I’m super busy, as usual, but stayed tuned for my review. This resort has received some negative reviews, but as a Starwood Owner, I know they have a great deal of construction still ongoing at this property and this property will improve upon most of the negatives as it continues to grow! It’s only a 1/4 of it’s true size! Starwood Vacation Ownership Properties vary a bit in how they are set up and run from standard Westin resorts, so that too lends itself to some confusion if you are not accustomed to the Vacation Ownership experience. I’ll fill in the blanks later, but I can’t wait to see how Desert Willow continues to grow.

Another year and another fabulous trip! Visiting French Polynesia never gets old, and each time I go, I discover something new and wonderful. During this visit, my discoveries were quite bountiful, as I visited 11 properties on 3 islands, and even the 2 properties I had visited on prior trips had some exciting new updates! I have never been as busy on vacation as I was on this trip, but the effort turned out to be extremely worthwhile, even if I did have to endure remnants of Tropical Cyclone Sarah for the first 3 days.

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I love taking pictures of Tahiti and now one of my photos has been seen by millions! It seems to no longer be found using the search function on CNN, but here it is again in all of its glory!:

In 2009, I had a stellar year as a travel agent! As a reward for being the top selling agent at Easy Escapes Travel, I won a 3 night stay at any AMResort (Dreams, Secrets, or Zoetry brands).  Zoetry Casa Del Mar had just opened in December, so I figured an agent needed to get down there ASAP to check out the latest in luxury all-inclusives. Who better than me, right? It’s only a 2 hour flight and I love small, intimate hotels. It turned out to be a wonderful trip, not to mention I escaped the worst weather Phoenix has seen in years!

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In the age of the internet, a lot of travelers have bypassed the traditional travel agent to book their adventure through an online booking engine. It seems like common sense- it is quick, seemingly cheaper, and can be done while sitting in your pajamas after watching Saturday Night Live.

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How dare I call travel cheesy, right? Well, it’s not what you think! If you know me personally or have read a few of my reviews, you know that “cheesy” is purely a reference to my love of cheese fondue. One might think I’m leftover from the fondue fad of the 70s, but in actuality, I just really love cheese, bread, and the combination of cheese and bread (and I have to add that I wasn’t alive for most of the 70s!) While most people collect postcards, Christmas ornaments, or various trinkets during their travels, my boyfriend and I decided to take our love for fondue and combine it with our love for travel, creating “cheesy” memories that will last us a lifetime. So, be sure to check out my reviews for a my latest adventures in the world of cheese and I’ll continually update this post with a list of fondue restaurants we’ve visited around the world.

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Have you ever dreamed of getting married in paradise? I know I sure have! After many years in the making, French Polynesia has finally legalized weddings for foreign visitors! This is now opening Tahiti up to a whole new set of travelers and giving couples the chance to marry and honeymoon in one of the most beautiful places in the world.

For additional information, please visit my Tahiti page and please keep in mind that this is history in the making, so there may be a few bumps in the planning process for the first year as the resorts work together with the communes (islands) to provide spectacular wedding packages for you and your guests!

I have to start off by saying that I’m truly blessed. Not once, but now twice, I’ve been able to participate in the BMW European Delivery program and this time, it was really special thanks to the new innovation and technology on display at BMW Welt. I also tried to capture more of the authentic side of Europe this time around. Rather than staying in some of the most luxurious, highly-rated hotel/resorts that side of the pond, I tried to choose some smaller, family-run hotels that brought out Europe’s old world charm. I have to admit there were a few more hiccups on this trip than I would have cared for, but I suppose it’s all part of the adventure of discovering new places on your own. This time, we headed north by northwest, traveling through Munich, Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Eltville-Erbach, Epernay/Reims, Bruges, and ending the trip in Amsterdam. Read the rest of this review »

For Easy Escapes Travel’s 10th anniversary, our wonderful owner, Cathy, organized a fabulous trip to Cancun, Mexico! While for many it was the chance to meet some of the newer agents, for me it was my very first agency activity since I am not based in New York (or anywhere near the East Coast!) The trip ended up being more than just a great chance to tour some gorgeous properties in the area. It also was a great way to unwind and exchange ideas with other agents.

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The Westin Princeville in Kauai, Hawaii

I was in desperate need of a vacation after the Christmas season, so we decided to head to Kauai in January 2009. This was my third trip to the Hawaiian Islands and my first time to Kauai, and I wish I had thought of going there sooner

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