We are booked at Paradisus Playa del Carmen in November. We chose the resort because it has a baby club where our 2 1/2 year old can have some baby fun while we relax, go to the gym, have some couples time, and perhaps eat a meal sitting down. Unfortunately, although the website still says they accommodate children starting at 12 months, reports from recent guests indicate that due to Covid they are only accepting 3 and up.

I chose an all-inclusive because I do not want to make any decisions or do any food preparation or planning (so a hotel near restaurants where we'd have to choose where to eat every day is not appealing, plus due to Covid my 2 1/2 year old is NOT restaurant-ready), and I wanted access to a gym and pool (including shallow wading pool for my son). It appears that all the resorts with baby clubs have closed them at this time. I am trying to figure out how to replicate the all-inclusive experience but with child care available. We are just a family of 3 so we don't need a large sprawling home, but I don't want to feel stuck in a small space as we have been doing that for over a year and a half now in our small city home.

Any suggestions? Cancun is a bearable non-stop flight of 3 1/2 hours from DC and we are not looking to change the destination to something that would require changing flights and longer travel time. The resort used to have on-site babysitting available as an alternative to the kids' club, but that is suspended as well. I'm not sure if we would be permitted to hire an outside nanny for help, but with paying resort fees for the nanny plus the nanny's fees it would cost so much that it would kind of be insane to stick with the resort over a villa.

I would suggest you leave your baby at home. IS there a grandparent or someone who would love to take care of the baby for a short time? Because otherwise, I am rather surprised you want to fly down to Mexico with an infant who is obviously unvaccinated, and then hire strangers to care for your child as well as being around dozens of others. At least if you leave the child at home, the child cannot get infected.

I was going to suggest the Paradisus as their website doesn't say they don't accept chldren that young, so I'm surprised. There is really no excuse for them not to update their website, that's ridiculous.

I'd try the Grand Velas, I am not sure they have a baby club but they do have babysitting for hire so that may still be on. Their kids club is ony 4 plus but you can call about the nanny
https://rivieramaya.grandvelas.com/baby-concierge

Grand Palladium has a baby club but I don't know if that is open at the moment, their website does not say. You could try calling them or contact them maybe on Facebook. Might also try the forums on Trip Advisor.
If there are just the two of you plus your child, consider renting a condo instead, a two bedroom would give the baby a room for napping. Look at the Playacar area just south of Playa del Carmen, for more laid back Akumal and for closer to the airport, Puerto Morelos. Whoever you rent from probably has some people they can recommend for cooking. Check out Locogringo or Caribbean Fantasy for rentals. Maybe i-Akumal.

Grand Palladium was our first choice, but their website is clear that their baby club is closed (unlike Paradisus, whose website still says 12+ months).

Thank you for the suggestion on the condo rental.