It was one of the most glorious 28 hours on record…. A group of girlfriends (all moms) and I headed to The Shores Resort & Spa in Daytona Beach Shores for an annual “moms” retreat. We started the tradition in 2016 with a weekend getaway in Ormond Beach. But when it came time to plan the 2017 retreat, I knew exactly who to call.
Susan Keaveny, director of marketing, at The Shores help me set up everything – from poolside cabanas to fireside s’mores and beachside brunch. We arrived early Saturday morning to take full advantage of the sun and sand – although we never stepped foot on it. We, instead, opted for a poolside cabana at the resort where we were treated royally by our server, Mario, and took in the beach and pool views while sipping cocktails and snacking on chips and salsa and fresh fruit.
We retreated to our cabana room – located on the first floor, the room features its own patio that leads to the pool deck – which I highly recommend. We relaxed and listened to music as dusk faded to night. We decided to order in for dinner before grabbing our s’mores kits from the front desk and heading to the resort’s fire pits to roast some marshmallows.
Being mothers of infants and toddlers, an early bed time was calling our names. A few of us awoke early Sunday morning and strolled the beach before lazily getting ready for brunch at 11am. It was nice to take our time, chat, and sip coffee that we had delivered to our room.
Brunch was most definitely worth the wait. It began with a round of mimosas and a couple of girls opted for Bloody Marys, which 
included a trip to the Ultimate Bloody Mary Bar that featured more than 50 items to customize their drinks. We pretty much ordered one of everything from the brunch menu that included: Azure Crab Cake Benedict; Huevos Rancheros Skillet; Shores Chicken n’ Waffles; Lobster & Gruyere Frittata; and a brunch burger and fries. All the comfort dishes were full of flavor and we enjoyed sampling each other’s. The Shores Resort’s Beachside Brunch is served Sundays from 11am – 3pm at the resort’s all-day dining restaurant, Azure.
While the time away was short, we all felt the experience was just long enough and offered everything we were looking for – fun and relaxation, excellent food and service, and plenty of positive memories.
The Shores Resort & Spa is AAA Four-Diamond luxury boutique hotel, that’s upscale, but not uptight. To learn more about specials and packages, visit http://www.shoresresort.com.
-Kate Slentz