beer for a waiter and the next drink was destined to be beer.  “Sol” was the brand name, but it was beer and it was wet, so that worked for me.  We were both so hot and sweaty that we agreed to go put on swimsuits and take a dip in the infinity pool.  We gave up on making reservations for dinner as it was after 5PM and dinner reservations had to be made before 5PM.  We also were too late to get pool towels with our cards.  When we went to the front desk to see if we could check them out from there, there were no towels available for another 5-10 minutes.  We decided we could dip without a towel.  I grabbed the beer and headed to the pool, expecting a cool dip to help chill me out.  Oops.  Wrong again.  The pool is a bit warmer than body temperature.  But once in and kicking around, it did not matter.  I may have been warm but the sweat was gone and I was drinking a beer in the pool.  Life was ok by most any standard.   

Welcome to Puerto Vallarta.

Deal of the Day: Las Ventanas al Paraiso spa packages offer endless romance

Deal of the Day: Las Ventanas al Paraiso spa packages offer endless romance 

I have already written of my infatuation with Las Ventanas al Paraiso since visiting Los Cabos in May.  However, when I see the offers they have for spa and romance experiences through 2010, I have to re-visit their hotel here (I can wish to do it physically, though I can only do so with words).  Read more…

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Vacation Details of Going to Los Cabos: Getting There, Getting Around and Other NittyGritty Details…

Transportation  –  How am I going to get around the area?  This is always an interesting question.  I hate driving in foreign countries.  I prefer taxis or public transportation.  Taxis are not the way to go, though, here in Los Cabos.  Taxis cost about $40 to get between San Lucas and San Jose.  No way, baby.  But the buses are not so bad, inexpensive and relatively frequent.  There is a four-lane highway connecting the two cities and a new toll road from the airport to the Corridor.  However, it bypasses San Jose del Cabo and that would not be my intent.  So I guess I had better plan on renting a car whether I like that aspect or not. 

Lodging is, of course, a consideration.  “The Corridor” contains the resorts, a half-dozen or so championship style golf courses and the absolutely incredible beaches.  But I am not sure I want to stay in a resort.  There are about 85,000 people in residence in Los Cabos, with just over 10,000 rooms for visitors.  Most guests stay only 3-5 nights in Los Cabos.  That fits my itinerary well.  There are some boutique hotels in the Corridor as well and even some private villas.  I wonder what a villa for a 5 day stay will cost….I need to put that on my list of things to find out if I am going to seriously consider this area as my destination. 

Cabo San Lucas lies at the end of Los Cabos at “Lands End” about 20 miles southwest of San Jose del Cabo.  It is here you will find the El Arco (The Arch),  the area’s signature landmark.  It is here the Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Cortes meet.  The resort development there consists of three distinct areas:  Playa Medano (high rise hotels and condos), Downtown/Marina (budget hotels and commercial development), and Playa Solmar (high rise hotels and condos).  There is a mix of rowdy bars and hip nightclubs, a fairly large choice in the restaurants and dining cuisines and shopping – home of the Puerto Paraiso mall.  

Recap:  So I will shop, hopefully get to visit some of the locals and get to know them, take the whale watching boat trip on one of the days I am there, visit the architecture and culture of San Jose and San Lucas, take a day to visit and photograph the estuary, its inhabitants  and the fresh water lagoon, and at least one day I will lay in the sun on a secluded beach and get warm all the way through to my core.  I can rent a car to get around and I would like to stay in a private villa instead of a resort. So as the last step in looking at Los Cabos, how will I get there and what are its strongest selling points? 

Getting There  –  Los Cabos International Airport receives more than 200 flights each week.  There are three terminals.  There is the main terminal on the northern end of the airport, the Charter terminal on the southern end  and a third for private jets.  The Charter terminal is where Delta Airline and Alaska Airlines call home (as well as a number of the charter planes).  Airlines with regular service to Los Cabos include Aerocalifornia, Aeromexico, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, America West/US Airways, Continental, Delta, Frontier, Mexicana and United.  There are also several seasonal charter services.  Non-stop service or a convenient connection is available from Seattle. 

 Documentation Requirements  –  I, naturally, have a passport.  Passport are going to be required in just a short time so anyone who does not have one should get one ASAP or do not plan to travel until they do.  Right now as I write this, US citizens need proof of citizenship: either a valid passport, or original birth certificate (with the raised stamp) and a photo ID.  A Mexican Tourist Permit is also required and issued free of charge upon arrival, after proof of citizenship is shown, or may be provided by the airlines in advance.  I will need to keep this with me at all times and needs to be returned to an immigration official at the time of my departure.  I will not have any children accompanying me but as an FYI for anyone who does, children under the age of 18 who are traveling alone or with only one parent need notarized consent from the non-traveling parent(s). 

The Up Side Tips: 

ü      The time zone is Mountain Standard Time. 

ü      Phone calls to Los Cabos from the US , I must dial 011-52-624 and the seven digit local number.

ü      Tipping is like in the US: 15-20% of the bill at the restaurants.  I found out I should look at my hotel bill carefully as many hotels impose a 10%-15% service charge for non food and beverage gratuities.  If my bill does not include this, porters should be tipped $1-$2 per bag and hotel maids $1-$2 per day. 

ü      It is still best to drink bottled water, although all hotels either purify their water or serve purified water. 

ü      Most people who work in the resorts speak English so I should not have any major language barrier  issues. 

ü      The electricity is 120 cycles/60 volts, the same as in the US.  I will not have to pack a converter going here. 

ü      And the biggest Up-Side selling point:  the sun shines more than 300 days a year in Los Cabos with an average temperature of 82 degrees Fahrenheit.  I really like that!   

I am including the main tourist website here in case anyone wants to go check it out:  www.visitloscabos.org 

So I have exhausted the research on Los Cabos.  Sweet dreams of Los Cabos, Mexico. 

Los Cabos=shopping/beach/pampering(spa experience)

Shopping is always an interest as I have to bring back one “remembrance item” whenever I visit someplace new.  In fact if I really like a place, I go back and each time I bring home a new remembrance so that I can look at the item and remember the good times.  So Los Cabos has “American-style” malls.  Mmmmmm.  That does not cause my heart to beat fast.  If I want “ American-style malls”, I am right here in the heart of them.   Dollars are used here instead of pesos, which makes my stay very easy.  That is a selling point for making this my vacation choice.  However, American items fill the stores and many are owned by Americans.  Again, I live in America.  Why do I want to go to a place where I find the same old stuff when I shop?  On the other hand there is an “art walk” every Thursday evening and I can get Cuban cigars, Mexican handicrafts, jewelry and apparel, and unique gifts here, as well. 

Golf is not my game in any way, shape or form.  So I am not interested in the incredible golf packages offered by the resorts.   I have read about the golf courses there and they rival any course to be found in Hawaii and the US.  For anyone who plays golf as an avocation, Los Cabos could very well be their ideal vacation.   

Lying on the beach has some appeal of course but swimming and water sports, while popular and plentiful, do not happen to be my thing either.  The under tows can be very strong and it pays to be very careful where you decide to play in the water.  I am neither a fisher-person nor a diver nor snorkler.  I enjoyed fishing for marlin and mahimahi in Hawaii but to spend a day on a boat fishing is not my idea of a vacation.  I can appreciate the folks who live for it.  I have known many of them.  And I have arranged wonderful fishing expeditions for them.  It is just not my idea of MY vacation.   

Ah, but there is a day at a spa, being totally spoiled.  I have never done an entire day of spoiled rotten spa treatments.  Maybe it is time to consider that as one of my excursions.  The resorts all have spa packages so I need to look at those packages and consider one of my days being dedicated to being spoiled.   

What does Los Cabos offer for my Eco-Tourism/Adventure Vacation?

Eco-tourism/adventures is next on my list of interests: 

Los Cabos has biodiversity.  Although it would seem that man-made resorts overpower all else in the area, there are rugged deserts, unique flora and fauna, and the mountains.  It is also the migratory home and birthing place for hundreds of whales.  There are scientific studies that declare that 90% of the migrating whales travel south to Los Cabos.  From December through March a whale watching excursion is a must-do activity.  My plan is to visit Mexico in late January or early February so that fits in well with my itinerary. 

How Los Cabos Fit My Cultural Explorations On My Vacation?

So what does Los Cabos hold for me at the cultural level? 

Historically, Los Cabos itself was founded as a resort in the 1950s.  For a lot of years it was a watering hole for the very rich, including yacht owners and movie stars, as well as a small number of fishermen and hunters.  Over  a period of 2 decades (the 1980s and the 1990s), as air service into Mexico expanded, new resorts opened and the infrastructure improved.  Now there are 3 developed areas of Los Cabos.  The one most likely to attract me for its culture is San Jose del Cabo, the historic center.   

San Jose del Cabo features a low-key village atmosphere, according to the Mexican Tourism Board.  It is considered a tranquil, tropical, traditional colonial village which was founded in 1730 by Jesuit missionaries.  The colonial style is evident in the Municipal Palace, near Plaza Mijares.  The Plaza is the scene on Sundays where local artists sell their works such as paintings, sculpture and crafts between 10AM and 2PM.  Facing the palace is a long, narrow fountain which is lit by colorful lights in the evenings.  There is a newly renovated “zocalo”, with its shaded courtyard and white gilded bandstand.  And there is a Catholic church called Parroquia de San Jose that was built in 1940 on the site of the original 18^th century mission.  Just east of downtown is a placid freshwater lagoon, the Estero del San Jose.  Centuries ago roving pirates and treasure-laden galleons replenished their water supplies from this lagoon.  There is a 125 acre estuary  & game reserve that nearly 100 species of birds call home.  The town is ideal for unique shopping, leisurely walking, varied dining and getting to know the local people.  Commercialism and the nightlife is low key.  I like getting to know local people and how they live.  That makes a place more “real” to me. 

Planning My Vacation: Los Cabos

The first destination in Mexico that I am going to explore is Los Cabos (The Capes).  It is frequently called “Land’s End”  because it is located on the southernmost tip of the Baja Peninsula, about 1000 miles south of San Diego.  The Sea of Cortes borders Los Cabos on the east and the Pacific Ocean lies to the west.  Los Cabos is interesting to me because it has luxury resorts, villas,  golf, spas, dining and shopping.  This is one of the most well-known Mexican resorts on the West Coast of Mexico.  It actually extends from San Jose del Cabo to Cabo San Lucas.  The 20-mile long Tourist Corridor is made up of mostly beachfront luxury resorts and world-class championship golf courses.  Los Cabos’ most famous landmark is one of Mexico’s top natural wonders:  El Arco.  This is a dramatic rock that sits where the Sea of Cortes meets the Pacific Ocean.  The Sierra de la Laguna Mountains lie beyond the towns and while sand beaches line its shores.    It has almost perfect weather with sunshine for most of the year, with an average temperature of 82 degrees.  They say that temperatures can reach into the 90s in late summer but that it has very low humidity and great ocean breezes which keep it pleasant during that time.  As I look out of my windows in Seattle, and it is cold, gray and rainy, warm sunshine and 80-degree weather have a strong appeal. 

But what do I want to do and what do I want to see and what will I want to come back and write about for you?  I am interested in the culture of Mexico, in eco-tourism adventures, and then shopping.  And then there is my need for rest and relaxation, so a day in a spa could be very satisfying.  I also want to warm my inner core to allow me to get through the balance of my winter as well, until it once again becomes warm and sunny here in Seattle.   Next I will explore what I want on a vacation versus what Los Cabos can offer.

Planning My Vacation

I have studied Cancun intensely this past summer.  It was also where my stepdaughter and her new husband went for their honeymoon in September.  I am a Certified Cancun Counselor, so one would think that is an ideal place for me to go on my vacation.  I have also attended a number of seminars put on by various hotels and resorts in that area.  I learned all about the Palace Resorts and the advantages of booking myself into an all-inclusive resort for 5+ nights.   

However, I have also completed a Mexico Destination Specialist Seminar, in person, this past June and I am completing another class through the Mexico Tourism Board via on-line e-learning.  Those classes cover both sides of Mexico geographically as well as cultural and activities related. 

I have decided to explore the possibility of visiting the Mexican Riviera first.  I am going to work my way from the south to the north so I will look at Los Cabos first.  It is a little less expensive for me to get to the Mexican Riviera as far as air fare goes.  And yes, I am concerned about my costs, just as you no doubt are.  Even people with an almost unlimited budget want to be sure they are getting value and benefit for the dollars they spend. 

Planning For An Upcoming Vacation….

Our perception in the United State of our southern neighbor, Mexico, is that it is a land of sunshine, beaches and all-inclusive resorts.  Say “Mexico ” and ‘food’, one thinks of spicy foods, chili peppers, tequila and margaritas by the sea.  Say “Mexico ” and ‘shopping’ and we think of open markets, pottery and festive blankets.  Say “Mexico ” and ‘fiestas’ and we think of brightly clothed dancers and piñatas. 

But today’s Mexico is far more than those cliché perceptions.    Recent travel surveys indicate that Mexico is the number one vacation destination for travelers from the United States.  In 2005 Mexico welcomed 22.2 million visitors, with approximately 83% visiting from the USA.  From lavish haciendas and rich cultural attractions to stunning beaches and leisure facilities, Mexico has numerous attractions for the US tourist. 

I have reached a point where I have to make a decision.  Do I take my short vacation and visit Mexico and if I do, where in Mexico do I go?  Do we visit the Mexican Riviera or the eastern side of Mexico for the Yucatan, Cozumel, Cancun and the Riviera Maya?  Or do I choose an entirely different country?   Deciding how to maximize the 5 tp 7 days I have for a vacation is probably the biggest part of the planning of this trip.  So, how do I cram everything I want and need in my vacation into the actual trip and still get some desperately needed rest and relaxation? These are the issues I intend to address over the next four weeks as I plan my vacation. 

You can come along with me on this planning excursion and hopefully I will address some of the very same concerns you have as I work through this process.  Now you may think that I, as a professional travel consultant, do not have the same issues and concerns that the average person heading out on a vacation to Mexico may have.  But nothing is further from the truth.  I have only been to Mexico twice.  Those visits were over 20 years ago.  Things have changed and so have I.  So instead of pretending to know what I am doing with this vacation, I thought to take you along, albeit vicariously, as I plan the trip and embark upon my vacation.   My decision making process, my arm-chair explorations of the different locales, my packing and planning, my decisions on where to stay and what to see are all going to be documented here in this travelogue.  When I take my trip, I will not be taking you with me, however.  I intend to take a “real” vacation.  I am going to take my camera, a book, and a journal and pen with me though.  And when I get back from my real “vacation”, I will tell you all about it and post pictures as well.  And if you have any suggestions, comments, considerations or recommendations based on your experiences of the places I am investigating, I would really like to read them.  Post a comment for me so I can explore your observations.  So, for now, my first fact-finding process is to decide where I will go with this precious time off.