Winter’s dreary skies and numbing temperatures make us yearn for warm Caribbean breezes but with today’s economy, most can only dream. Last December my visit to Curaçao was one of the most enjoyable Caribbean experiences ever, so I was delighted when I learned that Hotel Kura Hulanda Spa & Casino and Lodge Kura Hulanda & Beach Club are offering a special “Curaçao Now” package that can turn those dreams into reality.

Guests who book at either resort for a stay May 1 through July 4, 2010 and/or August 15 through December 18, 2010, will receive the following:

• $200 per person air credit from the Curaçao Tourist Board
• $200 food and beverage credit
• Fifth night free
• One day complimentary diving excursion
• One day complimentary car rental service
• Two complimentary tickets to Museum Kura Hulanda (available at Hotel only)
• Diving discounts (available at Lodge only)
• Various additional shopping and museum discounts

Rates include air and start at $499 per person (based on a flight out of Miami) for a five-night stay at Hotel Kura Hulanda Spa & Casino, and $519 per person (based on flight out of Miami) for a five-night stay at Read the rest of this entry »

From the moment I arrived at the Curaçao Marriott Beach Resort and Emerald Casino, I was treated like a queen and fed like a king. Within minutes of settling into my oceanfront room, I had devoured the tray of gourmet chocolate, fine Danish cheeses, crackers, and fresh tropical fruit that awaited me and, just a short while later, overindulged with a lobster salad at one of the resort’s fine restaurants. A private van tour of the island on day two included lunch at Doktorstuin Restaurant, an historic converted plantation home that served up authentic local cuisine, and that was topped off with another gourmet dinner back at the resort. Lying in bed that evening like a beached whale, I resolved to get some much needed exercise the following day.

Welcome gift from the Curacao Marriott Beach Resort

Fortunately, the Marriott is located an easy half-hour walk from Willemstad, the capital of this tiny south Caribbean island. I walked out the front entrance, turned right, and headed toward the ocean. Just past an idyllic public beach I found the Koredor George Hueck, a broad asphalt path leading to the heart of the city. Initially, mangrove swamps and black coral coastline flanked the path. As I approached the outskirts of Willemstad, the island’s desalinization plant appeared, its holding tanks lined up like behemoth sentinels on the inland side of the trail. Read the rest of this entry »

The vividly painted architecture lining the waterfront in Willemstad may be the most famous feature of Curaçao, but the kaleidoscopic hues did not happen by design. The capital city developed after the Dutch claimed the island in 1634, beginning with Punda, the walled portion of the old city. Buildings tended to be two and three-story shops and residences built on narrow, elongated lots to maximize use of scarce land. The only materials available for construction, mismatched bricks scavenged from ship ballast, were finished with lime plaster made from crushed shells, which dried to a dazzling white facade in the intense Caribbean sun.

It is said that a former governor of the island who suffered from severe headaches, believing his malady was aggravated by the sun’s brilliant reflections off the white buildings, mandated that building exteriors be painted any color but white. Despite later discovery that the governor was a shareholder in the island’s only paint store, the tradition of painting in vivid colors has endured, making Willemstad’s Dutch and Spanish colonial style architecture one of the most stunning sights in the Caribbean.

Curaçao Landhuizen, giant plantation houses built in the the outlying areas in the 18th and 19th centuries, were no less alluring. The hallmark of each plantation Read the rest of this entry »

A steady stream of pedestrians crossing the Queen Emma Bridge in Willemstad, capital of the tiny Caribbean island of Curaçao, seemed unfazed by the shrill bell signaling that the floating pontoon bridge was about to open.

“Why aren’t they hurrying?” I asked my tour guide, Howard.

“The orange flag hoisted over the harbor master’s shack means the bridge will open soon…perhaps 20 minutes from now. But when the blue flag goes up – then you will see people running!” he explained.

Walking across the Queen Emma floating pontoon bridge

Unhurriedly, we strolled across the bridge from the newer neighborhood of Otrabanda to Punda, the oldest district of the city. Returning, we stepped back onto solid concrete just as the blue flag was hoisted and two powerful ship motors winched the bridge toward shore, allowing an enormous cruise ship to sail into to Schottegat Bay, the seventh busiest harbor in the world. Read the rest of this entry »

What sets one resort apart from its competitors? A great location is always preferable. The physical condition of a property is also a factor. But for me, the most important quality is customer service and the proper training of staff. I am pleased to report that Marriott’s Curacao Beach Resort and Emerald Casino, which is hosting me for four days as part of their BlogParadise event, has all three: great location, exquisite facilities, and one of the best-trained staffs I have ever encountered.

Gigantic oceanfront pool at Marriott's Curacao Beach Resort

From the moment I arrived, it was obvious how service oriented the resort’s employees are, but at dinner last night I learned this is more than just training. I asked the resort’s Sales Manager, Yvette Schotting, to tell me what makes this resort so special. She turned to our waitress, another Yvette, for an answer.

“I have been here nine years and this is my family. Every year, many of the same people visit us and they are always so happy that I remember them from previous visits. I love my job.”

Family is fundamental to the Marriott story. Most management personnel started in entry-level jobs: the corporation’s President of International Lodging began his Marriott career as a night watchman and the Read the rest of this entry »

As you are reading this, I am winging my way to Curacao in the southern Caribbean, for a four day stay courtesy of Marriott Resorts. The press trip, appropriately named “Blog Paradise,” is sending nine bloggers to nine different resorts included in Marriott Resorts’ Paradise by Marriott Caribbean and Mexico collection to promote special limited-time offers at each of the properties.

Entrance to Marriott Curacao Resort and Emerald Casino

The promotion is different for each of the resorts; for example, at Marriott’s Curacao Resort and Emerald Casino, guests get the fourth night free and a free breakfast. Check out the other offers at the “Shake Up Paradise” website – just choose the preferred resort, click to shake up the giant snow globe, and watch as the offer is revealed.

I’ll be blogging about the trip, but for real-time impressions, events, and updates follow me on Twitter. All nine bloggers will be tweeting throughout the trip using the hashtag #BlogParadise. If you’d like to check out where the other eight bloggers are headed, follow the links to their blogs shown below:

Nancy D. Brown will be at J.W. Marriott Cancun Resort in Mexico Blog: Nancydbrown.com Twitter: @nancydbrown

Lisa Overman is headed for Aruba Renaissance Resort Blog: Wanderlustandlipstick.com Twitter: @islandstyle29

Aaron Hotfelder will be at Aruba Marriott Resort Blog: Gadling.com Twitter: @aaronhotfelder

Pam Mandel is winging to Casa Magna Cancun Resort in Mexico Blog: Nerdseyeview.com Twitter: @nerdseyeview

Chris Gray is off to St. Kitts Marriott Blog: caroundtheworld.com Twitter: @caroundtheworld

Robin Locker will stay at Grand Cayman Marriott Resort Blog: mymelange.net Twitter: @mymelange

Julie Schwietert will be visiting Frenchman’s Reef & Morning Star Marriott Beach Resort in St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands Blog: matadornetwork.com Twitter: @collazoprojects

Charyn Pfeuffer is headed for CasaMagna Marriott Puerto Vallarta Resort and Spa in Mexico Blog: hotelchatter.com Twitter: @global_gourmet

For now, I’m brushing up on the local lingo, so I’ll close by saying Ayo – Papiamento for goodbye.

Disclaimer: Although Marriott Resorts is providing this trip free of charge, including accommodations and airfare, my commitment, as always, is to write honestly about my experience.

Last week my attorney made me an offer. Somehow our legal conversation took a detour and I began telling him about the blissful year and a half I lived in the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. He also loves the Caribbean – so much so that he bought a home in Montego Bay, Jamaica, which he uses whenever possible and rents out the rest of the time.

Mountaintop villa's pool overlooks the caribbean Sea

Located just 15 minutes from the airport, his villa “Top Notch” is nestled on a half-acre mountainside lot at Ironshore Resort Estate. The gorgeous home is beautifully landscaped with vibrantly colored tropical Read the rest of this entry »

The family farm in St. Vincent. Photo courtesy of HelpX.com

“On mountaintop. Great view. On a small Caribbean island. Pineapple and wax apple farm. Building in construction. I live with my 3 kids. 3 German Shepherds 1 Dobermann, in the unfinished building. This is a child friendly environment. St.Vincent is a lovely island, non touristic. I can offer food and lodging for your help. I appreciate your assistance. Please come and help out with farming, construction, creating greenhouse, landscaping, plumbing, carpentry, organic planting, house stay, restoring antiques, handyman, domestic work, kids homework, kids activities, decoration, home reorganization….We speak Flemish, English, French, Dutch, but all nationalities are welcome to apply.”

The family in St. Vincent. Photo courtesy of HelpX.com

The above is just one of hundreds of listings found on HelpX.net (short for HelpExchange), a website that connects host organic farms, non-organic farms, farmstays, homestays, ranches, lodges, B&Bs, backpackers hostels and even sailing boats with volunteers who exchange short-term work for food and accommodations. This particular listing is for a property located on the island of St. Vincent in the Caribbean, and the family has already hosted numerous volunteers, some of whom have posted reviews of their experience. Kurt wrote:

“I loved the saltfish and bread fruit. Accommodation is very nice, your own room and bathroom. There is plenty of work, maintenance of the pineapple fields and landscaping around the house and odd jobs. Trips to town are often and you will get to mingle with the locals. When taking the local bus…hold on it is a ride.” Read the rest of this entry »

The recent crash of a USAirways jet stirred up memories for me. A few years ago I was flying from the mainland of Honduras to Guanaja in the Bay Islands, which is located about 30 miles off the northern coast. The twin engine puddle-jumper took off to the east and banked left out over the blue Caribbean, climbing quickly.

From my window seat I was enjoying the view of the distant islands when suddenly, the pilot put the plane into a nose dive and banked so steeply that I was looking straight down at the water. Rather than leveling out and flying north we continued banking and descending rapidly. I realized that something was very wrong but no one else in the small plane seemed alarmed – not even when it became apparent that we were turning completely around. In a matter of seconds we were back over land and the pilot brought the plane out of its bank but continued to dive so steeply that I was sure he would be unable to pull the nose up in time to land safely. Read the rest of this entry »