Riviera Maya Recap
Our team had the chance to head to the beautiful country of Mexico last month to check out 10 different incredible properties, drink a few margaritas, and learn about all the ways they are handling COVID-19.
Our itinerary was packed with incredible resorts and experiences from the time we landed until we packed our bags and headed back home, begrudgingly. We visited the area of Playa Mujeres, Maroma, Mayakoba, and Cancun, and we’re here to give a little overview on everything we saw… OK - let’s dive in.
PLAYA MUJERES
Playa Mujeres is north of Cancun, about a 30 minute drive from the airport. It is the perfect spot to relax and hang on the beach. The resorts we saw were in a secluded and gated area with stunning beaches. The water was clear and calm, and the beach was not inhabited by seaweed!!! Win-win, I’d say!
Atelier Playa Mujeres
Atelier is one we have had our eyes on for a while. It is a new all-inclusive, adults only (16+) 5 star resort featuring crystalline waters and a golf course. And we will be the first to tell you we LOVED it. Super luxurious, featuring a large spa that I totally could have hung out at all day…
Featuring 9 restaurants and 8 bars on site, you are bound to find many things you like! We enjoyed the incredible tasting menu at Maria Dolores - headed by celebrity chef Edgar Nunez…. wow.
The other restaurants on site consist of: Mercado 19, a buffet style breakfast (the best breakfast I’ve ever had… if you like options, this is your place.) El Suspiro, an ocean view cafe open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Cilento, italian! We had our last dinner here trying everything from pizza to pasta to wine and dessert - all incredible! As well as Asian cuisine, Brazilian, coffee shop snacks, health shop smoothies/juices, and more!
COVID Precautions: a sanitation process took place upon arrival, with all staff wearing masks 24/7. Guests are not required to wear a mask walking around, but it is always encouraged! Capacity levels are compliant to government regulations. Testing required for reentrance to the US is offered at no additional cost.
Estudio
Estudio is the family friendly side of Atelier, and they actually are back to back to one another. Adults staying at Estudio are more than welcome to cross over to Atelier to hang by the pool or grab dinner away from the kiddos.
Estudio is an all inclusive boutique resort, and combines luxury and adventure, making everyone in the family happy! It features a kids club, and shares the golf course and spa with Atelier, keeping mom and dad busy too.
For food, you can check out their many restaurants featuring Mexican, Japanese, seafood, and Italian cuisine or just grab coffee at Azucar.
COVID Precautions - the kids club has been adjusted to keep the kids in smaller groups, all staff is wearing masks and following protocol, and there is a lowered capacity. Testing required for reentrance to the US is offered at no additional cost.
Excellence Playa Mujeres
Excellence PM is another Adults Only (18+) / All Inclusive oasis along the same coast of Atelier, geared toward romance-seeking adults. This resort consists of 11 restaurants, 7 pools, an 18 hole golf course, and more. Guests can pass the time at a piano bar, comedy club, theater bar, a cigar room, and a chill-out lounge on the beach.
Guests can pass the time at a piano bar, comedy club, theater bar, a cigar room, and a chill-out lounge on the beach. Guests that chose to stay in the club level rooms receive a private check in experience, its own private lounge, pool, beach, and restaurant, as well as a bevy of in-suite perk and offerings.
With bali beds and hammocks situated across the entire property, and a sanctuary spa, you are bound to leave rested and rejuvenated.
COVID Precautions: a sanitation process took place upon arrival, with all staff wearing masks AND face shields 24/7. Guests are not required to wear a mask walking around, but it is always encouraged! Capacity levels are compliant to government regulations. Testing for reentrance is offered at no additional cost.
Finest Playa Mujeres
Finest is the family friendly sister property to Excellence. It is all inclusive, features a more modern design, a separated kids area, and an adults only area / “Excellence Club” within this multigenerational resort.
There are plenty of activities for the kids, but the adults are far from forgotten! The swim up bars will keep you refreshed, that’s for sure. All ground level rooms come with a plunge pool, and club members can expect added amenities.
There are two club levels at the resort, the “Finest Club” - which is multigenerational / open to families, and the “Excellence Club” which is adults only - we may even recommend this section for couples over the Excellence Resort itself - call us to discuss!
COVID Precautions: Staff requires to wear masks 24/7, guests not required but recommended. Plexiglass at all bar areas, and directed spacing to promote social distancing. Testing required is free for a 3 night minimum and guess what… free quarantine if you test positive.
Beloved Playa Mujeres
The last stop on our tour of Playa Mujeres was Beloved, a boutique couples only beach retreat with a focus on wellness, where the entire resort is considered “VIP/Club Level”
It consists of a French restaurant, Italian restaurant, Steakhouse, spa / fitness area, Sushi Area, long walking beach, swim up pool bar, and more. The beach is shallow, and can feature some seaweed at certain times of the year, but lets be honest, we all hang out at the swim up bar anyways, right?!
All rooms contain whirlpool tubs, room-service boxes for privacy, large flat-screen TVs, Nespresso coffeemakers, stocked minibars and private terraces with lounge beds. The free bottles of booze are top-shelf brands.
This is a perfect options for couples looking for a secluded luxury vacation with the perks of all inclusive!
COVID Precautions: All staff required to wear facial coverings, suggested but not required for guests. Sanitation stations situated throughout the resort, etc. Testing required for reentrance to the US is offered at no additional cost.
MAROMA
Maroma Beach is located about 30 minutes north of the Cancun airport. Maroma Beach is only accessible by hotel reservation or through a restaurant reservation. Once you witness this area, you will fall in love with the tranquility and powdery white sand that has few beach goers.
Belmond Maroma
Belmond Maroma was for sure one of our FAVORITE stops during our week long tour of the Riviera Maya. It is an all ages oasis situated between jungle and a stunning white sand beach. A beautiful boutique hotel that is known for being intimate, elegant, and serene.
With 3 restaurants and a bar on site, you have your choice between Mexican, Mediterranean, and a Beachside Grill. Begin your day with a free continental breakfast, check out the health bar, and don’t forget to enjoy their specialty at night: seafood! (I recommend reserving the Observation Tower for dinner one night - a private and intimate experience!)
From Deluxe Suites all the way up to a Beachfront Villa, it’d be impossible to not find the perfect room category for you and your travel partner(s). Accommodations come with either a king sized bed or 2 twins, and NO televisions! There is one TV on site in it’s designated room, for you to enjoy if needed. The idea is to unplug and rewind!
And although kids are allowed, there is minimal activities at this location (archery, kite flying and ceramic painting) if they are on the younger end - just important to keep in mind!
COVID Precautions: All staff required to wear facial coverings, suggested but not required for guests. Sanitation stations situated throughout the resort, etc. COVID Testing is available on site or nearby for a fee.
MAYAKOBA
Mayakoba is about 35 minutes away from the Cancun Airport along the Riviera Maya. It is made up of 500 ocean front acres, with one side on the Caribbean Sea, on the other facing lagoons and canals through mangrove forests. It offers a new, jungle like approach to a Mexican getaway!
Rosewood Mayakoba
Rosewood was probably one of our top three favorite resorts we saw on this trip. This family friendly all-suite luxury resort rejects the popular all-inclusive format and instead features a low room count, on call butlers, phenomenal cuisine, and delivered to their rooms via private boat ride through the lagoon along the mangroves.
Indulge in Italian food at Casa Del Lago, Mexican cuisine at Punta Bonita, or the adults’ staple, Aqui Mi Quedo, located at the beach club! La Ceiba Garden and Kitchen is a large outdoor dining concept designed as an interactive experience where you can take part in hand picking ingredients from the vast organic garden, cooking demonstrations, and tastings.
Spend your nights hanging out at Agave Azul Raw Bar which is set up like a library, but instead of books - its tequila!!! This spot also offers a sushi menu, seafood appetizers & snacks!
The spa here is stunning. It features a Sensory Garden where you can hang select the aromas to be added to the oils for your treatment of choice…. so cool. It also features its own pool and cenote - which is said to hold healing powers.
COVID Precautions: All staff required to wear facial coverings, suggested but not required for guests. Sanitation stations situated throughout the resort, etc. For guests staying 3-nights or longer, the resort will cover the costs of antigen testing with the third-party provider on-site.
Andaz Mayakoba
Located just a skip, hop, & jump away from Rosewood, Andaz Mayakoba is a bigger, family friendly option (might a better option for you if you have little ones!) It is home to 13 buildings situated along both the ocean and lagoon.
Check out any of the five on site dining options that highlight fresh and local ingredients, which feature Mexican, Vegan, Mediterranean, Latin American, and Beachside Grill cuisine! We ate at Casa Amate, and then hung out at the restaurant bar where the bartender asked our favorite flavors and constructed a drink for us from scratch.
The rooms and suites offer modern and colorful decor. The property consists of 214 rooms all spaced out in different buildings marked with murals, for distinction. The Presidential Suite was stunning - beachfront and spacious, and can host up to 6 guests - a perfect family getaway.
Take a cigar rolling, guacamole making, or meditation course during your stay. Or just stick your toes in the sand and order a margarita! Whatever floats your boat!
COVID Precautions: All staff required to wear facial coverings, suggested but not required for guests. Sanitation stations situated throughout the resort, etc. This property has arranged for complimentary on-property COVID-19 testing through May 31, 2021
Banyan Tree
Banyan Tree has a background of Asian influence and design, as well as Mexican aesthetics. You can expect to experience Asian-inspired hospitality mixed with the passion of Mexico and Five-Star resort services and facilities.
Dining blends East and West, with Saffron, the signature contemporary Thai restaurant. This resort is not lacking in culinary options: Italian, steak, Mexican, International, Raw Bar, Burger Shop, pool snacks, Spanish tapas, room service, BBQ, traditional Yucatan, wine tastings, and more!
Although this resort is not on the beach, guests can access the beachfront pool and restaurant by foot, boat, or golf cart! It’s is only about a half a mile away. And golfers wont be disappointed by the 18-hole Greg Norman golf course that expands through the jungle, mangrove, and beach!
The beach club consists of private cabanas, a pool, beach butlers, swim up bar in a stunning infinity pool, and more.
COVID Precautions: All staff required to wear facial coverings, suggested but not required for guests. Sanitation stations situated throughout the resort, etc. Testing provided to all guests for no additional cost.
CANCUN
Cancun! We’ve all heard of it… its been a hot spot for years, but is providing more and more luxury and relaxing options, like Nizuc, which is only 15 minutes or so from the airport. While many people think of partying when they think of Cancun, it is much more than that these days!
Nizuc
Nizuc - a family friends option just a short drive from the airport, makes this resort a perfect choice for a getaway weekend with your spouse or even with the kiddos. With its modern style and fountains galore, you are sure to feel like you stepped into another world.
There are 6 a la carte dining option ranging from Mexican, Peruvian, and Mediterranean to Asian and Latin inspired continental.
There are two pools - one exclusive pool and section of private beach that is reserved for adults only, and then an infinity pool with a swim up bar for families overlooking the ocean and all ages stretch of beach!
The resorts 30,000 sq. ft spa offers a vast list of treatments in 18 different indoor and outdoor facilities. Don’t forget to check out the hydrotherapy circuit and ice baths either before or after your spa experience!
COVID Precautions: All staff required to wear facial coverings, suggested but not required for guests. Sanitation stations situated throughout the resort, etc. Testing is available on site for $100 USD / Person.
WHEW … That was a lot to digest, huh… We get it, we loved every minute of our time in Mexico and we think you would too.
Have any questions? Leave a comment or hit the button below if you saw something you liked! We would be thrilled to give you some more info!