Katie's Bliss

Babymoon Recap | Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach Review

Amy Clackner — Mon, 22 Aug 2022 21:34:08 +0000

OUTFIT DETAILS // Green Bikini Top | Green Bikini Bottoms | Sun Hat | Oversized Sunglasses | Louis Vuitton Tote

Nick and I had the best getaway to the Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach earlier this month. We went for three nights and four days and felt like it was the perfect amount of time to recharge before we start nesting for baby #2.

This was actually our first solo trip as a couple since our honeymoon, where we coincidently also stayed at a Four Seasons property. Since the bulk of my first pregnancy took place during the pandemic lockdowns, we never got to take a babymoon before Nate’s arrival so this trip was very overdue and exactly what we needed!

OUTFIT DETAILS // Blue Gradient Bikini Top | Blue Gradient Bikini Bottoms | Sun Hat | Oversized Sunglasses

OUTFIT DETAILS // Stripe Maxi Dress | Tory Burch Sandals | Louis Vuitton Tote | Sun Hat | Oversized Sunglasses

We’d been to Palm Beach once for a work event for me a few years ago, however this was our first time really getting to enjoy the beach and sunshine that Palm Beach is known for. Since the goal of the trip was to simply relax we chose the Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach due to its waterfront location, beautiful pools, world-class spa and restaurant. We wanted to stay somewhere that had everything we needed right on-site so we wouldn’t have to rent a car or feel like we needed to trek around to entertain ourselves, so it was perfect!.

OUTFIT DETAILS // Lavender Midi Dress | Tory Burch Sandals | Louis Vuitton Tote | Flower Statement Earrings

The resort is incredibly beautiful and we were really happy with our accommodations, the service and the hotel’s amenities. We spent the majority of our stay by the pool and beach, but did indulge in a couples’ massage at the spa (mine was a prenatal) that was amazing! We had breakfast every morning + one dinner at Florie’s, the hotel restaurant, and then ordered lunch everyday from the expansive poolside menu. The food and drinks we had at every meal were wonderful!

OUTFIT DETAILS // Ribbed Tank Dress | Braided Heels | Louis Vuitton Tote

OUTFIT DETAILS // Red Bikini Top | Red Bikini Bottoms | Sun Hat | Oversized Sunglasses

OUTFIT DETAILS // Blue Midi Dress | Tory Burch Sandals | Louis Vuitton Tote

If you’ve seen my other travel guides and hotel reviews then you’re probably used to getting a lot more information and recommendations, but honestly this trip was meant to be low key (not the norm for us lol) so I don’t have much else to share! If you’re looking to visit a destination that’s sunny, beautiful and warm all year long and want to stay at an intimate luxury resort, then I can’t recommend the Four Seasons Palm Beach enough!

OUTFIT DETAILS // Lilly Pulitzer Cover-Up | Tory Burch Sandals | Louis Vuitton Tote | Sun Hat

The post Babymoon Recap | Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach Review appeared first on Katie's Bliss.

Bahamas Trip Recap | Grand Hyatt Baha Mar Resort Review

Katie — Thu, 24 Feb 2022 23:22:20 +0000

We had the BEST time on our recent trip to the Bahamas. Not only was it our first vacation as a family of three, but it was also the first trip Nick and I have taken since our HONEYMOON. Talk about a change of pace… For this trip we really wanted to find a resort that was family-friendly, yet also had the amenities and perks that we would look for in a hotel if we were planning a vacation without

kids.

While we’ve typically always planned all of our trips ourselves, traveling with a toddler is just a different ball game and the research process became too overwhelming. We realized we needed some help so we decided to use Beachbound to find the right destination and hotel. BeachBound is a travel company that specializes in planning all-inclusive getaways and curated beach vacations for groups and families. They work with over 70 different destinations and will assist you from start to finish with booking your perfect vacation. They handle everything– the hotel search process, booking your rooms/flights/car transfers, setting up excursions, making dinner reservations– the list goes on. Their services were a game changer for us and really helped take a lot of the stress that comes with planning a trip off of our backs.

With the help of the Beachbound team, we ultimately decided to book a 5-night stay at the Grand Hyatt Baha Mar in Nassau, Bahamas. It checked all of our boxes: family-friendly, lots of activities for kiddos, wide variety of restaurants and bars, beautiful pools and beachfront. We really wanted to make this a relaxing vacation (well, as relaxing as it can be with a toddler lol) which meant choosing somewhere where we’d never have to leave the resort. And boy let me tell you, Baha Mar has it all. You could probably spend a month there and still find something new to do. The property is HUGE– almost like it’s own little city.

Before I get into more detail about the resort itself, I’ll quickly explain how we traveled to The Bahamas as well as the pre-flight Covid-testing requirements.

The Bahamas is currently open to all US travelers who have the following: a negative Covid test completed prior to your flight and a Bahamas Health Pass. Once travelers have their negative test results, they can apply for the health pass on the Bahamas government website. This page explains all of the requirements in more detail.

I won’t lie. It was a bit nerve-wracking completing the testing and applying for the pass in such a short timeframe prior to our flight. We ended up paying out of pocket for tests at a local clinic that would provide immediate results vs going to a pharmacy and possibly having to wait 24-48 hours. The most stressful part was not knowing when we would be approved for the health pass (which was required to board our flight) but thankfully the process was quick. I submitted our applications 2 days before our flight and was approved within three hours. Side note– children under 2 are completely exempt from any Covid requirements when traveling to the Bahamas. I still had to submit a health pass application for Nate but just with our general trip details and his age.

Before heading home, we also had to take another Covid test (just a rapid). Baha Mar actually has a testing clinic right in the hotel where we were able to get this done. We received our results within the hour and then we were able to upload them to check in for our flights and return to the US. It was a very easy and stress-free process.

SWIMSUIT DETAILS //Asymmetrical One Piece Swimsuit | Panama Hat | Oversized Sunglasses

Our flight to the Bahamas went smoothly– other than Nate having a meltdown the final hour. Poor bub was due for his nap and just too over-excited to relax and fall asleep. I felt so bad Other than that we had a seamless experience with boarding, security, customs in the Bahamas and our transfer to the Grand Hyatt Baha Mar. Thankfully our flight home went much better and Nate actually napped! PS this post has all of my toddler travel trips + must-have products.

Beachbound booked our transfers between the airport and Baha Mar using Majestic Tours. They were able to provide a car seat for Nate, which was amazing. The drive to Baha Mar took just 10 minutes and was incredibly easy.

SWIMSUIT DETAILS // Ribbed Bralette Bikini Top | Ribbed Hipster Bikini Bottom | Panama Hat | Oversized Sunglasses

Grand Hyatt Baha Mar Review

Baha Mar has three hotels: the Grand Hyatt, SLS and Rosewood. We chose the Grand Hyatt as it seemed like the best fit for kids. We booked a 1-bedroom suite with a separate living area so Nate would have his own quiet space to sleep and we could still be in the room at the same time. The hotel also provided a crib for him. Nate slept great our entire trip (we brought his sound machine from home to replicate his sleep environment) and we were really pleased with our accommodations.

SWIMSUIT DETAILS // Underwire Adjustable Bikini Top | Banded High Waist Bikini Bottom | Panama Hat | Oversized Sunglasses

OUTFIT DETAILS // Spotted Cover-Up Romper | Panama Hat | Lilly Pulitzer Gold Tote | Oversized Sunglasses | Tory Burch Sandals

Baha Mar Restaurants & Bars

I feel like often at large resorts, the food can be just average. This wasn’t the case at Baha Mar. We had some really incredible meals– way better than I was anticipating. The resort has a ton of dining options that range from traditional sit-down style to food trucks to casual grab-and-go. In total there are 26 restaurants and 16 bars throughout the Baha Mar complex. At many of the restaurants, kids under 5 eat free if you’re ordering off the children’s menu. Every restaurant we went to had highchairs and were very accommodating of our needs with Nate. I included a list below of all the spots we tried!

Costa— upscale Mexican restaurant in the Rosewood. The food and drinks were fantastic and the restaurant itself was absolutely gorgeous. Like eating in a jungle paradise!

Katsuya— upscale Japanese restaurant in the Grand Hyatt. I would go back to Baha Mar just to eat here again. My mouth is watering just thinking about the yellowtail sashimi, spicy tuna on crispy rice and the miso-glazed black cod. I also had the most amazing spicy margarita.

Marcus Fish + Chop House— upscale beachfront restaurant specializing in land and sea with a Bahamian twist. Everything we ordered kept getting better and better. The service was also so over-the-top in the best way. We truly felt catered to here!

Swimming Pig— casual English pub great for burgers, sandwiches and beer. We had dinner here our first night!

Da Poke Bowl Shack— grab-and-go lunch spot located near the Grand Hyatt pool area and beach. I ordered lunch from here one day just to switch things up and have a healthy option. So good!

Drift Bar & Grill– casual food and drinks conveniently located by the Grand Hyatt pools. We had two really yummy lunches here!

El Jefe— retro beachside taco truck just steps from most of the Grand Hyatt pools. We grabbed tacos from here for lunch one day that we ate poolside!

Pizza Lab— this is where we grabbed breakfast most mornings. We ordered food to-go and ate by the pool, but you can sit down as well. There was also a night that we indulged in some late night pizza that hit the spot!

Manor Bar— elegant Great-Gatsby inspired bar in the Rosewood. We’re past our clubbing late night out days, so we opted for this quiet bar most nights after we put Nate down.

Baha Mar Activities + Experiences

There is no shortage of activities and experiences to partake in at Baha Mar. The resort has something to satisfy every interest: sports, a Jack Niklaus-designed golf course, a spa, an animal sanctuary, its own waterpark + water activities, 6 luxury pools, a casino, day and night life, retail– it’s impossible to get bored. We really wanted to relax on this trip so we didn’t do a ton of extra activities, but I included brief recaps of everything we did below!

OUTFIT DETAILS // Amazon Crochet Cover-Up | Panama Hat | Lilly Pulitzer Gold Tote | Ray-Ban Sunglasses | Pink Lilly Pulitzer Sandals

Baha Bay— is Baha Mar’s new luxury waterpark (opened July 2021) and omg, we spent two mornings here and had SO much fun. I’ve never been a fan of water or theme parks, but I LOVED this place and was really impressed with the facilities and layout. Baha Bay is located within a five minute walk of the Grand Hyatt pool area, near the SLS hotel. Nate had the time of his life at Turtle Beach– Baha Bay’s small kiddo area complete with splash-pads and toddler-sized slides. There were lots of activities for big kids and adults too: a wave pool, surf-simulator, lazy river, group slides, straight-shot solo tube slides (I was too scared but Nick had a blast on these), there was even a water playground for big kids and teens. There were complimentary life jackets available in all sizes + access to Baha Bay is FREE to all Baha Mar hotel guests. Experiencing Baha Bay was definitely one of the highlights of our entire vacation!

SWIMSUIT DETAILS // Lilly Pulitzer Cap Sleeve Bikini Top | Lilly Pulitzer High Waisted Bikini Bottoms | Panama Hat | Oversized Sunglasses

Pools— we spent a good portion of everyday by one of Grand Hyatt’s beautiful pools. Our favorite pool was Dean’s Blue Hole. It was the closest to the beach, only a few steps from the pool bar and very kid-friendly. It has rock walls you can jump off of, a waterfall and a really cool grotto where you could walk inside and look through glass windows at all the sea life in the wildlife sanctuary.

We actually booked a private cabana at Dean’s Blue Hole for one day and loved the experience. It was really nice having our own reserved chairs, a private space and extra attention from the serving staff. That said, you can absolutely have an amazing time at the pool without paying extra for a cabana. Just keep in mind that the pool chairs are first come first served. The days that we didn’t have a cabana, Nick actually went down first thing in the morning to snag us chairs as we noticed seating could get competitive in the prime areas at certain pools.

The other pool that we really liked was Drift, but you honestly can’t go wrong. The property is so beautiful and all the pools are close together. You can easily move around and test out different spots.

Wildlife Sanctuary— if you or your kiddos love animals then you’re in for a treat at Baha Mar. At the Sanctuary you can have an encounter with all types of marine life: stingrays, sharks, sea turtles and fish. I believe these experiences require signing up in advance + a separate fee.

We felt Nate was a little too young for the marine life encounter, so we opted for feeding the birds at the Aviary instead. We didn’t need a reservation for this– you can just drop in during the hours it’s open. You can feed the birds and they’ll even land on your arms (they were all tiny– nothing crazy or scary.) Nate got such a kick out of it!

Flamingo Cay— twice a day at 9:30AM and 3:30PM there is a FLAMINGO PARADE. Yes, you read that right. Baha Mar has it’s own flock of flamingos that you can mingle with during their daily parades. They have a habitat right near the beach and pool area, where you can walk by and check them out over their fence. I believe the resort also offers Flamingo Yoga classes too.

childcare on vacation

We decided to bring our nanny with us for a few reasons. 1) It was the first time Nate was ever going to be taken out of his routine and the environment he was used to at home. We had no idea how he would react, especially during naps. 2) She’s the only person (besides us) who has ever watched him for an extended period of time and we felt more comfortable having her there vs using unfamiliar childcare at the resort. 3) Nick and I really wanted to be able to relax and have some time to ourselves. It would have been impossible to achieve that without an extra set of hands.

OUTFIT DETAILS // Orange Maxi Dress | Panama Hat

I got a lot of questions on Instagram asking how bringing our nanny worked, so here’s the general gist. We covered all of her expenses. This included her roundtrip flight, baggage fees, all of her meals, her own private room in the hotel, Covid test fee and her Bahamas health pass fee. She just charged her meals to her room and then at the end we covered the bill. Everything else we reimbursed her directly.

We also paid her normal hourly rate during the times she was watching Nate. We ended up giving her most mornings off to do her own thing and then let her take over to watch him while he napped until dinner. She also would come back to our room to watch him after we’d put him to sleep and would go out to grab a drink.

It ended up working out really well and I felt that by having her there we were able to get the best of both worlds on our vacation. We made so many great memories with Nate and were also able to unwind and relax.

OUTFIT DETAILS // Lilly Pulitzer White Eyelet Dress | Lilly Pulitzer Flower Statement Earrings | Braided Heeled Sandals

That said, you could absolutely have a great vacation at Baha Mar without bringing extra help. The resort offers a wide variety of childcare options: a kids club, activities everyday, in-room babysitting– even CPR-certified pool buddies that can play with your kids in the water. We were very nervous first time parents on this trip, but after seeing how well Nate handled everything, I think we would definitely consider using on-site childcare for future vacations.

The post Bahamas Trip Recap | Grand Hyatt Baha Mar Resort Review appeared first on Katie's Bliss.

Tanzania Safari Itinerary + Four Seasons Serengeti Lodge Review

Amy Clackner — Fri, 31 Jan 2020 15:52:34 +0000

Miss me? In nearly 10 years of blogging, I don’t think I’ve ever gone this long without posting! I hope you can forgive me for taking a break while I was on my honeymoon

A little over two weeks ago, Nick and I embarked on our biggest and longest adventure yet. First to Tanzania for a 5 day safari and then to United Arab Emirates where we spent 4 days at a desert resort and 2 days exploring Dubai.

Why these destinations? I touched on this already in this post, but to sum it up briefly both an African safari and a visit to the Middle East has always been on both of our bucket lists.

Considering the distance and time required to really enjoy both locations, using the 2+ weeks we allocated for our honeymoon seemed like this perfect time to check them both off… and escape the cold in the north east!

NICK’S OUTFIT // Linen Shirt | Linen Pants (he ordered these in 3 colors) | Safari Hat | Boat Shoes

Tanzania Safari Itinerary + Four Seasons Serengeti Review

This travel guide is going to focus solely on our first destination: Tanzania. There are many countries in Africa where you can go on safari, however we decided on Tanzania mainly due to it being home to the Four Seasons Safari Lodge in the famed Serengeti National Park.

We’ve only ever had positive experiences staying at Four Seasons properties (see my reviews for Miami and Hawaii here) and trust the brand. Once we read the thousands of positive reviews online written by previous guests of the lodge, it was really a no-brainer.

We booked a 5-night stay in late January and felt it was the perfect amount of time to enjoy the gorgeous lodge and take advantage of the property’s safari excursions.

Getting To Serengeti National Park

I won’t sugarcoat it. Getting to Serengeti National Park from the United States is not simple. Nick and I book all of our trips ourselves— flights, hotels, excursions, etc. and this was our toughest adventure to plan yet. Primarily due to the number of flights, a few of which were only available on certain days of the week.

We found it was nearly impossible to fly to Tanzania in a single day. Honestly I’m glad this was the case, because I don’t think I would’ve survived the back-to-back flights and multiple long layovers. The only airline offering a direct flight to the region was AirKenya (New York > Nairobi) but we quickly nixed that as an option after reading airline reviews.

OUTFIT DETAILS // Black V-Neck Tee | Pink Waffle Knit Cardigan | Cheetah Print Joggers | Leather Backpack | Gray Sneakers

Our Flight Itinerary: New York to Tanzania

In the end we decided on United + AirCanada combo: Newark > Toronto > Dubai. The sole reason we did this was because I stubbornly wanted to maintain my United Gold Premier Status via the miles we’d gain from flying business class on AirCanada (a Star Alliance airline and United partner).

If you watched my Instagram stories on what was supposed to be our departure day, then you already know our planned flight itinerary turned into a complete dumpster fire.

Long story short: due to internal IT issues, United massively delayed (& ultimately cancelled) our flight to Toronto causing us to miss our connecting AirCanada flight to Dubai where we had planned a 1.5 day stopover before our final two flights to Tanzania.

TRAVEL FYI: After revealing our flight fiasco on Instagram, I was inundated with messages from followers recounting similar negative experiences flying United and connecting in Toronto for an international flight. If we’d known beforehand of the potential problems we could encounter, we would’ve never booked our flights this way. If you’re considering flying internationally on United or one of their partner airlines I would be very wary of connecting in Toronto. Moving forward we are going to try to avoid flying United anytime we aren’t flying somewhere direct.

The situation was a nightmare. After spending the entire day in Newark airport trying to figure out a solution (during which I had 2 panic attacks) we ended up having to completely cancel our United/AirCanada itinerary and re-book entirely new, significantly more expensive direct flights to Dubai on Emirates (what we should’ve booked in the first place.)

Doing this was the only way we could get to Dubai for our flights to Africa. We had strict visas that would only allow us to be in Tanzania over a specific block of days— re-booking via United and AirCanada would have meant re-booking every single one of our hotels and applying for new visas. If there wouldn’t have been an Emirates flight first thing the next morning, I think we would’ve had to cancel our entire honeymoon.

BIG lesson learned. Always book a direct flight if it’s available, even if that means cheating on your go-to airline. This experience personally taught me that loyalty doesn’t mean anything to United or Star Alliance. As a consolation for nearly ruining our honeymoon, United offered me a pitiful $100 voucher and Nick $75… Talk about rubbing salt in the wound. PS yes we plan on getting in touch with customer service to fight for higher vouchers. Will share an update on Instagram if anything changes…

Glad that’s out of the way! While our honeymoon got off the a rocky start, I’m happy to share it was smooth sailing once we boarded our new Emirates flight to Dubai. The service was exceptional!

Dubai Stopover

We arrived in Dubai with 12 hours to spare before our next two flights. Since we’d originally planned to arrive in Dubai a day earlier, we already had a room booked at the Shangri-La Hotel Dubai. Even though we couldn’t take advantage of the overnight, we still kept our reservation so we could wash up and nap over the long layover.

The Shangri-La Dubai is just 15 minutes from Dubai International Airport and the perfect place to stay if you’re doing a stopover in Dubai. I’m so happy we planned our trip this way because that 1+ day long layover gave us the time we needed to figure out our flight fiasco. As much as we would’ve loved to get to our final destination as quickly as possible, this experience taught us that it’s better to be safe than sorry especially when multiple expensive flights and strict visas are involved.

After a long nap, hot shower and a yummy lunch and dinner, we packed up our safari duffels and headed back to the airport for our next leg of travel.

OUTFIT DETAILS // Brown Long Sleeve | Floral Maxi Skirt | Platform Sandals | High Waisted Belt | Leather Watch

Safari Luggage + Packing Tips

Let’s talk safari luggage! Why one duffel bag? To fly to Serengeti National Park, you have to take a very tiny flight (aka a small propeller plane) and there are strict weight limits. Our flight only allowed 33lbs (15kg) total per person and each bag couldn’t be larger than 14.5” x 27.” Right away we knew bringing our hard luggage was out of the question, so we purchased these inexpensive duffel bags for the safari portion of our trip.

We kept these folded in our luggage for our first flight to Dubai with the intention of re-packing them during our layover. Prior to leaving for our trip, we both practiced filling our duffels at home so we knew exactly what items we were bringing to Tanzania and how much it all would weigh. Here’s a link to the luggage scale we use. It made the re-packing process during our layover in Dubai a breeze!

So what did we do with our hard luggage? The concierge at the Shangri-La was kind enough to keep our bags locked in storage during the 5 days were in Tanzania. We would then pick up our bags once we returned to Dubai for the second portion of our trip.

FYI I reached out to the Shangri-La concierge in advance of our trip to ask if this was possible— I wouldn’t assume all hotels would be willing to do the same so make sure to plan accordingly if you’re considering a similar trip. I believe airports also offer luggage storage options as well, however I can’t speak to experience using this method.

PS I plan on sharing more about our time at the Shangri-La in my Dubai recap (we spent the final two days of our honeymoon there!)

OUTFIT DETAILS // V-Neck Tee | Green Joggers | Safari Hat | Hiking Boots

What To Pack For A Safari

Going on safari? Here are some ideas for what to pack! We visited the Serengeti in January, which is summertime in Tanzania. Afternoon high temperatures averaged in the low 80s, while the mornings were cool in the high 60s. On average it rains 13 days out of the month in January, however we got lucky and only had sunshine on our trip. You can read more about the weather in the Serengeti by month here.

Since we had such limited space in our luggage, we were very strategic about what we packed. For safari excursions I would recommend packing comfortable long sleeve cotton tops and lightweight pants that you can mix and match. Even if the weather is warm, you’re going to want to be covered due to the flies and bugs (not a big deal as long as you wear repellant.) I would also make sure to bring a pullover or sweater because it can get chilly in the mornings and evenings even during the summer months.

PANTS & TOPS

If you’re staying a resort or camp with a pool definitely bring a swimsuit or two, along with comfy clothes for when you’re not out on safari.

SWIMWEAR

OUTFIT DETAILS // Asymmetrical Cutout One Piece | Sunglasses | Elephant Necklace | Gold Bar Necklace

OUTFIT DETAILS // Leopard Print Bikini Top | Leopard Print Scalloped Bottoms | Leopard Hair Scarf | Sunglasses | Elephant Necklace

I brought four pairs of shoes: hiking boots, sneakers for travel days and two pairs of sandals for wearing around the resort. Sunglasses and a wide-brim hat are also must-haves to protect your face/eyes from sun exposure and bugs. I would 100% recommend getting a hat with chin strap so you don’t have to worry about it flying off when you’re driving in an open air safari jeep.

SHOES & ACCESSORIES

I also want to touch on cameras and other tech gear! Since we knew I would be chronicling our trip on social media and here on my blog, we packed our Nikon D850 camera and 35mm lens (what we use to take my outfit photos.) I don’t think it’s necessary to bring professional equipment on a safari as many of the photos you see here were taken on my iPhone, however if getting close up shots of animals is important to you then you will need a telephoto zoom lens and DSLR camera.

The Four Seasons Serengeti conveniently had camera equipment on site available for guests to rent so that’s where we got the Sigma 150-500mm lens that Nick used while we were out on safari. All of the close up high resolution animal shots in this post were taken with this lens. I believe we paid $60 to use it during our stay.

Our Flight Itinerary: Dubai to Tanzania

To get to Tanzania we took a 5 hour AirKenya flight from Dubai to Nairobi. From there we connected to our final flight to Serengeti National Park via small regional airline called Coastal Airways. We actually had the Four Seasons concierge book and set up the final Coastal Airways flight for us because the timing was just so confusing. You can read more about how to get Four Seasons Serengeti on this FAQ page here.

I got a lot of messages on Instagram asking me about the small propeller flight to the Serengeti. Was it scary? Could you feel turbulence? How long was it?

A few years ago I probably would’ve been freaked out by flying on such a small plane, but honestly I was just so happy to finally be in Tanzania and almost to our destination that the circumstances of how we were flying really didn’t phase me. You have to remember just two days earlier we were facing possibly having to cancel our entire honeymoon, so I was thrilled to get on that little plane.

Not sure if this is a consolation for anyone nervous about flying in a plane like this, but I was pleased to find out that these small flights don’t fly as high as typical planes. We were able to see the ground the entire time and the landscape was beautiful! Each time we landed there were wild animals on the runway— so surreal! PS I believe you can get to the Serengeti via car if you are flying into Kilimanjaro airport, so if you are very against the small propeller flight that could be an option too.

It took a little over three hours to get to Seronera Airstrip (our arrival point in the Serengeti) from Nairobi Airport, however it was only about 1.5 hours of flying time. The reason for this is because depending on what passengers are booked and where they are going, the plane will make multiple stops as there are numerous airstrips throughout Serengeti National Park. There was another couple who had connected in Nairobi that was going to a different camp in the Serengeti, and on our way the pilots dropped then off at another small landing strip close to where they’d be staying in the park. We also made a stop at the Tanzanian border to go through customs and get our visas checked and processed.

PS you can apply online here for a visa via your local Tanzanian embassy. I remember the application process was pretty easy (I believe it cost $100+ per person) and it took a little over a week for our visas to be emailed to us. Make sure you print these and bring them with you before you leave for your trip or else you won’t be able to enter the country!

If I hadn’t been so tired, I probably would’ve started singing Hallelujah when I stepped off that final flight. In total it took us 25+ hours to get to the Serengeti— it was a tough two days of travel, but as you’ll see from the rest of my post it was completely worth it. We had the time of our lives in Tanzania!

Getting To Four Seasons Safari Lodge, Serengeti

Our Four Seasons Serengeti guide for the week (Dickson or Dicky as he was called by the rest of the staff at the lodge) was already waiting for us at the airstrip when we arrived. He loaded our bags into our safari jeep, where inside we found cold water, champagne and some snacks waiting for us. From there we began the nearly 3 hour drive through the Serengeti to the Four Seasons lodge.

Side note: the lodge is only an hour from the airstrip, but since you will see so many animals along the drive it’s common that guests will ask to stop for photos, thus why the drive can take much longer!

If you couldn’t already guess, we opted to stop for lots of photos along the way to the lodge. The drive there is an experience in itself— within minutes we were crossing paths with giraffes, elephants, cheetahs, baboons, warthogs and so many more wonderful creatures! It was like something out of a storybook or movie… Real life Lion King!

Four Seasons Safari Lodge Review

When we finally arrived at the Four Seasons Safari Lodge, Serengeti we were warmly greeted by the staff who would be taking care of us for the next 5 days. We were offered cool towels to wipe our hands and a welcome drink as we were checked in and whisked off to our suite.

The lodge is gorgeous and as you can see so much care was put in to incorporating the property structures into the existing park landscape and bringing the outdoors inside. There’s a main lodge where all the common areas, restaurants, gym and infinity pool are located, however the guest rooms and spa are located in outer wings that you access via outdoor elevated pathways. Getting to your room feels like you’re walking through the jungle!

We booked an all-inclusive package for our stay at Four Seasons Serengeti. We had a Terrace Suite with a king size bed, double sink, outdoor and indoor showers, infinity pool and terrace. Our room was divine and the view was incredible!

All our meals, alcohol, a couples spa treatment, laundry credit (we both had our safari clothes washed daily!) and two half-day private game drives were included in our resort package. You can see the accommodation options + all-inclusive packages offered by the Four Seasons Serengeti on the lodge website here.

So what’s a game drive? Essentially it’s an excursion via jeep where a guide takes you out into the park in hopes of seeing lions, elephants, giraffes, leopards, baboons, monkeys, hyenas and more!

On our first game drive we saw a herd of 100+ elephants, zebras, a lion and gazelles within the first 45 minutes of driving out into the park. Later that day we also saw many hippos, baboons and other wildlife. The next day we came across two lions and a hyena chilling right in the grass next to the road just five minutes outside of the Four Seasons entrance and a huge herd of giraffes shortly afterwards. We also saw many antelope, buffalo, giraffes and zebras again.

On our third came drive it took us about 2 hours of patient searching to finally find a gorgeous rare leopard, however we never saw any elephants that day and far fewer types of wildlife then we’d seen on our previous two drives. We learned that every drive will be different and there’s no way to anticipate what you’ll see or won’t see. Some days you may easily spot every exotic creature on your bucket list, another day you might not see anything.

We did three half day private game drives and were very happy with each experience. These excursions are truly the highlight of visiting the Serengeti and why people will travel for days to get here. We saw so many beautiful animals on every drive and are glad that we opted to do three excursions versus our originally planned two. If we hadn’t have paid separately for a third drive then we never would’ve spotted that leopard!

The safari drives were such surreal experiences and I find it tough to even put into words just how special it felt being there in the moment. You can read more about the excursions offered by the Four Seasons Serengeti here.

PS the Four Seasons Serengeti offers both private and shared tours (where you’re paired in a car with other guests.) A shared tour is obviously priced lower, but I’m very glad we opted for private due to the fact that in order to use the restroom you have to literally pull over and do your business off of the road. I have the world’s smallest bladder and had to make stops at least 4 times on each of our drives. If we had been with other guests I know I would’ve felt terribly guilty and embarrassed– just something to keep in mind when booking your excursions. Sorry for the TMI but just wanna keep it real!!!!

If you’re planning a trip to the Serengeti, keep in mind that it’s not a place where you’ll find little towns and villages with restaurants or shops. Wherever you choose to stay is where you’ll likely be eating all of your meals, sleeping and spending any downtime where you’re not out exploring the park via jeep. This is another reason why we chose the Four Seasons Serengeti— the gorgeous pool was the perfect place to spend the afternoon following our morning game drives.

The lodge also has multiple restaurants and a full bar so there are different options available for every meal. Breakfast was probably my favorite meal! I loved the juicing station where you could pick any fruit and veggie and have it freshly squeezed.

I think that five nights and four full days is the ideal amount of time to spend at the Four Seasons Serengeti. We really felt like we got the experience the perfect amount of adventure and relaxation. We essentially spent every morning out exploring and then afternoons and evenings chilling at the gorgeous lodge. We never felt rushed or like we were missing out on anything. It was honestly the most peaceful week and we loved our suite!

The staff was incredibly attentive as well. It’s the type of lodge where are all the staff will learn your name and go out of their way to remember your preferences i.e. my love for spicy margaritas, that we like having extra water bottles sent to our room at night, etc.

I would highly recommend the Four Seasons Serengeti to not only anyone interested in going on safari, but also those who are looking for a five star luxury lodge experience. The property’s incredible location and excursions are truly what makes it so special and the reason people from all over the world will travel to stay there. I personally have always found safaris to be so romantic, so we felt it was the perfect way the begin our honeymoon. The five days we were there were incredibly calm and relaxing, but also exciting and eye-opening– if this sounds like qualities you look for in a trip then you may want to add this spot to your bucket list.

FAQ

I received a lot questions via Instagram DM during our trip– here are some of the ones that were most commonly asked.

Did you need to get any vaccinations? If you go to the Center For Disease Control website you can see what medical precautions and vaccinations are recommended before visiting any country. I conveniently got all of my necessary travel vaccinations last April prior to my trip to India so I didn’t need to get anything additional in advance of this trip. Nick chose not to get any vaccinations– he’s the type who won’t even take tylenol or medication when he’s sick, so that was his personal choice. I can only speak to our own experience and would always recommend talking to and running any exotic travel plans by your doctor first.

Would you recommend this trip for anyone that’s disabled or elderly? Based on the long travel time and rough terrain (all roads in the Serengeti are dirt) I personally would not recommend our itinerary for anyone with mobility issues. That said, I can only speak to my own observations and would encourage you to do your own research. For all I know there could be tour companies that offer disabled-friendly safari trips.

Would you recommend this trip for families and children? Since I don’t have kids yet, I’m probably not the best authority for this question. I would say yes and no… Yes, if you have the budget and your kids would be genuinely interested and engaged in the experience. No, because getting to the Serengeti was not easy and the flights were incredibly expensive. That said, the Four Seasons Serengeti is actually free for children 10 and under aka all their food and beverages would be included when staying in the same suite as parents.

How many nights would you recommend? We did 5 nights and 4 full days and felt it was the perfect amount of time.

Did you feel safe? Do the animals ever approach or attack humans? The Serengeti is honestly one of the most peaceful places I’ve ever been. Not once did I feel concerned for my safety or nervous about being close to the animals. Our guide explained it very simply: humans and wildlife live in peace together in the Serengeti. Since the people do not harm or bother the animals, the animals pay no mind to the people. It truly was a very calm experience and not once did an animal ever approach our car or make any type of aggressive action towards us.

Was your trip expensive? Yes, it cost significantly more than our previous trips to Europe and elsewhere mainly due to the flights. This was our honeymoon so we gave ourselves a much larger budget to fly business class and stay at 5 star hotels. That said, a trip like this could definitely be done on a smaller financial scale if you opted to fly economy and stay at a moderately-priced hotel or camp– there are options at all budgets within Serengeti National Park!

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Miami Photo Diary + Four Seasons Surfside Hotel Review

Katie — Mon, 27 Aug 2018 07:00:45 +0000

OUTFIT DETAILS // Dress (under $100!) | Sandals | Tassel Earrings | Watch

Welcome to Miami! Anyone else remember listening to the Will Smith song in elementary school? Well I do and now I feel reallllly old. Spending the last two days at home felt really lame compared to last week’s getaway to south Florida. I’d only been to Miami once before when I was in college. One of my best girlfriend’s mom took a group of us there for a weekend to celebrate my friend’s 21st birthday and as you can probably imagine: things got a little crazy. Good times good times!

SWIM DETAILS // Marysia Swim Asymmetrical Bikini Top & Bottoms | Tote Bag | Sunglasses | Kendra Scott Bracelet | Headband

Four Seasons Surfside Hotel Review

While this trip didn’t involve dancing at nightclubs or tequila shots, it certainly was just as fun and left me wondering why I hadn’t returned to Miami sooner. We took a 7AM Friday morning flight and by 10:30AM we had found ourselves sitting by the pool at the Four Seasons Hotel at The Surf Club. You would never guess it based on the immaculate interiors and modern guest rooms, but The Surf Club has actually been around since 1930. It began as a private club for the rich and famous (think Winston Churchill and Elizabeth Taylor) before eventually ending up in the hands of the Four Seasons, who renovated and re-opened the property about one year ago.

OUTFIT DETAILS // Peach Dress (under $70!) | Sandals | Tote Bag

While the guest rooms and exterior of the hotel look very modern, pulling up the cobblestone driveway and entering the lobby gave me major Mediterranean villa vibes. It honestly felt like being back in Italy seeing the floor tiles and stucco walls.

Speaking of Italy… Ever heard of a little hotel in Positano called Le Sirenuse? Yep, THAT ONE. Well believe it or not, The Surf Club is home to Le Sirenuse’s debut stateside restaurant. Stepping inside you’re immediately transported to the Amalfi Coast. In Positano we dined at both La Sponda (Le Sirenuses’s famous restaurant) and had drinks at the hotel champagne bar, so we had very high expectations for our dinner reservation at the Miami location.

OUTFIT DETAILS // Maxi Dress (under $60!) | Sandals | Tassel Earrings

I can’t believe I’m saying this… But I think we enjoyed our dinner even more at Le Sirenuse Miami then we did in Positano. It was perfection from the service to the food. By the time we finish eating at 10PM there was nothing we could do but drag ourselves up to our room and go to sleep– total food coma!

One of the aspects we loved the most about The Surf Club was how intimate and quiet the hotel felt. There are only 72 guest rooms so it’s a place to come if you really want to relax. I’d never thought of Miami and South Beach as a destination I’d go to unwind, but that’s honestly exactly what we did. Other than a lunch and dinner with a few of our friends that now live in Miami, we pretty much spent the entire weekend just enjoying ourselves by the pool.

SWIM DETAILS // Bikini Top & Bottoms | Tote Bag | Sunglasses | Kendra Scott Bracelet

The Surf Club is located right on the beach so if that’s your thing you could easily post-up on the sand too. There are even bikes available to guests that you can take for a spin right on a path that runs along the beach!

Our room was out of this world. The pictures speak for themselves– the huge king size bed, marble bathroom and floor-to-ceiling windows. The coolest thing I noticed is that everything in the room can be controlled by an iPad. With just a quick tap you can close the drapes, adjust the temperature or order room service. It was so cool.

OUTFIT DETAILS // Dress (under $100!) | Sandals | Tassel Earrings | Watch

While we could’ve easily spent the entire weekend happily content at The Surf Club, I’m glad we got in a little bit of exploring. We had the best lunch at Tanuki where we ordered pineapple mezcal cocktails, spicy tuna + crispy rice and whole lot of sushi. I normally don’t go for Asian-inspired food, but this was DELICIOUS. We also briefly walked around Wynwood where I got my fill of colorful murals and sweets from The Salty Donut. I would 100% come back to Miami just to spend a day walking around Wynwood. It looked like there was so many interesting shops and foodie spots!

I’m so glad my friend Amanda from Fashionable Hostess was in town. On Saturday we met her and her husband for dinner and drinks at the Edge Hotel near the Brickell City Center. That area of the city reminded me so much of New York with the towering building and luxury shops. We had drinks first on the East Hotel rooftop before heading for dinner in the hotel’s restaurant Quinto La Huella. Clearly we had a great time because I didn’t take a single photo from that night

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Bermuda Photo Diary + Hamilton Princess & Beach Club Review

Katie — Fri, 17 Aug 2018 07:00:09 +0000

Earlier this summer Nick and I spent three blissful nights at the Hamilton Princess & Beach Club located in Hamilton, Bermuda. Yes, that pink hotel you’ve probably seen all over Instagram.

I can’t tell you how many times over the last few years I’ve had people rave to me about Bermuda. The crystal clear water and white sand beaches. Sunny skies. Friendly people. The 1.5 hour flight from New York. Looking back it seems silly that we didn’t visit sooner because the hype was REAL. I mean, the quick travel time alone is enough reason to book a trip to Bermuda ASAP. Our first day on the island we looked at each other and were like, ‘HOW DOES THIS EXIST SO CLOSE TO THE EAST COAST?’ Totally unreal.

The invite to head to Bermuda came at the perfect time– we’d just gotten engaged a few weeks earlier so it was the perfect excuse to celebrate over a long weekend.

Hamilton Princess & Beach Club Hotel Review

The Hamilton Princess & Beach Club or “The Princess” for short is centrally located right along the downtown Hamilton waterfront. It’s about a 20-minute drive from the airport and within walking distance of many shops and restaurants. What really struck me right away was the large dock filled with mansion-sized yachts and sailboats– can you even imagine?

OUTFIT DETAILS // The perfect little black & white stripe t-shirt dress and a wholllleeee lotta wind!

With over 400 guest rooms, the hotel property is quite large. I’d describe the feel to be similar to that of a Ritz-Carlton or another large luxury waterfront resort. The other guests seemed to be a mix of couples like us, families and groups. We went on a popular weekend in mid-June, but despite the hotel almost being at full-capacity it didn’t feel crowded or congested. Here are a few things I noticed that I felt set the Princess apart from some of our other tropical getaways.

THE FAMOUS ‘PINK WALL’
PS this floral maxi dress is now on sale!

INSTAGRAM HEAVEN. As a blogger I really appreciate when a hotel or restaurant puts extra thought into the aesthetics and the Princess is nothing short of photo-worthy. Not only is the hotel the prettiest shade of light PINK, the property is dotted with sculptures, paintings and other works by famous artists like Jeff Koons, Banksy, Andy Warhol and Damien Hirst.

^ Bermuda camouflage = anything pink and green

PRIVATE BEACH CLUB. To me the biggest draw of staying at the Princess is getting access to the hotel’s private beach club. Since the hotel is located in downtown Hamilton on the waterfront, to get to the club you just have to hop on the pink jitney bus (these run every 30 minutes for guests) and from there enjoy a scenic drive where you’ll pass some of Bermuda’s most notable scenic spots like Elbow Beach and Horseshoe Bay. Fast forward 20 minutes later you’ll find yourself in paradise with a private beach and cove totally at your disposal. We came here both days of our trip and immediately posted up on two loungers and spent the afternoon drinking margaritas and ordering fresh fish tacos. The water was so calm and warm too– perfect for couples or kiddos!

OUTFIT DETAILS // The back of this bikini top though… Here’s a link to the bottoms too!

^ Just a boy sitting in a flamingo floatie living his best life!

POOLS & AMENITIES. If the beach isn’t for you, not to worry! The Princess has 2 pools along with an impressive gym and spa. We could’ve easily spent our entire time just hanging at the hotel and we would’ve been perfectly content. Believe it or not, I even got Nick to wake up early with me one morning to exercise with me!!! We usually never workout when we travel, so the fact that we did made us feel a little less guilty about all those tacos and frozen cocktails…

DINING. The Princess conveniently has a few different dining options and restaurants directly on-site at the hotel. Over the span of three days we enjoyed a dinner at Marcus’, a lunch at 1609 and breakfast every morning in the Fairmont Gold Lounge thanks to our Gold-level guess room.

GUEST ROOM. We loved our Fairmont Gold Harbour King room! Since our room was on one of the top floors the views of the harbor were absolutely spectacular. I loved waking up in the morning and just being able to open the blinds and step out on to the balcony. The king size bed, spa-like bathroom, walk-in closet and flat screen TV felt like a home away from home.

OUTFIT DETAILS | Terry Lounge Romper (only $39!)

As I mentioned before, thanks to our room being Gold-level we had complimentary access to the Fairmont Gold Lounge where we could have breakfast every morning and stop in for complimentary snacks throughout the day. They even served afternoon tea and desserts later in the evening.

EXPLORING THE ISLAND. You know us, we loooooove to get our explore on when we’re in a new place so of course we jumped at the opportunity to rent a scooter for a day. There’s a rental shop located literally right in the hotel parking lot that has everything from bikes, to cars, to scoots. Super convenient for guests. A few of you asked me about the driveability of the island and all I can say is we had no issues at all maneuvering around despite having to adapt to driving on left side of the road (so weird!) This wasn’t our first time renting a scooter though (we did it in Italy!) so if you’re feeling uncomfortable maybe go for a car or bike instead.

OUTFIT DETAILS // I’m all about the business in the front/party in the back situation going on with this one piece!

As you can see there’s no shortage of beautiful beaches and bays to explore in Bermuda! While it was impossible to see everything in one day, we did manage to make our way to a number of notable sites on the island including:

Horseshoe Bay

Jobson’s Cove

Tobacco Bay

Somerset Bridge (the world’s smallest drawbridge!!)

Talk about a short but sweet trip! We had the best time and were blessed with the most beautiful sunny weather. Our stay at the Hamilton Princess & Beach Club was wonderful and I’d definitely recommend visiting whether it’s for a couples’s getaway, girl’s trip or family vacation. What’s great about the Princess is you can totally tailor the experience to suit your own wishes. Bermuda, we’ll be back!

Big thank you to the Hamilton Princess & Beach Club for the stay! As always all opinions are my own.

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Where To Stay If You’re Visiting The Amalfi Coast | Casa Angelina Hotel Review

Katie — Thu, 14 Jun 2018 13:14:54 +0000

Would you believe me if I told you there was a way to indulge in a 5-star Amalfi Coast vacation minus the commotion and crowds? Yes, it’s possible! Let me introduce you to Casa Angelina: a luxury boutique hotel located in the sleepy cliffside village of Praiano. As I promised in my 7 Day Amalfi Coast Itinerary & Travel Guide, I wanted to share a full review of our hotel because we truly loved it that much. There were moments where we felt like we had to pinch ourselves– the views and service were that amazing.

WHERE TO STAY IF YOU’RE VISITING POSITANO & THE AMALFI COAST

Casa Angelina Hotel Review

LOCATION:

Praiano, Italy
(10-15 minute drive or water taxi from Positano)

Based on all the Instagram photos I posted during our trip you probably thought we were staying in Positano? Nope! When I first began planning this vacation I felt like we had to stay in Positano and was disappointed to find that many hotels were fully booked or the remaining rooms were incredibly expensive for the quality. I don’t mind splurging on accommodations, but I just couldn’t bring myself to pay upwards of $600 a night for a 3-star quality hotel room even in beautiful Positano. That’s when I discovered the neighboring town of Praiano and the hotel we ended up booking: Casa Angelina.

Located just a 10-15 minute drive or water taxi ride from Positano, Praiano is the perfect place to stay if you’re looking for somewhere peaceful and quiet with easy access to Positano. There are a bunch of hotel options in Praiano ranging from modest-priced to ultra high-end like Casa Angelina. Whereas Positano is very lively and most shops and restaurants are located in a center cluster, Praiano is spread out along the cliffs and has a very laid back vibe. There are a handful of yummy restaurants, some shops, the beautiful San Gennaro Church and a few cliffside beach clubs and bars. You could easily explore the town itself in an hour or two one afternoon.

What I’m Wearing // Free People Dress

Casa Angelina can be found near the western end of Praiano, almost near the outskirts of Positano. The hotel is located down a winding driveaway right off of the Amalfi Coast Highway and just a short walk from the SITA public bus stop. We thought it was really cool how the hotel was built directly into the cliffside and connected to the rest of the town and Praiano’s famed One Fire Beach by little secret stairways.

Praiano also has the best views of Positano. Can you believe it? Waking up every morning I felt like I was still dreaming. I was a little nervous that maybe it was a mistake not to stay in Positano, but as soon as I stepped into the hotel and saw the beautiful views any anxiety I had instantly disappeared.

Pro Tip: If you’re considering staying in Praiano, check with your hotel to see if they offer a guest shuttle back and forth to Positano. Casa Angelina had one just for hotel guests and it was a game-changer. Even though Praiano is right next to Positano, the winding highway would take upwards of an hour to walk + wouldn’t be very safe. The Amalfi Coast highway which connects every town is extremely narrow and packed with big tour buses and speeding scooters (in some areas in Positano we had to walk single file to avoid getting hit!)

GUEST ROOM:

We stayed in a cozy Romantic Double Room with a front sea view. Our room included a balcony with lounge chairs and table, plus a very spacious open double closet. The room and bathroom were small, but coming from New York we’re used to tight spaces so we didn’t mind the coziness. As soon you can see the room decor was very crisp and contemporary. It was also packed with modern amenities– an iPad, TV, ultra luxe linens and a spa-worthy bathroom. We loved our room because it was so comfortable and quiet. Even thought the hotel was at full-capacity were never heard another guest!

PRICING:

Casa Angelina is by far the most expensive hotel we’ve ever stayed at. We paid 720 Euro + 10% VAT per night for our room, which included the complimentary buffet breakfast every morning. I believe there are a few less expensive guest room options available, however I’m not sure those rooms include a view and balcony (totally worth it in my opinion.) We totally could’ve stayed at a less expensive hotel in Praiano, but I honestly just fell in love with Casa Angelina once I saw photos and started reading the reviews. Casa Angelina is also a member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World— a collection of 520 small, independent hotels that have a proven track record of excellence and exclusivity. Knowing Casa Angelina was a SLH property gave us a big sense of relief when we went to pull the trigger on booking our stay.

What I’m Wearing // PJ Set (so soft!!)

PROS & WHAT WE LOVED:

5-Star Service & Concierge. At Casa Angelina you’re not just paying for a room in a beautiful hotel. It’s really a full experience in complete tranquility. The property is completely immaculate and so well cared for by the team. The service was out-of-this-world (as my grandma would say:P) and the hotel team made sure you were taken care of the moment you stepped inside to the moment you sadly had to depart. Any request or question would be immediately met with a range of recommendations and offers to help. We didn’t make many dinner reservations in advance, but this was no issue because the Casa Angelina team was able to help us with everything on-site. Even the housekeeping went above and beyond tidying our room every day– we’d come back from a day at the beach to find all our clothing folded and organized back in the drawers and hung in the closet!

Guest Shuttle To/From Positano. The complimentary shuttle back and forth to Positano was the cherry on top during our stay. There is a public bus that runs on the Amalfi Coast Highway, but honestly every time I saw it drive by it looked so full that people even had to pack in and stand. We have to use public transportation all the time at home in New York and honestly just did not want to even deal with that in a foreign country on vacation. Car or water taxis were an easy option too, but pricey. Just 10 minutes one way is upwards of 30 Euros. Hotel shuttle FTW!

What I’m Wearing // Coverup Dress | Floppy Hat | Sandals | Similar Sunglasses | David Yurman Bracelets David Yurman Bracelets

Extravagant Complimentary Buffet Breakfast. I’ve never experienced such a lavish and decadent hotel breakfast. Every morning was a feast of pastries, fresh sliced prosciutto, cheese, fruit and other breakfast delicacies. There was a made-to-order menu as well complete with omelettes, pancakes and fresh-squeezed juices at no extra charge.

What I’m Wearing // Anthropologie Shorts | Blouse | Circle Tote

Peaceful Location + Adults-Only Property. Casa Angelina is definitely geared towards couples looking for an intimate luxury getaway. Based on our own snooping it seemed like most of the other guests were either younger couples on their honeymoon or older folks looking for an upscale vacation. It’s also important to note Casa Angelina is an adults-only property and do not allow any children under the age of 12. I don’t normally mind being around kids on vacation, but after staying there and experience the tranquil environment I could see how crying babies or little kids running around could instantly change the mood of the entire property.

Amazing Views. The VIEWS! Ugh, so good. The high cliffside location is perfect for taking in the beauty of Positano, Capri and the surrounding ocean views.

CONS & THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE BOOKING:

Distance From Positano. After spending a busy afternoon traipsing around hot and crowded Positano, we truly appreciated coming back to the serenity of Praiano. Sure, it could’ve been nice to actually be walking distance from all our dinner reservations, but the 5-star quality of Casa Angelina totally made up for anything we might’ve missed out on not staying in Positano.

Expensive. I mean, there’s no way to sugarcoat it. If you stay at Casa Angelina you’re going to spend some serious money. Everything from the rooms to the a la carte cocktails served poolside (20 Euros+) were priced highly. I wasn’t surprised at all by the amount of honeymooners– it’s definitely the type of hotel you go to if you’re looking for a one-time exclusive ultra-luxury experience.

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Grand Velas Riviera Maya Resort Review & Photo Diary

Katie — Mon, 23 Apr 2018 13:33:23 +0000

Take me back to the beach, please! Our getaway to the Grand Velas Riviera Maya last week was one for the books. After a long and miserable New York winter and a very busy start to the year at the office for Nick, a relaxing few days by the ocean was very much needed– and it didn’t disappoint! We spent four days pretty much just laying out in the sun, swimming, walking on the beach and eating (lots) of yummy food with cocktails in hand. I purposely didn’t plan any excursions or activities because we truly just wanted to chill. And chill we did!

Details on this pom pom coverup and the rest of my beach look can be found here.

If you haven’t heard of the Grand Velas Riviera Maya here’s the scoop. It’s a luxury all inclusive resort located in Playa del Carmen, about an hour drive south of Cancun. Just envision luxe Yucatan jungle treehouse meets island bliss– that’s the best way I could describe the Grand Velas. I knew the resort was going to be amazing from the reviews, but once I arrived it completely took my breath away. The Grand Velas is huge and completely secluded. Once entering the gates, you feel like you’re in your own private paradise.

So how did we choose this resort? After two amazing experiences in Mexico last year (Nick and I visited Cancun and then I went on a blogger press trip to nearby Mayakoba in Playa del Carmen) I knew I wanted to visit the area again. It’s so easy to fly to Cancun from New York (it’s a 3.5 hour direct flight), the beaches are beautiful and the weather is gorgeous year-round. You can’t go wrong!

The Grand Velas has the best of both worlds: a beautiful white sand beachfront that you’d expect from any Riviera Maya all inclusive resort and also a jungle, where many of the resort’s restaurants, activities and guest suites can be found. You can literally go from beach to feeling like you’ve stepped into an oasis in the middle of the Yucatan in a matter of a minutes.

Tropical Print Crop Top & Maxi Skirt | Marc Fisher Espadrilles c/o | Aviators | Michele Watch | David Yurman Bracelets

I couldn’t resist channeling my inner jungle princess in the matching crop top and skirt set! Of course I had to rock my natural waves too– there was no taming this mane in the heat!

What’s nice about the Grand Velas is that it’s an all-suite resort. Here you can see the rooms that overlook the beach (we stayed in the “Zen” aka the jungle area of the resort.) I’m pretty sure many of these rooms have their own plunge pools too! Talk about dreamy…

See what I mean by best of both worlds? Here’s a glimpse of the Zen area of the Grand Velas. I loved staying in this section because it felt like a completely different resort and was so quiet. After a long hot day at the beach, it was beyond relaxing getting to come back to our suite in the jungle. The shade from the trees and winding elevated paths through the tropical foliage made it feel like we were staying in a treehouse. This is also where the famed Grand Velas Spa can be found. One afternoon I had the most amazing oxygen facial!

Here’s a look I wore to dinner one night! The resort has eight different restaurants (yes, you read that right) so you can easily try a different type of cuisine every evening and never get bored. Our favorite restaurant was Frida– when in Mexico, eat Mexican food and we loved the Frida Kahlo-inspired menu and decor.

Can I just say it was so refreshing not having to worry about paying separate bills for meals. Since the Grand Velas is all-inclusive, food and drinks are factored in your room rate. So yes, that means unlimited breakfast, lunch, dinner and cocktails. The point of a vacation is to relax and if you truly want to do that, all-inclusive is one of the routes to go. We probably ate three lunches a day because the bottomless menu was just too tempting! All the fresh seafood, guacamole and cocktails were delicious. I’m getting hungry just writing about it!

Details on this one piece swimsuit and the rest of my swim look can be found here.

As you can see we clearly enjoyed the frozen drinks… The pool and beachside bar service at the Grand Velas was on point. All the servers and staff were so attentive and went above and beyond to make sure guests had what they needed. Sometimes large resorts can feel a little overwhelming, so it really impressed me to get such individualized attention.

I am so glad I didn’t plan any activities because we were perfectly content just spending our days by the pool and beach. Every morning after having breakfast in our suite (we took full advantage of the all-inclusive room service :P) we took a 2-minute shuttle ride over to the adults-only section of the resort and posted up by the infinity pool and swim-up bar. We weren’t purposely trying to avoid kids or families (I don’t even think the resort was at 50% capacity,) we just loved how this pool had more of a chill boutique hotel vibe. The beach was also just steps away!

As you can see the Grand Velas is just immaculate. I don’t think I’ve ever stayed at a resort that is so well-maintained and polished. It was very noticeable just how focused they are on the details and everywhere we went there were staff taking care of the grounds and facilities. From the suites and bathrooms, to the restaurants, pool and beach, everything was just perfect and squeaky clean.

Like I said, we took full advantage of the bottomless room service and had breakfast every morning on the balcony of our suite overlooking the jungle. It was so peaceful waking up to birds chirping instead of honking cabs We loved our room too. It was spacious, indulgently comfortable and probably double the size of our New York apartment.

Can you say #bathroomgoals? Nick and I always geek out a little bit when we get to stay in a hotel room with a double vanity and separate shower and tub. The life! I wish I could’ve transported this bathroom back to New York with me. The waterfall shower was heavenly!

I think it’s pretty obvious we loved our time at Grand Velas Riviera Maya. I’d return back in a heartbeat! It had everything we could want from a tropical vacation. Super relaxing. Beautiful location. Immaculate hotel. 5-star service. Amazing food. The list goes on! I think it would be a perfect place to take a romantic getaway or even a family vacation with kids. Since the resort is so large and there are so many restaurant options and the adults-only section, you can have whatever type of experience you want without having to worry about other guests being on top of you. You also can’t beat the all-inclusive perks. I don’t know why we didn’t try a resort like this sooner! Until next time…

More Posts You May Like!
Fairmont Mayakoba, Mexico Recap
My Tips For Packing Light
How To Take Vacation Photos Like A Pro
My Cancun Recap
One Day In Tulum

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One&Only Ocean Club Resort Review & Photo Diary

Katie — Thu, 31 Aug 2017 12:32:42 +0000

If there was ever a more aptly named resort, it’s the One&Only Ocean Club. Truly this resort is a one-of-kind tropical oasis appropriately located on Paradise Island in the Bahamas. I have been lucky to stay at some very beautiful hotels during my travels, but I think this one may just be my favorite yet!

This pool overlooks the Versailles Garden and Cloisters at the One&Only Ocean Club.

THE ONE&ONLY OCEAN CLUB RESORT REVIEW

Tranquil, polished, classic, sophisticated, chic, luxurious. These are just a few of the words that come to mind when I think about the Ocean Club. Located on what was once a traditional colonial estate, the Ocean Club has been offering guests from around the world a little window into paradise for over 50 years. You immediately notice the property has such a rich history and roots on the island. Did you see my post about the Ocean Club’s famous James Bond martini bar?

Red Ruffle Dress (under $50!) | Similar Floppy Hat | Similar Sandals

Have you ever seen a more photogenic courtyard???

When you arrive and are greeted by the friendly staff in the front lobby it’s like you are being welcomed to a beautiful private estate. The contrast is really refreshing if you’re looking for a getaway that feels private and tailored just to you. Even though the resort was almost at full capacity during our stay, we never felt like the resort was crowded.

Every morning in the lobby you’ll find complimentary coffee and tea, then in the afternoon they transition to Bahamian lemonade– freshly squeezed from lemon and limes.

Whether you prefer to lay on the white sand beach, treat yourself to a day at the spa, hit the gym, lounge by the pool (the Ocean Club has three!) or indulge in some of the best food and drink on Paradise Island, you can easily get lost in everything there is to do at the Ocean Club. Nick and I did all of these, however by the end of our four day stay we left wishing we had extended our reservation!

Just a few of the spots I found that were perfect for “hanging out”

POOL & BEACH

The white sand beach and infinity pool at the Ocean Club look like actual postcards. I wish the pictures could do these dreamy settings more justice!

This picture reminds me of a Gray Malin print

Note to self: install an outdoor shower at my future beach house.

White Off The Shoulder Bikini & Bottoms

Of all the pools at the Ocean Club, the infinity pool overlooking the beach and ocean was our absolute favorite. We pretty much spent every afternoon posted up here in a beach cabana. I could’ve stared at that view all day!

Black Off The Shoulder Bikini (now on sale for $41!) & Bottoms | Panama Hat | Aviator Sunglasses

The Ocean Club is just one of many in the One&Only hotel portfolio. Where to next?

Panama Hat | Trina Turk Sunglasses c/o

Lay in the sun. Take a dip in the pool. Drink a frozen Miami Vice. R E P E A T.

Marysia Swim Scallop Bikini Top & Bottoms | Panama Hat | Aviator Sunglasses | David Yurman Bracelets

I immediately scooped up this Marysia Swim Antibes bikini when I saw there was one left in my size on sale. It was a bit of a splurge even on markdown, but totally worth it. I’ll be wearing this one for years to come!

You don’t need to feel so guilty about eating endless guac and salsa when it’s served with plantain chips! YUM.

GUEST SUITE

The guest rooms and suites at the Ocean Club truly make you feel like you’re right at home. Well, in our case it may have been even better because I think our suite was larger than our New York apartment! We stayed in the Crescent Wing of the hotel and loved our room. Some of our favorite aspects were the terrace with views of the lawn and ocean and a huge mosaic bathtub. Every afternoon a butler also served us complimentary champagne!

We toured a suite in the Hartford Wing where guest rooms have the chicest spa-like bathtubs.

THE ONLY&ONLY SPA

The One&Only Spa is completely out of this world! I felt like I was in Bali as I stepped into the private bungalow where I was treated to the Elemis Exotic Coconut Rub & Milk Ritual Wrap treatment. It was beyond indulgent and I left completely exfoliated and smelling like a fresh coconut.

Hi! My name is Katie and I like to take pictures.

THE CLOISTERS & VERSAILLES GARDEN

We felt like we could’ve been in Europe as we explored the grounds. Gracing the property you’ll find manicured gardens, striking bronze & marble statues and stone terraces complete with a 12th-century Augustinian cloister that was imported piece-by-piece from France. Talk about total wanderlust and pure magic. We couldn’t stop snapping away!

Maxi Wrap Dress | Straw Tote Bag

I mean, could this place not be not be mistaken for a set of Game of Thrones? I may or may not have felt some Khalessi vibes as we wandered the Cloisters. Of course I had to dress the part too.

“Follow your bliss and the world will open doors where there were only walls”

BAHAMIAN CONCH

One of our favorite moments from our trip was learning how to prepare Bahamanian-style conch. And when I say learn, I mean actually prepare conch. Straight out of the shell. The Ocean Club set up the coolest immersion for us where we had a blast watching Chef Gilbert create three different fresh seafood dishes.

White Off The Shoulder Bikini & Bottoms | Similar Denim Shorts | Panama Hat

Scorched Conch was the first preparation of the dish that we tried. All it included was sliced conch (obvi) onion, habanero pepper, salt, lemon juice, lime juice and orange juice. So fresh!!!

Yes, that’s live conch still in the shell. They were caught fresh out of the ocean that morning!

My favorite preparation was the Tropical Scorched Conch. In addition to fresh conch, this dish included a colorful mix of citrus fruit and veggies like tomato, pineapple, mango, apple, cucumber, grapefruit, orange, three peppers, jalapeños, onion and lots of lemon and lime juice. I could eat this everyday it was so delicious!

DUNE BY JEAN-GEORGES

The Ocean Club is home to one of the best restaurants in Nassau: Dune by Jean-Georges. Yes, that legendary chef. Dune serves breakfast, lunch and dinner and offers diners French-Asian cuisine with lots of delicious seafood options. We ate here three times and couldn’t get enough of the cocktails (the bartenders in the Bahamas don’t play around) and dishes like tuna tartare and three cheese truffle pizza. I’m getting hungry as I write this…

INCREDIBLE brioche french toast with mango and bacon.

If you’re looking for an incredibly special and intimate getaway the Bahamas, I can’t recommend the One&Only Ocean Club enough. We just adored this hotel and left with zero complaints. I’m already dreaming about the day I get to return!

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The Ritz-Carlton Aruba Resort Review & Photo Diary

Katie — Wed, 21 Jun 2017 07:00:10 +0000

Cold Shoulder Top | Distressed Denim Shorts

Surprise, surprise. Nick and I stayed at a Ritz-Carlton resort on our recent tropical getaway. Last week we found ourselves at the beautiful Ritz-Carlton, Aruba resort located just steps away from the Caribbean sea on Aruba’s famed Palm Beach. After traveling to Puerto Rico, Grand Cayman and most recently Cancun in February, we were really excited to explore another Caribbean destination– our furthest yet!

Living on the east coast I always think of the Caribbean islands as being relatively close. Aruba? It’s actually located just off the coast of Venezuela. It’s far south and pretty much as close to the equator as you can get without hitting South America. Bring on the sun!

Lunch on the beach with my boo– can you spot our iguana friends? These funny little guys were everywhere & had no shame when it came to wanting snacks…

While the flight was a little longer than we’re used to (about 4.5 hours), getting to the Ritz-Carlton, Aruba was a breeze. One of the benefits of visiting a small island is that it only takes minutes to get to your hotel after hopping off your flight. It was a short and sweet 20 minutes from Aruba’s Oranjestad airport to the Ritz-Carlton resort. PS we always fly JetBlue. They have the best direct flights to the Caribbean!

The Ritz-Carlton Aruba Resort Review

Hotel & Guest Room. Upon entering the grand lobby, we were greeted by bellmen who handed us flutes of champagne (love little touches like this!) and checked in to our cozy Club Ocean View Room. Similar to the Ritz-Carlton properties in Grand Cayman and Cancun, the resort is set up like a horseshoe encircling a lush pool area and facing the beach. I learned that every guest rooms in this particular hotel offers a beautiful ocean view too. SCORE. You can check out my reviews from Cancun here and Grand Cayman here if you’re interested.

While we normally are down to get active and take excursions, we decided to keep it low-key on this trip since we were only visiting for three nights. The Ritz-Carlton Aruba planned the most relaxing itinerary for us which included the most luxurious couple’s massage (Nick’s favorite thing,) a 2-day private beach cabana rental and dinner reservations at the resort’s world-class restaurants. So where should I start? Let’s begin with the spa.

Spa Experience. At any Ritz-Carlton you can expect to find an indulgent dreamy spa with a drool-worthy menu. The spa at the Ritz-Carlton Aruba is a staggering 15,000 square feet and includes a sauna, whirlpool, relaxation room, fitness center and 13 rooms for treatments. It was so nice kicking off our trip with something as relaxing as a massage. Beforehand we both got to smell a few different aromatherapy oils and select our favorite to be applied during our massage. It was heavenly!

Off The Shoulder Bikini Top | Distressed Denim Shorts | Tote Bag | Sandals

The Beach & Pool. Now to my favorite aspect of the trip: THE BEACH. Oh my goodness guys, I wish the photos could it all justice! Just steps from the hotel you’ll find the most beautiful white sand beach with banyan trees and clear, calm waters. The resort was kind enough to book us a beach cabana for both days of our trip and best believe we posted up. It was incredibly refreshing not having an agenda and just hanging out on the beach together for hours. Our days pretty much revolved around laying out, taking a dip in the ocean, re-apply sunscreen, getting served fish tacos and guacamole from Madero Latin Grill (the beach staff was so attentive with bringing us our food & drinks!), laying out some more, taking a dip in the pool and repeating everything again. It took a lot of restraint for me not to plan any excursions (I’m crazy and always feel like I need to be busy), but I’m so happy we took is easy. My only regret was that we didn’t book a longer trip because this was so hard to leave!

Off The Shoulder Bikini Top | Distressed Denim Shorts | Aviators

Dining. When it comes to dining on trips, we like to keep things casual for breakfast and lunch and then have dinner be our big meal where we splurge. The Ritz-Carlton makes this incredibly easy with the Club Level lounge. I 100% encourage paying a little extra for access to this amenity with your room reservation. In the end you truly do save so much because you can eat all your casual meals like breakfast and even lunch in the lounge, plus there’s a full complimentary bar. Alcohol adds up and the last thing you want to have to worry about when you’re in vacation mode is if you can afford that extra drink (or two… or three…)

During our three days at the Ritz-Carlton Aruba, we had the chance to try all four of the resort’s dining options including BLT Steak and Solanio for dinner, Madero Latin Grill for beachside lunch and Divi Bar & Lounge for cocktails. We weren’t disappointed with any meal and loved how the every menu incorporated a few touches of the Aruban culture like line-caught fish and locally harvested aloe vera.

Things To Know Before Visiting. To be honest, not much surprised me in Aruba. The island is very used to hosting Americans so there weren’t any language barriers, the U.S. dollar was accepted everywhere and getting transportation to and from the airport was painless.

My only wish is that we’d extended our trip another day or two to explore more of the island, especially since it took a 4+ hour flight to get there. Don’t get me wrong– we were more than content at the resort because the Ritz-Carlton Aruba truly has all you need for the perfect beach vacation. That said, Aruba has so many beautiful local wonders like the famed flamingo beach and a vibrant downtown with restaurants and shops. I guess I need to go back to Aruba?

More Ritz-Carlton Reviews
Cancun
Grand Cayman
Kapalua, Hawaii
Philadelphia
Girls’ Trip to Georgia
San Juan, Puerto Rico
Dorado Beach, Puerto Rico

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Fairmont Mayakoba Resort Review & Photo Diary

Katie — Fri, 05 May 2017 07:00:16 +0000

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I knew after my trip to Cancun that I wanted to come back and explore more of Mexico. The people, the food, the beaches and jungle– I really loved it all and just felt that Mexico had a unique and uplifting energy. My wish ended up being granted way sooner than I expected because last week I found myself in Playa del Carmen at the Fairmont Mayakoba.

Off The Shoulder Coverup Dress | Beach Tote | Jack Rogers Sandals

Myself along with a few other bloggers and travel writers were invited for a three night stay to experience the resort and learn all about Fairmont Mayakoba’s Melipona Bee Sustainability program. Beees say what?? I was a little scared at first, but my fears were quickly relieved when I found out these little guys were stingless. Stingless bees exist??? Apparently they do and can be found in Mexico!

But before I get ahead of myself, first let me tell you all about the Fairmont Mayakoba.

The resort isn’t too far from where I stayed in Cancun. I would say it’s about halfway between there and Tulum, so it’s kind of the perfect location if you’re taking a trip to the Yucatan peninsula. In my opinion Fairmont Mayakoba has the best of the both worlds because its located within a tropical forest, but also right on the beach. Though the resort has over 400 rooms, it felt far from crowded because the property itself is so spread out. To get to and from different areas guests could ride a shuttle that runs ever few minutes or hop on a complimentary bike. There were also a number of nature trails for jogging and bike riding– if I’d had more time I totally would have checked them out. Next visit I guess?

I stayed in a beautiful Signature Casita Room, which was basically a private cabana. I had a view of the water canals that run throughout the property along with my own entrance and spa-like bathroom. While there is the option of staying in a traditional room in the hotel, Fairmont Mayakoba also has a number of private casitas throughout the resort– some in the jungle and some on the beach. I kept thinking how perfect it would be to come here for a honeymoon because you definitely get that feeling of privacy.

We ate like queens and had a chance to dine at all four of the resort’s Richard Sandoval restaurants. I loved the curated menus that featured various fusions between Mexican, Asian and coastal cuisines. My favorite meals was the dinner we had at El Puerto. I’m normally not a fan of Asian food, but everything we tried was amazing from the black cod to the Thai chicken empanadas.

One night we participated in a culinary tasting where we tried the most delicious melipona honey rum-based cocktail that was topped with the most beautiful spun sugar. I also can’t forget about the ridiculous refreshing passionfruit margaritas. Those were pretty much all Grace and I drank the entire trip!

When we weren’t participating in activities or excursions, you could find me in my bikini. So Fairmont Mayakoba actually has five pools. Yes, five. I really liked how there was an adult-only pool and also areas for children. My favorite was the beachfront pool for obvious reasons. Can you believe that view?

The pampering didn’t stop with the food and drinks, we also all had a treatment at the resort’s Willow Stream Spa that had a menu of unique treatments and experiences based on local tradition and flora, incorporating Mayan traditions with local herbs, essential oils and extracts. Before our treatments we got to learn about the resort’s Melipona Bee Sustainability Program and even see the hives! Fairmont Mayakoba actually cultivates the rare bees, which produce a type of honey known for its medicinal purposes that the resort actually uses within some spa treatments as as an ingredient in their kitchens.

One of the most memorable moments of the trip for me was the excursion we took to the Mayan community of Lagunachabela where we were hosted by a local family for the afternoon. I honestly had no idea what to expect, but as you can see from the pictures it was as traditional as you could get. I liked how it was a very realistic cultural immersion and just not some sugar-coated excursion that resorts will set up for tourists.

So the primary reason for our visit was to see how Mayans actually raise Melipona bees and farm the honey. With the help of a translator, they explained the harvesting process to us and clued us in on some unique facts about these rare bees. Apparently the bees can sense negative energy so before heading to hives we had to wash our hands with a special herbal water to mask any bad juju.

I had so much fun with sweet Grace!

So then the craziest part happened: the hives were opened and we got to watch how the honey is extracted with a syringe. It was so cool and we even got to taste it straight from the hive!!! The pictures are a little scary because bees have such a bad raps in the states for stinging, but not these guys. Melipona bees are tiny and completely harmless. Believe it or not there are over 1,000 bees in each hive!

After checking out the hives, we proceeded to take a tour of the rest of the family’s home and have a meal that they cooked for us over an open fire. It really brought me back to Earth seeing how these people pretty much live off the land by growing their own food and raising their own live poultry.

Off The Shoulder Romper | Jack Rogers Sandals | Panama Hat

As a resident of one of the most advanced and metropolitan cities in the world, I’m definitely guilty of not always remembering the journey that food takes before finding it’s way to my table. I left feeling very humbled and honored by this very gracious family. Though we didn’t speak the same language, it was obvious how much pride they took in their work and culture, as well as the respect they had for their ancestry and passing on traditions.

As I packed up my bags to leave the next morning I couldn’t help but wish that I could extend my stay. Though the trip was short, it was long enough to fall even more in love with Mexico and the beautiful Fairmont Mayakoba resort. Now that I’ve checked Cancun and Playa del Carmen off my list, I think it’s time for an extended trip to Tulum. Hoping I can make it happen sooner than later!

More Posts You May Like!
My Tips For Packing Light
How To Take Vacation Photos Like A Pro
My Cancun Recap
One Day In Tulum

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