Magical Mexico
On arrival in hot and steamy Cancun we were swiftly transferred to our first hotel, the delightful Dreams Riviera Cancun Resort & Spa. A superb hotel for couples, families and weddings, it offers something for everyone with a host of activities and a wealth of dining options, all included. With only one night here I only got to try Himitsu Asian restaurant and it was a great choice.
Next stop for two nights was the huge Occidental Xcaret at Playa del Carmen, where everyone is made to feel welcome. Again, plenty of dining options and several pools from quiet and relaxing to lively with music – and foam parties! I especially liked the beach area, quite small but very pretty and breakfast overlooking the beach was a treat. For a more upmarket experience it is definitely worth upgrading to the Royal Level, a small private hotel within the large complex.
Xcaret eco-archaeological park is right next door and we took the boat along the canal to visit. It offers a great day out, especially for families, with a plethora of activities, attractions and exhibits. Whilst the park is enormous it still felt crowded at times although there are plenty of places to escape, to sit and chill awhile.
Our penultimate hotel was the gorgeous, adults-only, Secrets Akumal, truly all-inclusive. Without exception, all the staff were friendly and helpful, going out of their way to ensure we had a fabulous time. A choice of pools from lively to peaceful, stunning gardens (in which I regularly got lost) and quality entertainment made this a firm favourite and easy to recommend. Dining at the Mexican restaurant el Patio was a wonderful experience and the best seafood of all was at Oceana.
Tulum is close by, easy to get to and worth a morning’s visit. Being quite compact it doesn’t take all day to experience a slice of Mexican history. Our guide was humorous and informative and really bought Tulum to life. A word of warning, there is very little shade and not many places to sit although the sea breeze is very welcome.
Leaving Secrets Akumal in a tropical storm we headed to our final destination, the utterly splendid Grand Velas Riviera Maya. On arrival we were stunned to find that we were to be accommodated in the adult-only section Grand – complete with butler service!
There are three parts to this hotel, Grand, Ambassador and Zen with some shared facilities, a raft of dining options, the best spa I have ever had the pleasure of enjoying and a great choice of activities. My suite was enormous with a balcony, complete with plunge pool, to match. Due to the tropical storm, it rained the whole time we were there, but with plenty going on it really didn’t matter. I really enjoyed the Eco-Tour and meeting the shaman, learning about some Mexican mythology along the way. My final afternoon was spent in the spa enjoying the Water Ceremony followed by the Uumbal Shawl Massage, which was a first! I had no idea that I could be contorted so easily! World class dining runs throughout Grand Velas and we enjoyed sumptuous feasts at both Frida and Piaf. This really is a first-class hotel for anyone with discerning tastes, couples and families alike.
If you’d like some help planning your own Mexico holiday or would like more information on the hotels I stayed in, then do please get in touch.