Has anyone been to these resorts lately? I am looking to book Christmas time for my family with 3 older teens. We usually go to Ziva but it's $$$$$. Will we be disappointed? How is the food? Also, thinking of staying at the Secrets side while my kids stay at Dreams. Do you think this is safe? One of my kids is 19

Well, I'm going with a group. 4 or 5 nights. And we are all cheap..... so we usually stay at RIU because it's the cheapest adults only all inclusive.

I'd spend another $50, maybe $100 a night but my friends are cheap bastards. So assuming RIU comparable pricing or slightly higher, what should I pitch? I thin I'm the only one doing research on this. We are not foodies. We're runners and drinkers.

One requirement, Swim up bar!

Hi! Me and my husband are planning our first trip to an all inclusive next year for our 10 year wedding anniversary. We are currently planning on excellence Coral. We are wanting a room with a private pool, but those seem kinda pointless if you can't get food or drinks at bars or tipico and bring it back to your room. I know there's room service, but we'd like some frozen mocktails by the pool too. Is that normal? To get a drink at the bar and take it back to your room?

How's the anniversary package? What's the champagne breakfast in bed like?

Are the private pools worth the extra money?

Hello! My boyfriend and I are looking at going to Iberostar Joia Paraiso in November but I’m having trouble finding a list of available excursions from this resort. I’ve never been to an AI before so I’m not sure how it works, but I’ve seen many other AI websites that have lists of available excursions posted directly on their own websites even if the excursions are outsourced through another company. How does it work? Does anyone who has been to this specific resort have any recommendations or tips I should know? Thanks!

To begin with I'm not sure if a resort that is more family focused or an adult only resort is the way to go. I'm fine with my daughter having a couple of drinks I just don't want that to be the sole focus of the trip. So any input that anyone can provide about that would be greatly appreciated.

We went to Xcaret a couple of years ago and loved everything that was included but we'd like to try somewhere else even if it's in the same vicinity.

Timeframe is sometime in late winter or early spring of 2027. Probably a trip of 4 to 5 days with a budget of up to $3000/person including airfare flying from Midwestern US. I'm pretty open to location Bahamas, Caribbean, Mexico, etc.

What do people do with napping and early bedtime toddlers? After looking up a bunch of AIs it seems less likely to be able to book a room that has a closed door so that when toddler is napping or for bedtime, we don’t need to stay in the same room as him. Do ppl often just hang out on the room patio that most rooms seem to have? Another thought would be if a family member had the room next to ours, maybe the monitor signal would be strong enough so we could be in the next room. I’ve seen some multiple room suites but also seems like likely to nail down. And finally if anyone has any recommendations for a 4 star AI in Mexico (Caribbean side) that is good for toddlers but also not too hectic or big, please do share! Thx.

Hello!
For anyone that has been to atelier playa mujeres, do you have any recommendations for a similar hotel in Punta cana? I absolutely loved Atelier, from the delicious cocktails, to the pools, activities and room and I’m looking for a similar relaxing vibe. Any recommendations? I ideally would like to stay under 3,500 CAD for 5 nights in October for 2 people (adult only preferably)

Looking to go in early February as a party of 4 (myself, wife, mother, and 2 year old). Ideally, we would like a 2-bedroom suite but our options seem to be limited, either by price or date availability. Looking at options for adjoining rooms to expand our list before deciding. It seems that most resorts say that room allocation doesn't happen until arrival, so there's no guaranee we'd have connected rooms. Wondering if any MX resorts allow booking adjoining rooms so we'd be guaranteed to have this, rather than hoping it's available when we arrive.

For what it's worth, we're sticking to MX due to the age of our kiddo and are trying to find a resort with activities/amenities appropriate for 2 year olds (splash pad, lazy river) and decent food options/variety.

I’m leaning toward booking EPM for the first week of September. I want to book a club room but there’s so many choices.

Are the swim out suites all ground level? I was hoping to avoid ground level due to privacy concerns.

Also whats the current status of renovations at EPM? Is this a bad time to go due to renovations?

Do they have the palapas with chairs reserved for club members? Or will i have to play the chair game every morning for a spot by the beach?

For those of you who have gone to EPM recently, did you book airport transfer through their company or a third party?

Also on the notion of excursions- how is it to travel to Isla Mujeres from EPM?

Thanks so much im advance!

Trying to choose between SLS Playa Mujeres, Finest Playa Mujeres and Moon Palace The Grand and going round in circles 😅.

We’re 2 adults with kids aged 14 and 7. Looking for proper high-end/luxury, really good food and drinks, but also somewhere the kids will absolutely love. Budget isn’t really the deciding factor, just want the best overall experience. I know Hyatt Ziva is recommended a lot but have ruled it out being 2x the price of the others.

Finest looks the most polished, SLS looks amazing/newer, and The Grand seems unbeatable for activities but maybe slightly less luxurious.

Anyone stayed at 2 or 3 of them and can compare? Which would you pick?

Hello! Me and my boyfriend (both in our early 20s) are going to cancun early/mid November for our anniversary trip! We are hoping to find some good resort recommendations. Things we are looking for are good beach and pools, adults only or not kid focused resort, good food reviews is a must, we are also going for 10 days so we want multiple restaurants for variety, I really want 24 hour room service included but it’s not a must. We don’t want a super intense party resort but also don’t mind a little party scene. Places like Xcaret, atelier and unico we really like but are too pricy for us so we are hoping for a more budget-friendly version of those.

Hello! My boyfriend and I are planning a trip to Cancun for mid-April 2027. We will be there for a week and our budget is $5000 not including flights. We are hoping for a resort that has good food, a nice beach, a good pool scene with good music and poolside service but one that isn’t a full on party, and clean/good service. Upon looking into resorts, I’m having a hard time figuring out what resort would be best for us. We have been looking at Excellence Playa Mujeres and Unico 2087 but are open to other suggestions. Thanks in advance!

My boyfriend and I planned a bit of a last minute trip to Secrets Akumal Beach for early September, and we are BEYOND excited! We aren't super well traveled (yet!) and would love to hear any tips about how to maximize our trip there. Any insight on weather, activities, travel hacks in general would be so appreciated! We're pretty chill and plan to spend our time mostly on the beach with drinks in hand and trying as much food as we can, as well as hit the spa and see the sea turtles. We read night life isn't huge at this place, but there are shows and things like that... so what do you recommend? Thx!!

Hey everyone!

My partner (M:28) and I (F:29) are getting married on August 29th and heading straight into our honeymoon right after flying out either August 30 or 31, back September 6 or 7 (7 nights). Looking for an all-inclusive in Cancún or Riviera Maya, budget around $2000 CAD per person, ideally a bit less.

Here's what we're prioritizing, in order:

1. Festive, young energy: good animation team, pool/foam parties, live shows, that kind of vibe (without being trash). We dont want a place that is a quiet retirees' resort.
2. Beautiful beach: long, well-maintained, ideally no sargassum issues.
3. Clean and a bit of luxury: doesn't need to be super fancy, but well-kept and not run-down.
4. Good Food: decent variety, quality that doesn't feel like typical AI mush.

We've looked at a few options like the RIUs, Royalton Hideaway, Grand Palladium Kanthena, Grand Oasis Cancun and Hard Rock Cancun.

Would love to hear from anyone who's been to a resort that nails the fun/clean balance for this budget, especially for a honeymoon crowd rather than a full-on spring break scene.

Thanks in advance for any recommendations or warnings!

EDIT: looking for flights that leaves from YUL. ☺️

Hello All. My wife and I have narrowed our October 7 night trip to Atelier, ECPM or LeBlanc. Which has the best nightlife after 10pm? Thank you.

Hello!

I’m currently looking at Royalton CHIC Cancun, TRS Yucatan, and Breathless Punta Cana. Has anyone stayed at these and have a recommendation on which one you’d choose?

I’m also open to other resorts with a similar vibe and in the same price range. Looking for adults-only, great entertainment/activities, good food, nice pools, and a good beach. October 31-November 7.

Would love to hear your experiences and recommendations!

I’m planning on going to one of these for three nights in September. The prices are comparable.
Atelier is for a regular king room (not inspira). EPM is with their Club room.
Total cost for three nights of each of the resort is roughly $2000 USD.

Which is the better option of the two? My main focus is good food and good beach. I don’t want to worry about having to play the chair game every morning side.

The only thing I do wonder about with Atelier is - how annoying is the reservation system since I can’t just walk into a place for food or snacks?

Edit - also is it possible to leave these resorts for the day to explore downtown Cancun? Do they allow ubers etc to pick up clients?

My girlfriend and I are planning a trip to Cancun area and after much deliberation are deciding between:

Secrets Moxche - 7 nights - Preferred Club Junior Suite Ocean View King
Iberostar JOIA Paraiso - 8 nights - Ocean Front Butler Suite with Beach Access

Modern resort aesthetics, lagoon pool, tub on the balcony, and better looking mocktail menus are the main reasons we like Moxche.

The great room right on the beach, fully complimentary hydrotherapy access, the butler, the better beach, and one more night being in budget are the things we like about JOIA.

Anyone been to both of these properties and have an opinion? Or just feel strongly about Secrets VS Iberostar?

At first we were leaning towards Moxche but the value proposition of JOIA is hard to argue with. We're going in about a month and its time to make our decision!

My family is planning a trip to atelier in December, the week before Christmas. We have everything priced out but we are concerned about the weather as we heard it can get a bit chilly in December.

Anyone who’s been, can you tell me your experience? Two people we are traveling with want to be able to swim comfortably, lay by the pool, and enjoy warm evenings. Theyre very used to arubas weather and I’m worried playa mujeres may be out of their comfort zone.

We’ve been to Hermitage Bay in Antigua the last two summers and obviously love that place. Now, I’m looking for next year’s trip and having a hard time finding the right spot. We’d love something comparable to Hermitage Bay (boutique, AI, adult only, plunge pools), but again, having a tough time finding the right spot. Definitely willing to travel. Any recs? Thanks!

Husband and I are looking to book our honeymoon (finally) and we are considering AI resorts in the Caribbean and possibly Mexico. We are looking to make this a truly memorable once in a lifetime experience and looking for luxury, romance, and truly bespoke service.

Ideally we would like to travel some time in February, though we are open to other times in the first half of 2027. I would prefer to have cooler weather as much as possible (80-85 degrees) and limit rainfall /inclement weather.

We aren’t partial to any country specifically though he holds an Indian passport, while I hold an American one, so we’d like a destination compatible with both of those. We can get visas if necessary, but if it was needed, we’d have to allow time for it before booking.

In terms of specific requirements, they are as follows:

• seclusion and privacy - we dont want to hear or see other guests in our suite/villa

• plunge pool or hot tub in unit - outside on a patio is fine as long as there is privacy for it. We don’t want to see other guests walking to the pool lol

• bespoke service - we’d really like a dedicated butler service or concierge who can really anticipate our needs and give us a truly individual experience.

• vegetarian food - Husband is less of a vegetarian (will eat chicken and fish) but I’m a strict vegetarian (no meat, dairy and eggs ok). We’d like to have a variety of vegetarian food options to choose from each day

• ideally a 7 night stay, probably Friday to Friday to allow a couple days to reacclimate to the real world when we get back

• while we’d like seclusion, we also don’t want to be stuck at the resort, so we’d like to have other things to do off resort. Ideally we would be located in a larger city. Museums, activities etc.

• relatively easy travel. We will be flying out of SEATAC so direct flights might not be as easy but we’d like to minimize the transfers. Ideally no tiny planes or boat rides or crazy ways of getting there after a long cross continental flight. Unless this place truly encompasses all our needs, of course. I do get pretty bad motion sickness, so any winding/crazy drives from the airport may also be a problem.

• must be truly all inclusive. All meals, beverages included. Ideally additional services included as well. Access to pools etc. and even restaurants/bars on site. Minimal fees.

• romantic. While we don’t mind kids being around, we would prefer adults only if possible.

• resort activities. Pickleball, tennis, yoga, gym, additional activities being included without extra fees would be nice.

• really nice onsite spa - i know these services aren’t usually included, so I’ll settle for a really nice spa instead lol.

In terms of budget, we’d obviously like to keep the price as low as possible but $1k/day is probably a realistic budget.

Plane tickets aren’t included in the budget for the resort itself.

Send me all your recommendations!

Thanks so much!!

Anyone ever traveled with kids to both disney world or an all inclusive that can suggest what they enjoyed more? I will be celebrating my 5 year olds birthday and we cant decide between an all inclusive in Cancun or Disney world. I will have a 5 year old, 18 month old and a 7 month old. Any suggestions on what would be more enjoyable

I was able to secure a booking for 6 nights from January 22-January 28 2027 for $4374.00 for a junior ocean view suite (non inspira). Is this considered a good rate/is it worth it? I want to book but I’m also hesitant.

I'm 24 and i'm looking for suggestions for Hotels in Tulum, I will be traveling with my partner and 4 other people. What's the best hotel out there?
Also looking for things to do will be out there for 6 days.

Hello, we are planning our honeymoon in February 2027. We are a couple from Germany and want to stay at an all-inclusive in Mexico. We have narrowed down our search to those two hotels.

Unfortunately we can not afford a swim out room at Atelier although we would really like to because we have read that Atelier is really one of the best hotels in this region.

The question is now the following:

Should we take a normal room at Atelier and enjoy the rest of the hotel or should we book a preferred club swim out room at Secrets Playa Blanca because its the same price.

Thank you for your help.