Beach Vacations For Winter

 

During the winter months, finding a beach vacation

spot can be a little difficult.  It doesn't have

to be, which is where this article will really come

in handy.  Below, you'll find some resorts that

offer a unique twist to your winter beach vacation.

 

1.  Molokai Ranch and Lodge

On a white sand shore on the tiny Hawaiian island of

Molokai, guests will stay in comfortable yet unique

tents.  Each double unit canvas bungalow sits on

wooden platforms, offers queen size beds in one

unit, twin beds in the other, solar powered lights,

and a private bathroom with hot water showers.

 

The Molokai Ranch and Lodge offers over 54,000

acres, including seaside cliffs with very lush

valleys.  The outdoor activities here include sea

kayaking, cultural hikes, mountain biking, and

horseback rides.  For the kids, the lodge offers

nature walks, horse stables, tidal pools and

Hawaiian arts and crafts.

 

2.  Grand Wailea Resort and Spa of Hawaii

Long ago, a big swimming pool was enough to make

guests happy.  Now days, resorts compete in water

activities such as lagoons, waterfalls, water

slides, and even lazy rivers.

 

The Grand Wailea Resort offers several attractions,

such as the 4,580 square foot Hibiscus pool,

and the 25,700 square foot Canyon Activity pool

which is great for families. 

 

3.  Atlantis Resort of the Bahamas

In the amazing water fun department is the unique

Atlantis Resort and Spa on Paradise Island in

the Bahamas.  Along with the beach, the Atlantis

has eleven swimming pools, Mayan Temple water

slides, and lazy river rides.  The Atlantis

also boasts an amazing marine habitat, with

exhibit lagoons that house more than 50,000

sea animals.

 

4.  Club Med Punta Cana

Over the last several years, the Dominion

Republic has been working very hard to establish

itself as a destination for families, with many

all inclusives being built.  This location has

all the perks of a tropical resort plus stand

out features that include kids programs, and

other attractions that make Club Med Punta Cana

one of the most unique beach vacation spots in

the entire world.

 

5.  Virgin Islands

The US Virgin Islands National Park is a very

unique vacation spot with white sandy beaches, and

lodging in comfortable tent cottages.

 

As with the Molokai Ranch, guest cottages are built

on platforms and designed to be both attractive

and comfortable.  Each one has a sleeping area,

bed linen, towels, kitchen utensils, stove, ice

cooler, and even a private deck.

 

Water sports for the area include kayaking, wind

surfing, snorkeling, and scuba diving.  There is

also an outdoor restaurant and a food store for

those who want to cook from the privacy of their

own room.

Until Next Time,

Jeané Elliott Bennett

Elliott Exquisite Vacations

A Corporate Travel Policy that Works

 

It is a myth that employees who travel on business resent the corporate travel policy.  The truth is that employees like to know what is expected of them and how to comply with a corporate policy as long as that policy is fair and gives them the ability to do what they need to do on the road.  So a well thought out corporate travel policy is a benefit to the company and the business traveler alike.

If it has been given to you to put together a corporate travel policy, your mission from the stand point of the company is to develop a policy that standardizes business expenses, eliminates waste and excess on the road and puts some controls around that part of the business expense picture.  So there are some definite focus areas you should include in the stated corporate policy including…

 

*     Reservations.  The business can utilize a travel agent that is looking for the best deal for the company.  The best rates can be identified and taken advantage of but only while making sure the business traveler’s needs and the business objective of the trip are satisfied.  Requiring that employees utilize the corporate travel agent again is not unfair and it clarifies for the employee how to handle the situation.

 

*     Use of credit.  It is a bit of effort and expense to set up corporate credit cards that you can require your traveling employees to use.  But by trapping expenses to the corporate account, you can get a record of a most of the business expenses that the employee is incurring.  Many of the expenses of travel such as airline and hotel can be directly billed back to the company thus taking the issues out of the hands of the business traveler.

 

*     Travel rewards.  If you have your corporate travel coordinated by an internal or external travel agency, corporate accounts with the major airlines can be established so the frequent flyer miles can be collected by the business.  As such, the business can redeem those miles and realize those benefits as a significant discount to apply against the travel budget.

 

*     Per Diem.  Your corporate travel policy must communicate clearly to the traveling employee what their limits are for hotel, rental car and meals on the road.  You want to head off before it starts any tendency by the employee to go overboard with daily expenses.  This part of the policy should be reviewed annually to update to current costs.

 

*     Reporting.   One of the chief complaints employees have about corporate travel policies are that the expense reporting system is cryptic and hard to fill out.  You will give the employee a standardized form that each traveler in the company must fill out to get reimbursed for expenses while traveling.  But review these forms and even design your own so the format is understandable and you have categories to cover all types of expenses the employee might encounter.

Along with these general categories, your corporate travel policies should include some leverage for employees who are faced with exceptional situations.  Room and food expenses can vary widely depending on where the employee must travel.  So you don’t want to set the hotel limit to $125 per night because it is reasonable to stay in a comfortable hotel for that rate in Lincoln Nebraska but enforce that same limitation for an employee who must do business in New York City. 

By creating a policy that in general protects the corporate budget but is also workable to employees who are about the company business, you will have a tool that will serve both company and employee interests and enable business travel to be what it was always intended to be – a productive, business focused activity that achieves the goals of the enterprise.

 

Until Next Time,

Jeané Elliott Bennett

Elliott Exquisite Vacations

9 Beach Vacation Ideas

 When it comes to go on your beach vacation, it can

be very hard to pick a destination.  There are many

places you can go, whether you want to explore the

beaches of Hawaii or just play golf in Georgia. 

Below, you'll find 9 ideas to help you decide on

where to go for your vacation.

1.  Hawaii resort

You can choose to put your frequent flier miles to

good use and take a beach vacation on the island of

Hawaii.  Here, you can relax on the beach, swim in

the ocean, play golf, and even indulge in one of

the many innovative spa treatments.  Hawaii enjoys

some of the best weather in the world - making it

a great choice for your beach vacation.

2.  Golf and Beach in Georgia

Popular among the East Coast, the Cloister at Sea

Island in Georgia offers you 54 holes of championship

golf, sandy beaches, and a wide array of things for

you to do. 

 

3.  Oahu beach vacation

At the Kahala Mandarin Oriental you can expect to be

pampered like never before.  You can visit the spa,

take scuba diving classes, or choose to swim it up

with the dolphins.  The resort is conveniently

located 15 minutes away from Honolulu and Waikiki

Beach.

 

4.  Virgin Islands vacation

At this vacation destination you can enjoy blue

waters and sandy beaches.  The Ritz Carlton, and

St. Thomas resorts offer you the best of luxury

hotels during your beach vacation in the Virgin

Islands.

 

5.  Half Moon Bay California

Located just 30 minutes by car away from San

Francisco, the Ritz Carlton Half Moon Bay is a

quick beach vacation away from the normal busy life

of the city. 

 

6.  Luxury Beach Resort of Bermuda

Two hours away by flight from New York City,

Bermuda is a quick and ideal vacation away from the

East Coast.  Ariel Sands offers you 47 guest rooms

with gourmet food and breathtaking views.

 

7.  Romance and seclusion in Jamaica

With unique rooms and splendid views of the

Caribbean, gourmet cuisine and amazing beaches,

The Caves resort in Jamaica helps to set the beach

vacation mood like never before.

 

8.  Lakeside Resort Georgia

Near Atlanta Georgia, the Lake Lanier Islands offers

a golf course for golf lovers and a waterpark with

several water rides, slides, and water attractions

the entire family will enjoy.

 

9.  Family fun in Hawaii

The Kona Village Resort in Hawaii offers you

several vacation activities that include snorkeling,

kayaking, sailing, volleyball, tennis, fishing,

scuba diving, and glass bottom boat tours.

Until Next Time, 

Jeané Elliott Bennett

Elliott Exquisite Vacations

Air Travel and Pets

Do you have to travel by air in the near future?  If you do, are you a pet owner who needs to bring your pet along with you?  Although most of us leave our pets at home, you may not want to do so or your purpose for travel may be to move, as opposed to taking a fun filled vacation.  Regardless of your reasons for wanting or needing to travel with your pet or pets, there are a number of important points that you will need to keep in mind.

The first step in traveling with a pet is to make sure that you can do so.  Although a good number of airlines will allow pets on their planes, not all will. You may be in a predicament if you plan to depart from a small airport with only one or two airlines.  If they do not accept pets or if their rules and restrictions are too much for you to handle, you will want to examine other nearby airports, especially those that are larger in size.

When traveling by air with your pet or pets, it is important to remember that you will be charged an additional fee.  Unfortunately, many first time pet travelers believe that they can use their pets and their pet carriers to count towards as a carry-on bag or a checked bag.  This isn’t how it works though.  You will, almost always, be charged an extra fee for traveling with a pet.  This extra fee will likely depend on the airline in question and well as your pet’s location, such as in the cabin or in the baggage compartment. 

That leads to another important point.  Even with some of the airlines that allow pets, like cats and dogs, aboard their flights not allow pets to be in the cabin with other passengers.  This is particularly common on small planes where allergies may be a big concern.  If you cannot part with your pet, be sure to search for an airline that will allow you to keep him or her in the cabin with you.  With that said, remember that the size of your pet will also play a huge factor in your options.

Regardless of where your pet is stored for the plane ride, you will need to have a pet carrier or crate for them.  Many airlines have specific rules and restrictions on what type can be used.  Resections often include materials used, as well as size.  Most will provide you with that information when asked.  Speaking of pet crates and carriers, it is important to make sure that you give your pet enough room to stand and move around a little bit.  In fact, most airlines will refuse to transport pets that they feel are unsafe from small pet crates and carriers.

It is also important to make sure that you get your pet checked by their vet.  You will want to make sure that your pet has all required vaccinations and that they are fit for travel.  Also, all airlines require that you receive a health certificate, which will state that your pet is healthy and safe for travel. 

The above mentioned points are just a few of the many that you will want to take into consideration when traveling with a pet.  Added tips include booking direct flights, making sure your pet’s collar is marked with the proper identification, as well as their pet carrier.

Until Next Time,

Jeané Elliott Bennett

Elliott Exquisite Vacations

Adventure Sailing is More Fun When You Own The Yacht

 You can charter adventure sailing vacation to almost any destination in the world. The only problem is that it will cost you a lump sum paying for the crew, the meals and the fuel for the trip. You can probably save money on a sailing vacation when you own the yacht but only if you know how to navigate and control it.

The advantage of owning a boat is that you can go on a sailing vacation at anytime. You don’t have to call your travel agent or make any reservation online since the boat is just sitting at the dock waiting for you to come aboard. The only thing you have to do is buy food and fuel which should be enough to get you back to port.

The boat also brings financial benefits because when you are not using it, this can be rented out to those who want to go on their own sailing vacation as long as they are able to pay your rate. This of course means additional revenue for you so the ship stays in good shape.

This makes it also ideal for those who want to conduct business on board because this is a tax deductible once you register your boat as a place of business. To see how this works, get in touch with your tax advisor

Another financial benefit of owning your own yacht is the fact that this is considered to be a second home. This is as long as the boat has at least one berth, a permanent galley and a head which is the requirement of the IRS.

If you can’t buy your own yacht, there is something called fractional boat ownership which means for a certain period during the year, you can do whatever you want with the boat. This will allow you to use it to go on a trip with your family.

The best thing about this is that a group of you share the cost of owning the yacht which already includes its maintenance, insurance, moorage, equipment, fuel and repairs.

This can only happen of course after you have completed a boating safety class and a safety orientation. This will not be a problem for you if you are already certified to sail a boat and know how to use all the equipment like charts, compass and GPS on board.

The other option is to join a boat club. Unlike part time sharing, you don’t get to own a boat. But as a member, you are entitled to up to 4 advanced reservations at any given time and access to powerboats or to sailboats that are up to 30 feet in length. The club for its part will shoulder all  the other expenses such as maintenance, cleaning, storage and insurance.

There are many of then around so you won’t have a hard time choosing one. Some cater to one market while others cater to all. They also offer boating classes for those who want to do this for fun or commit themselves in the sport.

Adventure sailing vacation is truly better when you own the yacht as the only thing you have to do is drive on over to the docks, stow your gear on board and then sail off into the sunset.

Until Next Time,

Jeané Elliott Bennett

Elliott Exquisite Vacations