Cancun (Puerto Adventuras), Mexico

Just relaxing at the resort was one of our favorite things to do. We'd move from the lagoon to the pools and just enjoy the environment.

Swimming with the dolphins in Puerto Adventuras was also very fun. Even if you don't swim with the dolphins, it's a fun place to visit. They have different types of marine animals, and you can watch others swimming with the dolphins.

Visiting Xpu-Ha Palace was very fun and interesting. The resort is an eco-park, and you can visit animals (birds, monkeys, flamingos, alligators, etc.), go to the beach, snorkel in the lagoon, or kayak in a different lagoon. There is lots to do and see. You can just pick up a bike near the entrance and ride it all over the resort.

Playa del Carmen was fun, too. We did some shopping and then went swimming at the beach.

Quick Tips:

Best Way To Get Around:

Take a taxi or rent a car for a day or two.

Best Things Nearby:
Xpu-Ha Palace (sister resort), Playa del Carmen (shopping and beach), and Puerto Adventuras (dolphins and other animals).

Best Things About the Resort:
We liked the pampering and attention to detail. There were also the pools, swim-up bars, a lagoon, restaurants overlooking the ocean, a friendly staff, and so much more!

Resort Experience:
We stayed 1 week at the Aventura Spa Palace and felt totally spoiled and pampered by the time we left. We love to travel, but this was our first time at an all-inclusive resort, and we are definitely hooked! This resort is huge and extremely well maintained.

The rooms are about the size of a standard hotel room (not very large), but big enough to be comfortable. They all have a two-person Jacuzzi tub overlooking the balcony and a pretty large walk-in shower in the bathroom. They are very clean and well decorated. The balconies are small, but each one has a hammock. The only downfall was that even though they say all rooms have an ocean view, ours did not because the trees and foliage obstructed the view.

The staff was wonderful. Everyone was extremely friendly, and we were very impressed by the quality of service.

The food was great! It's not the highest level of gourmet food, but it was still extremely good. There are so many restaurants to choose from, and you do not have to make reservations to get into any of them. You might have to wait a half-hour or so if you have dinner during prime time (7 to 9pm), but it's still better than having to make reservations.

The grounds of the resort are so beautiful. So much attention is paid to little details, and everything is so beautiful and well kept. The pool on one side of the resort has all sorts of activities, music playing, and a loud and fun environment. The pool on the other side of the resort was more quiet and relaxing. We'd spend time at each of them. The lagoons are great also and very large. This resort technically doesn't have a "beach," but the lagoons are so large that it feels like it does. You can snorkel and kayak in both lagoons. The only problem about the pool areas is that the nice areas fill up fast. You need to get up early and put your towel in the area you want to be. Sometimes we had trouble finding open places to lie out.

We didn't take the time or expense of using the spa facilities, but they looked very nice. We decided that we had to come back and make this a priority next time. Also, we went to the dance club one evening and had a great time. They play a wide variety of music, and there was a huge variety of people of all ages, all having a wonderful time.

• Unit Type: Studio
• Activities: Excellent
• Amenities: Excellent
• Unit Satisfaction: Excellent
• Family Friendliness: Poor
• Service: Excellent

Best Things Nearby:
Adventura Spa Palace, Puerto Adventuras (dolphins and other marine animals), and Playa del Carmen (shopping and the beach)

Best Things About the Resort:
The unique environment, the nice beach, and snorkeling in the lagoon and seeing the different animals.

Resort Experience:
This resort has an extremely unique environment that I really enjoyed, but I can see that it wouldn't appeal to everyone. We actually stayed at the Aventura Spa Palace and spent 1 day at the Xpa-Ha Palace. We went snorkeling in the lagoon and saw lots of fish and a stingray. We would like to have gone snorkeling and kayaking in the other lagoon but didn't have time. We rode bikes around the resort and visited the animals, the pools, and the beach. We spent some time lying out at the beach, checked out a mat that you could use to bob and float in the water (very nice), and took a walk down the beach to see some of the other resorts. We also had lunch here, which was very similar to the lunch buffet at our resort.

We peaked in a room, and it also looked similar to our room at the Aventura Spa Palace. There was a king-size bed and a double Jacuzzi tub elevated so that you could see out the window while soaking. They have very nice-sized balconies with a hammock and lounge chairs (much bigger balcony that ours at Aventura).

The resort is a bunch of "huts" that have been placed within the jungle environment. It is not at all manicured, but tucked in amongst the thick foliage and trees. It feels kind of like you're in the middle of the jungle and all the buildings are made to look like huts. It's also considered an eco-park, so you can visit monkeys, wild cats, alligators, flamingos, and birds (giant aviary).

• Unit Type: Studio
• Activities: Very Good
• Amenities: Very Good
• Unit Satisfaction: Good
• Family Friendliness: Excellent
• Service: Very Good

This is pretty expensive ($75 to $125 per person), but something I've always wanted to do, so we went ahead and went for it. Even if you don't pay to swim with the dolphins, it's still fun to visit Puerto Adventuras, as there are shops and restaurants all around the lagoon where they keep the dolphins. There are also lots of other animals to see (sea lions, manatees, birds, monkeys, etc.).

It’s a wonderful Mexican town with lots of shops and a beautiful beach. There are lots of shops along the street where you can barter and find fun things, but there are also some nice shopping centers and malls. While walking around, you get a nice view of the aqua ocean between the buildings.

We spent some time lying on the beach. As you walk along, people try to "sell" you a spot under an umbrella or at a lounge chair. We swam in the ocean and walked along the beach, taking in all the sights.