Caribbean

Blue Diamond Hotels To Open Luxury Beach Resort In Varadero, Ready For Holidays In May

Hotel blogger

Blue Diamond Hotels and Resorts has added a new hotel in Cuba to its portfolio with the scheduled launch of the Memories Varadero Beach Resort this May. The luxury four-star resort will open its doors to tourists taking Cuba holidays on 1st May, 2012 after the property was refurbished and rebranded.

Formerly known as the Sirenis La Salina, the property has 1,035 rooms and suites and it is situated on one of the most beautiful beaches in Varadero, Cuba. Memories Varadero Beach Resort offers plenty of activities for the younger guests to enjoy throughout their holidays to Cuba including a Kids Club and Baby Club, two children’s swimming pools and daily entertainment.

Facilities and activities at the all inclusive hotel include three tennis courts, a spa and salon, a disco, Jacuzzi, two adults swimming pools, fitness centre, multi-sport court, beach volleyball, and watersports such as windsurfing, pedal-boating, snorkelling, scuba diving, and catamaran cruises.

Guests can upgrade to Diamond Club, which offers a personalised check-in/check-out service, including early check-in and late check-out; private access to the Diamond VIP Lounge; an exclusive beach area with beach butler service; and a dedicated concierge service.

The hotel boasts eight gourmet restaurants with a wide range of international cuisine such as Italian, Creole, Mexican, and Japanese, and there are eight bars and lounges where visitors can enjoy a refreshing cocktail or fruit juice.

Varadero Beach is situated in the province of Matanzas on the Hicacos Peninsula on the north coast of the Caribbean island of Cuba. The region is one of the most popular destinations for holidays in Cuba with more than 20km of pristine white sand beaches and several luxury beachfront Cuba hotels.

The area features beautiful natural landscapes include the Bellamar Caves and idyllic virgin cays and during holidays in Varadero, travellers can go scuba diving and snorkelling in the turquoise crystal-clear water; sailing and deep sea fishing; play golf against the backdrop of the sparkling ocean; and take excursions to explore Cardenas City.

The beach resort is a great place for a family holiday in Cuba with an array of museums, white sand beaches, and parks and fun attractions including the Delfinario, a natural pool for dolphins.

Blue Diamond Hotels and Resorts operates several all inclusive resorts across the Caribbean and Latin America under “Memories Beach Resorts” and “Royalton Luxury Resorts” brands.

Planning A Wedding Abroad With Karisma Hotels & Resorts

Hotel blogger

Weddings, moving house and divorces are meant to be the most stressful things to go through in life and as more brides and grooms are opting to tie the knot abroad, the stress levels are likely to increase.

However, help is available for couples planning weddings abroad via Faith Wishnie, the director of wedding services for Karisma Hotels & Resorts.

According to Wishnie, the rising number of destination weddings is down to the changes in todays modern society.

“Awareness of destination (wedding) options has really jumped. This is because of family and friends being spread across the world, people are travelling more now, and the Internet has played a big part because it’s easy to do the research,” she explained.

Beach weddings are a popular option for loved-up couples who are seeking romance and a picturesque setting. Destinations such as the Caribbean are among the favourites due to the large number of all inclusive resorts, tailor-made wedding packages and considerably lower costs compared to weddings in the United Kingdom.

Many of the resorts offer free wedding planners who can take care of all of the details, from the marriage licence and legal documents, to the flowers, photographer, music and catering.

“The trend is (for brides) who want to have the planning simplified and have everything taken care of,” added Wishnie.

Karisma Hotels and Resorts has 12 wedding planners who can help brides and grooms plan their dream Cancun weddings via email and over the phone, plus 15 onsite wedding coordinators who are available at the hotel groups seven properties across Cancun and the Riviera Maya.

The resorts also offer a separate groom’s room, so the bride and groom can both get ready in privacy before the ceremony.
Wishnie offers a couple of tips for couples so they can enjoy stress-free weddings abroad:

Don’t check-in anything that you’ll absolutely need or want for the big day. Carry your dress with you and/or buy anything there that you definitely want for the wedding, she said.

Don’t bring party favours with you. We can work with you to get favours or flowers and decorations cheaper (onsite).”

How to Make the Most of Choosing Chic Hotels

Hotel blogger

For many people, the delight in looking for and choosing the most modern and glamorous chic hotels across the UK, is a time well worth planning for. Whether you travel occasionally or regularly, you probably desire the most stylish hotel in the location you are visiting.

Chic Hotels Reflect Their Clientele

When you prefer a hip and trendy hotel as you travel to your favourite locality in the UK, Europe, the Caribbean or the Far East, you would never want to have to settle fo r less than you expect. The coolest options around the world have been specifically designed to attract a clientele that feels at home in an exclusive residence and this can apply equally to small, medium an d larger establishments. For some people, the blend of style and fashion is an essential ingredient for your choice of accommodation. Where you shop at Harrods or around Knightsbridge, you will expect the highest of standards not just in the service from the employees, but from the design of the hotel all the way to the quality of the sheets and pillow cases in your room. You won’t expect to find bland white pillowcases in the best of the chic hotels, just as you will anticipate a blend of visitors that are dressed for the occasion.

The Decoration is Important

People who have style and a good fashion sense often prefer to stay in a place that reflects their own character so that they immediately feel at home and not out of place. You can immediately see the amount of effort put into decorating the bedrooms, as well as all of the common areas like the lounge, restaurants and bars, where you can feel the amount of time and effort and expense put into designing and decorating the rooms.

Location is Important

Many chic hotels are located in an area of town or city which are close to trendy shopping areas so that while you enjoy relaxing in your accommodation, you are very close to a range of shops who can provide you with that something extra special for the design of your home, for when you return. There are many online websites which can show you where the best boutiques for style and design are located, but if you remain unsure, your extra special hotel will know what to recommend for you when you explain what you are looking for.

There are many chic hotels across the UK and abroad which specialise in providing you with a certain style that you will enjoy. Some research could help you plan a great holiday, whether a quick weekend break or for a longer holiday.

Neckermann Awards 4 Cuba Hotels In Varadero, Guardalavaca And Cayo Santa Maria

Hotel blogger

Four hotels in Cuba have recently been honoured with receiving the Primo Awards 2011, in recognition of their exceptional facilities and services and awarded by German tour operator Neckermann Reizen, one of Germanys most important travel companies and part of the Thomas Cook travel group, among the largest in the world.

The awarded Cuba hotels were located in three of the islands most popular tourist hotspots and beach resorts, with two winning hotels in Guardalavaca, one in Varadero and one in the pristine key of Cayo Santa Maria, an exclusive beach resort growing in popularity among travellers seeking a more paradisiacal Cuba holiday experience in an isolated key that is still connected to the mainland by a causeway. The awarded Varadero hotel was the Iberostar Varadero, the Melia Las Dunas was the awarded resort in Cayo Santa Maria while the proud receivers of the award in Guardalavaca were the ultra-romantic Paradisus Rio de Oro and the secluded, peaceful and serene Playa Pesquero.

All of the Cuba hotels awarded were five-star all inclusive resorts and they received this latest German recognition for the high quality of service they offered to guests staying at said properties during luxury Cuba holidays on the beach and the outstanding level of customer care they received during their relaxing holidays in Cuba at three of the islands most popular resorts for gentle recreation under the sun.

The Neckermann awards are bestowed upon one hundred hotels worldwide, depending on the ranking they receive by customers of the travel company, who score higher points to their preferred hotels. The award-winning hotels in Cuba mentioned above were among the 10 best hotels of the 20 long-distance, meaning those located in countries with more than six hours of flight from Germany.

For decades the 20-kilometre-long beach stretch of Varadero has been attracting millions of holidaymakers seeking pristine beach getaways with modern comforts and outstanding hotels with modern facilities and superior service. Varadero hotels have for long enjoyed the status as one of the island’s best but after efforts made by Cuban authorities to open up new resorts and develop them for the international tourist market, now holidaymakers have started to look at new upcoming beach resorts like Guardalavaca and Cayo Santa Maria, promising outstanding accommodation and unique experiences. The luxury all inclusive, adults-only Paradisus Rios de Oro in Guardalavaca, for example, has started 2012 on a great note, after also winning the coveted title of “Travelers’ Choice 2012 Winner” by travel community TripAdvisor. Likewise the Iberostar Varadero was also declared this year’s TripAdvisor winner in the same category as Varadero’s number one choice for travellers.

The Playa Pesquero on the other hand is a totally secluded eco-friendly haven, set on a protected stretch of Playa Pesquero beach, near the Naranjo Bay National Park and set amidst thriving flora and fauna. Having been awarded several times in recognition of their green efforts as well as conservation and environmental protection, this exceptional eco-village ranks high on the list of eco-concerned travellers seeking eco-friendly holiday experiences in Cuba. The Melia Las Dunas on the other hand, has for long been a favourite among travellers visiting the virginal Cayo Santa Maria key. It distinguishes itself by providing top-notch all inclusive service and a large number of quality facilities for guests of all ages and families while enjoying a premium idyllic setting right on the beach.

Neckermann has been operating in the Cuba holidays market since 1992. Senior Product Manager for Africa, Caribbean and Latin America of Neckermann, Roland Junker, said that the tour operator “has witnessed the rapid development of the tourism industry of the island and the growth of the flow of travelers from Germany and other European nations to the Caribbean country.”

New Ocean Varadero Aqua Is The Latest Addition To Varadero Hotels

Hotel blogger

A new luxury hotel will soon be gracing the stunning Varadero shoreline and adding to the already long list of all-inclusive Varadero hotels as H10 Hotels announced the construction of a brand new ultra-exclusive lavish resort in the area of El Patriarca. The building of the new Ocean Varadero Aqua is still a work in progress with construction works expected to be completed sometime next year and the official opening of the hotel being scheduled for late summer 2012 or early autumn, with October 2012 being the very latest tentatively planned opening date.

Beautifully located on a very unique17-hectare stretch of land known as El Patriarca, an area in Varadero famous for the giant cactus that grows in what used to be the centre of a former farmland, the new Ocean Varadero Aqua will enjoy the most quaint and distinctively stunning location with a stong focus on evoking the beauty of the natural surroundings through elegant yet minimalistic decor and with the implementation of green environmental policies to protect and preserve the area’s delicate ecosystem. Bringing together beach lovers and nature lovers, this new hotel will have a strong appeal for eco-concerned travellers seeking eco-friendly Cuba holidays in Varadero with added touches of luxury, immaculate fixtures and fittings, upscale facilities and superior service.

With cactus being the resort’s main focal point, the new Ocean Varadero Aqua has been designed around natural earthy colours with plenty of green hues and dark browns contrasting to clean whites and soft pastel shades. Placing extreme caution during the building process in order to respect all local plant life and the many cactus plants that surround the property, cactus will be integrated into the hotel’s design and decor to reflect the beauty of this very unique plot of land.

The future hotel will boast a magnificent beachfront location, offering uniterrupted views and access to a pristine, private section of Varadero Beach spanning along some 200 metres of soft white sands. Built to respect the local enviorenment as well as Varadero’s unique 40s and 50s architecture, the new Ocean Varadero Aqua will feature an exqusite collection of 421 deluxe guest rooms, luxury junior suites and suites and an extensive array of varied culinary and entertainment options. The hotel will offer gourmet diners with as many as six theme restaurants to choose from and seven bars for unwinding and relaxing with delicous cocktails and snacks.

In terms of entertainment, those planning luxury holidays in Cuba’s famous Varadero beach and choosing this outstanding hotel for their accommodation, will enjoy a multitude of liesure and relaxation areas, a calming, soothing and beautifully designed Despacio Spa Centre, an exclusive beach club, a Privilege club and many more luxury services and facilities.

With this latest addition to their portfolio of Caribbean hotels, H10 Hotels will be pioneering with two new Cuba hotels (they are also taking over the Panorama hotel in Havana and re-branding it as H10 Habana Panorama) and will expand their overall collection in the region to a total of four hotels in the Caribbean.