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rAs I've mentioned on this blog before, my husband and I -- who celebrate our one-year annivesary today! -- never took a honeymoon, due to finances and lack of time off from work on his end. That means I had been planning this trip for TWO YEARS! Needless to say, when we began our journey to Ocho Rios early on Saturday morning, we were pretty excited. And, for the most part, our expectations were met.
We chose Couples Tower Isle for a variety of reasons. Price, for one, as we were able to get a great deal by booking a year in advance (Couples offers an early-bird special, and we lucked out on cheap round-trip tickets from BWI, though they included lengthy layovers at Newark). Our travel agent, Jennifer at VIP Vacations, was great to work with and made paying in installments over the year a cinch.
We also chose it because it's a couples-only and adults-only resort, which definitely increased the romance factor. I adore kids, I really do, but a week without them was lovely. Finally, the resort includes a variety of watersports and excursions included in the price, which makes it a great value. We climbed Dunns River Falls and went out on a catamaran cruise, both of which were a lot of fun. Finally, CTI is an all-inclusive resort where tipping isn't allowed (except in certain situations, such as at the spa). We were really drawn to the idea of being able to order drinks, room service, etc., without having to think about how it all added up. Of course, there are a lot of other all-inclusive resorts out there (We have friends who really enjoy the Sandals chain), but the wealth of positive reviews Couples has received led us in that direction.
And it was a lovely vacation, full of relaxation with just enough excitement and fun. We mostly lucked out with the weather (it rained one full day), and met a few fun people from down south that made the trip even more interesting. And if you're interested in a destination wedding, I watched two right beside the swim-up pool! Perhaps not my cup of tea, but lovely to watch during the mid-afternoon.
So now it's Monday, I'm back in Maryland, and it feels cold here, even though it's in the mid-60s. I'm still slightly pink -- it doesn't matter how much sunscreen you slather on, you WILL get burnt -- but slowly turning tan. I'm already planning our two-year anniversary vacation, but I need your help -- should it be another all-inclusive to the Dominican Republic, a trip to London, England, or a cruise? Or something else entirely?
