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Thread: Thinking of sun, sand & sea for your next vacation - this winter to next spring ?

  1. #1
    MVP Oct.2015 discuspaul's Avatar
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    Default Thinking of sun, sand & sea for your next vacation - this winter to next spring ?

    Linda and I love to travel and have done so each year, at least once every year, for quite some time now.

    Now that we're getting on in years & prefer sticking fairly close to home
    ( & flying direct, non-stop if we can), we've gravitated to the convenience and moderate cost of all-inclusive, adults only resorts, mainly in Mexico, where we love to vacation.

    We've tried quite a number of different venues over the past few years, and have gotten a little fussy about location, size of resorts, ambience, food & service, and places to see/things to do.
    We want to make sure the cost is well value-justified.

    So, if any of you are inclined to enjoy vacationing somewhat along these lines, but not sure where to go, It's our pleasure to recommend a couple of superb resorts we've had the pleasure to find & go to, along with 2 new resorts we've booked for the near future, this assuming the forum's rules allow this type of vacationing recommendations.



    OK, here's the first one:

    The prices given below are for 2 persons, for a 7 night stay, and include accommodation, return flites, and all meals & drinks.


    Grand Fiesta Americana, a 173 room adults only, all inclusive resort just 15 minutes south of Puerto Vallarta (about 30-35 minutes from the airport).
    Fairly new - not more than 3 or 4 years old, clean and well-maintained.
    It's said to be 5 stars, but there's no such thing in actuality - at least as far as we're concerned. This one is rated 4.7


    Right on a nice sandy beach - 3 attached buildings of approx. 11-12 floors each, with all rooms facing the beach, pool areas and the ocean.


    If memory serves, it has 5 restaurants - one buffet, and 4 ala carte - all with excellent dishes, well-prepared and presented, particularly at the Asian & Italian venues. Food taste & quality is of utmost importance to us in all-inclusive resorts, where the average resort is often hit & miss when it comes to food, and lacking in quality, and the drinks watered down.


    Not sure about prices there today in USD's, but cost for 2 all-in- (accommodation, food, and flights) is estimated to run about $3,000. for lower rooms, up to around $4,000. or so for rooms from floors 6 to top of bldgs.


    The higher floors which contain the more pricey rooms include unlimited use of a private, large lounge area, where breakfast and lunch buffet is served daily, and which includes inside & outside balcony dining, as well as a good-sized sunning/sitting area outside. It was great - we used this facility every day - hardly anyone there most days.


    Overall, one of the best we've been to over the past 5 years - and we go to mexico every year, at times twice a year.


    We highly recommend - well worth it. Apologies if my estimated pricing is currently off the mark - check it out from your location.

    __________________


    Here's # 2 Resort & Spa:


    Breathless Resort and Spa, Cabo SanLucas, Baja.


    Another adults only- all-inclusive--- 169 'suites' (large rooms) offering a stunning marina or ocean view (andthe arch at the tip of Baja, adjacent to the town of Cabo San Lucas). Again,fairly newish and 5 star - critically rated @ 4.5 or better.


    6 gourmet eateries I believe, 2infinity pools, and an award winning rooftop lounge and open air lobby - modern& beautiful, clean & well-kept throughout.


    This resort is more spread out thanGrand Fiesta Americana, so a bit of walking to the restaurants, but with greatbeach & ocean views - where themeals are pretty much on a par with theprevious resort, well presented dishes & of very good quality & taste -no disappointments here. Excellent knowledgeable staff and great service.


    Lots of fun activities to be involvedin daily, and a BBQ night around the pool one night of the week we were there wasoutstanding - a highlight where we made a lot of new friends !


    All-in cost including flights isestimated to be around $3,500. USD per couple for lower floor rooms, orslightly higher than GFA, and $4,500. to say $5,000. for x-hale club suiteswhich offer club lounge exclusivity & other perks.


    Check it out - the photos say it all !


    Apologies, I neglected to mention that estimated cost at both resorts are for a one week stay for 2.

    __________________




    Report on # 3 - all-inclusive, adults only resort - PuertoVallarta. Mx.


    We're booked for this one - 8 nights in late October next.

    Villa Premiere Boutique Hotel &spa.

    - Only 80 rooms on 7 floors - allocean view, on best beach in P.V. town - reported as having an ambiance ofprivacy & exclusivity, with first class service

    - Ranked #7 of 130 resorts in P.V.,and #1 best small resort - fully renovated in 2017 - & rated @ 4.6 stars


    - 10 minutes from P.V. airport, andonly 10 minutes walk to the Malecon, the well-known boardwalk in downtown P.V.,where many classy restaurants and boutiques await your attendance &inspection


    - 3 fine eateries, 2 pools - one withswim-up seating bar, and the other an infinity pool nearly on the beach.Majority of reviews rate the staff service & attention as being asexcellent as it gets, and all the foodofferings truly outstanding - high praise indeed


    Cost for 7 nights for 2 persons is estimated at a low of $3,000. USD, up to$3,500. or so for top floor spa suite oceanfront ( 850 sq. ft.) - and dependingon where you're flying from, you may also be able to include business classflight seating for around $4,000. total all-in



    Sounds superb - we're looking forwardto it - can't wait !

    __________________

    #4 Adults Only All-Inclusive Resort -Cabo San Lucas


    Le Blanc Spa Resort:


    I always save the best for last !


    This is a large 375 room,newly-built, 5 star state of the art, opulent resort - a sister to it's 2 or 3year old resort in Cancun on the east coast.


    I'd never seen or heard of any A.I-A.O. as magnificent as this one, and my wife and I couldn't pass it up - we'vebooked it for a week for March next spring.


    Both this resort and it's sister havereceived unbelievable rave reviews from the outset - this one in Los Cabos


    -approx. 30 minutes from the airport, boasts 8 world class restaurants where itis said you'll have unique and sensational culinary experiences prepared by topmexican chefs.


    There are 6 bars and 4 poolswell-located on the lush grounds. 95% of reviews to date report that theaccommodations, food and service are absolutely second to none.


    Several reviewers have actually ratedthis 5 star resort as being 6 stars !


    Of course, this obviously superb,one-of-a-kind new resort comes at a price. A middle of the road Royal DeluxeOceanview room will price out this 7 nights for 2 all-inclusive with flights,likely into the $ 6,000. to $ 7,000. USD range.


    But I'll comment no more, and let the125 photos of this place say it all !

    To view these 125 pics of this magnificent resort, simply google the link called 'Le Blanc Spa Resort - LosCabos - Expedia'


    Google the name of any one of these resorts, and you can see many photos of these resorts, either via links to their respective websites, or through Expedia reviews links.
    Last edited by discuspaul; 09-30-2019 at 08:02 PM.

  2. #2
    Gold Member
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    James Walker

    Default Re: Thinking of sun, sand & sea for your next vacation - this winter to next spring ?

    I just got back from a stay at Hotel NYX in Cancun.

    Price for two was $143/night all inclusive. Definitely in a different price bracket from Paul's recommendations. Tripadvisor had reviews predominately in spanish (~2:1 spanish/english) so I got to practice my spanish with someone other than DuoLingo. In my limited experience all inclusives with a greater proportion of non-english reviews offer a better value for money, particularly when looking at 'budget' all-inclusives. You do have to navigate with some spanish but IMO if you go to a foreign country you should at least give the old college try on speaking the language. At the very least not get pissed off at wait-staff who aren't fluent in a 2nd language.

  3. #3
    Registered Member
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
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    Default Re: Thinking of sun, sand & sea for your next vacation - this winter to next spring ?

    Maui in Kihei. Small condo, 5 floors,9 rooms per floor and about 95% adults.
    Right on Sugar beach. Very peaceful and very fair pricing.
    Kihei has it's small shopping mall but where we are it's like old Hawaii.
    be there for a month in Feb.
    Jay

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