For Members – Exotic travelers blog

How to Change Your Reservation Dates on the Exotic Travelers Portal

Many times you need to shift around reservation dates due to extraordinary circumstances. Or perhaps you booked during a sale without being certain of when you would have days off from work. Maybe you booked but need to change your dates for whatever reason. Luckily for our members, there is an easy process to change your reservation dates without any hassle.

Check out the full video or the step by step instructions below:

Here is the how to do it on the Exotic Travelers website:

Once you have logged in, you need to go to My Account on the dashboard. Check your Active Reservations List and click on the one you wish to reschedule.

After choosing the corresponding reservation

Once you have chosen the reservation you wish to move, click on View Details. Once the reservation details page has loaded, you will need to find a box titled Dates, and click on the edit button.

Shift your dates on the easy-to-use calendar

Once you clicked on edit dates, you will find an easy-to-use calendar that will allow you to shift your reservation dates on a 14-day prior and after window. Your original promotions will be honored within this window if still valid. If you wish to book outside this 14-day window, you can click on the Book Outside Dates button, which will allow you to choose any other dates. Prices will reflect our best current rates.

Save and continue

Once you have selected your new dates, you must click on the Save & Continue button. You will find yourself back on your Reservation Details page where you should be able to see your new dates and price displayed in the summary.

Booking through Exotic Travelers has never been easier. With us not only will you get the best rates, but also all the flexibility to shift them around. If you’re still uncertain on how to make a reservation on the portal, follow these easy step by step instructions.

The ABCs of Jackson Family Wines | C

So far we’ve learned about the untraditional Bootleg wine that Jackson Family Wines offers at Karisma Hotels & Resorts for our Exotic Travelers members. We’ve noted the differences between the high-toned aromatics of Alcance wines and the silky and elegant Pauline’s Cuvée. Now it’s time to dive into the delicious flavors, notes and differences of the following wines:

CAMBRIA

Founded: 1986

Location: Santa Barbara, California

Cambria is 100% family owned and the wines are 100% estate-grown. Their various types of soil (14, to be exact) allows for a variety of wines to be produced in the vineyard. Their most prominent wines are Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

CAPENSIS

Founded: 2014

Location: Western Cape, South Africa

Three vineyards encompass the Capensis estate in the beautiful South Africa. Stellenbosch – meaning fine woods – contributes to the Chardonnay’s natural acidity. Overberg’s high elevation allows for white peach and bosch pear scents and aromas in the wines. Lastly, the Robertson region, where Chardonnay grapes thrive, contributes to the distinct minerality found on the palate.

CARMEL ROAD

Founded: 1997

Location: Monterey, California

Founded to produce compelling Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, the Carmel Road estates have cold waters that create the brisk winds and for ideal for Burgundian varieties. Vines are often competing for water and nutrients, causing greater energy to be put into ripening the fruit. This results in heightened aromatics, and great concentration and complexity.

CENYTH

Founded: 2009

Location: Sonoma County, California

“Cenyth is a red blend that marries the ripe fruit of California with the structural elements more common to European wines. Featuring the five red Bordeaux varieties of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Malbec – and minimal new oak (30%) to preserve the freshness of the fruit – Cenyth offers a vibrantly new and personal interpretation of Sonoma County.”

CHATEAU LASSEGUE

JFW Lassegue — Photo by Shop Wine Direct

Founded: 2003

Location: Saint-Émilion, Bordeaux, France

The larger vineyards are divided into smaller micro-crus depending on the type of soil and topography that they have at Château Lassègue. They grow Marlot, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon. The flagship wine, Lassègue, is sophisticated and elegant.

COPAIN

Founded: 1999

Location: Mendocino County, California

Copain specialized in vineyard designate Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Syrah. They have built a reputation for producing food-friendly, balanced and expressive wines in the light and bright style. They have three collections: the Tous Ensemble wines, the Les Voisins wines, and the single vineyard designate wines.

Check back next week to discover what’s inside Edmeades, Freemark Abbey and Grand Moraine.

The ABCs of Jackson Family Wines | B

The partnership between Karisma Hotels & Resorts and Jackson Family Wines has been ongoing strongly for a few years. In 2013, they formed the Jackson Family Wines Culinary Series, creating a culinary and wine pairing journey for guests and Exotic Travelers members alike. But every Karisma resort, independently of the Culinary Series, offers a wide array of wines from the Jackson Family Wines wineries around the world. Today, we explore Bootleg, from Napa Valley, California, and Byron, from Santa Barbara, California.

BOOTLEG

Bootleg is only a few years old, being founded in Napa Valley in 2015. Winemaker Kristy Melton is in charge, and the passion behind this winery lies within the art of blending. They are “untraditional in form and flavor, crafting an unexpected varietal combination.

Bootleg produces big, luscious red blends with loads of dark fruit and power. We’ve used Merlot from Napa’s Stagecoach Vineyards as the base for its upfront fruit flavors and soft tannins, making the wine approachable early on. The combination of other varietals offers structure, depth, and a powerful richness that round out this bold red blend.”

BYRON

33 years in the making, Byron comes from a winery in Santa Barbara. To fully understand this brand, one must spend time exploring the Nielson Vineyard that surrounds the winery, however. That is where the fruits for the wines come from, even though throughout history, many people deemed it too cold and inhospitable for grapes. They have been proved wrong.

Under Johnathan Nagy’s – the winemaker – watchful eye, Byron Winery produces spectacularly rich and exotic Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays from the Nielson Vineyard and other premier sites in Santa Barbara County. The region once deemed “too cold and inhospitable” is now widely regarded as one of America’s greatest AVAs.

Check back next week to explore the background behind wines such as Cambria, Cenyth, and Copian, amongst others. Exotic Travelers and Karisma Hotels & Resorts ensures bringing only the best products for guests and members.

Disclaimer: all information taken from Jackson Family Wines website.

The ABCs of Jackson Family Wines | A

Jackson Family Wines and Karisma Hotels & Resorts have formed a strong and unique partnership that has only become deeper throughout the years. Since 2013, the Jackson Family Wines Culinary Series has delighted palates by pairing delicious master chef-created food with wines from this long-running family business. Exotic Travelers, of course, is proudly pushing the partnership with its members, making sure they enjoy only the very best wine while staying at one of our resorts.

That is why we have decided to launch this series. The ABCs of Jackson Family Wines will walk you through all the wines available at Karisma resorts. Today we start with Arrowood from Sonoma County, California; Alcance from Valle del Maule, Chile; Arcanum from Tuscany, Italy; and Atalon from Napa Valley, California. Read on to learn more about the exciting wines that Jackson Family Wines, Karisma Hotels & Resorts and Exotic Travelers has for you.

ARROWOOD

Founded in 1986 by Richard and Alis Arrowood, this Sonoma County winery has always produced high-character wines from sustainably and organically farmed vineyards. The area is well-suited to red Bordeaux varieties. However, the winery is best known for Cabarnet Sauvignon.

“The Sonoma County bottling delivers the high-toned aromatics and firm acidity that typify this cooler, maritime AVA”, shares the JFW website. Their flagship wine, Réserve Séciale, “features fruits from a handful of hillside vineyards just to the west of the Mayacamas ridge. It offers complex aromas, great concentration and fine tannins.”

Arrowood joined Jess Jackson’s and Barbara Banke’s portfolio in 2006.

ALCANCE

Alcance was founded in 1993 in Valle del Maule, Chile. Although most Chilean wines are produced towards the north of the country, Jess Jackson and winemaster Randy Ullom decided that the cool-climate region in the south could produce wines of great depth, balance, character and complexity.

With two vineyards on site, the one at the base of the Andes Mountains, El Maiten Vineyard, produces wines with strong aromatics and round tannins. The San Francisco Vineyard, at the southwest of Maule, produces wines with high-toned aromatics and firm flavors.

Alcance produces Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Carmenere, Vigno, and Bravura, which is the winery’s flagship Bordeaux blend.

ARCANUM

The Arcanum – founded in 2002 – are nestled in Tuscany, Italy and are run under the watchful eye of winemaker Pierre Seillan. The winery produces three Bordeaux-style blends featuring Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.

Their variety is thanks to the 10 different mesoclimates and 12 distinct soil types that the estate encompasses. Their most prominent wine is Cabernet Franc, which is rich, dense and luscious with exotic aromas of violets, roses and raspberries. They also have the Merlot-based Valadorna, which is plush and structures with a strong sense of minerality in the finish.

ATALON

From Napa to the world, the Atalon wines are known for their Bordeaux varietals from different locations in the well-known Napa Valley. From Cabernet Sauvignon – described as deep, luscious and eminently drinkable -, to Merlot, Malbec, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdor, this winery has something for everyone.

Barbara Banke’s mother Pauline even has a Merlot-dominant blend named after her, the Pauline’s Cuvée, which is subtle, silky and elegant, much like her own mother. On the other hand, the Sauvignon Blanc is rich, aromatic and harmonious, aged in stainless steel tanks.

Check back next week to see what other wines will be featured on the ABCs of Jackson Family Wines – the best partnership that Karisma Hotels & Resorts, and Exotic Travelers, brings for their guests and members.

Disclaimer: all information taken from Jackson Family Wines website.

The Lone Star Food, Art & Music Festival comes to the Riviera Maya!

Karisma Hotels & Resorts has partnered up with 2Getaway to bring the Lone Star Food, Art & Music Festival to the Riviera Maya. Using El Dorado Royale as a backdrop, the festival – and a series of culinary, musical and artistic events – will take place between July and October of the present year. The festival makes its way to Mexico to bring together a host of world-class chefs, musicians and artists from both Texas and Mexico.

Through various spots in the adults-only, Gourmet Inclusive® resort, guests will be able to participate in several activities designed to enliven all senses and embark on a culinary journey, including meet & greets with renowned chefs and musical performances set in the stunning Riviera Maya. As Exotic Travelers members, you will enjoy a 20% discount, priority seating and Meet & Greet Chef’s Table.

The festival will highlight 11 distinguished chefs, restauranteurs, winemakers, and sommeliers, as well as musicians and local artists. It will take place during different weeks, starting July 23^rd. The calendar is as follows:

Each week will feature a five-day program with food, art, and music, and we promise a lot of fun epicurean experiences. The Gala Dinner is complimentary for Exotic Travelers members. Enjoy the BBQ beach parties, grill poolside parties, fancy dinners, musical performances and much more at the Lone Star Food, Art & Music Festival.

Canadian Beef: Inside the Culinary Series by Karisma

For the fourth consecutive year, Canadian Beef – in partnership with Jackson Family Wines – has made its way down to the spectacular Riviera Maya in Mexico. The reason for this quality beef migration is, of course, the Canadian Beef Culinary Series, by Karisma. Taking place at the award-winning Karisma El Dorado Spa Resorts, the series has been a culinary success that takes guests on a mouthwatering learning culinary experience.

From the haute cuisine artistry of succulent beef cut preparations to a simple juicy burger hot off the grill, Karisma is committed to making every meal a magical experience. Top chefs from Canada flock south during the second full week of every month of the year to delight attendees with culinary creations with wine pairings that others can barely even imagine.

Even after four years, the event continues to be an attention grabber, with guests and Exotic Travelers members constantly monitoring which chefs and wine personalities will be present during their booked vacations. The Vice President of Food & Beverage for Karisma Hotels & Resorts, Jeroen Hanlo, was happy to announce 2017’s roster. “With our continued partnership between Karisma, Canadian Beef, Jackson Family Wines and Air Canada, we can provide an elevated and unique hands-on culinary experience for guests at El Dorado Spa Resorts, by Karisma to enjoy.”

This world-acclaimed culinary series has seen the likes of chefs such as Johnathan Gushue, Pati Wilkinson, and others. For 2017, the lineup includes Chinched Bistro owner Shaun Hussey, Cheese Boutique Executive Chef Basilio Pesce, S. Pellegrino’s 2016 Best Young Canadian Chef and executive chef at MARKET, Sean Macdonald, amongst many others.

These star-studded chefs pair up with Karisma’s own Michelin Star-trained chefs to bring a unique experience to guests. The idea is to take them through a culinary journey paired with the finest wines and accompanied by a great ambiance under the beautiful skies of the Riviera Maya.

The remainder of 2017 continues to hold surprises for future guests, promising an epic party for your taste buds and a thrilling adventure for your heart. Find out more about the Canadian Beef Culinary Series, by Karisma on our website.

Positive Sunday: thanking Exotic Travelers stuff

We are constantly feeling the love from your wonderful reviews on TripAdvisor, Facebook, Twitter, and even the ones we receive by e-mail. For Exotic Travelers, it is a true honor to see you take your time to thank the people that have made your vacation a truly special one. It is not rare to receive thank you e-mails or notes, but sometimes a truly special review comes along that is worth sharing. Thank you, Exotic Travelers member Valorie Howard, for taking the time to share this beautiful homage to our hard-working staff.

We stayed at El Dorado Sensimar Riviera Maya [from] March 14^th to the 28^th, 2017. We love this resort! We have visited multiple times and each year it just gets more awesome. The service and staff are outstanding. The food is delicious and there are so many options for dining! The grounds are beautiful, the drinks plentiful, and the excellent staff keep us coming back.

Many people contributed to making her stay extra special. Amongst the many she mentioned, a few Exotic Travelers associates stand out.

“Carlos Herrera: we were so happy to be checked-in by Carlos. He is the anchor for Exotic Travelers at [El Dorado Seaside Suites and Sensimar]. [He] always has a smile and is happy to answer any questions we have regarding the resort and Exotic [Travelers]. A perfect welcome to the resort. It was great to be so well taken care of immediately upon arrival. We know we are always in good hands with Carlos.

Iván Pérez: this was our first year working with Iván and I sincerely hope it’s not the least. Iván graciously worked with us prior to our visit to ensure my mobility issues were addressed, answered all my questions and secured our first night’s dinner reservations. He also found us on the beach several times to ensure the quality of our stay. He is a definite Exotic [Travelers] asset and we’re looking forward to seeing him at [El Dorado] Sensimar for many years to come.

Cesar Barrios: we were pleased to meet Cesar, the newest addition to the front desk at Exotic Travelers. He is personable and professional and we look forward to working with him in the future.

Crystal Lynn: over the years we have come to know Crystal Lynn as a great ambassador for Exotic Travelers and Karisma. It is always a pleasure to see her. This year she did a lot of work prior to our visit to gather information about transferring some timeshare weeks to Exotic. She always goes the extra mile. Thanks, Crystal Lynn!

Gabriel Medina: Gabriel was kind enough to present us with our options for transferring some timeshare weeks to Exotic [Travelers]. It was a very professional informative presentation and we are grateful to know our options.”

It is our pleasure to work hard for you and see you enjoy your vacations. Please share your reviews on TripAdvisor using the words “Exotic Travelers” and “Exotic Experience” or on other social media platforms with the hashtag #ExoticExperience.

Jackson Family Wines: Inside the Culinary Series, by Karisma

Year after year, Karisma Hotels & Resorts, award-winning luxury hotel collection, has managed to enthrall Exotic Travelers members with their stellar lineup of top chefs and wine masters throughout the year. The Jackson Family Wines Culinary Series, by Karisma was launched in 2013 and building on their past success, it continues to excite guests with an invigorating display of epicurean happenings with a luxurious backdrop: the Riviera Maya.

Gourmands and oenophiles come together to experience the delightful creations of guest chefs and wine personalities that walk you through the amazing tastes, notes and feelings of wine pairing with gourmet cuisine. In partnership with Jackson Family Wines, El Dorado Spa Resorts & Hotels, by Karisma, has now become the epitome of a true Gourmet Inclusive® Experience.

The epicurean encounters start from the first Monday of every month and carry on for five days offering a variety of events hosted by notable chefs and sommeliers. From wine tasting classes to chef showcases, the week climaxes at the Winemaker’s Gala Dinner & Cocktail. The delectable wood-like notes of a Pinot Noir mixed with the soft bite of a rib eye dipped in seaweed sauce, or the playful taste of the Prosecco mixing with the sweet flashes of a passion fruit ice cream are one of the things that makes the Jackson Family Wines Culinary Series, by Karisma, the cherry on top of a perfect vacation.

Behind this unique world-acclaimed series is the idea to “continue to elevate the program and deliver vacations unlike anywhere else in the world, providing guests with a unique opportunity to expand their epicurean expertise and enjoy exceptional food and wine in a luxurious and relaxed environment”.

The globetrotting guest chefs and wine personality pair up with Karisma’s own Michelin star restaurant-trained chefs and sommeliers to bring only the finest tastes to our true stars: our members. The closing Gala Dinner is an event like no other, taking place at the exclusive Fuentes Culinary Theater at El Dorado Royale where chef and sommelier walk attendees through a step by step of their 5-course menu and choice of wines. This year, Karisma has proudly hosted guests such as Donnie Masterton, Jason Dady, and Chris ‘CJ’ Jacobson, who have complimented their experience with the wine choices of Jose Tenorio, Jeff Bishop and Evan Field, respectively.

JFWCS 3 — Wine personality Jose Tenorio and Chef Donnie Masterton pose with Gourmet Chefs from El Dorado Maroma

The remainder of the year continues to hold surprises and promises mouthwatering delights at the hands of Chef David Santos, Neal Fraser and Brooke Williamson, amongst many others. If you wish to attend any of the future events, you can check the full calendar here and contact your Personal Concierge for details and reservations.

A family affair: celebrating 50 years

Exotic Traveler member Ron Jacques submitted the following blog about his amazing experience celebrating 50 years of marriage with his family at El Dorado Seaside Suites:

My wife and I have been happily married for 32 years. We have been married nearly 50 years, but only 32 of them have been happy. The 70s and 80s were pretty good decades, but there were a few droughts through the 90s. We had some ups and downs as we adjusted to our empty nest, but retirement has really been great.

All kidding aside, a 50^th wedding anniversary is a major accomplishment – especially when you add a large family to the mix. From the beginning we knew we wanted to include our children and their spouses in our celebration. The whole family knew how much we loved El Dorado Seaside Suites. In fact, several of our children had even spent time with us there as we shared our favorite vacation destination with them.

Ron Jacques 3

Our solution to a perfect 50^th wedding anniversary celebration was to combine family and destination. But we knew we had to set up a few basic rules. After all, we are still Mom and Dad. Our set of rules consisted of:

We would make all of the arrangements at the resorts ourselves. This was an easy task as the staff at El Dorado Seaside Suites were so helpful in our planning.
They would take care of their own travel arrangements to the Cancun International Airport. This was also an easy task as we had raised them to be responsible adults.
We agreed to eat supper together every night as a family. This was a concern as they had so many plans that affected their eating schedule.
The rest of the time they could come and go as they pleased – with or without siblings.
They had to agree to be nice to each other when Mom and Dad were around. Kids just never grow up, you know.

The plan worked to perfection. We all managed to arrive at the resort on the same day (rule #2). Six couples left at different times from different airports, all arriving at the same place. Our check-in included a refreshing drink and a cool moist towelette and we declined the usual tour of the resort. After settling in to our room, we greeted each of our kids in the lobby. We welcomed them with a brief tour after helping them settle into their rooms. We had pre-arranged with the resort to put our rooms close together – but not too close (rule #1).

We had made dinner reservations at each of the restaurants on different nights with the last two nights open so we could revisit our favorite menus. We told our kids that if they missed the reservation they wouldn’t be able to eat that meal. We wanted to make sure they all ate together (rule #3) so we had to stretch the truth more than a little. The truth was that each restaurant had open seating and the all-night room service, which would not allow anyone to experience hunger, ever.

Ron Jacques

After their first Gourmet Inclusive® meal, we had no trouble getting them to eat together every night. Our main reason for choosing this resort was its culinary experience. Each meal had several menu options; sometimes we would go to a food display (not for dinner) because we could not make another decision as to where and what to eat. There was also plenty of food available between meals.

The Mayan Riviera has a plethora of activities to choose from and there were plenty of on-site assistance in helping us decide what we wanted to do. We were free to do as much or as little as we wanted with whom we wanted (rule #4) and decided to do a day trip to Tulum and Xel Ha as a group (rule #5).

None of our family drinks alcohol, but that didn’t deter us from finding our favorite bartender and creating another “exotic drink sin alcohol”. However, our favorite activity was hanging out at the beach. Whether we were looking for a lounge chair, a beach bed, or a hammock, we were never disappointed. We even spent most of our time together at the beach (rule #5) and there were rumors that many of them had arranged their own couples massage.

Ron Jacques 2

By following our five simple rules, we really did get along as a family (including the in-laws) for a whole week. We all got there, ate together, and were genuinely nice to each other. It was worth the 50 year wait. Hopefully, the next celebration won’t be so far away.

You can submit an entry to our Guest Blog by sending an e-mail to mlopez@exotictravelers.com or visiting our Write for Us page.

Exotic Travelers Testimonial: Exchanging Weeks with DAE

Few words hold as much promise as explore. Your Exotic Travelers membership has the ability to make that promise come true. Through our Explorer Weeks program, you become a citizen of the world. With affiliated properties, hotels and resorts across the seven continents, you can spin the globe and choose where to go. There is no need to sacrifice the luxury lifestyle you have become accustomed to; through the affiliations we have secured for our members, the world is literally in your hands.

Many of our members have enjoyed this added value and incredible benefit, and we make sure to only offer the very best providers of exchange weeks for you. If we offer you the best service through Exotic, we expect the same from our colleagues at companies such as RCI, Interval or DAE.

When member Randy Voeks decided to take advantage of this benefit, he was pleasantly surprised to come across Dave Luithle.

Too often, as a supervisor, I’m sure you hear when customers are unhappy with one of your employee’s performance. I think you (like all of us) also need to hear some good news. I have belonged to DAE for several years, but was never able to use it. Dave Luithle was very helpful getting me to renew and upgrade my membership. Then when our first opportunity to use DAE services and exchange some of our Exotic Travelers weeks, he was extremely helpful. Even as changes occurred and we needed to add an additional week, he was creative, thoughtful, and very encouraging in fulfilling our needs.

His listening skills and responsiveness and creative problem-solving skills are to be celebrated (and rewarded!). He is the type of person that makes you and your company look great and make someone like me encourage other to consider joining DAE. Obviously you have done a great job training and developing his innate skills and previous experience. He is warm and personable and a delight to work with. I will definitely work with him again and wanted you to know about the good things he (and indirectly you) have done!

At Exotic Travelers, our biggest pride is to give you excellent service – even when it is out of our hands. Please share your testimonials and #ExoticExperiences with us in the comments below or on our social media.