Riviera Maya resort recommendations?

[frogster84]

My girlfriend and are still looking at options on where to stay in the Riviera Maya but slowly I’m getting burned out by reading all the bad TripAdvisor reports.

For the first part of the trip we’ve got our rooms booked but we’re still looking for somewhere to spend 6 day in the Riviera Maya at the end of June.

I’m a diver but my girlfriend isn’t so we’re looking for a nice resort...

We’re looking for:
-All inclusive
-Good food & drinks (I know that’s difficult to get with AI)
-Quiet (no need for DJs to entertain me all day & night ) - adults only preferred
-Nice beach & sea
-ability to “escape” the resort for day trips
-A good dive shop either in the resort or willing to pick up from there, good dive spots in a reasonable distance

What are your recommendations?

 

[Snoweman]

Most people will tell you that you need to stay on Cozumel, but that won't fit 95% of your request. You might look into places near Puerto Morelos (search Morales in the Mexico forum). There is a company which will take you reef and cenote diving. www.wetset.com. I have a fb friend that dove there and liked it.

As for resorts, maybe others can help you. I am much more of a VRBO person than all inclusive. I think you have a lot of great choices for what you want, so I wouldn't fret too much about picking the perfect place.

Have fun on your vacation, and try to make it to Cozumel for a day of diving. It's wonderful.

 

[ontdiver]

We rely heavily on TripAdvisor to triage vacation options, but as you say this can get a bit overwhelming. However, you don't indicate when you are planning on travelling or what your budget it. Also, are you considering a flight + AI package or booking these separately? You might want to get the basics out of the way and come back seeking advice on 2 or 3 resorts.

 

[CamC]

If you're dead set on Riviera Maya then I can heartily recommend the Excellence Playa Mujeres. The AI choice is extensive, with plenty of variety.

It's not hugely convenient for diving, but handy for a jaunt to Isla Mujeres.

Only downside is that, while there IS a dive shop on site, it's Aqua World. From personal experience, I wouldn't use them again if they were the last operator on earth. It's maybe a 25-30 minute ride into Cancun; if you can get another operator to pick you up from the hotel, so much the better. That first hop makes a day trip to the cenotes - and more so Cozumel - a fairly long one.

 

[rick00001967]

the riviera maya term covers a very large area. perhaps if you knew which specific area yu wanted to saty would help.

we stayed once in the adult section of Sandos Caracol. had a very cool night time show around the onsite cenote. lots to do if you want. or you can just hang in the quiet adult area. big beach area. tons of food options. rooms were nice. but we dont typically like mega resorts. this place is huge. we enjoyed it but wouldn't return.

for what it is worth.....after the trip staying at Sandos, we have stayed numerous times right in paya del carmen. we really enjoy it. there are a couple of AI's there if you really want that (panama jacks, hyatt, hilton, reef 28, live aqua). but to enjoy that area you are better off eating at the various local places. ocean and cenote diving is avail thru a ton of dive ops. you can have as quiet or as busy a vacation as you want. it is all there. my recommendation would be to stay as far north of the ferry as possible. up near the end of 5th ave. only thing about this area is that the beaches have taken a real beating. and the sewer smell was really bad last time. we don't spend much time on the beach so no biggy but if you want a week that revolves around enjoying the beach, i would avoid staying in town. better to be farther south (Akumal id pretty cool) or farther north of playa between playa and the airport.

 

[frogster84]

Sorry for the missing details:
I’ve been to Cozumel before and was not really that happy with the diving. While nice it didn’t match what I was expecting (the water was probably too warm at the time - same as it will be during the end of June)
On the other hand I loved the cenote I was in. For that reason (and of course my non-diving girlfriend) I already excluded Cozumel.

We’ll be spending some time in TRS Yucatán (in Akumal) and in Mexico City - we’re only looking for a resort for the last 6 days, the flights are already booked.


The budget doesn’t allow for the real high end resorts but should be enough for something nice - between 250 and 500$ per night.


Currently our favorites are:
Paradisus La Perla (royal service)
Secrets Maroma Beach Riviera Cancún
UNICO 20º87º HOTEL RIVIERA MAYA
TRS Coral

All of them seem to have some downsides- so we’re thankful for any suggestions.

 

[ibj40]

I'll throw out a suggestion where you have a couple of options. Check our Puerto Aventuras. We started going there about a dozen years ago, first two trips we stayed at the Hotel Catalonia, ever since then we have rented condos closer to the marina (we love to cook, so having a kitchen is a must for us).

There are other hotels, including a Hard Rock that clearly doesn't meet your requirement for quiet and relaxed. It is far enough away that it doesn't represent much of an imposition on the rest of the area.

We dive with Dive Aventuras, and I am sure that Mike or Nils would be happy to set you up with everything you need. DA offers both ocean and cenote diving with highly qualified dive guides.

We're actually heading down there in a couple of weeks. Feel free to PM me if you have any questions.

 

[Scuba Lawyer]

Dreams Puerto Aventuras. Look no further. All inclusive, bunch of great restaurants. Dive shop on premises, boat dock in back. Great folks there. I take my wife and teenager there and they are very happy while I go off cave diving a few mornings. My 2psi Mark

 

[Snoweman]

While nice it didn’t match what I was expecting (the water was probably too warm at the time -

Wow. I've never heard of anyone complaining the water is too warm. Different strokes for different folks...

We rely heavily on TripAdvisor to triage vacation options, but as you say this can get a bit overwhelming.

I used to rely and review on TA a fair amount until I felt they were getting too big for their britches. It felt like I couldn't trust more than half the reviews (written by someone over a year ago with only one post - for example). This video cemented my dislike for TA.




It's a bit long and dragging, but it does say a lot about how TA can be manipulated.

 

[frogster84]

I’m happy with warm water, my understanding is that quite a few fish leave for deeper parts once it gets too warm and the coral start to bleach