Aaaaaah! The Mexican Caribbean. Beautiful scenery, friendly people, warm weather year round, and great service. It’s no wonder thousands of people choose to vacation in the Riviera Maya every year. While it may look easy to book your own vacation, if you get something wrong it can be a disaster, and we end up creating horrible memories, instead of beautiful ones. Hopefully this guide will help you create the latter.
EVERY RESORT HAS A DIFFERENT VIBE.
Some resorts are lively and have a party atmosphere, while other resorts are calm, serene and zen. Some have an adult vibe, while others have a family vibe. The vibes can be anything from adult only party to serene, peaceful, quiet with not many activites and everywhere in between. If you book the wrong one you will hate it.
NOT ALL BEACHES ARE CREATED EQUAL
That’s right! Things like swimmability, size, amount of seaweed, wave strength, sand quality, and water color can vary by resort and location as well as the day. One day the beach can be beautiful and the next day, seaweed can be everywhere. Not only that, but they hardly ever look like the website photo.
FOOD
Resort dining can be a foodie’s dream or it can be a total let down. You need to be careful about what your drink as well because nobody wants to spend their vacation with a case of Montezumas revenge. A travel advisor specializing in the Mexican Caribbean knows which resorts deliver the food you crave.
THE WOW FACTOR
We have all had those experiences where we arrive at the resort and it looks nothing like the photos on the website. What a big letdown. But then there are those resorts where we walk in and we are amazed at the amazing scenery, beautiful lobby and wonderful service. You will be disappointed if you arrive and your expectations are unmet.
ROOM CATEGORIES
Since there is NO standard for labeling room categories. This can be very confusing at some resorts. You might think you are getting an oceanfront room, until you actually get to the resort and discover that it’s really an Oceanview room with a little sliver of the ocean. You might get a different bed configuration then you originally booked online. The room catrgories are broad. The room may be in the right category but the view may vary. Perhaps the room was an Oceanview when the resort was built but now the palm trees are blocking the view.
LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION
Just like in real estate, location matters. Do you want nightlife nearby or quiet seclusion? Easy access to tours and excursions? Palm trees blocking your view of the ocean? Not only does the location of the resort matter, but also the location of the room matters. Some people are happy with a garden view, but for others may be a dealbreaker. Each area of the Mexican Caribbean is different and each resort has a different vibe. Choose the wrong one and you will be disappointed.
DON’T RELY ON OTHER’S ADVICE FOR BOOKING
Picture this! You can’t decide on a resort so what do yoi? You ask other’s for advice. While crowdsourcing can be helpful, you should never rely solely on your aunt’s cousin’s sister or social media. Why? Because what other’s like is subjective. Your friends may love a particular resort, but it may not be appropriate for your situation. Maybe your aunts cousin’s brother loves a party atmosphere at an all -inclusive with nothing but beach around for miles, but you don’t. Get the vibe, beach,or location wrong and you won’t like it.
Booking your own vacation in the Mexican Caribbean,or anywhere, can be more complicated than you realize. As you have read, there are many factors that go into finding your perfect resort.
If you are like me your vacation is too important to leave to chance. The fix? Work with a travel advisor who knows the Mexican Caribbean inside and out. They’ll ask the right questions, match you with the perfect resort and make sure every detail fits you.
Don’t leave your vacation to chance, let’s get started planning your awesome custom vacation today! Click here to schedule a free consultation.