Several Mexican resorts are offering a “flu-free guarantee” in hopes of stemming national tourism losses that could total 4 billion in 2009. Travel to more than twenty resorts booked by June 30 for this calendar year is eligible for the offer of three free vacations should a traveler become ill with a verified case of swine flu.
The Royal Playa Del Carmen is among the properties offering this incentive to hesitant vacationers with additional deep discounts and promotions listed on the resort website. Having recently enjoyed the endless amenities of this luxury resort last December, I can attest to the excellent values of the current vacation offers -regardless of the money back (in the form of future travel) guarantee.
The Royal’s palatial suites, most of which are ocean-view or oceanfront, include enormous in-room jacuzzis and terraces overlooking the Caribbean Sea. Rose petals, artistic towel “swans” and daily aroma therapy embellished our already delightful room, but the prize was most definitely the view of ever-blue water framed by rippling sheers.
All-inclusive resorts are the norm in Mexico’s resort areas; the quality of included fare can range from mediocre on up to exceptional. We found the extensive beverage and restaurant service at the Royal Playa Del Carmen to be consistently very good to excellent. We especially enjoyed our breezy lunches at Pelicanos on the beach and the fusian fare at Asianos. The fresh fruit, Mexican cuisine and outstanding made-to-order omelets at Spice gave it our top vote for breakfast. A well-equipped spa/fitness facility, watersports and a long beach -perfect for running and walking- made keeping up our exercise routines easy, and Playa Del Carmen was but a wander away -roughly a one block walk from the resort property.
A billowing breeze, crescent of shoreline and clear blue sea are the only true essentials for a perfect beach day. Add in a few unexpected delights such as frozen sugared grapes proffered on a passing tray and canopied beach beds -and one begins to understand the quiet joys of an adults-only resort.
Note the inviting plank swings dangling in front of a beach side bar and know that the child lives on in many of these adults…
Much of last year’s Mother’s Day was spent in the relative safety of our basement as a nasty tornado-spawning weather system hovered overhead. Massive clouds sped by, seemingly within reach of a tall man on a decent extension ladder, at threatening speeds that belied their size and oozed negative intentions. So much for the bike ride/picnic we had planned. We made a halfhearted attempt at cleaning the basement, but according to my kids, it just didn’t generate the same sense of fun. We planned to make the ride on another weekend, but soccer and track got in the way. For weeks.
