Wednesday, 4 October 2017
Famils are one of the many perks of working in the travel industry. Getting invited on one can often be difficult to achieve and the competition for a place on such a trip sky rockets when it involves Los Cabos, staying in 5-star resorts. I was lucky enough to chaperone group of top-achieving Travel Counsellors to Mexico in July.
Travel Counsellors Australia with their partners American Airlines and Gate 7, hosted a group of 10 Travel Agents on a 6 Day trip around Mexican Riviera. The trip included flights from Australia with American Airlines, 3 nights at The Cape by Thompson Hotels and 2 nights at the luxurious One & Only Palmilla.
The agents came from all over Australia to meet at Sydney International Airport, ready to escape the chilly morning and make our way to the land of ancient cities, fiestas and Corona. After being greeted by the wonderful Kylie Chapman from American Airlines and Sarah Thornton from Gate7, our hosts for the next week, we were all very excited about AA’s rejuvenated in-flight experience. From check-in, onwards, American Airlines provided a fantastic flight experience with the on-board service being a stand-out. Kylie organized everyone a spare seat and one lucky Travel Counsellors flew in total luxury with a complimentary upgrade to First Class.
First on the itinerary was The Cape, an incredible property located on a pristine strip of beach just outside of Cabo San Lucas. Designed by Mexican architect Javier Sanchez, The Cape made an instant impact with its contemporary design and postcard view of the El Arco, Cabo’s famous rock arch. Our first dinner at The Cape’s signature Manta restaurant was superb and set the tone for the meals to come; fresh ceviche, sea bass tacos, giving everyone a taste of high-end Mexican cuisine.
After a quick breakfast, it was time to kick off the first of 5 hotel inspections for the trip with a tour of The Cape, the sprawling Grand Solmar Resort located in the heart of Cabo San Lucas and the ultra-luxurious Grand Chileno Bay Resort. The property itself was spectacular and we enjoyed a stunning meal at Comal, home to the official 2017 winner of the World’s Best Margarita.
We spent a full day tour throughout the local area, with a visit to Todos Santos - home to the famous Hotel California. On our way to San Jose del Cabo, we dropped by a local coffee roasting company Baha Beans for a quick coffee and went to a local craft shop that sells fabrics weaved on site. Todos Santos itself is a quaint, traditional Mexican town with some fantastic shopping and a perfect place to spend a few hours.
The time finally came for us to check-in at One&Only Palmilla. The moment we were escorted to our rooms by our dedicated butlers was the moment we knew we were somewhere very special. Every detail of the hotel was exactly what you would expect from a resort of this standing; the grounds were stunning; the rooms were elegantly appointed and the staff were unbelievably attentive. It was nothing short of perfection.
One&Only hosted dinner at their flagship Aqua by Larbi restaurant, arguably the most popular restaurant in Los Cabos. The food certainly lived up to its reputation. The following morning, we caught the bus for breakfast and an inspection of the chic art-inspired El Ganzo hotel. Upon our return to One&Only, we were all treated to a 60-minute spa treatment at the One&Only spa.
On our final night, we visited the town of San Jose del Cabo. San Jose a melting pot of art culture, shopping and gastronomy. Our final dinner on the trip was spent at La Lupita’s, a local restaurant famous throughout Mexico for its tacos and range of tequila. Many tacos and much tequila was consumed!
This amazing 6 Day experience is really not out of the ordinary in TC world. With a pool of 150 Travel Counsellors, the possibility of going on one of these spectacular trips is not out of reach thanks to the solid and trusted relationship we have with our reputable suppliers and the support Travel Counsellors Head Office offers their 150 agents that helps them do what they do best; sell travel.
