by Jan Mauer | Mar 5, 2018 | Luxury Destinations, Luxury Travel, South Pacific Tahiti, Travel Adventures, Travel Tips
Ever feel yourself stuck in a vacationing rut? Maybe you try out different places, but they all kind of seem the same. Maybe you find the planning exhausting. Maybe you stress out over small things so that your energy gets sapped. Maybe you cram too many things into too little time, and you come back more tired than when you left. Maybe you bring work with you, even when you say you’re not going to, so that you wind up giving away precious vacationing hours to your job. I’m going to be bold and say: This is not what a vacation should feel like. Here are five tips for a stress-free, relaxing vacation. Trust me — you’ll never regret taking these on. Pick something to do every day that gives you a burst of activity. 1. Move a little bit every day you’re on holiday, especially if your job is the kind that has you sitting at a desk all day long. This isn’t about working out; it’s just about doing what your body and brain want you to do, which is move around a little. Lounging is great — there should definitely be time for lounging — but only lounging for days on end has an ironic de-energizing effect on the body. (It’s part of why desk work can be insanely exhausting, even though you technically didn’t do anything physical all day long.) Whatever your level of mobility or fitness, pick something to do every day that gives you a burst of activity: walking, swimming in the ocean, going for a bike ride, playing with your kids, doing... by Jan Mauer | Feb 23, 2018 | Luxury Destinations, Luxury Travel, Travel Adventures, Travel Tips
Nobody loves standing in long security lines, and I don’t know one person who is thrilled by the fact that most airline seats only recline about four inches, if you’re lucky. But what’s the best mindset to have when traveling, so that the issues you encounter don’t ruin your trip? I know people who love to travel, door to door — not just when they arrive at their resort. They are the people who almost always have a great flight, no matter what. I’ve talked to people whose trips got rained out, or who missed connecting flights, or who got lost, or who even had passports stolen — and when I ask them how their trip was, they smile and say, “It was great!” and proceed to tell me the full, exciting tale. The best mindset to have when traveling is one of adventure! So what’s their secret? What’s the best mindset to have when traveling? I’ll tell you: They’ve let go of the Perfectionist Mindset and adopted the Adventure Mindset. The difference between these two paradigms changes everything. The Perfectionist sets unrealistically high expectations for themselves, others, and situations — and when things don’t go well, they often fall into self-blame or blaming others. The Adventurer makes a plan and is prepared, but is willing to roll with whatever comes along that might not fit with “The Plan.” The Perfectionist often avoids risk and only goes with the obvious path in an attempt to avoid “failure.” The Adventurer is less concerned with control, and more interested in creative approaches and critical thinking when it comes to problem solving.... by Jan Mauer | Feb 16, 2018 | European Travel, Luxury Destinations, Luxury Travel, Romance Travel and Honeymoons, Travel Tips
So you are finally going to Paris and fulfilling a life-long dream. I bet you have people coming out of the woodwork giving you advice on things to do there: “See the Mona Lisa;” “attend Sunday services at Notre Dame;” “be sure to take a Seine River sightseeing cruise.” The list can go on and on! So I am not going to bore you with more suggestions… I am going to give you my top 7 things NOT to do in Paris. Because, while a holiday in Paris is always worthwhile, there are lots of ways to waste your time and money while there. So I hope you enjoy, and take my suggestions to heart. They come from my own experience and the experiences of many clients I have sent to Paris over the years. Lines to the Eiffel Tower can be up to two hours long – don’t wait in line 1. Don’t wait in line at the Eiffel Tower The Eiffel Tower is not one of the world’s most visited monuments for nothing. However, waiting in long lines is not the ideal way to spend precious vacation time – and you don’t have to. Active visitors can walk the 328 steps to the tower’s first level and take the lift from there. Quite honestly, the view above the first level is not very good. Since Paris is so flat, if you go any higher, you are basically looking at the rooftops instead of the buildings. You can also easily go online to the Eiffel Tower website (click here to open the site in a new tab) and... by Jan Mauer | Feb 8, 2018 | European Travel, Luxury Destinations, Romance Travel and Honeymoons, Travel Tips
Are you one of those modern couples who already has all the pots, pans and china that you could ever use? One of the latest trends in honeymoon and romance travel is the use of a Honeymoon Fund Registry. As a luxury travel consultant, I work with you to choose the perfect honeymoon and, once the reservation is made, I set up an online honeymoon fund registry at TheHoneymoon.com through which you can have your wedding guests contribute to the cost of the trip—instead of purchasing you yet another silver vase. I’ll create your honeymoon fund registry at TheHoneymoon.com so that you can share the link with your guests. I recently had a bridal couple who requested honeymoon fund registry gifts in lieu of traditional wedding gifts. They ended up raising the funds to pay for 85-percent of their total trip cost! When you’re ready to print your shower and wedding invitations, you’ll have your own personalized honeymoon registration link that you can include with your invitations, so that your guests can easily contribute to your fund. Conveniently, you’ll receive an email notification whenever someone gives a “gift,” so you can stay up-to-date on those Thank You notes as well. There is no cost for the service as long as Exciting Vacations books your honeymoon trip. What’s more, your honeymoon fund registry can be customized as a landing page on your own wedding website, or linked to your own TheKnot.com site as well. Want to see an example of what other engaged couples have done with their honeymoon fund registry? Click here to view the registry for a couple... by Jan Mauer | Jan 12, 2018 | African Safari, European Travel, International Flights, Luxury Destinations, Luxury Travel, Ocean Cruises, River Cruises, Romance Travel and Honeymoons, Small Group Tours, South Pacific Tahiti, Travel Adventures, Travel Tips
Historically, January is a great time to plan a trip. In fact, it’s typically the busiest month of the year for travel professionals. This is because families and friends get together over the holidays and discuss their travel dreams for the upcoming year. Have you thought about your travel plans for the year yet? I’m here to help you weed through your choices and save you hours of time researching on the Internet. If I haven’t been there myself, I know someone who has. Further, I have direct lines to people who can add value and extra amenities, thereby elevating your trip from something special to something truly extraordinary. We are trained to cut through the slick advertising and fake reviews so that your dream vacation doesn’t descend into a nightmare. After all, there is a good reason why the people in those Booking.com commercials always look so relieved when they walk into a nice hotel room! Don’t leave something so important to chance. With my family on a dive trip in Cozumel in 2013. It is proven that travel builds and strengthens family bonds in ways that nothing else can. I can tell you first-hand that experiencing a foreign country with your children, whether they are adults or still in primary school, is worth more than any lessons they’ll glean from school. My son and I still reminisce about our amazing family ski vacations in Crested Butte, Colorado and scuba dive trips in Cozumel, Mexico that have made lasting memories. The most important thing is my child will remember those stories and hopefully share them with his own... by Jan Mauer | Oct 27, 2017 | European Travel, Luxury Destinations, Luxury Travel, Romance Travel and Honeymoons
A luxurious private picnic at Cocoa Island by COMO in the Maldives Travel is meant to transport you — to other destinations, certainly, but also sometimes to other times, other worlds, and other possibilities. These four utterly unique hotels are full of the magic, mystery, and wonder that travel embodies. These are places that will, without a doubt, remain locked in your heart and mind forever. Lily pond at the Lake Palace – by Taj Hotels, Resorts and Palaces (Taj images) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons. The Taj Lake Palace Resort, Lake Pichola, Rajasthan, India is an exquisite luxury hotel for the traveler who has ever wondered what it was like to see the world in the Golden Age of travel. This is the place (or palace) to get a glimpse of what it feels like to be royalty. Built in the middle of a lake as a winter palace in the mid-18th century, this huge marble resort features opulent 1930s rooms with intricately carved archways and windows draped in sumptuous fabrics. Gardens, pillared terraces, fountains, and columns line the resort’s lavish courtyards. You can dine al fresco with a view of the surrounding mountains and the warm lights of the shoreline, and then hop on a traditional sunset boat ride with your own personal oarsman. The Nawelpi Lodge, located in the middle of the forest at the Huilo-Huilo Resort, is a place to relax and connect with nature. If you’re a dedicated nature lover who also appreciates indulgence when traveling the world, then staying at one of the luxurious lodges on the Huilo-Huilo Biological Reserve in... 
