All-Inclusive Month :: Matchmaking

Last week, in the first installment of our all-inclusive month feature, we dispelled some stereotypes, namely that all packaged-vacation resorts are the same. This week, our rhetoric turns into action suggesting different all-inclusives based on popular vacation preferences. Find the right fit and you'll have the week of your life, find the wrong fit and you'll wish you were at the Copa, Copa Cabana, the hottest spot north of Havana... But first, some all-inclusive rules of engagement...

Rules of Engagement Here are some rules of engagement as you plan an all-inclusive vacay:

• Do you want to be completely cashless or dole out daily tips? Some resorts you aren't allowed to tip, others it's generally expected.
• Is premium vs well liquor important to you?
• Are multiple à la carte {vs buffet} restaurants important to you?
• Do you want exciting kids programs?
• Are you a scenester? Some resorts have more of a scene than others.
• Do you want motorized sports or is a water trike more your style?
• Don't forget about bugs {sand fleas, mosquitoes and noseeums}. Not a big deal, just something to be aware of in a tropical climate. Bug spray is always an asset.

Matchmaking [trip style =  if you like pina coladas, and getting caught in the rain...] If you want to bake in the sun, drink for a week and party like it's 1999---and don't really care where---something in Veradero or Mazatlan will probably return the lowest price and bang for your buck. All-Inclusive Budget Suggestions: - Do a search for "vacations" on itravel2000.com, entering your departure point, destination {all of south}, dates and star level. Don't forget to click advanced search in order to select "all-inclusive" + "beachfront." You'll be floored at how many reasonably-priced options are available. - To ensure you're getting the cheapest price, 'google' the resort to see if other travel suppliers are offering it for less.

[trip style =  modern family] You want to have fun and you want your kids/teens to have fun---without breaking the bank. Is it possible to combine all these features? Yes, if you avoid high season at resorts like Beaches Turks and Caicos. It has it all: 16 restaurants, a surf simulator, a lazy river, kids and teen programs, zero entry pool, spa, swim-up bars {for both kiddies and adults}, etc... All-Inclusive Family Suggestions: *Beaches, Turks and Caicos *Breezes, Curacao *Franklin D Resort, Jamaica {vacation nanny included}

[trip style =  splurge/save] If you splurge on shoes, handbags and jeans, paired with the occasional outlet-find top, you'll likely enjoy a high/low resort complete with a few fabulous features, yet manageable price tag. It's kinda like shopping at Off Saks... All-Inclusive High/Low Suggestions: *Riu, Los Cabos *Breezes Grand, Negril *Club Med, Florida *Barcelo Bavaro Palace Deluxe, Punta Cana

[trip style =  posh spice] If you're into exclusive getaways, I'd suggest a private island-style, rustic-luxe all-inclusive like the first option below. Beyonce's been known to jet-set to Half Moon as well... All-Inclusive Exclusive Suggestions: *Fowl Cay Resort, Bahamas *Royal Plantation, Jamaica *Half Moon, Jamaica {ask for all-inclusive plan}

[trip style = a-list] If you make a habit of staying at Rosewoods, Ritz' and Four Seasons, and sipping mint-infused mineral water under spritzers in a spot at the pool where everyone can see you, then these resorts might peak your interest. Note the below properties are not small, so if you're looking for a posh hideaway, see above. All-Inclusive A-List Suggestions: *Grand Velas, Riviera Maya *Excellence, Punta Cana *Secrets, Riviera Cancun *Royal Hideaway, Playa Del Carmen

All-Inclusive Month :: Coming Up Friday, Feb 18th – All-Inclusive vs Non-Packaged Vacation Monday, Feb 21st – From the Archives :: All-Inclusive Tricks of the Trade Friday, Feb 25th – Fashion Friday :: Rockin’ the All-Inclusive

[photo by @tripstyler, taken at Sandals Whitehouse in Jamaica]

Travel Trends :: Molecular Cuisine

This next travel trend is not so much a trend in travel, but a trend you'll see while {and hopefully experience} traveling. I first saw molecular cuisine {were food meets science} talked about on the Food Network last year, then had the chance to taste it at Whistler's Bearfoot Bistro and Mexico's Banyan Tree Mayakoba's Tamarind restaurant. Both experiences were redonculously good.

In Theory and in Practice Molecular gastronomy/cuisine is a discipline practiced by both scientists and food professionals studying the physical and chemical processes that occur while cooking. It is intended to be palate-revolutionizing, challenging the norms of how and why food is prepared. In my layman's, non-cheffy terms, it's eating balls, pearls, pebbles, dust and foam that you wouldn't normally expect to be in that form/shape, in other words, putting together daring combinations and changing the properties of food we consume. Here are some concrete examples: olive oil dust {pictured above}, cola pearls, codfish foam, salmon poached with liquor ice, etc...

This chemist-meets-foodie trend is so popular, there are entire restaurants devoted to it, forums about it and event at-home starter kits. Check out this video showing some gastronomic creations:

[photo by @nate_fri, taken at the Bearfoot Bistro]

Shhhh, It's {Semi} Private...

Back in June we wrote about the exploding Private Travel Sales as part of our thrice-monthly Travel Trends column. At the time, it was still a newish concept with mostly early-adopter buy-in. Fast forward 8 months and this travel segment has grown like luggage on wheels and is opening a whole new set of options for the escape artist in all of us. Below are the big players.

Recommended Would I recommend flash-sale travel? Yes! I've had a great experience thus far, and the properties offered seem more interesting and hand-picked than trolling through Expedia or the like. It is prefect if you want to travel, but need a little inspiration to book. Note that most of the time, offers are for a one- to 3-month period. Don't forget to check each offer's fine-print and cancellation policies.

The Concept - You want to travel somewhere fabulous and get a good deal - Private travel sale sites offer time-sensitive, discounted rates for close-to-home & far-flung getaways - You see a deal you like, and snag it The Catch. They're private, meaning you need to join or get an invite, which I can help you out with below.

The Online Goods Jetsetter.com [join here] Part of the Gilt Group, an online private sale clothing & accessories retailer, Jettsetter offers a smattering of worldwide travel candy {aka - fabulous getaways} at discounts to their members. If you're a Gilt member you can book travel on Jetsetter, and if you're a Jetsetter member, you can buy on Gilt. I've used Jetsetter twice to book hotels and have been very really happy with both bookings. One feature I really like is how, in most cases, Jetsetter sends someone to review the property beforehand and on the sale, lists the features and drawbacks so you know what you're getting into. *PS - Jetsetter just launched 24/7, whereby you can book select properties sans flash-sale, i.e. all the time. One offer I'm currently swooning over is the Banyan Tree Samui.

Ideeli.com [join here] Ideeli is similar to the Gilt Group, offering fashion, home and beauty collections at heavy discounts. Why not add travel to the mix? Touché, they did featuring US and Mexican getaways.

Vacationist.com [join here] As a joint venture between two travel giants, Travel + Leisure magazine and Luxury Link, Vacationist delivers excellent getaways with booking features I love, like T+L destination suggestions and what's going on around town during the months sale is offered.

VoyagePrivee.com [join here] Starting in Europe, Voyage Prive {private travel} offers invite-only, limited-time sales similar to the above sites. With 6-million members, I'd say this private travel site is getting fairly public. Each sale features a flip-through brochure and a page where you can view and book the deal. Save your time and just go straight to the viewing/booking page.

Sniqueaway.com [join here] Launched by the TripAdvisor Media Group in 2010, SniqueAway offers time-sensitive, flash-sales like the rest of 'em, but a few differentiating features I like are: integrated Trip Advisor reviews, Out & About suggestions and Overview with spellbinders and reminders. Logging in, I just found a $139 sale for a lake-view room at Whistler's Nita Lake Lodge {just awarded a 2011 Trip Advisor Traveller's Choice award}. I would love to stay at this property, and have heard really good feedback.

Tablethotels.com [join here] Tablet hotels use an American Idol-style hotel selection. The judges do the rankings and the people decide the winner. Tablet is a group of hand-picked, tightly edited hotels in destinations all over the world. The list of these hotels is created and maintained by anonymous visits from travel experts, then reviewed by a team with "a low tolerance for boredom." In addition, hotels are also reviewed by guests, and if their rating falls below a 15 out of 20, the hotel no longer gets to compete. Tablet's private sales are limited, featuring 2 - 3 properties every few days.

Other Travel Flash-Sale Sites on our Radar Ruelala.com [join here] Same concept to Gilt/Jettsetter and Ideeli: Rulala is a name brand flash-sale site with an added travel component. Currently, it has one offer.

Secretescapes.com [join here] Following the same model as Jetsetter and Vacationist, recently launched Secret Escapes focuses its efforts on mostly Euro getaways with offers in British Pounds. One difference between this new company and Voyage Prive, is it's more difficult to get/find an invite unless you know someone who knows someone, who knows someone, which is likely part of their business plan. Interestingly, the company was started by the people behind dealchecker.co.ok {who was just aquired last week by EasyVoyage...not to be confused with the Easy Group offering internet, flights, cruises, car rentals, etc....} Either way, might be a good bet if you're planning some European travel.

Travel Apps :: Instagram

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So you want to get fancy do you? Plain old pictures of Tofino or Toronto aren't good enough for you? You just have to apply moody and extravagant filters to your pictures and then share them with the world? YES!

If you haven't already seen your network getting snap happy with this picture sharing app, allow me to formally introduce you to Instagram. Catching-on like wildfire, Instagram's garnered an impressive 1-million downloads in the past 3 months!

How it Works After downloading the app, you take a picture and share it with friends, fam or the world. At its core, the photo filters offered in the app are a lot like camera bag's {featured May 4th, 2010}, but Instagram takes it a step further and integrates heavy sharing capabilities like finding and following friends using the app, sharing photos on major social networking sites and commenting on others' photos. The app is as much about picture taking as it is about sharing.

Foto Filter Examples X-Pro II, Hefe and 1977 filters.

Instagram App Details

• Free
• Works with iPhone, iPod Touch & iPad. An android app is also on the company's radar
• 15 photo filters
• Attach (optional) location information to any of your posts
• Share your posts to Twitter, Tumblr, Flickr, Posterous, & Facebook
• Check in to Foursquare when you post a photo with a location
• Let your friends know what you think by liking & commenting on their photos
• View the most popular photos around the world from Instagram users

Other Travel Apps Don’t forget to peruse the other 60+ travel apps we’ve reviewed from travel first aid, to luxury and boutique hotel finders, to border waits, to trip itinerary management. Here are the most recent:

• Airbnb
• Book Crazy
• TomTom
• Get Packing
• Picture Translate

Rainy Day Vacay Ideas

[trip style = sun + beach + urban]

You're playing with your kiddies by the pool in Kauai...and it rains. You're weekending in Cali...and it rains. You're sightseeing in Paris...and it rains.

What do you do when it rains for a day or the whole week while on vacation?

A few days of rain are manageable. A tropical vacation marred by daily torrential downpours is disappointing when you hoped for sun and sand. Six years ago my husband and I booked a last-minute, all-inclusive getaway in the Dominican Republic during hurricane season. We were worried about the forecasted tormentas {translation: fairly significant rain storm}, however, we knew this was a risk given the season. When we got there, the weather reports continued to talk tormentas, but in reality that week it meant: sun until 3pm, storm from 3-5pm, early evening sunsets and clear, balmy nights. Not too shabby. I wasn't so luck in Paris, it rained chats and chiens nearly the entire time---good excuse to go back?

Vacation Rainy Day Ideas As I write this list, I'm sitting in my casita looking out at the pooling rain on my balcony {pictured above} at the Fairmont Mayakoba {my review here} hoping the rain will stop. It got worse.

• Read a book
• Flip through your magazines
• Surf the web
• Catch up on emails
• Write your friends and family with a vacation update
• Embrace the rain and just go for it outside: in the pool, in the ocean {lightning and wind permitting} or pounding the pavement
• Go see a movie, watch TV, or view something on your laptop or tablet {Hulu.com is a lifesaver if you are in the US!}
• Go shopping
• Book an impromptu service at the spa
• When in doubt, eat
• If you're in a Vacation Rental with a kitchen, go out and get ingredients for a fabulous gourmet meal and then spend all day making it
• Play a game
• Go to the gym
• Take a nap
• Go wine tasting, or create your own wine tasting experience at a restaurant if you aren't near a wine region
• Take an opportunity to leave a comment card complimenting a staff member who has made your stay memorable
• Catch up on your Trip Styler reading {just had to sneak that in}
• Use Skype or Google Talk's 'call phone' to catch up with someone

How to Avoid Being Snaked by Rain

• Check the weather forecast before you go to mentally prepare yourself
• Create a list before you go of things you could do *if* it rains
• Book a last-min vacation so you can check the weather outlook before you leave
• Maintain a good attitude {I know, this one is cheesy, but turning a negative into a positive is good for the soul}

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[Photo by @tripstyler, taken on a very rainy day at the Fairmont Mayakoba]