Hawks on Honeymoon: Lessons Learned

Our all-inclusive resort honeymoon was perfect and just what we needed: a lot of relaxation with a sprinkle of adventure. As with most experiences, we came away with a lot of good memories and some lessons learned. Here are the Hawks' honeymoon words of wisdom:

Don't overpack!
Overpacking is kind of my M.O. so it's no surprise that I had way more than necessary for our trip. During the day, I lived in bathing suits and coverups. At night, I would throw on a sundress for dinner and drinks. Packing three bathing suits was spot on, but four pairs of sandals? Overkill. I wore one pair in addition to my daytime flip flops. I can't even recall how many outfits I packed, and the jewelry I bought was such a waste of space. In retrospect, I'd bring a handfull of dresses, one pair of shorts, and a couple of breezy tops. The jewelry would be left at home.

These earrings are the ONLY piece of jewelry I wore the entire week (beside my rings, of course!)

Prepare ahead!
This is mostly in reference to dinners (if reservations are necessary) or activities. Mr. H and I were pretty good on this front. Restaurant reservations had to be made daily. We made them first thing in the morning and we were able to get into the restaurants we wanted. As a part of the "honeymoon package," there were also extra reservations to be made for a candelight dinner on the beach, breakfast in bed, and a flower-filled bubble bath. These activities could all be reserved at once. Since they were pretty popular, making them upon arrival was pretty necessary.


Breakfast in bed. So much food!

Particpate!
Well, this one might not be for everyone or every situation. Mr. H wasn't about to join in on the "Mr. Sexy" contest nor was I interested in shaking my tail feather for all the guests in the women's competition, but we did find things to join in on and had a blast. At the tequila tasting, we tried delicious strawberry margaritas, and at the "White Night" party we sampled rum-infused coconut drinks.


Delish!

We also made sure to try Mamajuana, a drink famous in the Domincan Republic for being an aphrodesiac. (Sadly neither Mr. H nor I felt any different after drinking it, but we did bring the recipe home...Just in case.) I also joined in on some dance lessons that were so much fun.

Mamajuana!

Tervis tumblers are a lifesaver!
Okay, so this one really doesn't seem nearly as important as the others, but I cannot stress enough how crucial they were. All mixed drinks were made in small cups, which would be fine if we had planned to sit at the bar the entire time; however, we were more interested in floating in the pool than being bar flies.


Tiny little cups

The bartenders were more than happy to serve drinks in our tumblers, which allowed us to be in the sun and kept our beverages extra frosty cold while we lounged about.

My "Hers" cup making an appearance (and yes, Mr. H definitely was carrying around a "His")

 What's the best advice that you could give future honeymooners?

Hawks on Honeymoon: ATV Adventure

Wanting a super-restful and relaxing honeymoon, Mr. H and I spent most days relaxing in the pool, walking the beach, or floating in the ocean.


Relaxing in a poolside "valley bed"



Views along the beach



Our resort in the distance

 

However we didn't want to spend the entire week on the resort. After looking at several options and speaking with another couple that had previously been to Punta Cana, we decided to sign up for the Punta Cana Boogie tour. With the promise of getting dirty and exploring more of Punta Cana, we were more than ready for our ATV adventure when they picked us up at Majestic Elegance.


Maybe Mr. Hawk wasn't so ready... looking a little apprehensive

  

So excited!

Once we arrived, the tour guide gave us a run-down of how to operate the ATVs. Punta Cana Boogie had several different vehicle options, but we Mr. Hawk chose the "monster boogie" for its speed. He quickly claimed the driver's seat, which I was more than okay with.

Pre-tour: still clean!

We started on some dirt paths and then were lead along rocky beachside terrain. 

Holding the "oh s***! handle" (like I did the ENTIRE ride)

 

At the point where the Atlantic meets the Caribbean

 Then we explored some jungle-like areas and got a little wet.

 Near the end of the tour they brought us to a stretch of beach to swim, cool down, and relax.


(And to take silly jumping pictures)

   I loved this part of the beach. It was so quiet and serene. There was not a soul around.



No resorts or tourists here!

To finish up we visited a small hut where our guide taught us about the process of making Dominican cigars. Mr. Hawk even sampled one.

Looking at this photo now, it could be a bit suspect. It's a cigar! I swear! :)



Covered in dust, but happy!

 Overall, we really enjoyed the Boogie tour and would definitely recommend it to others traveling to Punta Cana. We anticipated getting a little more dirty than we did, but I think driving the "monster Boogie," which was higher off the ground, kept us less muddy. No complaints here!

Anyone else doing an adventure-type activity on their honeymoon?

Hawks on Honeymoon: Arriving in Punta Cana

Because we had Labor Day weekend on our side, Mr. H and I decided to do a Monday to Monday honeymoon rather than Sunday to Sunday. It was probably one of the best decisions we made. Even with the extra recovery day, we still managed to look pretty darn tired on the plane.

We arrived early afternoon at Punta Cana International Airport (PUJ). Customs and Immigration was a fairly quick process, but be aware that purchasing a $10 tourist card (per person) has to be done before going through customs. Another thing to note is that PUJ is an open air building (NO AC!). I wore jeans since I tend to be cold on flights, but I was regretting that decision while waiting in line for security and customs. There are large ceiling fans, but it wasn't enough to keep me cool!

To get to the resort we chose to take a taxi, and I'm so glad we did. I had read mixed reviews on the various transfer options and rates. One shared transfer I researched offered round-trip for around $60. Mr. H and I paid $40 each way for a taxi and made it to Majestic Elegance in about 15 minutes. Not having to make multiple stops for other travelers was more than worth the extra $20 we ended up spending.

The check-in process at Majestic Elegance was a dream. Being that it is a larger resort, Mr. H and I chose to upgrade to the Elegance Club. Among the many additional perks of staying in the Club, they offer a separate check-in desk with a personal concierge assigned to you for your stay. Within minutes we were touring the grounds drink in hand.

With the lobby above, the staircase leads to a lower bar with open air seating



The grounds with a partial view of the downstairs lobby bar area



Private Elegance Club pool area



Private Club bar

After grabbing an afternoon snack, our concierge lead us to our room. We chose not to upgrade to a "swim up" room, so our room was located on the second floor. Even though we had to walk a little farther to get to the pool, I thought it was a good decision on our part. Our room offered a lot more privacy.


The bed with the bathroom to the right



Small seating area and balcony

 



I was very impressed with the beautiful grounds and thankful that we upgraded to the Club. After a busy wedding week, I knew I'd appreciate the quieter, adult-only area of the resort.

Did you chose to make any upgrades on your honeymoon? Is being in an adult-only environment important to you?

Do Not Be Like Miss Hawk: A Last Minute Passport Renewal

Yesterday morning I woke up in a mini-panic around 5am. No, it wasn't another one of those pesky wedding nightmares. It was the thought of my expired passport that jarred me awake. I don't have any clue what made it pop into my head, but I think the wedding gods were giving me a giant jab in the ribs, reminding me that it was now or never.

My passport had expired back in December 2011, but seeing that I don't use it very often I didn't realize it until around February. At that point I would have had plenty of time to renew it in time for the honeymoon, but bridal brain stuck again, and somehow renewing my passport floated out of my mind, being replaced by more important things like monograms. Well I certainly ended up paying. Processing time for a standard mailed-in renewal takes 4-6 weeks and costs $110. Due to my procrastination, I had to pay an additional $60 to expedite the process to a 2-3 week time frame and pay $12.72 to overnight my new passport as the Department of State recommends.

The paperwork was actually extremely easy to fill out. For the renwal, they only required I fill out form DS-28. I also had to provide a new passport photo, my current passport, and a check for the fees. Being that the process was so simple, I don't know what was holding me up all this time.

For anyone who needs a new passport in less than 2 weeks, there are several Regional Passport Agencies where you can apply in person (by appointment only). There are also services like Fastport Passport that can help you obtain a passport within as little as one business day, but expect to shell out big bucks.

Moral of the story: If you are traveling out of the country for your wedding or honeymoon, check your passport now!!

Did anyone else procrastinate with something major like renewing your passport? Were you hit with extra fees to get it done on time?

Officially honeymooning!

As I may have admitted a time or two before, I'm a pretty type-A girl. I crave organization and often require a wealth of information before making a big decision. Our honeymoon planning was no different. I originally asked Mr. Hawk to take charge and be the head planner for our honeymoon plans; however, when he didn't seem to be doing a lot of research, I quickly stepped in (and pretty much took over).

I scoured Trip Advisor for reviews and rankings (all while taking copious notes, of course). After a few months of off and on research, Mr. Hawk and I finally sat down over the weekend to make some concrete decisions. We've decided to go to Punta Cana, DR. Woo hoo! We will be staying at an all-inclusive resort, in the adult-only club area. I have never stayed at an all-inclusive resort before, but I am really looking forward to it. I like the idea of knowing what we're paying up-front, and I think knowing all our meals and drinks are taken care of will make for a less-stressful vacation.

Those canopy beds look like a great place for an afternoon nap! Images via Expedia

After officially booking our trip, Mr. Hawk proclaimed, "I'm sure glad my big portion of the planning process is over." Eeeer, what? I'm sorry, what part of the honeymoon did he plan? He did make a good point though. He could have done all the research in the world, and I still would have wanted to do my own. It's not that I don't trust him, it's just my nature. It was most likely a time-saver that I did the majority of the research. I'm just pleased as punch that we have another major decision taken care of. (And I'll give Mr. Hawk a little credit and say it was a joint effort!)

How did you decide where to honeymoon? Did one of you end up doing the majority of the research?