I had the most amazing trip to Italy over the summer visiting Rome, Florence, Sicily, Venice, the Amalfi Coast, and island hopped on the southern coast. It was a lot of moving around in just a few weeks but it was all worth it. I have memories to last a lifetime. I made this video compiling my favorite moments of the trip. Also I wanted to share some of my favorite pictures of the trip. Would love to know your thoughts on the video…enjoy!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9EJFb76y8A
A 45 minute drive from Cancun, at the end of a few hidden roads, lies the Viceroy Riviera Maya—a beautiful lush sanctuary in paradise.
The resort has an open-air lobby and their beautiful villas are surrounded by the lush jungle of the Riviera Maya. Just a moments walk away from the beach, The Viceroy property gives you the best of both worlds. The resort is set on the beautiful sand beaches of Playa Del Carmen. The poolside beach bar is where I spent most of my day soaking up the sun with a pina colada in hand. The resort is located just a quick 10-15 minute drive from the heart of Playa Del Carmen, but I felt no need to leave the property throughout my stay.
The food at the Viceroy was excellent. Every morning I enjoyed fresh fruit juices and an authentic Mexican breakfast—the huevos rancheros, chilaquiles, and carne asada were amazing. For dinner I indulged in mojacuete, tacos and fresh guacamole. I kept lunch light with appetizers like seafood ceviche, shrimp quesadillas and freshly sliced coconut.
The resort offers an abundance of amenities for their guests including a well-equipped gym, a gorgeous full-service spa, and an excursion desk to book activities off-site including scuba diving, boat rides, and fishing. There are also two restaurants on the property, La Marea & Coral Grill & Bar. The resort also has a library that features books and DVD’s to checkout during your stay.
The Viceroy Riviera Maya is great for a romantic getaway, or in my case, a rejuvenating retreat to recharge for a few days. It was a great escape and I hope to return again soon.
To see more travels, visit my Instagram: @NicoleIsaacs.
I go to New York pretty often for work and to visit my sister. My sis has lived there for the past 5 years so I always find a reason to visit. Last trip I went to surprise her for her birthday and we ate the entire city which is pretty much the only thing I do when I go to NY. I visited the end of October/beginning of November so it was the middle of Fall. New York is beautiful in the fall, especially Central Park which I had to visit. Below are a few pictures from my trip!
Food highlights below (in order): Dominique Ansel Bakery (frozen smore’s & chocolate chip cookie shots), Rubirosa (pizza), and Peter Lugars Steakhouse in Brooklyn.
For the ultimate luxury experience, I spent the last two nights of my trip at Cayo Espanto, a 5-star, world-class resort nestled on its own small private island off Ambergris Caye. I was picked up by boat from San Pedro Town on Ambergris Caye, and pulled right up to the dock of my own 2 bedroom villa, Casa Estrella. Upon arrival, I was greeted by the full staff and their signature cocktail, “The Espanto Wave.” From that moment on, I experienced hospitality at its finest and was blown away by the exceptional service and hospitality. There were two house butlers on call, day and night. The two bedroom duplex villa was absolute heaven– each bedroom had an ocean view, there was an open living area with panoramic ocean views, two spacious bathrooms, two private decks, and a heated private plunge pool on top of the water. During the day, our villa was open so I could take in the beautiful views and fresh ocean breeze, and the house butlers closed the walls and doors each night before dinner. The extremely talented and rotating resort chefs, (Wilson Vasquez, Ezequiel Witz, Richard Gillett, and Jose Torres) presented a menu before every meal and went above and beyond to accommodate anything we asked for. The dishes were so detail oriented and beautifully crafted- the presentations were unique and undeniably creative. I enjoyed every meal in the comfort of the villa. For my last meal, I had surf and turf of filet mignon and caribbean lobster during a candlelit dinner on the villa’s private beach while listening to a musician play the Spanish guitar under the stars.
The resort also chartered a boat for a private snorkeling excursion at Hol Chan Reserve, a marine reserve located off the coast of Ambergris Caye. I snorkeled and swam with turtles, nurse sharks, stingrays, dolphins, barracudas and beautiful tropical fish. If you don’t want to take an excursion off the island but you want to venture out of your villa during the day, the resort also has a small beach with non-motorized water sports equipment (like kayaks and paddle boards) out into the ocean. To top everything off, I enjoyed a relaxing massage in the villa on my last day, which was one of the best massages I’ve ever had. Cayo Espanto really epitomized 5-star excellence and offers an experience of a lifetime.
To see my full guide on Belize, stay tuned for my next post coming soon! Also be sure to check out my Instagram for more travel pictures @NicoleIsaacs.
