For those of you fellow swim-up/out room category lovers, here are several options which are mere steps from the beach. Which one would you prefer to stay in and enjoy such proximity to a beach and ocean swimming? Let me know in the comments section below.
This resort has changed names so frequently the last several years that it’s hard to keep up with what it’s currently being called as of today. It started out as an Azul resort by Karisma for many years, changed its name to a lengthy Azul property I couldn’t for the life of me remember, then there was the guest fatality in the outdoor Jacuzzi via electrocution, then it was sold to Tafer as Palmar but that didn’t last long because Iberostar bought the property. Why? I have no idea, the Tafer resort rebranding only lasted several months.
Wow, I came across the news this morning, if anyone is familiar with Barcelo Maya Riviera which is part of the Barcelo resort complex in the Riviera Maya, their resort entrance completely collapsed ! Luckily no one was hurt.
Those of you who have followed my blog for awhile know that I have been working on a book on all-inclusive resorts (and answering questions about all-inclusive travel) in Cancun and the Riviera Maya for quite some time now. If you’ve been impatient waiting for the book to materialize, so am I, lol.
I don’t know fellow vacationers and Dreams resort lovers, it looks like the brand new Dreams Grand Island plans are on a permanent hold right now. Dreams is not even advertising this resort at all, not even a listing with bare bones info on their website.
The brand new Ocean by H10 resort, Ocean Azure Costa Mujeres, looks like it is slightly changing its name to Ocean Allure Costa Mujeres. It’s adults-only and looks like it has the potential to be a very popular property with amenities typically included for family travel.
An update here concerning the brand new Secrets Mirabel which was scheduled to open Oct. 2025 but now has been postponed until sometime in Nov. 2025 (I swear the new Secrets and Dreams resorts are NEVER open on time). Since there is no set date in Nov. I would be willing to bet that they won’t be open until early Dec. 2025 or even Jan. 2026 if things go really south. The spa won’t be available for use until Feb. 2026.
I recently posted an article about Condé Nast’s Reader’s Choice Best Of, and now I’ve found Travel and Leisure’s Reader’s Choice Best Of for 2025. Funny how discrepant their lists are, I would love to see a demographic breakdown of readership to see significant differences in “who reads what”…This list is the top 25 resorts from Mexico, I’m just posting the all-inclusive resorts and those who offer an optional all-inclusive plan. Here goes: Continue reading
Paraiso de la Bonita, formerly Zoëtry Paraiso de la Bonita (and now a Marriott resort), had their Grand Opening Jan. 2025, and since then I’ve been searching for a good video to post which highlighted the massive renovations the resort has supposedly made. This is the best one I could find so far, and happy to post it for those who want to know what the resort now looks like.
I always like finding out about how Condé Nast Reader’s Choice Awards turn out for the year. For 2025, here’s the top all-inclusive resorts for eastern Mexico–I’m focusing on the ones in Cancun and the Riviera Maya. Continue reading