Which AI for family of five?

playamama · 01-04-2008

I know I've seen this discussed on here before, and I'm having no luck searching for previous posts on this subject. I'm pretty sure Shammy had the answers, so if anyone has some advice, I'd sure appreciate it! We want to book at an AI during Christmas '08, husband and I have three kids ages 5, 7, and 15. We want to stay in one room/suite and the trouble is that the 15 yr old is considered an adult paying adult rate. This is fine, but obviously cannot stay in a room alone, and we'd all like to stay together if possible. We like the Playacar area best and would like to stick close to PDC. I see the new Princess All Suites has a teen club, that would be a bonus, but not sure if this AI would accomodate five per room. Any thoughts?

**Shammy** · 01-04-2008

There are no resorts that will allow 5 per room when you have three adults and two children.. There are several resorts that allow 5 per room when you have two adults and three children (Sandos Playacar, Sandos Caracol, Catalonia Royal Tulum, Grand Sirenis, Palladium) - but ALL children must be age 12 or under. With a 15 your old, you must book two rooms at all AI resorts in Riviera Maya - except for some kind of super expensive suite at the Moon Palace, but that would cost way more than two regular rooms at a resort anyway!

Tommygurl · 01-04-2008

Would you consider renting a condo as an alternative? I can see why you wouldn't want 2 rooms....hard to leave a 15 year old alone in their own room!

**Shammy** · 01-04-2008

Most families of 5 (or more) that have to reserve two rooms don't leave the kids alone in the 2nd room - they actually split up and have one parent sleep in one room and one parent in the other. When on vacation, do what ya gotta do. Hey, if kids are coming along, it wasn;t a romantic getaway anyway! Or...if they have older teens, they sometimes allow them to stay in a room with the younger ones while the parents take a room. Personally, I opt for sharing a room with one of my kids - it's the only time I get to sleep without the sound of a buzz saw zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz'ing next to me!

daveoz · 01-06-2008

We have stayed at AI's (Gran Porto Real) for the last 13 years, but this year have decided to rent a condo at Playa del Sol. They are just $250 a day for a three bedroom and the Reef Club is across the street and it costs $40 a day for the AI priviledges there. We have never stayed in a condo, but since we are going in the high season, we (with another couple) are saving over $200 per day per couple over the best AI prices.

AnIslandGirl · 01-06-2008

Hello,
Remeber that most All Inclusives charge you per person rather than per room. This means that for the same price, you can get two rooms for your family... and can request adjoining rooms or rooms close by.
We were trying to figure out how to fit 2 adults and two kids (14 and 8) into the same room, and our TA made the suggestion of booking the 2 seperate rooms at no additional cost

, and we were sure glad for her advise! On paper, we just booked 1 adult and 1 of our kids per room. After check in though, they do not care who sleeps in what room.
Best of luck!

playamama · 01-08-2008

Thanks so much for the info - I like the adjoining room idea. I had ruled out renting a condo, as I would like to be right in a resort so we can give the 15 yr old some freedom to explore on his own and don't have to worry about him straying too far. Whatever we figure out - can't wait to be there again!

lashervox · 01-08-2008

We stayed at the Quetzal last August. Two kids, 15 and 12. We booked 2 rooms which I at first had some queeziness about but I would do it again in a heartbeat. They were right next to us and with a few ground rules it worked perfectly. they could stay up a little later watching TV if they wanted etc. They slept in the same bed and we could peek around the wall on the deck to check up on them (or tell them to hurry up!)

Perhaps you could keep the youngest with you in your room.
Have fun!

01-04-2008	#1 (permalink)
playamama very sparkly Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Snowbound in Alberta Posts: 35	Which AI for family of five? I know I've seen this discussed on here before, and I'm having no luck searching for previous posts on this subject. I'm pretty sure Shammy had the answers, so if anyone has some advice, I'd sure appreciate it! We want to book at an AI during Christmas '08, husband and I have three kids ages 5, 7, and 15. We want to stay in one room/suite and the trouble is that the 15 yr old is considered an adult paying adult rate. This is fine, but obviously cannot stay in a room alone, and we'd all like to stay together if possible. We like the Playacar area best and would like to stick close to PDC. I see the new Princess All Suites has a teen club, that would be a bonus, but not sure if this AI would accomodate five per room. Any thoughts? Last edited by playamama; 01-04-2008 at 04:11 PM.. Reason: Speeling error

01-06-2008	#6 (permalink)
AnIslandGirl sandflea Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 8	Hello, Remeber that most All Inclusives charge you per person rather than per room. This means that for the same price, you can get two rooms for your family... and can request adjoining rooms or rooms close by. We were trying to figure out how to fit 2 adults and two kids (14 and 8) into the same room, and our TA made the suggestion of booking the 2 seperate rooms at no additional cost, and we were sure glad for her advise! On paper, we just booked 1 adult and 1 of our kids per room. After check in though, they do not care who sleeps in what room. Best of luck!

01-04-2008	#2 (permalink)
Shammy Travel Insurance Tester Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: The Joisey Shore Posts: 10,972	There are no resorts that will allow 5 per room when you have three adults and two children.. There are several resorts that allow 5 per room when you have two adults and three children (Sandos Playacar, Sandos Caracol, Catalonia Royal Tulum, Grand Sirenis, Palladium) - but ALL children must be age 12 or under. With a 15 your old, you must book two rooms at all AI resorts in Riviera Maya - except for some kind of super expensive suite at the Moon Palace, but that would cost way more than two regular rooms at a resort anyway!

01-04-2008	#3 (permalink)
Tommygurl crab killer Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: I am Canadian!! Posts: 14,376	Would you consider renting a condo as an alternative? I can see why you wouldn't want 2 rooms....hard to leave a 15 year old alone in their own room!

01-04-2008	#4 (permalink)
Shammy Travel Insurance Tester Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: The Joisey Shore Posts: 10,972	Most families of 5 (or more) that have to reserve two rooms don't leave the kids alone in the 2nd room - they actually split up and have one parent sleep in one room and one parent in the other. When on vacation, do what ya gotta do. Hey, if kids are coming along, it wasn;t a romantic getaway anyway! Or...if they have older teens, they sometimes allow them to stay in a room with the younger ones while the parents take a room. Personally, I opt for sharing a room with one of my kids - it's the only time I get to sleep without the sound of a buzz saw zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz'ing next to me!

01-06-2008	#5 (permalink)
daveoz lost on fifth Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Point Reyes, California Posts: 13	We have stayed at AI's (Gran Porto Real) for the last 13 years, but this year have decided to rent a condo at Playa del Sol. They are just $250 a day for a three bedroom and the Reef Club is across the street and it costs $40 a day for the AI priviledges there. We have never stayed in a condo, but since we are going in the high season, we (with another couple) are saving over $200 per day per couple over the best AI prices.

01-08-2008	#7 (permalink)
playamama very sparkly Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Snowbound in Alberta Posts: 35	Thanks so much for the info - I like the adjoining room idea. I had ruled out renting a condo, as I would like to be right in a resort so we can give the 15 yr old some freedom to explore on his own and don't have to worry about him straying too far. Whatever we figure out - can't wait to be there again!

01-08-2008	#8 (permalink)
lashervox lost on fifth Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Stanwood WA. Posts: 12	We stayed at the Quetzal last August. Two kids, 15 and 12. We booked 2 rooms which I at first had some queeziness about but I would do it again in a heartbeat. They were right next to us and with a few ground rules it worked perfectly. they could stay up a little later watching TV if they wanted etc. They slept in the same bed and we could peek around the wall on the deck to check up on them (or tell them to hurry up!) Perhaps you could keep the youngest with you in your room. Have fun!

register to remove these adverts