Looking For A Small All Inclusive

[TraceyT]

My husband and I are planning a trip for Jan 2016 as an anniversary/My 30th Bday/Recovery celebration and I need some help.

 

We got married at Playacar Palace in Jan 2014 and honeymooned at Cozumel Palace and loved it at both places, they were nice, small, great food and service, and had very fun places to visit/explore around them. For this trip I'm open to some other options and was wondering what you guys would suggest?

 

The issue; I'm having ankle surgery in Sept, so I will be 4 months into the 6 month recovery which is where I have hit the wall as far as planning. I had the other ankle operated on last year and know 100% that there's no way I could handle walking a mega resort at that point....So I need some advice on nice smaller resorts to look into.

 

The places I've looked at/considered Akumal Wellness Resort and all of the Palace resorts except Moon.

 

Requirements (in order of importance):

- Caribbean/Mexico (east side)

- Small size

- All inclusive

- Nice beach

- Good food/service

- Pool (not manditory)

- Near a town/touristy area for shopping/cultural stuffs

 

The goal is basically to go relax on the the beach, drink, eat, and not do too much else I can't really do many excursions sadly (it honestly makes me so sad because other then a cenote/ek balam tour (which I highly highly recommend), we didn't get to do much on the Riviera side during our wedding because we were busy), but if you have ideas on anything like boat tours or stuff that didn't require much walking, that would be greatly appreciated too

 

So! Any experience at the places I've looked at? Or suggestions or recommendations for other resorts?

 

Thanks!

[veryvalentine]

Aww what a fun trip you have planned coming up.  I wish you the best in your recovery and happy to see that you will be treating yourself to a fun trip.

 

I had a my wedding at the Grand Sunset Princess which is a huge, gigantic hotel - they actually opened an Adults only hotel called the Platinum Yucatan Princess right next door and it is a nice size.  It's approx. 400 rooms.  Not too  much walking compared to the other resorts I have stayed at. 

 

I can't think of any resorts near a town that would be smaller than this one in this area. It is all inclusive, the beach like a lot of the beaches in the mayan Riviera is going through a little seaweed crisis.  They are working on it but it seems like all the beaches are dealing with this problem.  So the beach was nice about 2 years ago but right now it's' ok.'  It was a little rocky and seaweedish but so was the beach in Tulum and that beach was always a gem. 

 

The pools are great.  I would recommend booking a swimout so it's right there in your balcony area. 

 

Cheers!

[acw271011]

@TraceyT  Akumal is a resort I've heard good things about. The other is Mayakoba which is a bit of a smaller resort and Le Blanc. I don't know much about them detail wise, just from my own search. Tulum is at least 30 minutes or more with traffic from Playa del Carmen but it would be by bus or taxi so that might not be so bad for you to sit. There are other small resorts but I don't know what star rating you're looking for. Check any of the travel websites - sell off vacations, or itravel2000 or travel nation Canada and you could take a look at them, then look through the resort reviews here. As well a travel agent would be able to help you out with the specifics of a resort. I see you're in Calgary AB - there is an agent here that the ladies seem to recommend very highly. I don't have her info handy but I'm sure one of the other ladies will.

 

As @@veryvalentine mentioned, the beaches in the Yucatan are having a bit of trouble right now with seaweed in a big way. But who's to say by January that hasn't cleared up. There is no concrete answer as to what's causing it - it's several factors - but it's pretty much all up and down the coast as far down as Tulum.

 

Good luck with the surgery! I hope it all goes well!

[rachelia160]

@@TraceyT I just had my wedding at the Now Jade Riviera Maya and I thought it was relatively small compared to a lot of the mega resorts I had seen, especially because there are two sides: an adults only and the 'family' side. When I've gone in the past I've pretty much stayed exclusively on one side or the other (usually on the adults only, but with all of our family with little ones there I was always at the family side during our wedding trip), which cuts the size in half, so if you had an idea of which side you'd prefer and got your room on the right side, there wouldn't be a lot of walking at all. The food is outstanding, and it's a short cab ride from Playa del Carmen. Hope this helps!

[calgarybride2015]

Welcome back!

 

Good luck with your upcoming surgery!  I am also a January bride and a Calgarian!

Unfortunately I have only stayed at 'mega resorts' in the Mayan but the other ladies suggestions are fantastic.

 

I do want to say that I had a snoop at your profile which led me to your wedding photos AND..... OMG!! your wedding dress was gorgeous. You looked beautiful.  I've never seen anything like your dress but it is absolutely fantastic.  

 

Good luck!

[vancouverpetunia]

@@TraceyT We are having our wedding at Now Sapphire and did a quick site visit in the spring. It seems relatively small if you get a room close to the pools/restaurants. It's about 500 rooms, though, so not tiny. We didn't stay there, however, so don't have a really good idea of the property. I have stayed at the Fairmont Mayakoba (Mayakoba complex was suggested by @@acw271011 - there are about 3 - 4 hotels there). The Fairmont is VERY spread out and you have to pay big bucks to stay near the beach. They do have trams running frequently and also have bikes available, but they are not the greatest and may not work for your ankle. It is a beautiful property, although not cheap (not all-inclusive). Have not been to the other resorts at Mayakoba. Dreams Tulum is nice, and if you get a room close to the beach/pool it is convenient. I stayed in the "cheap seats" - furthest building - and it was a good 10 min walk. Don't remember any trams.

[LeighC]

I'm getting married at El Dorado Seaside Suites, and part of the reason we picked it was because it was a smaller resort and good for couples.  380 rooms.  

 

The beach is definitely on the small side, though.  

[DinaQtobe]

We honeymooned at El Dorado Maroma.  It was amazing.  Small hotel, everything is very close (we like walking in the evenings and there wasn't much walking to be done!).  Food was great, service was exceptional.  The beach is unlike any other I have experienced.  Nice pools too.    Generations Riviera Maya would also be a good choice.  There are many more rooms but the hotel is built up instead of out.  All of the restaurants are located in one building and the pool is amazing.  It is a family resort though... not sure if you want to be away from kids.

 

We were married at Now Sapphire.  As Vancouverpetunia says, it is not huge (El Dorado Maroma is MUCH smaller.)  If you get a room by the pool you will not walk a lot at all - all of the restaurants are in one area and the pool separates the restaurants from the rooms.  This is also a family resort but there is an adults only preferred pool that we loved!

[TraceyT]

Wow!! I wasnt expecting so many responses! I'm so excited for way more options now. Thank you thank you thank you everyone!!!

 

I honestly hadn't heard about/considered Platinum Yucatan Princess, Mayakoba, Now Jade, Now Sapphire, El Dorado Seaside, El Dorado Maroma, and Generations, but I will definitely be adding all of those to my watch list now. They all sound like what we are looking for.

 

@@calgarybride2015 Thanks! I had it custom made (by a lady in the states for a really great price) based on a dress I loved but wasnt made anymore, and I had to add the colour in I looooooove it! We are going to go back one day and do a trash the dress session in the cenotes, so I will get to wear it again!

Edited July 15, 2015 by TraceyT

[Moments That Matter]

What an excellent idea, TracyT......the cenote TTDs are really Amazingly Gorgeous!!! and as you said, you'll have another chance to wear your beautiful dress - Win/WIN!!!

 

Here are some images we captured in local cenote TTDs.....to ramp up your inspiration even more......enjoy!!!

 

.....from our Cover Photos Album:

 

 

 

 

Hope your plans all work out smooth n easy - cheers!!! team MTM