3 Year Anniversary Getaway: Introduction

We wanted to do a quick one night getaway to celebrate our anniversary, and I had been researching some possible options in the Napa/Sonoma area. I originally wanted to try out the Solage Calistoga resort after hearing about it from a friend of mine. However, I couldn't justify the hefty price tag since they currently didn't have any specials. Dan suggested staying at a Bed and Breakfast (B&B) instead, so I started looking around.

We had stayed at a B&B before during our trip to Mendocino, as well as South Africa, and loved the experience. I wanted to stay at a nicer one though this time around, and preferred not to stay at an older Victorian style house which are what most B&B's look like.

I went to my usual research tool, Trip Advisor, started looking around, and came across a B&B called the Chanric Inn. The reviews looked great, and what sold me was that the place was just recently renovated and had just reopened in April 2013. I looked at some of the renovation pictures and the Inn fit exactly what I was looking for. It was a bit pricier than a typical B&B, but I guess you do get what you pay for. We ended up booking directly with the Inn.

Beautiful Castello di Amorosa

We didn't plan any activities per se since the purpose of the trip was to "relax", but I told Dan that I really wanted to visit the castle in Calistoga: "Castello di Amorosa" since I've heard about it so much. So that was our only "activity" during our getaway.

For food, we didn't want to do the typical fine dining and wanted something more casual and somewhere we both had never been before. I had a Bloomspot coupon for Cindy's Backstreet Kitchen which worked out perfectly, and for lunch the next day, we went to SolBar, which was at the Solage resort.

Here's the breakdown of our trip:
Introduction
Chanric Inn
Castello di Amorosa
Food Adventure: Cindy's Backstreet Kitchen, SolBar, Model Bakery, Bouchon Bakery

Cancun Day 5: Last Day

Last day :(  Our vacation was coming to an end. Both Dan and I felt that it went way too quickly and an extra day or two would have been nice. We had breakfast at the market cafe and lunch there as well. In between we went to swim at the pool. The weather was much better; it was warm, sunny with just a slight wind. They resumed all beach activities and we even saw people para sailing. Maybe yesterday's weather was an anomaly?

Summary: This was our first ever trip to Mexico and at an all inclusive resort. We both really enjoyed the resort and would really recommend it for anyone looking for a quick getaway from the US that is economical.

A couple of thoughts from our trip:

• It was really nice not having to worry about paying for meals and drinks. We didn't do any upgrades for premium drinks like certain wine so when we checked out, we had no additional fees to pay which was nice!!
• I did like our resort for its modern decor and its newness. Food was not bad (not super awesome but considering it's an all inclusive, I think they did a pretty good job).
• Service at the resort was great. Everyone we encountered was very polite!
• Even though not required, we tried to tip a bit since the workers and servers work hard and it's nice to show we appreciate their service. We actually didn't bring that many 1 dollar bills so ended up exchanging some at the resort. 
• We really enjoyed our trip--very relaxing with a good mix of relaxation and activities and the price you just can't beat. We compared the price to our recent trip to Kauai. In most of Hawaii, hotels range around $300-$400 USD per night, with an additional resort fee of around $25. Breakfast is typically not included. Tips are usually more expected rather than an extra for services. Wi-fi is also usually an additional fee. It really does add up, while for this trip, our out of pocket cost was pretty minimal. It's basically the return airport transfer, activities and tips. No extra money spent on food and drinks which usually takes up a big part of our budget. Since we haven't seen much more of Mexico and we have been to 3 of the 4 major Hawaiian islands, we both agreed that we would probably prefer another Mexican all inclusive vacation instead of another Hawaiian vacation.
• We didn't see too much of the "real" Mexico though. We wished we could have visited the smaller towns like Isla Mujeres or Puerto Morales. Cancun for the most part was very developed and touristy, and felt like the US, at least the parts we saw. If you don't leave your resort you would think that you are in the US.

Tips:

• Bring extra $1 bills to tip at the resort. If not, you can always exchange it at the reception area.
• We recommend doing an activity every other day. There's tons to see around Cancun so you can easily fill out your week with activities, but it's nice to also get in some relaxation / pool time.
• We highly recommend the cooking class that we took. It wasn't just about cooking but also learning about Mexican cuisine, culture and history. I also especially enjoyed seeing the hosts at their house which offers a glimpse of how they live.
• We stayed for 4 nights and thought it was a bit too short. 5 or 6 nights would have been ideal.
• We actually didn't exchange any money and just tipped in USD. We also paid for excursions in US dollars. If you do exchange to the local currency, you usually get a better rate, but you don't have to--almost everywhere accepted USD.  

That's it for now :) Sorry for the delay in finishing this report. We've been pretty preoccupied as you can tell.

Until next time!

Dan & Marcela

Cancun Day 4: Pool Time & the Superbowl

We purposely didn't book any activities for our last full day. The weather seemed nice, but the wind was blowing like crazy. All beach activities were canceled and even I felt like the wind was going to blow me over. :p We walked along the beach for a little bit and we were really amazed by the beautiful turquoise water. I would say after Bora Bora, this was one of the prettiest beach color that we've seen. However because of the strong winds, the resort didn't set up beach service, so we went back to the pool area.

Beautiful Turquoise Water

We braced the wind and found a place to sit and enjoy the pool. Thankfully the pool was heated so it was actually really nice to swim in. There were several pools, and we chose the one closest to the beach and found a shaded area to lounge in.

As we were staying at an all-inclusive, drinks were included so I got a Virgin piña colada and Dan got a beer. We could grab drinks at one of the side bars, or there were also servers going around taking drink orders.  We made sure to tip them! :)

We went to the poolside cafe for lunch and got a fajita and burger to share. They were decent and best of all, they were "free". Well not really free, but it feels free since it's already included. :)

We stayed for a little while and then went back to our room to change and get ready for the Super Bowl party. The resort actually did a pretty big setup for the Super Bowl. They setup a big giant screen in the pool area, along with dj, raffle, food and drinks. We were going to watch from the pool but the speakers were way too loud, so we decided to watch from the inside at the Half Time sports bar.

We got the appetizer combo plate while watching the first half of the game. The bar was pretty lively and they had the game on. During half time break we went to dinner at blue water grill, which specialized in steak and seafood. Probably due to everyone watching the Super Bowl, we actually got seated immediately.

Since the Blue water grill was one of the restaurants that always seemed to be full, we were glad to finally try it. The setting felt like an upscale steakhouse. We shared an appetizer salad, and Dan got the ribeye steak, while I got the salmon steak. We also ordered the baked potato side and creamed spinach. Food wise it was probably our least favorite; we wondered why it seemed to be the most popular. Maybe we had a higher expectation since there always seems to be a line, but we were not impressed with the food.

After dinner we went back to our room and watched the Super Bowl from our balcony. It was actually much better than watching it from the pool area. It wasn't as loud and we got to sit in the comfort of our own balcony. Too bad the Niners lost. :( Oh well, hopefully next year! This was such a relaxing day. We wished the weather was better (no strong winds) but we made the best of it!

Next Post: Cancun Day 5: Last Day & Summary 

Cancun Day 3: Chichen Itza Tour aka "Chicken Pizza"

I booked the Chichen Itza public tour for our third day. We haven't done a "public" tour in a while since the last few were private tours with our family. I forgot how painful and slow big bus tours were. First off, we were picked up very early from our hotel at 7:15 AM, only to be dropped off at a meeting point where we had to wait 45 minutes for other passengers from other hotels. Once the bus came, we boarded. The bus was completely full; thankfully we boarded early so we were able to sit together.

Dan holding the "Mayan" calendar inside our tour bus

Our guide was named Ruben, and he was actually very funny, entertaining, and informative. The journey from Cancun to Chichen Itza took around 2.5 hours. Apparently the ruins were located in a different state from where Cancun was. On our way, we stopped by a cenote which is an underground cave with natural spring pool.

The underground cenote

There are lots of cenotes in the area because the grounds are very phosphorous and do not hold water, so there were no streams of river or lakes in the area. All the water was found underground in these cenotes. The Mayans believe that the cenotes were where you communicate with the underworld. During this stop, we were allowed to swim but Dan and I both chose not to and just dipped our feet. Legend says whoever touches the water makes them 10 years younger!

Dan is now 10 years younger!

After the cenote, we were taken to a small village with a huge souvenir shop for an obligatory stop. We didn't really want to buy anything so it felt long. Then we had buffet lunch at the restaurant in the village.

We then went to Chichen Itza and arrived in the afternoon. We were assigned a local guide named Jose who was excellent. His English was flawless I would have thought he was American. A couple of interesting tidbits about Chichen Itza:

• Only about 10% of the ruins have been restored. The other 90% are in the area, but they have not been fully discovered or restored.
• The undiscovered 90% are covered with dirt and trees, from afar looks like hills. But they are not mountains because the land is flat - so underneath the dirt and trees there are ruins to be discovered.
• The pyramid was used for special occasions where the ruler of Chichen Itza would be on the top speaking to the masses.
• The engineering of the pyramid was quite impressive because apparently from the top someone can speak in their normal voice, which will then be amplified. The guide showed us by clapping and how the clap echo is amplified.

Overall we were glad we went, but make sure to wear good walking shoes since there's lots of walking involved. Also, if you can, try to either book a small group or private tour. The 40+ bus tour just didn't work for us. There's lots of waiting involved and mandatory stops we didn't care for.

Next Post: Cancun Day 4: Pool Time & the Superbowl

Cancun Day 2: Can Cook in Cancun

For our second day, I booked a half day cooking class called "Can Cook in Cancun." It turned out to be the perfect day to do a cooking class since the weather was a bit cold and gloomy.

We had a quick buffet breakfast at our hotel at the Market cafe. The selection was quite good ranging from the typical pancakes, eggs, and bacon to cold selections such as meats and cheeses, as well as fruits and yogurts.

We were picked up at our hotel around 8:45 am. There were several others already in the van. It was about a 30 minute ride from our hotel to the cooking class.  The class was actually held at the lovely house of the instructor.  The owners were a husband and wife team, Claudia and Lorenzo. Claudia taught, and Lorenzo took care of the administration.

Chef Claudia

There were a total of 12 people, and we all sat down in the porch area. They made fresh churros, hot coffee and Mexican hot chocolate for breakfast. All were very delicious, so freshly made.  Afterwards, Claudia invited us to her home kitchen where she gave a history of the various spices, peppers, and moles used around Mexico.

Churros and Mexican Coffee

The class was more of a cooking demonstration with a little bit of hands-on participation. She showed us how to make fresh salsa, guacamole, cantina soup, tamales, and pork tacos.

Dan making Tamales

We all took turns making our own tamales as well as learning how to roll and press tortillas. Afterwards we all sat together outside to enjoy the food. It was really, really good.

Pressing tortilla

I especially enjoyed the cantina soup and would like to try making it when we get home.

Cantina Soup

As a going away present, Lorenzo presented us each with a cooking apron as well as a CD of all the recipes. All in all, it was a good day and we especially enjoyed the food. The cost was $110 per person.

One of the participants had been coming to the class for years, and she said Claudia changes the menu so it's different every time. On another day, she would highlight cuisine from other parts of the country. For our visit, the cooking theme was central Mexico.

After cooking class we were shuttled back to our hotel and took a quick nap before dinner at Nabiolo, the Italian restaurant on site. The restaurant decor was white and minimalist; it almost made me think that we were in Santorini. We ordered caprese salad, osso bucco for Dan and salmon pizza for me.

Next Post: Cancun Day 3: Chichen Itza Tour

Cancun Day 1: SFO to Cancun

We left bright and early to catch our 8 am flight to Cancun. We booked economy class tickets this time around. Thankfully the plane was not full. We got all 3 seats in our row for the 2 of us, so we were able to space out a bit. I told Dan I had a feeling that they would provide food because it's an international flight. Turns out food cost extra, just like domestic... hehe, I guess I should have known. :)

Flight took around 4.5 hours. Once we landed, the immigration line took forever. It seemed like all flights from the US arrived at the same time. We were in the immigration line for about an hour, then finally picked up our luggage, and went outside for our prearranged shuttle with USA transfer, which came recommended on Trip Advisor.

Our hotel was located in the Cancun hotel zone, which was about a 25 minute ride from the airport. Unfortunately, it was raining that day, so no beach time. :p

Once we got to our resort, we cleaned up a bit and then headed down to grab dinner. We wanted to try the Mexican restaurant, but it wasn't open even though it was already 6 pm. We went to the cafe and ordered a small panini sandwich to share since Dan was starving. Since it was our very first time in an all inclusives we didn't really know how it works - turns out you can just order anything you want and not have to worry about signing anything. How nice!



Afterwards we went to the Asian restaurant called Dragonfly since that was open. The decor of the restaurant was nice although it was very dark inside. The menu was Asian but it was all over the place: Dim sum, pad Thai, teppanyaki, curry, as well as sushi. Being at our first all inclusive resort, it was really nice to be able to order anything, and I noticed that the menu didn't have prices. :) I ordered the miso fish, and Dan ordered the ribeye teppanyaki.

Food was so so, not the greatest, but what can you expect from an all inclusive?

Their dessert was actually pretty good. Dan ordered a lychee coconut soup, and I ordered a vanilla tempura ice cream. I love the tempura ice cream so much I ended up ordering it almost every day! It reminded me of a fried ice cream place we had back home in Indonesia.

After dinner, there was no bill to sign -- that was kind of nice. We then walked around the property a bit before going back to our room to rest.

Next Post: Cancun Day 2: Can Cook in Cancun

Secrets the Vine Cancun: Intro & Hotel Review

Intro
I came across Secrets the Vine resort a couple of months ago when it was about to open. I was really intrigued with the modern design which is what I typically prefer, and we had never been to an all-inclusive. So this looked like a good candidate to try. We both had also never been to Mexico, and after our last Kauai trip, we agreed we need to change it up a bit and visit a new place altogether. Mexico was close enough, relatively inexpensive, and we got to try this brand new resort. I booked a 4 night stay, and we were really excited to check out this place.

The resort was located in the Cancun hotel zone, which is a long strip of road where the vast majority of hotels were located. It reminded me of the Vegas strip or the hotels all along Waikiki beach in Honolulu. Each resort was pretty big, so we couldn't just easily walk from one to the other. And it looked like most of the hotels were self-contained. Since Secrets the Vine was one of the newest resorts, the downside was that it didn't actually have that much land. The resort only had a small strip of beach area and the hotel was built upwards (tall) to maximize the space. The good thing though was that all rooms had at least a partial ocean view.

Secrets The Vine

Unlike other resorts which appear to have huge gardens with beautiful landscaping, we passed by a small apartment community before entering the gate/entrance to our hotel off of the main road. Upon pulling up to the entrance, the bellboy came to grab our luggage and we went up the stairs to the lobby area.

Lobby 
The lobby area was beautiful and grand. It had high ceilings with multiple glass floor-to-ceiling windows which made the area open. There were different seating areas, a cafe, and a bar.

Check-in
The check-in went pretty smooth; there were 4-5 counters and they had fruit and cookies available on the side if we wanted. We were offered an upgrade to the junior suite for an additional $50 per night. We actually declined although now thinking back it probably wouldn't have been a bad idea. Strangely, there was no wristband or anything like that. The check-in agent then instructed us to the "VIP Services" area where we were to collect our resort coupons. We were given $200 value of resort coupons, and were invited to a 90 minute breakfast/presentation for an additional resort credit discount. We politely declined.

Room
We booked a deluxe ocean view room and were assigned to the 10th floor, which was their lowest floor (one floor up from the lobby). Even though this was considered an entry level room, it was still spacious and beautiful. The king size bed was huge and comfortable.

Deluxe Ocean View Room at Secrets The Vine

The mini bar was stocked with water bottles, juice, soft drinks, and beer.

I loved the modern look of the bathroom, the spacious dual sinks, and the glass showers.

We had a pretty big balcony overlooking the pool and a side view of the ocean. A lot of people on Tripadvisor commented on the lack of privacy on the balcony. But I understand why they would do that to extend the openness and the view of the ocean.


There was a turn-down service every night where they replenished the mini bar, set chocolates and left the list of activities for the next day. Overall we were really happy with our room.

Pool
There were 3 main pools and plenty of beach/lawn chairs. We didn't feel the need to come early and grab a spot, though we saw many others did right after breakfast. The pool attendant walked around to take drink orders. They could also set up an umbrella for shade.

The pool was heated, so the water was nice and warm. Even though there were plenty of people around, the pool itself was never really over crowded.

Beach 
Down the steps from the pool was the beach area. There were chairs set up as well for those who chose to be on the sand. The beach area was pretty clean. I didn't see any vendors selling stuff on the beach, which was nice.

Here's a breakdown of our trip to Cancun:

Secrets The Vine Cancun: Intro & Hotel Review

Cancun Day 1: SFO to Cancun

Cancun Day 2: Can Cook in Cancun

Cancun Day 3: Chichen Itzan Tour

Cancun Day 4: Pool Time & the Superbowl

Cancun Day 5: Last Day & Summary