Recommend August 2011 - (Page 30)

PLAYA dEL CARMEN mexico continued from page 28 exteriors fool you. Inside, you’ll find minimalist decor (think canopy beds and unique lighting), along with amenities like flat-screen TVs and WiFi accessibility. Each room here comes with its own balcony or terrace. Play: All accommodations surround one long swimming pool in the center of the property, evoking the iconic hotels on South Beach. At the far end, a small bar serves up drinks and snacks. For a heartier meal, guests can head to Ipanema’s next door for steak and seafood. Back at the hotel, an exclusive spa with just one treatment room offers massages, facials and nail services. Rates start at $98 per room per night dbl, breakfast at Ipanema’s included. hotelmagicblue.com Play: Casa Ticul’s rooftop terrace is an ideal place for serene sunning—made all the more romantic by tiling on the floor spelling out “All You Need Is Love.” A small pool is built into the property’s ground-level courtyard. Otherwise, there’s not much activity here, making it an ideal love nest for couples determined to get away from it all. Rates start at $150 per room per night. casaticul.com upgrade opportunities Upgrade your clients to these spectacular suites for an even better bargain—and better commission for you. • The Master Suite at Magic Blue joins two rooms on the top floor of one of its buildings for penthouse-style privacy. In addition to the hotel’s standard amenities, clients in this suite enjoy a living room area, a jacuzzi in the bathroom, and additional balcony space. • The Superior Junior Suites at La Tortuga were designed with romance in mind. Think large private jacuzzi tubs, either in the room or on a private terrace, as well as outdoor daybeds surrounded by white curtains. • Mahekal’s deluxe rooms offer plenty of options for travelers who want to be as close to the beach as possible. These accommodations are set right on the beach, with terraces looking straight out at the water. The ultimate is the Deluxe Beachfront Casita, with a daybed on its terrace, a canopy bed surrounded by white, billowy curtains, and its own private plunge pool. n Archived related articles (available on recommend.com): Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo (March 2011) modern properties Be Playa Clients looking for something out of the ordinary will find it at this 23room property. The hotel itself is not yet a year old, but its quirky decor consisting of vintage musical instruments, antique typewriters and books, and movie posters from decades past, adds a historic feel. Stay: Standard suites here come with high-end amenities like iPod docking stations and modern bathroom fixtures like stand-alone water basins; outside, balconies are outfitted with hammocks. Upgrade to a jr. suite or master suite to add a round whirlpool tub to the living space. Play: Rooftop terraces are common throughout hotels in Playa, and Be Playa’s is one of the most memorable. By day, guests can lounge in a shallow pool looking out across the town or relax on its daybeds; by night, they can belly up to the bar for an evening cocktail under the stars. Next door, SushiClub restaurant serves up fresh seafood. Rates start at $130 per room per night dbl. (877) 265-4139; beplaya.com romantic getaways La Tortuga Hotel & Spa Casual but elegant, this 51-room property has wide appeal: a winding pool, a tempting restaurant, a relaxing spa. Plus, there’s one very important bonus for traveling couples: it’s for adults only. Stay: If you’re looking for unique accommodations, you’ve come to the right place. In addition to La Tortuga’s standard rooms, clients can upgrade to swim-up suites that let them walk right into the pool from their terrace. In addition, 11 jr. suites come with rooftop terraces, outfitted with jacuzzi tubs. Play: El Bistro restaurant separates the hotel’s inner oasis from the streets of Playa, with shopping and nightlife nearby. Beach-bound clients have complimentary use of the lounge chairs and beach umbrellas at nearby Mamita’s Beach Club. But it’s just as fun to spend an afternoon lounging in La Tortuga’s wooden pool deck, perhaps interrupted with a massage at its Zen Eco Spa. Rates start at $114 per room per night, breakfast included. (866) 550-6878; hotellatortuga.com Casa Ticul a trip to tulum Plenty of travelers visit Tulum’s Mayan ruins, but only a few stay for the spectacular beaches, casual restaurants and earthy, chic boutique accommodations nearby. Compared to Playa del Carmen, Tulum is an undiscovered gem—and that’s largely because of hotels like these. n At La Nueva Vida de Ramiro (tulumnv.com) clients make their way to their rooms along sandy paths shaded by palm trees. No two rooms here are alike, but they can all be described as “ecological bungalows”— most with terraces or balconies featuring hammocks and views of the powdery white beach and the sea. Casa Banana restaurant rounds out the amenities. Rates start at $70 per room per night. n Playa Azul Tulum (playaazultulum.com) has more of a modern vibe—in fact, its trendy yet casual beach bar serves as a Sunday gathering spot for young locals. But families are welcome here as well, in accommodations that range from small, quirky studios to a second floor cabana with a private balcony offering panoramic views of the sea. Rates start at $70 per night. The romance of this 20-room property is about more than the decor. The hotel takes its name from a caring husband, his wife, and the family they built together. Black-and-white photos throughout the property serve as reminders of their simple, loving life. Stay: The inspiration for the hotel may be historic, but rooms here are decorated in modern styles, with white walls, dark wooden furnishings and splashes of color here and there. Rooms with two double beds are available as well as king beds; however, hotel guests must be 16 or older. 30 august 2011 recommend.com http://www.casaticul.com http://www.hotelmagicblue.com http://www.beplaya.com http://www.recommend.com http://agent.recommend.com/magazine-archive/march-2011/ixtapa-zihuatanejo/ http://www.tulumnv.com http://www.hotellatortuga.com http://www.playaazultulum.com http://www.recommend.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recommend August 2011

Editor"s Notes/Agent Speak
Hotel Desk: Regent Hotels & Resorts
Tour Talk: The Wayfarers
Africa Travel Options Mix the Classic with the New
Thailand's Koh Samui
Jade Mountain, Saint Lucia
Escaping to San Juan's Condado
San Juan Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino
Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Central America: Roads Less Traveled
In Search of Flanders' Holy Ale
Downtown L.A. in the Thick of Things
Scrumptious Savannah
Cunard's Queen Elizabeth

Recommend August 2011