Trying to escape the AI

MinnesotaGirl · 02-17-2002

My fiance and I are planning our honeymoon trip to PDC, and would like to stay somewhere clean, quiet, and on the beach.

My fiance is leaning towards the AIs, because it will be "easier" -- I am trying to avoid that fate! (Can live without entertainment provided by waitstaff...)

Any suggestions for nice hotels and any compelling arguements for NOT staying in the AIs?

copps · 02-18-2002

We are going to El Tukan Condotel Villas in 5 sleeps. Can let you know what it was like when we get back. when are you going

Bill and Carol

eristick · 02-19-2002

I find most of the 'conveniences' offered by AIs just unnecessary. Especially someplace like PDC: it's safe to walk around in town or on the beach at night, it is easy to get by without being able to speak Spanish, and purified water is available everywhere and used in restaurants. That pretty much cancels out any of the reasons i've ever heard provided in favor of AIs.

Bullet · 02-19-2002

I agree with you on the non AI issue. I've been to Playa 14 times and after the first two I have always stayed one of the small local hotels. Playa is way to fun to spend all your time in one resort. Playa has its own special vibe that you don't get at an AI resort. The town and the people are great.

MinnesotaGirl · 02-20-2002

Do you have any small hotel suggestions?

Quote:

On 2002-02-20 00:18, Bullet wrote:
I agree with you on the non AI issue. I've been to Playa 14 times and after the first two I have always stayed one of the small local hotels. Playa is way to fun to spend all your time in one resort. Playa has its own special vibe that you don't get at an AI resort. The town and the people are great.

Munichchick · 02-20-2002

How much do you want to spend on a room? Let me know I will give you some tips on small Hotels. Bullett is right Playa has a very cool vibe you would miss at an AI resort. Here is another thing you could do. Split up your trip between some nights at an AI resort and some in a small PDC Hotel. We have done this in the past since we can't handle AI's more than 3 nights. Some of the AI's are very beautiful. We loved the Iberostar Quetzal in Playacar and the Iberostar Cozumel! It is not hard to book everything separate. This year we got good airfare from Bestfares.com $400 RT in March including all fees from Ontario, California.

Bullet · 02-21-2002

What Munichchick said. What do you want to spend? I usually go low buget to have more booze money. Only in the rooms a few hours to S.S.S. & S. The last few times there I've stayed at the Rosa Mirador. A clean, simple hotel just a few feet from the beach and close to everything in town. It's around 40 bucks a night. But you can find hotels in all price ranges. The good thing about staying in PDC is if you don't like a place then move on to another. Or you can split it up and stay in a real nice beachfront place the first few nights and then move to a less expensive hotel for a few nights. Let us know what your looking for and if price isn't important we can make some sugguestions.

MinnesotaGirl · 02-22-2002

Well, it is a honeymoon... so we may be spending more time in the room than normal! :wink: Additionally, after all the wedding hoopla we just want to sit on the beach for a day or two, so we want to make sure the hotel has nice beach access. I think that we'll do anything $150 per night or under...

JAH · 02-22-2002

I think you'd like the Hotel Colibri or the Pelicano. They are both on the beach. You can check them out at:

http://www.turqreef.com
http://www.hotel-colibri.com

toasters · 02-22-2002

What about the ******, would you suggest accomodation there?

Munichchick · 02-22-2002

JAH's fact sheet is great! Since it is your Honeymoon and you want to be right on the Beach I would think the Porto Real (non all-inclusive option) El Faro, Las Palapas or the Shangri-La Caribe would be great. My favorite is the Shangri-La. Otherwise some of the off beach boutique hotels like Mosquito Blue or the Mayan Paradise are very nice. They all should be in your price range. The Shangri-La is a bit higher now during high season but starting end of April it will be better. It includes a fantastic Breakfast Buffet and Dinner in the rate. Look at my posts in the ALl-Inclusive section about the Shangri-La for some more info.

Karon · 02-22-2002

I agree with Munichick about the Shangri La. It is so beautiful to walk by and I have always thought it would be a great place for a honeymoon.

Munichchick · 02-22-2002

We would love to stay at the Shangri-La this March if it would not be $180 for the garden view room. It's just a bit to much for us this time and we don't take advantage of the included dinner there every night because we love dining in Playa. But I am sure we will stay there again during low season. It is a very romantic Resort!

The Duke · 02-24-2002

Just got back from Playa. Stayed at the ****** condos. Rooms were nice with big balconies. Beachfront rooms were $145 others were $125. We stayed in both and I thought the $125 rooms were the better deal. Get a second or third floor room. Rooms come with fridge, microwave, and stove with dining utensils. Fridge is stocked with smokes, water, and other treats for a price although the prices weren't bad. Can't beat the location.

Meg · 02-24-2002

We stayed with the Duke...our oceanfront 3rd floor was great and worth the extra 20. The non-oceanfront aren't private enough for a honeymoon! (neither are the ground floor oceanfront)The Porto Real has beautiful rooms, but since it's doubled in size, it's twice as crowded as it used to be. It was a ZOO when we walked by. If you ask me, they ruined a great hotel.

02-22-2002	#9 (permalink)
JAH reposado Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Indiana Posts: 1,309	I think you'd like the Hotel Colibri or the Pelicano. They are both on the beach. You can check them out at: http://www.turqreef.com http://www.hotel-colibri.com Last edited by JAH : 04-26-2004 at 04:06 PM.

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02-17-2002	#1 (permalink)
MinnesotaGirl sandflea Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Minneapolis Posts: 4	My fiance and I are planning our honeymoon trip to PDC, and would like to stay somewhere clean, quiet, and on the beach. My fiance is leaning towards the AIs, because it will be "easier" -- I am trying to avoid that fate! (Can live without entertainment provided by waitstaff...) Any suggestions for nice hotels and any compelling arguements for NOT staying in the AIs?

02-18-2002	#2 (permalink)
copps sandflea Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: winnipeg Posts: 4	We are going to El Tukan Condotel Villas in 5 sleeps. Can let you know what it was like when we get back. when are you going Bill and Carol

02-19-2002	#3 (permalink)
eristick into ruins Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Philadelphia Posts: 72	I find most of the 'conveniences' offered by AIs just unnecessary. Especially someplace like PDC: it's safe to walk around in town or on the beach at night, it is easy to get by without being able to speak Spanish, and purified water is available everywhere and used in restaurants. That pretty much cancels out any of the reasons i've ever heard provided in favor of AIs.

02-19-2002	#4 (permalink)
Bullet way into it Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Illinois Posts: 208	I agree with you on the non AI issue. I've been to Playa 14 times and after the first two I have always stayed one of the small local hotels. Playa is way to fun to spend all your time in one resort. Playa has its own special vibe that you don't get at an AI resort. The town and the people are great.

02-20-2002	#6 (permalink)
Munichchick life=playa Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Corona, California Posts: 857	How much do you want to spend on a room? Let me know I will give you some tips on small Hotels. Bullett is right Playa has a very cool vibe you would miss at an AI resort. Here is another thing you could do. Split up your trip between some nights at an AI resort and some in a small PDC Hotel. We have done this in the past since we can't handle AI's more than 3 nights. Some of the AI's are very beautiful. We loved the Iberostar Quetzal in Playacar and the Iberostar Cozumel! It is not hard to book everything separate. This year we got good airfare from Bestfares.com $400 RT in March including all fees from Ontario, California.

02-21-2002	#7 (permalink)
Bullet way into it Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Illinois Posts: 208	What Munichchick said. What do you want to spend? I usually go low buget to have more booze money. Only in the rooms a few hours to S.S.S. & S. The last few times there I've stayed at the Rosa Mirador. A clean, simple hotel just a few feet from the beach and close to everything in town. It's around 40 bucks a night. But you can find hotels in all price ranges. The good thing about staying in PDC is if you don't like a place then move on to another. Or you can split it up and stay in a real nice beachfront place the first few nights and then move to a less expensive hotel for a few nights. Let us know what your looking for and if price isn't important we can make some sugguestions.

02-22-2002	#8 (permalink)
MinnesotaGirl sandflea Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Minneapolis Posts: 4	Well, it is a honeymoon... so we may be spending more time in the room than normal! :wink: Additionally, after all the wedding hoopla we just want to sit on the beach for a day or two, so we want to make sure the hotel has nice beach access. I think that we'll do anything $150 per night or under...

02-22-2002	#10 (permalink)
toasters lost on fifth Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 20	What about the ******, would you suggest accomodation there?

02-22-2002	#11 (permalink)
Munichchick life=playa Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Corona, California Posts: 857	JAH's fact sheet is great! Since it is your Honeymoon and you want to be right on the Beach I would think the Porto Real (non all-inclusive option) El Faro, Las Palapas or the Shangri-La Caribe would be great. My favorite is the Shangri-La. Otherwise some of the off beach boutique hotels like Mosquito Blue or the Mayan Paradise are very nice. They all should be in your price range. The Shangri-La is a bit higher now during high season but starting end of April it will be better. It includes a fantastic Breakfast Buffet and Dinner in the rate. Look at my posts in the ALl-Inclusive section about the Shangri-La for some more info.

02-22-2002	#12 (permalink)
Karon way into it Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Victoria, BC Posts: 115	I agree with Munichick about the Shangri La. It is so beautiful to walk by and I have always thought it would be a great place for a honeymoon.

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02-22-2002	#13 (permalink)
Munichchick life=playa Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Corona, California Posts: 857	We would love to stay at the Shangri-La this March if it would not be $180 for the garden view room. It's just a bit to much for us this time and we don't take advantage of the included dinner there every night because we love dining in Playa. But I am sure we will stay there again during low season. It is a very romantic Resort!

02-24-2002	#14 (permalink)
The Duke way into it Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Crookston, Minnesota Posts: 106	Just got back from Playa. Stayed at the ****** condos. Rooms were nice with big balconies. Beachfront rooms were $145 others were $125. We stayed in both and I thought the $125 rooms were the better deal. Get a second or third floor room. Rooms come with fridge, microwave, and stove with dining utensils. Fridge is stocked with smokes, water, and other treats for a price although the prices weren't bad. Can't beat the location.

02-24-2002	#15 (permalink)
Meg into ruins Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: ND Posts: 77	We stayed with the Duke...our oceanfront 3rd floor was great and worth the extra 20. The non-oceanfront aren't private enough for a honeymoon! (neither are the ground floor oceanfront)The Porto Real has beautiful rooms, but since it's doubled in size, it's twice as crowded as it used to be. It was a ZOO when we walked by. If you ask me, they ruined a great hotel.