The Perfect Choice

"Ask Alina", Family Travel Concierge Advice Column.

Dear Alina,

Our family needs a relaxing vacation and time together. After weeks of research, I found the perfect resort for our vacation. The resort has everything that I want: simplicity, authentic luxury, excellent food, great customer service, beautiful beach, and a top notch spa. The only thing that I dislike about this resort is that it is on a small, secluded island, and getting there involves a 30-minute water taxi ride. I just don't like this idea because it means that we are secluded. Still, this is a fantastic resort, a celebrity hot spot, and a perfect place for our family to spend time together. Alex from Family Travel Concierge researched dozens of hotels that could possibly fit my criteria, and although he found some great options, he agreed with me that the original resort that I found is the best. Now, having looked at so many options, I’m just confused. I can’t make a decision because I’m not 100% sure that I’ll pick the best resort for us. How can I be assured that I make the perfect choice? Family Travel Concierge says that a great vacation is better than no vacation, and that all of our choices look good, but I want to make sure that I make the right choice, without a shadow of a doubt. Help!

Dear Perfect,

Personally, I’m not a big fan of boats and water taxis due to sea sickness, but I can tell you that visiting Venice was unforgettable, while wearing sea-bands or chewing on ginger on a water taxi ride into the city was entirely forgettable (I don’t recall now which remedy I used). In my understanding your concern is not sea sickness , but the fact that resort is secluded. It sounds like your options are the following: 1) going to the perfect resort with a 30-minute water taxi, 2) choosing from the 2-3 great-but-slightly-inferior resorts suggested by the Family Travel Concierge as an alternative to taking the water taxi, or 3) not going anywhere at all. Perhaps, instead of thinking what your perfect match would be, consider what your biggest regret would be with any of these decisions. What would you regret more: not choosing a worse resort but without the water taxi if you go with option number 1, not picking a better resort if you go with option number 2, or not going on vacation at all if you pick option number 3? By the way, if you are not making a decision at all, by default you are picking option number 3 and missing a vacation entirely. I would have to agree with Family Travel Concierge: if you want a restful, beautiful family get-away, choosing any vacation is closer to perfect than staying home. Happy travels!

- Alina

***
Alina Bas, M.A., is an Executive Coach and a Life Strategist who helps leaders connect to fulfilling work and live an engaging life. She has over 10 years of corporate experience in Organizational Effectiveness and Leadership Development, and is a co-author of the book “Changes of the Heart”, offering the best coaching strategies for life’s toughest moments. Connect with Alina at www.MindTerrainCoaching.com
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This week's resort picks - Parrot Cay in Turks and Caicos

This week's resort pick is Parrot Cay in Turks and Caicos
http://www.comohotels.com/parrotcay
 

Pros

• One of the best spas in Caribbean, COMO Shambhala holistic spa
• Excellent beach
• Outstanding food 
• 24- hours butler service (for two bedroom villas and higher)

Cons

• Secluded (can be plus for some)
• Expensive
• Not many activities for kids (however during Thanksgiving and Christmas the resort designs special programs for kids)
• 30-minute boat ride from Providenciales

Summary

If you can afford it and do not mind to be secluded on a small island you should try it!

Frommer's Review

This laid-back luxury resort gets a lot of press as a favored retreat of celebrities -- the place where Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner married and Bruce Willis maintains a home. It comes by its good press not from the movie stars it coddles but because its high service standards are impeccably and rigorously maintained. Even those of us not pursued by paparazzi get the same stratospheric level of service and friendly welcome that the famous enjoy. Parrot Cay defines excellence.
Parrot Cay lies on an isolated and very private 400-hectare (988-acre) island with a powdery white-sand beach. The compound features 10 white "modern colonial"-style buildings, each with a terra-cotta tile roof. Rooms have louvered doors that open onto terraces or verandas, oyster-white walls with tongue-and-groove paneling, and mosquito netting artfully draped over four-poster beds. The large tiled bathrooms are beautifully appointed with a big tub and a shower and the spa's Invigorate toiletries. The best units by far are the roomy beach houses and villas, which offer utter privacy and direct access to the beach. Beach houses have plunge pools and hardwood verandas; beach villas (one to three bedrooms) are even bigger, with swimming pools and kitchenettes.
Many come to Parrot Cay primarily for the sublime treatments in the COMO Shambhala holistic spa, the finest spa in the Caribbean, which encompasses a 613-sq.-m (6,600-sq.-ft.) space wrapped in a sea of glass that looks out over the island wetlands. In addition, the resort has an infinity pool and access to scuba diving, Hobie Cats, snorkeling, kayaks, and water-skiing. It also partners with Big Blue to provide guests diving and eco-tours. Kids are welcome, especially during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, when families come for long stays and the activities director devises such magical games as treasure hunts where the shallow waters are seeded with conch shells and messages in bottles are planted on the beach.
The Terrace restaurant, in the resort's main building, serves breakfast and dinner, specializing in Mediterranean cuisine. Lunch and dinner are served in Lotus, a torch-lit poolside restaurant with Southeast Asian-inspired cuisine (along with regular-Joe favorites like hamburgers); both restaurants also offer a healthful Shambhala spa menu.
Facilities: 2 restaurants; 2 bars; outdoor pool; 2 tennis courts; spa; fitness center; Jacuzzi; sauna; kayaks; excursion desk; library/game room w/high-speed Internet; boutique; limited room service; babysitting; laundry service; nonsmoking rooms; fishing; nature trail; snorkeling.

Not Cruising Through a Decision

"Ask Alina", Family Travel Concierge Advice Column. 

Dear Alina, Our family wants to go on vacation that doesn’t involve flying. We want to leave from NYC on the cruise that suits our needs and budget, in the most affordable for us cabin – we just want a getaway. We got an offer from our travel agent, Family Travel Concierge, and his offer sounds like what we asked for. The problem is that we just can’t seem to make a decision…  Family Travel Concierge says that if we wait, availability might become limited. I’m afraid that if we stay indecisive, we’ll get to the point where the trip will become either unavailable or too expensive. Why can't we make a decision?! 

Not Cruising Through a Decision

 

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Dear Not Cruising,

I would love to hear more about your ideal trip within your budget! From what you’ve said in your letter, it sounds like your heart is not in the travel plan that you asked your travel agent to look up, and that’s why you are not so eager to take the offer that he found for you. A good offer on something that you don’t really want never truly feels like a good offer, right? What I would suggest is to go back to the drawing board with your family and brainstorm ideas for your ideal vacation - the kind of vacation you would take if there are no restrictions. Dream big! If, after all the brainstorming, your ideal vacation is out of your budget, try to figure out what elements of that vacation make it ideal. Is it the destination? Or maybe, the fact that it is a cruise (or a car trip)? Perhaps, it offers the right variety of activities for the kids? Rank each element of your ideal vacation based on your level of joy and excitement. Then, take your top 3 items on the list, and ask Family Travel Concierge: “What types of vacations can capture the feeling or our top 3 experiences within our budget?” Alternatively, if you are willing to allocate the time and the budget to just go, go ahead - take that cruise on the budget. And start planning your next vacation, the one that will steal your heart and won’t damage your budget. Bon Voyage! 

***

Alina Bas, M.A., is an Executive Coach and Certified Life Coach who helps leaders connect to fulfilling work and live an engaging life. She has over 10 years of corporate experience in Organizational Effectiveness and Leadership Development, and is a co-author of the book “Changes of the Heart”, offering the best coaching strategies for life’s toughest moments. Connect with Alina at www.MindTerrainCoaching.com

***

Expedia

Eiffel Tower

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This blog post is written by my best guest blogger, Daniella Medvedovski, about her experience while on our trip to Paris year and a half ago.

As the elevator climbed up, towards the sky, I said to myself, "Boy, am I lucky!". I was so lucky that I was in the Eiffel Tower! Our elevator was moving up at the speed of lightning towards the top of the tower. The elevator was so crowded, I could hardly breathe! A person to my right, a person to my left, in back, in front, everywhere!

As the elevator doors opened and the crowd parted, I couldn't believe my eyes. There, in front of me was all of Paris, shimmering before my eyes with its beautiful night lights. I ran forward to the glass door, and said to my parents, "Let's go!", and my brother, my parents, and I all stepped outside onto the observation deck. I gasped. I could actually identify some of the landmarks and buildings. The Louvre! Arc de Triomphe!

I was brought away from views by my brother Matthew. "Ow! Ow! Mom! Dad! My tooth just came out!" I stared at him with amazement. Sure enough, he'd lost his first tooth at the top of the Eiffel Tower. It was a miracle, and that's the kind of place Paris is. There is lots of fun things to do there, and it may have been one of my favorite vacations.

Constallation of Greek islands or sailing vacation - Day 4

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Day 4, June 24 2013 - Monday

See Day 3 of our trip here.

Early in the morning - swimming in the most beautiful bay in Greece, Antiparos (2 hours).  
Breakfast. Then moving to the island of Paros (20 minutes). Lunch on board.  
On arrival tour, free time. In the evening sailing to Naoussa.

 Due to the flat topography and deposits of marble the island of Paros is called "white". Marble from Paros was used to build statues. Many well-known sculptors, painters and poets were born on this islands. Here you can find many beautiful beaches and small towns and villages.

Paros (194 sq. km., 8.000 inhabitants) is the third largest island in the Cyclades.
On this island, we will travel to unique Greek Orthodox "Hundred Gates Church" (Ekatondapilyani), the oldest surviving church in Greece. According to legend, it was built in the early III century AD by St. Helen, the mother of the Roman Emperor Constantine. Helen went to the Holy Land, and on the way she stopped in Paros. Here she had a dream related to the search of the Holy Cross on which Jesus was crucified. Empress decided to put the church on the island, but the good idea could be realized only in the VI century by Byzantine emperor Justinian. Officially the church called "Hundred Gates" although it has only 99 doors and windows. The legend said when 100th gate would be found then Constantinople (Istanbul) would again become Christian.

 
                  
Visiting this unique church we will see the Mother of God, created by St. Luke,  the Baptistry, ancient baptistery, the tomb of St. Feoktistos. She was the patron and protector of the island back in the IX century. It is associated with a mysterious legend. Young Feoktistos was kidnapped by pirates who demanded ransom from her family. Girl managed to escape and reached the island of Paros. Thirty five years she roamed the island, lived in caves, became a hermit and kept true commitment to the Christian faith. She was found in one of the caves by a local hunter. Enervated of starvation Feoctistos asked him to bring her some bread from Eucharist. When the hunter returned with bread hermit had died. Realizing that in front of him was a saint  he decided to take relics of the deceased and cut off her hand. When the hunter tried to leave Paros by ship storm waves forced the ship back to the island. He tried to leave this place seven times and every time his ship returned to the magical place. When he returned the severed hand of the holy body miracles ceased and he was able to leave the island. Here in "Hundred Gates church" you can find a footprint on a stone. This  is a trail of holy Feoktistos. According to legend the person who stands bare foot on this "trail" will be very lucky.

Later in the afternoon we will go around the island and visit the village of Naoussa.  Naoussa is one of the most popular resorts on Paros. Here, in the old port and the fishing area, you can find crowded taverns, cafes and great restaurants serving the finest seafood. Do not forget to taste the main Greek drink, brandy "Metaxa".Dinner (on your own). Overnight you sleep on board. In the pre-dawn time we will sail transition from Paros to Delos (about 3 hours).

Constallation of Greek islands or sailing vacation - Day 3

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Day 3, June 23 2013 - Sunday.

See  Day 2 of our trip here

Arrival to Santorini. After breakfast we will take a tour of Fira. Lunch.

Foreigners hear about Santorini  long before they arrive to Greece. Its major landmark is a former volcano or whatever left of it after the explosion in 1450 BC.
Santorini is the name of a group of 5 Cyclades islands. The largest island is called Thira (or Fira). Like a hand with outstretched fingers it covers a deep blue lagoon from the east.  From northwest of it you can find Tiraseya island, south of which is white very tiny Aspronisi. Quiet and welcoming turquoise lagoon is a dangerous crater of an active volcano.

Islanders consider this volcano their patron. At times though this volcano kills a lot of inhabitants of Santorini. The last eruption was in 1951 when it caused a major earthquake and  17 meters tsunami. Despite the fact that 50 people were killed residents did not leave the island. Sometimes the volcano saves people of Santorini. According to one story, in 1941, during the World War II, when Admiral Canaris led their submarines to Santorini, the volcano woke up and poured the German submarines with lava. The last catastrophic eruption on Santorini was 3.5 thousand years ago when according to historians the famous Atlantis was destroyed!
 
Fira, the main town of Fira island, is an architectural symbol of Santorini. You can get to Fira by three ways: walking 587 steps uphill, taking the cable car or riding donkeys.
You will enjoy the view of white houses, the church of Agios Minas, narrow streets, restaurants with terraces and souvenir shops on the background of the vast blue sky and turquoise sea. Looking at these beauties you know why Santorini became a popular tourist destination.

Taste famous Santorini's red wine "Byzantium" or white wine "Nikteri".  Well, for those who want something stronger, there is a grape vodka hemlock (not to be confused with ouzo), though do not forget that the ship leaves soon!Afternoon - free time . Dinner on board. 
Sail to Antiparos (about 5 hours).

To be continued ...