As head of a boutique PR agency and specializing in hotel public relations in the NYC media capital of the country, I love to venture forth, notebook in hand, camera at the ready, to bring back lots of great material to share with our editor friends. And Pico Bonito was a treasure trove of beautiful vistas like the mountains surrounding by morning fog and details such as butterflies and hummingbirds hovering at feedings from the lodge’s roof, to share upon my return.

Guests of Pico Bonito relaxing on the porch of the Lodge

Marcella, the general manager of the property, took me under her wing, and we had many long chats over iced tea. We found ourselves like old friends, sharing stories and experiences while dining alfresco. The food was wonderful; the ambiance relaxing and there was much to take in during my stay.

The rooms were cozy and well appointed. I had a hammock on my porch, and a comfortable reading chair in my room. Of course the bed was adorned with hi-thread count, so very cozy to slide into in the evening and read my book, but not too late, as I wanted to get up early to go bird watching.

Flora and Fauna Delights, Hummingbirds Too!

One of the most fascinating aspects of Pico Bonito is the plentiful flora and fauna. As an avid gardener, I was enthralled by the tropical plants and flowers on the property.

A purple flower typical of the flora and fauna at Pico Bonito.

My guide, Elmer, took me through the paths and we took a moment to focus on each plant, the name of which I wrote down in my notebook and took pictures, which I will share here.  It’s always surprising to see tropical plants in their natural habitat. At home we grow aspidistras and orchids inside our homes or offices, but when you see them where they are indigenous, it’s a thrill.

He also took me on a fairly easy hike to a waterfall that was absolutely gorgeous. While I did not take the 8-mile hike, mine was short but very rewarding nonetheless.

I was busy taking in the surroundings, listening to the birds and the sound of the river splashing along on smooth rock, with deep indentations carved over thousands of years.

The Lodge at Pico Bonito in the evening was magical, with lighting along the paths that weaved through the cabins. I wandered freely listening to the sounds of the night. I found my way back to my cabin, and on my last night, packed up as I was leaving early the next day.

Pico Bonito’s Gift Shop Features Indigenous Pottery

I must mention that the gift shop at Pico Bonito has wonderful pottery based on ancient techniques. And I bought many pieces, which the front desk was happy to wrap up carefully so I could check the box through with my luggage. That all worked well, and luckily everything was in tact when I came home and unpacked.

Now my stunning vases and bowls grace my tables and when I see them, I remember the stay at Pico Bonito. It’s a great boutique hotel where I recommend you plan a stay. I am sure you’d enjoy it from the moment you arrive to the moment you leave. And as a boutique PR agency president, that recommend comes from thirty years of staying at luxury hotels all over the world. Hotel public relations is our bread and butter, but when you have a wonderful property like this one, our job is easy and enjoyable.

Lorraine on the property enjoying the lush surroundings of Honduras

Hope you visit Pico Bonito soon, and make sure you stop in at the butterfly farm, where many beautiful creatures are enigmatic and magnificent. There is much to see there, so don’t delay your visit! Promise you will have a marvelous time.

As Chuck Sullivan of Hilton Worldwide explains, the fact that the reviews are being published on the hotel’s official web site adds a special dimension of credibility. Potential guests are likely to realize that a hotel has the capability to verify that the guest writing the review actually stayed there, whereas a third party web site publishing the review would not have that ability. “We believe that direct channels — specifically, our Web brand hotel pages — have to be seen by the guest as the ultimate source of truth,” Sullivan told ABC News.

When guests communicate about their experience to hotel management, they help not only themselves, but also prospective guests.

Starwood was one of the first hotels to jump on the bandwagon of posting guest reviews on its web site. Since October 2011 when it started, its management has been impressed by the amount of reviews it has received. Almost half of Starwood’s over 1,000 properties have had reviews written about them.

Chris Holden, one of Starwood’s senior executives, believes reviews are a positive luxury goods and travel PR tool. “We knew this would be valuable, but it’s even more valuable than we had predicted,” he says. “We are seeing great engagement from guests.” Ultimately, ensuring that guests care about and are willing to communicate with hotel management about their overall experience is something that all hotels should strive for.

Marriott and Four Seasons adopted the reviews strategy soon after Starwood did. Meanwhile, Hilton Worldwide, InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), Carlson, and other hotel companies are either considering featuring guest reviews on their web sites, or have already confirmed that they will add them in the near future.

Adding reviews to their own web sites is a logical step for hotels, not only according to any New York City public relations agency that keeps up with current trends, but also according to TripAdvisor’s media relations manager Brooke Ferencsik. “Given the popularity of travel reviews and opinions on TripAdvisor for more than a decade, it’s not surprising that hotels are more interested in having customer reviews on their own sites,” Ferencsik notes.

NYC boutique PR firm Abelow PR recommends hotels consider incorporating guest reviews onto their web sites if they haven’t already started doing so.

Kensington Tours Presented the Following New Years Resolutions:

 1.    Invest in Your Travel Dreams

If it’s worth going, it’s worth saving up for. Resolve to put money away each month to make your travel dreams come true. Whether you squirrel it under the mattress, set up an automatic debit, or get smart of on the travel loyalty rewards options, when you’re gazing at the Mona Lisa or diving on the Great Barrier Reef, you’ll have no regrets.

2.    Where The Wild Things Are – Put Endangered Animals on Your List

A devastating number of stunning animals are on the endangered species list – and time is ticking. Make a resolution to see them now, and get inspired to help turn the tides of fate, before it’s too late.  From the orangutans of Indonesia, the black rhinos East Africa and the Arctic’s polar bears, to the Amazonian pink dolphins and India’s Bengal tiger, you’ll stand in awe of nature and hopefully be inspired to action.

3.    Don’t Just “Fly & Flop” This Year, Get Experiential!

Make a resolution to give the all inclusive a pass this year, in favor of something off the beaten path. Immerse yourself in the culture of the destination you are visiting. Whether it’s camping with elephant mahouts in Thailand, an afternoon trekking in Kenya alongside Maasai tribesmen, dinner with a local family in Peru – spending time with locals is guaranteed to be an enriching travel experience.

 4.    Take Inspiration From A Book Or Song That Has Moved You

From Hemingway’s ode to the Running of the Bulls in The Sun Also Rises to Kipling’s The Road To Mandalay, and from Jazz great Miles Davis’ Filles de Kilimanjaro to Sinatra’s New York, New York, literature and music have always celebrated the great global experiences. Resolve to have your favorites to jump to life off the page this year.

5.    Change Your Life With A Sacred Pilgrimage

Vow to get spiritual this year. Explore Israel, homeland of three of the world’s religions Islam, Christianity and Judaism. Spiritual sites linked to each are found around every bend and you’re sure to find many that stimulate your soul. In search of Nirvana? Journey to India’s Bodh Gaya, where Buddha achieved enlightenment or the Holy Ganges River where millions of people take their final voyage from earth into heaven. A trip of this kind is bound to give you a new perspective on your own life.

Abelow PR is a luxury travel and consumer goods PR Firm that was founded in 1993 by PR veteran Lorraine Abelow. The New York public relations firm has won numerous awards including the Platinum from the Hotel Sales and Marketing Association. In addition, Abelow PR is a boutique PR agency, comprised of a savvy group of pros, whose forte is generating bottom line results – lots of positive media coverage for their clients.

Besides being a beneficial hotel public relations strategy, working with charities helps make a hotel’s community a more positive place, which in turn goes a long way toward generating more business for them. Types of charitable efforts by hotels include those that donate supplies and those that donate money.

Working with charities is one way for hotels to develop a positive public image.

DONATING SUPPLIES

In November 2011, Hilton and the non-profit Global Soap Project took the supplies approach. They formed a partnership to recycle soap that is thrown away. The partnership is permanent, not temporary, and in the first year, they expect to donate more than one million new bars of soap to destitute communities across the world, according to USA Today. Hilton also has the future in mind, as it hopes that this effort will enable its properties to decrease waste by 20% over the next two years.

DONATING MONEY

Hotels For Hope, on the other hand, opts to directly donate money to charities, and in the process they aim to revolutionize hotel booking procedures. A hotel which joins the program agrees to donate $1 to one of Hotels For Hopes’ charities, which are geared toward helping kids. In turn, Hotels For Hope matches the $1 donation. The New York Times reported that in its first year in business, Hotels For Hope “donated almost $25,000 to five national and international charities.”

In February 2011, the 53 Sage Hotels in the U.S. ran a similar campaign called “While You Were Sleeping,” which donated single night rates of randomly picked rooms to a charity of the guest’s choice. The Lorraine Abelow PR service noted that by the end of the campaign, over $10,000 had been raised for charities.

A recent effort by Choice Hotels International (CHI) stood out to boutique PR agency Abelow PR due to its artistic twist. In October 2011, CHI, a leader in lodging services, hotel public relations, and travel PR, implemented a program where it will donate one dollar to the It Gets Better Project for each download the Tom Nichols song “Trust” receives on ChoiceHotelsMusic.com. The It Gets Better Project’s goal is to increase the happiness and positivity in the lives of young LGBT people.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Charitable efforts by hotels can be in the form of reducing the amount of waste it disposes of, donating a percentage of money gained from reservations, or by actually raising money, such as with the CHI-It Gets Better Project venture. Any public relations NYC firm which serves the travel industry would benefit itself, its clients, and its community by organizing charitable projects for its hotel clients.

1. Book Vacations Early, Score Incredible Deals

Act now and book a vacation on St Barts, the playground of the rich and famous, and take advantage of amazing deals on gorgeous villas with five-star amenities and panoramic views of the Caribbean Sea that can be had for $3,000 in May.

2. March in the Carnival Parade

In February, the waterfront at Gustavia on St Barts blossoms with color as the streets are full of revelers in festive costumes and elaborate floats carrying music and mischief.  After enjoying the festivities, you can retreat to your private villa so you can continue to celebrate while watching the sun set over the Caribbean Sea.

http://www.wimco.com/villas/villa.aspx?pid=902744

3. Watch the Les Voile de Saint Barth Regatta

In April, join in on the fun of the Le Voile de St Bart Regatta and take advantage of the chance to pay for a seat on one of the yachts for a close up view of a day of world class competitive sailing. Stay in WIMCO’s Villa Fabrizia to enjoy an easy walk into town to take part in the post race festivities and see the fleet at dock.

http://www.wimco.com/villas/villa.aspx?pid=903533

4. Have a Ladies Week in St Barts

Luxury travel PR agency Abelow PR, that also promotes spas and luxury products, has noticed the trend of women traveling together on vacations of all kinds. Whether hosting a group of grandmother, mother, and daughter, or a tight knit group of friends, St Barts is the perfect ladies’ getaway. Stay at beach side villas in Lorient and enjoy long walks up and down Lorient beach and remember to reserve a poolside spa session from the Ligne St Barth mobile spa team.

http://www.wimco.com/villas/villa.aspx?pid=903073

5. Have the Best Beach Vacation of Your Life and Enjoy World Class Snorkeling Right Off Shore

Rent a villa on Grace Bay Beach in the Turks and Caicos islands to enjoy world class snorkeling right off shore, and walk to restaurants and bars nearby where you can take in the sunset and cool down with your favorite rum concoction.

http://www.wimco.com/villa-rentals/turks/caicos/grace-bay/beachside/grace-bay-villa.aspx

Abelow PR is a luxury travel and consumer goods PR Firm that was founded in 1993 by PR veteran Lorraine Abelow. The public relations agency has won numerous awards including the Platinum from the Hotel Sales and Marketing Association. In addition, Abelow PR is a boutique PR firm, comprised of a savvy group of pros, whose forte is generating bottom line results – lots of positive media coverage for their clients.

Each year Abelow PR, one of the top public relations agencies that focuses on travel and luxury goods, canvasses our clients for a list of New Year’s resolutions that each company believes would be a great fit for their travelers. This year the resolutions are better than ever and focus on the exploration of the plethora of cultures that shape this world.

From giving back to the environment by supporting endangered wildlife, to marching in the Carnivale parade on St. Barts, the resolutions are quite diverse. They do however have one thing in common, they all appeal to travelers that want to experience the world rather than just see it.

In the coming days Abelow PR will showcase these collected client resolutions and highlight how to create the dream journeys for 2012.

From all of us at Abelow PR we wish you a wonderful New Year.

Abelow PR is a luxury travel and consumer goods PR agency that was founded in 1993 by PR veteran Lorraine Abelow who is involved everyday on each account. The tight knit public relations agency has won numerous awards including the Platinum from the Hotel Sales and Marketing Association. In addition, Abelow PR is a boutique PR firm, comprised of a savvy group of pros, whose forte is generating bottom line results – lots of positive media coverage for their clients.

Whether we are promoting a hotel in Thailand or New York City, or a hi-tech product coming out of India, the objective is always the same: a steady stream of publicity on the client. As an NYC PR firm, Abelow PR regularly issues press releases on clients, sends personalized pitch letters to the agency’s media contacts, and holds press conferences, to secure stories and mentions in the wide array of publications and news outlets read by the target market.

Highpoints along the journey

While there are milestones in a campaign, for example a launch that results in a surge of coverage, or a major news story that includes the client, a campaign is an on-going process. That campaign is likely comprised of stories in mainstream media such as leading newspapers like The New York Times or the Los Angeles Times, regional magazine coverage in glossy magazines like Dallas Magazine or New York Magazine, or exposure on the morning shows such as Good Morning America or Fox and Friends.

What Steve Jobs was expounding was the concept that one must take satisfaction from the journey, rather than the destination. In a business like Mac computers, there were certainly major milestones along the way, like the launch of new products like the iPhone or the iPad, but there were constant upgrades to those products. Likewise in a PR boutique shop, the agency will make a big splash in the press when a spa opens or a company pioneers a new product. However ongoing exposure for the client continues beyond the introduction. That is where creativity comes in. Finding news hooks to link stories to or angles specific to a particular age demographic are among the ways the PR firm must slice and dice the information about its clients to generate ongoing coverage.

Its all in the details for public relations NYC professionals

Just like Steve Jobs, and the architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe who originally coined the phrase, “God is in the details,” Abelow PR focuses on details in all of our work. Every nuance of description for an hotel’s cuisine or a destination’s particular appeal has to come across in the press releases we send out. A PR agency with high standards must strive to find the exact wording that will capture the essence of what makes a client’s property or product different from the rest.

With “public relations NYC and beyond” as our motto, Abelow PR attains a high level of saturation from the publicity we secure for our clients. For example, in a campaign for Kensington Tours, the agency reached 369 million readers during the two-year campaign. Since the goal is to attain millions of impressions for a client over the period of a year, that requires constant dissemination of news positioning the company as the leader in its field. Steve Jobs’ dedication to an unmatched standard of excellence is an inspiration for us all.

1. The marriage of SEO and online PR content is stronger than ever. Generating your own blogs with interesting observations and insights, organized around keywords based on sound research, will  drive qualified traffic to your site. And those blogs can be syndicated, a new tactic that makes your links spiral out exponentially.

Abelow PR's Blog

2. The credibility of coverage in news blogs with huge audiences will continue to gain traction. Aim high, and reach millions by securing stories in the largest blog in the world, the Huffington Post, as well as highly respected sites such as the New York Times’, About.com. And don’t ignore the incredibly powerful and tightly-knit “Mom blogs” since it’s the mom’s who make the major lifestyle buying decisions like travel, home appliances and décor, dining.

3. A surprise: magazines are proliferating based on niche interests and cities. The power of print has staying power. The average magazine reader relaxes for a good half hour when reading their favorite magazine all about their passion, and the issues stay around the house for a month or in airplane seats and doctors offices where they are read by multiple readers.

4. Twitter will continue to enhance the role of PR, gaining leverage with the press. Twitter is going to gain more ground, with media using it as the go-to venue for what’s trending. Twitter is the new Facebook, with bite-sized stories that go viral like mad. Abelow PR has found reporters picking up stories straight from their tweets!

Abelow PR's Twitter

5. PR’s role will continue to grow as news sites proliferate. Clients will gain further understanding the value of proactively getting the message out through earned coverage via PR when they see spikes in traffic from stories that appear. The speed at which messages move means we will keep our seats at the strategy table.

Abelow PR is a public relations agency founded 20 years ago by Lorraine Abelow, a thirty year veteran of the industry. Her experience ranges from travel to food to luxury consumer products and related lifestyle industries. Visit her website at www.AbelowPR.com, and she welcomes comments and inquiries so email her at Lorraine@abelowpr.com.

WIMCO's beachside Villa MLN

When traveling to another country, especially a country that is as full of culture as St. Barts, Abelow PR recommends that every traveler take part in some of the local events. The Vendome Guide to St. Barts makes this easy. With the list, “Events for Every Interest,” the Guide is the go-to information source for planning a trip to take part in an event. The New Year’s Eve Regatta is one very popular event as the winner of this one-day-around-the-island race in December gets their name inscribed on “The Perpetual Trophy”, which remains on display at the Port of Gustavia. February comes to a close with a bang as Carnival decks St. Barts with festive costumes, celebrations, street parties, live music and parades.

The Vendome Guide’s Villa Rental Section Has Travel PR Firm Longing for a Caribbean Getaway

In the Villa Rentals section of the guide readers can peruse up-to-date information on the 240 privately owned villas represented by WIMCO. The portfolio ranges from attractive 1 BR villas like Villa WV ACE in St. Jean, to superbly-located beachfront properties like the 3 BR Villa WV MLI  on Flamands Beach, to luxurious villas with full concierge services like 5BR  Villa WV SIL in a gated enclave in Petit Cul de Sac.

WIMCO's Villa MLI

WIMCO’s Vendome Guide to St. Barthelemy is a compilation of every bit of information that any in-the-know traveler will need when visiting St. Barts. Abelow PR, a travel PR firm that has years of experience in the Caribbean travel scene, thinks that this guide is the travel-planning tool to procure to create the perfect vacation. From renting a luxury villa that are available in every tax bracket, to creating itineraries for daily outings, to booking reservations at the island’s top restaurants, the guide is a helpful resource for anyone looking to visit the Caribbean in the upcoming year.

Luxury Travel PR Firm Loves ‘Top Ten” Lists

The Vendome Guide to St. Barts features a number of ‘top ten’ lists that Abelow PR believes are perfect for planning where to stay and play while visiting this glamorous French Caribbean paradise.

WIMCO's Villa NAM

With some 60 restaurants on the eight-mile island, St. Barts is by far the Caribbean’s “foodiest” destination. St Barts is famous for its high-quality, yet casual restaurants where chefs like Jean Luc Grabowski serve up tantalizing fare in exotic seaside settings. The Vendôme Guide has pages of user-friendly “top 10” lists for foodies including top new restaurants like the newly remodeled Boucaniers and the brand new Pacri. The guide’s “Restaurants for Every Taste” list takes the guesswork out of making reservations; travelers can choose a restaurant based on a number of different criteria that include everything from ‘easy on the wallet’ to where to ‘see and be seen.’ Lists of best “feet in the sand” restaurants, “most romantic” and “best values” are also included.

Whether you wander in from the beach or plan for a night about town at one of the island’s best restaurants, Abelow PR, a Travel PR firm, believes that WIMCO’s Vendome Guide is the authority on everything that is St. Barts.

Abelow PR is a luxury travel and consumer goods PR agency that was founded in 1993 by PR veteran Lorraine Abelow. The public relations agency has won numerous awards including the Platinum from the Hotel Sales and Marketing Association. In addition, Abelow PR is a boutique PR firm, comprised of a savvy group of pros, whose forte is generating bottom line results – lots of positive media coverage for their clients.