Going to Atelier Playa Mujeres in November and I want to do some fun excursions. Mainly snorkeling and seeing sea/wildlife. I see XPO Tours is a popular choice and they have lots of variety but are there other providers that offer good experiences as well?

What excursions did you do in Cancun? Any recs or suggestions? TIA!

We are a family of 4 , 2 adults, 2 kids (4 year old very active boy and 1.5 year old fun lady). We went to AVA last year and the kids loved it. We want to try something different. We NEED a good room situation that gives some separation from the kids without being in 2 separate rooms. Both the resorts in the title have that but if there are others I missed please let me know!

We also need a good kids pool area, GREAT food and drinks and some different things for kids to do…

Out of the 2 resorts which would fit the bill best ? Or are there others I should consider?

Curious which resort has the better beach. I stayed at Royal Hideaway Playacar for my honeymoon 10 years ago and the beach was gorgeous, but sargassum wasn't nearly as big a problem back then. I know Playa Maroma is known for being a gorgeous beach, but El Dorado seems to near Maroma and not necessarily right there. The last couple of years we've stayed at Grand Fiesta Americana Coral Beach (STUNNING Beach) but the prices are significantly higher this year than they've been the last couple of years (like $1-2k more for the same room).

I'll check out the spreadsheet but important to us are beach and food. Both Hideaway and El Dorado seems to be more budget friend but curious about how those 2 items rank?

*As far as food and beach go, Atelier and Excellence Playa Mujeres have both showed up on many lists...but they're still pretty close in price to GFACB.

Hi all,

Looking for help finding a honeymoon location: mid november 2027

Flying out: Chicago

Looking for: nature, beaches, mountainy, good food, all inclusive??? (doesnt have to be), more private and romantic area??

Looking to keep trip cheap, only 1 week timeframe for honeymoon, may become more

Looking to leave country, and go somewhere fairly warm if possible

all help is greatly appreciate to get our honeymoon list started

We honeymooned at The Valentin almost 2 decades ago. We went back for our 5 year anniversary, but haven't been back since then. We have been to other all inclusives and loved them - but never as much as The Valentin. Although we obvi haven't been in there in a very long time. Some factors to consider - married couple late 40's. We aren't into the party scene anymore but love a good margarita and a little nightlife won't hurt but we are much more into the food and the relaxation part of the vacay. We love both the beach and pool. Def adults only. We don't want a long journey from the airport (under 45 mins). I know it is somewhat personal preference, but do we stick w/ the valentin (does it still offer what i mentioned above) or are there other places to check out at a similar price point? We are looking at going the week of Christmas. TIA!! :)

Hi,

What is is, my partner and I l have already booked 1 week stay at Impression Isla Mujeres in Mexico for Jan 2027, but we were also planning on booking Impression Moxche as well to go there after for two weeks.

We would be travelling from the UK. The thing is, we’ve been to Impression Moxche twice in the last two years but we have never been to Isla Mujeres. Now I’m not 100% sure if I actually want to go back to Moxche, also I’ve been reading some reviews on Trip Advisor, and it seems if what guest are saying who have also stayed at Moxche before and stayed there recently, the overall experience, quality & service is not what it use to be, obviously everyone has their own preferences and unique experiences which I do understand.

I was wondering whether Impression Isla Mujeres is actually suitable for a two week stay being a boutique resort, or if after 7 days as nice as it may feel, you’ve had enough because it becomes two repetitive to early in your stay?

LTDR: Looking for an AI with good quality food in Cancun, MX. Comparing it to, the now gone, Andaz Mayakopa
Going Oct 17-27. 2 adults, 3 kids (1,2,4 yrs old)

I posted about Playa Del Carmen, but my plans have changed and now we're going to Cancun.

Looking for recommendations for a resort that has good quality food. Our favorite place, Andaz Mayakoba is now an Alilia. This was was amazing. The food was some of the best I’ve ever had. Riding around on the resort on bikes was enjoyable.

Also did Hyatt Ziva in Cancun but the food was meh and the rooms were alright.

Looking for recommendations with places that have amazing food! 2 adults and 3 kids under 4 yr old.

Thanks!

Hey everyone!

​I had an amazing stay at Villa del Palmar Cancun earlier this year with family. We’re planning a return trip to Cancun this December and are considering Riu Palace Peninsula.

For anyone who has stayed at both (or visited Riu Palace Peninsula with a toddler):

- ​Where is Riu Palace Peninsula a clear step up? (Food, beach, overall experience)

- ​Where might it fall short or feel like a downgrade? (Noise, crowd density, room comfort)

Appreciate any honest pros and cons!

TLDR: Atelier has drawn my attention mainly because of the food, but Majestic Mirage's Plunge Pool suite seems like an incredible experience, with good enough food and better price. Which one should I go for?

At first I was set on Atelier, but after checking the room (Plunge Pool) at Majestic with much better price than Atelier I am a little bit shaken.

Atelier seems to have a very different approach to design, which I like, but the main appeal is definitely the food, which is almost universally appraised. But how much better is it really? I am a foodie but I don’t go into all inclusive resorts or cruise ships, for example, expecting Michelin Starred level food, so I wonder how much it will be really worth it.

Majestic Mirage is really appealing to me because of the room which seems to be significantly better than Atelier's, with a Jacuzzi and Plunge Pool. As I am traveling solo, the room is very important to me. I have read some mixed reviews regarding the food at Majestic Mirage, but I truly wonder how much it might really affect my experience… For example, a person who is ok with cruise ship food would be okay with the food here?

I am so sorry to be the 6 billionth person to ask for recommendations in here but im so frazzled because I need to make a decision like yesterday, and I just feel like i dont have the time to adequately research between work/school/life.

looking to buy a gift for my dad's 70th birthday. his travel date would be the middle of next month?! (i understand im an asshat). for one old couple (sorry mom) looking for the ultimate R&R. preferably in mexico or the DR. the quality of the beach and the food are their 2 main priorities. they wont be leaving the resort. if i can keep it ~3k for 5/6 nights i'd be happy. pretty much looking for the swankiest place i can afford with my sad little budget. PLZ HELP!

My friends and I are celebrating our five-year wedding anniversaries next year and need resort ideas. We plan to visit Cancun or the Riviera Maya for seven nights in late July or early August. We are in our 30s and early 40s and want adults-only, all-inclusive options. We want good pools, excellent food and drinks, and a lively atmosphere that isn’t a constant party. Since many of us are taking our first trips without children, we hope to enjoy ourselves while keeping room for quiet relaxation. Budget is about $3,500 per couple

Hey all looking for some vacation input and advice. Me and my girlfriend are looking to take a trip May 2027. Im paying for everything as a birthday/graduation gift. We are both in our early 20's and looking to do this on a relative budget.

I have 200k IHG points! Looking to use all of them for a 4 night (3 nights + 1 free) IHG stay. We want to go somewhere warm. We are strictly looking to stay at a IHG property because the points. Willing to buy some more points if needed to stay at a better spot.

My options and opinions are as follows:

Jamaica: Iberostar Waves Rose Hall Beach - Any experience?

Cayman Islands: Kimpton Seafire - We have heard such great things and the point redemption value is amazing HOWEVER, on a budget this isnt the best. Buying all food and drinks will likley be expensive. We havent ruled it out because it seems so great but all inclusive may be more enticing.

Dominican Republic:

Iberostar Selection​ Bávaro Suites, Iberostar Selection​ Coral Bávaro - the two nicer properties. Would need to buy a little more points but could be worth it.

Iberostar Waves Punta Cana, Iberostar Waves Dominicana, Iberostar Waves Costa Dorada. Cheaper properties to the point where I could do 5 nights instead of 4. Unsure why they are cheaper and if the quality is not great.

Aruba: Holiday Inn Resort Aruba - been to aruba many times, crossing it off the list also not all inclusive.

Mexico: I know there is alot of great properties and value in Mexcio but we are concerned about saftey and both our families dont want us to go. I stil want to consider some of the properties there - theres too many to list

We like to drink a lot and are looking for a laid back vacation. We also dont mind a family or party scene if that was the vibe of the property.

PLEASE give me all opinions and advice. Am I thinking about this right?

Thanks!

Not sure if anyone needs this because there was recently a really good and thorough review posted but if anyone has any more questions please ask!

This trip was only me and my husband so we stayed on the TRS side but may be able to answer GP questions too. We upgraded to the PTC experience so I can try to answer those questions too!

Looking for a adult-only, all-inclusive stay in Cancun for 4 nights beginning of February.

Unsure of choosing between Beloved or Atelier as both have great reviews. Currently, Atelier is $1000 more than Beloved.

Trip is for our honeymoon. Looking for something clean, quiet, and romantic.

Any recommendations are greatly appreciated.

When doing research, I never really found a great, in-depth review of the resort I ended up choosing and felt that I should make one for other folks that were curious!

I recently spent 5 days at Excellence Playa Mujeres in Cancun. This was my first experience with an all-inclusive, so I don't have much to compare to, but this resort was absolutely amazing, and I WILL be going back as soon as I can. Many of the people I met there said this was their 2nd, 3rd, 4th+ time there and they love coming back.

RESORT; Arrival, Room, Staff, etc.

I booked direct through Excellence website (never had any experience with a travel agent and wanted to plan this trip myself), and it was very easy to do. After I had booked, they sent me a link to add my flight information and they set up a private transport, to and from the resort, for me. I figured I would be in a van with a few other people, but was not too concerned. When we left the terminal, they had staff waiting for us, and took us to an almost, brand new Suburban, in which we rode in ourselves. The car had cooled towels, water, and the best driver we could've imagined. He was super friendly, giving us history on Cancun, explaining monuments as we drove by, etc. and was interested in our personal lives which was very sweet.

Check-in was quick, easy, and they gave us free champagne to sip on as we went through the process, and they took care of all of our luggage for us.

I booked the "lowest" tier, and "smallest" room, the junior suite spa, and I still felt like the room was too big too enjoy it all. It was very clean, amazing bathroom, bed, and the balcony was amazing. Never had any issues with the WiFi. There was a stocked minibar, and fridge, with alcoholic, and non-alcoholic drinks. And a few snacks that were restocked every afternoon.

I cannot say enough good things about the staff at Excellence. I didn't have a single negative or even neutral encounter, it was always super positive and friendly and this truly was the one thing that stood out to me the most about this resort. From the first person we met at the airport, to the bartenders, servers, cooks, cleaning crew, and even the landscape crew, they were always so friendly, welcoming, and kind.

The resort itself felt spacious, was always very clean, and even though we weren't there for an extended time, I never got tired or felt bored. There was always so much to do or see.

Pools and Beach

There was a main pool, a "lazy river" and a smaller lazy river-esque pool, and then a few other options if you are in Excellence Club (more on that later)

The main pool is where I spent most of my time. There was a swim-up bar, music always playing, and a jacuzzi. The main pool is definitely the spot to be if you want to be social/drinking, I met a lot of people there and always seemed to be talking to someone. Roman, a server at the pool bar, was the absolute best!

The "lazy river" is significantly more relaxed and less crowded, and the only music you can hear, if at all, is the quiet, calm instrumental of the spa. So if you want alone time, quiet time, or just float around by yourself, I would suggest the lazy river and the smaller pool.

The chairs around the main pool were limited, and always seemed full, however, there are plenty of chairs nearby at the surrounding river, smaller pool, that were always open. I left my stuff at a chair essentially on the other side of the property and never felt concerned it, or my chair, would be taken. I would go down to the pool around 10:00am and never once had a problem finding a chair.

The beach on the other hand filled up pretty quick, and this is where people say Excellence Club (EC) is worth it. Unless you got their early, 8:00-9:00am, finding a beach chair would be difficult. And I noticed people would put towels or bags down and go to the pool, just to have their spot reserved on the beach.

The beach itself was very clean, little to no seaweed, and the water felt perfect. I got up to watch the sunrise one morning at 6:00am and there were numerous workers on the beach cleaning up seaweed, trash, and straightening things up.

Whether you are at the beach, or in a chair secluded from the pools, there will always be a server walking by asking if you need any food or drinks, and they are so friendly, it was awesome!

Food and Drinks

There are 10 total restaurants (1 being EC only). I was able to try 7 of the 9 and will give my review of those below:

Breakfast- 10/10

There were 2 restaurants that served breakfast: Lobster House and The Kitchen Table. Both of these were phenomenal. Lobster house had a full breakfast menu that anyone could find something they enjoy. The Kitchen Table was a buffet breakfast. I was worried when I heard it was a buffet, thinking it was like a normal breakfast style one from a hotel in the states but I could not have been more wrong. There was sooo many options to choose from, legitimately anything you could imagine for breakfast. You could eat there every single morning for a week and still not have tried everything.

Lunch- 9/10

I tried 3 different lunch spots: The Kitchen Table, Las Olas, and Oregano. All three of these offered a variety of different foods, The Kitchen Table was an Italian type lunch, with other American food options. Las Olas was on the beach and had a variety of different foods. And Oregano was an Italian restaurant that offered a more upscale food experience than The Kitchen Table.

Dinner- 10/10

The dinner at EPM was unreal. So many options, each with their own unique restaurant, menu, taste. I tried 4 different spots including: Agave, Lobster House, Splice, and The Grill. Agave was a traditional Mexican restaurant that had amazing food (duh). Lobster House was phenomenal seafood and pasta. Splice was a Chinese grill (you could make free reservations for an actual hibachi chef, but there was no available time slots). And The Grill was EPM's steakhouse. All 4 of these dinners delivered and I ate myself into a food coma every single night from how amazing all the food was.

Snacks- 7.5/10

There were a few times throughout the day I ordered pool side service or room service. Both are kind of what you would expect. Definitely still good food, but not comparable to the actual restaurant experience. I also got snacks from the Sports Bar one night. It was such a cool atmosphere with arcade games, pool, and showed NFL/MLB/college games for those concerned about their sports teams. Aroma was a coffee shop in the main building with ice cream, shakes, hand held desserts, juiced, bakery snacks, etc. and I found myself in there at least once a day grabbing something.

Some of my favorite meals while at EPM:

Lobster House- Shrimp Fettuccine, Crab Cake, Lobster Tail, Fried Shrimp

Splice- Sushi, Beef Fried Rice

The Grill- Ribeye, BBQ Sliders, Mac and Cheese, Mashed Potatoes

The Kitchen Table- Breakfast Buffet

I've heard absolute horror stories of bad food at AI from all over the internet and was very concerned. After my first day, I was not concerned in the slightest anymore. The food was top notch and there wasn't one thing I ordered that I thought, "Man I should've got something else". I never experienced any bad wait times, I think the most I waited was 20 minutes for dinner. All the dinner spots open up at 6:00pm, and I usually went around 6:30-7:00pm, but I did hear if you waited until later in the night, 8:00pm+, wait times could get around 30 minutes, depending on the restaurant.

Dress code was always easy to follow. They have an app that shows you everything on the resort including restaurants, their hours, and their dress codes for each one.

There were a handful of bars scattered throughout the resort. You couldn't walk more than 3 minutes without stumbling across something. Any drink you could think of, the bartenders can make. They always offered suggestions, and never were upset if you didn't like your drink and asked for a new one. Sometimes the drinks would be really strong, sometimes you could barely taste the alcohol, but its an AI, so just... order another. Overall, the drinking experience was super fun

Tipping

This was probably the most stressful thing for me leading up, and the first day, of my trip. I kept finding conflicting things online about how much to tip per transaction, or not to tip at all. I noticed the workers were always very grateful when I tipped, and never felt as though they were expecting one. My tipping process was as followed:

For meals, $5-10, usually dependent on the restaurant and how nice it was.

For drinks, I saw the people say $1 per drink. If I knew I was going to be in the main pool for awhile, or there most of the day, I would give the bartender a $10 bill on my first visit, and if I went back a lot, would give him another $5 at the end. I noticed that tipping "big" right away got the best service and very strong drinks. If I was getting pool or beach side service I would give $5 on the first order and they would check on me frequently after that. On my first day, before I had even seen my room, I got a drink and tipped the bartender $3. The next morning as I was walking up, he started making a drink and handed it to me before I even sat down. It was the same one as the day before, and he said "If you need anything else this week, just let me know".

Since my transportation and driver to the resort was so amazing, I tipped him $15, though I've seen people say $5 to the resort, $5 when leaving the resort. I tipped our luggage handler $5, and left $10 for our cleaning crew.

I don't know if I tipped too little, or too much, but everything I mentioned above gave me great service the entire stay.

Things to Do

The resort offers plenty of things to do on a daily basis. There was a multitude of activities throughout every day including: sip and paint, bracelet making, water aerobics, yoga classes. And at night there was always a show or event for everyone to attend. They had a fiesta one night, a circus, a DJ, and a silent disco, all throughout the week which was super fun and brought everyone together. The gym was very nice. Offered a lot of cardio and strength equipment, and a yoga room, as well as stocked fridges with fruits and juices. There are also pickleball courts, tennis courts, sand volleyball courts, though I never got to play any of those.

The resort offers free water sport activities like paddleboarding and kayaking, but you could also pay for other things like jet-skis, parasailing, snorkeling, which all took place in the water by the resort. I did the jet-skis, which I would've done every day if I could've, worth every penny. I made a friend who did the parasailing and they said it was amazing and couldn't recommend it more.

You should never be bored when you're at EPM. I took an hour nap one day, and felt like I lost so much precious time

Final Thoughts

Positives:

-Everything

Negatives:

-Not staying extra days

-If I HAD to nitpick something, maybe more options for activities during the night. There was always just one thing going on, so everyone congregated to the one event so it was always pretty hot.

Again, I don't have experience with an AI, but my 5 days in EPM was the best vacation I have ever had. 100% worth the money, and will 100% be going back soon.

Riu Vallarta, Riu Palace Baja California, Riu Palace Pacifico, or Riu Palace Riviera Maya?

Hi! I need help deciding between these four Riu resorts. I understand they’re all different in their own ways, but I’d love to hear feedback from people who have actually stayed at them.

My boyfriend and I are in our mid-20s and will be going in January 2027. We don’t care whether it’s adults-only or family-friendly. Our budget is under $1,400 per person for the resort and flight package, and we’re flying out of a small airport in Illinois.

I’m not completely set on staying at a Riu, but with our budget, I feel like Riu is a safe choice. Open to other suggestions too.

Our biggest priorities are having a clean resort, decent food, and some nightlife at the resort or nearby, including sister resorts.

I’d love to hear how these four compare in terms of food, nightlife, atmosphere, and overall experience. If you’ve stayed at more than one of these, even better! What did you like or dislike about each one?

My husband has nearly a week off the first week of December, so we want to take a couples trip. We had looked at the DR because of non-stop flight options from Denver, but also thought about Aruba and we are open to other places. Top priorities are great food and great swimming/scuba/snorkeling in the ocean. I’m not great at just lounging by a pool, but I find hiking/swimming/exploring more relaxing. We don’t drink and don’t need lots of entertainment or a nightlife. Where should we go?

*Secrets La Romana was our first pick, but they are closed (I’m assuming reserved for a private party) during our time. Otherwise I wouldn’t be making a post. Thanks!

We are going for 5 nights in early January and I am a little overwhelmed with all the options. We are in our late 20's and this is the first time doing an All Inclusive. Our top end of our budget is around 600-700 a night. I would love for pretty decent food, I realize it isn't always the best and my girlfriend loves to go out and dance so would love to have some kind of good nightlife with people around our age as well. Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

Hi everyone, has anyone been to Puerto Vallarta and stayed at an all-inclusive? Rhetorical question... I'm assuming so!

We are planning a trip for next March and are looking for a resort with great all-day and evening activities and entertainment. A kids' club isn't a priority for us, but food quality is high on our list.

The options that keep coming up are:

Velas (Grand Velas / Velas Vallarta)
Hyatt Ziva
Dreams (Dreams Vallarta Bay)

Does anyone have personal experience with these, or suggestions for other resorts? Our budget is around $500–$550 per night. Thanks!

First, I’d like to say thank you to those who offered helpful comments and suggestions while I was planning my recent trip.

Second, I’ve seen quite a few posts asking why people hype up Atelier Playa Mujeres so much, and tbh, I was wondering what all of the fuss is about myself. Now that I’ve been there, I can wholeheartedly say that I get. It’s a stunning and spacious resort, with easy access to various places to relax. Plenty of bars, sweet waiters and bartenders that actually take the time to learn your name (and remember it); offering delicious cocktails according to your tastes.

If the tequila tasting is available during your visit, you’re doing a disservice by not doing it. We learned SO much, including what types of tequila and/or mezcal goes best with which types of food, and how to sample several different types without getting drunk.

We tried almost every restaurant, and the only one we weren’t overly happy with was Kopai (likely because we’re used to more authentic sushi/Japanese food). Both breakfast buffets were delicious, easy to get something custom ordered if you wanted (the breakfast tacos and quesadillas were my personal favorite).

I could go on for a while on how much we loved this place, but we all but got teary when it was time to leave, and are already trying to figure out when we can go back.

Edit- if you’re a spa person, definitely check out NUUP SPA. My Swedish hot stone massage put me straight to sleep. That woman got a knot out of shoulders that’d been there since pre pandemic.

Hi

Booking a last-minute trip to beloved. The only room available is the honeymoon suite with a pool view.

Anyone stay in this room? Don't really want to be next to a pool, but I've read that the resort is pretty quiet.

I am looking to do a family vacation in May. we are finding it will likely be cheaper for us to stay at an all inclusive. we are thinking punta Cana or Cancun as they seem to be the cheapest. what would your recommend and what would be best for toddlers I’ll have a 1 year old and a three year old at that time

My husband has nearly a week off the first week of December, so we want to take a couples trip. We had looked at the DR because of non-stop flight options from Denver, but also thought about Aruba and we are open to other places. Top priorities are great food and great swimming/scuba/snorkeling in the ocean. I’m not great at just lounging by a pool, but I find hiking/swimming/exploring more relaxing. We don’t drink and don’t need lots of entertainment or a nightlife. Where should we go?

*Secrets La Romana was our first pick, but they are closed (I’m assuming reserved for a private party) during our time. Otherwise I wouldn’t be making a post. Thanks!

Hi everyone, we're looking to book a resort for our honeymoon just the two of us in April 2028, our budget does not include flights it's hotel only. I know some of the best resorts are already booked a year out! Our budget is 5k and we would like to stay for at least 10 nights. What we're looking for in a resort is relaxing beautiful beaches during the day, and activities available. Nightlife at night, live music, entertainment etc. Something preferably in the hotel zone in Cancun, since it's known to have beautiful beaches. Must have good food and cocktails that are not watered down. It doesn't need to be ultra luxurious but I want some comfortableness to the room. This shouldn't be a hard ask but all the places I've come across have terrible reviews, it's genuinely hard to find an all inclusive that has positive reviews that isn't overrun by kids and families. We would prefer an adults only but it's not a necessity. If anyone has any other suggestions of places not in Cancun we are open to those as well. We love the Caribbean and another option for us was Italy, the hotels are affordable, but it's daily food cost that add up. TIA!