Wine and Spirits Travel

When I received an invitation to bring my family to the opening of the first Great Wolf Lodge in Illinois , I was excited. I had never been to one of the chain’s properties and I’m always anxious for a press trip that keeps me in one place for food, lodging, and activities. The Great Wolf Lodge in Gurnee was actually not a new structure, but the brand updated the resort to be similar to their others-a family-friendly hotel with non-stop fun for everyone in the family. There was a check-in desk set up near the entrance for the press group, about a dozen of us with families. In my case, my “family” for the weekend was Brittany, Shaun, and Kyler. Since Great Wolf Lodge is meant for family groups, they have 13 different types of suites. The largest suite can sleep 12. Our had more than enough room for the four of us, with two queen size beds and a pull-out couch in the living room area.   We explored the property and found there was more to keep us busy the en

It was time to say goodbye to Generations Resort. Roberta and I were glad our flights weren’t until the afternoon because we were in no hurry to leave Riviera Maya. We started the day with our last room service breakfast. I loved the idea that Generations Resort lets you get pretty much anything you want for breakfast in your suite.  We loaded up our omelets (me with veggies and Roberta with seafood) and enjoyed the fresh baked goods. I decided to enjoy the swim-up suite one last time and relaxed in the lounge chair in the water on our patio for a leisurely breakfast with a view. Roberta headed out for more exploring and shopping at El Dorado Royale , the adults-only sister resort next door. When she came back we ventured to the Riviera Maya beach one last time and had the waiters deliver some nachos to us for lunch. With my ankle injury limiting my standing,  I took advantage of the butler Generations Riviera Maya provides guests to help me

It was my third day as a guest of Karisma Hotels in Riviera Maya and I couldn’t have been more relaxed. Every morning my friend Roberta and I had talked about breakfast at one of the Generations or El Dorado restaurants. The room service options were just so convenient, included in the all-inclusive plan, and offered many delicious choices we couldn’t resist indulging in breakfast in bed. I started my day with a veggie-filled omelet, fruit, a croissant, and coffee. Roberta went to explore the El Dorado Riviera Maya properties and do some shopping while I relaxed. I was nursing an ankle injury so I was content to relax on one of the lounge chairs in the water behind our swim-up suite. When she returned, we ventured out for the short swim to the bar for some drinks. It was a beautiful day and the water felt great in the hot sun. We didn’t want to leave the pool area so we just ordered lunch from Palms Gourmet Terrace. I had loved their carnitas taco