Family Vacation to Caribbean or Mexico (1 Viewer)

[need2know]

this thread makes me want to go on an all inclusive vaca.  going to the beach next week but it wont be like what we are talking in here

 

[Dentist]

Planning a family vacation to the Caribbean or Mexico for later this year and looking for some recommendations. 

Will be my wife, me and our two kids (14yo daughter and 16yo son).  We have been leaning toward all-inclusive as we have never done that and thought it would be nice to enjoy the food and drink along with the available activities at many all-inclusive resorts (i.e. kayaks, snorkeling gear and other stuff to occupy kids).

A big thing for us is the pool.  Would like to have a resort with a kickass pool set-up and the availability to get drinks poolside and/or swim up bar.  Would also like to go to a place with options for decent excursions (swim with dolphins is important for the girls, boys like adventures like zip lining or swimming/snorkeling in a cool location).  Would probably schedule 2-3 excursions, so wouldn’t be a daily thing.

Here are some places we have liked/considered:
-Beaches Turks and Caicos (was the first place we discovered on a Google search, but price tag was very high, like around $11,000 for the week.  And travel agent also said it was a bit difficult to get to).
-Moon Palace Cancun (price tag was at the top of budget at around $8000 and we were ready to book.  Then friend went there and said don’t go.  Said food wasn’t good and they hassled you all week to buy a timeshare.  And they had a colored wrist band system… people on board with the timeshare had a VIP color and others had a different color.  If you didn’t have a VIP wristband, you were basically ignored.)
-Royalton Riviera Cancun (thought we had a winner in this one too and were ready to book.  But upon reading reviews, we learned it is built on swamp land surrounded by mangroves and mosquitoes seem to be a problem.)

Appreciate any recommendations.

Goto Turks and Caicos, but save a ton of dough and stay at the fabulous Seven sTars resort..  it has a wonderful pool though you won't want to use it because the ocean is even better, and you don't need a travel agent..  just book straight up or through costco travel

 

[Reaper]

@Reaper has been to T&C Beaches.

Al- there are a ton of similar threads to this where we've all commented about this stuff... I'd say to do a little research in those first. 

if you're not in the mood I'll check back later... I'm not an AI guy, but have been to a lot of spots in the carib and riviera maya, with and without family. 

We have since done Beaches in Jamaica Ocho Rios as well. Since we have been to Turks, the prices have skyrocketed AND you can't even get in many prime holiday weeks. (like you said 11k... Oh My)  Ocho was nice too but, much longer commute - You have a 2 hour ride from the airport. Good times tho!!!! 

I've been trying to find an alternative for our next getaway - Possibly renting a House from VRBO...

Been looking into some Cayman places, Maybe Virgin Isles???

I'd love to do some of the outer Islands of the Bahamas - heard awesome things about Eleuthera. Just prefer taking just 1 plane.... 

We love West Coast of Fla - Captiva when weather is right for very easy Travel with the Caribbean VIbe

* Oh... Few things I do to research Trips - Of course Trip Advisor is great  Also - I've had luck with JetBlue Vacations Wound up with some great package deals with the Airfare included -  Same with American Express Travel

 

[Al Czervik]

So it looks like Barcelo Maya Palace near Playa Del Carmen is going to be the winner.  Seems to fit everything we are looking for and have gotten some positive recommendations.

@Da Guru I saw in an archived Playa Del Carmen thread that you highly recommended Barcelo Maya Palace.  Any tips/recommendations?  It looks like we would have access to the adjoining Barcelo properties (Barcelo Maya Beach and Barcelo Maya Tropical)... was that the case when you went?  Did you do AI, and if so did it include restaurants throughout all the Barcelo properties?

 

[El Floppo]

Anguilla story- CT (NYC) financial guy killed a local worker.

story sounds strange- I don't see a young father "attacking a tourist family" in a hotel where he works on an island so small, so hard to say what really happened here. sidenote too- native anguillans are some of the nicest, most law-repsectful people I've encountered anywhere on the planet. the increase in tourism has brought a lot of money and foreign workers, which has increased crime. there was a drug related murder a few years' back, which was the first murder they'd had in decades. and now a tourist. 

A Connecticut man is claiming self-defense in the death of a hotel worker while he was on a family vacation in the Caribbean. Scott Hapgood is charged with killing Kenny Mitchel on the island of Anguilla earlier this month.

Anguilla's police department said officers were called to investigate Mitchel's death shortly after 4:00p.m. on April 13. The 27-year-old father worked at a luxury resort on the island's west end. An autopsy report shows he was beaten and choked to death.

CBS News' Mola Lenghi reports three days later, police charged Hapgood with manslaughter. The 44-year-old was vacationing on the island with his family and staying at the hotel where Mitchel was allegedly employed as a maintenance worker.

A spokeswoman for Hapgood said "the worker showed up unannounced in uniform at the hotel room, claiming he was there to fix a broken sink before carrying out his sudden, violent attack on the family." She alleges he "was armed and demanding money."

Mitchel's uncle, Victor, said that's not true.

"Kenny was just not a person who'd give anybody problems," he said.

Hapgood was originally denied bail from prison, but later released on a $74,000 bond following an appeal from his attorney. Local reports say many Anguillans are angry and demanding Hapgood return to the island to face justice.

The British territory of nearly 15,000 people often attracts wealthy vacationers. On social media, Anguilla's former head of tourism urged residents not to allow the case to tarnish the island's reputation, adding they continue to "welcome visitors."

Hapgood is a financial adviser. He's due back in court in Anguilla in August. His attorney on the island told a local newspaper "he has every intention to return to Anguilla to clear his name."

 

[chet]

I’m at the Hyatt Ziva in Cancun as we speak. It’s better than I thought. Rooms are nice and the food is decent. Family of 4 and it’s costing us about $1,000 / day all in. 

 

[matuski]

We go to Cancun a couple times a year - 3 hour direct flight + 15 minute cab ride to hotel = awesome.

Usually the Ritz or JW Marriott (prefer JW).. the pool is legit.  Not all inclusive but all the excursions you could hope for.

We only do a weekend/couple few days at a time though.

 

[Ilov80s]

We go to Cancun a couple times a year - 3 hour direct flight + 15 minute cab ride to hotel = awesome.

Usually the Ritz or JW Marriott (prefer JW).. the pool is legit.  Not all inclusive but all the excursions you could hope for.

We only do a weekend/couple few days at a time though.

The JW makes a nice dirty martini and we usually take the nephews/nieces to their teppanyki place one night every year since the kids are entertained by the show.

 

[El Floppo]

I’m at the Hyatt Ziva in Cancun as we speak. It’s better than I thought. Rooms are nice and the food is decent. Family of 4 and it’s costing us about $1,000 / day all in. 

I assume that sounds like a cheap price too you.

 

[chet]

I assume that sounds like a cheap price too you.

I don't understand your point.  It's cheap for some and expensive for others.  There were cheaper places and more expensive places but I posted the price so people could get a general idea of the cost at this hotel.  

 

[El Floppo]

I don't understand your point.  It's cheap for some and expensive for others.  There were cheaper places and more expensive places but I posted the price so people could get a general idea of the cost at this hotel.  

It had been a long crappy day and I read your post wrong- sorry.

 

[matuski]

The JW makes a nice dirty martini and we usually take the nephews/nieces to their teppanyki place one night every year since the kids are entertained by the show.

That restaurant is called Mikado and is at the Marriott next door to JW, yes we do that every time.  Kids love it.

The pizza at the JW is fantastic.