Ms. M's latest voyage took her to the fabulous seaside Ponta dos Ganchos Resort in Brazil. Check out her full take on the resort on Facebook:
Culinary
November 18, 2010
September 07, 2010
Real Honeymoons: A Mediterranean Masterpiece
When Aaron and Talia, from Los Angeles, initially contacted MoonRings to assist in planning their honeymoon, they were not entirely sure where they wanted to go. But one thing was certain – it had to be exotic and luxurious. After exploring a number of fabulous locales including Bali and Bora Bora, it was old world charm of France and Italy that had the right mix of luxury, sophistication and culinary delights.
Their journey began on the France’s stunning Cote d’Azur for a week of relaxation and pampering. Their first few days at the Grand Hotel du Cap Ferrat in St. Jean Cap Ferrat primarily consisted of lounging by the spectacular pool and taking strolls through the hotel’s romantic gardens. Aaron and Talia did venture out to explore nearby towns such as Monaco, Eze and St. Paul de Vence (a favorite of Aaron’s). One afternoon, they took hike around the Cap encountering a secluded cove with incredibly turquoise water where local residents were cliff diving. On their last night, the hotel upgraded them to massive suite with a private roof top Jacuzzi featuring panoramic views of the sea and dramatic scenery.
After the coast, it was time to head inland to the Four Seasons Provence for countryside vistas and more pampering. The Four Seasons took excellent care of the couple and even gave them their first glimpse of a photo from their wedding, which was thoughtfully placed in their room (they received it from the Four Seasons in California where Aaron and Talia were married). When they did opt to leave the Four Seasons, they visited the charming local towns of Fayence and Tourettes sampling tasty Provencal dishes and wine along the way.
While their French adventure was coming to a close, there was plenty more pampering and luxury in store for them in Italy at the lovely Hotel Le Sirenuse in Positano. Guess what they did? You’re right, more relaxing and pampering! The pool at Le Sirenuse is quite inviting, and with the view that they had from their suite, it’s easy to how they struggled to find a reason to leave such a perfect place. Nonetheless, Aaron and Talia did muster the motivation to leave the hotel and enjoy Positano, visiting the local shops and people watching in cafes. One day, they made their way to the town of Ravello set high in the cliffs with beautiful views of the coast. Here they took a cooking class with a local chef, Vincenzino. Chef Vincenzino shared many secrets of creating Italian seafood dishes, but in the end, the meal they created was not Aaron’s favorite and they opted for restaurant dining (i.e. professional chefs) for the rest of the trip.
As Aaron and Talia began their long journey back to Los Angeles, they took a moment to browse through their fabulous digital photos and remember their enchanting adventure to some of Europe’s most scenic locations and luxurious retreats. We wish them warm congratulations on their marriage and a long, happy and healthy life together! Thanks for sharing your fantastic stories and photos!
To close the trip, they took a quick train up to Rome for couple of nights of sightseeing and urban excitement.
July 18, 2010
Real Honeymoons: Raves for Capella Ixtapa from Andre & Jenya
Take one chilled out couple, add a brand-new resort with stunning cliffside views and plunge pools, and then include some of the most thoughtful service anywhere on the planet. Mix thoroughly and what do you get? A truly amazing honeymoon experience!
Andre and Jenya, from Boston, wanted to relax on their honeymoon. After their wedding six months prior, buying a house, going crazy with work and many other life pressures, they decided upon the sister cities of Ixtapa and Zihuatanejo Mexico as their honeymoon destination. A combination of two resorts, one on a stunning cliff in Ixtapa and another on the beach in Zihua sounded like the best of both worlds.
To start their honeymoon, they checked into Capella Ixtapa, a new resort that features only 58 rooms and suites, all of which have sea-facing balconies with plunge pools. Each guest has a “Personal Assistant” who is essentially a concierge at their beck and call. Christian was assigned to Andre and Jenya from the moment their reservation was made. He pre-contacted their MoonRings Relationship Manager to find out what he could do to help make their stay special.
The relaxed ambiance at Capella was perfect, and their balcony was a highlight – morning coffee, evening drinks, (complimentary) beer/chips/salsa, and a lot of time in between was spent gazing over the water and enjoying each other’s company.
During their stay, nothing was too much trouble for Christian and the staff at Capella; every employee was empowered to make the guests’ experience personal and special. Whatever you wanted to eat for breakfast, complimentary snacks by the pool, iced bottles of water at regular intervals, generosity at every turn. “Yes” was the answer to almost everything!
When it was time to leave for the second resort, they were sad. Reluctantly, they moved, and while Resort #2 was on the beach and it wasn’t so bad, it just wasn’t the same. Clearly, they had been spoiled! Fortunately, they were able to return to Capella, and they spent the remainder of their honeymoon pampered by their new family and friends who were delighted to welcome them back.
While at Capella, Andre and Jenya took advantage not only of the resort but of the area and all it had to offer. They went snorkeling multiple times at Isla Ixtapa, took Capella’s bikes out for a spin to a nearby beach, and spent an amazing afternoon with Capella’s Executive Chef learning how to make simple yet delicious Mexican fare. On top of that, they went deep-sea fishing and the kitchen staff created a custom dinner for them with their catch! The couple also checked out the local dining scene, enjoying restaurants such as Tentaciones and Espuma.
With so many great memories, Andre and Jenya went back home to Boston on Cloud 9. Like the staff at Capella, we wish them warm congratulations on their marriage and all the best together! Thanks for sharing your fantastic stories and photos!
