We had very similar criteria also, and chose Blue Bay Grand Esmeralda in Playa del Carmen. There's many great resorts in that area, but you will also have to make a decision based if your having any kids with your quests, as some of the nicer resorts (better food and booz) don't cater to children. Also you may want to look into any of the Karisma Resorts, they're gorgeous! We ended up making our final decision by researching on Trip Advisor, reading all the reviews. Hope this helps and good luck!