All Inclusives in Mexico?

[lukenick1]

Anyone stay at one in the Cancun area? Riviera Maya, Playa del Carmen? Looking for a great yet budget place. Any recommendations for a family of 4 with 2 boys ages 9,11?

 

[Darcy03231]

Our family really likes the Iberostar resorts. We've stayed in several and not been disappointed.

 

[2kidsForMe]

We just got back from a week at the ClubMed in Cancun. I think it has the best location on the beach of any hotel around there. Tons of stuff to do for the adults and kids, the food was great, and it was a very family friendly environment. We splurged for the ocean front room, well worth it. Plus, if you are a party of 4 or more, you will be automatically upgraded to a 2 bedroom for no extra charge

 

[lukenick1]

We just got back from a week at the ClubMed in Cancun. I think it has the best location on the beach of any hotel around there. Tons of stuff to do for the adults and kids, the food was great, and it was a very family friendly environment. We splurged for the ocean front room, well worth it. Plus, if you are a party of 4 or more, you will be automatically upgraded to a 2 bedroom for no extra charge

Thank you....looks great but way out of our budget! Glad you had fun

 

[canadianjovigirl]

We love Mexico and with the kids have stayed at Beach Palace, Gran Caribe Real, Great Parnassus, Crown Paradise, Gran Velos and one other one that the name is not coming to me right now.........

I listed them in order that the kids rate them..........we are going back to Gran Caribe Real in just over a week for 2 weeks as the Beach Palace was not in the budget this year and that was the kids second choice.

The Great Parnassus was loud but very family friendly and we thought it was great value for the price...........

We usually stay in family suites with bunks or rooms with 2 beds and a sofa bed due to family size etc so it does limit our choices.......

 

[tinkalicious]

We got a deal through icoupon.com - 3 nights 2 people all inclusive at the Gran Caribe Real for $349! Additional days are around $100, kids under 6 are $50 per night and kids under 6 are free (actually it was on the Today show steals and deals, but I've seen similar deals since through icoupon).

 

[jackie101]

we have stayed at crown paradise twice with our 4 children and loved it, don't believe the reviews. They always have deals kids 12 and under free

 

[204charity]

Barcelona Maya Beach Resort. I have stayed at both the Colonial/Tropical and the Palace! We plan on taking our kids (aged 5 & 10) with us next time we go!

 

[KarlaG4Kids]

Barcelo Maya!!! Not the one in Cancun, it is just ok, but the one that is near Playa Del Carmen is AMAZING. There are multiple levels, The Beach & Caribe are the lower end, the Colonial & Tropical are the mid range and the Palace is the high range. All can use the pools & beaches. The main limit for the lower range is the restaurants. It is a WONDERFUL place and they have a kids program. Beautiful beach. My daughter got married at the Barcelo 5 years ago and every person that attended, 35 of us, love it and didn't have anything bad to say at all. There is an "unofficial" site that will give you every detail you would like on this resort. Just google unofficial Barcelo Maya. I would LOVE to go back!

 

[shoney]

We love going to Mexican AI's. We've taken the kids twice...

1. Barcelo Maya Palace....beautiful beach, very large, dinner reservations required, no beach service, cute water play area, great flexible kids club that catered to all ages.

2. Dreams Riviera Cancun - small, beautiful resort. Fantastic food and service. Beach and pool drink and snack service, free room service, no water play areas just regular pools, nice beach (but water has some seagrass), strict kids club that wasn't flexible.

My kids were about 6 and 8 at the barcelo and they loved the kids club. They could play anything they wanted and they had group activities.

they were 9 and 11 at Dreams, they did have fun at the kids club but the adhered to the schedules without flexibility. No video games if it said coloring on the schedule, for example. The were old enough that we gave them in/out access so they would just leave and come to the beach with us during the times that the activities were less age appropriate.

both are fantastic resorts, but we prefered Dreams Riviera Cancun (and it is the one in Puerto Morelos, not in Cancun)

If you are picking solely based on kids activities I would give the edge to Barcelo.

If food/service for the adults is key, then I would pick Dreams Riviera Cancun.

Can't go wrong either way.

 

[wls23]

We absolutely loved iberostar lindo...our dd was 4 at the time...great pools including a wave pool....lots of restaurnts....beautiful rooms and grounds....we went over Easter door a week and Cody us less than two k (excluding airfare). Wed go back in a heartbeat

 

[nunzia]

Our family really likes the Iberostar resorts. We've stayed in several and not been disappointed.

We have also done Iberostars and been happy with them.

 

[2minnies]

Stayed at the Palace over Christmas this past year -- fantastic!!

Barcelo Maya!!! Not the one in Cancun, it is just ok, but the one that is near Playa Del Carmen is AMAZING. There are multiple levels, The Beach & Caribe are the lower end, the Colonial & Tropical are the mid range and the Palace is the high range. All can use the pools & beaches. The main limit for the lower range is the restaurants. It is a WONDERFUL place and they have a kids program. Beautiful beach. My daughter got married at the Barcelo 5 years ago and every person that attended, 35 of us, love it and didn't have anything bad to say at all. There is an "unofficial" site that will give you every detail you would like on this resort. Just google unofficial Barcelo Maya. I would LOVE to go back!

 

[lukenick1]

Stayed at the Palace over Christmas this past year -- fantastic!!

Is the Barcelo Palace adults only?

 

[shoney]

no...the Barcelo Palace is very family friendly.

 

[lukenick1]

Great advice everyone! I think I am into the Barcelo resort. Now I cannot decide between the Beach/Caribe, or the Tropical/Colonial?

 

[KarlaG4Kids]

If you can handle the cost of the Colonial/Tropical it is worth the upgrade. Beach/Caribe aren't bad if your budget is tight. But with Colonial/Tropical the rooms are a bit bigger and nicer, the buffet is air conditioned (it wasn't on the Beach/Caribe side last I knew) and you have more choices for dinners. We had some people in each area and nobody was unhappy, but we liked the Colonial/Tropical better. It is AMAZING!

 

[elmo2wdw]

Absolutely love Grand Palladium Colonial!!! Very reasonable priced and beautiful!!!

This deal is great if you don't mind sitting through the 90 minute presentaion.

http://www.palladiumdiscoverypromo.com/#!promotion

 

[casper_jj11]

We stayed at the Barcelo many years ago and loved it. Two years ago we returned with the kids and stayed at the Grand Sirenis. Absolutely beautiful. Fantastic staff. Very reasonable price.

 

[buy24me]

I've been to mexico a total of 6 times to date and hands down, Iberostar is the best all-inclusive resort so I agree with many others on here. It is so kid friendly and great for families. They have activities throughout the day for kids, have an excellent kids club that all our kiddos and their cousins LOVE and their entertainment is great for adults in the evening! The food is great too. Iberostar in Riviera Maya includes: the Paraiso Beach, Lindo, Maya, Grand, etc. Paraiso Del Mar Paraiso Beach are on the lower end and Lindo is in the middle and Grand is on the high end in terms of price.

You can read some info on it here:
travelwithkids.about.com/.../rivieramayaresorts/.../playa_par.

If you google it, you will find lots of info on the five different resorts and every site has excellent reviews. Can't be beat! LOVE this place more than any other place to date!!