Cancun, Mexico
One of the challenges we've faced after being married for so many years, is gift giving. Everything we need, we have and anything we still want is too expensive. (Where is that Aston Martin that I've been dreaming of!?!) A few years ago, we decided to give "adventures" to each other in lieu of Christmas gifts. What started out as an overnight getaway, soon became a long weekend, which then evolved into a few days by way of airplane. This year, Gar's ski trip to Aspen was matched with a beach trip to Cancun. This was our third year in a row, staying at a different adults only, all-inclusive resort. Cancun was the best choice for consistently great weather in the winter months of January and February. It also has the largest selection of adult-only, all-inclusive resorts.
Part of the joys of being empty nesters is the freedom from the responsibility that comes with children. We LOVED traveling the world with Ryan and Jenelle as they grew up. There is nothing quite like seeing new things through the eyes of your kids. Once they moved out and started their own lives, we realized there was now an option to be around ONLY adults! Granted, some of these adults still act like children but we found a way to work around this issue!
This information is about our most recent stay with comparisons of the other two at the end.
Le Blanc Spa Resort 2015
We traveled to this destination in February of 2015. This resort is rated number one on TripAdvisor and it is obvious they work very hard to keep this ranking. A survey encouraging us to "rate our stay" was delivered to our email within a few days of our return. Upon completion, we were encouraged to add our comments to TripAdvisor.com. Service is really the key here. Every employee we passed offered a big smile and a warm "Hola!"!
Most US cities now offer direct flights to Cancun. The airport has a sort of carnival feel to it. Bags come off the plane quickly onto the snake-like carousel but it is when going through customs, that the games begin. Each traveler must play the "Traffic Light Game," where a member from each family is required to press a button. If you receive a green light, you continue out through the airport. If you are unfortunate enough to receive a red light, (as we have on previous trips) you are required to get out of line so that some airport employee can paw through every part of your suitcase, looking for who knows what! On this trip, we got the green light and were able to continue out to the shuttle area. Be warned . . . the portion of the airport just prior to going outdoors is lined with booths. The people in these booths will holler at you, asking you who your transportation company is, or do you need a taxi? Simply look straight ahead and keep walking. These companies are there to get you to look at the many time shares available for sale. It is a hard sales pitch and unless you are interested, look straight ahead and keep walking!! They can't direct you anywhere except to their sales presentation.
Once outside, there are taxis, shuttles and buses available to take you to your hotel. We usually arrange a private shuttle through Pleasant Holidays but have found that we end up waiting a long time for them to pick us up. I would recommend a taxi as a much faster, cheaper alternative.
Most of the best hotels in Cancun are on the ocean side of the peninsula. There are some on the lagoon side, but the beaches are prettier on the ocean side. La Blanc is near the northern end of Cancun and in a great location if you are interested in wandering off the property. Having done this with the kids when they were younger, we were looking for somewhere to stay put.
Le Blanc greets your arrival with a moist, warm washcloth and a cool glass of coconut milk. Very refreshing after a day on the plane. The bell captain handled our bags and we were taken to an agent and introduced. This first desk is where they give you your room details and tell you about a $1500 resort credit. There are limits on the resort credit and the amount is based on your length of stay. It can be used to upgrade wines (definitely necessary as the house wine is not so good), or to visit the spa or gift shop (with limits for each). The Free Resort Credit isn't so free. Visitors must pay a 16% tax on the portion of the credit that is used. The balance is given to you on a transferable card available for use within 12 months. We only used the credit to upgrade bottles of wine and to enjoy a dinner on the beach. The tax when we left was approximately $150.00.
After you are given the details of your room, you are escorted to a second row of desks where you are encouraged (strongly) to visit their "new property." On this visit, it was a new Palace Hotel on the Mayan Riviera. We insisted we were not interested and I think when they heard we had been to Cancun the previous three years, did not pressure us too hard. Many people riding in the elevators with us complained about this sales pitch, made right after arrival. The only thing on most of their minds was getting to their room and settling in.
The Le Blanc has the unique feature of a personal butler. Actually, it is a butler for the entire floor. The butler will offer to unpack, run a bath, confirm transportation, pack or just about anything you request. Although this all-inclusive claims to include gratuities, we saw several people on the beach tipping the servers and it was acknowledged with great appreciation. So, too, were the butlers. Ours made a special effort to find out when we were leaving to come and bid us a safe trip home. A perfect opportunity to tip for good service.
The Rooms
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| First room, partial ocean view. |
We had two different rooms at the Le Blanc. We had reserved a partial ocean view but at check in, we asked if an ocean view room was available. It was but only after the first three nights. It is much cheaper to upgrade when you are at the hotel than through the travel companies when booking. For only $15 per night, we had a full ocean view when the room was available. Of course, this required repacking but the luggage was moved for us while we were at the beach. The ocean view overlooked the pool and most of the beach. It wasn't that much better than the room we originally had that overlooked a lawn filled with iguanas and the ocean to the side. Neither room at this hotel had a balcony that you could walk or sit on but the doors opened to let the ocean breeze fill the room. The very top floor had balconies with chairs but they were all booked.
Upon arrival, we found a handwritten welcome note along with a bowl of fruit and champagne on ice. Unfortunately, most of the fruit was moldy and the ice in in the champagne container had melted! Oh well, it was the thought that counts. This was the start of a phrase we ended up repeating many times over, "It's five-star indeed . . . for Mexico!"
The bed was comfortable and large. They even offer a pillow menu. I chose a lavender scented pillow and Gar chose a firmer pillow. Neither were used.
The lavender pillow was a husk pillow and the firm pillow was solid foam. There is the option of aromatherapy for the room but the scent was so strong we never used it after the first night. The mini bar is stocked with beer and soda as well as candy and snacks. With an all-inclusive, room service with a better selection is just a phone call away.
The toiletries in our room were all Bvlgari and the bathroom featured an in mirror television. We aren't big TV watchers, so we probably didn't appreciate this feature as much as some. The two sinks were outside the toilet and shower area and the shower featured two heads. There were two closets in our first room, with plenty of shelves, a safe and two soft robes. A complimentary Le Blanc beach bag was on the bed and made a great souvenir!
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| The second room, ocean view. |
The Beach
The beach at Le Blanc is beautiful. The really white sand contrasting against the five shades of turquoise water is as beautiful as most Caribbean islands. As I said, this is an adult-only hotel so the ability to lie on the beach chairs and actually listen to the ocean waves is so relaxing. It was also nice not having to get up at the crack of dawn to throw towels, sunscreen and books on our chairs to secure them for a more reasonable time in the morning. Chairs are available pretty much all the time in the winter months. When you enter the beach, there is usually a staff person offering to put out your chairs and towels and to dig a hole for an umbrella. Again, gratuities are included but everyone we observed was tipping them a few dollars. We did not bring many ones with us but found that the bar was able to convert our 20's into 5's and 1's on many occasions! I would recommend having the hotel staff pull your chairs and small table as close to the water as possible. If you don't, others will pull theirs right in front of you. The only downside to the beach was the few occasions when people chose to smoke the cigars sold on the beach! Do they not know that not everyone appreciates the smell of a Cuban cigar!!
The Pool
The main pool is a very large, infinity pool with a swim up bar. This is the type of pool where it looks like the edge falls into the ocean. We actually spent very little time at any of the three pools except to rinse off and have one more Mango Tango before heading back to our room. In the late afternoon, there was usually a rowdier crowd, especially in the Jacuzzi. Apparently a lot of companies have their annual sales conferences at this resort so there are quite a few sales people ready to party. Add the all-inclusive drinks element to the mix and expect some noise in the later afternoon.
They are a lot of chairs around the pool, with some even in the shallow edges of the pool. They are rather close together and make for easy conversation with your neighbors. With a pool at home, we tended to enjoy the quiet time on the beach instead.
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| Poolside Mango Tango's for two! |
The Restaurants
BlancInternational
We chose to eat here the first night as it did not require reservations and served Mexican food. With big glass windows overlooking the pool, the ambiance is very relaxing. This is also the restaurant where the breakfast and lunch buffets are served and is a bit less formal than the other three restaurants. The selection is varied, as suggested by the name, and we were able to start our vacation with some delicious a la carte Mexican food and steaks! Men are requested to wear pants in most of the restaurants at this resort but we did see some shorts and t shirts here.
BlancItalia
This is the Italian restaurant at the resort. We went down to dinner at 7:45 p.m. and were told there would be a 15 minute wait. We opted to wait on the chairs by the desk and were seated within 5 minutes? Again, it is requested that men wear long pants and most women were wearing sun dresses. The tables are set with white linens and glass stemware. The menu is varied with many Italian pastas and meats to choose from. I had the most amazing zucchini and avocado slices with lime vinaigrette salad dressing! The service here was a bit slower than the International restaurant but that lent itself to the feel of authentic Italian dining! That didn't bother us as all! What did bother us was when Gar poured the balsamic vinegar and the lid came off, spilling all over the tablecloth and floor, no one came to clean up! In fact, when the waiter saw it, he commented that the "lid came off again?" A bit embarrassing but it didn't ruin an otherwise tasty dinner!
BlancOriental
This was probably our least favorite of the four. The menu is again a la carte and made up of Thai, Japanese and Chinese selections. There is sushi as well as entrees with an Asian flair. The food was okay but the service was really below par. We ordered a bottle of wine that took 30 minutes to deliver. When the server opened it, he broke the cork into the bottle and the manager told him to get another, which took an additional 15 minutes. Meanwhile, the food was being delivered and we had nothing to drink with it! I would've probably skipped this restaurant and gone to one of the others twice!
Lumiere
This was our favorite restaurant! Not only was the service so professional, friendly and attentive, but fun, too! When Gar ordered one of the menu items using his very limited French, our server began a conversation in French! He recommended different favorites of his such as the foie gras and the snails. (We declined the snails!) and encouraged us to order two entrees as "they are quite small!" The feel was authentically French and the number of tables were small. We noticed only two tables in the whole restaurant that seated four, the rest were for parties of two. The recommended souffle for dessert, served with Italian gelato on the side, was incredible! Again, we were encouraged to each order our own as they were on the smaller side!
Seaside Dinner on the Beach
If Lumiere was our favorite restaurant, this was definitely our favorite meal! We were able to use our resort credit to have Dinner on the Beach and it was such a perfect way to spend our final night in Cancun. Only the 9:30 seating was available when we reserved it 4 days earlier so plan accordingly. We arrived promptly at 9:30 p.m. and were met with a candlelit walkway and a chilled pink beverage! The server led us to one of the cabanas that was set with beautiful linens and tiny candles! Facing the ocean and hearing the waves with soft music playing in the background, it was truly a romantic evening. The menu was Surf and Turf -- lobster and steak -- and was delicious. We enjoyed salads before the main course and desserts afterwards. We were never rushed and never heard the other couples that were a few cabanas apart. Definitely recommend this type of dining!
Lunch on the beach
The beach was so inviting, we found it impossible to tear ourselves away to go inside to the lunch buffet. Instead, the servers on the beach will bring a menu of items available to eat on the beach. We LOVED the shrimp tacos and the cheeseburgers on the beach have never tasted so good. The only problem was our drinks were finished before the food arrived. We simply went back to the beach bar and got our own drinks, discovering in the process that the drinks made at the bar in front of the guests are actually stronger than the ones the servers bring to you. Again, gratuities are greatly appreciated and if done early in the day and frequently, seem to make a big difference in the service you receive! Our server, Chris, took very good care of us, making sure we had water, food, drinks, etc. When we shared with her that we would be flying home later that day, she brought two shots of tequila along with our regular drink order to celebrate! Only in Mexico and only at an adult-only, all-inclusive.
Activities
As I mentioned before, we had been to Cancun on two other occasions with our kids. It was on these trips that we made the trek to Chichen Itza, saw the iguanas at Tulum, snorkeled the underground caves of Xcaret, drove around Cozumel, boated out to Isla Mujeres (where we swam with the dolphins) and walked around downtown Cancun. We parasailed, road wave runners and snorkeled. We experienced the variety of dining in town, as well as the disaster of bad Spring Break timing! Now that we are empty nesters, our activities were geared more to relaxing and maybe walking off a few of the umbrella drinks we were enjoying. The Le Blanc is located on a great strip of beach, perfect for walking in either direction. If you walk south, you can visit the Beach Palace Resort, a sister property, and refill your drink for the walk back and if you walk north, you can go to the tip of Cancun and see the jetty. Oh, and there is also golf nearby and many tours on which to spend your money!
Comparison All-Inclusive, Adult Only Resorts
Sun Palace 2014
This hotel check-in is very similar to the check-in at Live Aqua and Le Blanc. Hearing a sales pitch after a long plane ride is the LAST thing anyone wants to do but they are insistent on doing so. This hotel was very similar to the Live Aqua but less expensive than it's sister hotel, Le Blanc.
Upon arrival, we were given the option of upgrading to a suite, which we did. Although the ocean view was not as nice as the Live Aqua, (you had to go to the end of the patio and look around the corner to see the ocean) it was great to have a full dining room, living room, bedroom and bathroom. The food was excellent, and because it shares the same owner as Le Blanc, was similar in many ways. We also enjoyed dinner on the beach, on two separate nights. Long pants for men were required at most of the restaurants. We loved having our own private concierge a bit more than the butler. She was helpful in arranging for the dinners on the beach. This hotel is located at the start of the hotel strip of Cancun and is not as close to the down town area but a shorter drive from the airport.
Live Aqua Cancun All-Inclusive 2013
We stayed at this beautiful resort in January 2013. Having had many experiences with all-inclusive, we did not expect the quality to be so exceptional. The hotel is located near the top end of Cancun, across the street from a large shopping center. We found everything we needed for our 5 days so we didn't venture off the property.
Our arrival was in the late afternoon and we were anxious to get to our room and unpack and unwind. The check-in process was excruciatingly slow. Information about the restaurants, rooms, activities, etc were shared with us by the front desk receptionist. Unfortunately we were told there were no king rooms available until the next day and that we would have to stay in a queen room and move our stuff the next day. We said we would look at the room before deciding whether to move or not.
After receiving our room keys, we were directed to a concierge who sat us down on the couch and explained everything exactly again. The exception was an offer to attend a “breakfast” where by attending we would receive monetary compensation that could be used for restaurant upgrades. We soon realized that it was a time-share push. It was not a strong pressure presentation but we were really tired and ready to relax after a full day of travel.
The room was quite large with a full ocean front view. The closet was quite large and the bathroom had plenty of room to move about in. Each room has an electric aromatherapy pot along with a menu that allows you to choose the type of aroma we would prefer (tranquil, relaxing, sensual, etc) and a coffee maker, as well as a safe. There is also a slightly stocked bar-type fridge with chips, sodas and beer. Other than the two beds, we were happy with the room. Another great aspect was the free in-room dining. We loved having the doors wide open to listen to the surf while we enjoyed our eggs and pancakes. We tried the buffet the first morning but liked the in-room dining better!
The next day we moved to the king room, which was actually much nicer. There was a window out of the bathroom into the room that allowed for a view of the ocean from the shower. This window had wooden blinds that could be closed for privacy. The toiletries were nice smelling, similar to a spa and plentiful.
There are 5 dine in restaurants and two require advance reservation. Of these two, one offers steak and lobster and there is an additional fee to dine there. We enjoyed the ones that came with the resort cost so we did not try the steak and lobster restaurant. Our favorites were mb and the Hidden Garden (which required reservations). The house wine served was Chilean but they offer additional other bottles for an additional cost. We did notice that the mixed drinks served by the pool and beach seemed a bit watered down and on the small size. This wasn’t a problem as the service was quite attentive and came around often.
The beach was beautiful and the beach loungers were very clean. People go out and “stake their claim” for pool side and beach lounge chairs very early so I would recommend bringing a couple magazines down before breakfast. They give you towel cards to use for checking out towels but collection and return of these cards is inconsistent. We experienced no problems with the towels except you could only have one large one, each.
Being empty nesters we really enjoyed appreciated the adult-only aspect of this property. Will definitely return for our next visit to Cancun.
Room Tip: Since all rooms have a balcony, we really enjoyed the full ocean front room. Request a room away from the elevators.
The bathroom had two sinks, a large window shelf to store all of our toiletries and a bidet! The window in the bathroom opened into a private courtyard and the sound of the starlings in the morning added a welcome ambiance to the room!
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