A Honeymoon Review from Sandals La Toc & Ladera

(388 Reviews)
98% Recommended

Pam MacIntyre

Maple Grove, MN

Australia & New Zealand Specialist

New Zealand

In all my years as a Travel Professional, with curiosity I've asked several the question "What are your must see countries?"  I was hard pressed to find one that did not list New Zealand!  I mean who wouldn't wa...

New Zealand

In all my years as a Travel Professional, with curiosity I've asked several the question "What are your must see countries?"  I was hard pressed to find one that did not list New Zealand!  I mean who wouldn't want to experience this majestic part of the world? 

Recently I was able to explore several areas of this amazing country, being fortunate in visiting both the North & South Island. What I love is New Zealand can be mellow or action-packed, yet it will still always be epic!

From the endless national parks, dynamic Maori culture, to experiencing the sounds aboard a yacht while gazing upon dolphins. And let’s not forget about laying witness to the majestic beauty of a sperm whale off the coast of Kaikoura. 

Wait, did you say you enjoy wine?  They have some of THE best in the world....how do I know?  Because how could I go all the way to New Zealand and not visit a winery or two. New Zealand offers the deliciousness of Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnays, Pinot Noir, Merlot and many more! 

I really could go on and on, but no need if you're reading this you already KNOW you want to explore this part of the world. I would love to help you create the best version of New Zealand for you! 

Australia

Let me start by saying, I have been wanting to go to Australia since I was a child. Why you ask? Well to pet a kangaroo of course! And I did! Not only did I pet kangaroos, but I fed 4 simultaneously! It was a childhood dream come true, and I cannot wait to go back and repeat the experience. 

I was in Sydney during the spectacular International lights and music festival, Vivid Sydney. It was their 10th year, and all I've got to say is WOW! Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought Australia would be so perfect to visit during their winter season. Although being from Minnesota it was more like our fall temperatures. So again, perfect! It was extra special to experience VIVID Sydney and see the iconic Sydney Opera House light up.  If you travel during this time of year, it truly is a must see.

The Blue Mountains region of Australia was truly lovely to walk amongst. Then headed to Hunter Valley (to locals known as "The Hunter") where wine in this region was flowing plentifully and was quite delicious!

After making a visit to Australia I now understand why many choose to go there for 2 - 4 weeks on a vacation. It's truly hard to grasp the sheer size of Australia until you have been there yourself. To give you an idea, think about the USA. Sydney would be in Florida; Cairns (Great Barrier Reef) would be in Maine; Uluru (Ayers Rock) would be in Kansas; Melbourne would be New Orleans; and Perth would be Los Angeles.

If you're looking to visit the world's largest Great Barrier Reef, immerse yourself in Aboriginal communities, swim with whale sharks or gaze upon the Uluru (Ayers Rock) the possibilities really are endless in Australia! 

Together we'll create your dream trip to Australia that you'll remember for the rest of your days! 

Email meCall Me

Pam MacIntyre

Can Be Reached At

1-763-231-8893

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Piton Mountains seen from our Ladera Resort stay

Clients Honeymoon to St. Lucia January 2022

"I just submitted a review for 5 STARS & a 10/10 recommendation!! Thank you, again, so much for helping us schedule the most relaxing & needed trip of our lives. Our honeymoon was spectacular, and we can't thank you enough!

Regarding the actual trip: 

We really enjoyed both parts of our trip - spending time at both Sandals & Ladera. I actually 100% recommend people splitting up their trip similarly. It was really nice being able to experience both types of the island, and I'm really glad we decided to do it like that!

Sandals Regency La Toc:

• Loved the easy access to the beach!


• We booked a butler room, and while it definitely wasn't necessary, it was very convenient!


• The all-inclusive restaurants & room service was sooooooo worth it!


• The additional activities were a bit pricier than we expected. However, we did go horseback riding, and had a great time! The people that ran that were very timely, accommodating, & patient.


• The massage we got at the spa at Sandals was probably the best massage either of us have ever received!


• The demographic was not very diverse & it was on the older side (felt a bit out of place every once in a while).


• Sandals did feel very very westernized and corporate. It didn't really *feel* like we were in another country. We personally weren't big fans of this, but can imagine others may have been.


• Our room had a private pool. We were really excited about this, but let down, because the pool wasn't heated, so we really weren't able to use it nearly as much as we would have liked.

Ladera Resort:

• AMAZING VIEWS


• Honestly, the overall experience of Ladera was so unique - we loved it. Being enclosed in nature and inside a forest was amazing - from the easy to access walking trails and hikes, to the birds flying around at all times, to the mosquito net bed, and the open room (no 4th wall), it was all so beautiful!


• We were concerned about mosquitoes / bug bites, etc. and while we did get some, we didn't get as much as we expected! Grateful for the bug spray the resort provided us. 


• Parts of the resort were under construction while we were there, like the spa. We were initially bummed out about this but the resort, instead, offered to come to our rooms for private massages and they were so relaxing!


• We didn't do all-inclusive here, and I'm glad you recommended that we don't. The cost of lunch + dinner everyday definitely was cheaper than the cost of the all-inclusive package.


• The good relationship between Ladera & Hotel Chocolat was one that we very much took advantage of! We didn't realize how close we were going to be (funny because we initially were looking to book Hotel Chocolat!). We spent a whole day over there, and really enjoyed the chocolate, the dinner, and the beautiful nature all around us.


• The demographic was much more diverse & younger here. Definitely felt more comfortable around the resort.


• Our room here had a private pool, and it was heated!! We were really able to take advantage of it.


• One major downside was the drive from Sandals to Ladera - it was really really windy haha definitely recommend future travelers to be prepared for that.

While both resorts were great, we actually preferred the Ladera Resort over Sandals Regency La Toc. All things considered, the Ladera was better for us primarily due to the nature & views, the demographic, and the uniqueness of the resort."