Blog — Trip Styler
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Rockin' the All-Inclusive

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hard rock hotel all-inclusive punta cana[trip style = all-inclusive]

Pretty soon you'll be able to literally rock the all-inclusive, with the opening of the 1,700+ room Hard Rock Hotel All-inclusive in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.

Just when you thought there wasn't any more room for another all-inclusive on the white sand and azul shores of the Dominican Republic, Hard Rock Hotels undertakes a MASSIVE project. Set to soft-open November 1st---maybe my invite's still in the mail?---this swimming pool-jammed monolith will rock 121 acres of the existing Palace Resort with the complete transition expected by spring 2011.

And if you think this excuse to party like a rock star is only for adults (that was my assumption at first), think again; kids are not only allowed, they are catered to with water slides and mini golf. For adults, in case rocking out to tunes all day long and gazing at rock star memorabilia isn't your thing, there's a Rock Spa or Jack Nicklaus golf couse. Then again, if you're entertaining the thought of going to the Hard Rock's first all-inclusive, then features like theme clubs and lounges, photobooths, live performances and the Caribbean's largest Vegas-style casino will probably suit your fancy.

Rock on!

Trip Styler Tip: It's basically implied that the non-intrusive renovations will be taking place from Nov 1, 2010 to spring 2011, so if you're looking for a 5-star, reduced-rate all-inclusive, this transitioning property might be a good bet.

Related Content Don't Judge an All-Inclusive Until Day 3 :: Why waiting a few days to evaluate your experience is a best bet All-Inclusive Tricks of the Trade :: Tips on booking for the best experience A Redo trip :: What to do when an all-inclusive experience goes belly-up Update on my Redo Trip :: An overview of the highs and lows of the Sandals WhiteHouse

[via hotelchatter.com] [photo by palace resorts]

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Africa Month :: Safari

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safari in the masai mara[trip style = active & adventure]

{Editor's Note: Today is the last installment of my trip style = active & adventure getting to, glamping and going on safari in the Masai Mara. If you ever have/take the opportunity to do a safari, it's awe-inspiring and other-worldly.}

Just landing on a dirt runway that had just been cleared from herds hanging' below in Kenya's Masai Mara was momentous enough, not to mention a five-day adventure roaming sun-soaked plains, getting up close and personal with lions and watching hundreds of wildebeest and zebra race across the Mara river.

Visiting in the fall is bliss; it's just before rainy season and during the great migration when thousands of animals journey up from the Serengeti. Here's a taste of my million-times-better-than-a-zoo experience in the Masai Mara.

A Kenyan Safari land rover shadow masai mara {We didn't see any lions or cheetahs on our first game drive, but we did have the opportunity marvel at this orangy, just-before-sunset, shadow-effect on our Land Rover!}

rhinos masai mara {Just a regular morning in the Masai Mara... This picture is taken standing a few feet away from the rhinos---beside guards with large guns. The guards were charged with protecting the last 6 rhinos in the region. Apparently their tusks go for $100,000 on the Asian black market. Very sad.}

rhinos in kenya {Yes, I did get this close and it was ba-na-nas!}

baboons running {Love how baboon babies hang on to their moms.}

giraffe {Giraffe: towering over trees.}

giraffs {It takes two to tango.}

{Last giraffe picture, I promise, they are just so elegant and stylish, aptly sporting this season's hot camel colour.}

zebra {Male and female zebra with not-that-big (for the region) termite mounds in the background.}

lion doing yoga {Apparently the yoga trend has caught on in the Mara too...}

lions in the masai mara {Don't get in the way of a lion couple's lazy Sunday afternoon and their dinner. Did you know the lionesses do most of the work and the lions just sit back and wait for their dinner to be served? Reminds me of Leave it to Beaver re-runs.}

lioness {A lioness at her best.}

male lion {The king, on his way to a royal meeting.}

ostridge {The dainty, yet viciously powerful (male) ostridge.}

elephants {Momma and baby elephants.}

mom and baby elephant {Words can't describe...}

cape buffalo {Cape Buffalo: one of 'the big 5.' This picture looks like it belongs on a 'cheer up' greeting card.}

cheetah {The Mara's version of the fast and the furious: the cheetah.}

the great migration masai mara {After waiting two hours for the timid wildebeest and zebra to cross the Mara river, the frantic crossing took place. Did I mention that large, snap-happy crocs were lying in wait, monitoring just the right moment to create a raucous? Thank goodness there was only one casualty of war... }

migration mara river {Here's a better picture (that I didn't take) showing the migration scene at the crossing.}

road in masai mara {Heading back to the lodge...}

masai mara sunset {A picturesque end to our safari adventure. I got goosebumps the night I saw this sunset, and still do every time I look at this picture.}

fairmont masai mara safari guides {With our Safari guides Moses and Moses, ending our search for the Big 5 (lions, cape buffalo, leopards, rhinos and elephants). Leopards, who spend a lot of time in trees, are hard to spot. We didn't see one. Oh well, as if I needed an excuse to go on safari again!}

Safari Tips

  • Off-roading in a Land Rover (or like vehicle) on the uneven ground can be a semi-rough ride. An old lady I met brought a pillow with her to lessen the impact on her behind! Also, I get motion sick on any moving thing including chair lifts, yet didn't get sick despite the bumps.
  • Bring a hat and sunscreen.
  • There's a reason why safari-wear is khaki: it's dusty and the light colour is good at warding off the mid-day heat.
  • Bring warm clothes, it can be chilly in the early morning or late afternoon when there's no sun.
  • Bring a good camera, we only brought a point-and-shoot Sony digi cam and I wish we could rewind and go back with a better camera.
  • All lodges offer similar game drive packages, make sure you go on an all-day game drive---a highlight in terms of seeing more territory and animals.

Related Content Africa Month :: Glamping Africa Month :: Jambo

[images by @tripstyler & @nate_fri]

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5 DIY Halloween Costumes for Jetsetters

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5 diy halloween costumesMove over circa 2009 Kate Gosselin halloween wig, there's a new costume fad for 2010! Thanks to Steven Slater (the JetBlue flight attendant who grabbed two beers and jumped shipplane by deploying the emergency slide), travel-themed Halloween costumes are where it's at in 2010. Without further ado, this week's travel trend thursday is devoted to DIY travel-inspired Halloween costumes.

Jetsetting DIY Costume Ideas 1. Pilot doorman to the skiesI know Matt Damon's recurring role as Carol the pilot on 30 Rock inspired you to be a "doorman to the skies" for Halloween. To create this costume you'll need: - a blue or black suit (preferably double breasted) - a pilot's hat - aviator sunglasses - a stick-on mustache - a pin with wings - safety pins and gold ribbon to affix around bottom of sleeves, shoulders and hat - carry-on suitcase with briefcase attached

2. Flight Attendant There are two types of flight attendant directions you could go with this costume: 50s/60s glam or boring modern-day---unless you work for Singapore Airlines. The modern day FA is pretty easy to pull off, here's how: - basic pant or skirt suit - blouse or dress shirt for men - scarf tied around neck, or tie for men - high heeled shoes with a sturdy heel - carry-on suitcase Bonus: matching hat for ladies, or two beers for men (if you choose to go the Steven Slater route). By the way, have you seen Jimmy Fallon's hilarious song about the incident?

3. Roaming Gnome Travelocity's roaming gnome really gets around with only a few quick stops you'll be able to impersonate him with relative ease. What you'll need for this costume: - a blue robe that sits just below the knee - black boots - black belt (wear high waisted) - white long beard with mustache (cut some off to make bushy eyebrows) - tall, pointy red hat

4. Tacky Tourist Although the tacky tourist costume can be overdone, I suggest you under-do it and make people wonder if you're actually serious or not. If you want to overdo it, here's how: - knee socks - birkenstocks or flip flops - khaki shorts - aloha shirt - massive camera hanging from your neck - sunglasses - grass hat Bonus: find a fanny pack and florescent face zinc

5. Suitcase We bring a suitcase with us every time we travel, but we never think to dress up as one for Halloween. Why not honour our trusty travel companion by going as a boxy carrier on wheels? What you'll need for this costume: - an old suitcase from a second-hand store (cut out the bottom and create arm and head holes) - black leggings - a bunch of ribbons and doodads to attach to every extremity Bonus: find 'fragile' or 'heavy load' stickers to place on the bag, have few undergarments sticking out of the bag and wear roller-skates/blades as the suitcases wheels.

PS - In a move that would later dictate an actual trip style, this post's above picture is of my husband and I dressed up as tacky, safari tourists (see more about our African safari on Friday). We whipped up the costume at 5pm Oct 31st and thanks to some gear my husband had lying around, we later donned our overly khaki attire at 7pm. Photoshop-happy sister was just a bonus.

[photo credits: heatherlovesit, NBC]

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Grande Beer with a Shot of Chardonnay

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starbucks new 'latte, beer & wine' store capitol hill;There's a new pub in Seattle: it's green and in a latte shop. Your eyes aren't tricking you, I did string latte, green and pub together in the same sentence. The concept for this morning latte/evening wine experiment comes from a company known for their special beverages, but not those kind of beverages. On Monday, Starbucks, the creator of budget-draining caffeine addiction $4 coffee opened a concept store offering wine + beer after 4pm, fittingly in a LEED-certified building to boot.

Not Such a New Concept Ever since Starbucks gave the world a healthy appetite for specialty coffee and daily visits to the coffee shop, they've associated themselves with firsts, but people were drinking multiple coffees a day long before the grande, decaf, extra sweet, skinny mocha. Similarly, in cities all around the world, morning coffee shops/afternoon wine bars (like UVA in Vancouver) have been successfully transitioning customers from day to night.

Have Curiosity, Will Try Regardless of whether this is a new concept or not, I'm heading down to Seattle this weekend to pick up some amazing gilt group shoes for my husband enjoy the city, and curiosity has killed the cat: I have to try out this concept. Coming from a place of bottom line-driven innovation, a CBS News feature reported that 70% of Starbucks business happens before 2pm, so in an effort to gain some after-work revenue, kudos to them for trying out this concept, complete with $7-8 local wine, craft beer and artisan meats and cheese.

Thank goodness the store has been renovated to better reflect the nouveau atmosphere they are trying to create. Good thing, because I don't think I could stomach drinking a pinot gris in the traditional coffee-scented, muted autumn-coloured, steamy Starbucks store.

Find it The grande beer with an extra shot of chardonnay store can be found on Olive Way in the Capitol Hill district of Seattle.

[via Huffington Post] [photo by CBS morning news]

Travel Apps :: Frommer's Travel Tools

frommers travel tools appI love all-in-one apps like Kayak that seem to do it all. Another all-in-oner is Frommer's Travel Tools app---of Frommer's Travel Guide Book Fame---combining a multi-function converter, flashlight, self-populated packing list, travel trivia, city guides and postcard sharing. But perhaps this intelligent app's piece de resistance is the tipping calculator allowing you to calculate a tip on any amount up to 25%, as well as split the tip up to 10 ways.  I love how the tipping guide goes a step beyond the math of tipping and provides info about each country's different practices, so you can travel (and tip) intelligently versus commit a foreign faux pas. Frommer's Travel Tools App Details

  • free
  • works with iPhone, iTouch, iPad; no word on Blackberry or Android platforms

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Other Travel Apps we’ve Reviewed