rholt

Can anyone recommend a resort with great food that is a good fit for a family with teens in the Cancun - Playa del Carmen area?

Not necessarily looking for an all-inclusive. We stayed at the Iberostar Maya last year and - although we enjoyed it - I thought the food was only OK.

How is the food at Club Med?

Any input is appreciated

rholt

bump

rholt

bumping this one more time.

suze

Have you checked the Trip Advisor forums? There are many more posters there. Your question is pretty specific and there are only a few people on Fodor's who are regulars over on that side of Mexico.

schmerl

Very few inclusive resorts are going to have wonderful food.
The IB Maya is one of the better family all inclusive resorts. Grand Velas is said to have wonderful food, but it also has a very big price tag.
You could always stay in a boutique hotel in Playa and eat at some of the wonderful restaurants in town.

emd3

Grand Velas definitely, in the Ambassador family section. I have stayed there and the food is pretty much all knock your socks off.

zootsi

Why not stay in one of the small boutique hotels in Playa, you then can choose from scores of good restaurants in Playa.

khoft

We just came back from Playa del Carmen. My family of five (kids ages 14, 12, 9) stayed at Pueblitos Escondido right in Playa on 38th Avenue. It's a condo hotel. Our condo had a fully stocked kitchen, two bedrooms, two bathrooms and a splash pool (located on roof, access from the room). Not all rooms come with the splash pool but we thought we would splurge. The roof top deck is amazing! Great views from the roof top, there is an amazing infinity pool for adults only. There is another "family" pool on the ground level. Pueblitos is within walking distance of the beach and 5th Avenue (2 minutes). The hotel does not have restaurants but there are some excellent options on the same street. We loved Cuevo del Chango, Piola (Italian), and a Thai restaurant. All excellent. There is also a convenience store right next to the hotel for things like milk, juice, soda. The Pharmacy is a couple of minutes away on 5th and Ah Cacao coffee shop (excellent!) is also a couple of minutes away. Depends what you want but staying in Playa is much for fun (to me) than staying at al all-inclusive though I haven't done that and am not passing judgment.

emd3

Khoft, you must mean Calle 38. The avenues run parallel to the ocean, the calles run other way. There is no 38th Ave, as the avenues run by 5s as in 5 th ave, 10th ave, 15 th ave, 20th ave.

I own two condos in Playa in the north end close to where you stayed, one on Calle 38 between the beach and 5th ave, and one on Calle 40 between beach and 5th Ave. Condos are a nice option but the OP wants AI

emd3

Oh well actually OP wants a resort and not necessarily an AI. Could look into the Royal in playa, but honestly their are so many fantastic international restaurant choices in laya del carmen proper that you don't need to stay at a resort to get good food. the best food is in the restaurants in. Playa , not the resorts.

MFNYC

We have done the condo thing when our kids were teens, and it's been great. We did the AI resorts when they were younger. There are so many good restaurants right in PDC, and many of the condo complexes are like resorts (pools, swim up bars, lots of families, pick up games on the beach, etc). We liked the convenience of having the kitchen, and had many breakfast and lunches in the condo. There are many grocery stores nearby as well,so easy to stock up. Our kids enjoyed the liveliness of the town and strolling 5th avenue. Water sports let jet-skis and para-sailing are available all along the beach.