Secrets Playa Blanca Costa Mujeres Opening Delayed…

I got a call from Secrets this morning saying my Dec. reservation for the brand new Secrets Playa Blanca Costa Mujeres had been cancelled due to a delay in the resort opening.

Continue reading

Don’t Have Your VISITAX QR Code? You May Not Be Able To Board Your Return Flight…

Ok, I will admit it, like so many other international tourists I have not been paying Quintana Roo’s VISITAX fee since it was established in 2020.  Up to this point there has been no enforcement of paying this tax, so I figured I could get away with not paying it.

Continue reading

Karisma Adds New Autism Concierge…

Karisma Hotels and Resorts has introduced the world’s first Autism Concierge at most of their Mexico resort properties.  An Autism Concierge will be the dedicated contact for all resort guests who either have autism themselves or are traveling with someone who has autism.

Continue reading

Want More Info On How To Find The Right All-Inclusive Resort For You? (Part 1)

Exhausted and frustrated in trying to find the right all-inclusive resort for your next vacation in Cancun or the Riviera Maya in Mexico?  There is a LOT of info out there for vacationers who don’t want to use a travel agent’s help or suggestions–most travel agents truly do work hard to find just the right vacation “fit” for their clients, but some agents will push resorts which offer the most commission.

Continue reading

Several Royal Resorts Sold to IHG Partner…

Some surprising news, several Royal Resorts in Cancun and the Riviera Maya have been sold to Holiday Inn Club Vacations–Royal Sands, Royal Cancun, Royal Haciendas, and Grand Residences now belong to this IHG partner.  These properties are the first in the Holiday Inn Club Vacations family to be located outside of the US.  It is estimated it will take 1 yr. to fully integrate these resorts into the IHG portfolio with no anticipated changes in operation during that time.

Continue reading

Haven Resort in Trouble???

I just read that a resort in the Riviera Maya was seized by the FGE on the evening of April 25, 2023 (the FGE is basically the State Attorney General’s Office in Mexico).  According to the report in the Riviera Maya News article, the property was seized after receiving a complaint of “dispossession”.  From what I understand, someone else has claimed that they actually own the land/property and are contesting current ownership.

Continue reading

What’s Isla Mujeres Like?

If you’re vacationing in Cancun’s Hotel Zone or staying in Playa Mujeres/Costa Mujeres north of downtown Cancun, you may want to consider taking a day trip over to Isla Mujeres.  It makes a a great change of pace if you are becoming bored with staying at your resort as well as a way to see a great beach and beautiful water you can actually swim in (the east-facing beach areas in Cancun’s Hotel Zone are often red-flagged making swimming conditions impossible).

Continue reading

Marriott Cancun Closes For Renovations…

For those who like the Marriott hotel brand, just a short post to remind everyone that the Marriott Cancun (formerly known as CasaMagna Resort Cancun) closed March 13, 2023 in order to completely renovate the property.  It will open early 2024 as an all-inclusive resort; it was previously operating as an all-inclusive optional resort.

Continue reading

Anyone Else Into Some Spring Break Resort Statistics?

Hola and Buenos Dias!  In case you were wondering why I haven’t done any recent blog posts, I just returned from my latest Cancun/Riviera Maya trip and was having so much fun I barely had time to post pics to my Instagram account!  Stay tuned for articles related to this stay.

Continue reading

Staying At A Riu Resort? Check Your Check-In and Check-Out Time…

I don’t know if this will be the trend across the board in terms of resort policy, but Riu Resorts seem to be cutting off hours here and there from check-in/out times.  For example, I stayed at Riu Palace :Peninsula several years ago and noticed that check-out time was 11 a.m., not 12 noon as is common at resorts in this part of Mexico.  I will be staying at the new Riu Palace Kukulkan in a couple of weeks and noticed from my travel docs that not only is check-out time at 11 a.m., but check-in time is 4 p.m.  That cuts off two potential hours you would normally have at this resort, plus you won’t get your room until after 4 p.m.  If anyone knows if this is now a Riu resort policy in general, please let us all know!

Continue reading