The Elite8 take Cabo.

This post is by Sue Tindell. All photos are mine unless otherwise credited. 

    Travel is starting to open up in spite of the ongoing pandemic, and as our trip to Cancun in September showed, Mexico is leading the way in welcoming back visitors and making them feel comfortable indeed. So it was with great anticipation that eight of us booked a long weekend on the other side of the country. We would be staying at Le Blanc outside of Cabo San Lucas. On November 5, we flew different airlines--Delta, American and United--and all of us had a fine experience. 

The San Jose del Cabo Airport is modern, efficient
and spotlessly clean.

 Upon arrival, we were required to undergo a temperature screening and complete a health questionnaire. Unlike many destinations in the Caribbean, Mexico does not require inbound travelers to have a negative COVID-19 test recorded in the previous few days. All of us were fine and we passed through customs without a problem. We'd timed our arrival for later in the day, when the airport was not quite as busy. 

Outside the airport, our transportation would be provided

by LeBlanc, a Cadillac Escalade; right away, the resort

was making a good impression on us.

The driver of our shuttle was masked, and we kept ours on all the way to resort for the 15-minute drive. When I'd left our home in northwest Wisconsin that morning, the temperature was a cool 40 degrees; in Cabo, it was sunny and 85. It's a dry climate in that part of Mexico, so the humidity you sometimes get in Cancun is not going to bother you here. 

   We arrived at the resort and walked into the lobby across a disinfectant mat, which automatically sanitized the bottoms of our shoes. After another round of temperature checks, we were allowed to formally check in and were shown to our rooms. Le Blanc also provides guests with an app for checking in, along with ordering drinks, room service and lots more. Right away, we could see that the "Purely Palace" protocols put in place by Le Blanc's parent company, Palace Resorts, are on the leading edge. 

    When I got to my room, I got another example of the company's attention to detail:

     After checking into our rooms, the group was given a tour of the resort, giving us an immediate and very favorable impression of where we'd spend the next few days.

As dusk approaches, we saw the reception area. 
A private party was already underway. 

The resort's pizzeria was always busy.

The night-time view of the pool area was 
spectacular indeed. 

   We dined that night at one of the resort's several restaurants, Blanc Asia, with an extensive Oriental menu that had something for everyone. Since we'd all been up early for our drives to the airport and our flights, we turned in early, anticipating a great day on Friday.

Friday, November 6

We began our first morning with "Glitter Girl Yoga," taught
by yours truly. L-R: Denise, Cindy, Laurie, me, Debbie, 
Sara, Kim and Bonnie. (Sara photo)

    Energized by the yoga and the beautiful morning, we proceeded to breakfast and then the first of a string of great days at Le Blanc. 

We all had garden-view rooms...

...but loved the ocean-view rooms we were 
shown in the morning. 

    The beach is beautiful, but swimming is not allowed due to the strong undertow. It's great to walk along, though.

   We spent the rest of the day around the pool, visiting the shops, and enjoying the first "normal" day we'd had in what seemed like years. Mask-wearing is mandatory for staff, but optional for guests. Since we stayed in our own group, we chose to go mask-free. 

Travel Leaders mugs awaited
us, courtesy of Debbie
and her daughter Candace. 

It didn't take long for us to put our
new mugs to good use. (Laurie photos)

    It was pizza night for our gang, as we all ordered room service with our apps to see how it worked. The answer: very well. Rooms also had butlers assigned, and several of us used the app to have our butlers prepare our baths, complete with aromatherapy scents throughout the room. 

    I was pretty sure I could get used to this. 

Saturday, November 7

    Another gorgeous morning greeted us today, simply splendid for walks along the beach and, of course, more yoga. Then it was pool, a few drinks, some shopping, lots of conversation, more pool....you get the idea. By mid-afternoon, we were all convinced that we could do this for the next few months. 

A morning walk along the
beach, with the sun rising over
the Gulf of California.

A visit to the spa really hit the spot in the afternoon.

With Jonathan, our sommelier, we enjoyed a wine-tasting
before our dinner at Lumiere, the resort's French restaurant.

    Another day in paradise came to a close. The best part? We had another one scheduled for tomorrow!

Sunday, November 8

    Sundays are supposed to be a day of rest. Well, every day at Le Blanc is a day of rest, or of a lot of activity, depending on your mood. We began this day with another Glitter Girl Yoga session, and after breakfast we headed to the pool again. The toughest decision would be what to eat, because the choices were plentiful. No buffets, though. 

(Sara photo)

    Our day would be capped with a sunset cruise. We contracted with Cabo Adventures, which picked us up at the resort and a 20-mile ride later dropped us off at the marina in Cabo San Lucas. Our cruise took us out to sea and around the point of the Baja California peninsula, with Lovers Arch marking the coast, and we had a spectacular view of the sun setting into the Pacific Ocean. 

Masked up and ready to rock! (Laurie photo)

Cabo Adventures, two to a towel.
(Sara photo)

    It was fully dark when we returned to the marina, and pretty soon it was time to retire for the evening. Our final full day in Cabo was over; the next day, most of us would begin our long journey home. 

Monday, November 9

    Another morning, another Glitter Girl Yoga session, another breakfast, and one last relaxing dip in the pool. Most of us were heading home, although one lucky gal was able to stay a few more days. (Not me.) The transfer to the airport went smoothly, and our flights home were almost routine. And also full. 

    LeBlanc also has a resort in Jamaica, which is next on our bucket list. It was great to get away for a few days and enjoy the sun, sand and luxurious amenities of this wonderful resort. I'd love to send you there next!

Cheezits, anyone?

 

It had been six months since my last trip, which has to be a record for my three decades-plus in the travel industry, so it was with great anticipation that I embarked on a visit to Mexico earlier this month. Along with several of my colleagues from travel agencies in the upper Midwest, we booked reservations at two different resorts in the Cancun area and headed to the airport!

The new "normal" at MSP.

          We had no problems at all, anywhere. It was different, of course; the Minneapolis airport was a lot less crowded than usual, masks were required for everyone, and the food court was shut down, along with some shops. When getting our boarding passes, we had to certify that we did not have COVID-19 or show any symptoms. Our Delta flights to Atlanta and then to Cancun were not very crowded, either, especially since middle seats in each row were blocked out. We flew coach, so we boarded from the rear of the plane forward, the reverse of the usual method. (First-class passengers and those with comfort seating still get to board first.) Snack and drink choices on board were extremely limited. (Do you like Cheezits? Learn to.) Upon arrival at the Cancun airport, our temperatures were taken, a very quick and non-invasive process. Everybody was masked here, too. We retrieved our luggage with no problems—no more red light/green light searches—and proceeded to the outdoor transportation area. Thankfully, this has been expanded. (The inevitable time-share hawkers were still there, but farther away. We liked that!)

          We had chosen two resorts to stay at, and two more to visit. Our first couple nights were at Le Blanc Spa Resort, an adults-only all-inclusive property, and it was amazing. They are very focused on hygiene and safety, beginning with the welcome mat—it disinfects the soles of your shoes as you walk across it. All of the employees were masked, but guests were not required to wear them. Our luggage was disinfected upon arrival. Social distancing of five feet, a little less than our six-foot recommendation back home, was emphasized.

          It was very relaxing, and even refreshing, to avail ourselves of the resort’s amenities, from dining to swimming to shopping. As much as we enjoyed Le Blanc, we were there to work—at least a little—and so we also spent time touring the Sun Palace, a place I’d visited a few years back. I was gratified to see that it has been extensively renovated. The Sun also had hygiene protocols in place, similar to Le Blanc, and indeed we would find them to be universal throughout the places we visited in Cancun.

          After two nights at Le Blanc, we transferred to the Grand at Moon Palace, one of the largest properties in the Riviera Maya with over 1,300 rooms. Only about 30 percent are open for occupancy now, but they hope to expand that to 60 percent soon, on the way back to 100 percent. The Grand is a family resort, with a water park and other attractions for kids, plus one of the best beaches in the area. The food is fantastic, too. Menus are available online through an app guests can access on their phones, or you can order off laminated menus that are disinfected after each use. All guests are issued wristbands that have taken the place of room-key cards. (It’s hard to imagine that room-key cards are now old-fashioned.)

          We spent most of a day on Isla Mujeres, a popular offshore island, and toured the Palace property there, which is adults-only and much smaller (only 63 rooms) but very beautiful, designed for visitors who want more privacy than they’ll find on the mainland.

          Way too soon, the time came for us to return home. The Cancun airport has now added free WiFi, and outbound travelers are asked to use it with their smart phones to fill out a questionnaire about their visit and any possible exposures to the virus. Paper forms are also available, but a completed questionnaire (or a barcode on your phone) has to be displayed at security in order to get on the plane.

          Overall, our experience in Mexico was wonderful. When we arrived at our first resort, it was as if great weights had been lifted off our shoulders. For at least a few days, we could largely put the fears and restrictions of COVID-19 behind us. (And keeping our TVs off played a big part in that. No newscasts!) It was truly a great time, and not just because we were with friends. We were able to travel again, and do so safely. We had re-discovered the joys of travel, and here at Travel Designers Travel Leaders, we’re ready to help you re-discover them, too!

 

The Gang of 8 (minus one--where's Cindy?). 

(I'm in the lower right.)