Destination E

Black-Owned Resorts, Hotels and B&Bs

Like the rest of the travel lovers of the world, I am ready to go somewhere! So, I started to research domestic vacations. More specifically Black-owned resorts, hotels, and bed & breakfasts. Because unless you have been living off the grid these past few weeks, we all can understand the importance of continuing to support Black-owned businesses.

As I am doing my research, I came across Salamander Hotels & Resorts which is owned by the founder & CEO Sheila C. Johnson, who has worn many professional hats in her time and is best known for creating BET (Black Entertainment Television). There are 5 Salamander hotels & resorts in the USA and aboard including The Henderson in Destin, FL, Hotel Bennett in Charleston, SC, Innisbrook in Palm Harbor, FL, Half Moon in Montego Bay, Jamaica and the one I’ll like to visit soon, the Salamander Resort & Spa. The Salamander is a 5-star luxury resort in Middleburg, VA, about an hour away from Washington, DC. Some activities you can find at the resort include archery and ax throwing, indoor & outdoor pools, an equestrian program, zip lining and more. There are also multiple dining options to choose from, a spa, and nearby wineries.

After I visited Wellspring Manor and Spa in PG County, MD last year. Two of my friends told me about Akwaaba Bed and Breakfast Inns owned by husband and wife team Glenn Pogue and Monique Greenwood. Ms. Greenwood serves as the president and CEO of the company. There are currently 5 B&B locations including Akwaaba Mansion in Brooklyn, NY, Akwaaba DC in Washington D.C., Noble Lane in Bethany, PA, Akwaaba Philadelphia in Philadelphia, PA and Buttonwood Manor in Cape May, NJ where you can rent the entire vacation home and a cottage. Noble Lane stands out to me the most; you may have seen the Poconos inn featured on OWN’s TV show Checked In. They have a spa on the premises: YOUtopia, two tennis courts, an indoor pool, and activities for their guests including a cooking class and a movie and game night, just to name a few.

To learn about more Black owned hotels in the U.S., check out Forbes’s latest article: 7 Black-Owned Hotels Across The U.S. To Visit On Your Next Road Trip.

And of course, if you need any assistance in planning your next vacation I am always here to help!

A Drive-Able Vacation

Yes, I am that person who is excited about their birthday every year. My mother says as soon as the new year comes around, I start talking about my birthday plans. Most of the time I like to take a trip or keep it simple and do something fun close to home. This year I decided to do a drive-able vacation that was a mixture of rest, relaxation and quality time with loved ones.

While doing an online search for wellness resorts nearby, I stumbled upon a black-owned bed & breakfast, Wellspring Manor & Spa in Upper Marlboro, Maryland about 2 hours away from Philadelphia. It is owned by the lovely husband and wife Kevin Alexander and Lisa Brown Alexander, who we had a chance to meet while there. The guest amenities include daily made to order breakfast, complimentary toiletries, an outdoor pool, daily snack service, an art gallery, and concierge services. You can also hire a chef to cook your dinner! We took advantage of their Tranquility Tuesday package which comes with early check-in and a 60-minute Wellspring Manor Signature Massage for each guest at their Spa Sanctuary.

When we first arrived, we were in awe of the landscape. Acres of beautiful trees and greenery getting ready to change colors for the Fall. We were met by the Guest Services Manager, Shelia Robinson. She was phenomenal. She helped us with our bags, and she let us know everything available to us while at Wellspring Manor & Spa. She gave us a tour of the property, offered us suggestions for dinner in the area, she escorted us to the spa on-site, and prepared our evening snack. Lisa and Sheila prepared and served us breakfast the next day.

While in Prince George County we decided to check out the local attractions. We visited the National Harbor which was quite nice. We checked out the MGM, Tanger Outlets, The Tasting Room Wine Bar & Shop and had lunch at the Crab Cake Café. We also rode The Capital Wheel (a ferris wheel), which is 180 feet above the Potomac River with 42 gondolas. The views from above were quite breathtaking. The next day on my actual birthday, I decided to take a yoga and meditation class with Zen With Wen at Running Hare Vineyard. It was a beautiful experience; the scenery was lovely and the class was easy to follow along. Later that evening we checked out Maryland Meadworks and had dinner at SoBe Restaurant & Lounge. They serve a fusion of Latin, Asian, American and Italian fare.

So, there you have it. You don’t always have to jump on an airplane to have a good time or experience something new. Your next great adventure can be right next door!

Let’s Take A Trip To Cabo

This was my first vacation since I became a travel agent and boy was I ready to go somewhere. I have been wanting to check out a RIU resort and was excited to visit one of their new all-inclusive adult-only resorts RIU Baja California in Cabo San Lucas. I think Cabo has been on most girls travel list since the days of MTV’s Laguna Beach.

The RIU brand is known for having a party-like atmosphere. We certainly got that vibe from the moment we checked in. They offered us a welcome drink and every room has a liquor dispenser. They will restock it every day if needed (more José Cuervo, please!). During our stay, their events included a white pool party, a pink pool party and a neon pool party. Of course, you don’t have to dress in those colors, but it makes for a cool pic if you and your squad match the theme. Baja’s guests also have access to the 2 neighboring resorts and their amenities. We checked out their discotheque and water park, which was a lot of fun.

Now let’s talk about the food. This resort had one buffet where you could eat breakfast and lunch. They also had lunch options at the grill by the pool and a 24-hour snack bar by the lobby. For dinner, they had multiple specialty restaurants to choose from including Fusion, Japanese, Indian, a Steakhouse, and Italian. The buffet was so/so, I tried to stick with options that were made to order such as an omelet, waffles/pancakes, a steak off the grill, pasta or stir fry. We tried a new restaurant each night and my favorite was the Italian restaurant. For starters, I had calamari and fried mozzarella. For dinner I had lamb chops with potatoes and asparagus. I also enjoyed the Fusion restaurant; the lobster risotto was pretty tasty.

Now for the nightlife. Cabo’s downtown area is where you can find most of the nightclubs. There was no cover charge. The entrances of the clubs are semi-outside so you can hear what type of music is being played before you go inside. My friends and I are fans of most music but mainly Hip-Hop/R&B so we would listen to see what song was playing before deciding which club to try out next. We visited El Squid Roe (they loved us there/you are allowed to dance on top of tables), Mandala, La Vaquita and Crush Nightspot. Crush is a Hip Hop club and they have a upstairs balcony where you can dance outside and people watch.

So, if you are ever in Cabo, certainly check out the RIU Baja California. I give the resort a 4 out of 5 stars rating. Check out the downtown area if you are in the mood for nightlife. And of course, if you ever need help planning your next vacation, I’m here!

*We hope you like the places we listed. Just so you know, Destination E may collect a small commission from the links on this page if you decide to book a stay.*

My Travel Bucket List

Most of the time when I mention I’m a travel agent, people are intrigued and want to know all the places I’ve been. If I’m asked that question around my family, before I can even respond:

Them: “The question should be where hasn’t she been?”

Leave it up to them I’ve been everywhere, I’m always on vacation or about to go somewhere. But I can admit, I do often think about where my next vacation will be. So I had to ask myself, “what is on your travel bucket list?”

Here’s My Top 10:

I hope to cross a few off the list soon! Where do you want to go next?!

What Led Me to Become A Travel Agent

For years I had been calling myself the ‘unofficial travel agent’ because I would plan and research most of the vacations I took with family and friends. I even started customizing itineraries so everyone would know the plans for each day and more importantly how much money to bring. I’m also big on immersing in the culture of any place we visit and making sure we all have a great time. So not only was I planning our trips, I was starting to get requests from more friends, family, even coworkers, to put together a trip for them too. And I know you’re thinking why didn’t you become a travel agent years ago? Trust me it has always been at the back of my mind.

It didn’t quite hit me that I should consider changing career paths to the travel industry until the upcoming days of my 30^th birthday last year. I literally had 3 days to cancel my original trip plans and plan a trip to Italy. I was so stressed out, I even shed a few tears, but I was determined to make it happen. My sister and I finally decided to go to London and four cities in Italy-Rome, Venice, and the Amalfi Coast-Sorrento and Capri Island. I call it the ‘planes, trains and automobiles trip’. It was quite an adventure and turned out to be one of the most beautiful experiences of our lives! Everything fell into place and ran so smoothly. Now every time I hear Italy, my heart smiles. I think about the great people we met, the amazing food we ate, the breathtaking views and beautiful places we stayed. I would do it all over again because it got me here today. It felt like that moment I turned 30, I decided “I’m only doing things that make me happy.” One of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

“It is only in adventure that some people succeed in knowing themselves – in finding themselves.” – Andre Gide