Because I am taking a hiatus from traveling, I’ve been reading my travel diary and perusing photos from the past few years. This prompted me to start a “best of” list as a fun way to reminisce about the many wonderful places I have visited with my husband at various all-inclusive Riviera Maya resorts. To be fair, this list is just our opinion based on the resorts we’ve visited, so I’m sure there may be other resorts that may rate better than the ones we’ve selected. I welcome your comments and look forward to learning about the places you have visited in Riviera Maya that are at the top of your list.
Best Beach – Barcelo Maya
Best Pool – Iberostar Delmar
Best Restaurant – Grand Bahia Sian Ka’an Maiko
Best Room – Now Jade (top floor with outdoor Mayan shower)
Best Theater Shows – Grand Palladium
Best Spa – Grand Palladium
Best Bar – Barcelo Caribe
Best Swim Up Bar – Iberostar Del Mar
Best Swing Bar – Blue Bay Esmerelda (just to clarify, the swing you sit on)
Best Adult Pool Party – Ocean Riviera Paradise, Foam Party
Best Sports Bar – Grand Bahia Akumal
Best Mexican Coffee – Grand Bahia
Best Beer – Puerto Aventuras
Best Tequila – Grand Bahia Sian Ka’an
Best Mudslide – Now Jade
Best Coffee Bar – Puerto Aventuras
Best Wings – Iberostar Star Cafe
Best Pizza – Ocean Riviera Paradise (pizza oven by beach)
Best Breakfast Buffet – Grand Bahia Sian Ka’an main buffet
Best Entertainment Team – Iberostar
Best Overall Staff – Iberostar
Best Shopping – Grand Bahia Hacienda
Best Adventure Excursion – Isla Mujeres (catamaran)
Best Ruins Excursion – Coba
Best Recent Excursion – Xenses
Best Jeep Tour – Cozumel
There you have it! Your list may look different than mine, so let’s compare them. If you have a “best of” that you’d like to share, please leave a comment below or on my Facebook or Instagram page. If you enjoyed this post, feel free to share.
Book Your Travel
When traveling to Riviera Maya, we always book with our travel agent Jim Lucente. Rest assured that you will know the latest Covid protocols and have the added layer of a professional to contact directly with any questions or concerns. I highly recommend that you contact Jim Lucente, owner of Lucente Travel, at 412-299-7699 or email him at jim@lucentetravel.com to book your all-inclusive vacation.
[…] If you need a shot of happiness, and who doesn’t these days, then I encourage you to start planning your next vacation. (You know you need one.) If you are looking for an all-inclusive resort in Riviera Maya, you will want to read my recent post about resorts and travel tips. Once you have chosen your resort, add an exciting excursion. For example, tour the Sian Ka’an biosphere or spend an amazing day at Xenses. Need some tips to save a few dinero for your trip? There’s a money-saving post for that too. Finally, if you are not sure where you want to stay and what you want to do in Riviera Maya, you won’t want to miss my Top 25 “Bests” in Riviera Maya. […]
[…] At the time we visited, the spa was open to everyone, but I’ve learned that it is now only included in the TRS section. Guests staying in the other sections must pay a fee to use the amenities. Even if it were not included, I would pay extra to use it. There is an infinity pool surrounded by loungers, a sauna, and a circuit of hot and cold water features for relaxation. Once you finish the circuit, you can jump into a lazy river that takes you out to the infinity pool. We spent two different days there to chill out and get away from the crowds. It was fantastic. When we returned a couple of years later, we used the amenities, and I purchased a couple of massages which were two of the best massages I’ve ever had. There was a meditation room full of loungers with different-sized paper-like globes suspended in the air above that were gently swaying with the air current. We voted the Spa at the Grand Palladium one of our 25 “bests of” in Riviera Maya. […]
[…] If you need a shot of happiness, and who doesn’t these days, then I encourage you to start planning your next vacation. (You know you need one.) If you are looking for an all-inclusive resort in Riviera Maya, you will want to read my recent post about resorts and travel tips. Once you have chosen your resort, add an exciting excursion. For example, tour the Sian Ka’an biosphere or spend an amazing day at Xenses. Need some tips to save a few dinero for your trip? There’s a money-saving post for that too. Finally, if you are not sure where you want to stay and what you want to do in Riviera Maya, you won’t want to miss my Top 25 “Bests” in Riviera Maya. […]
[…] Top 25 “Bests” in Riviera Maya Mexico […]
[…] At the time we visited, the spa was open to everyone, but I’ve learned that it is now only included in the TRS section. Guests staying in the other sections must pay a fee to use the amenities. Even if it were not included, I would pay extra to use it. There is an infinity pool surrounded by loungers, a sauna, and a circuit of hot and cold water features for relaxation. Once you finish the circuit, you can jump into a lazy river that takes you out to the infinity pool. We spent two different days there to chill out and get away from the crowds. It was fantastic. When we returned a couple of years later, we used the amenities, and I purchased a couple of massages which were two of the best massages I’ve ever had. There was a meditation room full of loungers with different-sized paper-like globes suspended in the air above that were gently swaying with the air current. We voted the Spa at the Grand Palladium one of our 25 “bests of” in Riviera Maya. […]
Your “Best Swing Bar” clarification made me laugh out loud 🙂
Looks like you’ve had lots of great trips!
LOL! About the swing bar, you never know…Yes, we’ve had so many enjoyable trips here, and there is still more to explore!