text:
We are currently writing the review… please stop back in a few days… Pepe
Help support this site: Visit our Travel Store on Amazon
Traveling The World
We are currently writing the review… please stop back in a few days… Pepe
Help support this site: Visit our Travel Store on Amazon
The Brando – French Polynesia | Cameras Used For This Review The Brando is one of those magical places that you have to travel far to get to. But it's well worth the long travel.
Magical Paradise | An Eco Resort Above All Others | Destiny of a Lifetime
The Brando is the top resort in the world, in as far as all the resorts I've had the pleasure to stay at over the years. It is the definition of a tropical paradise. This is a once-in-a-lifetime trip. Save up for it and go. I'm going to make it a yearly pilgrimage, since it is that beautiful. If you want to see other parts of French Polynesia, I recommend starting with a cruise on the Paul Gauguin for a week, to visit the islands, or stay up at the Four Season's in Bora Bora. But after those options, finish your trip with the best, at The Brando.
What stands out the most about the resort is the isolation in paradise, attention to details, and with one notable exception, pure relaxation and nothing to worry about. And that's the reason to make it the last stop of your trip. Save the best for last.
Why is it my favorite ?
The villas are amazing. Every villa has a spectacular view. Each villa is provided with bikes to get around (the bikes have lights for night use). Every villa has beachfront access. I prefer the two bedroom since the second bedroom is on the second floor, with a better view. The food is amazing (mostly French fare). The staff is well trained, friendly, and always willing to help. Since our interaction was mostly with the watersports staff and bar/food staff, we were well taken care of. While my travel companions were sampling the multitude of amazing adult beverages, I stuck to mostly (non-alcoholic) drinks. This is the first time on a vacation that I've tried to savor every last minute (food, taste, sights, sounds) of a resort. I didn't want to spoil any second of it. The water has the most beautiful colors, at every time of the day. At night, the Moon lights the white sand bottom, casting a mysterious glow (similar to the lagoon in Bora Bora). During the day, the sunlight reflects off the sand and coral heads, with a myriad of beautiful tones of green and blue. Fish abound, and you can see the occasional ray gliding over the bottom. The sunsets are some of the most beautiful that I've seen. Sunsets are best seen from the western oriented villas (beach) and from the bar beach area. And by the way, there are no mosquitoes (yes, they've even thought of that too).
Eco Resort: While The Brando is pure luxury, it is solar (70 percent) and renewable fuels (coconut oil and diesel) powered. Many of the fruits and vegetables are grown at the resort. Honey is produced from over 60 hives to provide both honey and sugar for cooking the resort menu items. So much honey is produced, that it is actually exported. Fresh water is produced from a reverse osmosis seawater to freshwater maker, and the cooling of the resort is provided (majority) from deep seawater cooling ($12 million investment). Rainwater is filtered and used for toilets. Any food waste is put into a digester, which turns the waste into compost, which is used in the garden, or exported. Water is provided in glass containers in the villas, and you can put into your own reusable steel water bottle (they have water stations
located around the island for refills). Hot water is provided for each villa via the use of roof mounted solar hot water heaters (showers and tap water). Even the employee container housing has roof mounted solar heaters. This is the most eco-friendly resort I've seen in my travels, and one of the most eco-friend facilities in the world. One of my businesses is in renewable energy, and it's clear that the huge amount of planning (and expense) has gone into the resort, and concept overall. The price of installing renewables is huge, but for remote
locations, the payback is possible. Better yet, it's the right thing to do. At the end of the review, I'll include suggestions for the management and owners.
Celebrity Resort: While you may not see them, or recognize them, the resort is frequented by celebrities and the worlds who's-who.
What to expect and not expect: This resort is about luxury and service. Both are excellent. You don't have a butler hounding you constantly like at other resorts (although I'm sure you could request one). Need service ? It's just a call away. I like the privacy. There will always be some issues. Our water backed up in the showers our first night, but it was promptly fixed. The villas are very comfortable, plenty of cooling, and shade (maybe too much shade). Each villa is surrounded by lots of trees, which give you plenty of privacy. Sunshine is available on the back deck and plunge pool area, and of course, on the beach. Most requests are handled promptly and efficiently. Getting to and from the resort is strictly controlled by Air Tetiaroa, and only available by turboprop, or helicopter (sub-contracted to Tahiti Helicopters).
How to get there: We had a two day journey to and from Tahiti. We took Air Tahiti Nui from LAX to PPT on a later afternoon flight, and on return took the overnight flight (which was late and departed at 1:30am which made us miss our connecting flights the next day). A better option is Air France, that has limited service, but more comfortable and better flight times. If you're a rockstar, then take the Gulfstream 550 – you'll be glad you did. I've been to Tahiti eight times, and flown on Air Tahiti Nui every time. The service used be be excellent, but has dropped in the years. I'd now consider, and prefer, other options. If you catch the afternoon flight out of LAX, you'll arrive in Tahiti around 10/10:30pm. Typically, you stay on the island before transferring to your next destination. We stayed at the Intercontinental Resort, which is a good transition resort. The next morning we chartered a helicopter to the resort ($2,500 Euro). Air Tetiaroa (owned by The Brando) has a separate building at the PPT airport, with a very luxurious waiting room. The flight in a helicopter was fun, and the views spectacular. I highly recommend flying to the resort this way. It's not only faster, but better views.
The only other option to fly to the resort is via Air Tetiaroa, in their Swiss registered twin engine turboprop. It's older, and very tight seating, but since you're only in the air for 20 minutes, comfort doesn't matter. All flights must be contracted through the resort and Air Tetiaroa. I tried to contact the helicopter company separately, and they would not respond to my emails. As I later found out, they really don't respond to emails. I tried calling them, and they said I could only book through Air Tetiaroa. During my stay in French Polynesia, I used Tahiti Nui Travel, who was helpful when we had to change our plans due to a cancelled helicopter charter transfer. I always recommend using a local travel agency for the last leg of travel (island transfer, resort stays, etc.) since they have local knowledge and can help when any issues arise. You can book directly through The Brando (versus a travel agency). My first request took a few days to get a response, but they were good after that.
The best way to get to the island is by helicopter. You can also take a small twin engine jet prop, but the helicopter is more fun.
Twin bedroom villa with plunge pool and beach.
What to bring: I brought three cameras, but found that I used my iPhone camera, and my Olympus TG4 (waterproof) camera the most. While I did bring a Panasonic Lumix LX100 for night shots (star time lapse, etc.), I found the night sky to be temperamental with evening clouds. Both the iPhone and TG4 were great for day shots, sunsets, and the TG4 for kayaking and diving around the lagoon. The resort does provide limited sunscreen, but we brought lots. The Sun is very intense, so plan for it. Hats and sunglasses are a must, if you want some relief from the glorious sunshine. We come from the midwest, and after a long winter, we're ready for sunshine. For day activities on the water, I recommend rash-guard water shirts (the ones you use for surfing and watersports) – they give you great protection from the sunshine. If you're out on the water a long time, take along extra sunscreen and a waterbottle (they fit in the back of the kayak). Dress is casual, but I prefer to see people in resort casual for dinner. Typically at these resorts, it's time to change out of your swimwear after 6pm (sunset). The beach bar closes at 6pm, while the second story bar opens for the evening.
Exploring the lagoon in the afternoon by standup paddleboard.
Trouble in Paradise: On our last evening at the resort, we were notified that our helicopter charter ($7,500 Euro) from The Brando to the Four Season's (they have a helipad on the motu where the resort is located) was canceled. The relaxation part of the stay grinded to a halt, while we trying to figure out options. I purchased some expensive travel insurance for the trip, so I wasn't so concerned about lost money (any time travel plans are changed, you're going to
lose out somewhere), but was concerned about the huge amount of time I had spent planning seamless travel between resorts. Most of the commuter flights were booked solid, and of the few remaining, it means spending a day (or most of the day) at the airport in PPT, or purchasing a expensive charter aircraft. It had taken us two days to travel to Tahiti (and another two back) so we were very time sensitive.
Our time in French Polynesia was limited to 6 days, and we wanted to enjoy every minute of it (not stuck in an airport for a day). That is why I had made the decision to charter a helicopter to take us directly to the Four Season's in Bora Bora. Matilda (front office staff) worked hard to give us options, but there were few, and really none of the options were in our favor. She did a commendable job with what she had to work with, and we thank her for that. Unfortunately, our options were to leave at 8am the day of our departure, and either sit in an airport all day to wait for a commuter transfer (if available), or charter the Air Tetiaroa turboprop for $6,500 Euro.
The option that we finally concluded was the best, was to stay one more night at The Brando (and lose one night at the Four Season's), then take the Air Tetiaroa turboprop for $5,500 Euro (I requested a discount from the $6,500 asking price) to the airport in Bora Bora (and then a $300 Euro transfer to the Four Seasons resort by boat). We got another
night in paradise, which was great, but the snafu certainly took away any relaxation gained prior, and just became a hassle.
The turboprop was not a great option compared to a helicopter (not the same experience – same as the inter-island commuters), and the prices are crazy. They have a monopoly. I can charter a Phenom 100 jet for less money (I have) per hour. The limited transportation options to and from The Brando mean that you really don't have many choices, so get travel insurance and be prepared.
While I'm grateful for Matilda and the staff for helping to rearrange our transportation, we were very disappointed with the resort General Manager, Silvio Bion. We saw him briefly upon arrival, but at no other time during the stay. Oddly enough, he showed up randomly (while we were watching our departure flight safety review video) and basically he lectured us. I don't think he understood our issue was with capturing every lovely moment in paradise at The Brando, and not wanting to spend it waiting in an airport. My main complaint was waiting for a letter from the charter company (Tahiti Helicopters /Air Tetiaroa) which I needed to send to my travel insurance company (without which there are no refunds). Multiple emails were unanswered (it's ok to indicate that an email request has been received), and finally
I got a letter at departure (I said I was not going to leave without it). At the very least, Tahiti Helicopters should have provided a letter immediately with it's notification of the cancelled charter (which was paid for advance with $7,500 Euro). Just a simple letter saying the flight was cancelled would have been fine. In my businesses, my attitude and strategy with customers is: There are no excuses, just make it right. I hope Mr. Bion can have some compassion for guests that have travel issues, and that we're there to enjoy paradise, and not spend it in an airport. At the worst case, don't lecture the guests.
20170424: AIG Insurance Update – AIG is going to pay me a whopping $100 for my travel delay, that's it. It turns out that AIG Travel Insurance doesn't cover aircraft mechanical issues (probably one of the most common reasons for a trip delay), and the maximum on their policy for hotels is just $100 per day. Not much if you're traveling to any resort in French Polynesia (the missed night at the Four Season's was $2,000). The bottom line is that travel insurance may be good for medical evacuation if you don't have that on your primary insurance, which may be homeowner, renter, or medical insurance (get a quote based on a $100 trip cost, since it's the same evacuation insurance regardless of trip value – and just get a yearly policy for around $200 which covers all trips), but is completely useless for your other travel needs. For medical evacuation, it's to the nearest medical facility, not back home. The AIG Policy was around $1,500 for this trip, and completely useless. Also, in any insurance claim, they may force to you first use your home owners or renters insurance policy first, and theirs as a backup.
From the Insuremytrip.com website: Secondary Coverage means that this coverage will be paid after any other Primary collectible insurance has paid the claim and the Primary policy limits have been exhausted. And if you're paying for luxury travel (charter, business or first class) they will only reimburse you for economy (assuming they decide to even pay at all).
Again, AIG insurance is a waste of money. I'll never use AIG again, and I don't recommend them to anybody for travel insurance. At least they're quick and efficient to minimize or deny your claims.
Summary: I will be a loyal customer at The Brando, and will recommend it to anyone. The resort encompasses the magic of French Polynesia, and the friendliness of her people.
The following segment of my review is both for the resort management and guests.
Resort Management Recommendations:
Walkway Improvements: Put pavers (blocks) on the side of the walkway so there is room to pass between bikes and service carts. It's a easy, low cost, and visually pleasing addition.
Renewable Energy: I highly recommend the reading of Gaviotas – A Village to Reinvent the World. It's a non-fiction book about a group in the eastern Llanos of Colombia, who build a sustainable village which relies on solar, human, and wind energy. It's not only inspirational reading, but gives lots of low cost renewable energy tips.
Gaviotas: A Village to Reinvent the World, 2nd Edition
Wind Energy: Small .5-2 kW wind turbines at strategic locations throughout the resort to capture wind energy.
Solar Lights: Use solar powered walkway (path) lights to simplify lighting at night. They are maintenance free, and work great.
Absorption Chiller: Use solar absorption chiller as better payback for unit air conditioning for each villa, and for resort facilities. With absorption chillers, the solar thermal hot water provides the bulk of the energy demand, and you can still use the seawater cooling for the condenser side. It's a more efficient use of the cool seawater, and maximizes the solar thermal potential. To harvest solar thermal, you can use coils of black pex tubing on the roof, with a simple circulation pump to flow through the absorption chiller. If you set up as a network, you can cool the seawater cooled flow system, more like district cooling, to fully utilize the solar absorption chiller, when it is not used in each villa. Such a closed-loop circuit is sustainable throughout the day with minimal demand from the seawater cooling (which can be used more at night if required).
Maximize Sea Water Cooling: The seawater is returned at a level of equal temperature, which means a cooler return seawater requires pumping to deeper depths (i.e. more pump kilowatts used). I'd recommend finding ways to use that cooler water, but maximize the temperature differential, then then return the warmer seawater return to the surface, saving pump power.
Solar Kiln: Assemble simple solar kiln (in a 20 ft shipping container) for waste wood, coconut shells, and driftwood. Use dried wood for nightly bonfire. Use ashes and pot ash for soil nutrients in the garden.
Solar Desalination: The most abundant energy source there is the Sun. Maximize it. Solar thermal is probably the most cost-effective solution for desalination. Reverse osmosis is very electrical energy intensive and expensive to maintain. Use small windmill to pump seawater to and from (backwash) solar desalination unit. Fast payback.
Relaxation: Hammocks throughout the resort would give a more tropical feel, and great for guest relaxation.
Guest Interaction: Build a concept of coexistence between guests saving energy and water, versus producing it. Put web pages up on your website to evangelize technology. Teach us, we want to learn.
Contribution Towards Energy Production: Have the option for guests to purchase a solar cell, or contribute to a solar energy project. Better yet, seek new technology that has a two year or less payback.
Also have option for guests to contribute to worker happiness and fullfillment (i.e. help buy some recreational items for the worker housing, food preparation/serving, etc.). A happy worker, is a good worker. In Aspen, at Cache Cache, one of the desert options is buying the dishwasher and backend staff a few beers. It's one of the most requested items on the menu.
Also, have the option of having the guests dine with the workers. While most may not want this option, I certainly would like to get to know the people behind the resort. Humans like to interact, give them the option.
Transportation: Put solid wheel tires on the bikes so that you don't have to worry about deflation or under-inflation. Makes for a bike that needs zero maintenance.
Water: Capture a second floor shower and sink water as toilet flush water for first floor.
Communications: Make the iPad your communications for room service, notifications, etc. For a request, simply have the guest type in what is needed (i.e. room service, reservations, etc.), and it can be sent as a text message, or standard message. Better yet, make a app for the smartphone, so guests can request directly from their phone. While
some guests want to unplug, most prefer simple text communications. The resort has Wifi, use it to its fullest potential. I would prefer to order room service, or making a reservation, by typing in a request.
Tipping: Have a prepaid tip option when making reservations at the resort. At the very least, put up a page on the website explain how and when to tip. It's saves time for the client who is trying to figure it out. We (the clients) want to reward great service, so make it easy.
Lighting: Use daylighting domes to capture and disperse sunlight within villas. Will virtually eliminate any use of lights during the day. Alternatively have solar panels within solar collecting light projection, to store for evening LED use.
Food Recommendations:
Hydroponics and Fogponics: A larger and more sustainable food production system (and less maintenance) would be the use of hydroponics or fogponics (vertical grow towers which utilize the sunlight). You can still be organic with these methods, and the efficiency of production is maximized. Best of all, you could grow more variety of vegetables and fruits.
Chickens: For fresh eggs. Chickens can roam freely in the garden, and their waste becomes fertilizer for the plants.
Goats: Fresh milk and cheese. Low maintenance animal. Have guests adopt a food producing animal. Again, make it interactive.
Bees: I have to commend the resort on the use of bee hives, and honey production. The honey tastes wonderful. Offer it for sale on your website. Good source of revenue and sustainability.
Guest Villas:
In-villa snacks and booze for purchase: Whomever came up with this nickel-and-dime the customer, was wrong. Either offer it for free or get rid of it. If you're paying $5000 day for a villa you probably don't want to be charged $10 for a package of M&Ms or other snacks. Throw it in. Include it. Or just get rid of it. Since we were on a a-la-carte basis, we paid for it. I'm not sure of the policy for the all-inclusive. Since it has to be checked on every day, that is the guests time either way. I say, just get rid of it altogether. I doubt it results in much revenue, and it looks bad from the guests perspective. The Brando is one of the most exclusive resorts in the world, step up to the plate and get rid of the snack charges. The Brando is so far above every other resort, it doesn't need this type of revenue. Charge me a bit more on the resort stay, and include it.
For Guests: Be a good client – how to be a good guest:
-be respectful to workers. They live and work on the island (it's almost like a cruise ship). I always greet workers in their native language (French or Polynesian in this case) and ask them how they are doing.
-be respectful to other guests.
-leave a thank you note and/or a tip if you like the service.
-ask the staff what they prefer and how they get paid for tips, if you desire to leave one.
– If you decide to tip, tip in cash whenever possible since they don't get paid for 6 to 12 months for their tips. If they leave before that time they forfeit their tips. The only downside to tipping individuals, is that they may or may not share with coworkers (while a tip on the receipt will get distributed). The other option is to do one tip at the end of the stay, which goes into a general fund, and everybody gets something. Personally, I'd rather see resorts pay staff better, and do away with tips altogether, since it's a hassle all around trying to figure it out. The other option is to have a prepaid tip option when making reservations at the resort. At the very least, put up a page on the website explain how and when to tip. It's saves time for the client who is trying to figure it out. We (the clients) want to reward great service, make it easy.
-want to help renewables? Talk to the staff and adopt a garden, an animal, a beehive, or solar panel.
-write an honest review on trip advisor or other review sites. While the management staff tells me that this will not make a difference in how they treat you, it certainly makes a difference to future travelers regardless. I always review on Trip Advisor and other sites before I book travel. I also mirror my reviews on my www.cruisingreview.com and www.jetsetcruise.com websites. I was told that several suppliers have a monopoly in French Polynesia, and they don't care if they get bad reviews for bad service. I don't care if they have a monopoly – bad service, is bad service, and should be commented on for future travelers. That gives the supplier the option to correct bad service, or just continue with it, and lose customers. Feedback is so important in this industry.
-be responsible. Don't ever pollute,and be a good citizen and if yousee garbage, pick it up.
-get the minimal travel insurance for medical evacuation, at the very least. For expensive trips always get comprehensive travel insurance so that you are not out financially if anything gets canceled (as in our case with the helicopter charter that got cancelled).
-in the case of flights or prepaid excursions which have been canceled or delayed, which affect you financially, be sure to get something in writing from the supplier (demand it – it's their responsibility to provide it). You will need this for any refunds for your trip insurance. Any responsible supplier will provide this. If they do not provide this, make sure it is evidenced by email request and then write a review to document it for other travelers, so they can avoid that tour operator or supplier. Treating people with fairness should be a global experience and attitude.
-good resorts and suppliers will make sure that they do not provide excuses, but provide you with a good experience, and do their best to make things right. Even if canceled, they should provide the minimum response which is to say that they are sorry, and to provide you with documentation for any refunds via travel insurance. This is a code of conduct which is good business. If they do not provide that. Make sure that that is noted in a review for other travelers so they can avoid that supplier.
The Brando is a World Class resort. Experience it, and enjoy it.
Fair winds, and good travels – Pepe
Note: This review is mirrored on TripAdvisor
Cruising Review 20170312:
The ocean is like a mysterious woman, who always challenges you with ever-changing romance, allure of adventure, a new beginning at every dawn, and a canvas of tranquility at each sunset. The ocean is what defines the incredible setting at Mukul.
The environment embraces the resort in a symbiotic relationship which balances out hospitality and nature.
Trails are delicately woven into the tapestry of the hills which bind vistas of land, sea and sky. The escarpment was so lovingly developed that it blends harmony between the environment with purpose. This allows a peaceful coexistence of hospitality between the visitor, and the surroundings which provide such splendor from each sunrise to each sunset.
It's this charm which truly sets this resort apart from anything in the world.
At nightfall, the Moon and stars ply the heavens above, illuminating the pounding surf below, with aural and visual magic.
It's the rhythm of the sky and the ocean, which have made the resort its home. From sunrise, when the fragrant scents of the land combine with the ocean breeze, your day begins.
Your tastes come alive, as a palet of flavors rejuvenate your inner self. The surroundings become food, as it embraces your soul.
As the golden beams of sunshine illuminate the day, your adventure may be as simple as turning a page, and gazing towards the horizon.
Or learning to ride a wave, which started a continent away, just to unleash it's energy one last time before rolling on the sugary soft beach.
Challenge yourself to captivate the wave, and share it's energy, especially knowing that each roll, as it curls its last breath, made a journey thousands of miles just to greet you.
This symbiotic relationship is what defines Mukul.
Harmony and peaceful coexistence with the environment, which was so lovingly combined in a tapestry of development, the resort is one of the few destinations in the world that provide a journey at the destination.
In so many words, those are some of the senses redefined, that you will experience at this wonderful place.
Visit our Travel Store on Amazon
Cruising Review 20160121 and 20170114
2016: Imanta Resort is a world-class escape, and ranks top of any resort (even Bora Bora) I've had the pleasure to experience. The location, staff, and feel, is magical. You are greeted by name, and there are no receipts to sign, it's done seamlessly while you are at the resort. A stay at Imanta is a true escape to relaxation and imagination. The sunsets are beautiful, and the canopy of stars greets you each evening like an old friend. The rolling Pacific waves rumble ashore in a rhythmic cadence which lulls you into a deep sense of wonderment.
Overall Impressions: This is my second stay in Punta Mita, the first was at the Four Season's. While the service at the Four Season's is over-the-top, they have begun to cater to large groups to boost the bottom line, which has taken much of exclusiveness out of the brand. Imanta is diametrically opposite. They cater to individuals, not groups, and it clearly shows.
For Couples: The resort is really for couples and adults. While any kid would be lucky to stay there, they probably would not enjoy it as much as adults who want the luxury and remoteness.
Booking: I tried to book through the Imanta website directly, but they said they had no available rooms for the weekend I wanted, so I turned to Expedia, which had several rooms available. I suggest booking the least expensive room available, then requesting free or paid upgrades when you get to the resort. When we arrived on a Thursday, I assumed the resort would be full, but there were only 6 guests. That number climbed to about 12 guests as the weekend approached. Still an amazingly low number, which would ensure your privacy.
Werika: We arrived and our suite was not available (something was being fixed) so we were invited to have lunch on the beach, and enjoyed a seaside delicacy of guac and chips, fresh fish, shrimp and drinks. About an hour later, our suite was ready. Werika is right next to Casona Jaguar, and has a beautiful layout, with huge master bathroom, plunge pool, and partial view of the ocean. You can hear the surf from the suite, since it's only about 100 ft from the ocean. Almost immediately, one of the sink faucet fixtures broke and water was leaking all over the vanity. I guess this is what they were trying to fix earlier, without success. We just used the other sink, but quickly saw that he design of the sink fixtures was pretty flawed. Since we wanted an upgrade, we enjoyed Werika and the plunge pool for the remainder of the day.
Casona Jaguar: Our second day, we upgraded to Jaguar, which is the largest villa in the resort. It is one of the most beauitfuly appointed suites I have stayed in, and that includes staying in the Presidential Suite in Capella (Pedregal) (Cabo), the Presidential Suite at the Four Season's (Bora Bora) and two villas at the Four Season's in Costa Rica. When you walk in the front door, you are welcomed by a huge slab of Parota (Guanacaste) wood table. The entire space is inviting and beautifully appointed. There are three levels, and a huge outdoor patio with pool, then a lower beach area. Since we upgraded, the huge pool did not warm up for a few days, and we had issues with lack of hot water in the showers, but all was working by the day we left. The kitchen was huge, but surprising lacked many accoutrements, like paper towels, napkins, a bottle opener, or other items which you'd normally find there. My guests occupied the master bedroom on the first floor, while I took the second floor master, and a third guest took the nanny's bedroom wing. My favorite part of the three floor villa was the top floor observatory, which had a working (heated the entire time) hot tub, and the most amazing views of the resort. Sunsets were incredible from the top. The Wifi seemed to work well at times on the first floor, but never consistent on the second floor. I found myself rebooting the wifi repeater just to get any signal (multiple times). The Casona has its own beach and amazing pool, grill, and plenty of space to layout and just enjoy the experience. If you get a chance, try to upgrade to this amazing villa. While the daily rate is around $10,000 per night, you may be able to negotiate a better price, especially if it is not occupied over your stay. Most of the bigger villas have solar heating panels on the roof, but it's unclear if they actually work anymore. Typically with these larger villas, they come complete with a bar, food and other little perks, which we found absent for our stay.
Best Couples Villa: Casona Los Templos. Looking over the suites in the resort, I'd recommend Los Templos. Seems to have the best location, layout, and right size. They have lots of room, plunge pool, and the best locations on the resort (next to ocean and beach).
Dining: You basically have three dining options – either in your suite, at Tukipa (the main resort building), or at the beach.
– By the Beach: Perfect for lunch and afternoon snacks. They have a outdoor grill there and serve excellent fresh fish. There is also a bar there, which has a good variety of brands for your beach experience.
– Tukipa: Mid level of the main building, perched just above tree-top level, this dining area has a commanding view of the resort and beach. Recommend getting a table outside on the deck, not on the side which has access to the kitchen (noise during dining is very noticeable). There is also limited indoor dining, which we never used since it was so beautiful outside. The food is amazing, and made to order. Expect a long wait for service if there are other diners there (they open up the restaurant to other patrons from other resorts). Service was generally good, but with some huge gaps (multiple times, we had to ask for napkins). The outstanding server was Luis – who took good care of us, and made sure we enjoyed every meal there.
– Observatorio: Located at the top of the main resort building, is a bar and hot tub. This top level has an excellent view of the resort, beach, and sunsets.
– Room Service: There is a limited room service menu. Don't expect hot, or even warm food since it takes a small journey to get to where you are at. The better option if you want to enjoy your bungalow, is to order fish or steaks uncooked, and cook them on your grill.
Wifi: The wifi operability is poor. Given the basic service to the resort is average at best, add on poor connectivity at the resort, and you get a overall poor access. The resort needs to upgrade its repeaters and overall access. While the resort is probably best for its remoteness, if you want or need reliability, I suggest you bring your own Apple Wifi, and hook up to the ethernet in the room, and establish your own base station, and go from there. If you're on vacation to get unplugged, then this is your place.
Cell Signal: You can see a cell tower about 1 mile away on a hill, but the cell signal is marginal. Don't expect great communications by your cell phone.
Activities: We spent most of our limited time over the weekend relaxing, but managed to do a few activities.
– Hiking to Treehouse: Antonio is the activities guide and will accompany you for an hour hike up to see the treehouse (where the resort owner lives). It's a good hike (bring good walking shoes) and the scenery is fantastic, not to mention good exercise. There is a paved road to the treehouse villa, so you hike on dirt trail there, then can take the paved road downhill back to the resort.
– Baby Turtle Release: When we were there, a number of baby turtles were hatching from eggs. The beach is a nesting area for the local seaturtles. Release is usually right before sunset, and at a time when the vultures are least active.
– Spa: Under the supervision of Cynthia, the spa provides the ultimate in massage and relaxation. With the soothing sound of the surf in the background, the open aire spa area will take you to another world. I've been to spas around the planet, and this was the best so far.
Amazing Staff:
– Cynthia at the Spa is excellent
– Luis at dining is over the top
– Antonio with resort activities is a great guide
The Beach: The resort has one beach, which typically will not have more than 4-6 people on it, at any one time. It has ample number of lounge chairs and lounge beds (with shade). There is a small outdoor dining area for lunch and well stocked bar.
Front Desk: Main building in the concierge desk and gift shop. When you arrive, you are checked in at your suite. On departure, you can checkout at the concierge desk.
Transportation: Fly in commercial to PVR (MMPR) or private jet. There are two FBO's at the airport that cater to executive aviation. While you can rent a car, I don't recommend it, since the resort is nestled in a remote part north of Punta Mita. The resort offers a contractor VIP service, which really wasn't worth the extra money. Just get a standard taxi, and have the resort arrange pick-up at the airport. This is one area they could improve upon. The Four Season's either has their own amazing VIP pick-up, or found a contractor that does the job right.
Tipping: The resort tax with tipping fee is a whopping 30+ percent. It's the same in Cabo, and other resorts in Mexico, so don't be surprised when your daily rate goes up from what you thought you were paying. I recommend picking out your few favorite staff, and tip them individually. I'd be surprised if the staff (workers) actually saw most of the fee you pay for tipping, but hopefully they get what you pay.
Bring A Flashlight: The paths in the resort are dimly lit. While they have a small flashlight in the stationary basket in most rooms, I recommend bringing a small flashlight to illuminate your way to and from dinner at night.
Privacy: The resort is very exclusive and remote. It's the perfect place if you want your privacy. For the most part, all of the villas are secluded, and do not have photographic access from the ocean, like the beach does. There is a large surf, which makes long distance photography a big challenge. So other than having your own residence, this resort is your best option or privacy.
Suggestions: While this resort ranks at the top of my list, there is always room for improvement.
– Telescope and/or Binoculars: Have a telescope at the top floor of the villas, for stargazing at night. Have binoculars (I didn't see any) for whale watching during the day.
– Hammocks: On the beach and at the villas.
– Sand Grooming: For the Casona's, a daily sand grooming would be fantastic. They do this at Pedregal in Cabo, and it's a nice elegant touch. When you're paying anywhere from $2,000 to $10,000 a night for the Casona's, add a few special experiences to the stay.
– Wifi: Replace the Wifi repeaters in the suites, so they actually work, without constantly resetting.
– New bathroom faucets: The faucets need to be replaced with something that works, and doesn't leak constantly.
– Firepits: A really nice feature would be gas or wood firepits for the Casona's.
– Service: Train the staff to double check table basics (like napkins) and when doing room service, double checking basics like salt/pepper, butter, etc.
– Villa Kitchen: Provide basic necessities for the kitchens, like paper towels, a few bottles of liqour, beer, lemons, limes, etc.
– Working Solar or Wind Power: This resort is perfect to take advantage of solar thermal, solar photovoltaics and wind energy. If the solar thermal panels don't work well, then just put a big plastic tank on the roof, or black PEX tubing (it's much more effective and zero maintenance).
– Fixture Updates: Many of the door and handle fixtures are in need of maintenance or replacement, from the salt water environment corrosion. Replace halogen and other lights with LED lighting options.
Room Tip: Casona Los Templos. Best location, layout, and right size.
2017 Update: Unfortunately, TripAdvisor only allows one review, and no updates. During our most recent stay, the main building was undergoing renovation. Service was off during this visit. There were many times we ordered food and drinks, which never came. Since billing is all done in the background (you only see one bill at the end of your stay), it's impossible to see if we were charged for what we ordered. All dining was beachside, and the food was only average. The seafood I has, wasn't that good. For whatever reason, the main kitchen beachside, was very subpar compared to the great food we had during our last visit, which was made in the kitchen up at the main building. The water to our villa didn't work for a day, and we actually left a day early to go to the Four Season's, where the food is outstanding and always consistent. The only great part of the stay was the spa, where service was excellent. While Imanta still has charm, I'd wait until the renovation has been completed to book travel there.
Cruising Review 20140821
I've been to a number of the Noble House Hotels ( http://www.noblehousehotels.com ), and my favorite so far has been Little Palm Island in the Florida Keys. But this may become my new favorite, and is by far, one of the nicest resorts in the Western United States. It's well worth a stay. Upon arrival, you are greeted with a smile, and a cool towel, which is very welcoming.
We took a Phenom 100 jet from Centennial Airport (KAPA) in Denver, Colorado to Grand Junction. At Grand Junction, it's about an hour to the resort by rental or resort arranged transportation.
The property is nestled amongst the beautiful majestical red rock Unaweep canyon of western Colorado, and at the base of The Palisade, which gives spectacular views throughout the day, but especially at sunset. The creation of the founder of the Discovery Channel (John Hendricks) had the vision of a sustainable resort.
Since the resort is so new, the property and all facilities are in immaculate order and condition. There are a few glitches (which I'll refer to below), but overall, the resort is in excellent condition.
Our group stayed in mid August, 2014, and had a wonderful time. We had two Casitas, one of which was Aries (Stargazer 305) Casita, that had a large master bedroom, living room, and upstairs den with sofa-sleeper bed. There were two bathrooms – the master bath had a tub, shower and outdoor shower, while the guest bathroom had a shower. Everyone loved the outdoor showers in both Casitas.
The resort layout, architecture, and the interior decorating in the Casitas was beautiful. Clearly, someone had put a great deal of thought into the entire resort, and every detail of the individual Casitas/rooms.
The master bedroom had a small private courtyard, large master bath, clothes closet, gas fireplace and large screen TV. The highlight of the room was the huge and ultra plush bed. This was the most comfortable bed I've ever slept in, bar none. It was branded "Sleeping beauty – anniversary edition mattress." Amazing nights sleep. The way a great resort should be.
In the master bath, the true gem was the outdoor shower. There's something great about showering outdoors. There was an issue with hot water – it seemed to run out in about 10 minutes. The bathroom was well laid out, however there were never enough towels, and the outlets in the bathroom (one on each side of the sink) would not allow any plug to be fully inserted. The result is that unless you are holding the plug into the outlet, you would get no power. For a resort of this level, this should have been caught long ago and repaired.
There was a large dining table, next to a breakfast bar, which had a coffee machine and snacks. Of course, the snacks and bar items were a-la-carte, and they actually have the gall to charge $2 for tea ! When you're paying $2,000 a night (or more) for a luxury Casita, the last thing you want to feel is nickel-and-dimed. Snacks and small liquor items should be free.
On the energy conservation end, you need to put in your room key near the door slot as you walk in, to turn on power to the unit. As you take the keycard out of the slot, all the lights go off.
Outdoors, there was a very generous sized patio with dining table and fire pit. The outdoor lights and on/off switch for the fire pit are on the wall behind the curtains (well hidden). I loved the fire pit – which can also be used for s'mores. All with a view of The Palisade. My only wish was for a plunge pool or hot tub. I only saw one unit that had a in-ground hot tube (but there may have been more).
Even though you may think you're in a desert, there are lots of hummingbirds, large bees and bullfrogs in the ponds. None of them will bother you, and there are no flies or mosquitoes, even though there are a number of ponds.
When you book a Casita, you also get the services of a butler, who will help you customize your experience at Gateway, and any requests you have when at the resort. Our Bulter (Cezanne) was very helpful and was able to answer all of our questions and fill all our requests.
There are two pools – one chlorine (near the main complex) and one saline which was located near the Casitas. We chose to use the saline pool, for the fantastic view. There is a full service bar at the pool, which serves drinks and light food items. The saline pool is surrounded by pavers, which get really hot during the day. Be sure to wear flip-flops or your feet will be uncomfortably hot, very quickly. I did notice that they put heat exchangers under the pavers, to supposedly recover the heat to provide solar pool heat (great idea).
There are two restaurants, which limit your choices a bit if you're staying more than a few days (there are no other restaurants in the area), but the food is very good, and a good variety. Entrada is the primary dinner restaurant, and they also have a breakfast buffet (except on Monday mornings). The decor in Entrada is amazing – very southwest. They also have a wonderful outdoor dining area with fire pits, where you can make your own s'mores. The food is outstanding. Sadly absent from breakfast, was a juicer. At Capella and Four Season's, you can blend your own breakfast juice. This would be an excellent addition.
Our group both rented a car from Grand Junction and took the shuttle (large SUV). I actually preferred the shuttle, but was a little pricy at $342 for one-way. You'll save money just renting. On the way back, we chartered the helicopter for a combination passenger drop off at Grand Junction and air tour of the canyons. The total price for just over an hour of helicopter time was about $2,500.
I must also comment on the staff. While I was always greeted with a smile and friendly demeanor (I could tell they were very committed), it would appear as if most are in training or internship. At a resort of this level (and price point), the resort should mainly be staffed be seasoned professionals, with some trainees. While I could tell all were trying their best, they just did not have the experience needed be the primary staff at such a exclusive resort. There were a few requests, they just seemed to stump them. When at the pool, I wanted a hot green tea (which apparently there is none at the resort) but they refused to call in some (any) hot tea from another section, simply saying, "We can't do that," or "We don't have any." At a resort of this level, you call in from another section, and have them deliver it. On the other end, a very good compliment to our pool bartender – I wanted the cobb salad, but just the jimaca vegetable slices with seasoning – he understood and took care of my request. It was delicious !
One thing missing from this resort, was that "next level" of service. When at Capella, Four Season's and other luxury resorts, during the day by the pool, treats are delivered, cool towels provided every now and then, and those little amazing extras. That was sadly not present at Gateway Canyons. Again, when our group was there, the resort was virtually empty (aside from some travel agents on a Fam tour), so providing this level of service would not have taken much extra effort.
Overall, our experience at Gateway Canyon was wonderful. The resort and experience is well worth the stay. While the resort is very isolated, you sense a high level of peace, relaxation and wellness when there.
I'll detail below more features of the resort and improvements.
Reservations: Originally, I tried to book via the resort website, but decided to call-in thinking I could get some good answers. I was wrong. The reservation specialist was not very helpful and almost seemed like she was in training. When I asked about a helicopter transfer, I was told to look at possible helicopter charters based in Grand Junction. After days of calls and emails, I finally found out that they have a fantastic helicopter charter right on the property. The reservations toll free number listed on the confirmation email of: 855.243.0657
does not answer at all (at least when I was trying on a Saturday). When called front desk, I got transferred to reservations, it just came back to front desk. This happened three times until the person at the front desk just handled the reservation question. When asked upon original contact, for the concierge to arrange the transportation from the airport, they just gave me a contact to call. At a resort like this, they should just arrange it, and take a small commission, like they do at Four Season's or Capella. A few weeks after I booked, I noticed that they were now offering a special of book two nights, get the third free. When I tried to rebook, I got no reply. So I cancelled the original reservation, then booked new. A hassle. I also upgraded an original Kiva Suite to a Casita.
When to Go: Call and see if the resort is booked with a group. In the off-season, you may get a great rate (stay two nights, get the third free – or upgrades depending on availability). When we went in August, there was barely anyone there. It was like we had the entire resort to ourselves. It was perfect.
How to Get There:
– Fly into Grand Junction, rent a car ($30-$100 per day) and drive the beautiful one hour to Gateway Canyon Resort.
– Take the shuttle (about $345) from Grand Junction, then contact:
Absolute Prestige Limousine Service – TEL (970) 858-8500 http://www.aplimo.com
– Drive
– Fly into Grand Junction, then charter the resort helicopter (Astar 5 person – about $2,000 per hour) Contact:
Sandy Perea, Gateway Canyons Air Tours, LLC
email@example.com TEL 970-243-4359 http://gatewaycanyonsairtours.com
– There is a small grass strip on the resort. If you have a Cessna Caravan, Maul or other type short-field aircraft, you may be able to utilize the runway. Definitely talk to the resort before planning any flight there.
Cell Phone Reception: I was roaming on some other carrier (I have a ATT iPhone). Use the resort WiFi whenever possible. On the drive to and from the resort, expect no service in the canyons.
WiFi: Reception and bandwidth (speed) was really spotty when other guests were at the resort. The pool had some of the worse reception – but that may be from usage of other guests. Reception was perfect in the Casita, with good speed and connection.
Activities: There are miles of hiking, walking and bike trails. We tried the ATV experience and was really fun. They also have the Driven Experience which allows you to rent a luxury car – everything from a Bently to a Tesla. One of our group got a Bently convertible, and loved it. Be sure to bring your auto insurance number, or you won't be able to rent. They also have a professional dirt track for ATV trucks. We also did the helicopter tour which was fantastic – I wrote a separate review on that.
What to Wear: Resort casual. For dinner, something nice. Be sure to wear sunglasses and lots of sunscreen, since the 4,000 ft altitude and summer heat can get quite hot. If you're going to do any hiking, bring good walking shoes or hiking boots (and maybe a trekking pole).
Dress Code: Resort casual.
What to Bring: If you plan on doing any remote biking or hiking, I highly recommend SPOT, which is a small handheld GPS tracking device. They offer units at the Adventure Center you can use. When on hikes, bring plenty of water. I always pack a small emergency kit regardless.
Best Food: Guacamole and chips. Ribeye. Tenderloin. Roasted Jalapeño Cream Corn. Yes, they have fresh made chocolate chip cookies. I prefer the cookie dough (on request).
Dinner Restaurant: Entrada. Also recommend room service to enjoy your patio, and fire pit in your own Casita.
Resort Owners and Management Suggestions:
1. While I appreciate your notice in the bathroom regarding reusing towels to save water, how about installing solar hot water heaters and PV (photo voltaic solar panels) on the flat roofs of the Casitas ? If you want a Eco friendly resort, lead the way and show your patrons that you're doing the best you can to decrease the resort footprint.
2. Train staff with seasoned professionals: Provide a number of seasoned staff as role-models so that training is not strictly on-the-job, but with mentors. Provide your reservation staff with a clearly outlined book which details answers for questions that customers may have when booking the resort – including transportation options. Don't refer patrons to other groups to let them book other items on their own, take care of it in-house. Not only can you make more money on the upselling (such as transportation), but you make the experience a good one.
3. Casitas – Maintenance: Check the electrical outlets in 305 master bathroom, and replace them so they work.
4. Restaurant – Bar: Get a juicer, and offer custom blended drinks for breakfast.
5. Wood Burning Fire Pit: Nothing is better than a wood burning fire pit. While gas is convenient and safe for the individual suites and Casitas, have at least one at Entrada. The ambience and aroma from a wood burning fire is amazing.
6. Offer Eco Friendly Casita: If you can't convert the existing Casitas to more eco friendly solar hot water and solar electric, start with one. Offer that one at a higher price, and let the resort patron pay extra for it. I certainly would take that option, if offered.
7. Casita Ares 305 Hot Water: We would always run out of hot water in about 10 minutes. Either the hot water heat is undersized, or there is another issue.
8. WiFi: Put in extenders or repeaters around the saline pool area. Signal strength and bandwidth was very poor many times there.
9. Turn Down Service: At Little Palm Island, at the nightly turn-down service, the staff would provide a nice little note with a poem or saying. A nice little touch.
10. Pool-side Surprises: During the day, provide an occasional cool towel, sunglasses cleaning, or tasty treat (sorbet, fruit kabob, etc.).
11. Shuttle: Offer a resort shuttle service to and from Grand Junction. Have it in a nice SUV with iPad that shows the resort activities and a motivated staff, that can tell the arriving patrons about the resort. It's a great way to up-sell and provide information. The Four Season's shuttle has WiFi, refreshments, etc. and would greet you at the airport – just a touch of class that makes the arrival and experience to remember. That type of service makes travel almost seamless.
12. Check In: Get rid of a counter check-in. A resort of this caliber and luxury should have a resort staff check in the client in the casita. Again, make this an experience you won't forget.
13. Activities and Maps: Provide a map of hiking and biking trails in the rooms, so the patron can plan an activity.
Room Tip: Upgrade to a Casita.
Cruising Review 20140327:
I've been coming to Little Palm Island since the past decade – first by staying on a charter boat at the dock, and the past two times staying in the suites. We arrived by seaplane (really the best way to truly experience LPI) and were promptly greeted and shown to our Island Grand Suite. There is no check-in per se, and that's how it should be. I was there from Friday, March 21st through Monday, March 24th. The weather was perfect and sunny the entire stay.
The first noticeable thing about Little Palm Island, is that you are simply overcome by a wave of relaxation. It's what keeps you coming back.
The best part of this resort is the seclusion, peacefulness and it's romance. The staff are very attentive and always make a stay there is enjoyable.
I reserved the Island Grand Suite (there are only two on the resort). They are in one structure, with unit number one on the bottom, which has a outdoor barrel-type jacuzzi, and a firepit by the water. The firepit turned out to be our favorite feature of the suite. Upon arrival, the door knob fell off the door, which was surprising (but was replaced immediately). The room is nice, but I've noticed over the years that the suites are aged and really need some major renovation. The downsides to the suite (the most expensive on the island) were there we could hear the people in the suite above us. This is something you don't have to worry about with the other suites, which are one-level. The bed was horrible – the mattress was old and soft. Upon closer inspection – the mattress was actually ripped on the side, and had a piece of plywood between the over-soft mattress and the box-spring (a trick resort owners use to extend the life of an old mattress). I woke up with a sore back every morning. You really would not expect this when you're paying $2,500+ a night. The rest of the suite was nice – but dated. There are some complementary sodas and water in the room fridge, and a chilled bottle of champagne. The Island Suite has separate his and her bathrooms which is nice. The master bath has a claw foot tub while the other bathroom has a indoor-outdoor shower. Outside there is a nice deck with table/chairs with a view of the dock and water. There is also a jacuzzi which was great.
The food and drinks at Little Palm were excellent. The staff is outstanding.
The pool and beach area are small, but perfect and charming. Just next to the beach is a watersports activity center which allows you to try kayaking, paddle boards, and even small motorboats that you can go explore the surrounding islands.
My favorite tradition is to have a cocktail at sunset, and at Little Palm Island, the sunsets are spectacular. There is a firepit (gas) with comfortable furniture just off the lounge which allow you to really enjoy the water and colors of the setting Sun.
Every now and then, you'll see the miniature Key Deer which have free reign of the island. They swim over from other islands and are very tame. It just adds to the charm of the place.
During our stay, there was an incentive group there, which actually detracted from the experience. Little Palm Island says on it's website that phones are not allowed in public areas – this is for the enjoyment of all guests. Unfortunately, some of the incentive group people didn't seem to understand this, and were on their phone at the pool (not to mention leaving the volume on so we were all notified when a text or other message came in). The other annoying thing was that on the Saturday we were there (our first full day in paradise), the incentive group charted the seaplane for rides all day long. I felt like I was at an airport. Not something that I've ever experienced at Little Palm, which boasts it's romantic, peaceful charm. I've seen this trend with some nicer resorts, and unfortunately it would appear that LPI management/owners have finally gave in to catering to the incentive groups to add to the bottom line. It will make me re-think another stay at LPI, when I can go to other exclusive resorts that actually respect my experience over profits of larger groups.
Overall, I highly recommend staying at Little Palm island, and arriving by seaplane to get the full experience.
Below are some other observations about Little Palm Island.
Making Reservations: Call to book – do not book online. This is because you want to ask in advance if there is a group staying there, which may detract from your stay.
Incentive Groups: Call ahead and avoid. If you are a couple, and want a romantic get-away, having an incentive group sharing your island is what you want to avoid.
Key Deer: The deer are tame and adorable. Don't feed the deer. You're just making them more dependent on resort food and drinks. Yes, drinks. There are times when you leave your drink unattended by the pool, and next thing you know a cute little deer is enjoying your Cuba Libre or your margarita. At dinner, they'll come up to your table. If you wave them away, you're good. If you encourage them, then they'll start eating your food. The staff is always good about making sure they're not a nuisance, but it's up to you to really respect the deer, so they don't interrupt your romantic dinner.
Billing System: Just let the bartender or server know your suite number, and you're good. You don't need to sign any receipt for drinks or food. It's a great system, and really adds to the overall ambiance of the place.
Room Selection: I like the Island Grand Suites – aside from comments above. You're right on the water, have a good view, and it truly makes you feel like you're experiencing the full island effect. The other suites have blocked views, and are more in the foliage than on the waterfront. I also like having the firepit at night.
Docking with your Yacht: Best value. Charter from Lauderdale or Miami. Cruise down the Keys. Stay at Little Palm, then Seaplane back.
No TV in Suites: There are no TV's in the suites – you don't need them on a romantic island resort like this. Never missed it. I actually applaud the management for not getting any TV's in the suites.
Resort Background Music: On the Sunday I was there, it must have been 70's music day at the pool. In this day and age, there's no need for background music, since everyone has their own iPods, etc. It's more distracting than anything. In the dining area, the live music is nice, and the lounge acts at night in the lounge is great. I would recommend to the management to keep the rest of the resort music free, aside from the dining area.
Weekend Brunch: Little Palm Island opens the island up to non-guests for it's renowned weekend brunches. It used to be Sunday only, but is now both days.
– Saturday 10:30 am
– Sunday 10:00 am
At first I was a bit weary of a larger in-flux of guests for dinner and brunch, but the staff handles the small crowd well, and I barely noticed.
For the Resort Management and Owners:
I stayed in the bottom floor island suite 1. You can hear the guests above walking – it's very distracting. In addition, the mattress was horrible. It was so old and soft that I woke up with a backache every morning. Not something I expect to pay $2,500 a night for. Comments will be make on TripAdvisor. The staff was excellent. Food was excellent. During our stay, there was an incentive group there (insight). While I can understand you want to maximize profits, I find it a bit odd you go after this kind of business. It would appear as though incentive groups take people that could not normally afford (nor follow the rules) that other guests that pay to be there. I go to Little Palm for rest and relaxation. The incentive group people were using their phones at the pool (as in talking on the phone, and the phones were not on silent, so that when a message or other alert was sent, you could hear it). It may not seem like a big deal, but I can get that at a Holiday Inn. Not something I've seen at Little Palm in the past. I mentioned this to the bartender at the pool – and she did not notice – but probably because she was so busy with the incentive group ordering a lot of drinks, that she should really not have to be the pool police. The other non-relaxing noise was on Saturday (March 22nd), the seaplane was going non-stop giving the incentive group rides. I flew in on the Seaplane and loved it. A few times a day, it's not distracting, but it was a constant interruption to the peace and tranquility that LPI is known for. The incentive group business may be good for your bottom line, but it will make me think twice next time I want to reserve a suite there – and I will suggest to others that want to stay there to avoid a stay that coincides with any incentive or other large groups that stay there.
I'd be happy to pay more, to avoid the larger groups you cater to there. I'm sure other guests feel the same way. Given that LPI is one of the few (or only) really nice, secluded, private, resort in Florida, I hope that you really consider going back to catering to a more exclusive clientele.
The suites are aged and dated. It appears as though staff is fixing symptoms instead of problems with the suites. A big renovation/overhaul has been needed for years.
I'd recommend closing the resort for a year, and just doing a complete overhaul. This would include rebuilding the suites with plunge pools, solar hot water and PV, and other things which not only make the stay more enjoyable for the guests, but will save you money in the long run (and add to your bottom line). You can still keep the eclectic charm of the place, with more modern suites.
Room Tip: I recommend the Island Grand Suite – top floor (there are only two on the island). Call the resort…
Cruising Review 20140305:
The best way to review a experience like Capella, is your impression when you arrive and depart. For Capella, the experience is truly amazing.
When you first arrive at the resort gate, you are asked what kind of welcome margarita you want. And that service and warmth continues until you depart at the airport, where you are personally guided through check-in, security and then to the VIP room to await your flight.
Our small group stayed at the Presidential Suite for the weekend, and it was incredible. While I have stayed at Capella Cabo in a plunge pool suite, we were even more amazed at the palatial Presidential Suite and service.
Patrick (our concierge) was very thorough in our pre-trip planning and our stay. Our butler in the suite, Ricardo, was prompt, courteous, and attentive to our every need.
The Presidential Suite is the first beachfront villa next to the pool. While there is a privacy wall between the pool area and the villa, anybody walking by the beach has full view access to the plunge pool area. The beach access from the pool area is fairly close to the villa, so expect people to gaze with awe if you're chilling outside the suite. Even with the proximity to the resort pool, the suite is quiet (except for some lounge-chair noise at 5:30-6:30am when they're doing set-up in the morning).
The suite is amazing. It has a large plunge pool – which is temperature controlled and can be almost as hot as a jacuzzi. There is a roped off beach area in front, with lounge chairs, a dining table and bluetooth sound system that you can use for your iPhone playlists. There is a outdoor dining table between the plunge pool and living room in the center, and a separate gas fire pit in front of the ground floor master suite, which is great for relaxing and just listening to the waves. On the one side of the plunge pool is a large couch (Bali bed) and ottomans). On either side of the outdoor plunge pool area are tall privacy walls with agave plants. The decorations inside and out are impeccable and in true Spanish decor.
Inside there is a large living room with dining table, small bar (bottle service is additional fee) and guest half-bathroom. There is a pantry/kitchen with large refrigerator, coffee machine, sink, etc. and separate service access. The living room has very comfortable furniture and large screen TV.
On the main floor to the side is the master bedroom, with gas fireplace, large screen TV, huge bathroom with walk in shower (rain shower head), a stand-alone claw soaking tub, two sink vanity and separate room with toilet.
On the second floor is a almost duplicate second master bedroom, with outdoor balcony with sun lounge chairs. There is a twin double bed bedroom with bathroom as the third bedroom.
The suite comes with a butler, who can arrange your meals and any request you have. Outside there is bar service from the pool staff, who will walk by regularly.
If you want privacy, you need to tell the staff. If you want privacy from the beach walkers, and the pool, then I suggest a one or two bedroom beach front villa further down.
Once nice thing about the proximity of the villa to the resort center, is that you're only a few steps away from the main resort pool, breakfast, bar and lunch areas.
Sunrises in Cabo are spectacular. There is no sunset, since the big cliffs will hide the setting Sun.
We at many meals at our villa, since it was so beautiful. The exception was eating breakfast, where juices and omelets are made to order.
The highlight of the trip were the beach bonfire and dining at El Farallon, cliffside.
Beach Bonfire: the first night we were there, we opted for a beach bonfire, with room-service dinner and s'mores. They spend hours preparing the beach for the bonfire, and will carry out your outdoor furniture so that you are completely in your comfort zone. When we ordered some tapas and other food entrees, they set up a table next to the s'mores station for us to eat. It was romantic, and fun !
El Farallon: In my opinion, this is one of the best, and most romantic restaurants in the World. Not only does it have a great view (cliffside) of the resort and ocean, but waves are crashing below. The walks are illuminated by lanterns and the entire feeling is overwhelming. They offer you a menu of fresh seafood and steaks, which are on a bed of ice. You choose from the menu, and it is grilled to order. The aroma from the grill is incredible. If you get chilly, they have heat lamps and offer you a Mexican woven blanket table side. The only downside to the dining experience (and I was the only one who noticed) as the loud violin musicians, which we were sitting right in front of (the speakers were loud). I recommend you sit as far away from the musicians as possible – if you want to converse with your dining partners. Both the seafood and steaks were the best I've ever had.
Taxes: My only complaint of the resort are the huge taxes. None of which are included in the base rate when you first book. First there is the 19 percent resort tax, then there is the 15 percent gratuity. You will get sticker shock when you realize that on top of your entire bill, there will be over 1/3 of the bill going to added fees. I suggest at a minimum that include the 15 percent gratuity in the base rate, so that you are not surprised in the end. A better way to present this would be to separate out all the fees, but have one grand total when showing the room rates, instead of a added fee on top of what you're already paying. In other areas, the resort tax (local/federal) is much less, so for value, I recommend looking at that closely when you book. Of course, this is the same in most resort in the area – so at least that's a level playing field.
Overall, the resort is very romantic and I would suggest mainly for couples. There is a timesharing part of the resort on the other side, and there were a few kids. But if you want to impress your date, this is the place to go. The entire resort has some of the best staff in the world, and you'll be relaxed the entire time you're there.
I recommend using the resort offered transportation (extra charge but worth it), since you are warmly greeted with cool towels and refreshments. Upon departure, you are personally guided through flight check-in, security and finally to the VIP room. You are even offered a free 10 minute massage at the VIP room. All first class.
This resort ranks at the top of all the resorts I have been – both in service, accommodation, food/beverage and overall satisfaction. You'll leave completely rested, relaxed, and wanting to come back as soon as possible.
Congratulations Capella – you have made a fantastic experience !
Room Tip: Choose a suite/villa far from the pool area. I recommend beachfront for best view and experience.
Cruising Review 20140204:
This was our first stay at the Four Season's in Costa Rica, and it was amazing. True to the Four Season's we've been to, service and staff is the best available.
We stayed one night in one of the plunge pool canopy suites, which was nice, but I wanted a view of the sunset. I paid for an upgrade to one of the high-end hilltop villas, Casa la Luna, which was the most amazing suite in all of the resorts I have been to (I have been to Bora Bora multiple times, which have incredible suites as well).
Casa la Luna is perched high above the Pacific, with a commanding view of the western sunset and northwest, with the surf below. The villa has one huge master bedroom, and on a lower level two additional bedrooms. Each level has a deck, outdoor shower and separate living room.
The villa is almost too big – what a great concern to have. I especially like the separated levels with the master bedroom on top level, and guest bedrooms on lower level, which makes this a perfect option for families, couples, or high-end clientele with an entourage (handlers, security, travel partners, etc.).
The villa is available at the end of the brick road (accessible by the resort golf carts) and is gated with a code or card access. This is a very private villa, and perfect for high-end clientele.
Arriving at the villa, there is a entry portal and to the right are the bedroom suites, and to the left is a huge living room, dining area (seats 10), a kitchen, guest bathroom, laundry room and separate entry for service. The entire entry portal and living room/dining room is floor to ceiling wrap-around windows and huge sliding glass doors.
Walking out onto the deck area, there is a large pool with hot-tub and separate hammock lounge area. Just off the dining room is a outdoor deck dining area, and lots of lounge chairs for sun tanning.
On the corner of the villa near the pool, there is a outdoor bathroom. There is also a outdoor grill located near the pool, which we used twice for a dinner and lunch. Just call room service for groceries. You can also order your own chef if you wish.
The kitchen is complete with high-end Viking gas burners, a ice machine, wine cooler and large refrigerator. There is a complete bottle bar with the essentials (liquor, wine, champagne) which is a la carte (pay extra of the bottles). Don't see what you want ? Just call room service and they'll bring bottles, mixers, coconuts, ice, etc. We found that the sound system was difficult to operate, and the ice machine didn't seem to work well (just have room service fill up the large ice machine with ice – simple enough). The pool and hot tube controller are located on the wall near the kitchen with a remote for the hot tub on the hot tub top side. They are slow to heat and there are no pool lights.
One thing that would make Casa la Luna perfect, would be a outdoor fire pit and lantern candles on the deck (even solar lanterns would be a nice touch).
Stargazing is amazing from Casa la Luna – the night sky is very dark and you'll be able to see falling stars, constellations and the Milky Way. We really wanted a telescope (they do offer stargazing on the resort every night I believe – check resort activities).
For our stay, we did most of our breakfast meals down at the resort which has a chef to make omelets and other made-to-order entrees. We didn't get a chance to sample all the restaurants, but sushi at Tico and the Brazilian style grilled beef was very good. There was also a made-to-order Ceviche station, which was excellent.
We spent a late afternoon at the beach, but loved our Casa la Luna so much, ended up there most of the time.
You can see a sunset only from the top of the hill, so if you want to take photos of the beautiful sunsets, you need to get a golf cart ride to the top and walk down, or stay in one of the villas.
The weekend we were there (last weekend in January 2014) was busy, but not overly crowded. We didn't have to wait for any service.
While the girls did a massage (the spa is excellent), I chose a tennis lesson out at the gold and tennis facilities. I have to admit, I've never been so pampered. I had a lesson and got a chance to play with one of the instructors, who was an expert (you can always learn something from every instructor). For each break, a cool towel was provided, and they had two staff which would actually pick up the balls. That's a first at any Four Season resort ! Made me feel like a pro, and allowed me to actually focus more on learning.
The facilities at the resort were spotless. The entire staff was very friendly and was genuinely concerned of your happiness with the resort and services.
Since the villas and suites are located some distance from the main resort and bars/restaurants, I recommend calling for a golf cart ride if you don't want to walk. The service is included and very prompt.
A 10 percent tipping charge is included with all services (15 percent for room service) and you are welcome to tip additional to that if desired.
Weather is hot, but not humid. Dress accordingly.
Two nights a week, the resort allows local artisans to display and sell their craft, which was a very nice touch. I ended up buying a bunch of hand-crafted wooden puzzles using local sustainable hardwoods, that were less expensive than even at the airport, and at a fraction of the price of similar items online. I highly recommend that you support these local artists if you see something you like. You can pay directly to the artisan, or charge to your room for a 5 percent fee.
The prices are typical Four Season's. I'm surprised anyone actually mentions prices in these review, since Four Season's is the best, without question. As far as value for money, you can't get any better (service, view, location, adventures, quality of food, cleanliness, etc.).
Overall, I'd recommend splurging on one of the more private, luxurious villas they have to offer. The Casa la Luna was simply amazing, beautiful and with an incredible view. If you want privacy, a pool, service and a once-in-a-lifetime experience, book one of these villas. After experiencing it once, I want it again.
Congratulations Four Season's Costa Rica, you have outdone yourself once again (see notes below for more recent, bad experience). TripAdvisor does not let up update reviews, unfortunately.
Room Tip: Upgrade to a villa. Have some fun with a outdoor BBQ with your own grill – just order groceries via…
2015 Update: We stayed once again at this resort, and were very disappointed. Four Season's is now catering to incentive travel groups. Instead of the group leader coaching the incentive bonus awardees about dress code (who pay nothing to be there, and have large drink budgets), and fail to mention behavior code at the Four Season's, it spoils the experience for us paying customers. The Four Season's is known for it's experience, which is now tarnished by catering to groups, who act like it's a Holiday Inn. I mentioned this several times to the manager at the resort, but fell on deaf ears. They cater to the groups, because it brings in huge revenue.
Cruising Review 20130206: We just travelled to Bora Bora in the last week of January, and had a wonderful stay at the Four Season's. I've been to Bora Bora and the Society Islands 8 times, and the Four Season's has the best service anywhere. It's their attention to detail that really makes them stand out.
If you go to other resorts, you will find service lacking. This is especially true for any kind of food or bar service. Four Season's excels in that area.
The week we arrived, a cyclone was passing, so it was quite rainy. In fact, I've never seen torrential rains in Bora Bora even though when I go there, it's rainy season (usually short downpours then sunny again). We started in a over-the-water bungalow, but found that we had a small leak in the roof (324). The staff immediately assessed the situation, and found that it needed to be repaired. We were immediately offered a beach bungalow (huge upgrade with pool) or another over-the-water bungalow. The attention they gave us was stunningly fast.
After looking at the beach bungalow with pool and jacuzzi, it was hard to turn down. We spent a total of 2 nights in the over-the-water bungalow, and 4 nights in the beach bungalow.
I've stayed at this Four Season's a total of 4 times, and I have to say you are better off in the over-the-water bungalows. First, you have a better view of the water. Second, there are no insects over the water. Finally, you just get a better experience being over the water.
The beach bungalow's are palatial. The one we stayed in (503) had two large bedrooms, one with a kind sized bed, bath, and huge master bathroom. In the middle section was a guest bathroom (half bath with shower) large living room and dining room. There's a small pantry where another sink is located with refrigerator. The master bedroom had a very loud air conditioning system that needed repair – so loud that it would wake you up at night a few times. Luckily, since we had two bedrooms, we had easy options to avoid. The master bedroom bed also had issues, and needed to be replaced. I think these beach bungalows are heavily used, and since there are only a few of them, they probably need more attention. The over-the-water bungalows have really comfortable beds.
On the other end is another large bathroom with two sinks, shower and enclosed toilet. There is a bedroom with two queen sized beds.
None of the DVD players worked in the bedrooms, and the voicemail system never worked while we were there. We mentioned this a few times, but we did not want to have staff come out to fix the system and interrupt our stay (we already had to pack up and move bungalows), so we just ignored the minor problems.
Both ends have outdoor showers.
On the outside is a beautiful infinity plunge pool, heated jacuzzi, covered area for dining and laying out. There is a small lawn area with meticulously cared for grass (looked like a putting green), a hammock and then small beach area.
The bungalow is surrounded by palms and Caribbean Pine trees (which are not native to the area).
Every day (while we were there) they sprayed for mosquitoes around 5:30pm with a fogging machine. It helped, but there were still flies. If you don't like Gecko's then I recommend you don't stay in a beach bungalow. We had a few of them running around inside. Not a big deal, but you won't find them over the water.
While the bungalow was wonderful, I would still chose a over-the-water bungalow for the full Bora Bora experience. If you want to splurge, then get into one of the two plunge pool bungalows located at the end of each of the pontoons (the row of over-the-water bungalows extending out over the water is called a pontoon).
The staff at the Four Season's was great – the best in Bora Bora.
The morning staff at the breakfast buffet were great. They were always very happy, and would always try to teach me some new Polynesian words each day. When greeted with a smile, you can't help but have a great day !
Other staff that stood out were the water activities people. Specifically David who was really helpful and even offered to get his friends outrigger canoe there if I wanted to try it.
The bar and pool staff were great, housekeeping did a great job, and the front desk people were always helpful. We didn't interact with other staff.
Breakfast was our favorite mealtime – since they had fresh juice (you can even blend your own) and made-to-order omelets.
I highly recommend you get off the resort to try other options, including the St. Regis and Bloody Mary's for dinner.
We tried a romantic beach dinner which was amazing. Other dinners there were good, but not great. My favorite place to eat was the sunset bar – just having a drink and tapas. The view of the sunset and island of Bora Bora are just beautiful there.
My hats off to the staff during our checkout. Somebody came up with the amazing idea to pre-arrange the check-in for the bags and flight tickets back to Papeete.
You take the resort tender back to the airport, and there, the staff would check you in and take care of your bags. It was all very seamless and really make you feel pampered.
During our stay, we did the helicopter tour, which is one of those "once in a lifetime" things you should really do. Do the 30 minute tour which takes you over the heart-shaped island of Tupia and flies you up around the peak of Bora Bora.
At the resort, most time is spent at the pool, on the water, or just relaxing and enjoying the sunshine. Be sure to get a drink in a coconut !
Overall, the Four Season's is a wonderful stay. If you have limited time for vacations, get the most out of your days by staying at this beautiful resort. The uncompromised service and attention to detail will make your stay a true pleasure in paradise.
Room Tip: Try to get a over-the-water bungalow on the first pontoon – nearest the restaurants and pool. Beach…
Visit our Travel Store on Amazon


text:
|Message view
|« Date » · « Thread »
|« Date » · « Thread »
|"Aaron Riekenberg (JIRA)" <j...@apache.org>
|[jira] Commented: (AMQ-1769) ActiveMQ broker in JBoss hangs when receiving > 25k messages
|Wed, 04 Jun 2008 23:17:00 GMT
[ https://issues.apache.org/activemq/browse/AMQ-1769?page=com.atlassian.jira.plugin.system.issuetabpanels:comment-tabpanel&focusedCommentId=43234#action_43234 ] Aaron Riekenberg commented on AMQ-1769: --------------------------------------- After doing more testing, it appears this problem is triggered by use of the setTimeToLive call on the MessageProducer setting the TTL to 10 seconds. If I remove the setTimeToLive call, or do setTimeToLive(0), I can run the test multiple times with no hangs. The Kaha Store message still comes out, but the MDB keeps processing all the messages. Also if I make the TTL time sufficiently large it does not hang. 100 seconds works. I suspect there is a problem here with removing timed out messages from the queue. I also tried deploying ActiveMQ 4.1.2 into my JBoss setup and it hung in the same way with a 10 second TTL. If anybody has suggestions of other things to try or wants more data please I'm happy to try nearly anything. > ActiveMQ broker in JBoss hangs when receiving > 25k messages > ------------------------------------------------------------ > > Key: AMQ-1769 > URL: https://issues.apache.org/activemq/browse/AMQ-1769 > Project: ActiveMQ > Issue Type: Bug > Components: Broker > Affects Versions: 5.1.0 > Environment: RHEL 5 AMD64, Sun JDK 1.5.0_14, ActiveMQ 5.1.0 running in JBoss 4.2.2 > Reporter: Aaron Riekenberg > Priority: Blocker > Attachments: dump.txt, TerminalTrackConsumerMDB.java, Test.java > > > Wrote a Java program to send 100000 TextMessage's to a JMS queue. An EJB3 MDB in JBoss is listening to the queue and does a System.out.println when messages are received. > After ~25k messages are processed by the MDB, the following message is printed to the screen, and messages stop being processed by the MDB: > 16:57:33,391 INFO [KahaStore] Kaha Store using data directory activemq-data/jboss.activemq/tmp_storage > It appears activemq is hanging just after the "KahaStore" message is output. No such problems have been observed using JBossMQ. > Attached is the output of kill -3 <pid of jboss> showing stack traces of all threads just after the hang happens (dump.txt), the client program that sends lots of messages (Test.java), and the MDB (TerminalTrackConsumerMDB.java). -- This message is automatically generated by JIRA. - You can reply to this email to add a comment to the issue online.
|View raw message

subset: commoncrawl


text:
At Fx Store we actually offer mousepads produced by our main sponsor, QPAD company. The mousepad are available to buy at ebay.de, ebay.uk.co and allegro.pl.
If you have any questions you can always contact with us: email@example.com.
If you are buying at Allegro.pl from one of allowed countries (list below) first contact with us to get information about cost of packing and deliver.
|Ebay.de is for buyers from Germany, France, Spain and other countries (not listed below).
|Ebay.co.uk is for buyers from United Kingdom.
|Allegro.pl is for buyers from Poland and also Czech Rep., Slovakia, Russia, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Belarus, Ukraine, Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Serbia.


text:
Mahmoud Sharara, Ph.D. Biological Engineering, 2015, University of Arkansas
Research Associate
Wisconsin Energy Institute (WEI) Building
Room 3120
460 Henry Mall
Madison, WI 53706
Tel: (479) 713-0658
Fax: (608) 262-1228
E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
Program Affiliations
Biological Systems Engineering
Education and Certificates
Ph.D (Biological Engineering), 2015, University of Arkansas, USA
M.Sc. (Agricultural and Biological Engineering), 2010, University of Arkansas, USA
B.Sc. (Agricultural Engineering), 2003, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt.
Fields of Interest
- Biomass characterization and pretreatment
- Biorenewable energy systems (biological and thermochemical pathways)
- Waste management and conversion (agricultural, and livestock waste)
- Technical-economic assessment of biomass/bio-waste systems
- Life cycle assessment of agricultural and bio-energy systems
- Sharara, M. A., Sadaka, S. S., Costello, T. A., VanDevender, K., Carrier, J., Popp, M., G. Thoma & Djioleu, A. Combustion kinetics of swine manure and algal solids. Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry, 1-10.
- Sharara, M. A., & Sadaka, S. S. (2015). Gasification of Phycoremediation Algal Biomass. BioResources, 10(2), 2609-2625.
- Sharara, M. A., Holeman, N., Sadaka, S. S., & Costello, T. A. (2014). Pyrolysis kinetics of algal consortia grown using swine manure wastewater. Bioresource technology, 169, 658-666.
- Ashworth, A. J., Sadaka, S. S., Allen, F. L., Sharara, M. A., & Keyser, P. D. (2014). Influence of Pyrolysis Temperature and Production Conditions on Switchgrass Biochar for Use as a Soil Amendment. BioResources, 9(4), 7622-7635.
- Sadaka, S., Sharara, M. A., Ashworth, A., Keyser, P., Allen, F., & Wright, A. (2014). Characterization of biochar from switchgrass carbonization. Energies, 7(2), 548-567.
- Sadaka, S., Sharara, M.A., & Ubhi, G. (2014). Performance assessment of an allothermal auger gasification system for on-farm grain drying. Journal of Sustainable Bioenergy Systems, 2014.
- Sharara, M.A., & Sadaka, S. (2014). Thermogravimetric analysis of swine manure solids obtained from farrowing, and growing-finishing farms. Journal of Sustainable Bioenergy Systems, 4(01), 75.
- Sharara, M.A., Sadaka, S., Costello, T.A., VanDevender, K., 2012. Influence of aeration rate on the physio-chemical characteristics of biodried dairy manure – wheat straw mixture. Applied Engineering in Agriculture 28, 407–415.
- Sharara, M. A., Clausen, E. C., & Carrier, D. J. (2012). An overview of biorefinery technology. Biorefinery co-products: phytochemicals, primary metabolites and value-added biomass processing, 18, 1. (Book Chapter)
Selected Awards and Honors
- University of Arkansas Doctoral Academy Fellowship (2010-2014)
- Outstanding Ph.D. Student Award (2013, and 2012), Biological and Agricultural Engineering Department, University of Arkansas
Professional Affiliations
- Member of American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE)
- Member of American Chemical Society (ACS)
Expertise Summary
Dr. Sharara's research focuses on the nexus of agriculture, energy, and the environment. His specific studies address the following topics: (1) characterization and upgrading of various agricultural feedstock and biowastes for energy conversion, (2) conversion of lignocellulosic and manure residues to biofuel and bioenergy streams through different conversion routes: thermochemical (pyrolysis, gasification), and biological (e.g. anaerobic digestion) (3) assessment of different technologies using life cycle, and techno-economic analyses.


text:
Cool Business Names
Let's be frank, finding cool business names is no easy task yet it's so important when starting your new online venture or business. Well thankfully your search is over as we have a range of super cool business names that you can start using immediately to create a professional brand for your business.
If you ask, why do I need a cool business name? When I can justifiably rely on my family name or any other conventional system of nomenclature? Well then the answer is in a sea of business out there, you have to got to standout from the crowd and a cool business name helps you do that quite effortlessly. For any new business starting up, its name and the whole branding process makes the whole difference. Understandably then, if your business name is cool and creative, you can definitely be sure of creating some buzz about your company or business.
So stop hankering after the already thought and the already done! Choose the brand/ name you want to have and also get a domain of the exact brand name!
Now that's what we call cool!
Showing 1–12 of 21 results
Logo Customisation$14.95 Add to cart
Beckhill.com Domain Name & Logo$130.00 Add to cart
Tavato.com Domain Name & Logo$150.00 Add to cart
Intelta.com Domain Name & Logo$220.00 Add to cart
Vomae.com Domain Name & Logo$240.00 Add to cart
Rockshaft.com Domain Name & Logo$250.00 Add to cart
WooCube.com Domain Name & Logo$270.00 Add to cart
Boxcub.com Domain Name & Logo$300.00 Add to cart
Earlmore.com Domain Name & Logo$320.00 Add to cart
Vondia.com Domain Name & Logo$340.00 Add to cart
Geoze.com Domain Name & Logo$350.00 Add to cart
Etondale.com Domain Name & Logo$370.00 Add to cart


text:
This little skirt is such a beautiful inter-seasonal wear. This is a high waisted skirt with our signature messy scrap bow. The bow is meant to fray in a sweet vintagey way-- we intended on the fraying. If you do not want us to add the bow, at check out please leave that in the notes!
Every little body is so different and unique-- you may want to measure your little and then decide on the skirt size! Please choose based on measurement and not size. We size generous on our skirts.
Here is a very general measurement:
12 Months: 16 inch waist, length approx 8.5 inches
18 Months: 17 inch waist, length approx 9 inches
24 Months: 18 inch waist, length approx 9.5 inches
2T: 19 inch waist, length approx 11 inches
3T: 19 inch waist, length approx 11.5 inches
4/5: 20 inch waist, length 12.5 inches
We do sell the coordinating boy and girl bodysuits as well!
WANT LONG SLEEVES? ADD this here: https://www.etsy.com/listing/105347825/swanky-shank-add-sleeves-upgrade-to-any
These beautiful pictures were taken by the wonderfully talented Stephanie Wieneke. To find out more about her, visit: https://www.facebook.com/stephaniewienekephotography?fref=ts
Copyright Swanky Shank, LLC, 2015. All items,
photographs,descriptions and other intellectual property are the
property of Swanky Shank, LLC.
We only accept Paypal. And we really appreciate fast payments! Unfortunately, if payment is not received within 48 hours, we will cancel the sale. The item will be relisted and available for future buyers (including you?!).
If you purchase with an electronic check we can't send the items or create the items out until the check clears. This form of payment usually clears within a week (usually five business days).
We use economy shipping here at Swanky Shank-- that way we can save YOU money. If you would like your item(s) any sooner, please let us know and we will create a reserved listing just for you!
If your items total over $50 I will automatically use priority shipping! Also I will also purchase insurance and delivery confirmation!
1. If you are not happy with your item AND IT IS NOT PERSONALIZED, please let us know via email and not via feedback. I'm fairly certain we can work out a refund or an exchange!
2. If your item is LOST/UNDELIVERABLE unfortunately we are NOT held responsible. Let us know if you want us to purchase insurance on your behalf ahead of time (usually around $2).
3. If the package is returned because of an incorrect address on your PayPal account, you are responsible for the additional shipping charge.
4. All returned items should be returned within one week of receipt. Items must be in original condition, containing no signs of wear, no traces of lotion/tobacco/etc. AND UNWASHED.
RUSH ORDERS: any orders needed ASAP have a 25% price increase. If I don't have any orders ahead of yours, I'll gladly waive this fee. Please convo for more details! :)


text:
This property is no longer available.Search for Available Property.
10 acres in Mohave County, Arizona
***THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY!*** 10 Acres of undeveloped land near site of the future Super Walmart in Fort Mohave and Valley View Medical Center. Property is ideal for a multi-family development located between Hammer and Teller on Calle Valle Vista.
Heading South on Highway 95 from Bullhead City Parkway, turn left on Teller to Calle Valle Vista...
Tax Data (Show Tax Data)
Tax data is not available for this listing.
Contact the Seller for more information.
Other Land for Sale in Mohave County
NOTE: The information contained herein is provided as general information only and has been obtained from sources deemed reliable. It is provided without any guaranty, warranty or representation, expressed or implied, made by Lands of America, or any related entity, as to the accuracy or completeness of the information. The information is presented subject to errors, omissions, change of price or conditions, prior sale or withdrawal without notice. Prospective purchasers should make their own investigations, projections and conclusions concerning the information.


text:
From fall 2015 to Spring 2016, CAG presents a six-month independent study residency with locally based artist, Fabiola Carranza. Considering the intertwining of art practice, community organization and public programing, Carranza is using the Burrard Marina Field House as a studio space from where to conduct her own research and to collaborate with CAG on a series of public programs. The artist's multi-faceted practice focuses on issues that arise from the historical and cultural specificities of her source materials, be it photographs, poems or found objects, whereby she attempts to draw out humour and pathos through a combination of intuitive experimentation and study.
Using the space as a site to examine open learning and discussion, and as a means to foster her own artistic development, Carranza's programming extends the use of the field house to the immediate members within her artistic community alongside bi-monthly studio visits with both CAG staff and other artists working with the gallery. Events have seen invitations made to a series of artists, poets and musicians, including for example, poetry workshops for visual artists led by local writer Marguerite Pigeon, and a stream of music/art events coordinated by Sydney Hermant.
Events have included:
Ceramics Workshop with Nathalee Paleonelli.
Thursday, November 26, 2015
Turkish Coffee Readings with Dilara Akay: poster commission by Derya Akay.
Saturday, November 28, 2015
Cochineal Dye Vat Workshop and Napkin Sewing.
Cochineal Vat Workshop led by Sydney Hermant.
Thursday, December 17, 2015
Epic Dresses: Where Poetry and Women's Work interweave.
Seminar with Marguerite Pigeon.
Wednesday January 27, 2016
J'ai Faim, J'ai Froid (I'm Hungry, I'm Cold) – Sing for Your Supper
Open Mic with MC Casey Wei and special guests Monique Levesque and Nikki Never.
Organised by Sydney Hermant.
Thursday, March 3, 2016


text:
Getac F110G3 I5-6200U 11.6IN+WEBCAM WIN10X (FE21ZRLA1DXX)Item#: 40478794 | Model#: FE21ZRLA1DXX
- Price:
- $2,389.99
$6.99 Shipping
- Shipping:
- Temporarily out of stock. Order today and we'll deliver when available. (Details)
Getac F110G3 I5-6200U 11.6IN+WEBCAM WIN10X Product Details
Related ItemsPrevious
Manufactured by: Getac
Warranty provided by: Getac
UPC No:
Mfg Part No: FE21ZRLA1DXX
Box Size:
( Length:0, Width:0, Depth:0)
Shipping Weight: 6.3000 pound(s)
Click here for full warranty and support information
- Getac logos are registered trademarks of Getac. All others trademarks and copyrights mentioned herein are the property of their respective owners.