Riu fans take note–Riu Tequila is now reopen for business since its closure in April. There have been lots of major renovations including the pool areas; take a few moments and read the Riu blog post complete with pics. Click the link here.
The Marina El Cid Spa and Beach Resort near Puerto Morelos opened a new family-friendly upgraded section in Nov. 2017 called Ventus. While Ventus guests have full access to Marina El Cid, it is classified as a resort on its own merits with the following amenities: Continue reading
Following our visit to the Riu Dunamar in February 2018 (if you want to read my review of that property just click here), my husband and I took a private shuttle to another new all-inclusive resort which also opened December 2017. Hotel Xcaret Mexico is the first stage of a six stage project (Destino Xcaret) designed and built by the Mexican firm Grupo Xcaret. The entire project will eventually consist of a multipurpose stadium, a shopping center, and 6,000 guest rooms across 12 hotels. Hotels will range from luxury accommodations to those with four star ratings.
For the months of February and September 2018, snorkeling tours will not be allowed to enter Akumal Bay in a further attempt to try and allow the ecosystem to recover from overuse (an estimated 22-23 million visitors each year visit the Akumal area, while snorkeling with the turtles in Akumal Bay is supposedly ranked the 10th most visited destination in the world for international tourists). If you’re going to only swim and/or snorkel by yourselves without a tour guide, that is still permitted as long as the buoy restrictions are respected.
For those of you wondering about the room categories or guest room buildings at the new Hotel Xcaret Mexico, here is a quick review of what I have discovered about them.
Use caution when choosing to take a colectivo/combi in the Riviera Maya; there has been a recent report of a robbery of a driver/passengers in the route from PDC to Puerto Aventuras on a Saturday night around 9:15 p.m. Three individuals reportedly stopped the vehicle on the pretense of wanting transportation, got inside, then threatened to use force/guns if valuables including cell phones/purses, etc. were not handed over. The robbers got away, so if they were successful once they may decide to do the same crime again. Others may also see this as a quick way to make money and follow suit.
While everyone expected the Mexican government to give the official OK to a DreamWorks theme park in the Riviera Maya, they have instead decided to authorize the building of a Mayan-inspired amusement park and resort in the area of Punta Maroma in the Riviera Maya (located north of Playa del Carmen).
For those interested in where the buoys/roped-off areas are for snorkelers in Akumal Bay, here is a pic which was posted by Kay Walten of Locogringo.com. For the month of Sept. 2017, all guided tours are officially suspended from the bay (but that doesn’t necessarily mean there won’t be any out there), while general visitors may still snorkel outside the roped-off areas. Here is the map I found on Kay’s Facebook page. Notice how these areas extend onto the front sea area of the Secrets property.
Mexican authorities have recently done an investigation on 31 resorts, restaurants, and nightclubs in both Cancun and the Riviera Maya in order to see who may be serving illicit/bootleg alcohol. Their investigation resulted in the following findings: Continue reading
Following alcohol related lab tests done by COFEPRIS (Federal Commission for Protection Against Sanitary Risk), it has been determined that the Iberostar Paraiso del Mar is NOT serving any tainted alcohol to its guests. This comes after allegations made by a Wisconsin family earlier this year that the resort had given their 22 yr. old daughter adulterated alcohol which resulted in her subsequent death.