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Girl Gone Travel

Caribbean, Travel
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April 30, 2015

Discovering the cozy St. Martin

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I’ve talked a lot about growing up spending most of my weekends as a teen in all-inclusive resorts because of my father’s job in the hospitality industry in the Dominican Republic. There isn’t a lot about these types of resorts that I don’t know.

As a mother of three, I have come to appreciate them more because of the flexibility they offer family travelers, of those traveling on a budget or not wanting to worry about managing one, and of those just wanting to relax.

I have also noticed that more and more all-inclusive resorts have woken up to the reality that travelers don’t always want to stay confined to the walls of the resort and enjoy options that allow for exploration and familiarization of the area they are visiting.

But still, staying at an all-inclusive isn’t an automatic decision for us when we travel. Sometimes, they can feel too big and noisy. I consider myself a fun gal, but not so fun that I want to be surrounded by loud music and even louder people when I vacation.

When I invited my husband to join me on a work trip as the guest of RIU Palace St. Martin (full disclosure), I wasn’t sure what to expect. What I knew about RIU resorts thus far was that they tend to be huge, with a lot going on – so I expected this to be my experience in St. Martin as well.

What you need to know

The resort is located on the French side of the island (St. Martin), facing the quiet cove of Anse Marcel. It only has 258 rooms, so considerably smaller than its RIU counter parts, giving it a more boutique feel in comparison.

It was formerly a Radisson Hotel and reopened in 2014 after undergoing a 10-million dollar renovation, though some areas still need some TLC. That being said, I enjoyed my stay here and loved that I got to experience it with my husband. Though great for families too, I found that it was easy to have romantic, quite moments with him.

RIU Palace St. Martin Vacations_girlgonetravel all rights reserved RIU Palace St. Martin Vacations_girlgonetravel all rights reserved

We would get up early in the morning and head out to explore St. Martin, easy enough to do if you rent a car. We even went on an early morning hike up one of the mountains next to the resort and came upon a secluded beach – a bit rougher than the resort’s beach, but still beautiful to watch.

Early hike to a secluded beach! #RiuPressTrip #GGTinStMartin

A photo posted by Carol Cain (@girlgonetravel) on Apr 1, 2015 at 9:03am PDT

RIU Palace St. Martin Vacations_girlgonetravel all rights reserved RIU Palace St. Martin Vacations_girlgonetravel all rights reserved The amenities are what you would expect from an all-inclusive: unlimited drinks, food, and kids club. The water sports are an extra fee, as are the spa treatments, private pool-side cabanas, and babysitting. There are 4 restaurants, 3 á la carte which require reservations and 1 buffet, as well as a beach snack bar. It’s important to note that though they are still working on improving their restaurant reservation process (past guests have commented on how difficult it can be to get a reservation), the experience is worth it. I will say that the food overall, even at the buffet, is very good. Their breakfast buffet is one of the best I have ever experienced at an all-inclusive resort. A must try: the freshly made donuts. They fry them right there in front on you and are still hot when served!

The baked goods at @RiuHotels are made fresh every single day. Watched as these donuts were made for breakfast this morning, still warm when I took my first bite! #ZOMG #RiuPressTrip #GGTinStMartin A video posted by Carol Cain (@girlgonetravel) on Apr 1, 2015 at 5:35pm PDT

Getting our groove back

Cruising along the Caribbean Sea with my honey. #GGTinStMartin #RIUPressTrip

A photo posted by Carol Cain (@girlgonetravel) on Apr 3, 2015 at 11:44am PDT

It was work and we were busy, but we also got to enjoy some down time in between. Being able to be in an environment that allowed us to take quiet strolls, or lazy around the beach and float around in the still ocean waters was a much needed break for us as a couple.

Happy Friday! Starting our morning listening to the waves crashing. #RIUPressTrip #GGTinStMartin

A photo posted by Carol Cain (@girlgonetravel) on Apr 3, 2015 at 4:06am PDT

RIU Palace St. Martin Vacations_girlgonetravel all rights reservedI often stood from afar looking at him. It had been awhile since I had been able to just watch him without interruption, like a girl with a not-so-secret crush.

Granted, it’s important to note that we were there when the season hadn’t yet started, meaning there were families, but not too many due to kids still in school and the spring breakers hadn’t yet arrived. When you decide to visit might decide how much busier the ambiance will feel. Yet, because of the size of the resort and the amount of spaces where one can retreat to, it isn’t too hard to find tranquility if you want it.

RIU Palace St. Martin Vacations_girlgonetravel all rights reserved RIU Palace St. Martin Vacations_girlgonetravel all rights reserved RIU Palace St. Martin Vacations_girlgonetravel all rights reserved

Even the pool, which also happens to be the largest infinity pool in the Caribbean, has different sections for adults only and families.

RIU Palace St. Martin Vacations_girlgonetravel all rights reserved

Plus there is so much to do off-resort that you won’t often find too many crowds on-site during the day.

And still, the most important thing of all of this for us is how we reconnected on this trip and how the chill vibe of the resort allowed for that.

RIU Palace St. Martin Vacations_girlgonetravel all rights reserved

We came back home, making out like school kids, horrifying our children with our public displays of affection and ready to take on the world…or at least the rest of the school year and work. Though maybe next time, we might decide to party a little bit more in another fun RIU location!

Read my article on Sint Maartin in Expedia Viewfinder where I share what other fun things we did on our romantic trip to St. Martin! You can check out more images from our visit to the RIU Palace in St. Martin on my Instagram, #GGTinStMartin. 

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Carol Cain

Brooklyn native Carol is happiest when on an adventure, whether close to home or farther away. She is a small business owner and travel writer. In addition to creating Girl Gone Travel, she is the Founder and Principal of Brave World Media, a social media marketing, communications, and branding agency. She's mom to three wonderful sons and wife to a handsome Irish/Scot. She lives, works, and plays in the beautiful Finger Lakes region of NY.

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About me

Hi! I'm Carol! I am an award-winning travel blogger, a keynote speaker, and the Principal and owner of Brave World Media, a social media marketing, communications, and branding agency. I a wife to a handsome Irish/Scot and a mom to 3 sons and 2 puppies. Welcome to my blog where I share stories of my travels and professional public relations insights and advice. Thank you for reading and for your support!

Carol Cain

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If you are a foodie traveler, Madison, WI is a des If you are a foodie traveler, Madison, WI is a destination for you. This list of good eats were all within close proximity to each other and spots we made time for during our short weekend visit. So definitely note that this doesn’t even begin to cover the tip of the iceberg, but makes a good starter list!

📍@ShortStackEats in the heart of Downtown Madison is clearly a UW favorite. Loved their pancakes! We thought it was a pricey for breakfast, and only offered drip coffee, but the scene was fun, food was good, and service was friendly.
📍@SardineMadison is a waterfront French bistro that has stood the test of time (we’ve been coming here since we lived in Madison!). It can feel very corporate some nights, but their Happy Hour and brunch are definite highlights and it’s a really nice dining experience overall.
📍@EatattheAudrey impressed us! It’s not your usual “hotel restaurant” and I would say it easily stands alone as an eatery worth checking out in Madison. Great breakfast options, cozy vibes, nice bar, and good service!
📍@RamenStation1124 good, affordable ramen.
📍BlindShotSocialClub We really loved this spot for brunch (sorry, was enjoying the company and totally spaced out on capturing food images!). Golf fans will love hitting the putt here (you can reserve a private room too), and what I though was most cool was the delicious and wide selection of non-alcoholic cocktails to choose from. This place is a total vibe!
📍@StringsRamen is a chain, but I have to say it is some of the best ramen I have had in a long time. I especially loved how you can choose your ramen but heat level but also by Japanese region which allowed us to taste a couple of new flavors!
📍@Parthenongyros has been around awhile (hubby recalls coming here during his college years!) and was voted #1 take out in Madison! Though we indulged inside and away from the snow. A delicious, quick bite when strolling around State Street.

And again, this is just a starter list. There is so much more to eat and enjoy in this top foodie city! What other spots would you add to this list?

#madisonwi #foodiegram #foodiedestinations #goodeats @destinationmadison
I love to travel. It has always been important to I love to travel. It has always been important to my family. My parents got my first passport weeks after I was born. They couldn’t afford to travel like I do now, but they understood, as immigrants, the absolute privilege that comes attached to having that shiny blue American booklet and they wanted me to have it.

I was yet again reminded of my privilege when my travel back home on this last trip was delayed over 24 hours. I have a village in place to make sure my kids were ok. Having my own business meant I didn’t have to report in to anyone, and was still able to work remotely so none of my clients were inconvenienced by it. Though the airline covered our hotel and food, we never worried that we couldn’t do it ourselves otherwise. While we were annoyed, we weren’t stressed.

So while I love to travel, and I love sharing my travels with you, I acknowledge that being able to do so, and dealing with the consistent travel disruptions so prevalent today without worries is a privilege…one that started with a little blue booklet that gives me more access to the world than some others do.

And I want us all in this travel space to be reminded of this. Of how lucky we are. Of our privilege to access and time and money.

So let us travel with grace and awareness. Let us remain rooted in reality and perspective. Acknowledging that our escapism isn’t one so easily accessible to others. Understanding that this is also why local stories have as much value as those to exclusive destinations, if not more. And, never forgetting, especially in the travel influencer and media space, that were it not for hosted campaigns and paid-for travel opportunities, most of us wouldn’t be able to afford the lifestyle we so beautifully curate online.

It doesn’t matter how often you travel, or how far. Just that hopefully you will be able to gift yourself the experience of doing so and experiencing something new.

#travel #travelmedia #travelinfluencer #wheretonext
As I work on compiling all the good eats I experie As I work on compiling all the good eats I experienced in Madison, WI, I have to ask: what is your favorite meal of the day, and where did you experience a highlight of the same?

I am a huge fan of breakfast. This beauty was a blueberry pancake order from @shortstackeats. Pancakes are not a big thing for me, but these were pretty perfect. I am craving them still. 🥞♥️

#madisonwi #goodeats #travelingfoodie @destinationmadison
We got back on a plane! Here are scenes from a qui We got back on a plane! Here are scenes from a quick trip to Madison, WI - my first time back in 14 years! Though we were here for family matters, we did take a moment to explore a bit of what used to be a place we called home.

We couldn’t do anything else until we drove around Lake Monona, where we once had a home, and took in the wintery views (there is an epic 13.2-mile trail that loops around the lake that is worth exploring if you visit!). Though our time was limited, we were able to enjoy some of it along State Street exploring the shops, eateries, the FREE @mmocamadison, and the beautiful architecture of the WI State Capitol Building (the Dane County Farmers Market will soon pick up again - Saturdays, April 15 thru November 11, 2023 around the Capitol Building and it is one of the best farmers markets anywhere!). 

We booked a room at the @hiltonmadison Monona Terrace to be within walking distance of all the downtown fun (tip: for a room with a lake view make sure to book at the upper levels above 10th floor for an unobstructed view of Lake Monona). 

Madison, WI is a skip and a hop from the Finger Lakes so this short and sweet visit didn’t feel difficult at all. And we absolutely loved the winter scenery and seeing what has changed (a lot) since we lived here.

Stay tuned for my list of where we ate!

Have you ever been to Madison, WI?

#madisonwi #weekendgetaway #wisconsin @destinationmadison
The joy of that first sip of the day. #randommom The joy of that first sip of the day. 

#randommomentsarethebest
I think my husband enjoys it, but still can’t be I think my husband enjoys it, but still can’t believe how easily I’ve been waking up in the early mornings since our last trip. Not sure how to shake it, or if it’s temporary, but here it is: the rare sighting of me up and moving early in the day. Am I a morning person now? Has travel ever permanently changed any of your habits?

#morningperson #lifeinthecountry #newme <-😂

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