9 nights and 10 day's Now only if I knew which AI to book

[sun&funbaby]

Everybody is so awesome about taking the time to help complete strangers out. So let me start off by thanking each and every person who took the time to help make my vacation more enjoyable. Maybe after my visit I can pass the favor along to other vacationers. I'm about 90% sure we want adult only. Lush tropical feel. 5 stars. Looking to spend about 2500 a person including airfare from Tulsa Ok. Ocean view a must. If I'm coming to the beach I want to watch every sun rise and set over the ocean. The contemporary looking resorts for some reason don't appeal to me. The only things we are interested in doing are diving a couple of days and snorkeling,snorkeling,snorkeling. Did I mention snorkeling. Are there any resorts that may have a reef you can snorkel on your own? Was leaning towards El Dorado Royal but noticed they have no shuttles back and forth to playa or anywhere for that matter. Excellence was on my list until I realized it was in Cancun. Viceroy if I can persuade my honey to un-freeze his death grip he has placed on my budget. So in a nut shell first time leaving the US. Would like to have an unforgettable first experience. Want the lush tropical laid back atmosphere with the feel of the rich and famous. I'm so anal my trip is planned for end of March 2013. You can never plan to soon. You all will be sick of me by then.

Thanks
Kristi

[Babaloo]

You won't see the sunset over the sea on this side of Mexico.
The best snorkeling (without leaving a resort) is probably Barcelo - 20-25 minutes south of Playa.
In town, the Royal Playa del Carmen is a great adults only AI. Snorkeling? Not so much. But no taxi necessary. You'll be in the heart of PdC.

[queencityfan]

Barcelo Palace is the way to go for a great beach and snorkeling right off it.

It is also close to some beautiful cenotes as well as Tulum and Akumal where most days you'll be snorkeling with the beautiful turtles!

[Shammy]

1. Finding a resort with a shuttle to Playa is difficult. If you exclude all the resorts that don't offer a shuttle, you'll have very very few to choose from.

2. Finding a hotel with good on site snorkeling is just as difficult. Barcelo as mentioned, is one, but it not adults only. El Dorado Seaside Suites has ok snorkeling, and is adults only. That's pretty much it for adults only hotels with decent snorkeling. You're really going to have to rely on off site snorkel trips, to Akumal, to Cozumel, out of Puerto Morelos and the dive shops at the hotels also organize day trips for snorkeling and diving as well. Again, if you exclude resorts that have no on site snorkeling, you're going to be left with a list of about...three or four to choose from!

3. Excellence is not in Cancun. Well, one of them is, sort of, Excellence Playa Mujeres is past the hotel zone in Cancun, in the Playa Mujeres area and across from Isla Mujeres. However, Excellence Riviera Cancun is in Riviera Maya.

4. Viceroy is not all inclusive. You will spend more there, non AI, as you would at an adults only AI and then some, and March is peak high season in 2013 (rooms start at $900/night!). They do have an optional meal plan - $160/pp per night for breakfast, lunch and dinner or $120/pp per night for just breakfast and dinner. No drinks. Not cheap!


I would concentrate on finding a resort that works for you, that's within budget and deal with the possible need for getting to Playa and snorkeling/diving afterwards.

[sun&funbaby]

Thank you all for your much appreciated Information. I think were going to split our time between Cancun and Cozumel. Now I just have the daunting task of picking a resort. So many reviews have favored the palace resorts. I'm so confused. Mainly I just want to enjoy the beach and snorkel. Shammy If I choose, do you book over the internet?

[Bret and Yvonne]

Use Shammy she’s the best, just click on her signature.

[Shammy]

Originally Posted by sun&funbaby

Thank you all for your much appreciated Information. I think were going to split our time between Cancun and Cozumel. Now I just have the daunting task of picking a resort. So many reviews have favored the palace resorts. I'm so confused. Mainly I just want to enjoy the beach and snorkel. Shammy If I choose, do you book over the internet?

This is just my personal opinion but not sure that's the way I would proceed. First of all, it's more difficult to book an AI trip with a split stay. With many companies, you have to book the air for the entire duration and then one hotel for however many nights you want to be there. Then you have to do a separate reservation for the other hotel. Two deposits, two reservations, have to insure both (if you want insurance that is).

People sometimes think it's no big deal to pick up and move mid-stay, but it does impact the vacation relaxtion thing. Often I hear complaints when people just have to pack up and switch rooms, so packing up and dragging luggage from one hotel, to the CZM ferry, to another hotel, unpacking - it can be a pain and this would take up the majority of a day. Not to mention - are you going to fly into Cancun and then out of Cozumel, or vice versa? That's a multi stop flight itinerary, which tends to be more expensive than flying in and out of the same airport. Otherwise, I guess you'll fly in and out of Cancun, but after the Cozumel hotel stay, you'll have to get yourself back to the mainland on the ferry then to the airport. More wasted time.

"I" think using a hotel in Riviera Maya as home base would be best. You're still free to take the ferry to Cozumel a few times if you want, but there are also plenty of ways to organize dive and snorkel trips from that home base. As I mentioned, AI hotels have dive shops, there are dive shops in Playa and Puerto Morelos, you can go to Akumal, to a cenote, many options really. I'm just of the belief that you get to the hotel, unpack, unwind and settle in, then take off from there as necessary. Another thing - people often think they're going to do a lot more things than they really end up doing. Once they get to their hotel and start to veg, it gets pretty difficult to pick up and leave daily or every other day to go off and do something. You might of course, but you might find you hand around and chill more than you thought you would.

Palace resorts? Playacar Palace is super nice, very small and almost in Playa. Aventura Spa Palace and Aventura Cove Palace are changing to a Hard Rock soon, wouldn't be the way to go (IMHO). Moon Palace, right next to the airport, not on a nice beach and far from so much. Also wouldn't be my choice. The rest of the Palace resorts are in Cancun - but are you adding Cancun into the mix now, or sticking to Riviera Maya? I've been to the Sun Palace, which is the only adults only Palace. It was just OK. Rooms were beautiful but the pool areas and beach, meh. Wasn't impressed.

[sun&funbaby]

Shammy,
Thank you so much for the detailed information. I really appreciate all the wealth of knowledge. By looking at this message board you seem to be the go to girl. By taking the time to post all the helpful info, without even being my travel agent, speaks volumes. I would very much like to speak with you about booking our trip. We are now convinced one hotel as a base and then booking excursions is the way to go. We are looking at 4 verses 5 stars. We are torn about adult verses family resorts. Were pretty sure we want adult only. I know these cost more so that will shorten my trip. If we could find a family resort which had adult only sections this might be okay. I actually have from March 29th to April 15 2013 off so trying to decide how long of a vacation to take verses cost. Our budget is around 5000 to 5500 including air and transfers. Ocean front/ocean view is important. Were not interested in the resorts which have breaks on the beach. We both love the Excellence riviera because it seems by satellite to be somewhat secluded meaning not in a row of resorts and very nice. I'm torn because snorkeling is something I dearly love. I want to be able to walk out from my hotel and snorkel off the beach. Should I make cozumel my home base and take ferry across for shopping and nightlife. Once we exit the ferry would I have to take taxi to reach say 5th ave in Playa? I just want the lush tropical feel with great restaurants a great beach and lots of good snorkeling without kids at my feet all the time. Relax and snorkel and drink all the top shelf margaritas I can stand, which is about 2 per hour, I'm not a lush. Should I book rooms with all the fancy upgrades? Is this really worth the extra costs? We for sure would like to stay at least 9 to 10 nights. So all I can say Shammy is Help? What can I get for my budget. Does this require payment in full or can we pay it out? I want to have something booked by End of this month. My email is kristiede03@gmail.com

[agiffey]

I just thought I'd chime in regarding the split vacation thing. It is definitely more cost effective staying at one resort compared to two. However, depending on the situation, it may be worth the extra few hundred dollars to split it up. I love staying in Cancun for the first few days and the Playa area for the remainder. After a long plane ride it's great to be in the pool or beach a half hour after you exit the airport. Cancun has pretty much everything in walking distance or a short bus ride. They have way more clubs, restaurants and usually the resorts are way more active. Then after a few days of doing the Cancun party thing, it's off to Playa for the relaxing part of the vacation. Yes, you do have to break up the day a bit but its only two hours or so out of the day. Not a half day. For those who don't get away too often, you can get to experience best of both worlds. Mexico is awesome and you will have a great time which ever way you go. Just my 2 cents.