Christmas in the carribean?
 

My husband and I are looking for an all-inclusive resort for Christmas break (it's the only time we can go) with our 15 and 17-year-old daughters, maybe Riviera Maya or the Dominican Republic.
My husband is disabled, so he can't do a lot of walking and he is nervous around crowds. Luxury is not necessary, but he needs AC and a TV. A long airport transfer would be a concern if it involves waiting in the heat, and so are side trips that require a lot of walking. We don’t want to rent a car.
My 16-year-old loves extreme sports and has a lot of energy, so we would like to keep her busy, instead of hanging out. She likes “excitement”, but the rest of us would like a place that doesn’t have music blaring outside and a lot of drinking.
We aren’t sunbathers, but would like a nice sandy beach where we could walk and swim. We like snorkeling, sailing and horseback riding. We are not picky eaters, but my husband has to be careful what he eats. It would be nice to have dining options.
Any suggestions? Thanks!

This forum doesn't usually have much on the Dominican Republic - try the tripadvisor forum at
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowForum..._Republic.html

That's a tough combo, quiet and not too spread out vs extreme sports and excitement! I can see you have quite a challenge but doing some research and checking reviews will definately help you find the right place.

I hope I can help you. I can personally recommend the Barcelo Maya resorts on the Mayan Riviera. They have 2 new resorts on one of the best (long quite private cove) beaches in the area with on site snorkeling. There is katamarran (? spelling) that is included and lots of other water sports and land sports including mini golf, but the horseback riding would cost extra, but it is available on site. There is 4 huge pools and one have a zero entry which makes it easy for people to get in the pools if in a wheelchair, etc.

We have had 3 family reunions there and one of the family memembers was in his 70s and not able to walk very well, but he did OK at this resort. I won't lie to you, it is large, but they now have little carts that you can catch and be driven around the resort if you have a problem walking. There is an elevator in each of the room buildings.

If you want good information on this resort and see lots of pictures of the resort go to this website.

http://www.unofficial-barcelo-maya.com/home.html

I have been to Punta Cana in the D.R. and while it was nice and the beach wonderful we found the food wasn't the best and we felt sick and there is more for your daughter to do in Mayan Riviera are compared to Punta Cana. We have been to this area of Mexico many times and have never felt sick and the food taste better in Mexico compared to D.R. in my humble opinion.

Hope I have been of some help and have a good family vacation. Christmas books up very early, so try to book as soon as you can.

Thanks for your posts! The Riviera Maya looks really good - my only concern is that it looks like a long trip from Cancun. Did you have any trouble with the airport transfers? Have you done any sightseeing outside the resort? I will definitely check that one out. Many thanks!

In the Riviera Maya, you should also check out the Iberostar Tucan/Quetzel.
It's not as big as the other Iberostars or nearly as big as the Barcelo. Your husband should be able to get around there. It is also very close to Playa Del Carmen so your daughters could find activities there. The resort itself has LOTS of acitivities throughout the day.