Sun Country Vacations FAM November 2015

Sun Country Vacations FAM November 2015

Sun  Country Vacations hosted a very nice FAM trip for us.  We were greeted at the airport by Jennifer Lien who gave us each a string backpack loaded with goodies including sunglasses, sunscreen and snacks. Free checked luggage and breakfast onboard was included.   We were joined the second day by agents from Fort Myers. SY is starting new seasonal service from there, so keep that in mind for your snowbirds.  What I really appreciated about this trip is that we visited properties that spanned a range of price points both in Cancun and the Riviera Maya so that I can better identify properties to suit all of my clients from budget to luxury.  We also visited a local community center supported by Sun Country’s DMC and were able to donate school supplies.  We visited 15 properties and stayed at Secrets Playa Mujeres and Paradisus Playa del Carmen la Perla.  I am not going to give a review of every single resort but the ones that impressed us the most—or would avoid!

Secrets Playa Mujeres—We stayed here the first night.  For those not familiar with this area, Playa Mujeres is not on Isla Mujeres, but northwest of Cancun in a newly developing area that faces Isla Mujeres.  The drive from the airport is about 45 minutes and the resorts here are fairly isolated, similar to the Riviera Maya to the south.  The resort was beautiful in the new minimalist style yet felt inviting.  The check-in area and resort proper was a golf cart ride away from the entrance through a natural mangrove area.  I noticed attention to the natural surroundings of the resort through educational signage placed around the property. All of the room blocks were in a semi-circle around the pools. All accommodations are suites are ocean view or ocean front.  I did, however, notice that the ocean front swim up suites had the view of the ocean blocked by the dunes natural buffer zone between the hotel and the beach.  The beach was very nice for walking and swimming.  The specialty restaurants were in a separate area that required a long walk or golf cart ride.  I ate in the teppanyaki restaurant which was a lot of fun and entertaining and the food good.  Agents who ate in other restaurants were also happy with the food and the service.  The Playa Mujeres Greg Norman golf course is nearby and complimentary golf is included according to the resort website.

Finest Playa Mujeres   This resort is also new and has both adult’s only and family sections and upgraded VIP sections.  The style was again very sleek and contemporary. The swim out suites had hammocks over the water that looked very tempting! The beach was beautiful and would say one of the best I have seen in the Cancun area.  For me, the most impressive feature of this resort was the family rooms which had a twin bedded extra bedroom in the suite so parents could have privacy or even a nanny/child combo could work out.  Kids club was great. Some of the agents felt it was too ‘cold’ and spread out but I would recommend this resort for upscale clients, either adults only or families.

Paradisus Cancun   We all really liked this property.  The atrium is beautiful with vines hanging from the balconies and water features at the ground level.  The resort is very large and spread out. We liked the check in area for the guests in the family concierge level that had snacks and activities for the children.  An upsale lobster/steak dinner was served to us in a beach front setting. The Paradisus Cancun boasts a Michelin rated restaurant that is an upsale, but for those that choose it, the chef’s tasting meal with wine pairings would be a fabulous experience.  Nice spa area.  I would recommend the Royal Service or Concierge level for the benefits they offer.

Live Aqua   This property has been reviewed in other Carrousel blogs by myself and others, but I have to say that this is one of my very favorite properties in Cancun.  If I were forced to stay in Cancun, this is where I would want to stay.  For clients that are foodies, this would be the place!  We loved the natural, jungle area between the hotel and the pools/beach which make it seem removed from the urban feel of Cancun.  Ocean front infinity pools overlooking the beach. There are several specialty restaurants tucked in the natural settings.  I would advise bringing insect repellent, however!

Krystal Cancun   This property is well known for its beach and location at the northern point of the hotel zone.  Pretty non-descript otherwise.  It is a resort for families and individuals that are looking for a budget get away and it is good to have those options for our clients.

Hotel Marina el Cid     An inspection of this property was one of the primary reasons I went on this fam trip.  I have booked clients that are looking for a smaller, moderately priced resort and they have all loved it.   We really liked this resort because it was more compact, family friendly and has a smaller but nice beach with snorkeling off shore.  It felt like Mexico, which is a feeling many new resorts have lost.  A unique feature of the family suites is the murphy bed, which folds down from the wall at night and back up during the day allowing more space.

Dreams Puerto Adventuras    We were disappointed in this resort as it did not measure up to what we expected in a Dreams property.  It seemed tired and cramped.  When I look at the website, it looks like a different resort from the one we visited.  Maybe we just did not get a good tour.  It was busy with guests and pre-high season maintenance work was being done, which is a good thing!  Of note are the Preferred Club rooms which are in the 7 story building, the highest in the Yucatan and offer fabulous views of the area.   A dolphinarium and marina are on site and some rooms offer views of these. 

Catalonia Riviera Maya   Right next to Dreams.  We were less impressed by this property.  I have visited it in the past and not much has changed.  We were shown a standard room and quite frankly, I would be hard pressed to put a client there.  They are in the back of the resort and could have cramped, rooftop views.  No elevator and steps were in need of repairs.  Definitely upgrade clients if you can.  A plus is good snorkeling from the beach if that is important to your clients.  I have had clients stay who were looking for a moderately priced resort with good snorkeling and they were okay in an upgraded room.

Barcelo Maya and Beach Palace    This huge resort complex offers something for everyone and more.  Beach Palace guests have privileges at all of the other four side by side resorts which, in turn have privileges with each other. New since my last visit is a shopping mall with a bowling alley and big screen sports theater has been added.  Resort credits included in packages can be used in these venues.  Beautiful beach with areas suitable for snorkeling.

Bahia Principe Akumal    We actually visited the Coba section.  The Bahai Principle Collection of resorts was one of our favorites.  Unfortunately, there is never enough time on these trip to explore all of the resorts, but you can assure your clients that they will be on one of the very best stretches of beach on the Riviera Maya.  There is snorkeling offshore.  The resort is spread out along the beach and not so far back toward the jungle, which is a plus as you are never far from the pools and ocean.  There is a Mexican vibe including a Hacienda by the entrance with shopping and shows scheduled during the week.  Do not be confused by the names of the resort complexes---Akumal, Tulum and Coba.  The resort is not located in any of those areas but only named for them.  It is between Akumal and Tulum.  I would not hesitate to put a family in these resorts.

Paradisus Playa del Carmen Esmeralda and la Perla    We were guests in the one bedroom suites in the La Perla section and I think we could all have been happy just moving in for good!  The resort complex is on the edge of Playa del Carmen but not really within walking distance.  I would say we all really liked this resort very much.  It felt luxurious all through the reception and common areas, the rooms, and the landscaping but in a much warmer, inviting way than the contemporary designed resorts.  The beach was generally not visible from the rooms due to a natural buffer area.  The beach itself is nice enough but we had bad weather during our visit, so it needed some TLC.  I ate in the Mexican restaurant which was absolutely outstanding with authentic Mexican cuisine from different areas of Mexico as opposed to the Tex-Mex we know.  The chef gave us very personal attention so we tried things we would not have picked on our own (smoked crickets…).  The La Perla and Esmeralda sections blended together in such a way you would hardy know when you crossed from one to the other.  One of our favorite resorts.

Royalton Riviera Maya   This resort is still a work in progress.  As we approached on a fairly long desolate road through the mangroves, we felt like we were coming to an industrial complex or prison…  You go down an escalator to enter the resort from the reception area.  Large and sprawling and felt impersonal with the contemporary design.  Rooms were nice enough, but spa tub was placed in the middle of the bathroom or the room itself in the family rooms in an awkward kind of way.  Family rooms sleep 5.  20 different room categories. We did not see the beach area.  A positive for this resort is that it is just minutes from the airport, yet seems very removed from civilization!  Maybe we would have liked it better if it was not the last resort on our trip and we were hot and tired.