When it comes to parks in Mexico, Xcaret Park and Xplor Park are two of the most visited when vacationers travel to the Riviera Maya. I visited Xcaret Park twice during the same vacation several years ago while staying at Hotel Xcaret Mexico; Grupo Xcaret hotels allow guests to visit many Riviera Maya parks without paying admission fees with the hotels’ All-Fun Inclusive concept. If you are interested in learning about my Xcaret Park experience, click here.
Whether or not to tip while taking a vacation at an all-inclusive resort in Mexico has always been a hot topic of discussion. I previously wrote my own thoughts about tipping while staying at an all-inclusive resort in Cancun/Riviera Maya; here’s another article about tipping written by staff at Loco Gringo.com–if you are ever looking to book a vacation rental in the Riviera Maya instead of an all-inclusive resort, this is the place to go to get information on the best place to rent for your vacation needs. To read the article on tipping, just click here. Kay Walten, who started Loco Gringo, has lived in the Riviera Maya for quite some time now and she is in the know about the area.
Vacationing in Tahiti has always been on my travel bucket list. While I’m still waiting for my opportunity to check it off my list, I don’t have to wait to enjoy an overwater bungalow–while in Mexico!
Still looking to book an all-inclusive resort in Cancun for the summer? Club Med Cancun should be right up there on your list of resorts to check out for a fun, family-oriented summer vacation!
Lots of vacationers have either heard of Tulum or have been visiting this Riviera Maya gem for many years. It is an iconic travel destination in itself featuring Mayan ruins, yoga retreats, beach clubs for day trippers, some really great boutique hotels with 5* amenities, and has become a haven for artists from around the world. In terms of all-inclusive resorts, however, it remains uncommercialized in this respect–the only true all-inclusive resort I know about which is actually located in Tulum is the adults-only Kore Retreat and Spa, or Kore Tulum as it is commonly called. While this boutique resort boasts luxury amenities and a great spa, guests are shuttled to another beach since the on-site beach cannot be safely accessed (kind of like staying at TRS Yucatan where you have to go to another resort’s beach to get into the water). The nearest all-inclusive resort to Tulum that has beach access is Dreams Tulum which is just north of the Tulum ruins.
For those of you who don’t know much about Le Blanc, it is an adults-only luxury Palace resort located on the east-facing part of the Hotel Zone in Cancun. The resort’s focus is on service and their spa, it’s supposed to be one of the best spas in Cancun (if you want the best spa in this part of Mexico, look into Grand Velas Riviera Maya).
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!
Do you feel safe if Cancun or the Riviera Maya is your most recent vacation destination? I have vacationed in this area of Mexico since 2012, sometimes 2-3 times p/year, and have felt safe every time. That doesn’t mean I travel without safety in mind; being a woman I have had to consider certain applicable safety standards in just about every situation I have come across over the years. So, traveling anywhere, even to my favorite spot in Mexico, requires considering how to keep myself and members of my travel party safe.
There are probably many vacationers who want an excellent luxury adults-only all-inclusive resort with a balcony/terrace plunge pool but don’t want to deal with the stairs leading up to the rooftop terrace. Well, here’s an alternative. Excellence Playa Mujeres is one of the most popular luxury adults-only all-inclusive resorts in the area (according to Trip Advisor) and it offers vacationers a suite with a HUGE terrace that you can access directly from your sliding door. It’s not just Trip Advisor that labels this resort as popular, I have talked to lots of fellow guests on my many Mexico all-inclusive trips and it is inevitable that this resort’s name eventually becomes part of the conversation as being a repeat favorite. It obviously has a very loyal following.
For those of you looking to book a resort that has a little more in terms of water fun, check out the wave pool at Iberostar Selection Paraiso Lindo. Actually, this wave pool, a lazy river, and a new water park share space between two resorts at this Iberostar mega-resort complex (the adjoining sister resort is Iberostar Selection Paraiso Maya).