DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Everything Else... Cancun & Playa Del Carmen - Where to stay and what to do????

Wife and I are going...no kids in late July. Any recommendations on Hotels or stuff to do? We are in our 30s and don't get to do many adventurous activities due to the two little ones running around.

Won't be going to Chichen Itza and leaning towards staying at PDC.

Thanks in advance!!!!!

This won't likely be much help, but will pass along what I experienced.

In March 2006 my roommate from college got married in PDC. They chose an all inclusive place for everything, except the dinner after the rehearsal. The resort was Riu Palace Riviera Maya. If I recall it was $200-250/night. It has a couple restaurants, several bars, booze in the room, a spa on site, a pool or two, and was right on the water. The water was clear and very calm. The groom and I took kayaks out probably a good 1/2-3/4 mile out and still had calm waters. Staff was spectacular. There was entertainment, though the evening we were in that lounge, it was children based. The weather was impeccable.

We went downtown I think twice in the 4 or so days we were there - one the night of the rehearsal and one day to check it out, souvenir shopping, etc.. Was nice enough, friendly people, a nice way to kill a few hours. Tulum was a nice trip - but I suspect if you aren't doing Chichen Itza, you aren't doing Tulum. More ruins, but right on the ocean - pretty cool stuff.

That's about it. I can't recall the name of the restaurant, and we really didn't do much outside of Tulum and that one partial day in the city (and the wedding, of course). Chilled, ate, drank...good vacation.

My wife and I stayed at Riu palace a few years ago. She loved it. I liked it too. The rooms are very conducive to alone time with the wife.

Any reason no chichen itza? Seems a travesty to not go! Have you been there before?

I've been to Chichen Itza before; she and I have been to Tajin before which is a pretty large ruin/temple area. She's just not into that.

Kayaking idea sound really cool. Am hoping to do some kind of day-long boat tour.

Thanks for the suggestions!

my ex and our 3 year old went to this Xcaret, absolutely beautiful. Everyone loved it. my daughter wanted to swim with the dolphins but, she was a bit young. its a nice place where you can spend the entire day.

enjoy

oh yeah, take lots of water with you. its really hot in the afternoons

man, i got a nasty sunburn at Xcaret. you have to use a certain kind of suntan lotion in order to not disturb their ecosystem preservation they've got going on there if things are still the same as when i went there around 1994. Make sure you buy some of it. Of course, they sell it there. I liked snorkeling through the partially-submerged cave.

Haven't been there in 10 years, so I'm not sure how good any advice would be ...

I'd probably recommend PDC over Cancun. We drove down to PDC for a day when we were there, and loved it! Cancun sort of feels like an Americanized hotel strip. There's stuff to do there, but it's all touristy and expensive.

There was this one beach in PDC though ... It was a public beach that wasn't attached to any hotels. I think it was just north of all the main hotels, and it might not even be there anymore. But for something like $5 you could get a straw umbrella with two lounge chairs and two drinks. It was right out of a Corona commercial ... could of stayed there all day. Added bonus ... it was a top-optional beach.

If you're in Cancun, they had these speed-boat tours ... again, don't know if they're still there ... but they were little two-person speed boats, which were a blast to ride themselves ... you would speed out to a few coral reef locations and go snorkelling. Then you would speed around the lagoon and see some stuff in there as well. One of the most fun things we did down there.

Oh, if you stay in Cancun ... we stayed at a hotel that was called "Blue Moon", but now it seems to be called a much dirtier sounding, "Temptation". It's "adult only" and they make it sound kind of sultry ... but really it's a nice place for a couple to go. You won't have kids running around screaming, the meals are all inclusive, so you can go eat whenever you want and you're covered, and everything has a nice romantic feel to it.

Me and my wife stayed at The Royal Playa Del Carmen for our honeymoon and let me tell you that was one of the best experiences I have ever had. It was a true 5 star Resort food was great, all you can drink, the rooms were beautiful and they had a jacuzzi in each room. Bar in each room , beer and snacks restocked twice a day. Pool was amazing.

Room service was all inclusive, so if you don't feel like going to the buffet order what ever you want heck we even had specialized drinks sent to us for room service. The pool was very fun, we spent most of our days drinking and laying in the pool. The also had fun activities that you can sign up for (bike rides, pool aerobics, yoga pool, volleyball) There is a ferry that travels to Cozumel so if you are bored you can do that.

The best part it’s the resort is adult only, so no kids running around.

Make sure you bring sun glasses because if not you might get a black eye for looking at the beautiful "scenery" at the pool.

Stay at the royal playa del carmen. I really don't think you'll find anything better there. Wife and I had our honeymoon there, and everything Lurker said is spot on. Great hotel, great booze, awesome food, shows everynight in the main lounge, swim up bar, on the beach.

It's also close to the strip, which is vey touristy but still fun. If you want some good grub away from the hotel, search 'El Fagon'. It's about a 10-15 minute walk, straight out from the hotel. It was delicious and they didn't speak a luck of English. Good price too.

Xcaret was fun, we swam with the dolphins. Scuba diving on Cozumel was fun, buy the tour of the island was a waste of money.

We talk about how much we miss it l the time. It was literally perfect (except my wife has a sensitive stomach and was sick a few daysfrom the food or the water in the food). Our only two regrets are a)we didn't sty two weeks, and b) we would have spent more time
At the hotel. 3 or 4 days we were out on tours (chitzenitsa (don't care about spelling I'm on my phone and I'm. It looking it up), xcaret, Cozumel, and I feel like one more place). They were fun for the most part, but our favorite time was just lounging in the pool with the other honeymoon couples drinking almond passions and mojito's, orating around the hotel room or playing ping pong in the 'guest lounge'.

We are already planning on going back in a year or two once I get settled in my job and our kid is old enough toleave with our parents.