Tag: Mexico

Five Reasons to Stay on Property at a Resort in Cozumel

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Private beach at the Occidental Resort Cozumel Mexico

Fear of Travel

Maybe, like me, fear kept you from traveling outside the United States. Yes, unfounded anxiety stood between me and a wonderful time abroad. Mental roadblocks included not knowing the language and being unsure of what to expect.

My experienced international traveling companion helped me overcome these fears, as did a few YouTube videos. The videos showed the experience of getting on the airplane to navigating customs. Most helpful videos were showing a guest exiting their taxi at the resort. It included a tour of the facilities from the entryway, check-in, to riding to the room, dining, entertainment, and of course, the swimming pools and the beach.

Island of Cozumel in Mexico

I flew to the island of Cozumel in Mexico and stayed at The Occidental Resort Cozumel. It’s an amazing five-star hotel, a unique destination. Masquerading as a Mexican hacienda, it offers amazing immunities, a private beach, and the possibility of enjoying the treasures of the Palancar Reef.

The Occidental Cozumel is an all-inclusive resort that is integrated in its natural surroundings of mangroves, white sand beaches and tropical gardens. It offers an unparalleled experience. I opted to stay on the property during my stay. Part of staying on the property was to develop my travel legs and have better control over my experience.

Here are five reasons to stay on property during a visit to an all-inclusive resort like the Occidental Resort.

5 Reasons to Stay on Property at a Resort in Cozumel

Reason One: Convenience:

  • Staying on property at the Occidental Resort in Cozumel means you have easy access to all the amenities and activities offered by the resort, without having to worry about transportation or logistics. It limits your travel to going to and from the Cozumel International Airport.
  • The airport handles national and international air traffic for the city of San Miguel, Cozumel, the island, and handles hundreds of thousands of tourists on a year-round basis. I purchased transportation to and from the airport as part of my travel package. Someone met me at the airport and got me to the resort without issue.

 

Main swimming pool at the beach at the Occidental Resort Cozumel

Reason Two: Variety of activities:

  • The Occidental Resort in Cozumel offered a wide range of activities and entertainment options, from swimming and snorkeling to spa treatments and fitness classes.
  • Staying on property allows you to take advantage of these activities without having to plan and coordinate transportation to and from off-site locations. In the evenings, there was a variety of on-site entertainment to fill the evening.

 

Lots of evening concerts, dancing, and trivia events

Reason Three: Access to dining options:

  • My resort had a variety of dining options on-site, including restaurants, bars, and cafes. I purchased the fine-dining package, which allowed me to have several evenings at speciality dining venues on property.
  • Staying on property means that you can enjoy these dining options without having to go off site to find a place to eat.

 

Dining by the beach at Occidental Resort Cozumel

Reason Four: High-quality accommodations:

  • The Occidental Resort in Cozumel has high-quality accommodations, and staying on property allows you to experience the luxury and comfort of the resort’s rooms and facilities.
  • Occidental Cozumel also offers an even more luxurious and sophisticated experience: the Royal Level at Occidental Cozumel.

 

Room with a balcony at the Occidental Resort Cozumel

Reason Five: Personalized service:

  • Staying on property at a resort in Cozumel means you have access to personalized service from the resort’s staff, who can help you with questions you may have during your stay. This can make your trip more enjoyable and stress-free.
  • The concierge and staff are there to make your stay special. Enough staff spoke English where my lack of Spanish was not an issue.

 

Royal level area sign at Occidental Resort Cozumel

I had a great time during my stay. Staying on property is a comfortable option for the experienced traveler. My visit let a smile on my face as seen in the below selfie of me on the beach at the Occidental Resort in Cozumel.

 

The author on the beach at the Occidental Resort Cozumel Mexico.

March 10, 2014

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John Sealy

This Day in Texas History:

It is Monday March 10, 2014. It is the 69th day of 2014. There are 296 days left in the year. The John Sealy Training School for Nurses opened with in 1890. Galveston’s John Sealy Hospital was only two months old. It was the first formal nursing school in Texas. It later became part of the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB).

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Sealy_Hospital

John Sealy:

Who was John Sealy? Why did he open a hospital? John Sealy was a merchant, banker, and philanthropist. He was born in Kingston, Pennsylvania, on October 18, 1822. He died at Galveston on August 29, 1884. He never started a hospital, but he left $50,000 to be used for “a charitable purpose.” It was his brother and his widow who decided to build a hospital. John Sealy Hospital in Galveston opened in 1890. The John Sealy School for Nurses opened in March 1890. Today John Sealy Hospital is a part of the medical branch of the University of Texas.

Source: http://sealy-smith-foundation.org/about_us.html

Four Spring Break Destinations in Texas:

This week is spring break for most Texans. Here are four destinations frequented by Texans and others.

  1. South Padre Island or South Padre as it is known to Spring Breakers – is the best known Spring Break destination in Texas. The reasons for South Padre’s popularity is its location. It is warmer than other Texas beaches during late February and March when most schools and colleges have their spring vacation scheduled. Additionally, South Padre is known for great water and excellent beaches. It also boasts an impressive number of condos, hotels, clubs and restaurants. And, seeing as how it sits a mere 20 miles north of the Mexican border, it offers visitors the opportunity for a “two-nation vacation.”
  2. Port Aransas, better known as “Port A” to Spring Break crowds, often gives South Padre a run for its money as a Spring Break destination. The biggest difference is the amount of beach Port Aransas offers for Spring Breakers to spread out over. While the city beaches of Port Aransas accommodate much of the Spring Break festivities, Mustang Island, which lies just below Port Aransas, is packed with condos and miles of white sandy beaches. Whether they opt to stay in the town of Port Aransas or down the beach at Mustang Island, Spring Breakers more often than not find sunny, warm conditions to greet them and allow them to enjoy swimming, surfing, wind surfing, sunbathing and more along these Coastal Bend beaches.
  3. Corpus Christi is just south of Port A and Mustang Island. It is another popular Texas Spring Break destination. Corpus is two distinctly different Spring Break destinations. Part of Corpus Christi lies on Padre Island while the main part of the city is on the mainland. On the island side, visitors are treated to open Gulf beaches. The mainland offers beachfront along Corpus Christi Bay. Both sides offer a variety of condos, hotels and clubs while the mainland also features a number of popular attractions such as the Texas State Aquarium and USS Lexington.
  4. Galveston Island is the largest Texas “island town”. Galveston Island also sees its share of Spring Break visitors. It tends to attract a more subdued crowd than the other Texas beach locales. Galveston is full of historical attractions. It also has modern-day wonders such as Schlitterbahn Waterpark, which features a retractable roof so visitors can have wet, watery fun regardless of the weather. Galveston also features a number of great Gulf beaches, as well as restaurants, clubs, bars, hotels, condos, tours, shopping and more.

References:

“SEALY, JOHN | The Handbook of Texas Online| Texas State …” Insert Name of Site in Italics. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Mar. 2014 <http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fse02&gt;.

“Top Texas Towns for Spring Break – About.com Texas Travel.” Insert Name of Site in Italics. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Mar. 2014 <http://gotexas.about.com/od/seasonalactivities/tp/Texas-Towns-And-Locations-For-
Spring-Break.htm>.