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July 17, 2008 ~ Fiji ~ |
The trip to Fiji was exceptional. Sue M.. did a great job and our honeymoon was even more than we expected. The Fiji resort was a fabulous place and the staff from the manger all the way down to the grounds keeper were wonderful and fun. We will definitely go back and will highly recommend you and the Fiji resort to our friends and anyone else that asks. S. Enochian If you enjoy the comments about this Travel Advisor, and want more information about this resort or any other vacation planning, click here |
March 16, 2008 ~ Fiji ~ |
Hey Melissa- If you enjoy the comments about this Travel Advisor, and want more information about this resort or any other vacation planning, click here |
March 13, 2008 ~ Hawaii ~ |
My trip to Maui was fantastic, thanks to Sue, who I have been meaning to email.. The Maui resort was so great... 2xs upgrade from what I booked, then I upgraded myself again and got the corner wrap around deluxe ocean view suite which was the best ever. (the villa's are to die for, but this was fantastic !!!! ) thank you to Sue for the chocolate strawberries and a great time on Maui. Here's lookiing to my 50th ! If you enjoy the comments about this Travel Advisor, and want more information about this resort or any other vacation planning, click here |
February 07, 2008 ~ Hawaii ~ |
Hi Melissa All in all our trip went well! J. Borg If you enjoy the comments about this Travel Advisor, and want more information about this resort or any other vacation planning, click here |
January 14, 2008 ~ Tahiti ~ |
Hi - So as you see we had fun. We'd love to go back another time and go to the even more remote islands. But next year we are heading into the Andes but what memories we have of this trip! Hope that helps. Please thank Sue M for us. J. Parsey If you enjoy the comments about this Travel Advisor, and want more information about this resort or any other vacation planning, click here |
October 09, 2007 ~ Hawaii ~ |
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Sue M. gave us outstanding service, can you tell us what to do in Maui next to the hotel in Wailea, and good restaurants. M. Hassine If you enjoy the comments about this Travel Advisor, and want more information about this resort or any other vacation planning, click here |
September 24, 2007 ~ Fiji ~ |
Hi Melissa/Sue, If you enjoy the comments about this Travel Advisor, and want more information about this resort or any other vacation planning, click here |
June 04, 2007
~ Fiji ~ |
Hi Sue, If you enjoy the comments about this Travel Advisor, and want more information about this resort or any other vacation planning, click here |
May 13, 2007
~ Mexico ~ |
Sue was great and took care of all the arrangements – we love her! Also, the Los Cabos Resort was beautiful! The spa was fabulous, the food was great, the rooms were large and nicely decorated and the pool was gorgeous! We had a wonderful trip and thanks for all your help. If you enjoy the comments about this Travel Advisor, and want more information about this resort or any other vacation planning, click here |
April 11, 2007 ~ Hawaii ~ |
Sue - If you enjoy the comments about this Travel Advisor, and want more information about this resort or any other vacation planning, click here |
April 5, 2007 ~ Hawaii ~ |
Aloha Sue, We had a wonderful trip!! Maui was unbelievably beautiful. We did so much in the week there. Road to Hana, Helicopter Tour, Drive up Haleakala, Luau, snorkeling at Molokini. We absolutely loved it. With all that, I was able to get in 2 rounds of golf. I played the Plantation course (kicked my butt it was soooo windy) and the South course at Makena. (played better there as morning round with little to no wind) Oahu was a bit crazy like you said but Pearl Harbor was very interesting and we went snorkeling at Hanauma Bay which was great. Thank you so much for putting together an amazing and memorable trip. My brother is talking about going for his honeymoon later this year or next. I will have him contact you to set it up if that's where they decide to go. Mahalo If you enjoy the comments about this Travel Advisor, and want more information about this resort or any other vacation planning, click here |
January 24, 2007 ~ Hawaii ~ |
Hi Sue and THANKS!
Whalers Village is very nice.
The snorkel trip was amazing! The Maui Ranch was a great tour as well. Plane reservations went very smoothly! We HAD a GREAT time! Thanks so much. We WILL be going back to Maui and will be sure to use McCoy Travel again! If you enjoy the comments about this Travel Advisor, and want more information about this resort or any other vacation planning, click here |
January 13, 2007 ~ Hawaii ~ |
Melissa/Sue: Everyone had a wonderful time and all went without a hitch. Many many thanks. If you enjoy the comments about this Travel Advisor, and want more information about this resort or any other vacation planning, click here |
September 20, 2006 ~ Fiji ~ |
Melissa - By far the best part of the trip were the Fijian people. At the Taveuni Island Resort, the Fjian staff were always warm, kind and happy. Please let people know that there is "life outside the resort". Many guests thought there wasn't much to see or that there wasn't any shopping in the villages - not the case at all. The richest experiences were outside the resort. Air Pacific was great, no complaints. Flight attendants hung up my wedding dress up front with a smile, very accomodating.
Bula, Sue! Anyway, we'll be in touch soon to book the Hawaii ticket. I'd be happy to diccuss anything further with you. Thanks for your email and again, thank you for guiding us to Taveuni Island- we fell in love with the Fijian people and the island. |
September 04, 2006 ~ Fiji ~ |
| Bula Sue, We can't thank you enough. We had a great trip. Rosie's Travel took great care of us, as did the hotel. The whole trip went off without a hitch. We got to LAX by 7:30pm. There was no waiting at the ticket counter or at security, we just waltzed right through. They had closed off the upper deck of the plane but they did give us exit row seats, Row 51, and we had the row to ourselves. Didn't sleep much on the way over...too excited I guess. Arrived on time in Nadi. Rosie's greeted us, verified all our travel documents and then drove us to the Outrigger. We walked up to the check-in counter and said that we wanted to check in and they said "certainly, not a problem". That really made it nice. We got all unpacked and then met the bride & groom for breakfast. Can't say enough nice things about the hotel, the gardens, the hotel staff, the food.....everything was wonderful. The rehearsal dinner was wonderful. Both Luisa and Pruvena were very helpful and proposed a special menu for us, even though we were holding the dinner in the main restaurant. It turned out perfect!!!!! The wedding itself was held at the Myola Plantation. What a beautiful spot!!! We were very impressed with them and their service. Beautiful wedding, wonderful reception!!!!!! With the event behind us, Rosie's got us to the airport by 7:30pm. There was a bit of a wait at the airline check-in but no wait at security. We boarded the plane and got the upper level exit seats, Row 21 although we did have a gentleman in the row with us. The flight over was only about half full but the flight coming back looked pretty full. The man sitting next to us has a place on one of the outer islands and he has a cottage that he rents out. It sounded pretty nice. By the way, the weather was very pleasant (low to mid 70's every day), actually cooler even with the humidity, than the 80 degree weather we've been having in San Diego. The only down side was that wind was howling the day we arrived and it never let up...but it really didn't matter unless you were out on the beach. The pool area and the gardens offered a lot of protection. Again, we can't thank you enough for a smooth journey. Vinaka!!!!!!!! C. & R. Pearson San Diego, California Fiji Wedding Celebration |
August 31, 2006 ~ Fiji ~ |
| Dear Sue, I can't believe it's possible but we had an even better time this year. I think the kids being a year older makes a difference - Paul will be 12 in Sept. Paul did so much with Gaby and Pete and the rest of the "guys".. They taught him spear fishing, sailing and we even went diving - Paul loved it. It's something I swore I would never do but Danny was a great instructor. Jenny was more independent as well and loved spending time at the Bula Club. We got a different Vicka but we all agreed she was even better than last year's Vicka. The weather was on and off sun and clouds and rain but that's Fiji. Also, the Sheraton Villas were FANTASTIC. We would definitely go back. We got a room on the ground floor opening right onto the pool. Is that possible to request? The Japanese Tepanaki restaurant right next to our room was great. Thanks for all your help in booking such a great and memorable vacation. Thanks, L. Stout Manhattan Beach, California Fiji Summer Trip |
August 02, 2006 ~ Hawaii ~ |
| Aloha Sue, How are you? I just received a welcome back letter from Melissa. I would love to post a happy client letter. Our trip was truly magical. Everything was really great we had a wonderful time. We didn’t want to leave. The hotel was wonderful.. very tropical. Thank you so very much for making it so memorable. I will truly always remember the first time I was in Hawaii/Maui. My girls had a great time, my husband enjoyed it also, swimming on the beach and at the hotel after hours in the dark was really cool. I can go on and on about it, it was that nice. I couldn’t thank you enough for making our vacation so wonderful. I look forward to talking to you about our next year visit. V. Combs California Maui Vow Renewal Vacation |
| July
4, 2006 ~ Fiji ~ |
| Bula
Sue, We did everything -- visited
the villages, mangroves, and church services, snorkelled, fished, etc.
And Rosie's was great. Always on time and so accommodating. We ended
up renting a room at the Westin because our flight was delayed from
11:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. -- they gave us a great day rate even though
we rented the room from 5:00 p.m. to midnight. |
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| May
15, 2006 ~ Hawaii ~ |
| Sue, |
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| November
7 , 2005 ~ Hawaii ~ |
| Hello
Sue,
|
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| October
26 , 2005 ~ Hawaii ~ |
| Melissa, |
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| October
26 , 2005 ~ Hawaii ~ |
| Dear
Melissa, |
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| October
19 , 2005 ~ Fiji ~ |
| Bula
Sue!, |
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| September
5 , 2005 ~ Fiji ~ |
| Hello
Sue, |
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| August
29 , 2005 ~ Europe ~ |
| Dear
Sue,
|
| |
| May
19 , 2005 ~ Hawaii ~ |
| Hi
Sue, |
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| May
19 , 2005 ~ Fiji ~ |
| Hi
Sue, |
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| May
9 , 2005 ~ Fiji ~ |
| Hi
Sue, |
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| April
27 , 2005 ~ Pre-trip Fiji ~ |
| Sue, |
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| April
7 , 2005 ~ Hawaii ~ |
| Dear
Sue,
|
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| March
29 , 2005 ~ Hawaii ~ |
| Melissa, |
November
2 , 2004 ~ Tahiti~ |
| Hey Sue! So, the wedding and honeymoon were fabulous, everything went well. All the islands were so beautiful, it was great and the helicopter ride was awesome! The next time I go to Tahiti, I might go to Moorea, maybe Bora
Bora, and Rangiroa (since we didn't go there, and I've heard good things
from some of the other people). So, yeah, it was great. All of your
work was perfect. Thanks! |
| October
21 , 2004 ~ Tahiti ~ |
| Hi
Sue,
Honeymoon was
really great.....on a scale of 1-10 - Taha'a was an 8 and Hotel BoraBora
was a 12!!! Can't really compare - Taha'a bungalows were definitely
bigger and more modern, but the location and service at Hotel BB just
beats it hands down - at least for Ryan and I - we met other couples
who stayed at both and some preferred Le Tahaa to Hotel BB - it just
depends on what you like and what you are looking for.....I highly recommend
the helicopter ride - the scenery was fantastic and it was nice to make
a quick hop b/w the islands. Also, HotelBB recommended the absolute
best restaurant - La Villa Mahana - very romantic and quaint (only 7-8
tables in the restaurant). If you want more details about either resort,
please feel free to give me a call - |
August
10, 2004 ~ Fiji ~ |
Hello
and thanks for writing to ask about our experience in Fiji. We had a fantastic
time. The people there are so friendly, we didn't want to leave (especially
on Tokoriki!). I would like to especially thank Sue
for doing such a fantastic job in figuring out what the perfect itinerary
would be. She paid close attention to little details, which really paid
off for us. We stayed at the Outrigger
on the Coral Coast for the first 3 days. Unfortunately, the weather wasn't
great (overcast and cool), but we used that to our advantage by taking
day trips to Nadi and Suva. That gave us a chance to meet some wonderful
people and see the mainland.
Going to Tokoriki was a blast... traveling by helicopter was definitely the way to go. Immediately upon landing on Tokoriki, we felt like we were among friends. We were greeted by the staff with a nice cold drink and a welcome song. After being there for just a couple of days, practically everyone on the staff knew us by name. The wedding was the pièce de ré·sis·tance. The wedding coordinator did an excellent job of organizing everything and even helped me get ready before the wedding. Getting married on the beach at sunset was a once in a lifetime experience that we will cherish forever. And the Tokoriki Resort saying of arriving a visitor but leaving as a friend is so true. We hope to get back there again someday, perhaps to renew our vows. Sincerely, |
July
21, 2004 ~ Pre Maui Weddingmoon ~ |
| Sue, I got our itinerary just a few minutes ago and printed it off. It looks perfect! I felt that you worked the hardest to help me find and plan the perfect wedding/honeymoon trip to Maui so I wanted to book this with you. I honestly appreciate all of your time spent with me and all of the extra work you put in. I look forward to some helpful hints over the next few months for planning the wedding. I forwarded the itinerary and your information out to everyone that had shown an interest in attending our wedding in Maui. So you may be getting emails and/or phone calls from those interested. I asked them to mention my name so that you would know they were with me and could find them air/condo/car rates similar to mine. Again, thank you very much for everything. Jill K. (Shelby Township, Michigan) |
June
9 , 2004 ~ Hawaii ~ |
Hi
Sue,
The honeymoon was pure paradise! We loved every minute of it and all of
the special little touches made it even more special. The kind notes and
the great Kauai book are greatly appreciated. They made us feel welcome!Thank you so much for all of your help and guidance with everything. I will definitely be recommending you to all of my soon-to-be-married friends if they are planning a honeymoon to Hawaii. I wish that we were still there but hope to go back some day. I have attached a photo for you. We had just arrived at the Four Seasons Wailea after a very long day of traveling and this beautiful scenery was there to greet us! All the best, Amy and Michael C. (Toronta, Canada) |
April
15 , 2004 ~ Fiji ~ |
| Sue,
The trip looks great. Looks like you were able to get Tokoriki for the end as hoped for! Once again thanks for your help. You've done another wonderful job on short notice. You, as before, have been efficient, knowledgeable and most of all fun to work with! Hopefully Paul and I will be able to go to Fiji now that both sons have done their thing! You'll be the first to know because we'll be asking for your help! Best wishes to you and your family. Enjoy little Tommy --- they grow up so fast! Before you know it you will be planning a honeymoon too! Just remember, every year gets better. Mine still are! Sincerely, Gayle M. (Nashville, Tennessee) |
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| November
21 , 2003 ~ Hawaii ~ |
| Hi
Sue,
we just returned Tuesday from our
Maui honeymoon and it was absolutely fabulous! Everything went as planned
and both hotels (Westin
Maui & Grand
Wailea Resort) had outstanding service and accommodations. The only
issue we had was our rental car took quite some time when we arrived and
I had already faxed in our paperwork, but I think they simply just got
really busy. We ended paying a little to upgrade to a mustang and then
they were out of mustangs, so they gave us a red little T-bird which was
a lot of fun. Thanks
for all of you're help and we had a great time. Thanks Again, Tarah M. (Jefferson, Louisiana) |
November
2 , 2003 ~ Hawaii ~ |
| Hi
Sue
-
We had the greatest time - Hawaii was such a paradise
and the trip kept getting better and better; we were disappointed to
leave Maui because it was so fun, but we were equally as excited when
we arrived at the Princeville
Kauai Resort to it's beauty and were happy to see it measured up
to the Fairmont! The snorkel trip & the bike trip were perfectly arranged as well as both car rentals - we said numerous times that we were so glad you had looked after all these details for us so we could sit back and just enjoy the vacation itself. No hassles and no questions asked on any of the excursions - all details were perfect. Kauai was definitely my favorite island and I'm so glad you convinced us to stay more days than the original 2 we had planned - again you were bang on!! We did the hike into the waterfalls along the coast one day and went to hideaway beach another and just relaxed on what felt like our own private beach! Then the other two days in Kauai we just enjoyed the beach and the snorkeling right off the hotel property. On our last day we drove to the Waimea canyon but it was really foggy and had begun to rain so we didn't really see the view - this was the only day we had indecent weather. Phew - sorry to leave you such a long email - it was excellent all in all Sue, and thanks again for your excellent advise - our expectations were completely met and then some!! I'm totally jealous that you live there!! We came home and commented on how ugly our surroundings were in comparison. The only thing we didn't do was the drive to Hana - we preferred to enjoy the r&r at the Fairmont so didn't venture to do this trek - I guess we have reason to return someday!! Tracy G. (Richmond Hill, Ontario Canada) |
October
21, 2003 ~ Fiji ~ |
| Hi Sue-
My wife Susan forwarded me a copy of your latest e-mail re Yasawa. I’d like to add my thanks for the wonderful job you did for us in planning this vacation. I’m amazed at your attention to detail and getting everything right for us. Super job. Thanks again. Marvin F.
(Seal Beach, Californina) |
October
8 , 2003 ~ Fiji ~ |
| Sue
- We had the best time on Taveuni Island!! It's a wonderful place - we couldn't have picked a better honeymoon location!! Wonderful bure, views, food, people, weather, activities, lack of activities, ... you name it! Dawn & Michael C. (Harrison Tennessee) |
Sue
- Hello! Honestly, everything turned out wonderful. When we arrived at
the Hyatt
Maui , they not only had all of our reservations right, they upgraded
us to a suite Thurs. and Friday so we wouldn't have to change rooms on
Saturday. It was awesome!!! We were so happy we did a dorky happy dance
when we saw the suite. I also sent Melissa, Dory (room coord.) and Leilani
(front desk) a small token of our appreciation. The Suite was so beautiful!
The wedding turned out great, and the pictures came out even better than
we had hoped! The food was great at the Kaanapali Hotel. Everyone raved
about it's quality and taste. Honestly, I couldn't have asked for anything
to go any better!!! It was extraordinary...now I know why you live there.
We didn't want to come home. We were in love, and Dave even fit in as
one of the locals. I appreciate all of your patience in not only handling
all of my questions and indecisiveness, but that of all my guests who
used you as well. We are very grateful for your efforts and patience.
Thank you.
Fawn D.
(Norwalk, California) |
September
25, 2003 ~ Fiji ~ |
Hi Sue, It's good to hear from you. I've been meaning to contact you since we returned. Andrew and I had an absolutely fantastic time in Fiji. What a gorgeous place. It was exactly what we wanted our honeymoon to be. Just to give you a bit of feedback on the places we stayed... Vatulele: Vatulele was incredible. By far, Vatulele was the nicest resort/hotel that either Andrew or I have ever stayed. Everything about it was fairytale - the bures, the food, the people, the beaches, etc. Andrew and I would highly recommend Vatulele to anyone. It offers the perfect blend of being able to relax as much as you want or be as active as you want (diving, cave walks, kayaking, etc). The group dinners were also very fun (for those people who are a little weary of doing that, it turned out to be a lot of fun and something we looked forward to). We definitely could have stayed there longer although we also felt that with 6 night/7 days we got to do everything we wanted. We went diving twice while we were there and were extremely comfortable with the dive staff. We are both pretty inexperienced divers, so it was nice to feel so comfortable. Taveuni Island Resort: Overall, Andrew and I were so happy to experience a different island in Fiji and thought that Taveuni Island Resort was very nice. Taveuni Island and Vatulele Island are so different that on this island we got to do a lot of hiking, waterfalls, etc - more land activities. Andrew and I thought that the setting of Taveuni Island Resort (overlooking the ocean, etc) was gorgeous. As far as the positive side, the island was gorgeous - a real jungle. We really enjoyed the hikes/waterfalls and felt that we had a much more rich Fiji experience on this island primarily with just being able to interact with more Fijians, see "real life" in Fiji, etc. We would recommend for people to definitely go to this island or this resort. Thank you again for all of your help. We will certainly recommend anyone that wants to travel to Fiji to give you all a call to help make the arrangements. Andrew and I are hoping to take advantage of our free Hawaii trip to celebrate our first anniversary! Thanks again for everything Sue. Harper and Andrew M. |
September
15, 2003 ~ Fiji ~ |
Sue,Thanks for the email. We had a wonderful trip! Nukubati was incredible and there were not many people there so it was extra nice. Good fishing and snorkeling!
Talk to you soon.Erik H. (Los Angeles, California) |
September
15, 2003 ~ Hawaii ~ |
| Hi Sue,
Thanks for your help in planning the honeymoon --
we had a fabulous time. Suz and I talked about it and decided that both
places were great in their own way. Manele
Bay was just what we needed at the time The Kea
Lani was fantastic and perhaps was the one I personally liked more.
There is a lot more to do at the Kea Lani and the suite we had was really
excellent. We thought that it was like an apartment and One other thing was the overpriced food at both
the hotels. Now don't get me wrong, I don't mind paying for a good meal
out and do it all the time here at home. But why do these hotels have
to charge $15 for a Anyway, enough complaining. Really it was a really really great trip and both enjoyed ourselves very much. Thanks again! :) Patrick C. (San Francisco, California) |
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August
26, 2003 ~ Hawaii ~ |
| Hi
Sue! We had a wonderful time in Maui, & we want to say THANKS for everything! I personally want to thank you for your patience with me, constantly changing my mind and questioning everything! (I get that from my mother). We loved the Hyatt Maui, it exceeded our expectations. We really appreciate you helping us move to a better room, it turned out wonderful & it was so nice to not have to worry about the transportation to and from the hotel, thank you for setting it all up for us. We will definally come to you at McCoy Travel next time we take a trip. Again Thank you so much. We hope all is well with you also. Sincerly, Alexis & Miguel D.T. (Salt Lake City, Utah) P.S. the macadamia nut pop corn was great we bought more to take home with us, that was very kind of you. |
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August 5, 2003 ~ Tahiti ~ |
Sue
- Le Meridien Bora Bora then picked us up on a private boat to transfer us to their resort about midweek. This resort was bigger, loosing the quaint and isolated feel. But for a change in pace it was nice. The rooms are not as nice as the Motu but still exceeded our expectations. We had a beach bungalow, which I thought was nice due to the A/C. This did not have the snorkeling but it was enjoyable because you could explore the ocean side as well as the lagoon. If we could do it over, I think we would of stayed at the Motu for the entire week. We just loved the Motu. What I liked about the two resorts was they are both private islands, only accessible by boat from the mainland. The whole trip was great. Everything was seamless and the resorts were accommodating in every way. The locals are great, it is nothing like the Caribbean where everybody is hassling you for money or trying to sell you something. Our favorite restaurant was Bloody Mary's. The only excursion we did was the 4x4 safari. I highly recommend this to your clients. It was very cheap and highly worth it. I would also recommend Air Tahiti. The plane was brand new; I've never been on a nicer plane and the staff was great. Thank you for making this
an amazing trip. Everything was perfect from the accommodations to the
location and all the travel arrangements. Thanks for everything; hopefully
we can do it again. If you need a reference, please don't hesitate to
call on me. You did an AWESOME job. |
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July
24, 2003 ~ Hawaii ~ |
| Hi
Sue!
Sorry it's taken so long to get back to you, I keep getting distracted at work ...
Thanks so much for all the effort you put into this trip. All our flights/transfers/ excursions went so smoothly that we really didn't have to worry about a thing. By far the best vacation I've been on. I've been recommending you to everyone who will listen!! :O) Thanks again! Andre M. (San Francisco,
California) |
July
21, 2003 ~ Fiji ~ |
| Sue
- I meant to drop you a note: and please forward a big hello and thanks to the folks at Cousteau! We had a WONDERFUL time! ![]() Everyone was so nice...and took wonderful care of us and Arthur. The food was great (ok, so we ate too much and didnt loose an inch), a very good wine selection (though I cant recommend Australian/NZ champagnes..especially an awful one we bought out of a store on an outing...give me a good california Schramsberg any time!). You were right, the reef was great. The highlight for us was our day trip to the private island. It was tempting not to come back. Cousteau's biologist really added a special touch...and you could tell by the turn out each night for his slide presentation the other guests thought the same. Our nanny, Akenita, took wonderful care of Arthur. Arthur got an ear infection (kids do at that age) and they got us a doctor and assisted with any other possible need we had. I cannot say enough about the "you are part of our family" feel and support of the resort. The staff all knew Arthur (ok, extremely cute baby toddling around is hard to miss) and almost would arm wrestle to have a chance to hold him....(so would I of course!). Rosies' Travel left a bit to be desired if the goal was "the personal touch"..ended up waiting a bit in line to get someone...and some other poor folks while we were there completely missed hooking up with Rosies and ended up loosing their spot on the inter island plane. I want to get back to Cousteau: the manager and his family were wonderful, the staff and the Bula camp team was great. The way they handle the kids and separate dining times enabled us to have a choice of family dinner or romantic dinner (and the other guests the same!). I sneaked a peak at the honeymoon suites at the point of the property...oooooh....very private. Wouldnt hesitate to recommend if I new any newlyweds..especially as there is no hesitation for room service or in room dining.... While we were there we also checked out the Lomalagi resort. While the manager was nice (showed us around: there was not a single guest there!) (though for my taste, she smoked, and that always puts me off) The cabins had an "old" feel to them (though they certainly were private and the view from the top of hill over the bay wonderful). Snorkeling looked promising there though we didnt get a chance to check it out this trip. When trying to imagine the ride there (just the "driveway" to the resort from the turnoff to the resort from main road (which in itself is about 45 minutes from savusavu) is about twice as far as Cousteau is from downtown Savusavu) from the airport after a 24 hr trip...I do not know if I would have survived! We did find some property...so we will
be definitely going back....I hope we can afford to stay at Cousteau
while we are building our dream house.... |
July
18, 2003 ~ Fiji ~ |
| Bula Sue,
Thank you for all of your help with our honeymoon trip to Fiji. We had a wonderful stay at Marlin Bay Resort and would like to return there as soon as we can. The people who ran the resort on Beqa Island were some of the friendliest people Brett and I have ever met. The resort was charming and a great place for a honeymoon and relaxation... not to mention beautiful. The Bures were very nice and large. If you are a diver, you will enjoy Marlin Bay all the more because the resort is geared towards diving. Brett and I decided to get certified there and diving ended up to be a major bonus on our honeymoon. It is heaven under the sea off the coast of Beqa Island!!! We also have a few extra pounds on our waistline now due to the gourmet cooking on the resort that is inclusive. If they had a cookbook for the foods they prepared each day, Brett and I would have bought it for sure. Shangri La Fijian we enjoyed but, I think it is a resort that is best for those with kids. There are a lot of activities that you can do with your children and maybe down the road we would consider returning there. We did do some diving there as well and got to feed 6 foot sharks. That was pretty nerve racking if you ask me. All in all we really enjoyed our trip. Thank you for making our honeymoon memorable. Brett and Amy H. (San
Jose, California) |
July
18, 2003 ~ Fiji ~ |
| Sue
- Anyway, besides that the resort
was great. The snorkeling was great. We have snorkeled all around the
world and the variety of corals and fish was great. The water surronding
the island is deemed a "nature preserve" and is thus protected.
Fiji, as with other places in the world, has had some problems with
coral bleaching. Some of the corals were brown and dead, but the majority
were really nice. Lots of large plate corals and a good variety of fish.
As you know I was really concerned how the snorkeling would be and it
was great. We did not get to do any scuba diving because of the sinus
infections, but we were content with snorkeling. The food was very good. Good quality and large portions! Jim loved the desert with every meal! The rooms were very nice. The bure was very spacious and had a nice little patio that overlooked the ocean. The hotel rooms were fairly small, but well appointed. And the resort provided a day room on the last day to use till the boat picked us up. The seaplane ride was a lot of fun. It was a tiny 4 passenger (if you squeezed in tight) plane. Our pilot was from Australia, but had spent some time in Madison, Wisconsin (which is 45 minutes from our home). Since we were the only passengers, I sat in front with the pilot and he gave us a tour of the reefs and pointed out the islands. Jim was a little apprehensive about the small plane, but really enjoyed the tour! We would definitely do the seaplane again. I would highly recommend Matamonoa
Resort. The staff was very sweet. It was a very relaxed, layed back
resort (not pretenious at all). Although the island was very small,
there were lots of activities to do, or you could just sit on the beach
and do nothing. I like resorts that are quiet and layed back, and this
was it. I was concerned about the lack of A/C in the bure, but it was not a problem at all. The trade winds are always blowing and the ceiling fans provided plenty of cool air. At the hotel room, we did use the A/C, for the breeze was not there. Also, as a side note: Castaway Island was about 1/2 mile from Matamonoa (the Tom Hanks film), so you could see the island from our resort. Thank you again for all your
help, |
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July
18, 2003 ~ Hawaii ~ |
Aloha Sue! Our honeymoon was absolutely awesome. We really enjoyed both islands but Kauai was our favorite. The Secret Beach Cottage (Hale Lani) is a beautiful place and I would highly recommend it to anyone. The cottage had every amenity and was well maintained. I was impressed with the décor and the comforts of home. Chris and I bought some groceries so it was convenient for us to make a small breakfast and lunch and then cook dinner. The property is extremely private, well maintained and just beautiful. Hale Lani is perfect for honeymoon couples looking to relax and share some romantic times together. The walk to the beach is about 15 minutes down a path and we really enjoyed it because at any given time, there were no more than 10 people on Secret Beach so it was very private. On Kauai we hiked the Kaualua trail which provided for a good hike and we also took a zodiac boat to the Napali coast. The boat ride was fun but it was very rough and I wouldn’t recommend it for anyone who doesn’t like getting tossed around for 6 hours. We also enjoyed the Westin in Maui. Our room was a partial ocean view room which we were fine with. The hotel was beautiful and I’m glad that we stayed there first. Since we were honeymooners, we wanted to relax and sleep out by the pool. The hotel was quite crowded because it was the 4th of July holiday so we did contend with many families but we completely understood that it was a busy time of the season. In Maui, we did a lot more which included the Old Lahaina Luau, sunset catamaran cruise, Mount Haleakala at Sunrise, and the Road to Hana. We did explore the many beauties of Maui and it was good that we did more there because we certainly relaxed in Kauai. In hindsight, we would have done two things differently. We decided to travel from the East Coast to Hawaii in one day. By doing this, we left Philadelphia on a Sunday morning and finally arrived at the Westin at 9 PM Maui time which was 3 AM according to our clocks. We wasted all of Sunday. We regret not flying to Los Angeles on a Saturday night and staying over i |