Our Crew at the 2010 GIVC Awards Gala

The Third Annual GIVC Awards Weekend was held this past weekend at the fantastic El Dorado Royale in the Riviera Maya, Mexico.  Philip, Cathi, Terrah and Marty were all thrilled to be in attendance.

GIVC stands for “Gourmet Inclusive Vacation Consultant”.  From the website: “A GI Vacation Consultant is a travel professional who is well versed, educated and prepared to provide exceptional service offering a tailor made vacation experience according to their client’s needs and expectations at El Dorado Spa Resorts & Hotels and Azul Hotels, by Karisma. A GI Vacation Consultant is a specialist in one or more of the following niche markets; destination weddings, honeymoons, adults only, romance, anniversaries, families and group travel.

A GI Vacation Consultant provides customers with confidence based on their first hand experience and knowledge after going through rigorous training and property site inspections at our hotels.”

Marty Receiving his Four Diamond Award

Marty and Terrah are both GIVCs.  This year they were both awarded four diamond status.  Four diamond is the highest level possible.  There were only a total of 18 four diamond awards given.  Only one other company was awarded more than one four diamond award.

Another honor bestowed on Marty and Terrah was the designation of “Gourmet Inclusive Wedding Consultant”.  Again, from the website: “The “GI Wedding Consultant” logo designates GI Vacation Consultants who are our most experienced and productive partners in Destination Weddings at our resorts. This select group of travel agents have undergone specialized educational experiences focused exclusively on providing clients with the best possible service when booking a Destination Wedding and have firsthand experience in booking destination weddings to our resorts.”

Marty and Terrah at the After Party

Additionally, Terrah was also recognized as a Top 10 Wedding producer at El Dorado Resorts as well as at Azul Hotels.

The biggest thrill of the night for me was when it was announced that Marty and Terrah had tied for the honor of “Best Storefront Agent”.  This means that out of any travel agency that you could walk in to, anywhere in the country, ours does more El Dorado Resorts and Azul Hotels than anyone else.

It was a great night.  If you’re considering a Gourmet Inclusive Vacation, there is no where better to come check it out than Legacy Travel, Your Mexico Beach Vacation Experts.

The Beach at El Dorado Seaside Suites

In early October we closed down our office for two days and took our whole company down to Mexico for our first ever all company trip.  We stayed at the fabulous El Dorado Seaside Suites.  When we got back, I asked everyone in the office to write down their impressions of the resort.  Here is what they said:

Philip:  I had a great time at El Dorado Seaside Suites. Our room was large, beautiful, and very comfortable. The grounds are tropical. It feels more like a Caribbean island than Mexico. I tried Mia Casa (Italian) and Klay Talay (Asian) for dinner and both were outstanding. In the evening, I really enjoyed the live music at La Guacamayas Bar. All in all, it was a great trip and a wonderful resort

Briana: El Dorado Seaside Suites is the “just right” sized resort. Not so small that you feel isolated, but not so large you feel lost in a swarm. Every staff member was polite and approachable. The rooms are spacious, comfortable, and immaculate. The soups are to die for.  And the bartenders are generous.  Its a wonderful property that’s just right for just about everyone.

Nicki: If you do not wish to ever be more than a few steps from the beach or if you like the convenience of a small property with the amenities of a larger property then the El Dorado Seaside Suites is perfect for you. Built across the beach and nestled south in the Riviera Maya, I love that El Dorado Seaside is small enough that the staff knows your name and preferences helping you to relax more easily. At the same time it is large enough that there is always something to do. It’s the perfect combination of liveliness and quiet which makes for a perfect vacation.

…And besides where else can you find a champagne cart?

Leah: El Dorado Seaside Suites. What can you really say about it? You have to experience it. You have to walk through the property and appreciate all the trees and foliage just as much as you appreciate the beach and the clear waters. You have to step into the room and feel like you’ve come home to your tropical palace.
Once you enter the property you have stepped into a jungle paradise with better food than you can possibly imagine. That kind of food probably doesn’t belong in the jungle, but it makes a world of difference.
You may have been to Mexico before. You may have even been to Paradise before. But, Paradise isn’t complete without El Dorado Seaside Suites.

Marty: El Dorado Seaside Suites still remains a favorite in my heart.  Knowing most of the history and watching it grow, has only made my opinion of the hotel, quite strong.  Now, having experienced it as a guest for the first time, I was not disappointed.  The staff really went the extra distance to make my stay special.  Food was amazing, as well as the ambiance of the resort.

Terrah: The El Dorado Seaside Suites is a little piece of paradise.  I was pleasantly surprised when I saw the renovated suites.  They were absolutely beautiful.   Guacamayas was also impressive.  I now know that El Dorado Seaside Suites can party it up just like the peeps over at the El Dorado Royale.     Laura (the general manager) is always truly a pleasure to visit with.  She is always so professional and poised.   The lady going around with a champagne cart was also impressive.  That cart was a wonderful surprise.  Lastly, the spa.  Rumor has it that they are working on making the spa bigger and more elaborate.  I am excited to see that happen because I believe it will be an excellent asset to the resort.

In honor of Take Your Pet to Work Day we present…..the Dogs of Legacy Travel:

This is Mike Tyson Beckford McKee.  Tyson for short.  He belongs to Briana, our office assistant. Reportedly a big baby with a sensitive digestive tract, he is afraid of heights and won’t jump off a bed without help.

Next up, we have Lucy and Taz, who own Marty Boehlke.  Lucy is really more like a cat than a dog in that she will only play when she feels like it.  Taz is reputed to be a high energy dog (Marty calls her “Taz the Spaz”).

This is Lucy – pictured above.

Next up is Roxanne Rominger (Roxy), who runs Terrah’s house.

Our next dog owns the heart of Nicki.  He is the newest of the Legacy Travel dogs.  His name is Charlie.  Charlie is a bundle of energy and is almost housebroken.

And, finally, Kingston Lacy Banks.  Lacy is a Golden Retriever who was originally a Christmas gift to the Banks children, and now lives every day as a gift to the whole family.    She is kind and gentle and well behaved unless there are socks involved.

Terrah and Nicki in Puerto Vallarta

I recently returned from a stay at the beautiful Riviera Nayarit, Mexico. Terrah and I stayed 4 nights at The Marival Residences & World Spa which is just 15 minutes from the Puerto Vallarta airport. We stayed in a gorgeous, spacious 2 bedroom residence and just some of the things that surprised me about the resort included: the incredibly spacious balcony, the beautiful vegetation throughout the resort, and the great service. The 2 Bedroom Residence that we had the privilege of staying in had the largest rooms and the biggest balcony I’ve ever seen. You never would have been able to tell that the resort was new by looking around. There were flowers on every veranda, foliage in every hall, palm trees throughout the resort, and all the plants throughout the property made this resort look and feel as though it had been up and running for years, not months. The service was also fine tuned; whether we were making reservations at the concierge desk for an excursion, ordering room service, or taking advantage of the beach butler service at the private beach club next door, the service was always impeccable.

So, it’s a given that I loved the resort, but I really want to point out that the destination itself is absolutely wonderful. The people in Puerto Vallarta are extremely friendly. Everyone we met, whether it was a taxi driver, a salesman, or a waiter–all outside of the resort–were always welcoming, sociable, and helpful. Another pleasant surprise was how truly beautiful the beaches were. I was not expecting a beautiful white sandy beach with the turquoise waters that the Caribbean offers, but I wasn’t expecting what I saw either. What I experienced on the beaches in the Riviera Nayarit was nothing short of amazing. The beaches were nice, big, and very clean. They were not cluttered with sea weed and although the water was not as clear as what you would have in a pool, it was very clear nonetheless. I was very surprised that we were able to snorkel and see blue and yellow fish on the Pacific coast. As opposed to the Caribbean, the Pacific featured slightly larger waves which allowed me to enjoy watching kids boogy-board and play in the surf. All in all, I was very impressed with the resort and the destination, and can’t wait to go back with my friends and family.

Nicki and her friend the dolphin!

Carnival Cruise Family Vacation

The Ladies Trip

The 2nd Annual GIVC Karisma Trip

Funjet Hawaii Fam where we sang in unison

The Azul Beach Resort with their beach butler service

Much Love,

My Christopher and I just returned from the El Dorado Royale in the Riviera Maya of Mexico. I truly feel blessed to be part of such an amazing team like the GIVC (Gourmet Inclusive Vacation Consultants). We were invited down for the GIVCs award ceremony and it was much more than we expected! The food, entertainment, beach parties, fireworks, casita suite we stayed in, the weather, activities and most important – the people. It was nothing short of amazing.

We zip lined in the jungle and even rode on snuggly camels! Yes, camels are in Mexico now and they will be coming up in the world you just wait and see. During our stay we were also able to visit the adventurous Selvatica! If you haven’t been yet, we strongly suggest it!

Karisma resorts now have a certification for qualifying travel agents to be a Gourmet Inclusive Wedding Consultant. I was quite surpised when they announced my name along with a handful of other agents who were rewarded with this new certification.

Legacy Travel was honored to receive awards of recognition at the GIVC ceremony during our last night there. All in all, we are happy to be back home and the experience just inspired me to have an even more prosperous year in 2010!

We received a nice, warm welcome to the El Dorado Royale.

We had a carnival right on one of my most favorite spots, Maroma Beach! We won Monopoly money to cash in for authentic Mexican toys.

The El Dorado Royale now have a camel tour along with their traditional horseback tour. Everyone who tried this walked away with a new love and passion for camels. ♥

The ceremony was beautiful and the entertainment was absolutely amazing.

Rafaela, the Karisma wedding director, was there as well! It is always lovely being able to spend time with this destination wedding guru. Stay tuned for an enticing interview with Ms Rafaela!

We miss it there already. ♥
Wishing you all a wonderful 2010!

Brad and Kelly at the Valentin

Kelly and I just returned from Playa del Carmen and the celebration of our 20 year anniversary (ok, a few months early).  We had a splendid time in this paradise on the Mayan Riviera, south of Cancun.  We honeymooned in Cancun in 1989 and returned twice in the 1990s. Much has changed…more commercial and not so undiscovered anymore.  Every place we spent money accepted the US dollar…felt like home.  Playa del Carmen remains fairly quiet unlike the chaos in Cancun.  We did everything we set out to do this week…lots of rest on the beach.

We stayed at the Valentin Imperial Maya – an all inclusive, 5 star resort. Everything from the architecture of the buildings, to the gardens, to the room, to the 8 themed restaurants, to the 9 bars, to the largest swimming pool we have ever seen, to the amazing white sand/turquoise waters and the hospitality of our Mexican hosts was – Awesome.  Every single person greeted us with a smile and “Hola”.  As large as the resort is, it never felt crowded as it is spread out over many acres and attendance is down due to the economy.  We HIGHLY recommend this resort – it’s adults only and caters to those that want a quiet week on the beach and to those that desire lots of activities.

Now, the real reason for including you on this email.  We want to recommend our new best friend – Terrah Rominger of Legacy Travel in Plano.  Her recommendation of the Valentin was based on her prior stays at the Valentin and what we said we were looking for in a vacation.  She hit it out of the park.  You can reach her through the Legacy website at http://www.legacytravel.com/profiles.html

Special thanks to Grandma and Grandpa Harwick and Texas Tech Red Raider Meghan  for taking care of our kids!  Ya’ll did great!

Buenas Dias,

Brad and Kelly

The Beach at the Valentin Imperial Maya