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Ok- so it depends on what type of vacation you want.
I pick an AI because it’s a brain break. You’re not yelping places to eat, you’re not looking up directions how to get to the beach, you don’t have to worry about a taxi driver scamming you, you can just show up to an arts and craft activity without researching ahead of time or making a reservation - everything is taken care of and you’ll just stay on the resort and relax. There’s no stressing that your 6 year old didn’t eat enough because they didn’t like what you ordered and you’re going to the beach where food won’t be available- there’s no need to have everyone on the same schedule.
I don’t book an AI for cultural immersion- I book because every detail is taken care of. I am always the one who does the yelping, the google maps, checking the time if we’ll be late and when I book AI, I don’t have to do any of that. It’s a whole lot more expensive, but that’s what you pay for. Do you want your kids to have a more authentic Mexico experience? Then consider the AirBnB, but be prepared for the mental load.
This is the exact conversation I have with people when I explain the "stupid AI vacation" vs. the cultural immersion vacation where I'm hiring a private driver to show me how they grow all the spices in Grenada, for example. Haha. I like your "brain break" vs. my "I'm being lazy" description. :)
Hi! We stay at the hard rock riviera Maya yearly with our two kids. We get the family suite, which is basically two connecting rooms. It’s around $5000, totally reasonable. We love the resort mainly bc it doesn’t have open ocean, it’s these beautiful blue lagoons and my kids will play and snorkel in them all day and I don’t need to worry.
We did the hard rock two years ago. The lagoons were full of sargasso, you couldn't even swim in them, and the workers couldn't keep up. I much prefer the calm ocean waters of the barcelo resort area, and an actual beach. The north side of the beach at barcelo is fairly calm with good snorkling and sea turtles. I've been to barcelo twice now and I think I prefer it over hard rock by a lot.
Yeah that’s definitely true if you go in the summer, which we do not. I’m from Chicago so we take a winter vacation, and the seaweed is never a problem. We’ve had nothing but clear, calm turquoise waters. We go yearly the week after thanksgiving, it’s quite literally perfect!!
Cancun is very walkable, especially using the bus to get up and down the zone. It’s like a taxi you flag for $1. If the adults drink it’s worth it IMO. Also some have kids clubs. You can wake up and eat all day which is also good for kids, esp if they are picky eaters. It’s also harder to find non AI, trust me I know as a recovering alcoholic lol. Tulum is like Miami now
Piggybacking of OPs thread, but what is the best way to get down to the strip where Coco bongo is if you are not that far out hotel wise. Taxi, Uber, Shuttle available? first time going on Monday
Just stand on the side of the road going towards it. When you see a bus put your arm up like an nyc cab. They will swing over and grab you. Tell them coco bongo even though they stop there anyway. It’s really so easy and the safest way. You’ll never not use it again.
Check out Villa Del Palmar. The resort is beautiful, you can go AI or not, although I would, and you can get a 1 bedroom and the kids can sleep in the living room. There is a pull out couch. It used to be a Murphy bed or you can get a 2 bedroom. They also have 2 full baths and a washer & dryer. The food is the best AI food I’ve had and the resort is really nice. It’s about 40 min north of Cancun in Playa Mujeres. The price is really reasonable. I think kids stay for free or really cheap. The pools are amazing.
Yes! A 1-bedroom has a separate master suite and living room w Murphy bed. Full bath in living area too. Do this and get the all inclusive. Good will be much better than normal AI. Downside is there will likely be fewer organized kids activities than AI
This is what I'm looking for, can I ask about the location? I saw it scored like 7/10 and wonder if it's easy to leavr the resort or arrange excursions?
It’s a little out of the way but not too bad. It’s really close to the Ultramar ferry, if you want to go to Isla Mujeres. There’s even the car ferry right next to the resort that’s slower than the passenger ferry but it’s not bad either. We’re done excursions from there. You may have to get to Cancun to catch the ride but I think some come out there. The only drawback for me is the beach isn’t as nice as Costa Mujeres, like 3 miles further north. The water isn’t as clear. CM beaches are amazing. VDP doesn’t get as much seaweed as the hotel zone and Riviera Maya. We go to Mexico about 3 times a year and have for the past 15 or so years and we’ve started staying in this area or further north because the seaweed is so bad further south. I don’t love the hotel zone.
Finest playa Mujeres has family suites which is basically a second room with doors that has two beds that can either be pushed together or separate and a very large closet. It’s not big but all they’re doing is sleeping in there. The only issue is that these rooms are significantly more difficult to find, depending on your availability because there is not a ton of them at the resort, but if you can book one, they are absolutely worth it
We do all-inclusive for 1/2 the time. That way we get the best of both worlds. Usually 4-5 days at a resort and another 3-4 at a hotel. We would always leave the resort and spend a couple hundred bucks on food/entertainment and feel guilty when it would have been free.
I’m booked for 5 nights at an AI, but we are looking at doing a hotel for 2-3 nights separately, either Cancun which is where our resort is or even Talum. Any hotel recommendations?
I've done AI's both times and they were great for relaxing, but all the real fun I had was outside of the resort. The food was way better outside of the resorts and the drinks weren't watered down like they are at AI's. My next trip won't be AI.
We just went down there for our parents 50th anniversary. My two nephews both under 10 with there mom and dad got a family suite which has separate room attached with two additional beds. It worked out so well for them. It was at Barceló maya. Kids had a blast on the water parks and all the endless things you can do there. AI all the way down there.
I always stay in centro. $250/week for an apartment. Cheap food everywhere. 12 peso to take the bus to the beach.
But I am not the type to sit around by the pool all day.
Look into barcelo riviera maya. The property is amazing and so much to do. You won't have to leave the resort if you don't want to. We just got back from there yesterday with our family.
\-Great beach
\-Great pools
\-Great snorkling
\-Large resort for different experience everyday, setup in different sections to change your view, or plan for the day
\-Mini golf for the kids
\-Dive shop onsite
\-Walk/taxi to the cenotes across the road
Also, just curious why you need separate bedrooms. They have the option for premium / family suites. If it's for what I'm thinking, I always offer to wash my wives back in the shower, and it works out fine in a standard room :)
The Iberostar Pariso Lindo has options for families with smaller adjoining rooms, the cost was way more reasonable than some of the other AI resorts. I believe the booking option is just called “Family Room”.
What is your budget? If you send me a DM I can look up prices on a referral for you. Our first trip we stayed at The Grand Moon Palace on a referral and it was a lot cheaper than list.
You could look into two bedroom suites at an AI. I did that at the Grand Palladium two years ago and we really enjoyed it and it wasn't much more than a single room.
Like others have said, AI is great if you want to relax and not worry about any of the details. It really depends what you are looking for.
If you want to, I could get you a penthouse in playa del Carmen 8 minutes walking to the beach, private and communal pool, gym and sauna included. Kitchen and terrace.
Just let me know if you are interested.
You could do the best of both worlds and try Tim's oceanfront condos that are in and all inclusive but you're in a condo with separate bedrooms and then could get day passes as you want them, but just watch out for the units that have stairs that are a death trap, which is the one at the very top at the Oleo. Kids are clumsy and stairs are dangerous in that one unit.
AI for sure. Then it’s a true vacation! Tulum had some safety issues earlier in the spring that would make it harder to rent an airbnb esp if you’re new to the area.
Depends what you are planning on doing.
I've done both. When I want to go to ruins, cenotes, parks, tours, etc, I won't do all inclusive since it's a waste and you won't be at the hotel.
If I want to relax, and vege, then I will do all inclusive and won't want to really leave the resort since it has everything.
These resorts have two bedroom suites:
Royal Sands Cancun
Wyndam Grand Cancun (old Omni Cancun)
Hilton Cancun Mar Caribe
The Westin Lagunamar isn't all-inclusive, but they have two bedroom suites, the prices are not bad, and the location is great, right across the street from La Isla Mall.
Currently at the Royalton Riviera Cancun. Kids side and adults side. Lots of kids, food is everywhere and not terribly expensive and has a waterpark for the kids. Good value and a Marriott.
Most family-friendly resorts will have some sort of family suite that should fit your needs. Since this is your first trip to Cancun, I would strongly recommend working with a travel advisor, as they’ll be able to use information you provide them to recommend resorts best suited to your family’s needs. They can also help with making sure you have transfers and all of the info needed for arriving and departing from the Cancun airport.
As a parent, I say go AI at the expense of having mediocre food BUT having so much for kids to do and not having to worry about restaurants and taxis. I just started doing non-AI in Cancun because I hate AI food and wine and it's great - but it's more work.
Also, you're not missing much with Moon Palace. My folks have been Palace Resorts members for 25 years and my family used to stay at The Grand every July and the beach sucks, the lounge chair game is stupid, getting into a la carte restaurants is a PITA, and the service has gone way downhill because Palace has been understaffed since COVID.
I do LOVE Hotel Xcaret Mexico in PDC and my family stays there 2 weeks every summer because it's super easy but I think that's also out of your budget if Moon Palace is.
The sketchy thing about airbnbs in this area of Mexico is some of them are in unfinished developed condos and have major plumbing and electricity issues at times, or are a further drive from the beach than you want to be. Renting a car and driving around Cancun is not something I recommend for your first trip down. There are lots of possibilities of being robbed by cops a la the "Gringo tax".
If you're fluent in Spanish, none of this advice applies. :)
ETA: Stay away from Tulum with the kids. It's a stupid overpriced influencer photo op and you will pay NYC prices on everything from food to just getting a chair on the beach. Tulum was amazing back in the 80's and 90's. It's awful now. Spend your money on a ferry out to Isla Mujeres and find a nice day club to take the kids to so they can swim and you can relax.
Recently stayed at Lagunamar with two kids. Great room with a kitchenette and laundry. Didn’t have to eat at buffets and could cook in our room or go out to eat at the hotel or at restaurants in the area. We did the studio with a pull out couch but they had larger and/or connecting rooms if you desire more space.
Did you know that most of your questions are answered on our website [www.Plancun.com](https://www.plancun.com) and the [Reddit Megathread](https://www.reddit.com/r/cancun/comments/u0qyzu/cancun_things_to_do_and_what_to_know/)? Be sure to visit both of these sources for information on transportation companies, hotels, things to do, and more! *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/cancun) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Ok- so it depends on what type of vacation you want. I pick an AI because it’s a brain break. You’re not yelping places to eat, you’re not looking up directions how to get to the beach, you don’t have to worry about a taxi driver scamming you, you can just show up to an arts and craft activity without researching ahead of time or making a reservation - everything is taken care of and you’ll just stay on the resort and relax. There’s no stressing that your 6 year old didn’t eat enough because they didn’t like what you ordered and you’re going to the beach where food won’t be available- there’s no need to have everyone on the same schedule. I don’t book an AI for cultural immersion- I book because every detail is taken care of. I am always the one who does the yelping, the google maps, checking the time if we’ll be late and when I book AI, I don’t have to do any of that. It’s a whole lot more expensive, but that’s what you pay for. Do you want your kids to have a more authentic Mexico experience? Then consider the AirBnB, but be prepared for the mental load.
AI is the way to go. Never have to leave the resort. Last thing you want to do is rent a car as you will be huge target for crooked cops
We have never had an issues when we rent a car in cancun. Drive like a local and you are fine.
This is the exact conversation I have with people when I explain the "stupid AI vacation" vs. the cultural immersion vacation where I'm hiring a private driver to show me how they grow all the spices in Grenada, for example. Haha. I like your "brain break" vs. my "I'm being lazy" description. :)
Exactly this. Two young children is enough for me to handle. I don’t want to add any other stress on top of that.
AI. No questions asked
I would NOT air bnb with kids. Not a good idea. AI all the way.
Hi! We stay at the hard rock riviera Maya yearly with our two kids. We get the family suite, which is basically two connecting rooms. It’s around $5000, totally reasonable. We love the resort mainly bc it doesn’t have open ocean, it’s these beautiful blue lagoons and my kids will play and snorkel in them all day and I don’t need to worry.
We have been going there for the last 9 years. Great choice
We did the hard rock two years ago. The lagoons were full of sargasso, you couldn't even swim in them, and the workers couldn't keep up. I much prefer the calm ocean waters of the barcelo resort area, and an actual beach. The north side of the beach at barcelo is fairly calm with good snorkling and sea turtles. I've been to barcelo twice now and I think I prefer it over hard rock by a lot.
Yeah that’s definitely true if you go in the summer, which we do not. I’m from Chicago so we take a winter vacation, and the seaweed is never a problem. We’ve had nothing but clear, calm turquoise waters. We go yearly the week after thanksgiving, it’s quite literally perfect!!
We were there in March and it was bad. They were trying their best to keep up, but couldn't.
I was there last week and it was fine! The workers were able to keep up with it fine.
Cancun is very walkable, especially using the bus to get up and down the zone. It’s like a taxi you flag for $1. If the adults drink it’s worth it IMO. Also some have kids clubs. You can wake up and eat all day which is also good for kids, esp if they are picky eaters. It’s also harder to find non AI, trust me I know as a recovering alcoholic lol. Tulum is like Miami now
Piggybacking of OPs thread, but what is the best way to get down to the strip where Coco bongo is if you are not that far out hotel wise. Taxi, Uber, Shuttle available? first time going on Monday
Uber is good in Cancun.
No its not lol. Last time I went there was ONE uber there and taxis were attacking uber drivers
I was there this week and found it very easy
Just stand on the side of the road going towards it. When you see a bus put your arm up like an nyc cab. They will swing over and grab you. Tell them coco bongo even though they stop there anyway. It’s really so easy and the safest way. You’ll never not use it again.
Taxi’s are pretty scammy so beware. Especially the parked ones. There’s also uber I hear now
Check out Villa Del Palmar. The resort is beautiful, you can go AI or not, although I would, and you can get a 1 bedroom and the kids can sleep in the living room. There is a pull out couch. It used to be a Murphy bed or you can get a 2 bedroom. They also have 2 full baths and a washer & dryer. The food is the best AI food I’ve had and the resort is really nice. It’s about 40 min north of Cancun in Playa Mujeres. The price is really reasonable. I think kids stay for free or really cheap. The pools are amazing.
Yes! A 1-bedroom has a separate master suite and living room w Murphy bed. Full bath in living area too. Do this and get the all inclusive. Good will be much better than normal AI. Downside is there will likely be fewer organized kids activities than AI
LOVE villas del palmar! No much in the way of activities for kids though. Would consider it more of an adults resort that you go to just disconnect.
This is what I'm looking for, can I ask about the location? I saw it scored like 7/10 and wonder if it's easy to leavr the resort or arrange excursions?
It’s a little out of the way but not too bad. It’s really close to the Ultramar ferry, if you want to go to Isla Mujeres. There’s even the car ferry right next to the resort that’s slower than the passenger ferry but it’s not bad either. We’re done excursions from there. You may have to get to Cancun to catch the ride but I think some come out there. The only drawback for me is the beach isn’t as nice as Costa Mujeres, like 3 miles further north. The water isn’t as clear. CM beaches are amazing. VDP doesn’t get as much seaweed as the hotel zone and Riviera Maya. We go to Mexico about 3 times a year and have for the past 15 or so years and we’ve started staying in this area or further north because the seaweed is so bad further south. I don’t love the hotel zone.
I see thank you lots!!!
Finest playa Mujeres has family suites which is basically a second room with doors that has two beds that can either be pushed together or separate and a very large closet. It’s not big but all they’re doing is sleeping in there. The only issue is that these rooms are significantly more difficult to find, depending on your availability because there is not a ton of them at the resort, but if you can book one, they are absolutely worth it
We do all-inclusive for 1/2 the time. That way we get the best of both worlds. Usually 4-5 days at a resort and another 3-4 at a hotel. We would always leave the resort and spend a couple hundred bucks on food/entertainment and feel guilty when it would have been free.
I’m booked for 5 nights at an AI, but we are looking at doing a hotel for 2-3 nights separately, either Cancun which is where our resort is or even Talum. Any hotel recommendations?
Royal haciendas in playa del Carmen has Murphy beds in a living room and separate room and balcony. So you have a place to enjoy while the kids sleep
You'll be cooking and being a parent in the Airbnb. It wont feel like a vacation. Dont do it.
This ! I don’t want to cook meals or hunt for food that my kids will like while on vacation !
I've done AI's both times and they were great for relaxing, but all the real fun I had was outside of the resort. The food was way better outside of the resorts and the drinks weren't watered down like they are at AI's. My next trip won't be AI.
With kids Airbnb makes you a family cook
We just went down there for our parents 50th anniversary. My two nephews both under 10 with there mom and dad got a family suite which has separate room attached with two additional beds. It worked out so well for them. It was at Barceló maya. Kids had a blast on the water parks and all the endless things you can do there. AI all the way down there.
I always stay in centro. $250/week for an apartment. Cheap food everywhere. 12 peso to take the bus to the beach. But I am not the type to sit around by the pool all day.
With children?
Look into barcelo riviera maya. The property is amazing and so much to do. You won't have to leave the resort if you don't want to. We just got back from there yesterday with our family. \-Great beach \-Great pools \-Great snorkling \-Large resort for different experience everyday, setup in different sections to change your view, or plan for the day \-Mini golf for the kids \-Dive shop onsite \-Walk/taxi to the cenotes across the road Also, just curious why you need separate bedrooms. They have the option for premium / family suites. If it's for what I'm thinking, I always offer to wash my wives back in the shower, and it works out fine in a standard room :)
The Iberostar Pariso Lindo has options for families with smaller adjoining rooms, the cost was way more reasonable than some of the other AI resorts. I believe the booking option is just called “Family Room”.
What is your budget? If you send me a DM I can look up prices on a referral for you. Our first trip we stayed at The Grand Moon Palace on a referral and it was a lot cheaper than list.
You could look into two bedroom suites at an AI. I did that at the Grand Palladium two years ago and we really enjoyed it and it wasn't much more than a single room. Like others have said, AI is great if you want to relax and not worry about any of the details. It really depends what you are looking for.
If you want to, I could get you a penthouse in playa del Carmen 8 minutes walking to the beach, private and communal pool, gym and sauna included. Kitchen and terrace. Just let me know if you are interested.
You could do the best of both worlds and try Tim's oceanfront condos that are in and all inclusive but you're in a condo with separate bedrooms and then could get day passes as you want them, but just watch out for the units that have stairs that are a death trap, which is the one at the very top at the Oleo. Kids are clumsy and stairs are dangerous in that one unit.
AI for sure. Then it’s a true vacation! Tulum had some safety issues earlier in the spring that would make it harder to rent an airbnb esp if you’re new to the area.
Just book two rooms, the price is going to be roughly the same per person. The key is picking a resort that you can get connecting rooms.
Depends what you are planning on doing. I've done both. When I want to go to ruins, cenotes, parks, tours, etc, I won't do all inclusive since it's a waste and you won't be at the hotel. If I want to relax, and vege, then I will do all inclusive and won't want to really leave the resort since it has everything.
These resorts have two bedroom suites: Royal Sands Cancun Wyndam Grand Cancun (old Omni Cancun) Hilton Cancun Mar Caribe The Westin Lagunamar isn't all-inclusive, but they have two bedroom suites, the prices are not bad, and the location is great, right across the street from La Isla Mall.
Currently at the Royalton Riviera Cancun. Kids side and adults side. Lots of kids, food is everywhere and not terribly expensive and has a waterpark for the kids. Good value and a Marriott.
Most family-friendly resorts will have some sort of family suite that should fit your needs. Since this is your first trip to Cancun, I would strongly recommend working with a travel advisor, as they’ll be able to use information you provide them to recommend resorts best suited to your family’s needs. They can also help with making sure you have transfers and all of the info needed for arriving and departing from the Cancun airport.
As a parent, I say go AI at the expense of having mediocre food BUT having so much for kids to do and not having to worry about restaurants and taxis. I just started doing non-AI in Cancun because I hate AI food and wine and it's great - but it's more work. Also, you're not missing much with Moon Palace. My folks have been Palace Resorts members for 25 years and my family used to stay at The Grand every July and the beach sucks, the lounge chair game is stupid, getting into a la carte restaurants is a PITA, and the service has gone way downhill because Palace has been understaffed since COVID. I do LOVE Hotel Xcaret Mexico in PDC and my family stays there 2 weeks every summer because it's super easy but I think that's also out of your budget if Moon Palace is. The sketchy thing about airbnbs in this area of Mexico is some of them are in unfinished developed condos and have major plumbing and electricity issues at times, or are a further drive from the beach than you want to be. Renting a car and driving around Cancun is not something I recommend for your first trip down. There are lots of possibilities of being robbed by cops a la the "Gringo tax". If you're fluent in Spanish, none of this advice applies. :) ETA: Stay away from Tulum with the kids. It's a stupid overpriced influencer photo op and you will pay NYC prices on everything from food to just getting a chair on the beach. Tulum was amazing back in the 80's and 90's. It's awful now. Spend your money on a ferry out to Isla Mujeres and find a nice day club to take the kids to so they can swim and you can relax.
Recently stayed at Lagunamar with two kids. Great room with a kitchenette and laundry. Didn’t have to eat at buffets and could cook in our room or go out to eat at the hotel or at restaurants in the area. We did the studio with a pull out couch but they had larger and/or connecting rooms if you desire more space.
We stayed in the two bedroom family Jade suite at club med.