If you have never taken a vacation at an all-inclusive resort, you are truly missing out on the most relaxing vacation experience. And we all desperately need more of that in our lives... well, maybe that's just me. 

Often, vacation means at least one person in the family is still doing a good bit of work to take care of meals and tickets and outings (and in my experience, that person is usually called MOM). While that makes for a fun trip, it's not exactly a vacation. A true vacation means everyone gets a break from the responsibilities and stresses of everyday life. 

The one thing I love most about all-inclusive resorts is the absolute lack of thought and planning that needs to happen on a daily basis while you are there. You want to totally check out or escape from real life? Get yourself to an all inclusive resort! 

While not all resorts are created equal, the common thread is that most everyday needs and wants are taken care of for you and included in your vacation. No stress or budgeting required! Across the board, here is what you can expect to be included at an all-inclusive resort:

• accommodations
• meals and snacks
• beverages, including alcohol for adults
• pool and beach access
• entertainment
• resort activities
• basic wedding ceremony
• kids club (yep... that means free babysitting, mom and dad!)

Some resorts also offer resort credit for you to use for spa services, golf, excursions, and more. There is usually a service fee for using this credit. 

There are a lot of really wonderful all-inclusive options out there, but I really LOVE Sandals and Beaches resorts because of all the extras that are also included plus the level of care and service you'll experience at their resorts. Here is what is also included at Sandals and Beaches resorts:

• transportation to/from the resort and airport
• motorized water sports and instruction
• scuba diving
• golf (where available)
• fitness center
• spa access including sauna and steam rooms, plunge pools, and rain showers (spa services are extra)
• culinary concierge services - this is especially helpful for those with special dietary needs

Now THAT's all-inclusive! Since every resort has its own personality and culture, I'd love to help you select the perfect fit for your vacation. Please reach out to me and we can start planning your escape today! As always, my concierge travel planning services are always no cost to my travel clients. 

Even more than questions about destinations and vacation planning, the question we are most often asked is "How does this work?" It's absolutely a valid question! Because getting a free travel planner definitely seems too good to be true and we have been well-trained to be extra skeptical in this digital age. So let me share with you how our services work and how we are able to offer them for free. Mutual trust is the key!

YOUR TRUST IN US
We LOVE what we do! So much that we invest a lot of time, energy, and our own money in ongoing training, education, and personal experience. We want to make sure we always have the BEST options for you and the most current information and tips to share with you. We want you to know that our #1 priority is you and your vacation experience. There is a reason we are called Magical Memory Planners! Travel builds stronger connections and creates lifelong memories and we would never take that lightly. So we use our extensive knowledge and experience to personally match you to options we feel would be a great fit for you and your family. We aren't building OUR dream vacation... we are building YOURS! This is why we ask lots of questions; we want to get to know you and your priorities. We feel so honored that you would trust us with your vacation and we hold that honor with the weight it deserves.

If you have questions, we answer them as quickly as we can. If you want advice, we will happily offer it. If you need to make changes, we handle that for you. We will handle as many of the details of planning as you would like us to, from airport transfers to dining reservations and everything in between. If something is less than magical on your vacation, we step in and advocate for you so that things are turned around and the magic is restored. You have a personal travel concierge. In fact, we often hear that our clients feel like they are our only clients because of the level of care they receive. That is always our goal!

And we never ask our clients for a single penny for our services; that is not our business model. But we do get paid!

OUR TRUST IN YOU
Our time and expertise are valuable and we deserve to be compensated for it. This is where our trust in our clients comes in. We are not paid for our consultation time. So the time we invest before you book your vacation is given on good faith. We get to know you and your vacation wishes, suggest some options, pull price quotes, and offer advice upfront with no compensation. 

We only get paid when you actually book your vacation with us. 

You see, the vacation destination pays us a small fee as a thank you for sending happy, well-prepared visitors to them. They know that when you work with us, it will be a good match and you will be confident in what your vacation experience should be. They also know we will step in if it's not. But we all want you to have an amazing vacation, because when you do you are more likely to return and to recommend not only the destination, but our travel planning services as well. 

It's a win-win-win situation. You get expert travel planning services for free, the vacation destination gets happy vacationers who make magical memories with them, and we can pay our bills. 

If you just need advice or resources, please be up front with us about that. We are always happy to help! But it honors us and our time if we know from the get-go that you will not be booking your vacation with us this time. 

OUR PROMISES TO YOU
1. We will always honor your priorities. This is not our vacation... it's yours. 
2. We will always honor your budget. Being stressed about money is not a fun way to spend your vacation. We would never encourage you to spend more than you have budgeted for your vacation. 
3. We will always be available to you and if we are traveling, we will notify you with a direct contact of a colleague for you to call in our absence. We've got you covered 24/7. 
4. We will always be so grateful for every vacation you book with us and every referral you send our way. In fact, when your family or friends book their vacation with us, we will send you a Disney or Visa gift card as a thank you. 

Let's get started planning your magical vacation! Contact us here.

If you head to the beach every spring or summer, do you always go to the same place? This year, why not choose a different beach? In fact, why not choose an all-inclusive resort in the Bahamas or Caribbean? 

In this post we compare the cost of a beach vacation at a nice resort in the U.S. to the cost of an all-inclusive resort in the Bahamas or the Caribbean. And we also talk about the perks of choosing an all-inclusive.