Exotic Travelers Magazine #2

MAGAZINE

Beyond the Benefits: Stories of Friendship

JACKSON FAMILY WINES: the creations of Chef Schoenfeld

Rewards Experience: Your Benefits for your Friends and Family

INTRODUCING DIAMOND ELITE:

BEYOND LUXURY

N. 2, May-July, 2017

TABLE OF CONTENTS P.

4

My Exotic Experience

P.

6

My Special Events

P.

8

My Favorite Benefit

P.

9

Special Contests

P. 10

Trip Advisor Reviews

P. 11

Membership Tips

P. 13

What’s New

P. 16

Members Events

P. 18

My Gourmet Inclusive Experience

P. 20

Member Deals

P. 21

We care

P. 23

Contact us

EDITOR’S NOTE

M

any things have happened at Exotic Travelers, as well as the Karisma Hotels & Resorts, over the past few months. It comes as no surprise as we continue to expand both the resorts and our member base. The first issue of Exotic Travelers Magazine was a success amongst our dedicated members, and so we hope to continue raising the bar once and again with every new issue we publish thinking of you.

Within the pages of this issue you will find a delicate description of the delicious tastes that Chef Landon Schoenefeld concocted at the Jackson Family Wine Culinary Series Gala Dinner on April 7th. You will savor the pairings that Ann Wallace complemented them with, as well. You will remember the lucky winners of our social media contests and you will read our favorite member #ExoticExperience stories.

For members that have yet to discover the four pillars of our Karisma Gourmet Inclusive® Experience there is a piece elegantly describing the strongest pillar of them all: our gourmet cuisine. Moreover, you will discover everything that is new for you – our re-pricing features, the exclusivity of being a Diamond Elite member and the amazing Rewards Program we have for members and their friends and family.

We sincerely hope you enjoy reading this issue as much as we enjoyed putting it together for you. As usual, we look forward to hearing your comments about it.

Exotic Travelers Team

MY EXOTIC EXPERIENCE

The Experience of a Lifetime Your #ExoticExperience

E

very single detail of your reservation, from the moment you book to the moment you leave the resort, is perfectly thought out for you to have an amazing vacation. We love reading your #ExoticExperience stories, and we love sharing them even more. Here are our favorites from the past few months.

“Membership has its privileges

#maromastaffrocks”– Heather Mason

“Monday doesn’t seem like a bad day when you are here.”– Debbie Skidgel

4

“Candlelight dinner on the beach at Sensatori. Amazing service from Pablo

#makingmemories”– Sharon Dixon

“Just had our 5th Karisma resort vacation at El Dorado Seaside Suites. It was by far the best vacation we have ever had. All due to our butlers: Aldo, Mauricio and Moises. Those three bent over backwards and then some for us and always made it feel as if it was “their pleasure”. I cannot thank them enough for a much needed vacation filled with relaxation and spoiling. We cannot wait tocome

back!” – Stacie Rogers Taylor

“Truly paradise! We are in week two of our stay. It has been perfect in every way.

Just know that if you are coming, or contemplating coming to EDS, you will be wowed,

pampered, and oh so relaxed!!” – Lianne Howard

Use the hashtag #ExoticExperience on social media to tell us why you love staying at our resorts and why there is nothing quite like it.

5

MY SPECIAL EVENTS

T

More Than Members

Our biggest pride is hearing about what made your trip so special.

here is something special about the membership. Something that goes beyond the benefits and outstanding service one receives. At the bottom of it all, it’s the stories of friendships forged thanks to Exotic Travelers. It is about taking a vacation as a couple and going back with new friends that you may travel with in the future, sharing stories, memories and everything the membership includes. The following was submitted by Exotic Travelers member Alan McDonald.

6

“How do you take the Karisma Gourmet Inclusive® Experience to the next level? Why, throw an epic dinner party for you and 12 of your closest strangers. The group was comprised of people from four states along with my wife and me from Ontario, Canada, and a crazy redneck guy from Kentucky. [My wife and I] held off telling the group that we would be joining them, while we decided how we could surprise them. Through countless posts on a Facebook Fan page, it became evident that many of the group suspected we might be planning a surprise appearance. […] We came up with the idea of hosting an on-site dinner party – cocktails and all.

With the help of the wonderful staff at EDSS we were able to book the stunning Dorado room located at the back of the beautiful Mia Casa restaurant. The invitations went out and the response was overwhelmingly positive. The wines […] were selected from the resort’s extensive wine list. My wife and I were saddled with pre-testing some of the wines before arriving at the resort – oh, the agony! The appetizers, soup and salad choices were pre-selected and that meant all the guests had left to choose was their main meal from the superb Mia Casa menu.

We even had everyone’s name printed on individual cookies for the seating arrangement! (What…I know people in low places).

As the guests began to arrive, the drinks started to flow.

The restaurant captain, Mr. Said, took charge and he and his crew flawlessly served our group the entire evening. We mingled with pre-dinner drinks, took pictures, and just took the time to soak in the elegant ambiance and free-flowing conversation. This was, in fact, the first time we were all gathered together.

We started with sushi and bruschetta, then moved on to the soup – either minestrone or tomato cappuccino (insanely delicious) -, followed by either a garden or Caesar salad. The main course included steaks, pasta, chicken or seafood, all prepared with great care and presented with Gourmet flare. To top off this incredible evening, we needed a dessert. Each person chose their favorite from the menu, but we had a couple of birthdays coming up so the resort decided to bring out a birthday cake; [however, we] got lost in translation and we got a Birthday Yule Log instead! It was hilarious. You haven’t celebrated a birthday until you have a Yule Log in Mexico.

[El Dorado Seaside Suites] can cast a spell on those who travel here. We are welcomed as family upon arrival by the staff and now we have discovered a new family that will stay friends forever. Facebook introduced us, Karisma and EDSS gave us a venue to meet. Love will keep this family together.”

7

MY FAVORITE BENEFIT

Adjusting to dietary needs Share what you love about your membership and our resorts by using the hashtag #MyFavoriteBenefit on our social media!

A

s members of Exotic Travelers, you have surely experienced the many delights of the membership, including the wide array of superior amenities, luxurious services and above and beyond benefits.

Whether you love meeting other members at our invite-only events, waking up to fresh, tropical fruit every morning, or being transferred to and from the resort in a private limousine, the benefits enhance your experience and urge you to keep coming back for more.

Everyone loves the Gourmet cuisine we offer. “We didn’t have a bad meal on either of our stays [at El Dorado Casitas Royale] and loved the dinner theater with celebrity chefs”, shared Kara K. on TripAdvisor. The variety of restaurants, the selection of dishes, the carefully manufactured delicacies are something that guests keep coming back for.

“The choice of restaurants is great, meaning you can eat somewhere different every night. The quality of the food was superb and the service in the restaurants exemplary. You are served in the restaurants, rather than buffet style, so you get the ‘dining out experience’ and the food is clearly very freshly prepared and cooked to order”, said Sue4baz.

It is the whole “cooked to order” that really makes us stand out. As part of the Gourmet Inclusive® Experience and as a benefit of your well-deserved membership, our restaurants and premium room service menus can accommodate to any dietary restrictions, allergies or even tastes. Our chefs are well prepared to change our five-star menus for a vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free or celiac option.

8

SPECIAL CONTESTS

The lucky winners of Exotic Travelers!

W

e are constantly thinking of ways to reward you for your loyalty, your companionship and for sharing the best experiences you live with Exotic Travelers with us. That is why every month we hold contests on our social media to reward you with an extra perk or benefit during your stay. Whether we are giving you $100 USD worth of resort credit, a bottle of champagne to pop during a special occasion, or a romantic candlelight dinner to celebrate love, we are always thinking of you and how to make your vacation go from a simple getaway to the best getaway of your life.

February contest: Celebrating Love Shery Sorby and Jen Della were the lucky winners of our February contest where they shared how they would celebrate Valentine’s Day at one of our resorts. To celebrate love, they got a romantic candlelight dinner on their next respective visit.

March contest: Our First Live Video Innovating, we had Alex Espinoza host our very first live video contest where members were urged to join in on the feed and guess the location. Elvin Hebner and Fran Samaras Hyde were the fastest fingers to guess correctly.

They are getting a bottle of champagne on their next visit to a Karisma Hotels & Resorts.

April contest: Instagrammin’ We had plenty of participants crossing their fingers to be picked in this random draw when following us and commenting on a photo on our Instagram feed. Allan & Melanie Perkins and Jenna van Amerom were the lucky winners of $100 USD of resort credit.

w ll find a ne i w u o y h t n Every mo on our social media contest of winners of the and a list ious month. prev t out and i k c e h c o t e Make sur ly participate. active

9

REVIEWS

What You’ve Said Share your opinion on TripAdvisor and don’t forget to include the words ‘exotic experience’ in your reviews!

S

hare your opinion on TripAdvisor and don’t forget to include the words ‘exotic experience’ and ‘Exotic Travelers’ in your reviews. Mouth to mouth advertising is perhaps the highest form of praise any company can achieve.

We love reading your reviews on TripAdvisor and other social media platforms and learning how much you love your membership.

“I also LOVE my membership since 2009! We have made our investments (3 upgrades) back and then some with two trips a year to our favorite Karisma resort!” – Shappy Irwin

“[Azul Beach Resort Sensatori Mexico is] such a beautiful resort. Such wonderful staff…and amazing food. I would come back in a heartbeat! This place has everything you need!”

– angelinapoopaleena

“This past January, my fiancée and I stayed at El Dorado Maroma. It was our first experience on the Riviera Maya and it will not be our last. Our room was a delight; spacious and luxurious, with a patio that opens out onto a pool. But while we took advantage of it, much of our daytimes were spent out on the beach, in a cabana bed. The beach really lives up to its reputation for spectacular beauty, and we enjoyed it while sipping on drinks and relaxing” – dclarkfinley

10

“Best vacation so far! I am still wowed by the service, the food, the drinks, the pool, the beach, and the most amazing staff [at Nickelodeon™ Hotels & Resorts Punta Cana]! Everything was so perfect; everyone smiling and greeting us the entire time.” - hzhtube

MEMBERSHIP TIPS

How to make a reservation With a click of your computer you could be enjoying luxury holidays in the most sought-after destinations.

P

lanning a holiday is exciting. You get to choose your destination, when you want to go, and where you want to stay. The ease with which you can make your reservation through the Exotic Travelers portal makes it even more enjoyable. It’s all about the stress-free experience of your vacation from beginning to end. You may wonder how easy it is to actually make a reservation through our portal – well, we’ve got the answer here to prove it.

All you need to do is log in and click on Book Now (Make a Reservation) on your dashboard. Decide if the reservation is for you – the member – or for your friends and family. For the latter, you can use either the Rewards Program or your Exotic weeks. Now, if the reservation is for yourself and your spouse and immediate family, then click on your name on the page.

Select your destination, hotel, travel dates and guests.

All you have left to do is choose your room of choice, your transfer option (not required), provide your flight information in case you do choose transportation, select any of the add-ons offered at the resorts, complete the guest information and choose your payment method.

Voilá – you are ready to start packing for your next holiday.

If you have any questions about how to make your reservation you can watch a more detailed tutorial here:

11

WHAT’S NEW?

Exotic Travelers is constantly finding ways to enhance your experience as members. While we rely on Karisma’s hunger for growth, we also make some adjustments and improvements to your membership.

DIAMOND ELITE Introducing a whole new level of luxury, our Diamond Elite membership takes what you already know as luxurious and takes it to a whole new level. Exclusive access to benefits such as the Palafitos Overwater Bungalows at El Dorado Maroma or the fun yet elegant Pineapple Suite at Nickelodeon™ Hotels & Resorts Punta Cana means you get to bask in the high-end luxury that a Diamond Elite membership entitles you to.

12

WHAT’S NEW?

Enjoy $100 USD of vacation credit We are always in search of giving you more for less, rewarding you for your loyalty and making sure your vacations with us are always perfect.

REWARDS EXPERIENCE As if the Karisma and Exotic experiences weren’t enough to spoil you, we have launched a new Rewards Experience where you get endless vacation credits. That’s right – members can enjoy $100 USD of vacation credit for every referral that books a vacation through them. There is no limit to the amount of credits you can use towards a single reservation and your referrals don’t need to know their travel dates as long as they travel within the following 18 months of being referred. Learn more about the Rewards Experience on page 18 under the Member Deals section.

13

WHAT’S NEW?

In early April, Exotic & Prestige Travelers received the coveted recognition of Great Place to Work in Mexico. Moreover, we placed 17th out of the top 100 companies in Mexico. The founding base of any company should be its workforce, the associates that work enthusiastically in order to provide the best products for their customers. At Exotic & Prestige Travelers we believe that joyful associates are the key to our success.

The Great Place to Work recognition is based on three pillars: trust, pride and enjoyment. This means our collaborators trust our company, they are proud to be a part of it, and they enjoy the time spent with their colleagues. It is all of this, in conjunction with seeing positive results as an outcome of their effort, which makes Exotic Travelers a delightful company to be a part of.

14

Exotic Travelers: A Great Place to Work

WHAT’S NEW?

Palafitos Overwater Bungalows: Recognizing Excellence

Earlier this year, the American Resort Development Association (ARDA) hosted its annual convention where they exhibit the latest trends and recognize the best companies in the industry. Held at the Hyatt Regency in New Orleans this year, a series of awards recognized the overall professional excellence, outstanding sales and marketing accomplishments, product design, advertising and staff. It is the ARDA Circle of Excellence (ACE), however, that steals the night, honoring “those that have attained the very highest level of excellence in the resort industry and whose accomplishments and dedication spur the industry into new heights”.

We are proud to announce that Palafitos Overwater Bungalows at El Dorado Maroma, a Beachfront Resort by Karisma, became a part of the Circle of Excellence when it was awarded the ACE International Project of Excellence Award for a Small Resort Developer. The award is just another reminder of how Karisma Hotels & Resorts and Exotic Travelers are poised to continue their growth and expand their ability to create truly special vacation experiences for guests of all types.

15

MEMBERS EVENTS

Jackson Family Wine Gala Dinner:

5 courses, 5 wines and an unforgettable experience

T

he first notes of the mariachi band were playing as the almost 100 guests and members gathered outside the Fuentes Culinary Theater at El Dorado Royale for the exclusive monthly Jackson Family Wine Gala Dinner. With refreshing cucumber mojitos in hand, guests bobbed their heads to the rhythms of the Mexican folklore and anxiously awaited entry to taste the concoctions that Chef Landon Schoenefeld had prepared for them.

Once inside, the Minnesota-raised (but not born) chef welcomed the familiar faces that he had met throughout his week in Mexico and introduced his sidekick, wine personality and sommelier Ann Wallace.

Together, this fun duo walked the attendees through a culinary experience that can only be described as mouthwatering and downright delightful. The night started with Schoenefeld’s take on a traditional Mexican aguachile, which included scallop, tomato, habanero, garlic, lime and cilantro. The juicy creation was just the right amount of spicy and the perfect amount of delicious. Paired with a 2014 Napa Valley Suavignon Blanc, the refreshing dish was described by the chef as “Italian meets Mexican”.

Wallace emphasized that while she recommended certain wines with certain foods, she was all about the “eat what you want to eat and drink what you want to drink” philosophy, urging guests to leave a sip of their wine to try with other dishes, as well. Each person could then decide how they liked the pairing best. Following the aguachile, members were treated to a creamy sweet corn soup with lobster, huitlacoche and roasted garlic.

The velvety soup went excellent with a Chardonnay by La Crema from Sonoma Country.

16

While guests savored the palatable productions, a tenor threesome delighted our other favorite sense: hearing.

With a diverse repertoire, the trio’s deep notes filled the high-ceiling culinary theater, flawlessly complementing the occasion. As Chef Schoenefeld elegantly explained the step by step of his dishes, he dared admit that his third creation – a farro and beet risotto – was a slight ripoff from a restaurant he worked at. It didn’t matter, as it sat smoothly on guests’ tongues and mixed perfectly with Wallace’s choice of a Pinot Noir.

The main dish was a daring ribeye. The sizzling noise the meat made as it was cooked, together with the juicy descriptions of the seaweed sauce, had everyone anticipating what would be the hit course of the night.

Paired with a Chianti Classico from Tuscany, the ribeye went down smoothly and the turnip puree created an explosion of flavor. As the night advanced, the food display ended and the wine glasses slowly started to dry, Chef and Sommelier presented us with the closing course: dessert.

A flourless chocolate cake covered in passion fruit ice cream and sesame crumble concluded the whole meal perfectly. Paired with a Prosecco, members and guests devoured the last of Schoenfeld’s creations and ended the night on a sweet note with the pairing Wallace had elected. With laughs, photos and handshakes thanking the chef and sommelier, members slowly made their way out to carry on the night, maybe at another gourmet bar in the resort. Waiters and staff cleaned the restaurant until the last light went out and so another successful event came to an end leaving everyone anxious for the next one.

17

S

tanding upon four pillars, the Karisma Gourmet Inclusive® Experience has changed the allinclusive industry, positioning our resorts at the top of the game. Between the delicious gourmet cuisines, the premium drinks, the exclusive and prime service, and the great amount of activities and entertainment available guests – and their taste buds – are spoiled unlike anywhere.

Delectable scents in a hearty meal The Karisma Gourmet Inclusive® Experience knows no boundaries when it comes to quality and quantity. They should not be interchangeable, but rather work side by side in perfect harmony. It offers all-you-can-enjoy dining

18

to all guests with only the finest and freshest ingredients – many that come from our own greenhouse. As a result, you get delectable scents, rich flavors, and sumptuous ingredients combined to make hearty meals.

The gourmet cuisine experience doesn’t end there.

You get 24-hour room service, dietary accommodations for special needs (allergies, vegans, vegetarians, and gluten-free and celiac guests), a variety of in-room dining cuisine options, and a various top-scale venues from a la carte restaurants to mouthwatering food displays. Our biggest culinary pride is, of course, Le Chique at Azul Beach Resort Sensatori Mexico, which was named The Best Restaurant in Mexico and is only one of the only seven AAA Five Diamond restaurants in the country.

For more information about our Gourmet InclusiveÂŽ pillars, check out our blog.

19

MEMBER DEALS

Y

Rewards Experience So now, your friends and family can also live a wonderful vacation experience through your membership. Our new Rewards Experience program is designed to give you more, while your friends and family are living it up at one of the Karisma Hotels & Resorts.

ou may think that we’ve given you everything and cannot find a way to spoil you any longer; but we are constantly working hard on finding new ways to reward you. As members of Exotic Travelers you will never be spoiled enough – at least, that is how we see it.

Tell the world about us

It doesn´t have to be your close friends, tell to your neighbor, colleagues, gym mates, clients, employees.

How does it work?

When you decide to reward your friends and family, we decide to reward you for your constant effort to prove that the Karisma and Exotic experiences are worth living. Every referral you send can be exchanged for endless vacation credits that will help you vacation sooner, better and at a much lower price. Your referrals don’t even need to set their travel dates on stone – the new Rewards Experience allows them to travel anytime within the following 18 months.

What’s in it for you?

For every referral that books a vacation, you collect $100 USD of vacation credits that can be used towards your next Exotic Travelers holiday. The good news is there is no limit to the amount of gained credits you can apply to a single reservation. You can accumulate as many $100 USD rebates as you want and before you know it, your referrals are practically the key to your next vacation.

So, how do you start referring?

Login to your Member Portal to give out referrals or contact us by calling 1-800-355-0886 or sending an e-mail to rewardsexp@exotictravelers.com.

20

Get $100 usd

Applied for your next vacation, for each referral that books a rewards experience.

Free vacations

You can accumulate as many $100 usd rebates as you want.

$100 neighbor

$100 gym mate

$500

$100 client

VACATION

$100 colleague

$100 employee

FOR MY NEXT

WE CARE

Healthy associates, happy associates

F

undación Karisma is constantly working hard to give back to our associates and the communities that work tirelessly to help us offer the best accommodation and luxurious services you deserve. Over the past few months Fundación Karisma implemented the Health Day, which urged associates to get free medical examinations within the resorts’ facilities. There were preventive medical assessments, cardiovascular analysis, HIV and STD analysis, sight examinations and women’s health.

21

WE CARE

Saving the planet one step at a time

A

s a Green Globe certified company, Karisma Hotels & Resorts invests effort, time and money in giving back to the environment. Through various programs we work to recycle materials and water, plant our own vegetables and fruits in the greenhouse, help save the endangered sea turtles, and generate clean energy. We encourage guests and members to also keep an ecological conscience while staying at our resorts and love seeing their positive response to it.

Learn more about our sustainability efforts here.

22

N. 2, May- July 2017

CONTACT US 1 800 466 9552

memberservices@exotictravelers.com