I always try to travel with an open mind, but the truth is that I have high expectations and sometimes reality just doesn’t live up to it. The Grand Fiesta Americana Coral Beach turned out to be another pleasant surprise. That may possibly have to do with the mindset I went into it with, though. […]
Author: Joni Wu
Hard Rock Hotel Cancun
The Hard Rock Hotel Cancun actually surprised me. I wasn’t sure if it was going to be dated and a little trashy like those many weekends at the Hard Rock Las Vegas in college (and immediate years after) as the club/pool party scene progressed from Baby’s to Body English and Rehab to now Vanity, a […]
Belmond Maroma – Mayan Paradise Found
The Belmond Maroma is truly a Mayan Paradise, luxurious and exotic, yet it feels authentic and grounded. Its just enough to escape reality without being obnoxious. This 5-star luxury boutique property sits off the main highway on a literal off-the-beaten path between Cancun airport (30 minutes to the north) and Playa del Carmen (20 minutes to […]
Gran Cenote – Snorkeling in a CAVE
What I lacked in enthusiasm for Mayan ruins, I made up for at Gran Cenote. Maybe it’s because I have this weird affinity for caves but when I climbed down into that sparkling abyss, I felt like my 8-year-old tubby self had just walked into Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory. Usually when I have high expectations, I’m let down […]
Day Trip – Tulum Ruins and Pueblo
Tulum has somehow risen to infamy in the last several years as an LA/NYC bohemian/hipster type of mystical destination. It’s the kind of place you want to go to because the attractive girl that you see every other day at Core Power Yoga/Soul Cycle was gone for a week and when she came back, you asked […]
Chichen Itza – A 7 Wonder of the World?
I’m trying to figure out how this is one of the “New 7 Wonders” of the World. The original “seven wonders”, as passed down by ancient historians in Alexandria, was thought to be: Great Pyramid of Giza Hanging Gardens of Babylon Statue of Zeus at Olympia Temple of Artemis at Ephesus Mausoleum at Halicarnassus Colossus […]
Royal Suites Yucatan – Palladium Hotel Riviera Maya
The Hotel This place will always have a special place in my heart because it’s where I got married two weeks ago (more on destination wedding planning and a full review of the resort as an event venue in subsequent posts). In this post, I’ll limit it to the hotel review. The Royal Suites is the […]
Belmond Showcase – Newport Beach
I get to go to some really great events being in the travel industry. Most are hosted by suppliers or vendors which to us travel consultants means the hotels, airlines, tour companies, wholesalers, etc. Basically, it can include any services that we would need to plan our client’s itineraries. I try to go to as many […]
Los Cabos Part 2 – Las Ventanas al Paraiso, A Rosewood Resort
What can I say about about Las Ventanas al Paraiso that the photos can’t? Everything. This is one of the major perks of being in this industry that I promised not to write too much about because it’s just not something that many people can relate to. Would I normally pay $650 a night to […]
Los Cabos Part 1 – Hyatt Ziva
LOS CABOS Joel and I needed a little getaway so we planned a trip to Cabo, as everyone calls it. The destination as a whole is officially Los Cabos and is comprised of three main areas, San Jose del Cabo, located closest to the international airport, Cabo San Lucas, also often called Land’s End as it […]