Escape Your Winter Routine this Spring Break with Marriott Bonvoy
It’s not too soon to start thinking about your spring break. Whether you’re looking to escape your Winter routine or want to take advantage of school being out, this year is looking to be now of the busiest seasons yet. Travel expert and author, Sarah Dandashy joins us to give some insight on what should be on our radar this spring. For more information visit marriottbonvoy.com
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00:00 - The following portion of the Arizona Daily Mix
00:05 is sponsored on behalf of Marriott Bonvoy
00:08 by the broadcast experts.
00:13 - It's not too soon to start thinking about your spring break,
00:15 whether you're looking to escape your winter routine
00:18 or want to take advantage of school being out.
00:21 This year is looking to be one of the busiest season yet,
00:24 and last week I talked with travel expert and author,
00:27 Sarah Danchey, to get some insight on what should be
00:30 on our radar this spring.
00:32 Good morning, Sarah, how are you?
00:37 - Good morning, doing well, thanks for having me back.
00:40 - Well, we should say very, very good morning to you
00:43 'cause it's very early where you're at in Hawaii,
00:47 which definitely is one of the spring break destinations
00:50 for a lot of people, and right now you're in this
00:53 beautiful suite that's amazing.
00:55 So let's talk about, of course, Hawaii as a destination.
01:00 - Yeah, well, so obviously I'm right now, I'm live in Maui,
01:04 and by the way, now is such a great time
01:07 to visit the islands, and you can support the locals
01:10 by coming with a thoughtful trip.
01:12 I happen to be in the West in Maui,
01:14 in their Hokupa Extended Lanai Suite.
01:17 So there's an outdoor lanai that's just as large
01:21 as the suite inside.
01:23 What's really cool about this suite,
01:25 or the hotel as well, it's located right on Kanapali Beach.
01:28 The resort has six pools.
01:30 It includes an adults-only pool,
01:32 infinity pools, splash zone, water slide,
01:34 which by the way, I'm gonna be going on later,
01:37 lots of cabanas, and also really cool cultural activities
01:41 on site as well.
01:42 They've got their famous spa here.
01:44 And what I love about this particular property,
01:46 it's not just great for families,
01:48 but also couples as well as business travelers.
01:51 So again, there's a lot to do right here.
01:53 - I like that.
01:54 All right, where else are we thinking
01:56 for destinations to go to for spring break?
01:59 - Okay, well, as normally a Southern California local,
02:03 I definitely am biased with this, but Newport Beach,
02:06 and I know that you used to be based in Southern California,
02:08 so you totally get this.
02:10 It's an awesome destination in the spring.
02:12 You can check out, they have a new hotel there.
02:14 It's the Via Newport Beach.
02:16 It's a luxury resort with this wellness-focused spa,
02:19 fitness center, an amazing 85-foot long pool.
02:24 What I like too is they also have artwork
02:26 throughout the resort,
02:28 and guests can actually take a self-guided walking tour.
02:31 Steps away from Fashion Island,
02:32 you've got Balboa Island nearby, lots of restaurants,
02:35 so many fun things to do for the whole family.
02:37 And of course, if you're a golf lover,
02:39 there are a lot of golf courses
02:40 in Newport Beach area as well too.
02:42 So definitely a good place to put on your radar
02:44 for the spring.
02:45 - Yeah, there's a lot of hidden gems there
02:47 that you don't realize.
02:47 Like you said, golf for one, people always think
02:49 of the beach, but they're like, oh, the golf courses,
02:51 the food, oh, it's really nice to go down there and enjoy.
02:55 Okay. - Yeah.
02:56 - Let's talk deals 'cause everyone loves a good deal,
02:58 especially when it comes to hotel experiences.
03:01 What ideas do you have for us?
03:03 - Okay, so I love this.
03:04 As a former hotelier, I'm a big fan of packages.
03:07 So you can head over to San Antonio
03:09 and visit the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort
03:12 and Spa.
03:13 Now, if you've ever been there,
03:14 it's definitely a retreat in and of itself.
03:16 600 acres of oak-covered hills.
03:18 You've got a 36-hole PGA Tour golf course,
03:21 tennis, basketball, pickleball, because that's a thing now.
03:25 I love that they've got a little water park,
03:28 huge lazy river.
03:31 But what's kind of cool,
03:32 they have these Topgolf swing suites.
03:34 So if you are a golf lover,
03:35 you can actually get one of these suites
03:38 and you can play golf on a projector in one of the suites.
03:42 They have a pup package for dog lovers,
03:45 glamping in the great outdoors.
03:47 So they actually pitch a tent inside your suite,
03:50 which is wonderful for kids.
03:51 And then they also have a kids' night out experience
03:53 as well, too.
03:54 So if you are traveling with kids
03:55 and you just want the night off,
03:57 they've got that for you as well, too.
03:58 So lots of great ways to experience that resort.
04:01 - There you go.
04:02 There you go.
04:03 Another great resort.
04:03 Okay, Sarah, we come to you
04:05 because you know how to navigate these great trips.
04:07 So for spring break,
04:08 what are some of the tips you have for us?
04:11 - Okay, keeping it super simple.
04:13 If you are planning to travel anywhere for spring break,
04:16 start now.
04:17 It's gonna be a busy time.
04:19 So start now,
04:19 whether you're looking to escape the cold of winter
04:22 or just travel somewhere with your kids,
04:24 spring break is a really good time
04:26 to just break up your routine.
04:27 Another one I always like to say,
04:29 zig when everyone else zags as well.
04:31 So look for city destinations
04:34 or something a little bit different
04:35 where a lot of people might be thinking about beaches.
04:38 So in Florida, you can maybe look to Maui.
04:41 Again, they're welcoming back travelers.
04:42 So it's a really good time to experience something
04:45 where people aren't necessarily immediately looking.
04:48 And then simple here,
04:49 if you have any flexibility in your schedule,
04:51 fly midweek.
04:53 Fly midweek, come back on a Saturday.
04:55 Generally, if you fly around those times,
04:58 you'll have more attractive airfares.
05:01 And hopefully it's not as busy when you're flying as well.
05:05 - There you go.
05:06 I like that, Sarah.
05:07 Listen, next one we have to do is RVing.
05:09 You and I go RVing and talk about that.
05:11 How's that sound? - Done.
05:12 - Like that. - Done.
05:13 I love it.
05:14 (both laughing)
05:15 - Hey, where can people find more information?
05:18 - Yeah, they can go to Marriott.com for more.
05:20 - Oh, perfect.
05:21 Sarah, thanks for joining us this morning.
05:23 - Great, thanks so much for having me.
05:25 - The preceding portion of the Arizona Daily Mix
05:28 was sponsored on behalf of Marriott Bonvoy
05:31 by the broadcast experts.
05:33 (silence)
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