• Cancun – Isla Mujeres: hopping the ferry for the 15 minute ride to Isla Mujeres http://twitpic.com/1w9axg #
• Cancun ferry to Isla Mujeres reminds of an intl flight- same seats, beverage service, & "in case of emergency" video… But with commercials #
• Cancun islas mujeres attractions: we've rented a golf course & r touring the island. Pic Floating bottle island http://twitpic.com/1w9udj #
• Cancun Restaurant in Isla Mujeres: dining on the beach at Sunset Grill with this view: http://twitpic.com/1wam55 #
• Chichen itza roadtrip from Cancun: stopping for tamale lunch – only 30 minutes from the pyramids http://twitpic.com/1wj3iv #
• Itza chichen in chichen itza – driving 2.5 hours from Cancun to Chichen Itza to see Mayaland http://twitpic.com/1wj5i9 #
• Standing @ foot of Chichen itza pyramid http://twitpic.com/1wl632 #
• Cancun vacation extended… Heading to Cozumel and Playa del Carmen for another week http://twitpic.com/1wux80 #
• A Renoir in Cancun's Le Meridian hotel http://twitpic.com/1x2hhj #
• Donde esta mi pantalones? See, those Spanish lessons are really paying off! Peacock @ Mayaland hotel Chichen Itza http://twitpic.com/1x2x0z #
• Taking a luxury tour to Playa del Carmen and then Cozumel – booked through MyCancunTours.com http://twitpic.com/1x9d1t #
• In playa del Carmen http://twitpic.com/1xa9ct #
• On a boat off the coast of Cozumel – have never seen water this color http://twitpic.com/1xbeb1 #
• Sitting in the Islander spa at Aura Wyndham resort- booking mud baths n stuff w @brillianpamela http://twitpic.com/1xdz9r #
• Aura Wyndham Cozumel is beautiful- for the view alone, I'll forgive them for serving toasted hamburger buns & calling them English Muffins #
• In playa del Carmen http://twitpic.com/1xa9ct #
• Having the Mayan Spa Treatment with @brilliantpamela in Cozumel & laughing our a$$es off the entire time http://twitpic.com/1xv0q8 #
• Sunset in Cozumel… Makes up for the horrible food at our resort http://twitpic.com/1y7mnd #

In playa del Carmen http://twitpic.com/1xa9ct

Playa del Carmen made me wish I was staying longer.  We had booked a luxury tour from Cancun to Cozumel, and only stopped in Playa del Carmen briefly.  What we saw was a tranquil, sun drenched beach paradise.  Unlike Cancun, the beaches had calm waves, and few people lining them.  The atmosphere alone was relaxing.

Our tour guide told us about the nearby ruins of Tulum and Coba.  Apparently the Mayan ruins in these areas are quite impressive and warrant another trip to Quintana Roo so I’ll be open for another visit in the future.

Taking a luxury tour to Playa del Carmen and then Cozumel – booked through MyCancunTours.com http://twitpic.com/1x9d1t

Hmmm… I haven’t yet figured out what was luxury about this tour but it was still fun.  We were picked up at our resort, Le Meridian in Cancun at 8 am by a large well air conditioned bus with very comfortable seating.  We had been the last stop apparently, as our next stop was merely to transfer to our next bus, going to Playa del Carmen.

There wasn’t much of a view on the highway between Cozumel and Playa del Carmen.  A 45 minute drive on a very chilled, comfortable bus, our guide explained in both Spanish and English that we would be catching a ferry in Playa del Carmen to Cozumel, and then boarding bottomless boats and taken out to various reef spots around the island for snorkeling and photo opps.  After this, we would be enjoying a lunch at Miguel’s Grill with the rest of our tour group and were free to explore the island for shopping or scooter rides before the ferry back to Playa del Carmen and the bus ride back to Cancun.  We of course ditched the tour for the ride home- a plan we had prearranged with the tour company so we could stay in Cozumel for 4 days and then return to Cancun.

Cancun vacation extended… Heading to Cozumel and Playa del Carmen for another week http://twitpic.com/1wux80

I can’t believe I planned a mere week in Cancun!  It’s just not enough time so I’ve booked another week and am planning to stick around.  I’ve seen Cancun, the Chichen Itza ruins of the Yucatan, and the beautiful Isla Mujeres.  Now I’ve booked a luxury tour to Playa del Carmen and then ferry to Cozumel.  Our tour will then take us to the Cozumel ruins, and in a glass submarine to see the 2nd largest reef in the world.

Our Cozumel tour is a day trip returning to Cancun that night, but we’ll be staying in Cozumel for 4 nights instead.  We’ve booked the beautiful Aura Resort by Wyndham.  All inclusive and we hear the spa is fabulous, we’re looking forward to our 754 square foot luxury room on a private beach.  The vacation continues…

The Grand Venetian and Palazzo Hotel- possibly the most impressive hotel I’ve seen in Las Vegas. That’s saying a lot, when you consider the impressive structures lining the Las Vegas Strip.

My overall impression and recommendations: Shop here, enjoy the charming gondola rides, marvel at the talented opera singers amidst the Canal Shop Square… then stay elsewhere. I checked out of the hotel nearly a week ago and I’m still spending a few hours a day trying to get out of $5400+ in duplicate charges for my $1600 hotel bill. No, I’m not joking. My billing was not only screwed up multiple times, but Rudy in their billing department has little concern for the matter. Honestly, I’m not bitter. It’s been so ridiculous, I’ve resorted to actually laughing about it! In the meantime, I’m thankful for Chase Bank, and their amazing ability to match the numbers on hotel statements with bank charges, which the Venetian can’t seem to do.

If you do plan on staying at the Venetian, here’s my advice- use only ONE credit card and make sure they offer super spectacular consumer protection. When you check out, opt out of express check out and get a statement you can triple check for duplicate billing (or triplicate billing in my case.) And finally, be sure and check your bank activity over the next few days- I was charged again for another $1,280+ 2 days after checking out of the hotel.

The Venetian Hotel and Casino:
Billing disasters aside, the Venetian was beautiful, with an unbeatable atmosphere starting with an elaborate foyer and grand hallway. I’m a sucker for musicians and beautiful fountains in the entry you know. Be sure and watch your step coming from the front desk, you don’t want to trip over the line of tourists taking photos along the way to their rooms.

The Venetian Hotel Rooms
The Venetian is a true all-suite, luxury Las Vegas hotel. Their rooms are anything but ordinary with sunken living areas, luxury linens, multiple flat screens and huge bathrooms complete with over sized marble tubs. Everything you could possibly need, including a weight-censored minibar to alert staff for quick refills. If you need an extra bed in your room, come early- these are first come, first serve with limited availability. They’re also only available up to the 12th floor- just an fyi for those of you who like to high views of the strip. Humidifiers are available, and just about any toiletry you left behind. Quick note though, bring your own blow dryer; they’ve stocked bottom of the line, frizz-causing conair hair dryers with no cool button. So close to being the perfect accommodations! 2 large flat screens with disappointing channels but plenty of movies to rent (coincidence? I think not! I like movies anyway.) I really appreciated the in room multitask printers; trips to the business center weren’t even necessary. My favorite amenity at this hotel- FREE WIFI – only at the Las Vegas Venetian!

As impressive as your room may be, you won’t want to waste time seeing more of this hotel. A quick stroll brings you to the Canal Shops. Expect to gawk- the Venetian has one of the most incredible shopping areas I’ve ever seen, anywhere. Upscale shops in Venetian style facades around the indoor canals, complete with gondoliers passing by. Gondolier rides are available for $15 per person and it seemed the average appointment was an hour’s wait. Venetian hotel guests are given “buy one, get one half off” gondola ride coupons. If you want a cute keepsake, the gondola rides have photographers on hand and plenty of framing options. I’ll admit, I left with a few 5 x 8′s in a silly Venetian paper frame, a keychain photo, and a few in magnets. Hey, my grandmother loved them! The shopping… oh the shopping… I hit Burberry, Coach, Kenneth Cole, Anne Taylor, Brighten and several others. There’s even a Barneys New York tucked between the Venetian and the Palazzo. If you’re a shopper, go nuts! Just remember almost all of these shops are at the Las Vegas Premium Outlet Mall offering significant discounts.

The Venetian Staff:
Professional doormen, courteous front desk, and helpful concierge staff. The gentlemen working the transportation area always have a smile on their face and are happy to offer advice and directions. The Venetian offers great customer service in their hotel. Their billing department… well, maybe they’re overworked.

Surrounded by the lush hills of the Sierra Madre jungles, and the sparkling blue of Banderas Bay, Puerto Vallarta charms visitors with its traditional architecture, cobblestone streets and enchanting natural beauty. Designed with all this in mind, The Westin Resort& Spa Puerto Vallarta, was created to display its beautiful surroundings.
One of Puerto Vallarta’s most exclusive oceanfront properties, The Westin in Puerto Vallarta was designed by famed architect Javier Sordo Madaleno. 21 lush acres of palm trees and tropical foliage, the resort combines the ambience of colonial Mexico with the most sophisticated services and amenities available in the world.

Highlights:

Guestrooms are luxuriously decorated and feature ocean views overlooking a private beach.

The Starwood Spa Collection spa is on site ready to pamper you.

The Westin Resort featured 4 palm tree lined swimming pools.

Location: Oceanfront, Marina Vallarta

Where to book:

The Westin Resort & Spa Puerto Vallarta

Resort Amenities & Area Attractions