Everyone wants to get the most out of their vacation dollar/peso/euro which has resulted in resorts starting to offer more than a basic all-inclusive plan in order to stay ahead in the booking game in the all-inclusive market. Hotels Xcaret began this in earnest followed by UNICO properties (UNICO’s has died out quite a bit, however), now it looks like Lomas Hospitality has started one of their own
The Grand Princess megaresort complex is located 45 min. south of the Cancun airport in the Riviera Maya and consists of three resorts: Grand Riviera Princess (674 guest rooms), Grand Sunset Princess (650 guest rooms), and the Princess Family Club Riviera (144 guest rooms). The Riviera and Sunset resorts are basically mirror images of one another, while the Family Club Riviera is situated on the far north side of the megaresort complex towards the lobby area of Grand Riviera Princess (you can see the Family Club Riviera lobby area when you exit the shuttle if you are visiting this resort while staying at the adjoining adults-only Platinum Yucatan Princess).
I’m just curious to see if anyone truly knows the reopening date of Beach Palace in Cancun. They’ve been closed since Aug. 15, 2025 doing a $60 million renovation and were originally scheduled to reopen July 1, then Sept. 19, and now I’m seeing Nov. 1 2026. If you go to their website you can book dates of stay beginning Sept. 23…talk about confusing.
Not everyone who books an all-inclusive resort wants nothing more to do on vacation than sit in the sun and drink, sleep and eat…Of course there ARE some vacationers that want that type of experience but some individuals want more of an adventure or some additional fun to add.
Valentin Imperial Riviera Maya is a resort I’ve always wanted to book but haven’t had the opportunity to do so…yet. However, it is THE favorite Mexican resort for my daughter and her husband, they have stayed multiple times and love everything about it (obviously, that’s why they return!)
For those of you interested in Isla Mujeres, heads up. There is another well-recognized resort brand moving in and making itself known on this quaint island…Secrets has already claimed its position as a luxury property here (Impression Isla Mujeres by Secrets), but Grupo Posadas wants a piece of the action and is taking over Izla Beachfront Hotel and turning it into Devossion by Live Aqua Celebration Resort and Spa Isla Mujeres.
Who doesn’t like to enjoy a private pool as a part of one’s own guest room when vacationing? I know I certainly do, and with new resort builds it is becoming more of an emphasis.
For anyone thinking of booking one of Hotel Xcaret’s properties or if you already have a reservation, be aware that there are several new changes in resort policy that have recently occurred. Some of these policy changes have to do with the parent company’s decision to have both Hotel Xcaret Mexico and Hotel Xcaret Arte operate as entirely separate resorts which means a cut off or elimination of benefits which encourage exchange benefits of staying at one resort and enjoying the other resort’s amenities. I’m going to jump right into it, so here’s the short list: Continue reading
If you are one of those vacationers who loves having your own pool or super easy access to a pool when on a hot and humid vacation, here’s another possibility for you to consider.
It’s just a few days away from when Hyatt Vivid Grand Island will be changing over to Mondrian Cancun. There’s not a lot known about how things will change, but I found a video done by Christine Turner, a Canadian travel agent, who has posted what she does know and what remains unknown yet at this time.