Marcia B.

Las Verandas Hotel & Villas

Las Verandas is located in the Pristine Bay area of Roatan. If you are looking for a quiet vacation, away from it all than this would be ideal. It is located very high up on a hill away from local stores and traffic. The mood at this hotel is to simply relax, although you can book many excursions such as snorkeling.

Service: 3/5
Food: 3.5/5
Amenities: 4/5
Type: For couples
Rate: $132 usd

Pros:

Beautiful landscaping with two infinity pools offering great photo opportunities
Delicious cocktail menu and copious buffet brunch on Sunday (Rec: Coconut Mojito)
Peaceful and luxurious amenities offering a great amount of privacy

Cons:

Reception staff can be better trained in customer relations
Dinner menu at Las pergolas is lacking
The beach area is small and has non aqua water

Tips: When travelling to Roatan, one must be prepared for the sand flies that appear on the beach right before sunrise and sunset. Staying by the ocean at these times will expose you to getting multiple sand fly bites which is not ideal. This applies to all beach areas of Honduras.

Pristine Bay Resort

Although, we did not stay at Pristine Bay Resort, we visited the venue on numerous occasions as it was located right next to Las Verandas. There is actually a safe path connecting both places at the side of each resort. You can also request a ride via golf cart to visit next door. These ratings are based on their restaurant and beach.

Service: 4/5
Food: 4/5
Amenities: 3.5/5
Type: Family-Friendly & for couples

Pros:

Large pool area with daybeds
Diverse food Menu at Aqua restaurant (Rec: whiskey burger)
Warm & friendly customer service
Very large beach area

Cons:

Beach chairs and lounge areas in front of the ocean should be updated
Non aqua water

Paradise Beach Hotel

The popular area on Roatan Island is West Bay Beach, this is the place where all the animation happens and tourists from all over the world are seen. Since we were only staying there for a short 2 nights, we booked Paradise Beach Hotel which has a 4 star ranking on google, however it seemed more like a 3 star in reality.

Service: 4/5
Food: 2.5/5
Amenities: 2/5
Type: Family-Friendly
Rate: $143 usd*

Pros:

Full complimentary brunch buffet everyday
Gorgeous beach with aqua blue water
A few meters away from renowned coral reefs
Warm & Friendly Staff

Cons:

Low quality rooms with humidity issues
The main pool is designed for children
The beach area gets overly crowded due to the cruise ship visitors

Tips:

4-5 ships dock on the island everyday, so from 10 am to 3 pm, there will be an extra amount of people on the beach.
There is a secret pool on the rooftop
Dine at Argentinian Grill West Bay which is a 10 mins walk away on the beach (Rec: Steak dish)

Ibagari Boutique Hotel

Ibagari boutique hotel is also located in the West Bay area, however it is tucked away in a secluded area. This place offers an upscale experience and is perfect for a mind, body & soul style retreat.

Service: 4/5

Food: 3.5/5
Amenities: 3.5/5
Type: For Couples
Rate: $315 usd*

Pros:

Luxurious amenities complimented by rustic chic decor
Bright rooms with high ceilings
Great R&B playlist in common area
Complimentary champagne toast at sunset
Delicious breakfast menu
Adorable boutique

Cons:

Lack of maintenance by the beach
Hints of pollution washing ashore
Tiny beach with non aqua water
Common area is small
Exposed sewage area next to room

Xbalanque Resort

Xbalanque is next door to Ibagari Hotel, literally a few steps away. Although, we did not stay overnight, we had reservations for dinner at the Lotus restaurant. This rating is based on the restaurant and decor.

Service: 4/5
Food: 4/5
Decor: 3/5

The menu was well balanced, I ordered the pineapple rum ribs which I recommend. Cocktails were also authentic with no additives and refreshing. The decor is Miami Beach style and there is a romantic seating area near the shore.

If you are a planning a trip to Honduras and you require more tips, don't hesitate to message me. In my next post, I will be sharing my adventures on the island of Roatan.

* Please note that all hotel rates in this article are from May 2018 via booking.com and exclude taxes.

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There is no better way to welcome Autumn than a day trip to a small cozy village nearby. Luckily, the city of Montreal is surrounded by numerous quaint towns, therefore If you ever feel you need a break from the city life and seeking to walk amidst some greenery, than I recommend going to Sainte-Anne-De-Bellevue for the day.

This cute gem is located a 45 mins drive from Montreal. You can also take the train to the area, however it will take 1 hr 30 mins. I only recommend going for a day trip, that is enough time to enjoy the boutiques, restaurants and the scenery.

Before checking out the small shops and restaurants of the village, we headed to the Morgan Arboretum for a promenade on the trails. The arboretum is 245 hectares of forested reserve and is open daily throughout the year to visitors who can walk and ski its trails. It's a perfect location to celebrate the glorious colors of Fall.

In addition to Quebec's native trees, the arboretum property supports 18 collections of trees and shrubs, from across the world. The Arboretum is also home to 30 species of mammals, 20 species of reptiles and amphibians, and over 170 species of birds.

If you want to practice landscape and nature photography than the Morgan Arboretum is a place to visit.

We actually encountered a baby deer during our hike, they are hard to photograph, so be prepared!

After our hike, we headed on Ste-Anne street, which is the main strip where everything is located. In terms of shopping, there was not much to see, most boutiques had bohemian style of clothing available, nothing memorable and on trend of course.

Unfortunately, the thrift shop was closed for the long weekend. I always like to visit thrift stores in small towns, often times, items from old estates of deceased villagers wind up there. If you are lucky you can come across valuable family heirlooms.

All that walking worked up our appetites, so it was time to eat. Olé Tapas had the best reviews on google so we decided to have lunch there. The tapas were authentic and fresh, it's as if we were dining in Spain.

The owner kindly came to greet us and gave us a background on his Spanish roots and the delicacies he offers. I strongly recommend to eat at this place when visiting Sainte-Anne-De-Bellevue, most of the other restaurants had low ratings.

Delicious Sangria, freshly made.

After lunch, we sat down by the Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue Canal to take in the scenery. If you plan to stay longer you can also board a boat for the evening or have dinner by the pier. More info here.

There is also an ecomuseum zoo to visit in the area.

Before going home, we were on the prowl for some dessert at Café au bout de l'Isle.

Ending our day trip with some delish carrot cake, it's a must if you go to Sainte-Anne-De-Bellevue.

Happy Autumn!

www.ville.sainte-anne-de-bellevue.qc.ca

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When it comes to the world of sports, I am not the one to know the latest scores, ranks and names of all MVP's, however after going to the Rogers Cup for the first time this past August, I think that has changed. Of course, we all know the household names in Tennis such as the Williams sisters and Maria Sharapova, we've also seen countless tennis matches on TV, however going to watch a game in person is a whole different experience.

What is the Rogers Cup?

The Rogers Cup is one of the last tournaments held before the U.S. Open, the final Grand Slam of the season. Montreal and Toronto share the task of hosting the best men’s and women’s players in the world, with both tournaments played at the same time, during the same week. For Rogers Cup 2018, the women played in Montreal.

My first Tennis Match...

Before going to the Rogers Cup, I had to browse YouTube videos to find out how the scoring worked, if you don't know much about tennis, than this video is good for starters.

I bought my 25$ ticket on the Rogers Cup website which offered general admission at the IGA stadium, located next to the metro station, De Castelnau on the blue line.

Once arrived at the game with full excitement, we stopped by the Zonin kiosk for some prosecco and headed to our seats. Shortly after, the rain came down pouring as the game was about to start and the event was postponed.

In the case of rain, the match can't continue as the factor of rain will evidently alter the game. So we hoped mother nature would clear up and kept updated with the Rogers Cup app until further notice. Luckily, the rain cleared up after 2 hours and the game was rescheduled on that same day. To my surprise, I had full access to other tennis courts that day since it was "Family Day" at the Rogers Cup.

In between games, you can shop for tennis gear at the many vendors on site or hang out at the many terraces in the IGA stadium. I really enjoyed the Apérol Spritz patio and spent a great amount of time there.

For my first experience, I definitely learned that tennis etiquette is very refined, there are so many details in the process of this game that make it truly a luxury sport.

For my outfit of the day, I wanted to be comfortable so I wore these pleated trousers which also matched my binoculars, found here on Aliexpress. Binoculars are a must have at at tennis tournament if you are seated high up in the bleachers or you simply want to get a nice close up on the players.

"The male tennis players get more in prize money than the women."

Simona Halep, the women’s winner, received a cheque for $529,480 (U.S). The men’s winner, Rafael Nadal, collected $1,020,425. The total financial commitment for the men’s event was $5,939,970 and that was more than double the $2,820,000 available for the women.

I find it mind boggling that the male tennis players get more in prize money than the women. According to the Montreal Gazette, one of the reasons is that there is more TV money for the men's events. Hence, companies are geared towards supporting the men's tennis division more than the women's.

My Top 3 Fave Tennis Players...

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Quarters 👍

A post shared by Naomi Osaka 大坂なおみ (@naomiosakatennis) on Oct 4, 2018 at 1:24am PDT

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A post shared by Serena Williams (@serenawilliams) on Sep 2, 2018 at 7:37pm PDT

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A post shared by Françoise abanda (@franckie_abanda) on Jul 31, 2018 at 7:10am PDT

Who are your favorite female tennis players?

www.couperogers.com

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When I want to have a little down time in the bustling city of New York, I like to retreat to a beach. Last year, I visited Brighton Beach and toured Little Odessa, this summer, I decided to go to Jones Beach in Long Island which turned out to be the perfect getaway.

Jones Beach is a 6.5 mile stretch of white sand on the Atlantic Ocean hosting approximately 6 million visitors per year. The area is actually very well maintained, clean and environment friendly. See below, an aerial view of the beach.

If I had to choose between Brighton and Jones, I would definitely select Jones Beach. It's a better option as you are solely surrounded by ocean and sand, where as to Brighton there are apartment buildings surrounding the area and there is a lot of traffic from Coney Island. If you really want to detach from the city vibe, than going to Long Island is the solution.

Jones Beach offers a plethora of activities, here's a list of what you can do besides swimming in the ocean:

Go fishing
Surfing, Paddle-Boarding, Windsurfing, Kayaking, Sailing
Miniature Golf, Shuffleboard, Basketball
Visit a historic exhibit
Learn about the marine environment at the Jones Beach Nature Center
Pool swimming at the historic West Bathhouse
Playgrounds for Kids

The only downfall at Jones Beach was the dining options. One would imagine at such a nice place that there would be a classy terrace available where you can have a cocktail and appetizer, however there was less than a handful of concession stands available with meager options. Luckily, the beach offers free WiFi, so we decided to go to The Fisherman's Catch in Point Lookout, New York which was a quick 12 minute ride.

We lucked out with the cute anchor-themed restaurant which is located on the water. Of course, they are specialized in seafood, I definitely recommend it.

💘🛥🚤🛶🛥⚓️#waterfront #dock #yacht #restraunt

A post shared by Maggie Luo (@maggieluojie) on Jun 23, 2017 at 8:46am PDT

Along the boardwalk at Jones Beach, there are posters with historic photos depicting the area in its early days. There is also a 2 mile guided tour that you can book if you want to learn more about the landmark.

For more information on Jones Beach, click here.

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