A challenge to you all

LouBlue

I have been to both these places and a friend combined them for her honeymoon.

A few days in New York then onto Barbados to unwind. Both wonderful places with completely different experiences and things to do.

stw48

Mexico seems to be the best choice for what we are after.
I think a good hotel in a slightly less touristy area, or at least a less busy one, will suit.The idea of day trips to various sites etc sounds ideal.

So Mexico it is, now I need hotel recommendations, preferably letting me know who they were booked through, I think on this occasion we will book the holiday as a package rather than independantly. I guess an all inclusive hotel is favourite, we always have the option of eating out too, if all inclusive I would want a hotel with really good food.

Any info on trips done with approximate costings would help too.

Thanks for all your help so far.

poe.tuesday

look at virgin and kuoni for nice hotel options, they also have nice flights but you can also go with companies such as thomson, monarch etc

we went with kuoni and stayed in Dreams in tulum, it was an amazing hotel and you will love it there, the food is wonderful and it is about 100 miles south of Cancun - far enough away from the mass of Americans on spring break (you need to try to avoid american holidays), you can either hire a car or take organised trips - we hired a car (costs from $70 for 24 hours, we hired one for 5 days at about $300) and did our own thing - it was much more cost effective this way and gave us the freedom we wanted - Xel-ha is a must do, it was 5 miles away from our hotel and the organised cost to do the trip was about $110 each, but we drove ourselves and paid the entrance fee of $59 each saving us $51 each - a taxi there would not cost that much, if you want to do the tours then there are plenty on offer and if you want to do it on your own then you can do this too every easily, we did it with our two young children (who were 8 and 6 at the time) and we went everywhere and felt very safe etc

As regards to the Dreams Hotel, it is wonderful but is is out of the way so there is no-where nearby to go out for a meal but there have about 7 resturants that you can eat in (it's a super all inclusive hotel) so you do have lots of options when it comes to eating, if however, you prefer going some where where there is a bit more outside of the hotel then look at hotels in Playa Del Carmen and look at hotels that offer you lots of eating options and room service, for your budget you can get something fab.

Check out tripadvisor too for their reviews on hotels etc

good luck and I really do think you have made a good decission, you are going to love it there, also, look at holidays that give you 7 days touring taking in all the sites and then 7 days chilling on the beach, all the major tour companies do this type of holiday and it may be exactly what you want

stw48

For some reason Virgin is not showing Mexico as an option at the moment, I will have to get some brochures to narrow things down, I always use trip advisor before booking anywhere.

ljbnotts

First choice do some good all inclusive to Mexico, and they fly from Manchester! The area around Playa del carmen/playacar is a bit more lively and has some lovely hotels. You could then hire a car to get around and do some different things. Remember that trip adviser shows 1 persons view, it doesn't necessarily match your way of looking at things! We stayed at the occidental xcaret hotel in Mexico and it was lovely and near enough to play del carmen if we wanted to do other things. With this hotel you get a day pass to the neighboring xcaret park which was a really good day out and highly recommend.

Hope that helps.

Enjoy your holiday and let us know what you decide!

poe.tuesday

for some reason they list it under the carribbean

here's a link to dreams in tulum on the virgin website, from there you can get back to the whole of mexico
http://www.virginholidays.co.uk/brochures/caribbean/holidays/mexico/tulum/dreams_tulum_resort_and_spa/

LouBlue

stw48 wrote: »

Mexico seems to be the best choice for what we are after.
I think a good hotel in a slightly less touristy area, or at least a less busy one, will suit.The idea of day trips to various sites etc sounds ideal.

So Mexico it is, now I need hotel recommendations, preferably letting me know who they were booked through, I think on this occasion we will book the holiday as a package rather than independantly. I guess an all inclusive hotel is favourite, we always have the option of eating out too, if all inclusive I would want a hotel with really good food.

Any info on trips done with approximate costings would help too.

Thanks for all your help so far.

My sister went on a fab 2 week holiday to Mexico last year, said the hotel was amazing and they also, didn't stay anywhere that was too touristy. I will find out the details for you, if you like.

stw48

LouBlue wrote: »

My sister went on a fab 2 week holiday to Mexico last year, said the hotel was amazing and they also, didn't stay anywhere that was too touristy. I will find out the details for you, if you like.

That would be great, thanks.

LouBlue

Playa del Carmen hotel. Its not as busy as Cancun but you are close enough to visit it, if you choose. My sis said the service was excellent, if you were lounging around the pool, you didn't have to move, drinks were brought over all the time. Chocolates and petals left on your bed every day etc....she absolutely loved it.

The all-inclusive, adults-only luxury The Royal in Playa del Carmen is a beachfront resort located walking distance from Fifth Avenue, the Main Square, and the ferry terminal to Cozumel, approximately 40 miles from Cancun International Airport.

The resort interior is as impressive as its palatial exterior, where the use of textures, fabrics, and natural materials reflects sophisticated seaside grace. Amenities include the outdoor pool, swim-up bar, fitness room, gift shop, game room, hot tub, sauna, and picnic area. The resort's signature eco-holistic SPAzul offers a full range of traditional and Mayan-inspired massage and body treatments and innovative lifestyle programs. Onsite drinks and dining are available at Maria Maria, Spice, Pelicanos, Asiana, Trade Winds, and the Lobby Bar. Other onsite recreational activities include scuba diving, snorkeling, tennis, aerobics, volleyball, and bicycle rentals. The hotel also offers a business center, 24-hour front desk service, tour assistance, 24-hour room service, laundry/dry cleaning, and a video library.

The Royal boasts 464 luxurious suites set in secluded privacy amidst lush tropical gardens. All suites feature the new Royal Beds, double Jacuzzis, flat-screen TVs and CD/DVD players, marble bathrooms, private terraces or balconies, and magic boxes for discreet 24-hour room service delivery.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g150812-d530483-Reviews-The_Royal_Playa_del_Carmen-Playa_del_Carmen_Yucatan_Peninsula.html

Playa del Carmen offers you the enjoyment of a simple beach holiday without the trappings and characteristics of a modern-day commercialized resort like Cancun. The tourist developments here are low-rise, taking into account the local environment, and giving playa a more charismatic and authentic Mexican feel. This is contrast to the highly commercialized resort experience which is common in places like nearby Cancun.

Playa del Carmen today is a relaxing place - if you want to unwind, then this region of Mexico will make an ideal location for you. Choose Playa del Carmen when you want peace and tranquility on a beach sunbathing; or to take quiet strolls along soft, white sands with the cool waters of the Caribbean lapping your feet.

You can catch the ferry across to the Island of Cozumel for a day. The ferry port is near the town's main square and just a quick walk from the hotels.

A number of nature and adventure tours are easily accessible from Playa del Carmen (and Riviera Maya). Tours include visits to the nearby Xel-Ha and Xcaret natural water parks, as well as tours to visit nearby Cenotes (water caverns) as well numerous archaeology parks.

stw48

LouBlue wrote: »

Playa del Carmen hotel. Its not as busy as Cancun but you are close enough to visit it, if you choose. My sis said the service was excellent, if you were lounging around the pool, you didn't have to move, drinks were brought over all the time. Chocolates and petals left on your bed every day etc....she absolutely loved it.

The all-inclusive, adults-only luxury The Royal in Playa del Carmen is a beachfront resort located walking distance from Fifth Avenue, the Main Square, and the ferry terminal to Cozumel, approximately 40 miles from Cancun International Airport.

The resort interior is as impressive as its palatial exterior, where the use of textures, fabrics, and natural materials reflects sophisticated seaside grace. Amenities include the outdoor pool, swim-up bar, fitness room, gift shop, game room, hot tub, sauna, and picnic area. The resort's signature eco-holistic SPAzul offers a full range of traditional and Mayan-inspired massage and body treatments and innovative lifestyle programs. Onsite drinks and dining are available at Maria Maria, Spice, Pelicanos, Asiana, Trade Winds, and the Lobby Bar. Other onsite recreational activities include scuba diving, snorkeling, tennis, aerobics, volleyball, and bicycle rentals. The hotel also offers a business center, 24-hour front desk service, tour assistance, 24-hour room service, laundry/dry cleaning, and a video library.

The Royal boasts 464 luxurious suites set in secluded privacy amidst lush tropical gardens. All suites feature the new Royal Beds, double Jacuzzis, flat-screen TVs and CD/DVD players, marble bathrooms, private terraces or balconies, and magic boxes for discreet 24-hour room service delivery.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g150812-d530483-Reviews-The_Royal_Playa_del_Carmen-Playa_del_Carmen_Yucatan_Peninsula.html

Playa del Carmen offers you the enjoyment of a simple beach holiday without the trappings and characteristics of a modern-day commercialized resort like Cancun. The tourist developments here are low-rise, taking into account the local environment, and giving playa a more charismatic and authentic Mexican feel. This is contrast to the highly commercialized resort experience which is common in places like nearby Cancun.

Playa del Carmen today is a relaxing place - if you want to unwind, then this region of Mexico will make an ideal location for you. Choose Playa del Carmen when you want peace and tranquility on a beach sunbathing; or to take quiet strolls along soft, white sands with the cool waters of the Caribbean lapping your feet.

You can catch the ferry across to the Island of Cozumel for a day. The ferry port is near the town's main square and just a quick walk from the hotels.

A number of nature and adventure tours are easily accessible from Playa del Carmen (and Riviera Maya). Tours include visits to the nearby Xel-Ha and Xcaret natural water parks, as well as tours to visit nearby Cenotes (water caverns) as well numerous archaeology parks.

Thanks for this, if anyone else has any hotel suggestions it is very much appreciated.