Barbara Oleszczuk, LS
Interests & Specialties
Barb has been in the travel industry for 14 years and thoroughly enjoys the business. She holds a Luxury Travel Lifestyle Specialist (LS) designation from The Travel Institute and is a Las Vegas and Universal Studies specialist. In addition to her expertise in these areas, she is a graduate of Disney's College of Knowledge and a Disney Specialist. She has completed cruise specialists courses with Uniworld, Holland America, Carnival, Princess and Royal Caribbean.
Barb is located in the Northwood, Ohio office and can be reached at 419 693-9869, 800 860-9869 or barb@centraltravel.com
Expert Bio
Barb’s passion is all inclusive resorts specifically Sandals in Jamaica, St. Lucia and the Bahamas. She enjoys assisting clients in planning the perfect trip to Las Vegas and the all inclusive resorts of Mexico and the Caribbean. She has assisted hundreds of clients with their dream vacations to Cancun and the Riviera Maya at the Palace and El Dorado resorts. Barb’s personal travels include Cancun, Jamaica, St Lucia, Hawaii and Ireland where she spent 7 days driving over 1000 miles from Shannon to Dublin, to Cork then over to the Ring of Kerry, up to the Cliffs of Moher and then back to Shannon exploring darling B&Bs across southern part of of the country. One of her favorite destinations is Las Vegas and she has also cruised with Carnival in the Caribbean and Alaska and Celebrity in the Mexican Riviera.
My Recent Trips
I have just returned from wonderful trip to the beautiful Caribbean Island of Jamaica. After whisking through the airport, I arrived SUNSET JAMAICA GRANDE in Ocho Rios (a 90 minute drive ). Their lobby was like most resorts in Jamaica, open air - very large and impressive. It has 730 rooms with balconies, and the rooms were nicely decorated. Nice size room, and view was the Ocho Rios Bay. This property is a great family resort, full-service spa, and very large. The children’s program is separated in age groups. The services are free and they are from 9A-9P. Camp Mongoose is for ages 2-8. Then the next group is Tweens and then Teen’s all have their own area. Great water slides, 5 pools featuring waterfalls and swim-up bar. The resort features 6 restaurants and 8 lounges. Three of those 8 are a’la carte restaurants, where reservations required. They have a great Pirates beach party. It was great fun and lots of entertainment. They had a great buffet right on the beach. For those that like to go off the resort, it is only a 5 minute walk to shops and restaurants to downtown Ocho Rios.
SANDALS DUNNS RIVER VILLAGGIO
This resort is an Italian inspired resort, capturing the romance of the Italian renaissance. At night, the restaurant, Il Capitano is both air condition and outside dining. No reservations are needed and the food was served not a buffet. This restaurant was all candlelit, and very romantic. This resort has a 9-hole Pitch and Putt golf course with the Sandals Red Lane spa. One thing they wanted to point out is that they have a weekly late night chocolate buffet. There is turndown service for all rooms and suites.
FDR
For those looking for a boutique family resort, this resort is an all suite, all inclusive resort in the Runaway Bay area of Jamaica. Each family when they arrive, they are assigned their own nanny. She is with your from 9am to 4:40pm with 1 hour off for lunch. Resort is rated with GoGo a 3 star but I felt that it was very worn down and needs a big face lift. They have many specials going like B.Y.O.G.(Bring Your Own Grandparent) and they stay free. They also have a single supplement waiver for all single parent families for now until December 18 2008. Right now, they also have a $1000.00 cash back per couple and it can be combined with both promotions I have just mentioned. A special kids buffet is served every evening.
SANDALS GRANDE OCHO RIOS BEACH AND VILLA RESORT
This resort I was met with cold washcloths and a rum punch. This resort is divided into 2 distinct parts. Riviera side is beach front were the Manor side is on the mountain side. This resort which is really 2 resorts in one, is very large and to get around they have shuttle busses. This resort has 94 pools and 22 hot tubs. It has one of Sandals largest spas with a topical solarium. On the manor side, it has Caribbean’s largest Rock Climbing Wall. One of the room category is the Romeo & Juliet Honeymoon One bedroom Suite with Private Pool and Butler Service. This is a beautiful private retreat with large bathroom and a roman-styled tub. On the Riviera side, their top room is a Honeymoon Riviera Oceanfront One Bedroom Luxury Suite with the view of the ocean.
RIU MONTEGO BAY
After my last site inspection in the Ocho Rios area, I headed to Mo-Bay as the locals call it. Checked into the Riu Montego Bay, which had just opened up in August, for 3 nights. It is 3 miles from the Montego Bay Airport, so you do hear some planes taking off. Beautiful open air lobby with washcloths waiting for us. At night, they had great entertainment. Didn’t get to use pool area until the last afternoon and it is beautiful. In the pool, they had areas that you could sit in the water with a table and also lounge chairs in the water. It has a wonderful pool area for those who love time at the pool.
COUPLES NEGRIL
This was my favorite resort of all those that I visited. Couples Negril is a small 234 room resort. It is unlimited meals daily with wine at lunch and dinner, all drinks at any of the 5 bars, organized tours and all water sports. It is on 18 acres white sand beach of Bloody Bay. The Montego Airport is one hour and thirty minutes away, and 5 miles from Negril. They take the all inclusive one step further. They include shopping shuttles to the town of Negril 4 times weekly, shuttles to a scenic local bar 4 times weekly, Catamaran Cruise and Golf. This is adult couples only. They have a tree house that is used in the daytime for massages, and romantic dinners at night. For your honeymoon couples, they will get ½hour massage when they present their marriage license within 30 days of the wedding. Another perk to this resort, if you are on the beach, they have a red flag policy. You put your red flag up and they will come and take your drink order and get it for you. Also, down at the beach area, they have a Do-it-yourself-bar. You can make your own drink. They will teach you to scuba dive for $365.00. They do have slot machines and wireless service is all included.
GRAND PALLADIUM RESORT & LADY HAMILTON RESORT AND SPA
The lobby was huge and open air looking toward the spectacular view of the Caribbean Sea. This resort is 2 resorts in one. Grand Palladium Lady Hamilton Resort and Spa has 516 rooms divided into 13 villas of three levels each with 6 one bedroom sites and 30 Jr suites per villa and 48 “adults only” ocean front villa suites of 2 levels with 4 adult suites in each. The Grand Palladium consist of 540 rooms divided into 15 villas of 3 levels each with 6 one bedroom suites and 30 Jr suites per villa. Rooms were all spectacular but the one that stands out were the “adults’ only suites” that have a sea view, private entrance, a wide terrace with sun beds and outside shower. They were just fabulous. They have a Beach Bash once a week. They had a huge buffet on the beach, with music and entertainment until late.
