My friends and I have been spending a delightful week in Punta Cana for the past three years, each January.
We are thinking of going to Mayan Riviera instead Jan. 2010.
I've not been to this area (Cancun/Playacar) in quite a few years.
So, Fodorites, help me with some information if you've been in the past couple years, please.
We definitely want a resort that is on the beach, not one where they shuttle you across the way to the beach.
We like a nice adult play pool with a swim up bar.
We are usually happy enough with the main restaurant buffet meals, like a variety but not extremely picky.
We are also interested in places that have triple accomodations (three adult women) in case the fourth doesn't go this time.
We don't need a lot of activities, we mainly go on this trip to relax, sun..
I'd like to be in the Playacar area unless there's some reason not to be, think it would be nice to be able to go quickly to Playa Del Carmen or to hop the ferry over to Cozumel for part of a day or two.
By the time the trip occurs, we'll all be 'young 60s'.
Any suggestions or information appreciated.
Thanks.

I don't know of any AI's in the area that allow triple accommodations.

The new AZUL Fives will be fully operational by then and should offer rooms that will work for you. Here is the link
http://www.karismahotels.com/azulfives/index.html

We (three women) shared one room at the Iberostar Paraiso Del Mar. It fits all ytour requirements except it's not in Playacar. However, most of the resorts in Playacar have suffered severe beach erosion anyway.
The IB Del Mar has a BIG beautiful beach , great pools with three swim up bars. You are guaranteed three ala carte dinner reservations for a seven night stay.The rest of your meals would be at the buffets which are pretty good.
They run a shuttle to Playa del Carmen several times a day and it costs 40 pesos per person each way (about $4)
We are around your age and really enjoyed the IB Del Mar.

Thanks, both of you. That is the kind of information I was looking for, to start my research.
We will probably again use Applevacations as we enjoy the convenience of the included airfare with a nonstop direct flight from PIT to our vacation destination.
I had heard SOME about the beach problems in the Playacar area. Something to definitely consider!
We did stay at an Iberostar property once before, in Punta Cana, and liked it.
So thanks again, and please, any other Fodorites who've been to Playacar/Mayan Riviera area recently, let me know your experiences and/or recommendations pro and con.

I'm going next week and, although I don't stay at a hotel, I will be walking the beach through Playacar. I can let you know on that end.

I think the Shangri La Caribe which is a partial AI has rooms with a charge for extra adults. Here's a link.
http://www.shangrilacaribe.net/rates_en.htm
It's at the north end of PDC.

We are 99.99% set to book the Grand Sirenis Riviera Maya which is south of PDC near Akumal.
Anyone been there?

So we leave on Saturday!
Eight days in the Mexican sunshine at Grand Sirenis Riviera Maya All Inclusive Resort (near Akumal)
The BEST information for this resort and the areas around Akumal is at Grand-Sirenis.com
Their messageboards are the BEST, so helpful and friendly.
BTW, the contributors there who have been to Grand Sirenis many times have pointed out a number of glaring errors in the Trip Advisor reports.
It's always nice to have a variety of sources.

Also learned of USA Transfer.
For $145 round trip you get a van for 4-7 people from the Cancun airport to your hotel, and back.
Since Grand Sirenis is over an hour south of the airport, happy USATransfer customers have reported leaving after the 'included big bus' and getting there sooner.
Which for us means an extra hour or more at the resort instead of waiting for the bus to fill and stopping to drop off passengers to a bunch of other hotels along the way...and also one to two hours more time at the resort on departure day.
You arrange it all online with USATransfer, and you pay the driver cash when your van pulls up to get you at the airport (60%, with the balance paid on the return trip).