Leave the hassle at home

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 18/10/2003 (8241 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

NO wonder Manitobans love all-inclusive holidays; they’re the vacation equivalent to one-stop shopping.

You get your airfare, transfers to and from your hotel, accommodation, all your meals, alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, sports, activities and entertainment.

You get the services of a destination representative to help you enjoy your holiday.

And best of all there are no $25 hamburger surprises; you pay for the entire holiday before you fly.

All-inclusives have been growing in popularity since they first started years ago with Club Med. Each year, though, things change. After listening to their customers, Canadian wholesalers and the resorts they use add new services and components to give you more choices.

This year, for example, Sunquest Vacations has published its first-ever winter brochure featuring departures exclusively from Winnipeg. They’ll fly you to Holguin and Varadero in Cuba, Puerto Plata and Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic and Cancun, Cozumel and Puerto Vallarta in Mexico.

Signature Vacations is back again taking you to all those destinations, Havana in Cuba and Ixtapa and Mazaltan in Mexico. You can choose to spend half your vacation in Havana, discovering the charm of the old city, and the rest on the beach in Veradero.

Air Canada Vacations has added a direct flight to Montego Bay, Jamaica, to their Winnipeg schedule.

World of Vacations will fly you directly to Puerto Plata, Cancun, the Mayan Riviera and Puerto Vallarta.

And Air Transat Holidays’ Winnipeg brochure offers the Riviera Maya, Cancun and Puerto Vallarta and Nuevo Vallarta, in Mexico, Puerto Plata, in the Dominican Republic, and Varadero, in Cuba.

Many resorts have added a “concierge” section to their resorts. Recognizing that some of you want extra pampering, resorts such as Occidental’s Grand Xcaret, on the Mayan Rivera, offer what they call Royal Club Luxury. You get a stocked-mini bar daily, VCR, CD player, coffee-maker, hydro massage tub, VIP amenities, room service, private check-ins and check-outs, concierge service, a private lounge and restaurant for breakfast, lunch and hors-d’oeuvres.

This four-star-plus resort is almost a village in itself; its setting is an exotic tropical forest, with natural fauna and Mayan ruins. It has almost 20 bars and restaurants to enjoy and five huge pools to play in. A winding river forming channels through the cobblestone streets will float you next door to Xcaret Park, discovered by the Mayans a thousand years ago, and the entrance fee is included. There are ecological and cultural hikes, and bike tours. The beach is a man-made inlet, guaranteeing calm waters to swim in.

New this year with Signature is their Signature Club program. If you choose one of the six resorts, you’ll automatically receive a free headset and alcoholic drink on your flight, plus a discount on the on-board duty-free. You get express check-in service at the hotel, and express luggage delivery to your room, where your beach towels will be waiting. You’ll have dedicated concierge service and a dedicated activities co-ordinator.

Not enough? For a small surcharge you can upgrade to VIP which entitles you to a guaranteed room upgrade, free upgrade to comprehensive plus insurance, Internet access at your resort, a late check-out and a host of other goodies.

Concierge service

Air Transat Holidays has special privileges too, with their Cameleon Le Club program. This is a free program at Occidental’s Grand Nuevo Vallarta, in Mexico, and the Allegro Playa Dorada, in the Dominican. You’ll have a room with an ideal location, the services of a personal Canadian concierge to make your restaurant reservations, a souvenir and a special cocktail party.

Golf is becoming more and more popular, and there are both golf deals, and some resort’s that include golf in the package. You can guarantee your tee times for $19.95 at Air Transat Holiday’s golf site. Sunquest also has advanced tee-time service for $24.95.

You don’t have to stay at one of their golf hotels to get discounted rates anymore. The Melia Caribe Tropical, in Punta Cana, includes four rounds of golf in their package (mandatory carts extra). You’ll have lots of dining choices after a round; the resort has 12 restaurants and nine bars.

New this season are one- and two-bedroom Golf Villa Suites, with preferential tee times. The Villas are directly on the 27-hole Cocotal Golf & Country Club, across the road from the Melia Caribe. The villas are complete with living room, dining room and full kitchen.

More and more all-inclusives are adding spas to their resorts, picking up our popular health and wellness lifestyles.

Sandals Resorts, where new and innovative ideas often start, have full-service, state-of-the-art European spas offering a variety of both rejuvenating and fitness services. Some of the spa facilities are part of the “ultra all-inclusive” Sandals package such as the state-of-the-art fitness centres, cardiovascular machines with CYBEX weight equipment, hot and cold plunge pools, eucalyptus steam baths, and nutrition advice. The group’s newest property — Sandals Royal Hicacos Resort & Spa — is on Varadero Beach, in Cuba.

The very popular Riu Resort chain has just opened their first resort right in Cancun. Travel chat lines have already given it rave reviews.

The Dominican Republic is as popular as ever, and two new hot spots are attracting visitors. Cabarete, known worldwide for windsurfing, has evolved in the last few years into a unique trendy little town with restaurants, bars, and cute boutiques. Those who like to party off the resort will be charmed.

The four-star Bahia Principe San Juan, located nearby, is loaded with guest facilities and amenities including a spa and runs a daily shuttle to Carbarete. It has golf nearby (US $425 per person for 5 rounds, cart extra) This beachfront property has something for everyone, teens and adults alike. There’s the Pueblo Principe, a Dominican-style entertainment village, at the hotel entrance with its nightly street dance. Adults leave a donation at the casino. There is a kid’s stay-and-eat-free program, and single parents can take advantage of great savings by paying the double rate when travelling with two kids.

The little town of Sousa has become another hot destination in the Dominican, offering a very European flavour with restaurants, cafes, shopping and nightclubs. New resorts are opening close by, but an old favourite is still there — the Casa Marina Beach and Reef resort on a private beach within walking distance of Sousa.

More choices than ever are offered this winter and tour operators tell me that you’d better hurry, many destinations are already sold out.

“Au Naturel” resorts are the hot new niche markets for people looking for a lifestyle experience.

SuperClubs Hedonism II was so popular in Negril, Jamaica, that Hedonism III opened a few years ago in Ocho Rios. Both had high occupancy rates during periods when other resorts were suffering.

SuperClubs says Hedonism is for those who want to feed the mind, body, and spirit, and have some wild fun. There’s a nude side, and a prude side, nude pools, and a nude beach. Leave your inhibitions at home.

Another lifestyle offering is Desire Resort & Spa, near Puerto Morelos on Mexico’s Mayan Riviera. World of Vacations carries it and says it is an exquisite 110-room property for couples over 21. You can enjoy the freedom of two clothing-optional swimming pools, a clothing-optional multi-couple infinity Jacuzzi lounge with wet and dry bar, to renew your passion, soak up the sun, indulge and be the person you’ve always wanted to be.

The choice is yours and this year there are more than ever.

Travel writer Sam Ion lives in Burlington, Ont.