The Riu Palace St. Martin named the best hotel in Saint Martin by U.S. News & World Report

The Riu Palace St. Martin named the best hotel in Saint Martin by U.S. News & World Report

Palma de Mallorca, February 10, 2015

This resort, the first owned by RIU on the island, has won the “Silver Badge” for offering high-quality amenities and services

The Riu Palace St. Martin* has been named the best hotel in Saint Martin by U.S. News & World Report’s Best Hotels of 2015 Rankings, a nationally recognized publisher of consumer advice and information.  This resort, the first owned by RIU Hotels & Resorts on the island, has won the "Silver Badge" for offering high-quality amenities and services. The "Best Hotels" methodology combines a hotel’s industry accolades with expert and guest reviews and hotel class ratings. U.S. News scored luxury hotels, identifying the top 10 percent in the United States, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean with Gold badges and the top 30 percent within specific markets with Silver badges. These fifth annual rankings feature 2,558 hotels across the United States, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean. “The Best Hotels of 2015 represent the top properties recognized by experts and travelers alike for their exemplary service, ample amenities and comfortable accommodations” said Erin Shields, travel editor for U.S. News. The Riu Palace St. Martin* hotel has 258 rooms, an exceptional seafront location at the exclusive cove of Anse Marcel with wonderful white sand and turquoise waters. The resort offers several restaurants, bars, swimming pools, sports and aquatic activities, a mini-club for the little ones, a complete spa and marina, as well as dream-like places to hold events and weddings. (*) The word "Palace" is used here only as forming part of the RIU´s trademark and hotel names used around the world "Riu Palace" and does not refer to "Distinction Palace", the official category or distinction for hotels recently established in France. Source: Riu Hotels Riu Hotels are Berman Travel Preferred. Call Berman Travel for your Riu Hotel Vacation, Honeymoon or Destination Wedding. Berman Travel does not charge consultation fees and will price match or beat the online companies and offer cancel for any reason insurance and more...

RIU's Jamaica hotels receive the Travelife Gold Award for their commitment to sustainability

RIU's Jamaica hotels receive the Travelife Gold Award for their commitment to sustainability

Palma de Mallorca, 17 December, 2014

Thanks to the involvement of their staff teams, these hotels have achieved the highest level of compliance The hotel chain will meet its goal of having a sustainability certificate for all its hotels by early 2015 The five RIU Hotels & Resorts in Jamaica have received the Travelife Gold Award. The Gold certificate represents the highest level of compliance with the requirements established by the Travelife international sustainability certification scheme. The certification of the RIU hotels in Jamaica represents a major step forward towards achieving the Corporate Social Responsibility Plan's strategic objective of having all its hotels certified, something that RIU expects to accomplish during the first months of 2015. >From the moment the project to certify all RIU hotels commenced, the participation and involvement of their staff have been vital to meet the goals set. In the case of Jamaica, auditors have stressed the high standards of the hotels as well as the clarity of the documents submitted. The hotels distinguished with the Travelife Gold Award have been: the Riu Negril and Riu Palace Tropical Bay, in Negril; the Riu Ocho Rios, in Ocho Rios; and the Riu Montego Bay and Riu Palace Jamaica, located in Montego Bay.  In total, 74 RIU hotels have so far been certified by Travelife, and all of them have achieved the highest grade of compliance. These hotels are located in Spain, Cabo Verde, Portugal, Morocco, Bulgaria, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Cuba and Jamaica. Within the next few weeks, the audits of RIU's hotels in the Bahamas, Costa Rica, Aruba, Panama and Saint Martin will be completed; the aim is to receive the certificates at the beginning of 2015. The Travelife system involves a range of social and environmental criteria and, depending on their level of compliance, tourism companies can be awarded three levels: Bronze, Silver or Gold. This tool allows travellers to choose, from among all the products and services available, those hotels that are making an effort to operate more responsibly in terms of the environment and the local community, showing their commitment to issues such as fair wages and a reduction of water and energy use. About RIU Hotels & Resorts: The international RIU chain was founded in Mallorca by the Riu family in 1953 as a small holiday firm and is still owned by the family's third generation. The company specialises in holiday resorts and nearly 70% of its establishments offer its acclaimed All Inclusive by RIU service. With the inauguration of its first city hotel in 2010, RIU is expanding its range of products with its own line of city hotels called Riu Plaza. RIU Hotels & Resorts now has more than 100 hotels in 16 countries which welcome over 3,5 million guests a year and provide jobs for a total of 27,107 employees. RIU is currently the world's 29th ranked chain, one of the Caribbean's most popular, the largest in Spain in terms of revenue and the third largest in number of rooms. Source: RIU Hotels

Dedicated Vacation Flights Now At Berman Travel

Dedicated Vacation Flights are now available through Berman Travel 

DVF are a product of Travel Impressions, Berman Travel's preferred travel partner.

Travel Impressions answers questions about Dedicated Vacation Flights.

Berman Travel has access to all Dedicated Vacation Flights

Q: What are Dedicated Vacation Flights?
A: To craft the best product possible, our routes, airline partners and schedules are carefully selected to provide the best options for your customers. Our Dedicated Vacation Flights are comprised of both seats pre-purchased from airlines on their scheduled departures, and wholly chartered planes on well-known, reliable scheduled carriers, including: Frontier, JetBlue, AeroMexico, AirTran Airways, Alaska Airlines and Sun Country Airlines.

Q: What is the deposit policy for a Dedicated Vacation Flight?
A: To offer our customers the best values, we're proud to offer lower deposits of only $150 per person when the itinerary is applicable for a deposit payment, plus the optional cost of the Cancel for Any Reason Waiver and Travel Protection. Final payment is not due until 45 days prior to travel. Please contact our Groups Department for group deposit requirements.

Q: Can the Cancel for Any Reason Waiver and Travel Protection be purchased with a Dedicated Vacation Flight?
A: Absolutely, and we encourage it! Our excellent Cancel for Any Reason Waiver and Travel Protection program fully covers Dedicated Vacation Flights, leaving your travelers completely protected … no matter the reason!

For additional information about groups, fees, baggage and so much more and to book your Dedicated vacation Flight call Susan Berman 866-934-6292 or click here

RIU Hotels celebrates five years in Costa Rica

RIU Hotels celebrates five years in Costa Rica

Palma de Majorca, 31 October, 2014

• In 2009, the chain opened its first hotel on the country’s Pacific coast: the Riu Guanacaste. Three years later, this was followed by the luxurious Riu Palace Costa Rica

RIU Hotels & Resorts celebrates its fifth anniversary in Costa Rica. In 2009, the Spanish hotel company opened its first hotel on Costa Rica's Pacific coast: the Riu Guanacaste. Three years later, after seeing how much RIU guests loved Costa Rica and given the support from the chain’s main international partners, RIU inaugurated its second hotel, the elegant Riu Palace Costa Rica.

This country was a destination that RIU Hotels & Resorts were dreaming of well before it located here. This was made clear by siblings Carmen and Luis Riu at the opening ceremony held on the 30th of October, 2009: "Finally we have a hotel in this wonderful country, a world-class example of sustainability and nature conservation. This, together with the friendliness and kindness of the country's people, opens up an excellent opportunity in terms of tourism." And this is exactly what has happened. Five years after they were opened, both hotels are among those most liked by RIU guests. Proof of this are the various Crystal Apple Awards for Best Staff and Service in Central America won by both hotels. This is an internationally prestigious award granted by the main US tour operator, Apple Vacations.

Since it started working in Costa Rica back in 2009, one of RIU's main goals in this country, a destination popular among nature lovers, has been to contribute to the economic and social development of Guanacaste province as well as to maintain a firm commitment to the environment. For this, a private National Wildlife Refuge was created at the beginning of this year in the coastal hills of Matapalo; it is a protected space of 200 hectares, with great environmental, economic and social importance.

The Matapalo Beach, where both resorts are located, has also been awarded a Blue Flag with five stars, making it one of the three finest beaches in the country and showing once again RIU's efforts to keep the coast clean and protect the natural resources of this marvellous beach.

Costa Rica is one of the world’s most popular ecological tourism destinations, known for its vast biodiversity, its volcanoes, tropical rainforest and extensive tree cover. The Guanacaste province offers exotic beaches such as the Matapalo Beach, location of both hotels, which is a unique combination of sand, sea and greenery. These natural surroundings offer guests a range of ecotourism activities, while enjoying all the peace, luxury and comfort guaranteed by RIU hotels. The Riu Guanacaste and the Riu Palace Costa Rica have 5 stars each and offer RIU's renowned all-inclusive program, which includes a wide range of food and drink, a full entertainment program and carefully designed, top-quality facilities, offering the perfect holiday complement to this destination, with some of the most beautiful landscapes on the Pacific Coast of Central America. 

About RIU Hotels & Resorts:

The international RIU chain was founded in Mallorca by the Riu family in 1953 as a small holiday firm and is still owned by the family's third generation. The company specialises in holiday resorts and nearly 70% of its establishments offer its acclaimed All Inclusive by RIU service. With the inauguration of its first city hotel in 2010, RIU is expanding its range of products with its own line of city hotels called Riu Plaza. RIU Hotels & Resorts now has more than 100 hotels in 16 countries which welcome over 3,5 million guests a year and provide jobs for a total of 27,107 employees. RIU is currently the world's 29th ranked chain, one of the Caribbean's most popular, the largest in Spain in terms of revenue and the third largest in number of rooms.

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Source: RIU Hoteles

RIU Hoteles and Resorts are Berman Travel Preferred

Travelife has awarded their prestigious Gold Award for sustainability to 24 RIU hotels

RIU Hotels is pleased to announce that Travelife has awarded their prestigious Gold Award for sustainability to 24 RIU hotels located throughout Mexico and the Dominican Republic.

Travelife is an international certification system helping hotels and accommodations develop and maintain best practices in sustainability. These important awards signify that each RIU property listed below has met the strict Travelife sustainability criteria.

Source: RIU Hoteles

RIU Resorts and Hoteles are Berman Travel Preferred 866-934-6292

AMResorts to Open Dreams Playa Mujeres Golf & Spa Resort in 2016

AMResorts to Open Dreams Playa Mujeres Golf 

& Spa Resort in 2016

AMResorts has extended its company footprint in the popular destination of Playa Mujeres with the announcement of Dreams Playa Mujeres Golf & Spa Resort. This will be the fifth deal closed in 2014 marking another chapter in the rapid expansion of the AMResorts portfolio, which has grown by 20 percent in the past year.

This is the 14th property for the award-winning Dreams Resorts & Spas brand and the second AMResorts property in the area, following Secrets Playa Mujeres Golf & Spa Resort, which is slated to open on November 15, 2014 in the private Playa Mujeres Resort complex.

Dreams Playa Mujeres is set to open in early 2016. The family-friendly resort will feature 500 spacious rooms and suites, offering ocean views and private beach access, and will be located only ten minutes away from downtown Cancun. Guests will have access to the complex’s amenities, including a marina and a championship 18-hole, Greg Normal designed golf course.

Guests visiting Dreams Playa Mujeres will experience all the benefits of Dreams Resorts & Spas’ Unlimited-Luxury® vacation concept, where everything is included: elegant accommodations, 24-hour room and concierge services, limitless access to gourmet dining, unlimited top-shelf spirits at bars & lounges, daily activities and nightly entertainment, Explorer’s Club for kids with supervised fun, a Dreams Spa by Pevonia and more.

We are thrilled to be venturing into a brand new destination with this brand and introducing another Dreams Resort & Spa with Unlimited–Luxury® inclusions. 

Source: AMResorts

Note From Berman Travel, AMResorts are preferred with Berman Travel, America's Boutique Travel Company 866-934-6292

The Quarter at Tropicana Casino & Resort Marks 10 Year Anniversary

The Quarter at Tropicana Casino & Resort Marks 10 Year Anniversary

Entertainment complex remains one of the largest nongaming expansions in the history of Atlantic City

ATLANTIC CITY, NJ (October 9, 2014) — This November Tropicana Casino & Resort will celebrate the 10 year anniversary of The Quarter. The $285 million dining, shopping and entertainment complex, heralded by many as the first Las Vegas-style destination in Atlantic City, marked its anticipated debut on November 23, 2004.
The Quarter pays homage to the vibrant ambiance of 1940s Havana, home to the original Tropicana Casino and Resort. The indoor, three-story, 200,000-square-foot streetscape is home to iconic dining destinations like The Palm Restaurant, Carmine’s, Cuba Libre Restaurant & Rum Bar and P.F. Chang’s China Bistro.
Adding to the unique energy of The Quarter are live music venues, distinctive bars and nightspots including Rí~Rá Irish Pub, The Comedy Stop Café & Cabaret, Planet Rose Karaoke Bar, Broadway Burger Bar, Anthem Lounge and Providence Nightclub.
The Quarter boasts Atlantic City’s one and only IMAX Theatre.  The roster of renowned retailers include Chico’s, White House | Black Market, Erwin Pearl, Caché, Bluemercury Makeup, Skincare & Spa, Francesca’s Collections and Swarovski as well as distinct specialty shops such as Zephyr Gallery, The Hat Emporium and Old Farmer’s Almanac General Store.
“Atlantic City’s non-gaming revenues have become an essential part of any casino operator’s financial mix,” said Steve Callender, General Manager of Tropicana Casino & Resort. “The development of The Quarter was ahead of its time ten years ago as the first non-gaming expansion of it its kind. Today non-gaming attractions still continue to evolve throughout the city.”
Tropicana Recognizes Ten-Year Tenants
Eighteen occupants have been a thriving part of The Quarter’s experience since opening day: Palm Restaurant, Carmine’s, Cuba Libre Restaurant & Rum Bar,  P.F. Chang’s China Bistro, Rí~Rá Irish Pub, The Comedy Stop Café & Cabaret, Planet Rose Karaoke Bar, Zephyr Gallery, The Hat Emporium, Zeytina New York’s Choice Gourmet, Cache, Chico’s, Swarovski, White House | Black Market, Erwin Pearl, IMAX, Old Farmer’s Almanac General Store and Bluemercury Makeup, Skincare and Spa.

Tropicana Welcomes New Tenants
Over the years, new occupants have joined the mix. The popular Providence Nightclub opened in The Quarter in 2007, as did Godiva Chocolatier. In 2009, A Time for Wine opened its doors, and in 2010 Tropicana welcomed Starbucks.

The year 2011 saw the opening days of Mrs. Fields Cookies, Francesca’s Collections and Talk of the Walk. Anthem Lounge, Seashore Kids, Lick and AKA were introduced in 2012, with additional grand openings of Broadway Burger Bar and Wet Willies in 2013 and GoYoGo Frozen Yogurt in 2014.

Public Invited to Join The Quarter’s 10 Year Anniversary Celebration & Tree Lighting
On Monday, November 24 at 1:00 PM, Tropicana Casino & Resort will host an official ceremony to commemorate the past and celebrate the future. Guests will enjoy food samples, cake, sparkling beverages, and guest speakers.   Guest speakers to include Mayor Don Guardian, Liza Cartmell, President of the ACA, John Palmieri, Executive Director of the CRDA, and Tony Rodio, President & CEO of Tropicana Entertainment Inc.

About The Quarter’s 10^th Anniversary
Having opened on November 23, 2004, this year marks the 10^th Anniversary of The Quarter at Tropicana Casino and Resort, which remains the largest non-gaming casino expansion in the history of Atlantic City. The Quarter is a 200,000 square-foot complex with unique dining, entertainment, and retail experiences. 10^th Anniversary celebrations includes the return of the wildly popular Man vs. Chicken $10,000 Tic-Tac-Toe Challenge, Flash Back and Fast Forward video, a free holiday musical light show featuring a 35-foot tree, dozens of dining, shopping, and entertainment specials, and a full calendar of headliner entertainment.  For more information visit http://www.tropicana.net/celebration.

About Tropicana Atlantic City
Tropicana Casino & Resort is a 24-hour gaming destination located on the beach and Boardwalk. Featuring 2,079 rooms and suites and home of The Quarter, a 200,000 square foot entertainment complex, Tropicana is the premier resort in Atlantic City. With 24 restaurants, 25 shops, 18 bars and lounges, 2 pools, an IMAX Theatre and a spa, Tropicana is consistently rated as the “Must-See Attraction” in Atlantic City. Must be 21. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. For more information, visit the official Web site at www.tropicana.net or:
•           Facebook- www.facebook.com/TropAC
•           Twitter- www.twitter.com/TropicanaAC
•           YouTube- https://www.youtube.com/user/TropicanaAC
•           Instagram- www.instagram.com/TropicanaAC

About Tropicana Entertainment

Tropicana is a publicly traded company that, through its subsidiaries, owns and operates eight casinos and resorts in Indiana, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nevada, Missouri, New Jersey and Aruba. Tropicana properties collectively have approximately 5,500 rooms, 8,000 slot positions and 270 table games. The company is based in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Source: Tropicana Entertainment