All-Inclusive, Luxury Included, Gourmet Inclusive, Unlimited Luxury .....what does it mean? With so many all-inclusive resorts to choose from, it can be tough to differentiate just what they don't include. One of the biggest frustrations people have is finding out that their 'all-inclusive' really only included hot dogs and beer. Ok, I'm exaggerating a little, but do you really think those great $99 specials online at discoutsrus.com will give you lobster dinners and 4 star service? Make sure you're clear about what you require on your vacation so you can find the resort that fits your needs. If you'll be off the property zip lining and diving everyday, the $99 special might be just what you need to crash between activities and have a cold beer handy when you want one. If you want to lay on the beach while a butler brings your favorite premium drinks and magazines in between casual snorkeling and yoga classes then you probably won't get it at the motel 6 of Caribbean resorts.
Different brands include varying levels of amenities. In those brands you'll find different levels of service depending on your room category. My job is to find the right one so you don't come back wishing you'd stayed home!
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Friday, July 9, 2010
El Dorado Resorts - Riviera Maya
Part 2 of my Riviera Maya review...
El Dorado Maroma
Pictures of each resort are now up on Facebook
El Dorado Maroma
El Dorado Maroma is what I'd picture for a perfect 'just the two of us' romantic getaway. The boutique property has just 72
suites. In the Mi Hotelito section the wood floors on the balcony and outside hallway make you feel as though you're in a treehouse on the beach. The other section has larger rooms with Jacuzzis and outdoor showers. As I walked around the property everyone seemed to know each other and look so relaxed. 
The resort's small size still houses a spa, 3 restaurants and 3 bars so you're not missing out on a single luxury.Marina Maroma is next door with lots of watersports and boating excursions so you're right there where others have to take a shuttle to reach. Maroma was also voted one of the top 10 beaches by Travel Channel. Yes, I took my shoes off to test it and it was powdery soft =) The property also has an on-site chapel for weddings. Children are allowed to attend weddings there, but only those 16 and up can stay overnight or attend the reception.
suites. In the Mi Hotelito section the wood floors on the balcony and outside hallway make you feel as though you're in a treehouse on the beach. The other section has larger rooms with Jacuzzis and outdoor showers. As I walked around the property everyone seemed to know each other and look so relaxed. 
The resort's small size still houses a spa, 3 restaurants and 3 bars so you're not missing out on a single luxury.Marina Maroma is next door with lots of watersports and boating excursions so you're right there where others have to take a shuttle to reach. Maroma was also voted one of the top 10 beaches by Travel Channel. Yes, I took my shoes off to test it and it was powdery soft =) The property also has an on-site chapel for weddings. Children are allowed to attend weddings there, but only those 16 and up can stay overnight or attend the reception. El Dorado Seaside Suites
The next step up in terms of size is Seaside Suites. The property is located south of Playa del Carmen. Although this one is adults only too, there are more groups that are not necessarily couples. The Italian restaurant is bright and airy and has a good house wine selection along with extensive upgraded choices to purchase. The Mexican restaurant offers nightly tequila tastings at the bar. The swim up suites are set among lush landscape for a reaxing nap on the patio. For an extra special treat, the Presidentail Suite offers a living room with stocked wet bar, personal snorkel equipment, plunge pool and sky palapa for massages and candlelit dinners. Wow! There are several great locations for weddings from a picturesque gazebo to pier on the sea. I met a couple from Georgia that said this was their 5th trip to Seaside Suites! They said "no one will be mad if you send them here!" My tour guide promised they were not plants =) I knew they weren't because they were actually eavesdropping on our lunch conversation and asked me later if I was a travel agent. Just like a southerner to politely ask about something they overheard you say! 
El Dorado Royale and Casitas
Just as the name says this resort is the grandest of the 3. EDR is a 4 diamond award winner, yet still has a laid back vibe. Among the 13 pools are numerous swim up bars and activities. The property is divided into 2 sections of 476 suites. The casitas are a collection of 2 story buildings with just a few suites each featuring private infinity pools on the second floor and soaring ceilings with palapa style roofs. One of the coolest features here is the culinary theater that showcases an interactive dinner experiences by the resort's Michelin trained chef. A greenhouse supplies all of the restaurants with fresh organic produce.
If you're planning a long honeymoon, there's surely enough to explore here...
If you're planning a long honeymoon, there's surely enough to explore here...
Although El Dorado Royale is very popular, I happened to like Maroma and Seaside Suites the best. Each property features inspired cuising, impeccable service and ambiance, but they are all very different. Working closely with your trusty Gourmet Included Vacation Consultant (me of course) will help narrow your choices to create the honeymoon or anniversary of your dreams.....or hey just make it a suprise 'just because' getaway.
For updated specials on Eldorado and Azul Resorts check Great Scott Geteaways
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Riviera Maya and Azul Hotels
My poor neglected blog! I'm a firm believer that you shouldn't rattle on to fill space if you have nothing of substance to say. Does anybody else get sick of reading fluff published just to say a blog is updated frequently? It really turns me off.
I just returned from a week in Riviera Maya with my family to see the Azul and El Dorado Resorts and get some much needed r&r. Even Hurricane Alex didn't spoil our vacation. We did have lots of rain, but still enjoyed the trip tremendously.
My poor family had to stay at the Azul Sensatori all day playing while
I walked till I got blisters touring resorts. The things I do for you people! Obviously I'm joking, I love my job and there's no where else I'd rather be forming blisters than Riviera Maya. There will be lots of pictures on Facebook, plus a short review of each here. Overall, I was impressed with each resort. With most hotel collections there's always one room category or particular hotel where I'm left thinking 'I'd never send anybody there, hope no one asks for it." I honestly did not feel that way about either of these. I can't wait to go back sans kid to try one of adults-only properties.
Karisma Resorts family oriented brand Azul has two properties close to each other just 20 minutes south of the Cancun airport.
Azul Beach is the boutique style property with just 98 rooms, perfect for families with small kids. The intimate size of the hotel still packs in a great variety of restaurants and bars. I tried my first "mosq
uito" here and I'm hooked! An all-lobster menu at Blue and Mexican cuisine overlooking the sea at Chil plus Asian at Tainan means you're not sacrificing great food for a kid-friendly vacation. There's also La Mancha for healthy snacks and fresh smoothies. The star of the bar scene is Agavero Tequila Lounge, where over 30 varieties of tequila are served in an old 1800's cantina vibe complete with dark walls, red velvet banquettes and frozen bar top.
The kids will still have plenty to keep them happy. There is a kids club with more toys than you can imagine that are also available for you to 'check out' and play with in your room. Each restaurant has a kids menu so they can try some new things or stick to the old nuggets and mac&cheese. Gourmet Gerber baby food is also available for the little ones. One of my favorite features here is the beach picnics.
You can select a menu that is brought out to your family on the beach. The best thing about each Azul is you don't have to bring a single piece of baby gear if you don't want to. They supply cribs, bottle warmers, changing tables, strollers, toys....whatever you need. You'll thank me for mentioning that when you're waiting in customs without all the junk ;-)
Azul Sensatori - We stayed here the entire week, so I can tell you this hotel is fabulous for kids! The Azulitos kids club here is the best equipped I have ever seen. It looks just like the pictures from their brochure. (rare) The place is always immaculate and everyone there is so friendly. Now, I saw some kids that definitely would have tried my patience, but the ladies there always kept a smile and handled them beautifully. That takes some very special people! There was always an activity going on, but interestingly enough just a few families seemed to participate. It never felt crowded and the kids were always busy with some activity if they wanted. You can also take toys from the lending library here. That xylophone in the pic followed us everywhere. The children's pool
is just outside Azulitos with a mini slide and splash area. Even the bathrooms beside the pool were always spotless! I thought that was impossible.
Don't get the impression that Azul Sensatori is a kids free- for-all though. There is an adults only pool and bar. The family pool and children's facilities are tucked away on the side of the resort so it doesn't feel like you're at Disney on the beach. I was actually concerned when we first got there that I didn't see that many kids or hear any screaming, thinking "uh-oh my wild one is gonna be out of place here!" Even at over 90% occupancy the resort is so well laid out that it did not feel like the entire place was a playground.
6 gourmet restaurants sprinkled around offer cuisine from Italian to Caribbean. We of course tried them all =) Toys for the kids are at each restaurant if you need some help entertaining them while you enjoy your dinner. Spoon was my son's favorite for every meal. There is a kid size buffet there and plenty of windows to people watch. I can't pick one single restaurant that we like more than another. We enjoyed the variety at Tapaz and left stuffed. (I'd heard reviews about leaving there hungry, and I'm trying to figure out what these people are used to eating) I don't even remember how many tim
es we went to Zocalo. They knew our names after 2 days. My husband always jokes that I must be part Mexican since it's my favorite food. The food here is not your typical corner restaurant Tex-Mex. It is gourmet and more authentic. Everything I tried was great. The Relleno I had here was a completely different interpretation of an old favorite and absolutely delicious!!! (That's Malcolm's finger in my plate..)
The adults-only restaurant Le Chique, was definitely an unforgettable experience
. Familiar dishes are re-interpreted with different textures over a 12 course dinner. The pic to the left is shrimp cocktail. This was the only night we left the little one in Azulitos and almost forgot to pick him up! He was quite upset about being the last kid there, but excited about the movie and popcorn he got while we were gone.
The shows each night were always kid-friendly with an 'after-party' in the Mojito Bar for adults. I loved the Mayan show! The Micheal Jackson show was definitely better than Chris Brown's little tribute at the BET awards. I think a few guests were confused because they seem so excited to get the performer's autograph and picture after the show. Maybe it was the tequila...The Mojito Bar has over 30 different Mojito flavors and I did my best to sample them for this review. The servers around the show area remembered which ones I'd already had and suggested new ones. Amazing, with the number of people they were keeping up with.
The staff at Azul truly shines in the service arena. Just about everyone we passed offered up a friendly 'Hola!' all day and night. (Yes even the room service waiter at 2 a.m. was friendly) ...and not in a fake forced way. Side note: It really helps if you at least attempt some basic Spanish. Everyone here spoke English and it is not required, but it really helps you not look like a snobby American to try =) Here's where my time in Miami helped out again. 5 years of Cuban Spanglish enabled us to communicate pretty well with everyone and get some good practice. We surprised a few people when we understood their conversations and luckily didn't catch anyone talking about us. (Wish I could do that at the nail shop) A few days in my son was responding to simple questions in Spanish and counting everything in sight. How long would that take in a class?
Since this post is long enough to make up for the 3 months absence I'll continue El Dorado in another one...
I just returned from a week in Riviera Maya with my family to see the Azul and El Dorado Resorts and get some much needed r&r. Even Hurricane Alex didn't spoil our vacation. We did have lots of rain, but still enjoyed the trip tremendously.
My poor family had to stay at the Azul Sensatori all day playing while
I walked till I got blisters touring resorts. The things I do for you people! Obviously I'm joking, I love my job and there's no where else I'd rather be forming blisters than Riviera Maya. There will be lots of pictures on Facebook, plus a short review of each here. Overall, I was impressed with each resort. With most hotel collections there's always one room category or particular hotel where I'm left thinking 'I'd never send anybody there, hope no one asks for it." I honestly did not feel that way about either of these. I can't wait to go back sans kid to try one of adults-only properties.Karisma Resorts family oriented brand Azul has two properties close to each other just 20 minutes south of the Cancun airport.
Azul Beach is the boutique style property with just 98 rooms, perfect for families with small kids. The intimate size of the hotel still packs in a great variety of restaurants and bars. I tried my first "mosq
uito" here and I'm hooked! An all-lobster menu at Blue and Mexican cuisine overlooking the sea at Chil plus Asian at Tainan means you're not sacrificing great food for a kid-friendly vacation. There's also La Mancha for healthy snacks and fresh smoothies. The star of the bar scene is Agavero Tequila Lounge, where over 30 varieties of tequila are served in an old 1800's cantina vibe complete with dark walls, red velvet banquettes and frozen bar top.The kids will still have plenty to keep them happy. There is a kids club with more toys than you can imagine that are also available for you to 'check out' and play with in your room. Each restaurant has a kids menu so they can try some new things or stick to the old nuggets and mac&cheese. Gourmet Gerber baby food is also available for the little ones. One of my favorite features here is the beach picnics.
You can select a menu that is brought out to your family on the beach. The best thing about each Azul is you don't have to bring a single piece of baby gear if you don't want to. They supply cribs, bottle warmers, changing tables, strollers, toys....whatever you need. You'll thank me for mentioning that when you're waiting in customs without all the junk ;-)Azul Sensatori - We stayed here the entire week, so I can tell you this hotel is fabulous for kids! The Azulitos kids club here is the best equipped I have ever seen. It looks just like the pictures from their brochure. (rare) The place is always immaculate and everyone there is so friendly. Now, I saw some kids that definitely would have tried my patience, but the ladies there always kept a smile and handled them beautifully. That takes some very special people! There was always an activity going on, but interestingly enough just a few families seemed to participate. It never felt crowded and the kids were always busy with some activity if they wanted. You can also take toys from the lending library here. That xylophone in the pic followed us everywhere. The children's pool
is just outside Azulitos with a mini slide and splash area. Even the bathrooms beside the pool were always spotless! I thought that was impossible.Don't get the impression that Azul Sensatori is a kids free- for-all though. There is an adults only pool and bar. The family pool and children's facilities are tucked away on the side of the resort so it doesn't feel like you're at Disney on the beach. I was actually concerned when we first got there that I didn't see that many kids or hear any screaming, thinking "uh-oh my wild one is gonna be out of place here!" Even at over 90% occupancy the resort is so well laid out that it did not feel like the entire place was a playground.
6 gourmet restaurants sprinkled around offer cuisine from Italian to Caribbean. We of course tried them all =) Toys for the kids are at each restaurant if you need some help entertaining them while you enjoy your dinner. Spoon was my son's favorite for every meal. There is a kid size buffet there and plenty of windows to people watch. I can't pick one single restaurant that we like more than another. We enjoyed the variety at Tapaz and left stuffed. (I'd heard reviews about leaving there hungry, and I'm trying to figure out what these people are used to eating) I don't even remember how many tim
es we went to Zocalo. They knew our names after 2 days. My husband always jokes that I must be part Mexican since it's my favorite food. The food here is not your typical corner restaurant Tex-Mex. It is gourmet and more authentic. Everything I tried was great. The Relleno I had here was a completely different interpretation of an old favorite and absolutely delicious!!! (That's Malcolm's finger in my plate..)The adults-only restaurant Le Chique, was definitely an unforgettable experience
. Familiar dishes are re-interpreted with different textures over a 12 course dinner. The pic to the left is shrimp cocktail. This was the only night we left the little one in Azulitos and almost forgot to pick him up! He was quite upset about being the last kid there, but excited about the movie and popcorn he got while we were gone.The shows each night were always kid-friendly with an 'after-party' in the Mojito Bar for adults. I loved the Mayan show! The Micheal Jackson show was definitely better than Chris Brown's little tribute at the BET awards. I think a few guests were confused because they seem so excited to get the performer's autograph and picture after the show. Maybe it was the tequila...The Mojito Bar has over 30 different Mojito flavors and I did my best to sample them for this review. The servers around the show area remembered which ones I'd already had and suggested new ones. Amazing, with the number of people they were keeping up with.
The staff at Azul truly shines in the service arena. Just about everyone we passed offered up a friendly 'Hola!' all day and night. (Yes even the room service waiter at 2 a.m. was friendly) ...and not in a fake forced way. Side note: It really helps if you at least attempt some basic Spanish. Everyone here spoke English and it is not required, but it really helps you not look like a snobby American to try =) Here's where my time in Miami helped out again. 5 years of Cuban Spanglish enabled us to communicate pretty well with everyone and get some good practice. We surprised a few people when we understood their conversations and luckily didn't catch anyone talking about us. (Wish I could do that at the nail shop) A few days in my son was responding to simple questions in Spanish and counting everything in sight. How long would that take in a class?
Since this post is long enough to make up for the 3 months absence I'll continue El Dorado in another one...
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