At this point in my travels to Cancun and the Riviera Maya I’m so used to grand resorts with impressive features and extensive amenities that I sometimes lose track of the more “funky” properties that this part of Mexico has to offer. When I say funky I mean in this instance “pretty darn cool”, not weird or strange that you would want to avoid. Many grand resorts in this part of Mexico look very nice but some of them could be placed anywhere in the world, including the US which kind of defeats the point of some travelers who want the chance of experiencing other cultures and experiences outside one’s own country.
In the northern part of Playa del Carmen (around famous 5th Ave. and 38th St.) there lies an all-inclusive optional resort called Mahekal Beach Resort, which is a family-friendly property with easy access to the best Playa del Carmen has to offer. It is a smaller property with 195 rooms and bungalows nestled in a jungle-like atmosphere with plenty of natural flora and easy beach access. It also offers 4 pools, 3 restaurants, and 4 bars; guests can easily access famous 5th Ave. and go shopping, go to bars, restaurants, etc. and have a real experience outside of a resort stay.
This resort offers several meal plans including room only, half-board options, and fully all-inclusive plans. It also offers an interesting cultural experience every Saturday around noon at the resort’s Fuego Restaurant and Cantina when local fishermen deliver fresh fish to the resort–chefs look over the catch and choose which ones to use for their restaurant menu options, they also weigh and clean the chosen catch right on the beach. Guests also have the opportunity (for an extra cost) to choose their own fish and have a chef prepare their meal either by grilling or baking in the resort’s wood burning oven. This afternoon meal is usually accompanied by live music and a ceviche station. Sounds good to me!
I’d love to stay here when sargassum is not an issue since this resort has easy beach access. Take a look at the video below done by Lucy Gallagher; she is a travel agent and appears to feature resort weddings…that might be one thing that I might find a problem with at this location since it is so small that wedding receptions can take out an entire restaurant for an evening which is a big deal when the resort only has 3 restaurants. If I decide to stay here I might choose the half-board option and have dinner elsewhere in Playa del Carmen in order to enjoy local cuisine in a more direct manner without resort “interference” when accommodating cultures like the US.
What do you think? Would you consider staying here at this resort? Let me know in the comments section below.