Please help with all-inclusive resort advice
 

Hi,

With work and family crisis stress piling on we have decided to take the kids on a post xmas sun vacation.

I'm not an expert and when I asked an agent, her suggestions all had so-so reviews.

Have you been to places before that you like?

Here are my thoughts/priorities:

-Crime and Safety - I'm biased against Mexico - I just don't like the situation there. Am I stupid to exclude the Mayan Riviera? Where do you recommend that will give us piece of mind

-Food and water quality

-All inclusive

-Good beach with snorkeling


If you had a great experience somewhere, please share.

We will have our two sons (8 and 14), but they will not join kids-club activities..so we dont need a kids club.

Please share advice

Yes, You are wrong to exclude Mexico and Playa del Carmen.
Unless you are a noted narco trafficker on the run, no one cares a whit about you.
Beautiful beaches, friendly people and great snorkeling ( Cozumel is just over there)
The big hotels all have high end water filtration and UV systems.

Cheapcarribean.com 3-4 star rating minimum, Mexico Mayan Riviera. Been using them for years. Great service.

Hotel Gran Porto Real is in the heart of Playa del Carmen. It is a kid friendly resort. We stayed at their sister adult only resort right next door. Never felt unsafe at all. Great beaches great resorts great food. We really liked it. Plus it is right off their shopping district so there where lots of stuff to do. http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1447106733.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1447106743.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1447106752.jpg

I love the Mexican gulf coast. I've stayed in Cancun and places south on the coast on getaways with never a problem. I plan to look on Cozumel for my next escape south. The snorkeling there is supposedly fantastic.
I spent a month driving around Mexico 5 years ago. We only had one even slightly scary episode. Things may be different now.

One R. Two B.

Vacations, Resorts, and All-Inclusive Packages | CheapCaribbean.com

We loved Aruba, rented jeep and went to Natural Pool: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_Pool

I hated Aruba.

About the only thing I liked about it is the ER is staffed with hot Dutch Dr's.

We have had good experiences in Hawaii, Cozumel, Belize, Grand Cayman, Bahamas, Jamaica, and Bonaire. Of those we liked Hawaii and Bahamas best for kids. Jamaica and Belize were marvelous inside the resorts but outside or in the city it was desperate poor and not kid friendly IMO. We vacationed here mostly for the excellent scuba diving but snorkeling is also excellent.

Good experience with "Beaches" all inclusive resorts.
All-Inclusive Resorts & Beach Vacations | Beaches

Your concerns about Mexico are justified. I was at the Princess Grand Riveria the day 7 died from a natural gas explosion. The response from the govt, hotel and 1st responders was beyond appalling; (Example - Ambulance runs out of gas, asks patient for gas money and she dies prior to arrival)

http://www.cbc.ca/beta/news/world/grand-riviera-princess-hotel-explosion-1.1023812

I had a bag stolen at the bus station on my way there from Merdia. Never again.

I would go to Hawaii. Sure, it will be more $$$, but you are in the US. I have never been big on going to a 2nd world country enjoying the cheap accommodations ...

G

In the Caribbean, the Latin islands are the cheapest. The ex-English are next up the scale with the French islands at the top. For the first of the year, go as far south as you can for guaranteed hot.

Cuba: Cheapest. Great beaches. Mediocre food. We have been twice. Once to an all-inclusive & we took 12-13 year old boys. Highlights for them were the jet-ski excursion & topless girls. Crime is virtually non-existent. Early in the year could mean iffy weather on the north coast.

Antigua: Since it’s ex-English, the price is higher. Food is better than Cuba. Highlights for the boys: topless girls, snorkeling & the Monserrat eruption in the distance.

We have also been kid-less to all-inclusives in Jamaica (adult bliss but questionable for impressionable boys), St Lucia (we visited an ai for lunch but stayed in a rental villa), and Panama (edgy). All of these AI’s were gated with guards to keep the riff-raff out & we used drivers for ‘custom’ excursions.

Ian

Ixtaapa (sp?) Mexico was very nice and felt safe when we were there about 10 yrs ago. It is smaller and less of a tourist trap than Puerto Vallarta where we were after.
If you haven,t been to Cuba now is the time ,prices from Canada are incredibly cheap ,totally safe but will rise with the expected influx of US tourists
We went once 2 yrs ago ,food mediocre in the AI we stayed in but inexpensive and better in the Havana resturants

Being American in Mexico is all it takes to be in danger. **** on that!

Snorkeled Cozumel many years ago and it was indeed beautiful. Kids would get to see the guards with machine guns...probably think that's cool.

Snorkeled Grand Cayman and did not want to leave. Not sure if they have all inclusives there. Have you considered a cruise?

Just got back from Cuba. We liked it but the resort we were at wouldn't have much for kids to do.
Jeep excursion was interesting.

One place the kids liked was Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic.
We stayed on the resort the entire time.

Good beach for snorkelling, walking and some belly surfing depending on the time of day.
All inclusive with afternoon ice cream bar.

Long beach for walking for miles.
Check out some of the Iberostar resorts in Punta Cana

Another vote against Mexico. I would not go there on a bet.

Hawaii? In a heartbeat. Gorgeous, convenient, and safe.

Surprised no one has mentioned Costa Rica. A very safe country, people are nice and actually like Americans. It makes big points if you learn some basic Spanish. Check out the various all-inclusives in the Playa Conchal area of Guanacaste. We stayed at the Paradisus Play Conchal about 8 years ago, and it was fantastic. I believe that it's now the Westin Playa Conchal.

Went to Riviera Maya last year with the family. I didn't see too much sketchy stuff there, and I do pay attention. Still - any 2nd-3rd world country introduces risk... ...if you stay on the resort, it reduces that risk.

Punta Cana was okay - but off-resort with any of these is not great...

Any of the British speaking Isles have seemed "safer" to me, like the Bahamas...

+1 for Costa Rica. I go twice a year and have never had a single issue. There is some petty theft (if you go swimming and leave your wallet in you towel…GONE), but violent crime is almost unheard of. The water is safe, food and beer is cheap.

I've never been to an all inclusive resort in Costa Rica, but I'm sure they are great. CR has white water rafting, jungle zip lines, great fishing and snorkeling, 80 degree sea water, and spectacular wildlife.

Costa Rica is on my bucket list.

My friend went on a fishing trip there and loved it... only down side he said was spiders the size of your hand that eat birds. ;)

What about the Dominican Republic?

Pick a 5 star on the Mayan Riviera. You will ALL have a great time.

I travel to Mexico a lot, the Mayan is safe. The places I work, not quite as safe.

Use a travel agent, they have access to a lot of feedback, and they are insured in the event of an airline bankruptcy.

I think you will find that most of the 5 star hotels in Playa are adults only.
My favorite is Blue Diamond.
The biggest danger there is overeating.

I've been to several 5 stars with kids. All were good. I know some places inflate their ratings, like every hotel in Cuba.

Dominica: same weather, people seem pissed off you are in their country and the roads are horrendous.

Central America, less developed, crappy roads, not always safe.

I would still say Mayan for a family getaway.

thanks
 

decided to go back to Costa Rica