WARNING - GRAB A CUPPA, IT'S A LONG ONE.
I can't believe i haven't wrote about Mexico before now. I was planning on sharing my video but i decided i need practice on editing first before airing it so it didn't actually go live.
Me and my boyfriend's first holiday abroad together in all of our 5 years! We started looking at the likes of Greece but then thought if we are spending all of this money we might as well spend that little bit more and go somewhere out of this world. So we have always talked about going to Mexico and so that is where our search started.
We did our research first because it is a hella lot of money and if you didn't do your research then you're a bit silly. We had so many trips to the travel agents which was hard especially because i live in Newcastle and Adam lives in Manchester so we were both visiting separate agents. But anyway we decided we wanted a chilled and relaxed holiday with some stunning views and we seen that Cancun was a bit more hectic with hotels having 13 restaurants etc. The travel agents told us to look at Riviera Maya which is near Cancun but the more chilled out part of Mexico.
We knew we wanted all inclusive and we were looking at travelling in June. (Later we found out that storm season is April until Oct but i will cover that later)
We found quite a few hotels but Akumal Bay Beach & Wellness Resort stuck out to us because of its luxury hotel and the calmness of the resort. Before making our decision we watched loads of youtube videos which totally made up our minds because it looked even better in videos.
So we booked up for 11days, all inclusive in the penthouse junior suite costing around £3000 for the both of us.
June came and so here was our 9 hour flight which wasn't half as bad as you think. Watch a couple of films, have like 3 meals and you're there. 45mins transfer and you arrive at the hotel where you are greeted at the door by the bell boys in uniform (sweating from head to toe) and was given a margarita which was bloody lovely and was a lush start to the holiday. We were soo stunned by the views as i have never been anyway as nice so once we had picked our jaws up off the floor we headed to our room. We felt very posh heading to our penthouse suite! Our room (1317) was lovely which was a massive bed, a seating area, wardrobe, toilet and shower on one level and then you had your balcony. But then upstairs you had the biggest balcony you'll ever see with a Jacuzzi and an amazing view.
The only thing with our room was the view because there was a massive tree right in front of our room which meant no view. So me thinking, i've came all the way here for the best view of my life, i rang reception which they totally understood and said they could move us tomorrow when people checked out but for the night we had to stay in that room.
We moved into a new room (3320) the day after and it was perfect, much better view!
The hotel has 4 restaurants, a buffet restaurant which has different food each day. Al acarte restaurant which i suggest booking what nights you want to go as it's quite small and always packed so to avoid disappointment then i would book. There is a Mexican restaurant which doesn't do typical Mexican food and i would avoid. There is an oriental restaurant which was my favourite (as well as the al acarte) , a Brazilian grill restaurant and a sushi bar which is only open for lunch. There is also a 24 hour snack bar and room service which is 24 hour and this comes in handy for those late night snacks or for those days where you have over done it and cant be bothered to get all dolled up and just wanna snuggle up eating pizza and chips. ( we done this quite a lot)
Now, the best bit about this hotel. They have their own snorkeling hut where you can hire snorkeling gear for an hour each day for free or you can pay i think around 3dollars per item for 24 hours but an hour a day is enough.
You get to swim with TURTLES! We thought that you would have to go dead early in the morning and swim quite far out but we hired the kit around 2pm walked about 10 steps into the sea and there was only a bloody turtle. Not just one but loads and they were massive! You get told you can't touch them and there is people around to see if you are breaking the rules so don't try and break them. It is the most amazing thing i have ever seen just to be so close to them and you can get some amazing photos and videos if you have a go pro, if you don't have one there is a diving store along to the left of the beach which sell waterproof cases for your phone!
There is other creature that you come into contact with in the sea but don't worry, its safe and there is always loads of people around so it just shows they wouldn't be in if it wasn't. I got creeped out after seeing a 'shark' which it totally wasn't but my imagination was going wild and i was scared of sting rays because i just though of Steve Urwin who died but i wish that i wasn't because i was scaring myself and towards the end i was so wary i didn't enjoy it anymore.
The beach was the most beautiful bit about Mexico, the white sand and turquoise sea it what you go for. Yes it can get lots of seaweed on the beach but there isn't a time when there is someone cleaning it up.
That's another thing so amazing about the hotel is the staff, they cant do enough for you! I have never came across such kind people in my life. They come around asking if you want another cocktail, bringing you books, fresh fruit, asking if you want dancing lessons and when a storm hits they know exactly how to handle it and they aren't scared of a little bit of rain. When it rains, it pours it down and as soon as it starts they are out there taking all the curtains down and mattresses off the beds, sweeping the water off the walkways as if it wasn't bothering them.
So yes, weather. As i have mentioned before, we went in June which is classed as storm season and we did get a good 4 days of rain. I mean it wasn't raining all day everyday it would be sunny then pour it down for about 2 hours then the sun would come out again. It was so bizarre because you would be sunbathing in the gorgeous heat then be running from the rain. Then 10 mins later be back out sunbathing.
If i was to go to Mexico again i would defo go around April just for the weather. I mean it was good fun and an experience and didn't damped our holiday as we just played cards and had more cocktails.
The spa, the spa is bloody amazing and you need to try it. When you book for a treatment you get told to go in the sauna for 10 mins, then the steam room for ten mins, then have a cold shower and some water and then you enter the whirlpool which is situated outside in the middle of what looks like a forest. It is the most picturesque place.
There are 4 poster beds around the pool and at the front of the hotel but if you want one around the pool you do need to get up early to reserve one but there are sunbed on the beach too if you aren't fussed where you sunbathe. There are a number of pools along the front of the hotel so if you aren't bothered about being around the main pool then you can still cool off or you have the sea.
If you are thinking about Mexico i would highly recommend it and this hotel if you want a relaxing holiday with stunning views.
Check it out
Where are you thinking about going next year?
LLC x
We moved into a new room (3320) the day after and it was perfect, much better view!
The hotel has 4 restaurants, a buffet restaurant which has different food each day. Al acarte restaurant which i suggest booking what nights you want to go as it's quite small and always packed so to avoid disappointment then i would book. There is a Mexican restaurant which doesn't do typical Mexican food and i would avoid. There is an oriental restaurant which was my favourite (as well as the al acarte) , a Brazilian grill restaurant and a sushi bar which is only open for lunch. There is also a 24 hour snack bar and room service which is 24 hour and this comes in handy for those late night snacks or for those days where you have over done it and cant be bothered to get all dolled up and just wanna snuggle up eating pizza and chips. ( we done this quite a lot)
Now, the best bit about this hotel. They have their own snorkeling hut where you can hire snorkeling gear for an hour each day for free or you can pay i think around 3dollars per item for 24 hours but an hour a day is enough.
You get to swim with TURTLES! We thought that you would have to go dead early in the morning and swim quite far out but we hired the kit around 2pm walked about 10 steps into the sea and there was only a bloody turtle. Not just one but loads and they were massive! You get told you can't touch them and there is people around to see if you are breaking the rules so don't try and break them. It is the most amazing thing i have ever seen just to be so close to them and you can get some amazing photos and videos if you have a go pro, if you don't have one there is a diving store along to the left of the beach which sell waterproof cases for your phone!
There is other creature that you come into contact with in the sea but don't worry, its safe and there is always loads of people around so it just shows they wouldn't be in if it wasn't. I got creeped out after seeing a 'shark' which it totally wasn't but my imagination was going wild and i was scared of sting rays because i just though of Steve Urwin who died but i wish that i wasn't because i was scaring myself and towards the end i was so wary i didn't enjoy it anymore.
The beach was the most beautiful bit about Mexico, the white sand and turquoise sea it what you go for. Yes it can get lots of seaweed on the beach but there isn't a time when there is someone cleaning it up.
That's another thing so amazing about the hotel is the staff, they cant do enough for you! I have never came across such kind people in my life. They come around asking if you want another cocktail, bringing you books, fresh fruit, asking if you want dancing lessons and when a storm hits they know exactly how to handle it and they aren't scared of a little bit of rain. When it rains, it pours it down and as soon as it starts they are out there taking all the curtains down and mattresses off the beds, sweeping the water off the walkways as if it wasn't bothering them.
So yes, weather. As i have mentioned before, we went in June which is classed as storm season and we did get a good 4 days of rain. I mean it wasn't raining all day everyday it would be sunny then pour it down for about 2 hours then the sun would come out again. It was so bizarre because you would be sunbathing in the gorgeous heat then be running from the rain. Then 10 mins later be back out sunbathing.
If i was to go to Mexico again i would defo go around April just for the weather. I mean it was good fun and an experience and didn't damped our holiday as we just played cards and had more cocktails.
The spa, the spa is bloody amazing and you need to try it. When you book for a treatment you get told to go in the sauna for 10 mins, then the steam room for ten mins, then have a cold shower and some water and then you enter the whirlpool which is situated outside in the middle of what looks like a forest. It is the most picturesque place.
There are 4 poster beds around the pool and at the front of the hotel but if you want one around the pool you do need to get up early to reserve one but there are sunbed on the beach too if you aren't fussed where you sunbathe. There are a number of pools along the front of the hotel so if you aren't bothered about being around the main pool then you can still cool off or you have the sea.
If you are thinking about Mexico i would highly recommend it and this hotel if you want a relaxing holiday with stunning views.
Check it out
Where are you thinking about going next year?
LLC x
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