Mexican All Inclusive Resorts

9,093 Views | 43 Replies | Last: 4 yr ago by hammerhead
FightnFarmerUSMC
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The wife and I are going sans kids on a trip this summer and she wants to do Mexico. We have never been. I need the almighty Travel board to make sure I don't screw this up. Where should we go? We aren't looking to do anything except lounge around and relax at the pool and beach. We will use the fitness club every day and want to have options on good food and drinks. Looking to stay reasonable price wise, but willing to pay a little more for a better place. Will be flying out of Houston.
Panama Red
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You should also start a thread on Houston board asking for attorney to draft you a will and documents regarding caring for your children.
JMac03
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Do you know where in Mexico you want to go? I can make recommendations on Cancun, Puerto Vallarta or Cabo. Do you have a certain budget in mind? (if you prefer to PM or email me if you don't want to post it) - that can help narrow it down.

I just returned from Secrets Maroma and it was great (this past week). I also stayed at The Haven, and it is a good budget friendly option, but not what I was expecting and wouldn't recommend it to just anyone.

So some of the top places I recommend in Cancun and I have clients that love it are Unico, LeBlanc (I stayed at the one in Cabo and it is amazing), most of the Secrets (there are a few I would steer clear from), XCaret. Those will be a little higher on the budget. Hyatt Zilara is another great one. I love El Dorado Royale, but I am hearing lots of negative feedback from other TA's on clients recent travel.

Keep in mind you may have seaweed issues in Cancun/RM. This past year it was less prevalent in the Cancun Hotel Zone and Playa Mujeres, but still not a guarantee. It is very unlikely you would have it in Puerto Vallarta or Cabo, although with Cabo you cannot get in the water in most places due to the currents. Medano Beach is a public beach that most go swimming on.

Feel free to PM or email me for more information on any resort or for free quotes. I've helped out a few other Texags folks.
JMac03
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Panama Red said:

You should also start a thread on Houston board asking for attorney to draft you a will and documents regarding caring for your children.
And I second this. We have PoA in place for when we travel, and gosh forbid, something happen to us, arrangements for who gets custody of the children.
breezecustomtravel
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Just as the other poster asked...where in Mexico do you want to go? Cancun/Riviera Maya, Cabo, or Puerto Vallarta? and your budget too.

I really like the Secrets Brand - Secrets Maroma, Secrets Akumal in the Riviera Maya area; Secrets Puerto Los Cabos in Cabo. My husband and I were married at Secrets Maroma and we're visiting Secrets Puerto Los Cabos for the third time in a few weeks.

UNICO 20*87 is a great adults-only, all-inclusive option - such a beautiful resort! Stunning decor and food.

I visited El Dorado Royale and El Dorado Casitas in September and really thought they were great and I really liked the food. The beaches weren't my favorite but I liked that it was a long stretch and spread out.

I like Haven Resort as well, but it is smaller (only two pools, 4 restaurants) and the beach was covered in seaweed. If the beach has cleared up it would be a great choice.

I'd be happy to send you any pictures or other information if you'd like!
Lauren K '07
www.breezecustomtravel.com
@breezecustomtravel
wcb
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+1 for Secrets Maroma. Great beach, food is good.

If you want to spend some extra money and try an over-water bungalow look up Palafitos. Cool place. Limited selection on food but what they had was really good.
strohag
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How's Secrets compare to the Excellence brand for those who have been to both?
JMac03
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strohag said:

How's Secrets compare to the Excellence brand for those who have been to both?
I completely forgot to mention Excellence in my post. While I haven't been to it, I have had clients who have and loved it. They tend to be larger and have more dining options than some of the Secrets. I'm really mad that I chose Haven over Excellence this past week. Excellence was much pricier so I thought we would try Haven since it had really good reviews and it was a let down. They will be on the top of my list to visit next time.
strohag
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I was curious cause my wife and I went with a big group of couples to Excellence Playa Mujeres and loved it. We may go back but are also looking at other options
JMac03
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I think Unico and LeBlanc might be comparable as far as service and food. Maybe not as big. The only reason I didn't stay at LeBlanc last week is because it was 100% sold out. Unico was pricing really high and I had already told them no on the TA rate so I didn't want to go back and ask for it. Both of these are not known for nightlife though - more relaxation and great service.

Secrets Maroma is one of the few AAA Five Diamond resorts. We did enjoy it - but I didn't think food was amazing (it certainly wasn't bad - but not every meal was great). But service was great. Lots of pool and beach wait service. Clean, nice rooms. I would NOT recommend a swim-up at Secrets Maroma unless you maybe did preferred club as those buildings are closer to the water. We spent one night in a swim up and it was awful. The way the buildings are connected, many people walk down and by each building, thus walking by your door constantly. We were woken up more than once an hour until about 3:45 AM. The next day we moved to a regular room on the 2nd floor, even near the elevator and never heard a sound.

And not sure how big your group is - but discounts at resorts start at 6-8 rooms, depending on resort. This is things like discounted rooms and credit back to the group leader. (My recent group to Secrets got back $2k).
breezecustomtravel
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I've been to Excellence Playa Mujeres and also a few different Secrets Resorts - Maroma being my personal favorite - only because we had our wedding there.

While we did enjoy EPM and thought it was nice we just thought that the Secrets brand and level of service was just a little bit better. I personally would have no hesitations if a client came to me and wanted to go to EPM, I would book them there in a heartbeat. But, if they came to me and asked which I would prefer, I would choose Secrets Maroma or Akumal or even Secrets Puerto Los Cabos.

I will say though, we thought the food was a smidge better at EPM than Secrets Maroma. Maybe it's because there were a few more options? They also have to lobster house and a really decent french restaurant. The food at Secrets Maroma was good, don't get me wrong, but if I had to nit-pick it down, meal by meal, I would say EPM was a little better.

The cons for me at EPM were never being able to find a pool chair or beach chair and we were in Excellence Club. We had a swim-up room(which was great) and we just stayed there but we had a hard time trying to find someone to serve us there. Someone would have to go over and ask occasionally if we could get service. I know, it sounds like a little thing to complain about but when you're used to great service at all the pools it's hard to not have it. After the first day though, they would see us over there and someone would usually come and serve to us all day --- and that's the service you tip for. We've never had a problem at any of the Secrets Resorts with service or securing chairs.

I'm not sure how the seaweed fared at Secrets Maroma this year, but it has a beautiful beach.

I think it just comes down to personal preference honestly; I have a great client that has been to both and I know if I asked them today where they would go, it would be EPM.

Someone also mentioned the Over-the-water Palafitos at El Dorado Maroma --- those are beautfiul! I loved the bungalows and thought they were so nice. They book up fast and are usually a bit more pricey. I didn't love the water there....they have seaweed barriers out right now that are a huge eye sore. In my opinion, if I'm paying $10K+ on an over-the-water beautiful experience I don't want to see this huge thing floating in the water right outside my patio and door. They did say that if the seaweed clears up they will start removing them but who knows if that will happen?
Lauren K '07
www.breezecustomtravel.com
@breezecustomtravel
The Lost
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If Cabo, be prepared for this


https://thepointsguy.com/news/new-baja-california-tourism-tax/
62strat
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We stayed w/o kids at Hyatt Ziva in Cancun. They have THE best location in the hotel zone; they are on tip of the peninsula, so they have water on three sides of them. North and South are pools/beaches, the eastern edge is a rocky coastline with lighthouse and walking path. Multiple huge pools.

It isn't adults only, but they have an adults only tower with adults only dining options.

There is a sports bar with a brewery on site, and some great restaurants. They have good labels on the inclusive list, but you can always splurge for top top shelf. There is also a dolphin pool on site, if you want to swim with them and not even leave resort. There is a tequila bar, a dessert place and about 7 restaurants.

4 nights+ comes with free airport transfers.
wangus12
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What about Cozumel?
JMac03
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wangus12 said:

What about Cozumel?
Are you asking for input about Cozumel, or asking him/her if they are interested in Cozumel?

If the former, from all of my research, the resorts seem to be a little subpar in Cozumel. Take Secrets for example. It has much lower reviews than most of the other Secrets resorts. It is smaller and the beach area isn't great. It always has availability and usually is one of the cheapest Secrets there is. Overall, it is this way with all of the resorts I have research there. Some of them are on crap beaches (or no beaches - it is all rocks). There are definitely some good budget options there - but from my research, I just haven't found anything all-inclusive that wows me that I would want to recommend to someone. Obviously depending on client and budget, it definitely is a fit for some.
sincereag
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Take a look at the brand new Atelier in Playa Mujeres. I went there three times last year because of their great grand opening deals. The prices have gone up but it's a beautiful resort to chill at the pool and beach, and they have a very nice gym.
FancyKetchup14
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Do you dive? If so, Cozumel has some of the best diving I've ever seen. If you're set on Cancun it's worth taking the time to get down there. Can't help on the resorts, unfortunately.
FightnFarmerUSMC
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Great suggestions, y'all.

To answer a few of the questions...I'm open to anywhere. I've heard from friends that Purerto Vallarta is the best place, but I'm open to whatever. We are wanting a 4 night trip and trying to keep it between $3k-$5k airfare out of Houston included. Not looking for excursions or anything local. Want to stay within the resort the whole time.
Milwaukees Best Light
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Puerto Vallarta Gran Fiesta Americana. Adults only. Not a giant place, but big enough. It is a bit out of the town center, but not a bad taxi ride. Not a large beach associated with the resort, ut the pool area is quite literally on the beach. Beach right there is real rocky, but they cleared a few spots to swim and lay around. We went through southwest airlines vacations and got a pretty good deal. Super easy flight out of Hobby. ***not the Gran Fiesta. The Americana part is important.
JMac03
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FightnFarmerUSMC said:

Great suggestions, y'all.

To answer a few of the questions...I'm open to anywhere. I've heard from friends that Purerto Vallarta is the best place, but I'm open to whatever. We are wanting a 4 night trip and trying to keep it between $3k-$5k airfare out of Houston included. Not looking for excursions or anything local. Want to stay within the resort the whole time.
From my Austin agent friend, PVR is her favorite place in Mexico - she said it is the most authentic. I think there are several great options that will fit in your budget. Secrets and Now are right next to each other.

The Hard Rock Resort is smaller than all the others, but a good option. I will say I've been to 3 other HR's and the food is not fantastic. It is overall good to pretty good, but what I love about them is the cleanliness and the service. Pool/beachside service is excellent, as is in the restaurants. I had a wedding group at Hard Rock PVR and they loved it. About half of the group just returned from a wedding at HR Riviera Maya and I am going to follow-up to see how their experiences differed.

Hyatt Ziva's are always a great option. There is a hotel there called Hotel Mousai that is all-inclusive that looks very different. I've only quoted it. It is part of the Garza Blanca complex and shares some amenities. AAA Five Diamond. It is not beach front, but sits on top of a hill, and you take a trolley down to the beach where the pool and some restaurants are.

Grand Fiesta Americana is adults-only and has pretty good reviews. I tend to not quote the Riu Palace or Iberostar unless clients are looking for budget friendly options. I hated Grand Palladium in Jamaica so I never quote it anywhere.

Feel free to email me (signature in profile) and I am happy to put together free quotes for you. No worries if not.
sincereag
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JMac03, have you received any feedback on the Atelier in Playa Mujeres? I loved it there at low occupancy levels but not sure how will be when it gets more guests at a higher occupancy rate. The entire hotel and pools are beautiful and very stunning in its design. The restaurants are very good too and the Sky bar was a very nice feature.
BrokeAssAggie
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https://www.rosewoodhotels.com/en/mayakoba-riviera-maya

JMac03
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sincereag said:

JMac03, have you received any feedback on the Atelier in Playa Mujeres? I loved it there at low occupancy levels but not sure how will be when it gets more guests at a higher occupancy rate. The entire hotel and pools are beautiful and very stunning in its design. The restaurants are very good too and the Sky bar was a very nice feature.
There hasn't been a ton of feedback since it is new. I always forget about it because it doesn't show up on all of my booking platforms. But like someone mentioned above, the agents do expect the prices to increase. Many toured during construction and couldn't wait for it to open. But the few that have stayed said it was great.
sincereag
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I like finding great deals on brand new resort openings. The next one I will try is the Majestic Elegance in Playa Mujeres. It opens next week but I'm going in February. They are currently offering discounted rates through various online travel websites. The resort will be a 5 star with numerous restaurants and a beautiful decor. It will offer a separate adults only section, as well as, a family section.
AgOutsideAustin
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CrazyRichAggie said:

https://www.rosewoodhotels.com/en/mayakoba-riviera-maya




Username checks out.
Martin Cash
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Why the hell would anyone with an IQ higher than their shoe size go to Mexico for any reason?
FancyKetchup14
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Uhh because it's a country with amazing pockets to explore. The food is great, the history is incredible, it's cheap, and it's dripping with culture. Chiapas, Oaxaca, Yucatan, and Veracruz are awesome travel states I can personally recommend. You can hike, surf, explore jungles, dive, go pyramid hopping, etc.

People like to clutch their pearls and shout "oh it's dangerous!" Well don't be a jackass and go to cartel areas and you'll be fine.
htxag09
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CastleRock said:

FancyKetchup14 said:

Uhh because it's a country with amazing pockets to explore. The food is great, the history is incredible, it's cheap, and it's dripping with culture. Chiapas, Oaxaca, Yucatan, and Veracruz are awesome travel states I can personally recommend. You can hike, surf, explore jungles, dive, go pyramid hopping, etc.

People like to clutch their pearls and shout "oh it's dangerous!" Well don't be a jackass and go to cartel areas and you'll be fine.


Ignore Pol board posters, they're detached from reality. Don't feed the troll!

While I agree he/she is replying to a troll, I still find the bolded part funny seeing this is a thread where the OP is getting all inclusive recs and saying they won't leave the resort at all.
TXAG 05
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htxag09 said:

CastleRock said:

FancyKetchup14 said:

Uhh because it's a country with amazing pockets to explore. The food is great, the history is incredible, it's cheap, and it's dripping with culture. Chiapas, Oaxaca, Yucatan, and Veracruz are awesome travel states I can personally recommend. You can hike, surf, explore jungles, dive, go pyramid hopping, etc.

People like to clutch their pearls and shout "oh it's dangerous!" Well don't be a jackass and go to cartel areas and you'll be fine.


Ignore Pol board posters, they're detached from reality. Don't feed the troll!

While I agree he/she is replying to a troll, I still find the bolded part funny seeing this is a thread where the OP is getting all inclusive recs and saying they won't leave the resort at all.


This. I would think the people that care about cultures, exploring, etc aren't staying at all inclusives. Going somewhere and never leaving the hotel sounds miserable to me.
FancyKetchup14
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I didn't even realize the irony in my post.

I've never stayed in an all-inclusive, so I can't give an opinion. But something tells me that it, much like a cruise, would be my nightmare.
Yesterday
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Currently sitting on the beach at Secrets Playa Mujeres. Best resort I've stayed at so far in Cancun area. A friend lost her phone one night and before she hit the bed staff returned it to her. Always a smile and helpful hand. Food is good, not great but all inclusive good. Booze are great and the pools are great. The golf course is outstanding. Best of all there is no seaweed.

If you want to relax and do nothing then Mexico all inclusive is hard to beat for value. If you want culture and outstanding food then do not come to all inclusive.
Burrus86
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If your worried at all about weapons on the beach, I'd recommend Desire Riviera Maya Pearl near Puerto Morelos. You can see someone packing from a mile away.
07fta07
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JMac03 said:

wangus12 said:

What about Cozumel?
Are you asking for input about Cozumel, or asking him/her if they are interested in Cozumel?

If the former, from all of my research, the resorts seem to be a little subpar in Cozumel. Take Secrets for example. It has much lower reviews than most of the other Secrets resorts. It is smaller and the beach area isn't great. It always has availability and usually is one of the cheapest Secrets there is. Overall, it is this way with all of the resorts I have research there. Some of them are on crap beaches (or no beaches - it is all rocks). There are definitely some good budget options there - but from my research, I just haven't found anything all-inclusive that wows me that I would want to recommend to someone. Obviously depending on client and budget, it definitely is a fit for some.

I've done Maroma, Akumal, and Cozumel with Secrets and Cozumel is a steal. The food was the best there of all 3 and the rooms are plenty nice. Maroma and Akumal are definitely nicer, but I don't think they were anywhere near twice as nice like the price would have you believe.

Cozumel is a smaller resort, but we'll definitely go back there. It's a good resort with a more laid back vibe.
DWren
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Martin Cash said:

Why the hell would anyone with an IQ higher than their shoe size go to Mexico for any reason?


Because unless you're an idiot and end up somewhere you shouldn't be the resorts are safer than most US cities

We like El Dorado Roayale Casitas.
Stay in a infinity pool casita suite
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