I went to one in Ocho Rios, Jamaica and one in Mexico (I believe it was the El Dorado Royale in the Rivera Maya). Yeah, It'd totally go back to both of them.
I didn't pay for the Jamaica one so I have no idea. I believe me and H paid $3K for ten days in Mexico in May 2006.
Post by missmaddie on Nov 10, 2013 22:50:48 GMT -5
Aruba - no, didn't love the people, a bag was stolen...it was a meh experience for the money (13 years ago, $1500/pp)
Dominican (La Romana) - yes (11 years ago, $1100/pp)
Cuba - in a heartbeat (sorry, Canadian here) (9 years ago, $750/pp booked last minute - 1 week's notice)
Dominican - Puerta Plata - no (6 years ago, $1200/pp)
Dominican - Punta Cana - yes, but we want a change from DR and want to go elsewhere, but the last 2 were "mandatory" destination weddings so we haven't been able to pick a trip of our choosing in a while...) (3 years ago, $1000/pp based on group rate of 25+ people)
Post by balletofangels on Nov 10, 2013 23:06:03 GMT -5
DR Puerto Plata, Blue Bay Villas Doradas. Booked far in advance and was less than 1k for 2 people. 4 years ago. Adult only small resort. Absolutely loved it. Doesn't have all the bells and whistles the "brand names" have.
Antigua, Jolly Beach Resort. I think the resort was around $600/wk pp 9 years ago. Very relaxing, not a ton going on. Probably wouldn't go back after having experienced the joys of adult only.
I've been to Paradisius Playa Conchal (now a Westin) in Costa Rica. It was amazing- very quiet, not crowded and really good food. The rooms were all in bungalows around the property, so it wasn't one large building. There isn't much of a beach, but the grounds around the resort are beautiful. I went with my family so I'm not sure how much we paid, but it was probably around $3000 per person. I would love to go back, but since it's changed ownership the pricing has changed quite a bit.
I've also stayed at an AI in Puerta Vallarta that was nice but was all in a few large buildings in an area full of resorts. I liked that in CR we were out in the middle of nowhere.
We just booked at Excellence Playa Mujeres for a week in January and it was about $4500 (including flights). The pictures look nice and it has a lot of positive reviews--hopefully it's as nice as it sounds!
The only AI that I have been to was in Cuba about 7ish years ago. It was cheap ($800/person), the food was terrible. It didn't matter though, because I was wasted the entire time! I don't think i would go back there though.
H and I used to travel a lot. We've been to a bunch in Mexico, one in DR, and one in Jamaica. Our favorites are Excellence Playa Mujeres and The Royal Cancun, both adults only. They're pretty comparable in terms of overall value - if you want more spacious and better pool, go with EPM. If you want ocean views from all rooms and better beach, The Royal. Food is better at EPM, service is equal, and nightlife/entertainment is cheesy everywhere you go.
Price point was usually around $1600pp, but we paid more for EPM because we went last year over NYE.
I went to one in Ocho Rios, Jamaica and one in Mexico (I believe it was the El Dorado Royale in the Rivera Maya). Yeah, It'd totally go back to both of them.
I didn't pay for the Jamaica one so I have no idea. I believe me and H paid $3K for ten days in Mexico in May 2006.
We went to the El Dorado Royale in Rivera Maya also and would go back in a heartbeat. I think it cost around $3,500 for 7 days with airfare in April 2012.
Couples Swept Away in negril. We'd definitely go back. We went for our hm in 2005 and spent around $3500 for a week, I think? Beautiful beach, excellent food, friendly employees and lots of stuff included including scuba diving.
We went to Sandos Playacar with extended family for Christmas in 2010. I can't remember how much we paid (it was all 4 of us). It was okay. We had fun but I was really frustrated with their dining reservation system.
I stayed at the Majestic Elegance resort in punta Cana, dr for a friend's wedding, with friends. I really liked the resort but there didn't seem much to do in the surrounding area.
I went to one in Ocho Rios, Jamaica and one in Mexico (I believe it was the El Dorado Royale in the Rivera Maya). Yeah, It'd totally go back to both of them.
I didn't pay for the Jamaica one so I have no idea. I believe me and H paid $3K for ten days in Mexico in May 2006.
We went to the El Dorado Royale in Rivera Maya also and would go back in a heartbeat. I think it cost around $3,500 for 7 days with airfare in April 2012.
I was on The Knot back in those days and there were several of us that chose this place. It was really awesome. Beautiful, wonderful food and drink and the entertainment was great.
We're looking to go next July for our anniversary. We went to Sandals Whitehouse and it was a.maz.ing. I'd love to go back because I loved it so much, but H wants somewhere else. I don't want to spend the money and compare it to Sandals and be let down. We've been looking at other Sandals, but are open to others. Oh, and no kids. Gah. I spend all day I both them nada do want alone time.
Thanks for the recs so far.
We went to sandals drf and it was HORRIBLE!!!!!!! We loved occidental Xcaret on the Riviera Maya.
Post by donutsmakemegonuts on Nov 11, 2013 7:32:27 GMT -5
We are staying at the Royal Suites Turquesa by Palladium in the DR right now! It's a huge property, but we are in the adults only section. We have a swim up room with a semi private pool area right outside, which I love. We can also walk over to the beach area. So far, the food has been a little weird, but we were warned about that having never been to the DR before. Room service has been a lifesaver I think we spent about $2000 plus plane tickets.
We went to Punta Cana for our honeymoon - it was around $2400 for 2 of us and it was amazing. I would love to go back again. I recommended it to 2 friends and they loved it as well. It was called Excellence.
We went to Cancun for our HM in 2011 and just under $3,500 included:
- Airfare (from Detroit) - Trip insurance - 7 days/6 night stay at the AI resort: Palace Resorts (AI included all food/drinks/room service and you didn't have to tip or weren't supposed to) - Couples massage - Parasailing - Lobster dinner on the beach - Swimming with dolphins - Day trip to Chichen Itza
It was the perfect mix of doing things and relaxing. We could have left the resort more often to explore if we wanted but we were either in the water or ... in the bedroom.
It was our maximum price point because we were young and in college. I would go back in a heartbeat, but ideally I like to go to different places and change things up. DH actually just said yesterday he wants to go back and I told him I agreed that a trip was in order!
Pretty much ditto this. We went to Rivera maya to the aventura spa palace resort (part of the same chain). We loved it. Included in the price is room service and you have access to all the other palace resorts, and excursions are free.
I have been researching this all day!! We are going back for our 10 year anniversary. We have been to several places in Play Del Carmen and plan to go back to that area again. The reason I like the area so much is the ocean is perfection. And it is reasonably priced.
Oh the Resorts we went to were Secrets Maroma-That was 9 years ago so no clue what we paid.
And 4 years ago we went to Catalonia Maroma A great bang for your buck type resort. We paid like $1300 for 4 nights with airfare. Isn't super fancy but we were well taken care of. Food and drink were plentiful. And the beach was the prettiest I have ever seen.
Post by countthestars on Nov 11, 2013 8:49:44 GMT -5
Excellence Playa Mujeres. 5 nights, flights from boston, best room available (would go for cheaper room next time but splurged for honeymoon). I think we paid about $3700 for the two of us? We loved it and can't wait to go back!
Aruba (10 years ago) $1300 pp, stayed at the Holiday Inn, loved it, loved everything about it...would go back in a hot second.
Same year 6 months later went on my h-moon, Sandals in St. Lucia, did not love it, paid way too much for just meh, food was just ok, the tours were ridiculously priced, resort was just ok, would never go back.
Post by vanillacourage on Nov 11, 2013 8:57:53 GMT -5
We went to El Dorado Royale for our first anniversary - it was nice and very relaxing. Since then we have been to Excellence Playa Mujeres twice - it is amaaaaazing. Splurge and get a swim-up suite and ask to be put right on the lazy river. Impeccable grounds, great pools, wonderful food.
We went to Sandals in Ocho Rios like 8 years ago and it rocked.
We've since been to "off brand" AIs in the riviera maya and Grand Palladium in Jamaica and they were ok, but the beds and food were lacking. I start to get sad after day three of semi-gross food. Lol.
Id stick with sandals. I've heard they've only gotten better.
We've been to the RIU Palace Las Americas and The Royal Cancun, both in Cancun. We've liked both a lot. The RIU has the edge on food, although the rooms/decor are a little nicer at The Royal. They're perfect for when you just want to laze around and do nothing.
I want to say the RIU was about $1,000 per person with flights, the Royal was a little higher.
Post by melodramatic26 on Nov 11, 2013 9:31:49 GMT -5
AI: Cancun- RIU- it was for a good friend's 30th birthday. There were 4 of us couples that went. The resort was really nice.
We did have a tropical storm that came for a few days so that pretty much shut the resort (but not the bars!) down as well as any activities around the island. I can't the resort for that, but it did make us ready to go home.
DR Punta Cana- Majestic Elegance- Very nice resort. We were on the adults only side- which is pretty far from the main area. Just made for a lot of walking. We were here for my bff's wedding so we didn't pick the place or time of year.
I would recommend it for an AI. We were only here for 4 days and that was perfect, I wouldn't have wanted to stay longer.
We've also been to these non AI: Bahamas, Aruba, Grand Caymans, St. Kitts
I'm not a fan of AI. I love LOVE laying around on the beach or by the pool. We go on vacation to relax and while we will do a few excursions while traveling, it's not how we spend the bulk of the time. We also love to eat.
As much as the restaurants were really nice at the AIs, I hated the reservation process at both. I also got tired of just being at the resort. It just felt like were were walking from our room to the beach, to the main area every day.
AI are probably a great value for your money, but we much prefer a regular resort.
All of my trips have been 4 nights and included airfare for about $2,200 - $2,600.
RIU Palace Las Americas in Cancun and another RIU in Playa del Carmen. Middle of the road for me. Food was okayish, but the hotels have a very strange odor. To the point where I won't go back because it was too much for me.
Majestic Elegance in Punta Cana. If I ever decide to go back, I won't be staying there. I was on the adults only side, which was nice, but the food was the worst of all the AI's I've been to. Oh, and the service is slow and the people weren't very friendly.
I've stayed at Live Aqua in Cancun and it was nice. The food wasn't great, though.
I've also stayed at two different Palace resorts in Cancun and love that brand because of their food and drinks. They have top shelf brands and the food is pretty good, considering it's an AI. I would definitely go back to this brand.
Post by CrazyLucky on Nov 11, 2013 10:09:18 GMT -5
We went to the Couples Resort in Ocho Rios for our honeymoon. It was fantastic. We had such a great time. It costs about $3k, but that was ten years ago. We recommended it to our friends, and they didn't like it as much. We liked it because there was so much to do, even if you didn't want to leave the resort. Kayaking, sailboats, catamaran cruises, beach and pool volleyball, etc etc. They wanted a resort where you basically just lay on a beach, and so they didn't like it as much.
We are going to Secrets Maroma Beach on the Riviera Maya in two weeks to celebrate our tenth anniversary. I am so excited! (And also nervous, first time away from the kids)
I've been to a couple in Mexico. The Royal in Cancun and Secrets Silver Sands in Riviera Maya. I don't think I'd go back to either. In fact, I don't think I'll be likely to do an AI again; they just feel so mass-produced to me and I don't really enjoy the experience.
Secrets Maroma Beach in Riviera Maya! It was about $3500 for a week and had an amazing beach, GREAT service, and really good food and drinks. I can't wait to go back sometime.
I've been to quite a few. These have all been work trips so we were there for 1 week and didn't pay for anything so I'm not sure the cost of any of these.
Last year we went to Turks and Caico's at a Beaches property - was really nice but TON's of kids and since DH and I don't have kids I felt it was just ok.
The year before we went to St Lucia - sandels grande and we loved it. It was another work trip and I'd gladly go back there in a heartbeat. The only thing that sucked was the 1.5 hour cab ride from the airport to hotel and it's only maybe 20 miles.
We've also been to Great Exuma (bahama's - sandels) - this one was ok. The resort is kinda small and there's not really much to do since the island is very small. DH and i rented a car and drove from 1 end to the other.
This year we're going to Hard Rock in Punta Cana which is supposed to be another all inclusive. I've heard this is supposed to be excellent.