Okay so this is a long list....

missixty · 07-09-2008

The time has come (a day after returning from Mexico!) to plan Mexico 2009 trip.

We're thinking of considering hotels within about 10-20 minutes (depending how worth it they are) either side of Playa Del Carmen as we still want to travel in every other night but are off in search of better beaches than Playa Del Carmen and Playacar.

So obviously know one will have stayed at every hotel but does anyone have any recommendations for a fantastic beach that is worth the travelling into Playa etc for.

From my map thingy I'm estimating we're willing to stay roughly as far north as the Catalonia Maroma and as far south as the Grand Palladium.

The hotels included in this range on the map are as follows:

Occidental Grand Xcaret
Aventura Palace
Omni
Sunscape
Catalonia Riviera Maya
Barcelo Maya
Xpu Ha Palace
Catalonia Royal
Club Tulum
Eldorado Seaside suites
Grand Palladium
Catalonia Maroma
Blue Bay Grand Esmeralda
H10 Hacienda Maya
Secrets Capri
The Tides
Mandarin Oriental
Fairmont Mayakoba
Princess Hotel
Sandos Caracol

Okay so that's really long but if anyone knows if any of them have a particularly great beach it would be great to know. I am scouring for photos as we speak but any advice would be great.

By good beach we mean as nice as places like El Paraiso, it has to be worth us staying away from town for

Babaloo · 07-09-2008

you are setting your sights very high wanting a beach like El Paraiso
I can't imagine any on your list will match that.

Aventura Palace - no beach on the ocean - just a lagoon
Omni - tiny beach...nothing great about it
Barcelo Maya - i've heard nice beach with good snorkeling

lolabella · 07-09-2008

Good luck with your search for the right hotel. I've never stayed at any of these AI's, so I'm not of any help. Just remember that beach conditions can change greatly from one year to the next.

JimmyMN · 07-09-2008

Barcelo has a gem of a beach... probably the most similar to El Paraiso in Tulum.

Jimmy

Babaloo · 07-09-2008

And Barcelo will be at the end of your 10-20 minute distance to Playa. It is probably a bit more than 20 minutes.

Eileencc · 07-09-2008

As you can tell from my signature, I'm headed to the Barcelo in a month or so. We chose it based mainly on the beach. Everything I've seen and heard it that the beach there is fantastic. I will gladly update you based on my own experiences there when we return! Good luck in your resort hunt!

missixty · 07-09-2008

How strange I had just looked through the photos on Trip Advisor for ALL those hotels and had felt the need to particularly make note of one hotel and price it up....the Barcelo Maya! And then I come here and it is the most recommended!

Looks gorgeous and I remember seeing it on the way back from El Paraiso and it didn't seem too far away.

Will bear in mind. Thanks for all the help x

PS Fairmont Mayakoba looks AMAZING but WAY WAY WAY out of price range!! Who affords to go there?!?!?!?!

missixty · 07-09-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eileencc

As you can tell from my signature, I'm headed to the Barcelo in a month or so. We chose it based mainly on the beach. Everything I've seen and heard it that the beach there is fantastic. I will gladly update you based on my own experiences there when we return! Good luck in your resort hunt!

I see you have been to the Tucan too, it would be great if when you get back you can tell me how the hotel over all compares to the Tucan!

**Susie Q Roo** · 07-09-2008

I'd say it's about 30 min out of town, since we are almost exactly 20 min out and it's well beyond us.

Kellyk · 07-09-2008

Catalonia Royal Tulum...amazing beach!! It's next to where Cafe del Mar used to be. They'll be going all adult in November.

Anna Banana · 07-09-2008

this beach is fantastic.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kellyk

Catalonia Royal Tulum...amazing beach!! It's next to where Cafe del Mar used to be. They'll be going all adult in November.

roxie · 07-09-2008

We have stayed at the Royal Haciendas several times. Ok, it is a timeshare place and we got suckered in....but the beach is great!! There is a Secrets right next door, not sure if it is the Capri or not. Taxi ride is about 10min and a walk into town is > 1hr. Large beach, good snorkeling right out front, empty beach on either side of the resort. Walk north past Secrets and nothing---walk south from Royal Haciendas and nothing past the point. They are building new condos at the point, but past that open unspoiled beach. You can rent Royal Haciendas off of different sites, even seen some of the "Royals" from Cancun listed on Orbitz.

Hope this helps.

Eileencc · 07-09-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by missixty

I see you have been to the Tucan too, it would be great if when you get back you can tell me how the hotel over all compares to the Tucan!

I sure will! We loved the Tucan/Quetzal. Very sad about what's happening to the beach there at the moment. We loved the people and the service there. I'kk ket you know how I compare the Barcelo when I get back. I just can't wait right now. It's been too long between vacays!

Rixx · 07-10-2008

Add another to your list... RIU Playacar

It has a GREAT beach...almost as nice as the Barcelo. (Which is probably the best of the ones listed)

What I don't like about the Barcelo....it's HUGE. With around 2000 rooms, you have some MAJOR walking to get to anything. Along with the crowds of people there. And it's REMOTE. Nothing really close at all, and a hefty cab fee to go anywhere. I can remember long lines to get a drink, almost at all the bars. Especially the pool. Didn't have a swim up bar IN the pool.

RIU Playacar is one of the smaller hotels. (200 rooms) Close enough to Playa, you can walk into town. (15 mins) Or take a cab for 5 bucks. It's small enough to be 'personable' with a GREAT staff. It does have a Pool Bar...swim up service!

Put it this way....We have been on numerous (17, so far) trips to the area, stayed at a bunch of the resorts, and the RIU Playacar is the ONLY resort we have returned to. We have stayed there 3-4 times. It's by far the Wife's favorite. Her 2nd fav....El Dorado Seaside.

This photo is of the entrance to the RIU beach...Plenty of shade available, if needed. Don't let the photo fool you....no trees on the beach, they are set back off it.

Another resort to consider for Best Beach...Akumal Beach Resort.

For me...this is MY personal favorite. Rooms right ON the beach, open your door to the water. THE best snorkeling there is.....Sea Turtles right there to snorkel with. Walking distance to everything in Akumal...10 mins away.

However...it's pretty 'standard'. Everything, BUT the beach is so-so....nothing fancy at all. Maybe the best staff of all....Not the place to go to be 'pampered'. But if you're a snorkeling fool....this IS the spot.

This was taken from the room....

ABR has the best beach of all the resorts I have seen...

It really depends on what you guys like to do most....as to the best fit in a resort.

Price wise....Barcelo will be the most $$$$. Riu running a close 2nd, and ABR probably running 500 dollars for the week cheaper. (between 2 people)

sctx · 07-10-2008

if the Sunscape is just north of Tulum and just south of Tankah, the beach is freakin incredible as well as isolated........ I thought the name had changed on that place though

07-09-2008	#1 (permalink)
missixty life=playa Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Manchester, UK Posts: 693	Okay so this is a long list.... The time has come (a day after returning from Mexico!) to plan Mexico 2009 trip. We're thinking of considering hotels within about 10-20 minutes (depending how worth it they are) either side of Playa Del Carmen as we still want to travel in every other night but are off in search of better beaches than Playa Del Carmen and Playacar. So obviously know one will have stayed at every hotel but does anyone have any recommendations for a fantastic beach that is worth the travelling into Playa etc for. From my map thingy I'm estimating we're willing to stay roughly as far north as the Catalonia Maroma and as far south as the Grand Palladium. The hotels included in this range on the map are as follows: Occidental Grand Xcaret Aventura Palace Omni Sunscape Catalonia Riviera Maya Barcelo Maya Xpu Ha Palace Catalonia Royal Club Tulum Eldorado Seaside suites Grand Palladium Catalonia Maroma Blue Bay Grand Esmeralda H10 Hacienda Maya Secrets Capri The Tides Mandarin Oriental Fairmont Mayakoba Princess Hotel Sandos Caracol Okay so that's really long but if anyone knows if any of them have a particularly great beach it would be great to know. I am scouring for photos as we speak but any advice would be great. By good beach we mean as nice as places like El Paraiso, it has to be worth us staying away from town for

07-09-2008	#2 (permalink)
Babaloo añejo Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Playa del Carmen Posts: 22,451	you are setting your sights very high wanting a beach like El Paraiso I can't imagine any on your list will match that. Aventura Palace - no beach on the ocean - just a lagoon Omni - tiny beach...nothing great about it Barcelo Maya - i've heard nice beach with good snorkeling

07-09-2008	#3 (permalink)
lolabella añejo Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: One foot in WI, the other in PDC Posts: 6,194	Good luck with your search for the right hotel. I've never stayed at any of these AI's, so I'm not of any help. Just remember that beach conditions can change greatly from one year to the next.

07-09-2008	#4 (permalink)
JimmyMN party machine Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Minneapolis-St. Paul Posts: 3,557	Barcelo has a gem of a beach... probably the most similar to El Paraiso in Tulum. Jimmy

07-09-2008	#5 (permalink)
Babaloo añejo Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Playa del Carmen Posts: 22,451	And Barcelo will be at the end of your 10-20 minute distance to Playa. It is probably a bit more than 20 minutes.

07-09-2008	#6 (permalink)
Eileencc añejo Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: North of Boston, Mass Posts: 7,354	As you can tell from my signature, I'm headed to the Barcelo in a month or so. We chose it based mainly on the beach. Everything I've seen and heard it that the beach there is fantastic. I will gladly update you based on my own experiences there when we return! Good luck in your resort hunt!

07-09-2008	#7 (permalink)
missixty life=playa Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Manchester, UK Posts: 693	How strange I had just looked through the photos on Trip Advisor for ALL those hotels and had felt the need to particularly make note of one hotel and price it up....the Barcelo Maya! And then I come here and it is the most recommended! Looks gorgeous and I remember seeing it on the way back from El Paraiso and it didn't seem too far away. Will bear in mind. Thanks for all the help x PS Fairmont Mayakoba looks AMAZING but WAY WAY WAY out of price range!! Who affords to go there?!?!?!?!

07-09-2008	#9 (permalink)
Susie Q Roo Critter Magnet Join Date: May 2003 Location: Q Roo Posts: 16,081	I'd say it's about 30 min out of town, since we are almost exactly 20 min out and it's well beyond us.

07-09-2008	#10 (permalink)
Kellyk añejo Join Date: May 2005 Location: Dallas,TX Posts: 6,437	Catalonia Royal Tulum...amazing beach!! It's next to where Cafe del Mar used to be. They'll be going all adult in November.

07-09-2008	#12 (permalink)
roxie beachaholic Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Houston Tx Posts: 278	We have stayed at the Royal Haciendas several times. Ok, it is a timeshare place and we got suckered in....but the beach is great!! There is a Secrets right next door, not sure if it is the Capri or not. Taxi ride is about 10min and a walk into town is > 1hr. Large beach, good snorkeling right out front, empty beach on either side of the resort. Walk north past Secrets and nothing---walk south from Royal Haciendas and nothing past the point. They are building new condos at the point, but past that open unspoiled beach. You can rent Royal Haciendas off of different sites, even seen some of the "Royals" from Cancun listed on Orbitz. Hope this helps.

07-10-2008	#14 (permalink)
Rixx reposado Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Tucson Arizona Posts: 1,248	Add another to your list... RIU Playacar It has a GREAT beach...almost as nice as the Barcelo. (Which is probably the best of the ones listed) What I don't like about the Barcelo....it's HUGE. With around 2000 rooms, you have some MAJOR walking to get to anything. Along with the crowds of people there. And it's REMOTE. Nothing really close at all, and a hefty cab fee to go anywhere. I can remember long lines to get a drink, almost at all the bars. Especially the pool. Didn't have a swim up bar IN the pool. RIU Playacar is one of the smaller hotels. (200 rooms) Close enough to Playa, you can walk into town. (15 mins) Or take a cab for 5 bucks. It's small enough to be 'personable' with a GREAT staff. It does have a Pool Bar...swim up service! Put it this way....We have been on numerous (17, so far) trips to the area, stayed at a bunch of the resorts, and the RIU Playacar is the ONLY resort we have returned to. We have stayed there 3-4 times. It's by far the Wife's favorite. Her 2nd fav....El Dorado Seaside. This photo is of the entrance to the RIU beach...Plenty of shade available, if needed. Don't let the photo fool you....no trees on the beach, they are set back off it. Another resort to consider for Best Beach...Akumal Beach Resort. For me...this is MY personal favorite. Rooms right ON the beach, open your door to the water. THE best snorkeling there is.....Sea Turtles right there to snorkel with. Walking distance to everything in Akumal...10 mins away. However...it's pretty 'standard'. Everything, BUT the beach is so-so....nothing fancy at all. Maybe the best staff of all....Not the place to go to be 'pampered'. But if you're a snorkeling fool....this IS the spot. This was taken from the room.... ABR has the best beach of all the resorts I have seen... It really depends on what you guys like to do most....as to the best fit in a resort. Price wise....Barcelo will be the most $$$$. Riu running a close 2nd, and ABR probably running 500 dollars for the week cheaper. (between 2 people)

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07-10-2008	#15 (permalink)
sctx my own peon Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Body in San Marcos Tx....Tankah in my mind Posts: 37,180	if the Sunscape is just north of Tulum and just south of Tankah, the beach is freakin incredible as well as isolated........ I thought the name had changed on that place though