Mexico: Riviera Maya- Barcelo Maya Palace

Choosing a hotel can be the most crucial element in a vacation.

The Barcelo hotel chain features resorts around the globe, with five situated in Riviera Maya.
The five resorts are: Barcelo Beach, Barcelo Caribe, Barcelo Tropical, Barcelo Colonial, and Barcelo Maya Palace. All five resorts are located on the same 500,000 acre stretch of sand between Cancun and Playa Del Carmen. The resorts share an entrance as well, making it a safe area and easy to travel from one resort to another, especially with a complimentary tram service. The greatest thing about this resort chain is that you are able to use the restaurants and pools at any location, no matter which you chose to book with. For example, if you book a room at Barcelo Tropical, you are still free to eat at Barcelo Maya Palace and swim at Barcelo Tropical.

Upon my arrival at Barcelo Maya Palace, I was given a bracelet that identified our all inclusive package. I wore this bracelet at all times, because it was my meal card for my entire stay. With the all inclusive package, you are provided with all meals and snacks, non alcoholic beverages, and some alcoholic beverages at the hotel you booked through.

Since I was traveling with my family, we had two adjoining rooms with garden views. The rooms were wonderful and very luxurious, with a large bathroom, sitting area, balcony, and two double beds or a king bed. Although the garden view rooms are seen as less favorable than ocean view, the upgrade is not worth it. Chances are, you will be spending more time on the beach than in your hotel room, so save your money for a trip to Tulum and stick with the Junior Suite, which is beautiful.

The staff at this resort are very friendly and willing to help you however they can; I did not encounter problems with the staff at any of the resorts in the Barcelo area. Try to be understanding and courteous to the staff, and do not expect them to understand everything that you say. You are in a spanish speaking country after all. However, I did not have trouble speaking with the resort staff.

Dining at the resort was great. As I said, you can eat at any of the buffet style restaurants within the resorts. A la carte restaurants are a little different and depend on which resort they are located. I loved being able to get ice cream late at night at the buffet and take a dip in the pool right after.

The beach is beautiful, but can get crowded during the day. Of course, who doesn't want to be sitting on the beach by the turquoise water? Beach chairs are available, as well as towels. However, motorized water sports and snorkeling gear are not, so bring your own mask, snorkel and flippers.

This is a great resort for kids with numerous activities to keep youngsters busy. An exciting kids pool with slides and fountains is sure to be the favorite. However, if your tike isn't a water dog, the supervised Barcy club may be better. The Barcy club is part of the all inclusive package and has activities throughout the day. For older children and teens, snorkeling and the large pools are the most drawing.

Night shows are fairly entertaining if you aren't into the party scene, since the discotheque Jaguars Nightclub is available for those 18 or older.

The only major complaint I have of this hotel is the lack of Wi-Fi. With the all inclusive package and price tag, Wi-Fi should be available to customers in most areas of the resort. This is a failure of the resort to be a bit more modern, but it does keep work at bay and relaxation in focus.

Below is the link to book your vacation at one of the Barcelo resorts. If you are on Facebook, I recommend liking the Barcelo Resorts Facebook page and receiving a discount code that may be useful in booking. When deals or specials are already being offered, the discount code may not be valid.

http://www.barcelo.com/BarceloHotels/en_GB/hotels/Mexico/Riviera-Maya/hotel-barcelo-maya-palace-deluxe/general-description.aspx

Mexico: Riviera Maya- Tulum

If you are staying on the Yucatan Peninsula between Cancun and Playa Del Carmen, visiting an ancient archaeological site should be a top priority. Although Chichen Itza is probably the first ruins location to pop into your head, I highly recommend visiting Tulum.

Tulum is located on the East coast of Mexico, about fifty minutes south of Playa Del Carmen in Quintana Roo. Tulum means fence or wall, fitting to the wall that protects the jungle side of the city. The back side is protected by the ocean, with Templo Dios del Viento (God of Winds Temple) protecting Tulum's sea entrance.

Once you have decided to check out Tulum, arrange for a taxi to pick you up from your airport early in the morning. Although the ruins are open 8 am to 5 pm everyday, the mild temperatures in the morning and small crowns will make for a much more enjoyable trip. Be sure that you understand your cab driver's fares and try to befriend them, currently the exchange rate is 1 Mexican Peso to .08 US Dollars. Wear a swimsuit under your clothing and bring plenty of sunscreen along with a hat and sunglasses; there is little shade on the beach of Tulum and around the buildings.

When you arrive at the site, you will need to walk about a half a mile to the actual entrance where you pay your fee. Along your walk you will find what looks to be five death-defying acrobats swinging from a blue pole. These men are performing a ceremonial ritual in which they climb this pole and then descend with ropes tied to their feet so they spin around the pole. They eventually touch the ground as the ropes unwind, and donations for their performance are always appreciated. 

The entrance fee to Tulum is 38 pesos per person( about 3 dollars), with a 30 peso addition for video cameras. Children 13 and under are free, so bring the kids along too!

Inside the site you will find magnificent stone buildings and architecture similar to Chichen Itza but on a smaller scale. The beach sitting just a stairwell below the ruins is the most spectacular of views, with clear turquoise water. Unfortunately, this beach can get crowded so you may want to go swimming somewhere else afterwards. After a half-day exploring, the best way to end your excursion is with a Coca-Cola by the pool.