Leaving La Playa and Coming Back To Carmageddon

I would love to tell you that this is what my vacation looked like

 all sunshine, clear blue water and deserted white sand beaches along the Playa de la Ropa

But down in the tropical paradise of Zihautanejo - Ixtapa it was the rainy season
so while hot and humid, the sun only peaked out from the storm clouds intermittently.

The sky wasn't blue and the beaches weren't deserted...yet I endured
When not swimming
most of my time was spent with a book on this chaise under a palapa
hoping that it wouldn't rain...
and that if it did rain, at least the ever present viciously biting bugs would go away.

Rainy season on the Mexican Riviera isn't for the faint hearted or the fair weather traveller.
But it is for the thrifty since the rates at The Tides hotel go down significantly between June and October.  Even given the low rates. there were only about 30 guests in total at the hotel. Imagine that.

In terms of the overall quality of service, accommodations and cuisine, The Tides was not up there with the Palmilla in Cabo San Lucas.  I didn't expect it to be...after all, the Palmilla isn't a called The One and Only for nothing. But I wasn't in any way disappointed with The Tides. 

The suite was clean and comfortable, the grounds were lovely and lush, the food was good and the service was caring. For the adventurous sporty types, surfing, diving, snorkeling, jet skiing, sport fishing etc. could be arranged for.  I wasn't that adventurous.

A couple of highlights.
A charming young man, Juan Landeros, became something akin to my personal concierge, bringing me delicious margaritas at cocktail hour and filling me in on the ins and outs of the hotel and the local area.  The Tides needs to give that guy a raise!
Also, one evening's dinner on the beach was accompanied by lovely music by a local duo, Daleth & Antares. Daleth's soft soprano voice singing Bossa Nova and Mexican standards was such a upgrade from the typical Mariachi music that you hear at every resort.

Would I go back to The Tides, most definitely...but not in mid summer.

Happily I am home where the temperature is a mild 75 degrees without bugs and where I can occupy myself in the neighborhood all weekend and avoid Carmageddon, which you might or might not know is the two day closing of the 405 freeway, the carotid artery if you will, controlling the life blood of Los Angeles traffic.  A lot of hype has been made about our Carpocalypse, but I'm ignoring it.

What are you up to this weekend?

Zihuatanejo - The Report From the Field

It's hot and humid here
which is hardly a surprise since it is rainy season
and I'm not going to even discuss the bug bites...
what was I thinking coming to this location in the middle of summer?
Still, the sun manages to come out for a few hours a day
the ocean is warm
and this is what it looks like from the terrace of my room

it could be worse....

Summer Fun

Pseu has been to Paris, Tabitha has been to the South of France, David has been to Scandinavia

As I've mentioned before, I was so looking forward to taking a vacation in Southern Italy
especially because I had expected my bother to move to Naples this month.
I was so looking forward to plenty of  pizza, pasta and Prada.

Unfortunately, things didn't work out as expected and he will most likely be moving to a place where recently the streets looked something like this.

Obviously, I won't be visiting him in that part of the world this summer.

Instead, I'm off to place that looks like this

where there will be plenty of cerveza, seviche and sunshine
I'm hoping to get in some sports too,a little tennis, kayaking and horseback riding
then again, I may just lay hang out on the hanging beds on the beach and read my books

I was inspired to try this resort because Jill had written about it on her blog
god knows if it's good enough for Jill it will definitely be good enough for me!

Where are you going on vacation this summer?

 

Palmilla - The One and Only Way to Vacation in Cabo San Lucas

Have I ever mentioned to you that I love Cabo San Lucas?
With only a short 2 hour flight from noisy, cold and traffic bound Los Angeles you arrive in a quiet, warm and calm paradise at the tip of Baja California where the Pacific Ocean meets the Sea of Cortez.
It's magical, it really is.
I have vacationed along the Cabo Corridor several times before but this was the first time that I stayed at the magnificent Palmilla, part of the outstanding One and Only group of resorts where attention to detail, customer service and quality of experience reign.

The resort is situated on the edge of the Punta Palmilla on the coast where each room has a blue water view.

The overall design I would describe as Hacienda 'lite' with classic Mexican style elements such as dark wood furniture against white walls and Mexican tile and stone work.  My room was a spacious 2nd floor suite with high ceilings, a step down sitting room and large terrace.

The grounds are lush with tropical landscaping, green lawns and palm trees are everywhere.

Except for the sound of the waves crashing on the rocks the resort has an overall sense of quietness. The staff is dressed in muted off white Mexican style outfits that evoke more of a spa-like ambiance than that of a busy international hotel.

The Palmilla welcomes families yet the resort doesn't feel overrun by unruly kids.  By providing both a family pool and an adult pool you can choose your level of ambient activity.

But wherever you decide to place yourself, the pool, the beach, the spa, the gym, the restaurant, the library, your room, you will be amazed by the service of the staff. For example, whenever you sit by the pool or under a palapa on the beach, you will be brought an ice bucket with bottles of water.  Sitting by the pool you will be offered homemade fruit popsicles and frozen yogurt. Your room will be restocked everyday with water bottles, fresh fruit, snacks...and a special tequila. You will be offered water, lemonade, coffee in the library. Your treadmill in the gym will be equipped with a fresh towel and water. There is wireless service throughout, and even the palapas have electrical outlets so that you can plug in your laptop...if you are insane enough to take your computer to the beach.

Did I mention that a butler that comes with your room.  I had the fabulous Isaac Armentilla who was there to take care of whatever I needed.  I offered to take him home with me but he preferred to stay at the Palmilla...who wouldn't.
The service just goes on and on and on.

The food...well it is everything that you would expect.  Not that I would go all the way to Mexico to go to Jean-Georges Vongerichten's Market restaurant or Larbi Dahrouch's Mexican-Medeterranean restaurant, Agua, or to have incredible sashimi and ceviche at Nobuo Iwaseya's sushi bar, Suviche, but it is nice to have that choice of cuisine.  My Mexico style is more margaritas and guacamole while looking at the view from the outdoor Aqua bar.

For me the decision to go to the Palmilla rather than to any of the other spa/resorts along the Cabo Corridor was the fact that it had a swimmable beach.  So instead of lounging around the pretty pool, I was more than happy to stay on the beach and swim in the warm clean water of the Sea of Cortez.
While I enjoyed my vacation in Aix-en-Provence last summer because I spent time with friends who are dear to me, I have to admit that the One and Only Palmilla resort was so much better than the Aquabella hotel/spa in Aix and surprisingly priced about the same or even less.  Not only was it off season in Cabo when rates are down there was a terrific 4 nights for the price of 3 package which you would never find in France.
I totally recommend the Palmilla and would happily stay there again...anytime.
And if I ever find myself on the other side of the world I will try the One and Only resorts in Dubai and the Maldives.