Author: Melinda

Press Release – 2011 BBB of Western Michigan Integrity Award Finalist

Contact:  Lorna Elve

Marketing Manager

Witte Travel & Tours

616-957-8113

For Immediate Release

November 21, 2011

2011 BBB of Western Michigan Integrity Award Finalist

Grand Rapids, Mich. – Witte Travel & Tours was named a finalist in the BBB Integrity Awards for 2011.  “While you did not win the Integrity Award this year, your business is deserving of recognition and praise as a finalist.  The judges evaluated numerous nominations and we are pleased to have you represent trust and integrity in our 38 county regional business community,” wrote Phil Catlett, President of the BBB of Western Michigan.

Witte Travel & Tours is a retail vacation travel agency and a tour operator.  The company, locally owned and operated by Henry I. (Henk) Witte, was established in Ada, Michigan in 1975.  Witte’s staff includes over 35 travel professionals with a combined experience of over 350 years.  Witte Travel is a member in good standing of many business and professional organizations and associations: among them the Grand Rapids Area Chambers of Commerce, the Better Business Bureau of West Michigan, the National Tour Association, and the American Society of Travel Agents.  In addition, many of Witte Travel’s staff members have earned Certified Travel Consultant and Destination Specialists designations from the Institute of Certified Travel Agents.

For information contact Witte Travel & Tours, 3250 28th Street S.E., Grand Rapids, at (616) 957-8113 or 800-469-4883.  Witte Travel is open from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and Wednesday evenings until 7 p.m.

Island Route Tours

Island Routes is a Caribbean Tour operator and a member of the Sandals Group of Companies.  It was founded by a group ofCaribbeanpeople whose mission is to showcase the culture, beauty and natural resources that define each unique island destination.  Currently, Island Routes operates over 140 tours inJamaica,St. Lucia, Antigua, theBahamas, Turks and Caicos, andBarbados.  Island Routes recently received the 2010 World Travel Award for “World’s Leading Caribbean Attraction Company” and has set the tour industry standard by becoming the only tour company to receive a prestigious Six Star Diamond Award from the American Academy of Hospitality Sciences.

 Islands Routes has tour desks in all of the Sandals and Beaches properties as well as the Grand Pineapple locations; however, guests staying anywhere on the islands (or cruise passengers visiting the islands) can book tours with Island Routes.

The Grand Pineapple Beach Resort Antigua

The Grand Pineapple Beach Resort Antigua is located on a secluded 500-meter stretch of white-sand beach (Long Bay) approximately 30 minutes from VC International Airport and 30 minutes from the capital, St. John’s.

The resort boasts vibrant Caribbean colors with a unique tropical flair. The guest accommodations are in one, two and three-story buildings, each replicating classic Caribbean architecture. The resort is moderately priced and will host singles, couples, families and small groups. The atmosphere here is quiet, casual, relaxed and unhurried.

There are 180 rooms in 5 categories. All rooms have air-conditioning; king, double or queen-size beds; ceiling fans, hair dryers, telephones, iron and ironing board, private bath or shower, safe, cable television, and coffee/tea makers. Some rooms have private balconies or patios and others have communal verandahs.

There are 5 restaurants and 3 bars at this resort. Nightly entertainment is provided along with a wide variety of land and water sports. There are two freshwater pools, one of which is a quiet pool reserved for adults only.

Much of this resort is situated on a hill, which can make walking difficult for some. The ocean-view rooms are located on the hillside and are the largest rooms of the resort. I would not recommend this resort for anyone with mobility issues. The walkways are at times uneven and getting up to the hillside can be a challenge. There are no elevators on property.

Sandals Grande Antigua

Sandals Grande Antigua is situated on the most beautiful and longest white-sand beach in Antigua, Dickenson Bay. It is 15 minutes away from the VC Bird International Airport and 10 minutes from Antigua’s capital, St. John’s.

There are 373 rooms and suites in 25 categories in this beautiful 27-acre resort. Accommodations range from one-story buildings with patios to Honeymoon Rondavels with private plunge pools, to exotic Mediterranean Honeymoon Penthouse One-Bedroom Suites and Luxury Ocean Villas with private pools!

The resort comprises two distinct sections: the Caribbean Grove (the original resort) and the new Mediterranean Village.

All accommodations in the Caribbean Grove have air-conditioning, king-size mahogany four-poster beds, ceiling fans, amenity kits, hairdryers, private bath and shower, safe, clock radios, cable television, coffee/tea maker, iron and ironing board.

Accommodations in the Mediterranean Village offer concierge service, air-conditioning, king-size mahogany four-poster beds, ceiling fan, amenity kits, hairdryer, telephone, private bath and shower, safe, CD clock radio, cable television, coffee/tea maker, iron and ironing board. These suites have Italian floor tiles, large flat-screen televisions, custom-designed mahogany furniture with leather trunks and fabrics from Turkey, Italy and India. The bathrooms feature Italian Giallo marble, custom his-and-her washbasins, the latest Kohler Purist bath-and-shower fixtures, whirlpools and overhead walk-in rain showers.

There are 11 restaurants and 7 bars throughout the resort. Theme nights, weekly events and nightly entertainment is also provided. There are six freshwater pools and six whirlpools, including two swim-up pool bars. This resort also offers volleyball, aerobics, table tennis, day/night tennis, darts, bocce ball, pool tables, snorkeling, aqua cycle, Hobie Cats, Sunfish sailing, kayaks, pedalos, windsurfing and scuba diving.

This resort is fairly large and may require a lot of walking from one area to another. Guests with limited mobility would probably be more comfortable in the Mediterranean Village, as it is more compact and elevators are available.

Netherlands Waterway Cruise…tips and hints

Things I learned on the Netherlands Waterway Cruise:

  • Make sure you have extra battery packs and memory cards for your camera!
  • Don’t wait until you get to the airport to say goodbye to all the new friends you’ve made. With everyone busy finding their luggage and looking for the right gate, we were scattered to the four winds before we knew it. Make sure to get information to stay in touch while you’re still on the boat.
  • Take comfortable walking shoes. Also, take comfy “lounging” shoes for when you’re on the boat.
  • If you like ice cream, you’ll love ice cream in Holland.
  • Holland is full of friendly, helpful people who live in a clean, green world and are very proud of their land and their heritage.
  • Although our cruise ship is small compared to many of larger ships we saw in Amsterdam harbor, this boat can get into the smaller canals and go places the big guys can’t. That’s really what makes this waterway cruise so special. And I think it makes it a more comfy-cozy sort of trip.

It was a great time and a great trip, and if I have an opportunity to go again, I hope to meet you there!

Tot ziens means “So long for now”

Time to roll out of bed and enjoy one last breakfast. In a couple of hours we will be back in the skies and headed for home.

I will come away with many fond memories of this wonderful week in the Netherlands:

  • The crew, their quick response to our needs and wants, their patience with us, their sense of humor, how quickly they got a sense of our different personalities. They all came out to wave at us as we pulled away in the motorcoach, bound for the airport. Tot ziens, all of you! Hope to see you again!
  • The variety of food and the fun of figuring out what we would be served tomorrow judging by today’s menu. For instance, fresh red and yellow peppers in our salad one day; roasted pepper soup the next. And all of it delicious.
  • The early morning hours up in the lounge or out on the deck, drinking that marvelous coffee and enjoying the spring sunshine.
  • The colors of the tulip fields. The unending varieties of the tulips at Keukenhof. Are you sure that’s a tulip?
  • The ubiquitous bikes and bike trails. The Dutch really have the right idea about staying fit and enjoying life!
  • All the many people on board from all different parts of the country. I will long remember my friends from the state of Washington, the duck-hunting guys and their wives from Iowa, the lovely 83-year-old woman and her daughter who were so much fun, and many more.
  • The beautiful towns and villages we passed through, many with their unique architecture and designs on their doors and windows.
  • Windmills everywhere, old and new. Many times the newer wind turbines lined up along the canal while the more traditional windmills could be seen out in the fields.

 

Why the Netherlands Waterway Cruise?

This cruise has something for everyone, whether you are part of Generation X, Baby Boomers, or beyond.  You can join in as many walking tours and excursions as you want and truly “custom” design your experience.  If you want a leisurely cruise or an action-packed cruise, it’s your call.  For me:

  • I LOVED being able to unpack and make the cabin my “home” for the duration of the cruise vs. a typical tour where you stay in multiple hotels and don’t have a true “home” base.
  • Participating in as many evening walking tours that I wished to.
  • Being able to pick and choose the excursions I wanted to join in vs. having it automatically built into the cruise package.
  • The option to explore independently, but at the same time being a part of a mini community (there were 100+ passengers on the trip) where I was guaranteed to run into my fellow passengers while investigating new villages and cities.
  • Having all meals, except the first lunch upon arrival, included in the cruise, as well as tipping to our tour manager and cruise personnel.
  • I appreciated the smiling and helpful staff of the Salvinia who were always helpful.  I now know why Henk has used the Salvinia for so long.  Not only is the ship “simply perfect” for our passengers and the cruise, but the staff is top-notch.
  • Surprising highlights at every turn of the cruise.  I must admit that the Organ recital at the Martinikerk (Groningen and Friesland excursion), the Orchid Farm (Overijssel, Northeast Polder, and Friesland excursion), and the Frisian folklore group performance in Franeker didn’t sound interesting to me at all.  Guess what?  I was totally wrong on all three scores.  I am so glad the two sites were included on the excursions I joined and that my good friend Barb talked me into participating when the folklore group came on board or I would have missed out on three amazing experiences.
  • Cruising the waterways was a highlight in itself.  You never knew exactly what you’d see and the scenery was spectacular.

The cruise and Amsterdam pre-tour through images

Aalsmeer and Keukenhof…flowers everywhere!

Our last full day, and it’s a busy one! Up early in the morning to travel to Aalsmeer, where the world’s biggest flower auction takes place every day.  An overhead grid of platforms allows you walk around and see down onto the huge floors filled with cart after cart of any kind of flower or plant you can imagine. It’s a very colorful sight! You can even peek in one of the many auction rooms to watch the proceedings while the carts are being bid on. Its hard to imagine that the flowers we were seeing on the auction floor could be in a vase on our kitchen table by the time we arrived home tomorrow afternoon. But that’s how quickly the flowers are moved through the process. Fascinating!

And now for one of the greatest “shows” put on by Mother Nature, with a great deal of help from many, many willing hands. We are here at the Keukenhof National Flower Exhibition, a 72-acre park with floral landscapes in every conceivable color and color combination. It is a treasure trove of a place for all ages, because the winding paths and the ponds with fountains and the patches of tulips wending into the distance beckon in every direction. If only I had power-driven wheels on my shoes so I could take in the whole park!

And now here we are for the grand finale—the Captain’s Dinner. I didn’t know how they would top it considering all the wonderful dinners we’ve had all week long, but they did. It was a great feeling to give our crew a big round of applause for the A-1 treatment we received from each and every one of them.

The beauty of the Keukenhof National Flower Exhibition

Aalsmeer and Keukenhof

Today was yet another highlight, though I knew it would be with Aalsmeer and Keukenhof on the agenda.  I have wanted to see the flower auction and it did not disappoint.  Seeing the “action” as it unfolded was awe-inspiring, from the trolleys of flowers being shipped to the auction itself.  Keukenhof is simply gorgeous and a true feast for the eyes.  The flowers, sculptures, manicured garden scapes…words just can’t describe the beauty.  We had the perfect amount of time here and I must say, even seeing all I did, I’d go back again in a second.  It is such a tranquil setting and in full bloom when I went.