Picking an all inclusive near Cancun

11,104 Views | 47 Replies | Last: 4 yr ago by Furlock Bones
09Ag
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AG
I'm looking to go to an all inclusive in Mexico with my girlfriend in mid December (long wknd), but there's a lot of options and I've never been to one before, so I'm not sure how to go about picking one. Money isn't an issue, so which one has the best food/pools/beach?
09Ag
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AG
Not having kids running around would be a plus too.
07ag
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enjoyed hyatt zilara (adults only) this past march, would recommend it
big ben
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AG
Gran Caribe Real, been twice and would go again tomorrow
breezecustomtravel
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AG
My husband and I have been to many All-Inclusive, adult only resorts in Cancun and Riviera Maya areas.

Secrets Maroma was our absolute favorite and we actually got married there 6 years ago this December.
It has one of the top 10 most beautiful beaches in the world and we had no complaints about any of the restaurants or bars/lounges. A few of the pools are heated but the weather was great in December. If your budget allows I would upgrade to a swim out room or ocean front room. We've had the preferred club for all of our stays there.

Another option could be the newer Secrets Akumal, from everything I've heard it's similar to Maroma if not better.

We went to Excellence Playa Mujeres in July and we loved it too. Secrets Maroma holds a special place in our hearts but I would send anyone to EPM any day. The restaurants were all amazing including their Lobster House where it's all you can eat lobster all the time. The seaweed has been bad this past year and it was definitely present at EPM. Not sure about the Secrets properties, I'd have to check.

I've heard some good things about El Dorado Casitas, Secrets Playa Mujeres, & Breathless Riviera as well.

I'd be happy to answer any other questions and/or send you some quotes!
Lauren K '07
www.breezecustomtravel.com
@breezecustomtravel
90 bull
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AG
If you want in the Cancun hotel zone, Live Aqua is adult only and has a good beach/pool combo (as of two years ago)
FriscoAggieFan
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Check out Royal Hideaway if you don't want a mega resort.
Leeman
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FriscoAggieFan said:

Check out Royal Hideaway if you don't want a mega resort.
It's in Playa - but our go to place. I've been down toe Cancun/Playa dozens of times, and that place is my favorite.
07fta07
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We preferred Secrets Maroma to Akumal but you can't go wrong with either.
JMac03
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My husband and I love to go to El Dorado Royale. It is also a favorite of several friends and clients. I have clients who have also gone to several of the Secrets and Excellence resorts and loved those as well. Excellence has some of the highest ratings across all of their resorts. El Dorado has lots of dining options (as done Excellence), and is a larger complex so even if full never feels overly crowded. Feel free to PM me for more information.
sincereag
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I just got back from Secrets Akumal and it was great. Beautiful resort with a nice beach and snorkeling, nice restaurants and very good food. It has three nice pool options. They also have pretty good entertainment at night with various shows.
aBlane13
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Just returned from Secrets Maroma yesterday for a wedding. The facilities and service is great. There was almost no seaweed, and Secrets has a sand rake on a tractor that goes up and down the Secrets section of the beach and grinds and mixes what seaweed there is down into the sand, so their beach is by far the nicest in that area. We had a swim up room, but didn't really use it because we were there with a group so we were always meeting in the main pools or ocean.
cslifer
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Have been to both Excellence resorts in Cancun. I can't say enough good things. Top notch facilities and service. And they appear to have more restaurants than a lot of other places.
62strat
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AG
We just got back from Hyatt Ziva. It isn't entirely adult only, but we stayed in the adult only tower, which has a really nice adult only spa (hots tubs and heated pools, all in door) and also an adults only roof top pool and bar. Room also came with a personal butler and ipads in room with info/maps/room service.

They are the very northern most resort in hotel zone, and they are surrounded by 3 sides. 2 beaches with a rocky coastline in between, and a lighthouse.

Tons of food options, I highly recommend it. They have a brewery on site and a tequila bar with like 150 tequilas. Swim up bar and lots of alcoves in the pools to find little private spots, plus free cabanas.

Mustang1
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AG
What are ballpark prices at that resort?
breezecustomtravel
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Right now, I'm showing that the Hyatt Ziva is around $1420(Ocean Front King Room in Turquoize Tower) for 4 nights mid-December if you book with airfare.
If you don't book with airfare it's around $1810 for the room only.

If you have any more questions feel free to contact me.

Lauren K '07
www.breezecustomtravel.com
@breezecustomtravel
62strat
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AG
Mustang1 said:

What are ballpark prices at that resort?
we paid $1700 I think, 2 adults, 4 nights in Early October.

Booking 4+ nights gets you free private transfers to/from airport, which is nice. There was also some free daily credit at the spa I think. Their included alcohol was solid. Anejo tequilas, aged rums, craft beers at the brewery, Grey goose. They also have lots of available upgraded wines and high dollar liquors.


We flew on points.
sincereag
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There's a brand new luxury resort near Cancun which just opened last month called Haven Riviera. They are still working on the finishing touches but early reviews are very good. It looks like a beautiful resort and should be outstanding when it's 100% complete.
AgOutsideAustin
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AG
Ahhhh Secrets Maroma beach, softest sand I've ever been on, like powdered sugar.
Ezra Brooks
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If budget isn't an issue, look at Unico 20*87*

It opened in March 2017 and my wife and I went in April 2017.

It's my only Mexico experience, but the food was out of this world. I would place every one of their restaurants as competitive with some nicer places in Houston (example, I would equate their steakhouse as very similar to Perry's). Sure, there are better steak places in Houston, but it's still approaching top end.

My only other All Inclusive experience is Excellence Punta Cana - we loved it - and both thought Unico was in a different league.
Aggie
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AG
El dorado Royale

Stay in an infinity pool casita suite

OjoDelMono77
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Wife and I honeymooned in Mexico earlier this year. We split time between two resorts.

Resort 1 was Secrets Maroma Beach. The property and the service was good, but the food and drink were really unremarkable. You must have to request alcohol in your drinks, because every thing they served was watered down big time. The food is average to crappy. Even though it's an all inclusive, they are always looking for opportunities to upsell you, which is annoying. They also thought it was appropriate to pitch my newlywed wife and I on a timeshare within minutes of arriving. Come on. We chose this resort based on word of mouth and were pretty disappointed.

Resort 2 was Viceroy Riviera Maya, which was a small, intimate resort. They have an all-inclusive meal plan option, which I recommend because the meals are pricey. They have 40ish villas, and each has its own pool, sun deck, hammock, and outdoor shower. The service here was amazing, we would no more than sit up from our beach bed, and they'd ask what they could get for us. I'd go back here in a heartbeat.

Cardiag
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AG
Its already been said, but the Excellence Playa Mujeres is unreal. If you prefer to sit and eat meals rather than go through a buffet this place can't be beat. Arrange transport through the resort too and you get rapid private service. We went from the airport to our room in just over an hour. Recommend club level if you're looking for a very quiet get away.
Squirrel Master
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Another vote for Secrets Maroma - I also just got back from there for a wedding. It was a great experience.
strohag
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Is the Excellence Club worth it? Looking at heading to Playa Mujeres with a few other couples next summer. Thoughts?
breezecustomtravel
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We went to EPM in July and since we booked through my travel agency we were able to upgrade to Excellence Club when we arrived.
The main extra amenities were the private beach area, 2 private pools, and Excellence Club lounge. All of these extra amenities were nice except that our room was on the complete opposite end of the resort from where all those things were. We really didn't spend much time at them since it was quite the walk over to them. So, I would request that the room is near those things if you want to utilize them.

And... just something to think about because it happened to us....if you're going to go with the Excellence Club and some others in your group aren't you won't be able to all enjoy those amenities as a group.

If you have any other questions I'd be happy to help!
Lauren K '07
www.breezecustomtravel.com
@breezecustomtravel
strohag
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I may give you a shout soon and check to see what y'all can do for a group rate. Looking like 7 or 8 couples.
breezecustomtravel
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That sounds great...If you have any other questions or want to start looking at some quotes just let me know. I'm happy to help.
Lauren K '07
www.breezecustomtravel.com
@breezecustomtravel
Cardiag
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Recommend the Excellence Club at Playa Mujeres. The Club level pools and beach provide additional privacy and service not available at the non-Club locations. Apparently loungers at the beach in the non-Club area can be hard to come by because people park their stuff there all day. That was not an issue at the Club beach. The club lounge is sort of a wash, but does have nicer booze.

Apparently Club level in Punta Cana is less important.
culdeus
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OjoDelMono77 said:

Wife and I honeymooned in Mexico earlier this year. We split time between two resorts.

Resort 1 was Secrets Maroma Beach. The property and the service was good, but the food and drink were really unremarkable. You must have to request alcohol in your drinks, because every thing they served was watered down big time. The food is average to crappy. Even though it's an all inclusive, they are always looking for opportunities to upsell you, which is annoying. They also thought it was appropriate to pitch my newlywed wife and I on a timeshare within minutes of arriving. Come on. We chose this resort based on word of mouth and were pretty disappointed.

Resort 2 was Viceroy Riviera Maya, which was a small, intimate resort. They have an all-inclusive meal plan option, which I recommend because the meals are pricey. They have 40ish villas, and each has its own pool, sun deck, hammock, and outdoor shower. The service here was amazing, we would no more than sit up from our beach bed, and they'd ask what they could get for us. I'd go back here in a heartbeat.



Viceroy is on another level than the places mentioned here both on price and amenity. If you are going to go that that price range you need to bring in Belmond Maroma to the conversation.

Back in the day Maroma was cheap and epic and there was an italian only hotel (really) down the way that became what is now Secrets Playa Maroma. It was for all intents nude and they seemingly only let in 8+ perfect italian babes.

I still hold it against Secrets that they bought that place out. I would have learned italian to go there someday.
Ptery83
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Just returned from EPM and had an amazing time. Service was amazing and staff all had wonderful personalities. Food, drinks, pools, and beach were all great. Did the club level and think it helped the experience for sure but would have been fine without too. It's the only all inclusive I've visited so I have nothing to compare it to but I can't imagine a better trip than we had.
Cardiag
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AG
What kind of room did you stay in? Going back in Jan and getting one of the two story things with the deck. Very interested to know if its worth the extra $$$.
Ptery83
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We were in a normal room on the second floor with balcony and daybed. We may try the rooftop/private pool next trip especially if we go when it's a lot hotter. The main "party" pool was heated but all the others were borderline in temp. I'd hate to spend extra on a private rooftop pool and it be too chilly to enjoy. Just my two cents.
culdeus
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AG
Cardiag said:

What kind of room did you stay in? Going back in Jan and getting one of the two story things with the deck. Very interested to know if its worth the extra $$$.


Got upgraded to rooftop on first trip. Biggest benefit I could notice is you could watch all the other couples screwing on their rooftop. You get a few shows from the lower levels but on a full moon you get sometimes more than what you bargained for

The little pool itself is really just a shallow baby pool lined in vinyl. It's neat but I wouldn't cut my trip short a day to upgrade over the base non club room. Most of the rates you are paying basically an extra night but the 4th day over the base room.
Cardiag
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Normally I wouldn't pony up the bucks for such a thing, but was forced to by a combination of room availability and my wife's work schedule. I am hoping for a decent view of the water though. Last time I paid for an ocean view room and it was basically just looking into the neighboring resort's pool.

As to the views you were mentioning, I will likely be asleep before any such frivolity goes down. I have a strict 8:30 bedtime on vacation.
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