Author: Andrea Rasalla
Source: ezinearticles.com
A great little tropical escape for girlfriends. (Or guy friends if you can pull off the Bosom Buddies thing). And it’s short enough, so that you’ll still be friends by the end of the vacation.
The promise they make is that the weekend will be full of fun, sun, and the ultimate in girl’s bonding time for a getaway you will never forget – it’s all about hanging tight with your very best friends and experiencing everything that’s a part of a Beaches Resort vacation – from scuba diving to delectable dining and events created just for you . . . and so on . . . you get the idea.
My sister found out about this BFF getaway and thought it would be the perfect thing to celebrate her birthday with a close friend. She ended up bringing me instead. haha. We were scheduled to go in October, then hurricane Ike hit and closed down the entire island, so we re-scheduled for the May getaway.
I was very excited about the trip. Judging by the pictures on the Beaches website, this was a pristine resort, with impeccable service, perfect accommodations, perfect surroundings, and something that concerned me a little . . . PERFECT people, with their perfect, little, stain free, smiling children.
The pictures of young, beautiful, flawless girls laughing over their island drinks made me wonder if I was going to stick out like a sore thumb in my No Boundaries bathing suit from Wal-Mart. This did cause me to begin impulse buying suits on eBay for a teeny bit. When we arrived, I breathed a sigh of relief to see how normal the other girls were. I suspect they thought the same thing, because I could see the relief on everyone’s faces at the meet and greet, as their stiff, unsure body language loosened immediately.
There was such a wide range of women at the getaway. From average, young girls looking to have fun, to middle aged professionals that needed an excuse for a long overdue vacation, to stay-at-home moms that missed their kids, cause it was the first time they had been away from them. They were ALL shapes and sizes and every age. And everyone got along very well.
BFF Getaway Activities
You can pack your schedule with lots of activities they have on the itinerary, or skip all of them to just relax. We picked out the things that sounded like fun to go to, but ended up attended a few extra events just to hang out with some of the new friends we made. Here were some of the events we had to choose from:
- A welcome cocktail reception with champagne and hors d’ oeuvres
- Morning beachside namaste yoga (each day)
- Watersports (each day)
- Island dance lessons (each day)
- Yoga class for beginners (each day)
- Skin care lessons be Wilma Schumann (each day)
- Sunset sail away Catamaran cruise (highly recommended!)
- BFF beach bash (this is basically the girls attending the Caribbean cookout)
- Dancing with the stars at Club Liquid
- Meditation class
- Beach bonfire PJ party (the tables of various chocolate desserts were worth going for!)
- Farewell dinner
This was just the itinerary for the girls getaway. There were also all of the other happenings all over the resort that you could opt for. Some of the girls decided to have a jacuzzi party, while some of the girls stayed to themselves, and didn’t attend any of the events.
The BFF package deal was great. We stayed 5 days, and I honestly wanted to move in forever. I thought about forming crude shelter in a tree so I could stay. The little extras we got with the bff deal were a pleasant surprise too.
- Catamaran Sunset Cruise (an $80.00 value)
- $200.00 spa credit per person
- A free 5×7 professional photo
- Welcome package with little things like sunblock, a hat, a cd, books and lipgloss in a Beaches tote bag.
The Catamaran Sunset Cruise was my favorite activity! They actually hired a fun staff to enjoy the cruise with us, make sure everyone was having a good time, and keep our drinks refilled. There was a DJ playing party music, an open bar, and refreshments set out. They anchored at one spot so we could dive into the water to swim or snorkel. A good time was had by all, even if it was just sitting on the sidelines watching the party, while a photographer snapped away. Some of those pictures were fuh-ney! The sunset was gorgeous out there too! It was the perfect backdrop for frame worthy pictures!
The Spa Experience
I used my spa credit on an 80 minute west Indian massage valued at $170.00. They credited the remaining $30.00 towards the internet that I purchased for the room, which was $38.00. The massage was so relaxing. The description was “Our signature West Indian Massage transports you on a relaxing Caribbean journey that combines a full-body massage with island elements such as warm river stones, tropical rain forest scented mists, and a sensuous white-sand exfoliation for your weary feet.”
Then my sister heard from a girl that it involved swaddling, cuddling, and scratching, and told me I should switch to another massage because it sounded strange. They teased me, saying the masseuse was gonna rock me and cuddle me, maybe climb up on the table with me, or lay on top of my back. Then there was the issue of scratching, since I was sunburned from the intense Caribbean sun. My curiosity caused me to keep the appointment because I thought that sounded too bizarre to be true, and if it was . . . haha OH BOY! the story I’d have to tell!
It was not how they described it. The only close to strange part was the hair pulling portion of the massage, which felt good in a “This feels borderline kinky” kind of way. She really pulled my hair hard too! I was taken by surprise on that one. Other than that, it was soooooo relaxing. I walked out of there all euphorically disoriented, like, “Where am I? Where am I going? . . . Am I drooling?”
All in all, the Beaches Friends Forever Girl’s Getaway is the perfect vacation if you want to get away with your gal pals (or sister) for a fun, and relaxing experience in luxury. We had such a great time, and made good memories that I will never forget. Especially the inappropriate laughter.