jandee

Hi, I would appreciate suggestions for all inclusive resorts. We (family of 4) are traveling in Dec. We are looking for a great beach and good food. we are going for a week and thought we might do AI for 3 days and a condo for the rest. Condo suggestions welcome as well.

fcfarmgirl

My family of four, including twin 13 year old boys, stayed at Barcelo Maya Palace in June. Great beach, excellent snorkeling right there at the Barcelo. While there, we used the Hobie Cats, kayaks, went parasailing, and the boys loved the poolside activities, like water volleyball and water polo. Of course, buffets are good for 13 year old boys. Food....hmmm...I think the Barcelo food was good (not great), but I don't think it is possible to have great food when they are feeding so many people. We really enjoy the food more when we stayed at a condo and chose our own restauarants. For condos, we have stayed 3 or 4 times in Akumal, which is maybe 20 minutes south of the Barcelo. The village of Akumal has several good restaurants and bars. We like to rent a car and explore the area, driving to Tulum, Coba, Aktun Chen, cenotes, etc. Yalku Lagoon for snorkeling is maybe 1/2 mile from the condo we stay at in Half Moon Bay. We book our condo through Caribbean Fantasy...just google to get their website. The beach on Half Moon Bay is a coral beach, so it is not necessarily one that is easy to wade around in the ocean there, but you can do that at Akumal Beach which is close to there. The snorkeling at Half Moon Bay is good, and we often see sea turtles, rays, lots of fish there. The condos in Akumal are general smaller complexes, so if you want a big fancy pool scence, this would not be the place to stay. We like the fact that it is a smaller area without all the crowds of an all-inclusive, yet enough activities, restaurants and shops to keep us interested for a week.

jandee

fcfarmgirl, thanks for the reply. Barcelo was on my list, so glad to see you had a good experience. My kids are 21 and 16, they like to sleep in so I am not sure whether they will wake up in time for breakfast if we go AI. I will check out the condo you suggested as well.

schmerl

Barcelo will fit your needs, but if you don't want something quite as HUGE as the Barcelo, look into the Iberostar Tucan/Quetzal

jandee

Ok, after looking at condos they all seem to want a full week reservation. So we have decided against doing AI for part of the trip. So would love to hear suggestions for vacation rentals. The criteria are that it should be near a great beach and good eating places.
Thanks!

sassy_cat

Have you actually called the condo owners you're interested in? Some will rent for shorter periods especially if your dates don't include Christmas (we even found some that would let us rent for 3 days over Christmas even though they advertise full week only).

A condo for a week is still a great option for a family though.. more space and better food options than most cheap to mid range AI.

Anyway, try www.vrbo.com or www.locogringo.com
We like beachfront in Akumal (no nightlife after dinner though)

jandee

Thanks sassy_cat. Our days do include Xmas and many of them have got back saying that they rent for only a week over the holiday period.

jamie99

Have rented through Locogringo before, very reputable and I like the fact that they live down in Akumal so if the is a problem you can call them.

Have only stayed in a condo in Aventuras Akumal (you would need a car) but have visited a few places on HMB, Playa Caribe looks nice as does La Sirena (both have pools). Or you could look into Las Casitas although it does not have a pool. Cannon House is gorgeous (think it may have access to the pool at Hotel Akumal Caribe) and surprised it is not booked yet for Christmas.

sassy_cat

We've previously stayed at Vista Del Mar and La Sirena/Iguana in Akumal. Vista Del Mar are all beachfront. We prefer the downstairs condo so you can step out onto the sand (hammocks outside your door).
La Sirena/Iguana is a slightly bigger complex (20 condos?) with 2 pools and some units are beachfront, others have ocean views.
We have 3 nights booked in a 2 bed-condo at La Sirena/Iguana this Christmas.. maybe we'll see you there!

Turtle Bay cafe is our favourite place to eat in Akumal.

Having a car makes it easier to get around but there are golf carts available in Akumal if you wish to avoid car rental.

jandee

Thanks. What is the difference between staying in Akumal and PDC? A great beach and easy access to good food joints are our basic requirements. I think we would prefer not to rent a car.

sassy_cat

Akumal is smaller and quieter than PDC. You can swim/snorkel with turtles just a few feet out from the shore and you're within walking distance of Yal-Ku lagoon. PDC has more restaurants, nightlife and accommodation in town or a short walk to the beach.

jandee

I think we would prefer to stay in PDC as this is our first trip to the area. Any suggestions on good locations to stay within PDC? I have been emailing different condos but puzzled as to what is desirable. We are trying to keep it within $1500 for the week and would prefer a 2 bedroom. Not particular about swimming pool.