Topics Include:
Daniel Canas, General Manager, Presidente InterContinental Cancun Resort, Cancun, Quintana Roo, Mexico.
www.ichotelsgroup.com
www.grupopresidente.com
Travel Expert Stephanie Abrams and the "Travelers411" Radio Show head to Mexico to talk with Daniel Canas, General Manager of the Presidente InterContinental Cancun Resort in Cancun, Quintana Roo. Daniel has been at the Presidente InterContinental Cancun for one year and previously worked in Costa Rica, El Salvador, and other parts of Central America.
The Presidente InterContinental Cancun Resort is just 7.5 kilometers (3 or 4 miles) from downtown Cancun and 500 meters from Cancun's convention center. "Guests can go and experience real Mexican nightlife in downtown Cancun," Daniel says. "It's very easy to get there by a 15-minute bus ride. We're within walking distance of the convention center, mall, and the nightlife district of the hotel zone."
The resort has 289 rooms and has been a Cancun fixture for 34 years. It was fully renovated in December 2009 and its rooms now have what Daniel describes as a "very modern look," painted in orange, wine, and pistachio green tones, depending on the floor. The hotel has 2 pools, one for families and the other for adults, and several food and beverage options. The Cana Brava, next to the beach, specializes in wood-fired pizza and charcoal-grilled burgers. "We also have plenty of local dishes, like tacos made with skirt steak," Daniel says, adding that at Cana Brava, guests can "get a snack without getting dressed and going inside." The Deck Bar, a poolside bar, is another option for guests who don't want to get out of their bathing suits.
Other dining options include the Caribena restaurant, which has Caribbean food with Mexican flair, and a tequila bar, which is open 24/7 and has salsa music on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights. "There's a full beach view but with air conditioning," Daniel says. "It's a great space for guests to relax after spending a day at the beach." After the beach, guests can also head to the Robert Trent Jones, Jr.-designed golf course next door to the Presidente InterContinental Resort. According to Daniel, they'll send a golf cart to pick you up right at the door of the hotel.
For non-golfers, the resort is close to the Isla Mujeres, just offshore. "Isla Mujeres has a wonderful ecological park and sculpture gardens," says Travel Expert Stephanie Abrams. "You could spend an hour or a whole day there." Daniel suggests the island as a great place for scuba diving or snorkeling, adding that Isla Mujeres even has an underwater museum with life-size stone statues. "It makes the diving a little more exciting and makes for great pictures," he explains.
Daniel also recommends a visit to Contoy Island, 45 minutes off the coast of Cancun. Since Contoy is a national park, only 3 boats travel to the island and only 200 people are allowed to visit each day. The Presidente InterContinental hopes to offer its own boat service to Contoy Island soon. His final suggestion for Cancun activities is a wedding! "We have one of the best beaches in the world and host between 120 and 130 weddings each year," he says.
Travelers411 Community Forums - This interview's thread:
http://www.travelers411.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1650
Related Photo Galleries:
For more information visit www.ichotelsgroup.com, www.grupopresidente.com, or call toll-free 800.904.4400.
Zach McKenna, Co-Founder, St. Augustine Eco Tours, St. Augustine, Florida, USA.
www.staugustineecotours.com
Travel Expert Stephanie Abrams and the "Travelers411" Radio Show stop off in Florida to visit Zach McKenna, Co-Founder of St. Augustine Eco Tours in St. Augustine. Zach's title is naturalist, but he specifies that this means he's an environmental educator, not a nudist. "I'm very well protected from the elements!" he reassures Stephanie.
St. Augustine Eco Tours was founded 4 years ago by Zach and his wife, Gracie and welcomes dozens of visitors each day. "It's our way of affecting as many people as possible with the passion we have for the environment in the area," Zach says. Raised in the low country of South Carolina, Zach traveled widely in the U. S. and Europe. St. Augustine Eco Tours was a way for him to combine his loves of travel and the environment, he says.
Zach describes his eco tours as dynamic. "We have some guests who have been on the boat trip dozens of times," he explains. "You can come at the same time on the same day and have totally different experiences, year after year. When our guide heads out, he doesn't know where he'll go before he leaves the dock. Nothing is scripted." For example, the guide might take visitors out to watch dolphin behaviors or follow the local bald eagles when they're in town.
St. Augustine Eco Tours use rigid-hull inflatable boats, a la Jacques Cousteau. "They're extremely stable, very quiet, very comfortable, and good for photography," Zach explains. "There are seats inside; we don't sit on the sides like Navy SEALs." He explains that they chose the boats for their rubber sides, which work best with local river conditions. The water tends to be choppy, but the rubber absorbs the shock and keeps the ride from getting too shaky. Each boat has life preservers on board, but guests are not required to wear them at all times.
Each boat is also equipped with underwater microphones so visitors can hear what's happening beneath them. For example, tours might listen to toadfish, pistol shrimp, or mother dolphins teaching their young new behaviors. The number of daily tours depends on the amount of daylight; St. Augustine Eco Tours runs 4 daily trips in winter and 6 daily trips in summer. "Trips are 90 minutes long with a minimum of two people, a maximum of six people, and a very passionate guide with lots of information about fish, birds, and their environment," Zach explains.
St. Augustine Eco Tours also offers kayak excursions. "Our most popular trip is 2 hours with instruction," Zach says. "We pair everybody up in tandem kayaks that have rudders, which make it easy to steer. We start with a 15 minute clinic where we show you the basic stroke. If you follow directions, we can cover more distance. Kayaking is about taking things as they come. It's very quiet, self-powered, and the guides paddle alongside you."
The company offers longer trips and kayak programs, which progress from 1.5-hour trips to 3-hour excursions. "We spoil you rotten on the first trip, then we take longer trips where you actually have to get your feet wet," says Zach. "We go to different locations throughout the county that are mostly inaccessible by foot or bike." He assures listeners that it's no problem if they're in good shape and that the equipment is very safe. "We don't roll many boats, but if we do, we're well prepared," he explains. "It's just exciting to take what comes, get some exercise, and learn more every time you go out."
Travelers411 Community Forums - This interview's thread:
http://www.travelers411.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1622
Related Photo Galleries:
For more information visit www.staugustineecotours.com
Fun Facts:
From Zach McKenna of St. Augustine Eco Tours: The barrier islands and salt marshes near the South Carolina coast are incubators for 70% of all life on the North American continent.
Pistol shrimp get their name from the sound they make when catching dinner. They compress their tiny bodies (you could fit five pistol shrimp on a grain of rice) into a C shape, then snap out. The movement creates a bubble that explodes, producing extremely high temperatures that stun nearby zooplankton. From the surface, the movement sounds like bacon frying or Rice Krispies in milk.
Toadfish are noisiest in June, when the males groan to try to get the females' attention.
Guests Include:
Daniel Canas, General Manager, Presidente InterContinental Cancun Resort, Cancun, Quintana Roo, Mexico.
www.ichotelsgroup.com
www.grupopresidente.com
Zach McKenna, Co-Founder, St. Augustine Eco Tours, St. Augustine, Florida, USA.
www.staugustineecotours.com
Topics Include:
Gustavo Staufert, General Manager, Presidente InterContinental Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico.
www.grupopresidente.com
www.intercontinentalcozumel.com
Travel Expert Stephanie Abrams and the "Travelers411" Radio Show welcome Gustavo Staufert, General Manager of the Presidente InterContinental Guadalajara in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico. Stephanie is a big fan of Guadalajara; she was invited to visit Jalisco by Mexico Tourism and the trip left such a wonderful impression that she's already planning what to see and do on her next visit.
Gustavo describes Guadalajara as the "most Mexican city in the country," but adds that in addition to tequila and churros, it's also home to some of Silicon Valley's biggest names, from HP to Hershey. "Guadalajara is changing a lot," he explains. "On one hand, we have mariachi and tequila distilleries; on the other hand, lots of big tech companies are developing here. It's becoming a very metropolitan, cosmopolitan city and a very nice place to live for Mexicans or Americans."
The Presidente InterContinental Guadalajara opened in 1983 and underwent a complete renovation in 2009. "We took the hotel apart and remade it according to one specific theme: tequila," says Gustavo. "As you walk around, you'll really feel that you're in Guadalajara. There are different pictures of agave and agave plantations." The hotel has 423 rooms with modern amenities like flat-screen TVs, WiFi, iPod docks, and espresso machines and 4 resort dining options. The Presidente InterContinental is located just 5 minutes from Guadalajara's convention center, the largest in Latin America.
The resort is also just 15 minutes from the Teatro Degollado, which Travel Expert Stephanie Abrams describes as "an opera house you'd think you would find in the big cities of Europe." Each year, Guadalajara hosts a mariachi festival for groups from all over the world. "We have Japanese, American, Australian, Chilean mariachi," Gustavo says. "They speak no Spanish at all, but they're very good singers!" Visitors can also follow in the footsteps of Guadalajara native and pro golfer Lorena Ochoa; the Presidente InterContinental is 10 minutes away from 5 golf courses. Other activities include visits to the pyramids and tequila distilleries.
Travelers411 Community Forums - This interview's thread:
http://www.travelers411.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1651
Related Photo Galleries:
For more information visit:
http://www.grupopresidente.com
http://www.intercontinentalcozumel.com
Guillermo Valencia, General Manager, Presidente InterContinental Cozumel Resort, Cozumel, Quintana Roo, Mexico.
www.grupopresidente.com
www.intercontinentalcozumel.com
www.cozumelwedding.com
Travel Expert Stephanie Abrams and the "Travelers411" Radio Show visit Cozumel with Guillermo Valencia, General Manager of the Presidente InterContinental Cozumel Resort in Cozumel, Quintana Roo, Mexico. Guillermo describes Cozumel as a beautiful island known for its coral reef, which was popularized by Jacques Cousteau in the 1960s. "It's a great place for divers, but also for people looking for a peaceful spot," he says.
Why should travelers choose the Presidente InterContinental in Cozumel? "We're a beautiful resort with a half mile of beach front, located within a national coral reef park," Guillermo says, adding that resort's quality of service is "outstanding," too. The hotel has 220 rooms, including 50 suites, and was fully renovated in August 2009. "The property just looks magnificent," Guillermo says. The Presidente InterContinental Cozumel is a member of Virtuoso, the consortia of travel agents, and Leading Hotels. It's also the largest property on Cozumel, according to Guillermo.
Cozumel is accessible by daily flights from several U. S. cities, including Houston, Dallas, Charlotte, and Newark. Visitors can scuba dive, snorkel, fish, or golf on an 18 hole championship golf course designed by Jack Nicklaus. "There are plenty of opportunities for people to come enjoy an unspoiled, natural island," Guillermo says. "The water color in Cozumel is just amazing; it's crystal clear, you can see 150 feet deep. And the island is very authentic, very Mexican, and very safe." The Presidente InterContinental is located right near Paradise Reef, which Guillermo describes as a favorite spot for night diving.
Cozumel is also a favorite spot for weddings, mainly for couples from the States. The Presidente InterContinental Cozumel has an in-house travel agency and concierge that can help guests explore the island. The resort also has several in-house dining choices, including 2 outdoor restaurants and Alfredo, an Italian fine dining experience. Guillermo invites listeners to come visit and see Cozumel for themselves. "Eighty-five percent of the island is virgin tropical forest and then we have the beautiful sea," he says.
Travelers411 Community Forums - This interview's thread:
http://www.travelers411.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1652
Related Photo Galleries:
For more information visit:
http://www.grupopresidente.com
http://www.intercontinentalcozumel.com
http://www.cozumelwedding.com
Fun Facts:
Ajijic, a town near Guadalajara in Jalisco, Mexico, has the largest American community outside of the U.S.
Guests Include:
Gustavo Staufert, General Manager, Presidente InterContinental Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico.
www.grupopresidente.com
www.intercontinentalcozumel.com
Guillermo Valencia, General Manager, Presidente InterContinental Cozumel Resort, Cozumel, Quintana Roo, Mexico.
www.grupopresidente.com
www.intercontinentalcozumel.com
www.cozumelwedding.com
