ME by Melia Blog

What else is there to a vacation other than partying, relaxing, and eating? They are the keys to the fun-pyramid. Because, if you’re not doing one of those activities, then chances are you’re participating in one of the others.

In Cabo, the parties are ripe and many. 2008 has seen some of our premier events to date; and March and April are fleshing out to be our busiest months yet.

What we have in store for you, after the jump.

Relaxing in Cancun is as simple as walking to the beach. However, when there are so many and such diversity among them, the choice becomes not as easy. Raul, our Hotel Manager at ME Cancun, offers his Top 4 beach locations in Cancun.

Alex Hugot, ME Madrid’s Hotel Manager, knows just how to satisfy those hunger pangs and offers his blog readers some of the quintessential cuisines to Spanish culture; ones that will make you question how you ever managed without them.

Calendar

March – Spring Break

(Cancun) – First Half of March – Canival – Cancun celebrates its version of this pre-Ash Wednesday event, with floats and street parties.

(Cabo) – March 14 – DJ Karim Cato, DJ Antares, and resident-DJ Nestor @ ME Cabo, Medano Beach.
(Cabo) – March 21 – Paparazzi Party – Passion Club – Hundreds of local and international photographers flock to ME Cabo to take your photo.
(Cabo) – April 11 – White Party – Nikki Beach – 3rd Annual White Party w/ complimentary cocktail reception and guest DJ D:Fuse.

A Word

Tell your friends. Send us messages—We promise we’ll respond. Read our blogs. Post comments on our profile. Let us know how we can better our community and be sure to tip us off to events in Cancun, Cabo, or Madrid that we may have overlooked. We appreciate all of your interaction.

Look forward to hearing from you,

- ME by Melia

This weeks’ blogs break all the rules and set a number of once-unimaginable precedents. However, I’m lying and none of that is true. The theme is bars and clubs. Which ones are worth your time; what to expect; and so on. It would almost be criminal of me, then, not to mention that no matter your destination—Cabo, Cancun, Madrid—there is an over-abundance of bars, so much so that you should never run out.

These are my top choices for each city and merely suggestions that I am in no way liable should anything “happen”…

Cancun

Maxim Beach Club – Fire dancers, ME girls, and DJs.
Coco Bongo – Flying acrobats, hanging stage, dropdown screens, foam parties.

Cabo

The Giggling Marlin – Hangs you upside down to serve you shots.
Nikki Beach – Nightly beach parties catered by world-renowned DJs.

Madrid

Museo Chicote – Served Hemmingway, Orson Wells, Frank Sinatra.
La Carolla – Great food; great drinks; intimate atmosphere.

Calendar

March – Spring Break

March 21 – Cabo – Paparazzi Party – Passion Club – Hundreds of local and international photographers flock to ME Cabo to take your photo.

April 11 – Cabo – White Party – Nikki Beach – 3rd Annual White Party w/ complimentary cocktail reception and guest DJ D:Fuse.

Me by Melia appreciates all of your friend referrals and persistent interaction. It really means a lot and has helped us immensely.

Thanks,

- ME

Anything and everything money is a shaky subject when it comes to foreign travel. What are the conversion rates? What good is a conversion rate if I don’t even know where to convert my money? Credit? Debit? Cash? Traveler’s checks?

The options are many and daunting. To clear some path toward a less stressful vacation, this blog takes a look at managing currency while in a foreign country.

• Credit Cards
-The most widely accepted (Visa and MasterCard, more so).
- Offers premium security if you lose your card or it is stolen; refunding faulty charges and shipping you a new card right away.

Con: International transaction fees.

• Cash
- High convenience.
- Comes in hand for transportation and small purchases.

Cons: Easily stole or lost. Conversion fees. Leftover cash.
Tip: Change out at least 200 dollars to keep on you and use it in conjunction of a credit card.

• Debit
- Convenience

Con: Big international fees.

• Traveler’s Checks
- Convenient

Cons: Not universally accepted (smaller countries and smaller hotels). Conversion fees. Fixes you with the ‘Tourist’ label.

The subject of this blog sort of ties in to those of the others. Below are the recaps…

Blogs

There are a number of things that you should abstain from ingesting while in Cancun.

Visiting Cabo is a potential source of confusion.

Madrid is refuge for stingy State-side tippers.

Spring is a reliable source of commotion at our properties. We spend January and early February gearing up our resorts for Valentine’s Day and then, the day after, we tear everything down, put on our swimsuits and prepare for spring break; at least that’s the case for Cancun and Cabo; Madrid is still wearing overcoats deep into April.

Departing from the heels of a collection of scintillating February 15th shindigs, we embark on a theme of blogs that more closely mirror all the best qualities of Spring.

Blogs

Cancun is why the New York Times vacations.

Photographic proof of CUPID Party in Cabo’s success.

There is more to Madrid than just art… like Bullet trains… and maybe some more art?

Events

Feb. 29 – Tatiana Ft. DJ Lynnwood 9p-4a @ Passion Lounge, ME Cancun

March – Spring Break

We appreciate all of your messages, an the daily friend requests. Keep them coming.

- ME

I can’t say that I subscribe to the whole global warming spiel. I’m almost certain there’s a scam lurking somewhere in the theory; not necessarily one that’s going to take any of my personal information and steal my identity, but there’s just something about it that doesn’t quite click. That’s why when it’s 80 degrees in Cancun on a mid-February, I grow suspect. What am I giving up for this tropical weather? What’s the catch? Is this costing me anything, because I don’t remember signing my name anywhere and I never read the fine-print.

Somehow I’ve managed to escape any questionable charges and my bank balance still hovers around the same dismal number I’ve come accustomed to.

On a completely separate and rational note, the ME community has reached 1800+ members.

It seems like just yesterday we were filling out the MySpace application and deleting Tom as our friend. Oh, memories. *sniff*

To the updates →

The Miami Herald loves ME Cancun

Watch Whales in Cabo

ARCO 08 Beginning Feb.13 in Madrid—Yes, More Art

Coming Up

Feb.14 – Valentines Day Maxim Beach Party @ ME Cancun

Feb.15 – CUPID Party – Passion Lounge @ ME Cabo
Feb. 29 – Tatiana Ft. DJ Lynnwood – Passion Lounge @ ME Cabo

Feb 15 – Queens of the Stone Age – Sala La Riviera in Madrid
Feb 13-18 – ARCO 08 – Madrid

We’ve been enjoying your interaction. Keep at it!

There is so much going on around our ME resorts that it’s a little overwhelming; surprising even. Usually, I tend to devote this paragraph to an introduction of sorts, comprised of vague filler sentences. I may say something to the tune of, “Things are really taking off,” or, “Just look at all of this; isn’t it great?” What’s taking off? What am I asking you to look at? A myriad of rambling sentences and long introductory paragraphs are the sign of someone sucking at the last drops of creativity from an empty cup. But not this time. There is so much to get to. Where to start, where to start…

…But on a serious note.

Picasso’s Picassos are on display at the Reina Sofia in Madrid.

Discover the meaning of fine dining at one of the 5 best restaurants in Cabo.

Photos from NYE at the Passion Lounge and $9.99 Airfare – Cancun.

Be sure to check up on our profiles for continuing coverage of property promotions, discounts, and local happenings.

Reminder

CUPID Party, Feb. 15 @ Passion Lounge, ME Cabo

Valentines Day Party @ Maxim Beach, ME Cancun

Queens of the Stone Age @ Sala La Riviera, ME Madrid

Until next week….