Island Destination Weddings

I recently returned from a quick but beautiful Hawaiian getaway visiting the new creation of hotelier Ian Schrager, The Waikiki EDITION, which I would consider a fabulous choice for lovebirds seeking the beautiful Hawaiian Island of Oahu for their Honeymoon or Destination Wedding.

The hotel, which many may know as the former Ilikai complex, is not right on the beach, however conveniently located within walking distance to Waikiki Beach and the shopping district.

The friendly hotel staff welcomes you before you even enter the property. You will be stunned when entering the lobby where you’ll find a extraordinary piece of art by Herbie Fletcher right behind the reception desk - made out of broken-in-action surfboards. 

At night an "open-sesame-style" floor to ceiling bookcase opens up to an otherwise non visible lounge hidden behind it. Surrounded by unique art & style the hotel offers a beautiful spa, a gym, one main swimming pool with a beach bar as well as a "splash pool" lagoon called the sunset pool, on an upper outdoor level surrounded by sand with its own beach bar.

The 353 rooms and suites are all beautifully designed and decorated in cream and white colors with either a king or two double beds. The king bedded rooms have a lanai, the rooms with two doubles do not. Most rooms have a shower only, some also have a separate tub. WiFi internet is provided throughout the hotel. Complimentary coffee service provided on pool level in the morning for the perfect start of day.....  

Honeymooners would particularly enjoy the beauty of the spacious one bedroom suites with a relaxing beach house feel, large terrace and gorgeous views; many would call it pure "lifestyle".

The Waikiki EDITION also features famous chef Masahuru Morimoto's restaurant, many may know him from the TV show "Iron Chef".

For the perfect island destination wedding the hotel has a 9,200 square foot ballroom which can be divided in three separate rooms. For those seeking the beauty of an open air ceremony and celebration, the perfect place would be the Sunset Suite, their hospitality suite, with a large outdoor terrace holding about 120 people comfortably. This space can also be used if the ceremony should take place at the upper pool deck in the sand or even on a customized platform above the water, whatever your heart desires.... the wedding attendees could comfortably move over to the hospitality suite afterwards to celebrate.

Probably the most spectacular choice for a smaller Destination Wedding would be the Penthouse Suite - 1,500 square feet with a 1,400 sf wrap around terrace, which caters to a perfect small wedding and reception. The view is simply spectacular. 

The onsite Destination Wedding & Event Planner assured me that anything is possible. Even though they offer a few set wedding packages, everything can be customized and every bride & groom’s wishes will be fulfilled to make their dream come true.....!

Author: Kyra Heede, Honeymoon & Destination Wedding Specialist
Email: Kyra.h@travelstoreusa.com

It was an ideal spot for a wedding or honeymoon. We spent the first two days in the City of Palermo, had the civil ceremony outside in a park (the couple sits for the ceremony). The reception was held in a Villa in the country. It felt like we were in a movie.

The highlight for me was taking the one hour train ride out of the big city, to Cefalu. We spent three nights there, getting to know our new daughter in law’s family, and spending time with our son.

The small town of Cefalù on Sicily‘s northern coast may not have the glitz and glamour of the island’s top resort, Taormina, but it has bucketfuls of atmosphere, charm – and sand!

The town has featured in several Italian films, including the Oscar-winning Cinema Paradiso, and it’s easy to see why.
Its setting is spectacular. The ancient fishing port, dominated by its magnificent Norman cathedral, huddles below the mighty Rocca, a huge limestone crag from whose summit you can enjoy breathtaking panoramic views stretching as far as Palermo, some 50 miles to the west.

The beautiful, crescent-shaped beach offers safe, warm swimming in the Tyrrhenian Sea well into October or November. The beach is fringed by wooded mountains, and just a few miles inland lies the wonderful Madonie natural park, incorporating historic villages, abundant wildlife and some of the highest mountains in Sicily.

If you want to travel to a part of Italy that is less crowded, let me help you plan the perfect honeymoon in Sicily.

Author: Rebecca Gardner, Honeymoon & Destination Wedding Specialist

Email: Rebecca.g@travelstoreusa.com

Great weather (even if their rainy season goes from May to December it is a lot less hot and humid than in Mexico), great food (rich seafood, succulent coffee, safe drinkable water! and superb vegetables & fruits), rich history, super nice people (melting pot of Americans, Europeans Chinese and Indians) and fabulous unspoiled nature! It was all I could wish for and more.

With non-stop flights from LAX to Panama City (6 ½ hours), this destination can definitely be considered as an easy getaway for your clients, comparable to Costa Rica, Mexico, and the Caribbean.

I spent 4 nights there, participating in a fam put together by Travel Marketing Solutions, representing 2 properties in Panama, one by the Pacific ocean and one in the Highlands, for a perfect combination:

Cala Mia Hotel: http://www.boutiquehotelcalamia.com/

Panamonte Inn (part of Small Luxury):http://www.panamonte.com/

They are located in the Chiriqui region of Panama, about 40 minutes away by plane from Panama City, on the Pacific ocean side of the country.
In Panama City, we also visited a small boutique hotel called Canal House, located in the old town. 3 bedrooms only, personalized service. Daniel Craig (aka James Bond) stayed at this property for 2 months while shooting Quantum of Solace. http://www.canalhousepanama.com

Our land arrangements were taken care of by Panama Trails. They did a super job. http://www.panamatrails.com/

Boutique Hotel Cala Mia is on Isla Boca Brava, and surrounded by numerous islands, perfect playground for snorkeling, diving, fishing, and more. How to get there is what matters (a knowledgeable travel agent is recommended!) but once you arrived it is fantastic. Each of their 10 thatched-roof bungalows are located within 40 feet from the ocean. None have either A/C, phone or TV which some of our clients can miss. Some of the units are set for families as 2 bungalows are interconnected to become a 2-bedrooms/2-bathrooms private home. One also has an outdoor full kitchen.

A family from the California Central Coast was there at the same time, a couple with their 3 young kids. It was their 2nd stay at this property and they were extremely happy about their vacation.
The food served at their restaurant was really good (Vittoria and Max the owners (respectively Italian and Dutch) who also lives on the island told us it was a paradise for lobsters which is what we had for dinner).

Cala Mia also offers a Spa and several hiking trails where you can meet exotic birds and monkeys.
Although close to the water, there are quite a bit of bugs at night. It is not a problem in the bungalow if you keep your indoor lights off.
Bungalow # 5: Honeymooners.
Cala Mia is a GREEN HOTEL. Electricity is operated with solar panels.
Just a few white sand beaches on the Pacific Coast, most would have a dark/volcanic color. But still the snorkeling is great as the water is really clear.

Panamonte Inn is located in Boquete, cute little town in the highlands of Panama, about 2 hours from Cala Mia (by boat and car transfer) or 40 minutes from David airport. Boquete enjoys a great micro climate and temperatures are always mild, comparable to what we have here in LA. It is a mountain climate, so rain is to be expected in the afternoon.
What a precious property! The combination of a turn of the century charm with newly renovated bedrooms (king beds, flat screen TV’s, WiFi around property, large bathrooms, you name it) is brought up to perfection. And what makes this property even more special are the owners, Inga Collins and her son Charlie Collins. Please read about them their life story – it is so unique.

In a couple of words – Inga was born in Panama from Swedish parents (her father was a sailor). She passed on her love of cooking to her son Charlie who is nowadays the assigned chef for the President(s) of Panama. He cooked for celebrities such as George W and George Bush, Sean Connery, etc.
www.chefcharliecollins.com
Charlie and Inga love to meet with their guests and share stories. It is possible to arrange lunch with Inga for your clients, and/or private cooking classes with Charlie. We did experience a cooking class at Charlie’s home, it was great.
Obviously the restaurant at Panamonte offers superb cuisine (I strongly recommend the trout).

The playground around Boquete is amazing: bird watching hikes, treks through the rainforest in the Baru Volcano national park, water rafting, golf (yes there is a golf course), canopy rides, coffee tours (we learned so much about coffee! I’ll never drink coffee the same way again!). And at the end of a busy day you can relax at the Panamonte Inn Spa and enjoy one of its fireplaces.

Canal House is located in the old town of Panama City, undergoing a complete restoration. It is becoming a very charming part of town, full of restaurants and little boutiques to shop at. It’s a much more attractive location than downtown (where the Intercontinental, Sheraton, Crowne Plaze hotels are). The Canal House is the first “hotel like” property to open in this area – more to come.
At the Canal House, 3 bedrooms only, all on top of each other as the building is very narrow. The last unit (Master Suite) is the one you want to book for your clients as there’s a large terrace offering great views. You can reserve the whole property for a group or family for the very reasonable price of $800 per night. There’s a housekeeper on stuff, and a manager.
Breakfast is served in the dining room in the morning. A small kitchen is available for cooking or private catering. A cozy separate living room area is also great to watch TV, read a book, or sip on a cocktail.

I believe Panama has the great potential to become a popular destination for the American clientele, looking for a yet unspoiled and quite authentic destination. We only visited the Chiriqui region, but Panama has a lot more to offer! I can’t wait to check out the Caribbean side of the country - the region of Bocas Del Toro and the beautiful San Blas Archipelago.

Panama Trails can also take you to the Southernmost region of Panama named Darien, where you get to meet with the local Indian tribes, and share a lunch with them for example.

I still have a lot to discover about this country and I look forward to go back there soon.

You can send your 4-star clients to Panama, not the 5-star ones. Families looking for great educational activities would love it there. Honeymooners looking for an exotic but different destination would be delighted as well.

It is an easy destination to go to, and one that will definitely give you the feeling to “get away from it all”.

Author: Florence Brethome, Honeymoon & Destination Wedding Specialist

Email: Florence.b@travelstoreusa.com

After the wedding they spent a few days at the property and then traveled to the Galapagos for their honeymoon. What great memories they have. They sent me pictures from their wedding and in spite of the rain they had a wonderful ceremony as seen on the picture.

The wedding planning was simple and the hotel took care of all of their needs. Being that the bride’s family lives in Ireland they were unable to come to the wedding. Her sister emailed me a letter to be read at the ceremony and this was taken care of without any hesitation.

The bride and groom thoroughly enjoyed the Galapagos. After they spent the night in Quito, Ecuador they flew to Baltra Island to embark on a 4 day Galapagos cruise. At the end of the cruise they spent the remaining 3 days at the Red Mangrove on Santa Cruz Island in Ecuador.

My goal in planning their wedding and honeymoon was to make sure that all their dreams for the beginning of their life as husband and wife were met. Eric is an avid diver and did not want to go to the Galapagos without enjoying at least one dive. Being that Niamh was not going to dive she wanted to be pampered. I was thrilled to make sure they were both able to enjoy their time together and also do some of the activities they enjoy as individuals. A dive was arranged by the Red Mangrove for Eric and a day at the spa was arranged for Niamh. They came back happy and I had the pleasure of being a part of making their dreams become a reality.

The following is a note I received from Niamh:
“The trip was great. Thank you for organizing it. The hotels were great, Metropolitan and Panorama tour group staff were fab and the Galapagos was the best trip either of us has ever been on! Anyway I am sending you on links to the pics! Thought you might like to see the fruits of your hard work!!"

I would love to make your honeymoon dreams become a reality!

Agent: Gloriane Letterman, Honeymoon & Destination Wedding Specialist
Email: Gloriane.L@travelstoreusa.com

This resort is perfect to trade daily distractions and let your body and soul wander in a tropical gardens surrounded by Jamaican palms, dense foliage, tropical breezes, white sand beaches and smoldering sunsets. Make it a peaceful retreat or take part in water sports such as kayaking, windsurfing, fishing and snorkeling. Imagine exchanging vows in the peace and tranquility of a Zen Garden under a floral palapa gazebo, just like my clients....

The resort was fantastic and our secluded bungalow exceeded our expectations. Within hours of our arrival the staff knew us both by name and they made me feel like a fairy tale princess. Little Palm Island Resort was all the luxury we could have asked for.

Our wedding ceremony took place in their Zen Garden under a floral palapa gazebo surrounded by our guests.

Since the resort took care of all of the details of the wedding ceremony, it was so nice to relax in the tropical garden and it felt like a peaceful retreat to both of us. On the days we were not relaxing at the spa, we took advantage of the all the water sports that were offered and I learned how to windsurf and did kayaking for the first time.

Christopher & Michelle G. from Reno, NV

Agent: Jeanine Arnsdorf, Honeymoon & Destination Wedding Specialist
Email: Jeanine.A@travelstoreusa.com

Croatia has over 1100 islands and only 66 of them are inhabited!  The country boasts some of the cleanest beaches in the Mediterranean, has 8 national parks, numerous UNESCO sites, and an amazing history & gastronomy.
I recently returned from a visit to Dubrovnik and the surrounding areas and just fell in love with the destination.

With more than 1000 years of history (and boy, what an eventful history!), Dubrovnik is primarily a cultural destination, but surrounded by the most amazing beaches and water which also make it a fantastic vacation spot!

What is there to do you may ask? Walk the walls, visit the museums, cathedrals, churches, and numerous art galleries of the city, try the local gastronomy (very healthy with lots of seafood and great chocolates) while enjoying the local folklore.  Taking an excursion to the nearby towns of Cavtat, Mlini and Konavle is a great way to spend a day, or you could visit the nearby islands of Lokrum (where legend has it that Richard the Lionheart found shelter on the way back from the crusades in Palestine) or Korcula (the birth place of Marco Polo) for some snorkeling, fishing or diving.

While on my trip, I visited about 15 to 20 different properties, some of them just wonderful, worth a stay of several nights.  I really like to make sure a get a good feel for the various accommodation options so that I am sure to direct my clients to the perfect property for them.

In my opinion, the 2 best hotels in Dubrovnik are the Hilton Imperial and Villa Argentina, with the latter being my personal favorite. Both properties are located within walking distance from Old Town. There are, however, several other great hotels in the city. Some other I favor would be the Pucic Palace, the Lapad hotel and the Kazbek villa.

If you've ever considered a honeymoon or any vacation to Croatia, don’t hesitate to contact me for more exciting details about visiting this great European country!

Author: Florence Brethome, Honeymoon & Destination Wedding Specialist
Email: Florence.b@travelstoreusa.com

Now, maybe a routing via Australia is not the shortest way to get to Thailand, but it's certainly one of the most comfortable, especially when you sit and sleep on a feather bed in "Rock Star Row". The flight becomes a distention by itself with the most amazing, friendly service where the word no does not exist. Australian's are known to be friendly and it certainly showed in all of the V Australia staff, from check-in to cabin crew.

When we arrived in Sydney, I stayed at the Taj Blue, which is a contemporary style hotel in Sydney Harbor. The Taj Blue was built in a former ferry building which originally held the wool while it was waiting to be shipped overseas. They have kept all of the old construction and even have an indoor pool. Surrounded by hip and trendy restaurants and boasting amazing views, this hotel is a must when staying in Sydney.

From Sydney, I flew to Phuket on V Australia and slept in feather bed high above the clouds.

Outside the hustle and bustle of Phuket town, I stayed at the private island resort of Yao Noi, a Six Senses Resort. With my own private villa, indoor/outdoor bathroom, private pool and living room I really felt like a celebrity. The staff is incredibly friendly and you even have your own villa butler. The resort is built on a hillside with the most amazing views of "James Bond" island from every villa.

All in all, an incredible trip of amazing beauty with unlimited potential for adventure and romance. Sound like your dream honeymoon? Ask me how you can go!