Hotel Spotlight: La Concha Renaissance Resort (A Marriott Property) - San Juan, Puerto Rico

Hotel Spotlight: La Concha Renaissance Resort (A Marriott Property)
San Juan, Puerto Rico

I was recently in San Juan, Puerto Rico for an International Destination Expo/Conference. Despite the fact that I was occupied everyday with various networking events, speaker presentations and evening events; I was still able to sneak away and enjoy the island.

The La Concha Renaissance Resort is located in the Condado area of Puerto Rico, and is approximately 30 minutes (in good traffic) from the San Juan Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport. The property is discretely ensconced on the "main drag" in Condado, situated on the most pristine, azure colored beach you can imagine.

Prior to visiting the property, I did cruise through Trip Advisors (which I rarely do), to check out some of the comments on the property. One of the main names that kept resonating within most of the comments was about the valet named Felix! I was able to meet him, and let me tell you, he was personable, helpful and always had a bright smile on his face, even though they were always busy in their car court. There was a wedding party, a conference, and other activities that kept the front desk and valets hopping; but I can tell you, they never missed a beat. All of the staff members were quick, efficient, and always willing to assist you (especially for those of us who always look like we are lost).

The lobby area is a wide, open space with various seating arrangements to accommodate individuals, small and large groups. Every evening, I would find myself on their outdoor patio in the Solera bar area enjoying a late night cocktail, and a bevy of people watching opportunities; especially since the lobby area turned into a quasi night club at night.

I stayed in both a double queen room, as well as a single king room during my stay. It is great to be able to experience several types of rooms during a visit, so that you can compare size, configurations and general space of the rooms. Both the double room and the king size rooms had ample space. Each room had a large desk area, comfortable chairs, large HD television and ample closet space, as well as a nice sized bar area. The bathrooms were clean and well laid out. There were no bathtubs in either of the rooms I stayed in; however, the shower was easily big enough for two people, ummm, not that I know that from experience! The bath products they provided were Aveda, and they replenished them on a daily basis, and I never ran out of towels.

The La Concha has a nice selection of restaurants from their Komakai Sushi Bar, Voga Italian Grill, Solera poolside restaurant, Sidewalk Café, and their signature restaurant Perla, located in the large Conch Shell facing the beach. I was constantly on the go, and had evening events to attend, so I was only able to have two meals while I was on the property. I split a burger and fries with my business partner, That Chick Dawni, and my last morning there, I also ate at the breakfast buffet they provided every morning, located at Voga. The buffet was an affordable $20, with a large selection of pastries, meats, potatoes, cereals (hot & cold), juices, fruits and an omelet bar too. I felt the price was good, considering the varied selection of items they had to chose from.

The property is a solid 3 - 4* property. I would recommend this resort to anyone traveling to the San Juan area that likes to be within walking distance of a lot of nightlife, restaurants, bars, high end shopping since the property is located mere steps from Louis Vuitton, Salvatore Ferragamo, Gucci, and countless other small boutiques, and a place that simply never seems to sleep! Oh, and I forgot to mention, there is even a Casino on the property!

Valet/Entrance AreaLobby Seating Area

Room w/2 Queen Beds

Desk Area in Room w/2 Queen Beds

Shower

Bathroom

King Room

Living Room Area in King Room

Divine Pool Area

Relaxing Beach

Beds Overlooking the Beach!

*Photos by That Chick Té

www.chicksthattrip.com

Part 18 of Series: 101 Reasons To Use A Travel Agent

Part 18 of Series: 101 Reasons To Use A Travel Agent

I have been working with a client recently, and in one of our numerous conversations, I was discussing some things she should be aware of for her trip, as well as other general travel tips. After the conclusion of our conversation she said, "Thank you so much for all of the information. I've been searching on the internet, and I am in information overload; yet, you have given me clear, concise information, and I feel confident now going on my trip. People may not realize this, but planning a trip is a lot of work, and I'm glad to have you planning my trip!"

This is what I enjoy the most about my work. It's when the people I am working with understand, and value the time and work that I put into making their trip special, fun, and accommodating to whatever their budget may be. I do caution people that you truly DO, "get what you pay for," so while sticking to a budget is important for most of us, sometimes there are other factors that need to be taken into consideration too, and sometimes when you are embroiled in the process, you may skip those important factors.

What You Can Buy Later - New airline restrictions make packing for long trips hard. Travel experts can give you advice on what you might be able to purchase while you are on your trip to avoid having excess weight in your luggage beforehand.
Advice on Where to Go if You Get Sick - If you happen to be unfortunate enough to get hurt or fall ill while on your trip, your travel agent can help to you find you somewhere clean and safe for medical attention.
Trust - If you should have any questions after booking your trip you know how to reach your travel agent and can avoid the FAQ section on a website.
You Know How to Reach Them When You Need Them - Problems at the airport? Reservation issues at the hotel? Your travel agent is a phone call away from getting your problem solved.
Tips and Tricks - How early do you really need to be at the airport? What are the quickest ways to get through security? Your travel expert can advise you of the airport security levels the day of your trip and any new security checkpoints you may have to worry about.

photo from: http://farm1.static.flickr.com/34/101152162_a59da9b562.jpg

www.chicksthattrip.com

Oh, The Places You'll Go!

Oh, The Places You'll Go!

I remember when I first read the Dr. Seuss book, "Oh, The Places You'll Go!" I was probably in grade school, and I thought it was the greatest Dr. Seuss book ever written! Now that I look back, I can honestly say that book has impacted my life in more ways than I ever could have imagined. It is a book of hope, living, optimism, fun and spontaneity - something a lot of us could use more of in our lives.

In some respects, I can understand why a lot of people are not all too fired up to travel. With all of the news on the war, riots in Libya, cartel crimes in Mexico, safety issues with Southwest planes - the list is endless. I will not try to sugar coat any of these very real issues, but what I will say is that there are so many wonderful places in this world to go and see! Safety notwithstanding, travel is a way to go out and see the world, and in so doing, you learn so much about yourself. Some things you learn will be positive; some, not so much, but the experiences will last a lifetime, and can never be taken away.

During the past few weeks I've been plotting out my travels for the year, and it's a daunting tasks, because there is only so much time and money that I have, so I must make good use of both. In my selection process, I take into consideration places I've been before, and places I would like to go. In this business, it's imperative to stay up on the old places, as well as the new "gems" that are out there. Sometimes those "gems" are in our own backyards (so to speak), and some are in far flung places across the world. It is important to step out of our comfort zones and take a leap of faith. Yes, I know that is easier said than done, but I know in my life, the experiences I have learned the most from were not the easy and safe ones, but the ones that stretched me, and made me become the individual I am today. When I read about the individual who has packed up to hit the road on their own private exodus; or the families who have chosen to take their children out of school and travel the world - I say, "Kudos to them!" It is not necessarily the most practical thing in the world, nor can everyone afford to do it, but for those few who can, I tip my cap and wish them the best of luck, because they are embarking on an experience of a lifetime that will be filled with cultural education and a personal journey that can never be duplicated.

Happy trails my friends.

*photo of fountain in Tuileries Garden - Paris, France - taken by That Chick Té

(www.chicksthattrip.com)

March Madness Giveaway is Over!

Our March Madness Giveaway is over! The winner of the lovely down pillow will be notified!

Safety in Numbers?

As a single traveler, I find the notion that there is only safety in numbers a bit misguided. While there is truth in the fact that the more people there are, the less likely you, as a single traveler, could be victimized, there is more to it than that. The reality is that scam artist, thieves and crooks are everywhere. Sometimes the sheer volume of people can actually benefit a thief, because they can blend in after they've fleeced your wallet or handbag.

I do a lot of things alone, so I tend to be highly sensitive to my surroundings, and I am not oblivious to anything; whether I am in my own city or in another country. Here is a list of precautions I take when I travel alone, and while I won't give up all my secrets (gotta keep the thieves on their toes), I will provide some that I think are extremely important when you are traveling alone:

• Pack lightly - I can not repeat this enough. The more items you have, the easier it is to lose sight of some of them. Thieves love to see the oblivious traveler with multiple bags flying all over the place, because they recognize the opportunity that one of those bags can easily disappear without the owner knowing for some time.
• Pay attention to your surroundings - That doesn't mean that you give everyone the evil fish eye, or that you are overly paranoid, but when you are in restaurants, museums, stores, etc, make sure to notice all entry and exit points, so if you have to get out of a place in a hurry, you already have an exit strategy.
• Enjoy your drinks, but not too much - Some people like to party - myself included, but when I travel alone, I (typically) have a low maximum number (usually 2 or 3) of alcoholic beverages I will consume when I am alone. We all know that alcohol reduces your inhibitions, so this can be a prime opportunity for an unscrupulous person to take advantage of you while you are relaxing and enjoying your favorite beverage(s) of choice.
• Plan transportation early - If you know you are fine to walk, tube it or take the metro to an event, but when the event is over it will be late at night; make sure to arrange your transportation in advance. A lot of travelers are on tight budgets and don't want to waste money on taxis or car services, but my response to that is, "How much is your safety worth?" I'd rather spend a few extra bucks to ensure my safe arrival back to my accommodations, than to just "hope for the best."
• Do not keep all of your money in one place - I think this one is fairly self explanatory. When traveling try not to flash large denominations or thick money clips around. For example, if you are going out for the day, place varying amounts of money in different places on your person. Make it accessible to you, but not to a thief. If you know that lunch will be your first meal, and likely will just be a few dollars, place a small amount of cash to cover that, so you aren't pulling out wads of money at some street corner vendor. If you have to discretely go into a restroom to obtain some of your money, that's fine too, just put it in places that is difficult for others to get to. No back pockets, or bags that don't zip or close completely. Any bucket type of bags with no closures are attractive to thieves, because they can stick their hands in quickly and be gone before you know it.
• Additional money issues - Also, make sure to have more than one debit or credit card with you when you travel, because SOMETIMES things can go horribly awry, and your card is sucked away into the abyss of a foreign ATM. Have at least two additional cards, so that if something happens to your main card, you will have backups for emergency situations.
• Passports - There are conflicting viewpoints on this. Some believe you shouldn't walk around with it, and others believe you should. My advice is to keep it with you, but to also keep copies with in your luggage and in another safe place, as well as with someone else that is not on your trip, so if they need to email or fax a copy to you, they can. This does not mean it will be easy or inexpensive to replace your passport if it's lost or stolen; however, it can make the process of replacement a bit easier and possibly save you a little bit of time.

There are a host of other tips too, but I feel these are the most important. I think everyone should travel, but in these times, safety is a major concern, so take precautions so that your trips are not interrupted by an unexpected theft!

(www.chicksthattrip.com)

Part 17 of Series: 101 Reasons To Use A Travel Agent

Part 17 of Series: 101 Reasons To Use A Travel Agent

The internet provides us with a bevy of information, but when is the line crossed from great information to information overload? There is a Bing commercial where a person is searching for one thing, which in turn, triggers the search for something else. They keep spouting off random words and terms that are a product of the divergence from the original search. I think it is safe to say that we have all been there. How many of us have been looking for one thing, only to get the "something shiny syndrome," and be diverted to looking at something else? That is not to say there is anything inherently wrong with that; however when you are searching for something specific, and are under time constraints, it can be annoying to have so many distractions.

Working with a travel professional helps to redirect your time and attention appropriately, so you are not wasting your precious time running from one place to another. Once you speak with your travel professional and give them certain parameters, you can sit back, relax and await the information you need and want.

Immunizations That May Be Needed -To enter certain countries you may be required to obtain certain immunizations first. Your travel expert can advise you on the steps you need to take.

Special Deals Worked Out in Advance - Travel agents may have a relationship developed with certain tour operators and could be able to get you a special price that might not otherwise be available.

Make Travel Meaningful for Children - Travel agents can offer fun information about your trip for kids to make the experience exciting and meaningful.

Where to Shop - Travel agents can offer excellent advice on great shopping neighborhoods in your destination city.

Avoid Scams - Not all 5 star hotels are treated equally. Many times photos are outdated and information about the hotel you are considering may not be true. Travel agents can have a network of opportunities to make sure that what you are seeing beforehand is what you get.

*source information provided by ASTA

(www.chicksthattrip.com)

HURRY! Sign up as a Follower for March Madness Giveaway!

HURRY! Sign up as a Follower for March Madness Giveaway!

We are already 8 days into the month of March, so all of those who are visiting the blog (I have Google analytics, so I know you are out there), make sure to sign up during the next few weeks in order to be entered in a drawing to win a Duxiana™ down travel pillow. All you need to do is join as a follower, and make sure to leave your contact email information, so that if you win, we can get in contact with you. It's really that simple, and there is no purchase necessary. You will be able to relax in style and comfort with your new, down travel pillow.

*This promotion is for United States residents only. We will have other drawings at various times, and hope to be able to have giveaway items for our friends in other parts of the world. The retail value of the travel pillow is $95.00, all shipping and handling costs are paid for by Chicks That Trip, so there is truly no costs to the follower! Once the drawing is closed, the winner will be notified, and will receive their pillow within four - six weeks, upon verification of their shipping address.

*Photo taken by That Chick Té