Cancun Area or Other Resorts Question

2,105 Views | 14 Replies | Last: 3 yr ago by Aggie
strohag
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AG
Looking for some advice travel board. We have been to Excellence Playa Mujeres and done the rooms with the pools in your backyard. Friends have done El Dorado Seaside Suites (they liked it somewhat more than Excellence but it was during covid and less people). None of us have tried Unico. Looking for a recommendation for about 5 to 6 couples for a trip this summer. Would like to do something with the pools outside the rooms (we like the option to hangout and drink in relaxed setting with friends but also option for fun common pool). Should we go with places we have been, try UNICO, or do y'all have another recommendation for a resort that is all inclusive with swim out/pool outside your room options. Let me know. Not 100% sold on Cancun area but we like the quick direct flights from Houston.
JMac03
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AG
Unico is definitely a favorite option of my clients, including Texagers. While they do not have the private pools, it will be a laid bad resort, not partyish. Le Blanc is another great option, but it also will not have private pools. It is a beautiful resort on a much better beach than Unico.

Altelier has some Inspira swim out rooms that are highly rated, but also hard to come by.

El Dorado Casitas also have private pools outside some of their rooms.

Hyatt Zilara has swim-up rooms. Secrets Maroma does as well. Our swim-up was pretty private at Maroma.

I'll keep thinking but Excellence is what comes to mind with private pools.

Excellence does have a resort in Jamaica and two in Dominican Republic that have private pools.
strohag
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AG
How does the food and drinks compare at Secrets Maroma to Excellence Playa?
JMac03
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AG
I haven't stayed at Excellence but I thought the food was pretty darn good. I know that several of my higher end travel agent friends that push this resort a lot.

I will say if you get a swimup at Secrets Maroma, I would probably do the Preferred Club. We had a swim up for one night and then moved rooms. The swimup was pretty noisy at night.

The way they have their buildings setup, depending where in the resort you are coming from, you walk past the bedroom doors of each building you walk through. People talk when walking down the walkways. We were woken up no less than 6-7 times between 11-2am of people walking past. Once we moved to a regular room, we never heard anyone. I think the preferred clubs are closed to the beach thus would have less foot traffic than where we were.

The best food I've had at a resort is Le Blanc. El Dorado had really good food too. I haven't been to Unico but it's supposed to be great too.
breezecustomtravel
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AG
I'll chime in here also but I definitely agree with JMac for all the resorts mentioned.

I've personally stayed at EPM, Secrets Maroma(our wedding was here), UNICO and El Dorado Casitas and Royale.

EPM - you've been so you know how it is....but we loved our swim out room here, the service was great and the beach was nice. I would say the food here was a tiny smidge better than Secrets.

Secrets Maroma - if you choose swim out room here, definitely go with Preferred Club and try to request all your rooms be near each other so you can basically make the swim out pool your own private pool with friends. Beach is so pretty, food was great and we really liked the swim up bar. I love the layout of this resort.

UNICO - smaller and more boutique hotel charm but great. Ocean VIEW Swim out rooms are not as private and near sidewalks that most people take to walk through the resort. Ocean FRONT Swim out rooms are more private and secluded. Loved the food here and the beach is looking great right now, from what I've heard in the past it's been hit or miss with the beach.

El Dorado Casitas - This resort is broken down into different smaller sections kind of shaped like a horseshoe - I think there are five or six of them. But each horseshoe has it's own pool with swim up bar and half of the casita rooms have a private pool or a swim out pool. This might be a good option if you can all get in one of the horseshoes you could either hang out in your swim out pool or just short walk to the pool. But it's not like there's only 2 pools for the entire resort and it's a long walk from your room. You also would have privileges at El Dorado Royale that is next door. Royale is a large resort with LOTS of restaurants and nightlife. The food at both was outstanding, the best food I've had at an all-inclusive. They are known for their gourmet restaurants and chefs.


Atelier is a newer resort but it's getting rave reviews and the swim out rooms look amazing. Their rooftop suites also have private pools that look to be amazing as well. I have clients going there this month so I'm excited to hear their feedback.

I'll throw in Haven Resort & Spa -- this would only be if you didn't care about the beach because it's not great but the swim out rooms here super nice, I felt like they were wider and there was more room between suites. It's another smaller resort with only 3 pools and 5 restaurants - it's more of a modern feel and decor. And it's only about 10 minutes from the airport.

If you want any pictures of these resorts and room types or have any specific questions just let me know or email me lauren@breezecustomtravel.com - I'm happy to help!
Lauren K '07
www.breezecustomtravel.com
@breezecustomtravel
Relampago
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AG
Breeze Custom Travel has set up travel for us to Secrets, EPM, and Unico; totally agree with her post.
Matsui
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AG
UNICO food was outstanding. I can't say it enough. Very high quality. All a la cart. It was exceptional. The service was top notch as well. I'd easily go back to UNICO.

But, what has me wanting to try other places is that UNICO's beach isn't very large. It is fine. Just pretty narrow beach and also UNICO Is 90 minutes from the airport. It take a bit to get down there.
JMac03
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AG
Maybe try Le Blanc next. Amazing food and customer service. It's on the Cancun hotel strip so a nice Long Beach.




wcb
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AG

Quote:

Secrets Maroma - if you choose swim out room here, definitely go with Preferred Club and try to request all your rooms be near each other so you can basically make the swim out pool your own private pool with friends. Beach is so pretty, food was great and we really liked the swim up bar. I love the layout of this resort.

Did this with friends a few years back. Absolutely the way to go.

Side note - swim outs at Secrets Playa Mujeres are much smaller than the ones a Maroma.
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strohag
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AG
wcb said:


Quote:

Secrets Maroma - if you choose swim out room here, definitely go with Preferred Club and try to request all your rooms be near each other so you can basically make the swim out pool your own private pool with friends. Beach is so pretty, food was great and we really liked the swim up bar. I love the layout of this resort.

Did this with friends a few years back. Absolutely the way to go.

Side note - swim outs at Secrets Playa Mujeres are much smaller than the ones a Maroma.


Does drink service come around the private pool? One thing we liked about excellence was we could all hangout outside our rooms in the pool and they would still come around and take drink orders.
JMac03
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AG
Purchase insurance. It will pay for you to be quarantined if something happens.

And if you don't include cancellation protection (only medical), it's dirt cheap. I just quoted it for a client and for 2 people it was only $32. (With that said it was only a 3 day trip) but still. With cancellation it was $74 but it wasn't an expensive trip ($1500)
breezecustomtravel
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AG
Yes, purchase some sort of travel protection - like JMac said, even if it's just medical coverage, it's cheap and will definitely help you if you get sick in country.

I always like to recommend full travel protection, just because you don't know what could happen before your departure and during your travel to get there.

Lauren K '07
www.breezecustomtravel.com
@breezecustomtravel
breezecustomtravel
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AG
At Secrets Maroma, we did not have drink service at our swim out pool since it was more private and not near the main pools. This may have changed since we went, but clients that I have had go there recently have said the same.

But, we did call room service, order drinks and had them bring them to us. Our guys mainly like beer, so they just ordered 6 beers each on ice and they would bring a bucket of beers. If we were ordering mixed drinks we would request 2 and have our yeti cups to hold one of them to keep it cold. It's a little more work but it was nice to have a morning or afternoon to hang out at our swim out rooms. You also have your mini bar drinks to have as well, I know it's not the same as someone making and handing you your drink at the pool but it is an option.

At UNICO, our host would do this for us if we wanted drinks in our room/swim out pool. It was quicker than room service. We could just text him what we wanted and he would bring to us.

Hope this helps!
Lauren K '07
www.breezecustomtravel.com
@breezecustomtravel
gvine07
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AG
My wife and I are "members" of the Karisma family of resorts, which include the El Dorado ones.

We've been to El Dorado Casitas, but love El Dorado Maroma more. It's smaller, more intimate, and more laid back. It's a great place to go and relax, not a place for adventure, though there are activities on their property next door. El Dorado Casitas and El Dorado Royale are slightly more party atmospheres but nothing crazy.

All of the resorts that have been mentioned here are really nice, and really great value.

Wherever you go I recommend you use a travel agent. The first time we went, before we were members, we thought it would be better to plan things directly through them instead of having a "middle man travel agent." That was a mistake - they're definitely catering to the travel agents. You can either get better prices, more freebies, or both through a travel agent.

If you want to go to a 1-2 hour high-pressure sales seminar (they probably call it 30 minutes) let me know and I can get you a discount with member benefits. If you're remotely interested in joining it makes sense, otherwise you should just go through an agent.
Aggie
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AG
Wife and I are also karisma members

We love El Dorado Casitas

Get an infinity suite .. has an private infinity pool on your balcony .. along with a balcony bed.
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