Last summer, my wife and I, along with another couple, planned a vacation to St. Maarten for a week of sun and relaxation on the beach. We decided to go during July, which is considered their “off season,” so it was nice and quiet. We stayed at the Atrium Beach Resort and Spa, located right on Simpson Bay and close to everything!
St. Maarten is a beautiful island with lots to do, see and experience. One day, we went around the island to the various towns and beaches to shop and eat. Another day, we went ocean kayaking to a beach close to our resort. At that beach, there was an outdoor bar with live music. There was even free Wi-Fi, so I was able to get onto the internet from my phone. It was nice to check back into civilization every so often!
In my opinion, the one thing you must do when you visit St. Maarten is go to the famous Maho Beach. This is the beach where the planes fly so close to it, it looks like you can touch them. Located next to this beach is an outdoor restaurant where you can sit, order food and watch the planes fly in. People we spoke to there had spent hours sitting and watching.
After spending 7 days on the island there was still so much to do. I’m looking forward to my next trip back! To learn more about St. Maarten, check out this article from the North America version of Endless Vacation® magazine. Or, come back to the RCI Blog this week, where you can read stories and see photos from RCI subscribing members who have traveled to this amazing island. Trust me, these photos are incredible and really make me want to plan my next trip back.
Discover the rich heritage of Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort with it's Victorian elegance and quiet charm. Named for the natural mineral hot springs found in the area, Saratoga Springs Resort immerses you in history, relaxation and luxury. The resort is a lakeside resort featuring Victorian architecture and great activities. Local attractions include Disney's Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Downtown Disney, Typhoon Lagoon Water park and much more. Transportation to all Walt Disney Resort areas is available by ferry or bus at no additional cost.
My husband and I traveled to Palm Beach Shores for our wedding anniversary in 2007. We had the best time and the weather was perfect. For an anniversary present, I arranged for a full body massage for the two of us at the spa in the resort. It was awesome! My husband enjoyed it so much he wants me to learn to massage him from now on! The Palm Beach Shores area is so beautiful, with lots of sightseeing, shopping and the food is great! I would recommend this place for anyone wanting to have a restful and relaxing vacation.
We got a room for a week through an exchange with RCI. It was a four hour drive from Chandigarh and away from the hustle bustle of Shimla and next to the Bishop Cotton School and the police headquarters.
Since it was off season, we got a good room (no. 602 on the 3rd floor). The rooms are huge and the furniture, fixtures and fittings in the entire hotel are from China. The bed is almost 9 feet wide (so I was quite blessed not to hear my spouse snoring…but had to really shift to snuggle up). Bathrooms are also very modern and the shower has a massage spout console to ease you after the long walks…
The food is expensive so we rarely ate at the resort. For breakfast we had carried theplas and other stuff and they have a coffee maker. But there aren't many options for food nearby. A good trek uphill takes you to the Ashiana restaurant which is spooky but the food was good and a good value for money. Besides that, you need a vehicle to find restaurants. The bus stand is just downhill at Kalini Chowk which takes you to the Mall.
In the mall you can enjoy a good filter coffee at the India Coffee House…or enjoy the momos (dumplings) and burgers from Krishna Bakery. We stayed for 6 nights and enjoyed all of them. The staff is very helpful and courteous. And though the hotel is cocooned between tall deodar trees, the rooms are spacious.
We took a cab one day and went to Tattapani where the newly opened Hotel Hot Spring Therme and Spa pumps sulphuric water into their small pool and two private pools. They had a good deal for a full meal from soup to dessert plus use of their very clean and modern spa.
Also since it had just snowed we went to Narkanda which was magical…unlike the crowded Kufri. On the way back, we had a meal (mushroom peas and egg curry) from the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Hotel (The Apple Blossom, Fagu) and it was superb. They have an unobstructed 180 degree view of the Himalayas and decent rooms for a day stay.
No trip is complete in Shimla without seeing the Wildflower Hall. We went for a meal there which was good and ate in an open area facing the mountains. They also showed us their awesome open air infinity pool with a Jacuzzi facing the Himalayas. The meal at Cecil was also good, their apple crumble is divine…
Our family usually vacations with our good friends. Our first trip to Mexico, was at a spot of their choice. We decided to go back in 2007, using our RCI deposited time. The wife was very hesitant about staying at a "timeshare resort" as her past experience was poor. However, we stayed at the Mayan Palace on the Riviera Maya. Well, safe to say, she was very impressed and no longer worried about the timeshare horror stories. Our friends were also on hand for our 2009 Cancun visit to the Moon Palace Golf and Spa, which was also an exchange through RCI. I do not think we will be able to go anywhere now without them. Thanks RCI, and our friends thank you too.
In May 2008, my husband, daughter and son went to the Grand Mayan at Riviera Maya. We had coordinated our trip with my brother-in-law and his wife and daughter who also exchanged a room for their timeshare week. The Grand Mayan had large rooms for ourselves and our adult children to share. There was plenty to do at the resort. We explored the Riviera Maya activities, and even enjoyed some spa treatments. The highlight was celebrating our son's 21st birthday...The most difficult part of the trip was navigating the Mexican highways. I'm just glad that my brother-in-law did all the driving instead of my husband. I also came to understand what a terrible backseat driver I am. Both couples came away from that trip appreciating our own spouses. We had a great time and enjoyed the pampering of a luxury resort. Now to plan another trip...
We put in a late search for a summer on the beach, and hit the jackpot with a week at Pacific Shores Resort and Spa. We walked through the acres of beautiful, manicured gardens, kayaked in the lagoon with the seals in the mornings, dined at the excellent restaurants, and laid in the hot tub with the lush plantings and soothing waterfalls. Wow. Thanks, RCI.
My wife and I visited a charming resort situated in the mountains near Montreal. The resort had a small lake, a fantastic indoor pool and spa, and so much peace and quiet. My wife was pregnant at the time, and she loved relaxing in the deep whirlpool bath at the resort.
My family loves vacationing in the Caribbean, and due to its wide variety of destinations, the fun starts when we plan the specific country we want to visit. And once again, we got it all and more...when we traveled to Puerto Rico.
We were impressed by how much fun we could pack in a week on this island. It all started with a short “domestic” flight to San Juan where we were able to experience the Spanish heritage of this beautiful city, including the amazing forts, beautiful streets with great architecture, fantastic food and great shopping. We were even able to spend a little time in a nice casino.
A couple days of culture and flavor were followed by days full of activities and magnificent views as we drove to our resort on the northeast coast, Sol Melia Vacation Club at Gran Meliá Puerto Rico. We love outdoor activities so we greatly enjoyed playing golf and tennis, snorkeling around beautiful coral reefs, experiencing the beach and hiking through the miles and miles of mountain-jungle paths that El Yunque Rainforest Park offers. Days ended with great food and some of us escaping briefly to the resort’s spa for a well deserved treatment or even to enjoy a disco night.
With all this activity, we didn’t read more than a few pages in our books… but it was an extraordinary vacation week worth repeating.
Come back to the RCI blog this week and take a look at stories and photos about the Caribbean from RCI subscribing members. And if you have a story or picture to share, do it here!
For my 33rd birthday, we went on our first vacation as a family since having our son. He was 16 months old. We stayed at Pueblo Bonito Sunset Beach. It was heaven on Earth and they treated us like royalty, including the baby. My husband said it was so beautiful and the service so good, we couldn't possibly deserve it and surely they would make us use the service entrance if they found out we are actually regular working-class people! From the unforgettable views and 9 swimming pools to the luxurious spa and delicious gourmet food, the resort was more than we had dreamed of. We had planned on seeing some sights in Cabo but ended up only leaving the resort twice during our week-long stay. We just couldn't tear ourselves away from this vacation of a lifetime.
2008 was the year of my 50th birthday. What to do was the question. Since I love going on vacations, I decided to bring my family with me on this special vacation. I was able to get Extra Vacations getaway for my entire family to spend a long weekend together. Breezy Point in MN was able to put all the rooms next to each other so we could go between them. We had an excellent time golfing, swimming, and the girls going to the nearest spa. The new marina night club was a definite hit with the crowd. It was so nice to have all the family members in one place. Spending time together with my family creates my most valued moments. Thanks RCI and Breezy Point Resort in Minnesota.
It was April, 2009 and we flew from Columbus to Sacramento, California on our adventure to Gold Rush Territory, Yosemite National Park and San Francisco. My staying at an RCI affiliated resort in Angels Camp, California we were able to fulfill all our desired locations and found ourselves in the middle of wonderful Wine Country. The resort was beautifully located at the foothills of the Sierra Nevada on a Golf Course. 2 Outdoor pools and 3 Spas to choose from. We selected the same spa each day and had it all to ourselves. It was nice to do the day trips to Yosemite, San Francisco, Giant Sequoia State Park and Murphy California where the town had 25 tasting rooms, so we didn't have to travel to the individual wineries. We were in Calaveras County, home of the Leaping Frog, (Mark Twain) and found some interesting facts about the area. Our unit was beautiful with a balcony over looking the 10th Green. We enjoyed afternoon cocktails there. I have been a member of RCI since 1982 and have only been to the home resort one time. I cannot say enough about the memories made each during each of the stays at RCI affiliated resorts over the past 27 years. We have already booked our next adventure to Hilton Head this Thanksgiving.
My husband and I went to LeBlanc Spa in Cancun March of 2009 to celebrate our 10 years of marriage. We absolutely loved it! We were treated better than royalty, our room was beautiful, the beach was amazing. We loved everything about the trip. Although we won't travel again without our children for many years, we look forward to returning to LeBlanc. What a wonderful resort. So glad it's part of the RCI exchange.
Last summer we traded our points with RCI for a week long stay in Los Cabos. My husband and I left the kids with family and went on our way to Cabo. The Playa Grande resort was fabulous. The staff was friendly and helpful. I had somehow lost our reservation confirmation in the airport. However, they were very helpful and checked us in with very little effort after talking to the great people at RCI.
For seven wonderful days we enjoyed fishing, the amazing spa at the hotel and the wonderful food. My husband caught a huge marlin and I was able to relax by the many pools at the resort. Everything we needed was either at the resort or within walking distance. We were just steps away from the marina with shopping and restaurants included.
This was our favorite trip so far. We take at least one week away each year without the kids. This was the first time that we exchanged points using RCI but it will not be the last.
One of our more memorable family trips was to Williamsburg with a timeshare exchange to the Kings Plantation resort. The units and resort amenities were perfect for a young active family. The children enjoyed the pool and mom took advantage of Fitness and Spa-type services.
It was easy driving to the great historical sites to visit nearby. We went back in time at Colonial Williamsburg and Jamestown. Came back to modern days for great fun and amusement at Cypress Gardens. A short drive to the coast and we were set for another grand beach day for a family reunion. That summer vacation is in our book as one of the top favorites. We'd love to go back again.
We traveled to West Yellowstone last winter with several friends. We had such a wonderful time, at a very reasonable rate. I would recommend the WorldMark resort to anyone, especially in the winter. Activities we had a blast doing include snowmobiling around the national forest land, a guided tour in Yellowstone, snowboarding at Big Sky and Moonlight Basin areas, and snowshoeing around the woods. In the evenings, we cooked our own meals and hung out around the pool and spa, and one evening checked out the local IMAX theater. Animals we saw in Yellowstone include bald eagles, a fox, otters, swans, and of course bison. The bears were all sleeping sound, thankfully, and the wolves are elusive. The wolf/grizzly center in the town is worth mentioning as well...go with your family, go with your friends. It's a winter wonderland you'll never forget
My daughter and I took a ski trip to Austria and stayed in an RCI affiliated resort. It was unbelievable how we could step outside our resort and go up on one gondola that would allow us to ski for hours. We were able to ski between Austrian villages. It was a lot of fun. The resort had a lot of evening activities in which we were able to meet other people staying at the resort. The resort also had a wonderful spa. The spa was a great way to relax after a long day of skiing. We had a memorable time due to staying in such a great resort.
A few months ago, I blogged about the fun and exciting tools we created to help you learn about RCI and our affiliated resorts. Well, we are adding to the list!
We recently launched an RCI Facebook page and Twitter account (we're @RCI_Timeshare) and we’re also planning big additions to our RCI app for the iPhone®. All of these are fantastic ways to stay in touch with RCI, but Facebook and Twitter are great ways to meet and interact with other RCI subscribing members. Which brings me to today’s topic: What are we trying to accomplish with all this social and online stuff?
Simply stated, we’re giving you more useful information in a setting where you can hear from other folks who love to travel. I love the idea of creating a tight-knit community of RCI members who share travel ideas and tips and wish each other well on vacation travels. I can see a day where someone may spot an RCI hat or beach towel at one of our affiliated resorts, and approach that person and say, “Hey, are you an RCI member? So am I!” (This is where the high five comes in.) “This is my wife. How is your vacation going? Have you tried the spa yet?”
So jump into Facebook and Twitter and start hanging out with others who are passionate about travel. While doing so, you’ll find fun and informative updates from RCI – like vacation tips, polls, trivia, updates on our affiliated resorts, and suggestions on FS2D (Fun Stuff to Do) when visiting destinations.
But more importantly, you’ll see what other members are saying about their trips and you can post your own suggestions and tips. And the best part of our Facebook page? Our new app called Share Your Vacation by RCI! It lets you plot all of your vacations on a map and see where your Facebook friends have been. Or, you can just see where other RCI members are traveling to get an idea of where the new hot spots are. Now that’s cool!
If you like hearing from RCI, but prefer to keep it short and sweet (like 140 characters or less short and sweet), then follow us on Twitter.
And by all means, if you’re at one of our affiliated resorts and hear someone talking about RCI, introduce yourself and jump into the conversation. And give them a high five!
Traveling has been a part of my job description for the past 20 years. And while I have been to dozens of different countries and to every state in the U.S., I have never been anywhere in Asia…until now!
I'm packing my bags and heading off to Bangkok, Thailand and Nha Trang, Vietnam to film a beautiful timeshare resort and to film another episode of our RCI® TV travel show, "New Ways to Play." The travel show will take place in Bangkok and the timeshare resort is on an island off the coast of Nha Trang. Villas overlook the sea and have their own plunge pool right outside your door. They have a renowned spa and feature ancient, traditional Far East massage treatments. Sounds perfect to me!
In Bangkok, we are going to meet up with one of the city’s most famous tailors to have him make my own custom silk suit in just 24 hours (I've been told I clean up fairly well). We're also taking a bicycle tour of the city with a company whose name says it all: "Grasshopper Adventures."
I've always admired the rich history of the many cultures that make up Asia and I cannot wait to experience a part of two of them in the coming weeks. What places have you visited in Asia? Any tips you can give me for my travels? Or timeshare locations you can recommend? Please comment below to let me know!
Most people think all-inclusive resorts are just swimming pools, tennis courts and food…but the “all-inclusiveness” doesn’t stop there! My job is to work closely with our affiliated timeshare resorts in Mexico and I have been onsite to personally check out what they have to offer, especially the all-inclusive ones.
We all know the main reason all-inclusive resorts are so popular is because of food and drinks, and the amount of them! But did you know that most resorts offer a lot of different dining options? There are many with 24-hour buffet style restaurants with a kids' buffet area, smaller restaurants that cater to sit-down dinners, and fine a-la-carte dining restaurants. So no matter what your taste buds like, you will find something to enjoy!
An abundance of activities is another plus to an all-inclusive resort. They usually have every water sport under the sun, and some may even be free of charge. Some resorts also include golf, tours and even spa discounts on selected treatments. No need to worry about the cost, you can let yourself have fun!
For children, the opportunities are even greater. All-inclusive resorts that cater to families have many options to keep your child entertained and happy. They may have a separate pool just for playing and splashing, water slides, and large gaming centers. Many all-inclusive resorts also offer classes like arts and crafts, acting, and even puppetry. Some all-inclusive resorts even have nannies available!
We worked with Dan the RCI Guy to create a video on RCI TV which tells you all about all-inclusive resorts. You should take a look; it’s very informative and a lot of fun!
What do you think about all-inclusive resorts? Share your experience by commenting below!
We received thousands of stories from our subscribing members and want to share them with you. Although we've corrected some spelling and technical errors, the stories are otherwise unchanged (you'll notice that the tone differs from story to story). We don't mean for these stories to inform you about resorts, destinations or even about RCI products and services. For example, some stories talk about unusual exceptions made or circumstances that may not be typical for most vacationers. As usual, we recommend that you do your own research about resorts, destinations, etc. when making travel arrangements. However, these stories are actual accounts that we've received and we think you'll find it as enjoyable as we did to find out about the different experiences other RCI vacationers have had through our programs.
Last summer, my wife and I, along with another couple, planned a vacation to St. Maarten for a week of sun and relaxation on the beach. We decided to go during July, which is considered their “off season,” so it was nice and quiet. We stayed at the Atrium Beach Resort and Spa, located right on Simpson Bay and close to everything!
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My family loves vacationing in the Caribbean, and due to its wide variety of destinations, the fun starts when we plan the specific country we want to visit. And once again, we got it all and more...when we traveled to Puerto Rico.
A few months ago, I 
On my way to Asia — for the first time!
Most people think all-inclusive resorts are just swimming pools, tennis courts and food…but the “all-inclusiveness” doesn’t stop there! My job is to work closely with our affiliated timeshare resorts in Mexico and I have been onsite to personally check out what they have to offer, especially the all-inclusive ones.
