40th birthday trip with 5 couples - where to go
 

Okay, I am attempting to plan a 40th bday surprise trip for my husband in January 2007. We would be traveling with 4 to 6 other couples with varying interest, travel styles and finances. My husband and I enjoy laid back, small hotels in non-commercialized areas. Hands down we would go to Isla Mujeres vs Cancun. However, this is a birthday party trip and we're going with several couples. I'm still looking for a laid back place, but with the option to go to a couple dinners or hang out at a local bar. I don't want so peaceful that we'll be the only ones up at 10pm, but I don't want party city either. I tend to research to death and never post specific questions, but I feel short on time and would love some help.

I'd like to find a place that is a short flight from the US (specifically Chicago and Detroit maybe Denver and LA as well - I know that's a wide range ). Based on preliminary research Playa de Carmen, Isla Mujeres, and Puerto Vallarta look like viable options. I've considered either renting a large villa or staying in a hotel. Both have pros and cons - looking for input. Would like to be on a beach and have restaurants/bars within walking distance. I would also like to keep room cost under $250/night per couple/night. Our dates of travel would ideally be Jan 11-15, 2007, but are flexible based on hotel/villa availabillity.

Thank so much for taking the time to read this. I'm anxious for any input anyone has and am happy to provide any more details you'd like.

Go take surf lessons in Puerto Escondido. Fun for the guys, and enough fro the ladies, plus you wont have towrry about being anywhere super tacky.

I would suggest either Playa del Carmen or Puerto Vallarta of course they are on two totally different coasts of Mexico. Go to trip advisor.com and check
them out. If you go to Puerto Vallarta I can recommend some hotels and restaurants, if you decide to go to Playa del Carmen I am pretty sure most of the hotels there are all inclusive.
Good Luck

I agree that PV or Playa de Carmen would be good choices. I think you will have more non all-inclusive options if you go to PV. Playa de Carmen is more laid back than Cancun for sure. My husband and I stayed at Dreams in PV last year, and we had a fabulous time.

I have never tried renting a villa, but I have seen many of them on www.luxurylink.com, and sometimes they look like a really good deal.

Thanks for your input. I'll check into Puerto Escondido. Surfing lessons sound fun - my husband would love it, however, we do have a few unathletic types in the group. Additionally, I've emailed La Tortuga Hotel in PDC, Playa Media Luna and Secreto on Isla Mujeres (Secreto has no availability). If we go to PDC, I would still like a small hotel in PDC instead of an all-inclusive 30 minutes from the town. Keep the ideas coming!

If you do go to PDC - here is a great thing to do - take the Ferry to Cozumel - then take the main road across the island to the east shore. There is (was in 2000) only a right turn. Go a few miles down that road until you get to some palapa's and throw out your beach towels. There is seafood service and beers byt he locals and you will feel 1,000 miles from anywhere. Also, look into Cozumel - they'll tell you tis just fro divers, but it offers a nice alternative to the wild-ness of PDC and Cancun.

Check out the Shangri-La Caribe in Playa del Carmen. It is beautiful, relaxing and very laid back, but close enough to town so you can go out and have fun. I also liked that you can walk the beach for miles. There are various eco-tours and things to do, if you can pull yourself away from the beach. We just sat there the whole time and chilled. An awesome vacation. Note: It was damaged in the hurricane a year 1/2 ago so check their reconstruction progress.

Shangri La Caribe is back and running fine. There are many small hotels in Playa that would suit your needs if you decide to go there. Some are on the beach and some off. Shangri La is very nice and the beachfront cabana rooms are perfect. The beach is also at the north end of town and is excellent. Shangri La is partial AI - breakfast and dinner included. Las Palapas is next door also right on the beach. Other hotels but certainly not a complete list or even close would be Playa Maya (on beach), Riviera del Sol - off beach 1 block but includes Mamitas palapa and chair rentals and also breakfast. They have a nice common area also. La Tortuga, Alhambra, Fusion. For lots more info try www.playadelcarmeninfo.com and click on the trip planning tab at the top of the page. The directory tab will give you info on bars and restaurants.

One of the most fun trips I've been on was a 40th Birthday for a friend in Akumal. They rented two side-by-side villas on Yal Ku Lagoon. Lovely town with pristine white beaches... :)

If you've been to Isla, you'd find Akumal more "American-ized"...but if any or all of you snorkel, Akumal is the place to be.

You have some fine suggestions already but I will add my two cents. PDC and PV are both great but there are differences. PDC has beautiful beaches. The beach in front of Las Palapas and Shangri-La is the nicest and you can still walk into town. PDC has many, many restaurants and bars within walking distance. PV is a lovely old city with more of a "Mexican" feel to it. PV has Banderas Bay and not great beaches although there are beautiful islands you can day trip to for snorkeling, etc. PV has more activities. Whales should be there in Jan. This was incredible to me. We took a boat and we were very near to them. There is also a canopy tour south of town that was great fun (we are 50's!!). From PDC you can drive to see the ruins in Tulum and snorkel in Akumal. If you go to PDC, I would stay in or close to the old town. There are buses running into town which are very reasonable and we found ourselves on them several times per day from about 5 miles from town. You will love either place for different reasons!