All posts tagged: travel

SANDALS ROYALE RESORT BARBADOS

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If you come to Barbados, you will feel the omnipresence of Rihanna everywhere, she might not be there physically, but her spirit is all around or at least her song is playing every other song at every beach bar. It’s pure Rihanna bliss. Barbados is a real tropical island and bigger than I was expecting. I’m used to visiting Aruba and St. Barths, very petit island comparing to Barbados– charming but small. Barbados feels like a big rock, a country– I was lucky to have stayed 8 days on the island so I was really able to get to know the Island. I had the chance to drive around and discover beautiful corners like Bottom Bay, which I visited twice, one on my own and the second time I had to bring Moti so we could take pictures together. For the second part of my trip I was (super lucky) and excited to stay at Sandals, what made Barbados feel like a home away from home was the people I met there, especially the staff at Sandals Royale Resort. Staying …

PUNTA MITA | ST. REGIS PUNTA MITA

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I had the opportunity to join the VII Punta Mita Gourmet & Golf Classic last month through the St Regis Punta Mita, in the Pacific coast of Mexico. I have a soft spot for Mexico, specifically their cuisine, which is possibly my favorite. So when I received the invitation to this event I wanted to cry of happiness. This year I have been channeling my inner Arnold Palmer, by golfing not once, not twice, but three times this year. Also in attendance Lorena Ochoa, a top-ranked female golfer in the world, who I had the privilege to meet during my trip! Punta Mita is an ultra-luxurious resort and residential area located on a private peninsula 45 min far from Puerto Vallarta, surrounded by white sand beaches of the Pacific Ocean. Punta Mita is a golfer’s paradise, you can enjoy of two Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Courses and several beach clubs and the gorgeous St. Regis Resort Punta Mita. This place has become Mexico’s most coveted hideaway. I was treated regally since day one with the best food from chefs around …

ESCAPE TO THE CARIBBEAN | THE RITZ CARLTON ARUBA

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The Ritz-Carlton Aruba allowed me to call it home for another weekend, and what a weekend it was! Aruba is such a great spot in the Caribbean for many reasons: turquoise waters, white sandy beaches, beautiful people and exquisite food. Literally, if you look up the word paradise in a dictionary a photo of Aruba will pop up. One of the most important reasons and perhaps one that is not known to many is the fact that this little gem in the Caribbean can guarantee good weather 99% of the year. Is it a safe bet to visit Aruba? Aruba is south of the hurricane belt, which means hurricanes are not common in this area. In fact, the hurricane frequency in Aruba is roughly every 28.8 years. The last one was a Level 2 hurricane causing minor damage and took place back in 2007, 10 years ago. So, to answer my previous question; yes, Aruba is a safe bet. I encourage you to come visit and choose The Ritz-Carlton Aruba as your home away from …

The Ritz-Carlton Cancun

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Cancun is definitely a place to love. I recently got back from a four-day escapade with The Ritz-Carlton Cancun. The city is way bigger than I imagined and has a whole lot to offer besides from the beautiful turquoise waters and the friendly and polite people of the city. This isn’t my first time to Mexico, however, it is my first time visiting la Riviera Maya, and it was the perfect way to top off the summer season. Every experience that The Ritz-Carlton offers is always the best of the best: From the food and location to the staff and entertainment. On my first night at the hotel, I had the chance to experience the Chef’s Table with Chef Mara Barba, which I highly recommend if you want an intimate dining experience. The menu for the night was Mexican cuisine with a local twist. We were treated to a 6-course meal, which was prepared inches away from us, and in between bites we sipped on local Mexican wines. As she cooks she explains the story …

BACK IN BERMUDA | Louis Vuitton

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And…we’re back in Bermuda for the 35th America’s Cup Presented by Louis Vuitton. Yes… I’m back, only after three short weeks, and I say this without any complaints. This time I had the opportunity to visit the beautiful Island of Bermuda with Louis Vuitton to check out the semi-finals of the America’s Cup. We checked out the races boat-side On board of the gorgeous Spirit of Bermuda. Joining me and the LV team were some of my dear friends, in addition to new ones. We sipped on some champagne while enjoying the oldest race in history and one of the most prestigious events in the world. For the event, I wore some pieces wearing some of my favorite picks from the newest Louis Vuitton America’s Cup collection. Of course, there was some downtime between the races to enjoy the Bermuda beaches. We were fortunate to stay at one of the top-rated hotels on the Island, The Hamilton Princess, which is filled with iconic art pieces and possibly the best restaurant on the island, Marcus. Huge …

ONE PERFECT SUMMER OUTFIT

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So, summer is here… actually is always here in Aruba, but for those who are waiting for the hottest and most fun time of the year, here’s so outfit I put together with Ralph Lauren. Let’s start with this beautiful sailboat print mercer shirt in green linen. It was love at first sight, it is a classic shirt but so vibrant and colorful, my eyes went directly to this showstopper the minute I was browsing around the store.  It is 100% linen, it has a convenient rounded patch pocket at the left chest and split back yoke with a box pleat it has, gives you a greater range of motion and makes it so confortable to wear, those are the details I love from this shirt. Taking in consideration the shirt has a very bright and eye catchy print I decided to pair it with a more toned down bottom, so I went for a more light blue bermuda short with an equally relaxed silhouette, made of cotton. It’s a perfect basic that you can pair with anything and everything, it is …

INTERVIEW on #NextStopCoconut

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NextStopCoconut is a website created to inspire your next Caribbean Getaway. Recently they approached me for an interview to get some insights of Aruba that you won’t find on any blog or travel agency and also to get to know me on a more personal level. To read the full interview just click on the image below!

GIVEAWAY! The Style Chamber, Velorum and The King!

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Soo.. I have a new giveaway running on my instagram. The people from The Style Chamber and Velorum team up with me to give a lucky follower one of these 4 fantastic designs by the talented designer Suhail Matar, head of Velorum Design and Tailoring. How to participate is so simple… just visit  www.instagram.com/christianbendek look for any of this pictures, follow the instructions in the caption and voila! You will be participating! Winner will be announced on The Style Chambe’s Instagram Account next Sunday May 24th, 2015. Good Luck kids!

Beach Buddies

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A towel is a beach essential, you can use it for drying off after enjoying yourself in the water, or t lie on on the sand. Beach Towels can be useful while changing clothes at the beach, and for wiping sand from your body when you are ready to go back to the hotel or home. To do all that you need a big, durable and reliable towel. Meet Vilebrequin‘s Sieste Towel, it’s a big, soft and absorbent. Those three basic attributes are the most important in a beach towel, whereas the Sieste is much more than that; Sieste comes with a pocket where you can place an inflatable cushion that comes with the towel, you can take a nice siesta and relax comfortably anywhere you go. You can also fold the towel and place it inside this pocket, close it and carry the towel easily inside your beach bag, it is so practical and saves you a lot of space, you alsocan use it as a pillow, I mean, this towel is so functional, it’s the best beach towel you can buy, you’ll thank me for this suggestion, …

The Perfect Blue Shirt

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Resort wear is a year-round fashion season, and Vilebrequin has the perfect options in their ready-to-wear collections. From Saint Tropez to Aruba, Martinique and Thailand, to the Costa Brava in Spain, St. Barths and all the Caribbean Islands, resort wear popularity is growing quickly. It’s a style that signifies luxury, relaxation, and appreciation of nature, travel and holidays. I see this year-round fashion daily in the Caribbean from tourists all around the world. Americans, Europeans, South Americans, etc., once it starts getting cold on their side of the world they all go on vacay looking for the warmth of the Caribbean. From Swim-shorts, polos and linen shirts, to light tops and dresses for women, cruise wear is exclusive in its function and construction design. I chose from Vilebrequin’s new collection two beautiful shirts, a classic terry cotton polo in royal blue and a linen short sleeved shirt in blue. The terry is a classic, with its unique fabric texture, so comfortable and dressy at the same time, perfect to go to the beach or grab cocktails at night. What I like the most about this polo shirt is how fresh it is during the …

VIILA HORIZON CURAÇAO: LUXURY CAN BE AFFORDABLE

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Curaçao, the big sister of Aruba and Bonaire, is an hidden gem in front of the coast of Venzuela. As part of the Kingdom of The Netherlands, Curaçao has a lot to offer. Small beautiful beaches in secluded bays, a buzzing nightlife, historical colonial architecture, watersports… a perfect island to spend your vacation. But where to stay? In one of the many hotels or resorts? No, let me tell you a secret. Why not renting a vacation home…like Villa Horizon Curaçao. This one-of-a-kind vacation villa is exclusively designed by the famous Dutch designer Des Bouvrie. The white (bring your Ray ban with you!) design villa with its sleek lines and great views has 4 bedrooms with your own bathroom and AC. If you are with friends, be the first to get the master bedroom. It has a walk in closet, a large sleeping area with an WOW island view and a large ensuite bathroom with two rain showers, two washing tables and a toilet. Brushing your teeth will not be the same anymore. The open-air …