Mommikins and I recently took a much anticipated trip to Mexico and returned to a massive deep-freeze. Hell has truly frozen over... There will be a series of posts outlining what we did over the course of our week in Mexico, including pictures, but first I thought I'd share some general thoughts on our resort, the flights, the people, etc. Let's dive in!
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| This fellow is there to greet you at the entrance when you arrive. |
To be fair, I don't really have anything to complain about overall but I frankly didn't see why everyone seems to praise them when comparing to Air Canada. I will say, I felt a bit nickle and dimed during our trips there and and back (had to pay for food on the plane - 6 hour flight) and they charged me $60USD to check a second bag on the return trip home. Meh. They also don't have screens in the back of the seats anymore so I couldn't check on our flight progress (no, I didn't download the WestJet App in advance). Anyways, I wouldn't go out of my way to fly them again but if that's how to get my all-inclusive deal again, I'll do it.
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| Coati everywhere! Adorable raccoon-like animals roaming all over the resort. Just don't feed or try to cuddle. See the claws? |
Onto the resort, Sandos Caracol Eco Resort near Playa del Carmen. We weren't familiar with the area or whether it was better to stay in/near Cancun versus Playa but we lucked out. It was perfectly located for most of our excursions - half went north towards Cancun and half went south towards Tulum so travel time balanced out. After having driven through both towns/cities, I'm happy to stay outside both. The resort was very nice but seemed heavily oriented towards the family guests. They do have an "Adults Only" portion of the resort but from the volume of the music coming from that area, it wouldn't have been a good fit for us. The rooms were a good size (we each had our own) although both had a very strong mildew/mould smell to them. Don't get me wrong, they were both clean and well kept but let's face it - you're in a tropical location, right near the ocean; its extremely humid; they were located on the ground floor; and the air conditioner is going pretty much 24/7. The staff at the resort are extremely friendly and helpful. They put up with our very badly pronounced Spanish with plenty of smiles and despite the numbers of people coming and going every day, many of the staff recognized us immediately.
The resort has lots to offer if you don't want to venture off site, however as I mentioned much of it seems family-oriented including a petting zoo with rescue animals including this sassy sow who kept trying to show the donkeys who the boss was (hint: it was her).
Despite getting the goods from family and friends not to miss the Saturday Fire Show, we ended up not making it to ANY of the shows Sandos had to offer. To be fair, they don't start until 8 or 8:30 and after a long day in the sun, swimming in the ocean or driving dune buggies through the jungle, we were exhausted and in bed, usually asleep by this time (sorry Sian!). The only late night either of us had was on Superbowl Sunday where Mommikins stopped by the theatre for a drink and to catch a bit of the game on the big screen.
In addition to the petting zoo, the resort has peacocks roaming the grounds. Gorgeous. Also, ducks, raccoons and a plethora of gorgeous kitties. They wander around and really REALLY don't enjoy it when you try to pet them. However, if you happen to eat at the Brazilian restaurant (Fogo de Brazil) one night, chances are one or six of them will join you, hoping to catch a bite. The resort does feed them but let's face it. If you had a choice between kitty kibble and Brazilian BBQ on a Stick, which would you choose?
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| She NAILED it - Classic over the shoulder red carpet pose. |
I'm the last person anyone should ask "How was the food?" when I get back from vacation. I'm a notoriously finicky eater, especially when it comes to meat so chances are my response will be something like "It was alright but nothing to write home about" and that's a positive review. I had a few good meals while we were in Mexico but nothing spectacular. Mommikins had some great seafood at Sandos' La Riviera restaurant (Mediterranean cuisine, right on the beach) and we both had the most tender steak imaginable at Los Lireos, the Steak and Fish Club which is part of the Elite section of the resort. You could literally cut it with a butter knife, including mine which was well done. My only negative - it was quite fatty compared to what we are used to getting here. Other than that, it was quite enjoyable (WAY better than that horrible steak we had in Hawaii a few years ago).
The absolute best thing I ate at the resort (I'll talk about another DELICIOUS lunch in one of the excursion posts) was a banana crepe dessert at Fogo de Brazil on our last night in Mexico. Sauteed in rum or some other alcohol, it was so amazing I'm surprised I got a picture of it before I devoured it. The only part I didn't eat was the blackberry (not a huge fan) but it didn't go to waste - Mommikins ate it.
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| Its difficult but try to not lick the screen... |
Unlike pictures of some of the resorts we looked at, Sandos had trees everywhere. Going down some of the side paths, you may wonder if you've wandered off of the resort. One of the most beautiful spots, other than the beach (sigh....I miss the water) was the Cristalino cenote located directly behind the main lobby. I'll let the picture speak for itself.
So... if you were to ask me when we first got back if I would stay at Sandos again, I likely would have said no, I want to try somewhere else. Having had a few days to reflect back on it though, I would say yes. Although I don't think I'd go for the standard room again (we were almost at the farthest edge of the resort from the beach which still isn't that far but you know...). Knowing now what to expect, its a very nice resort that doesn't necessarily feel like what you might think an all-inclusive might be. I always have images of 20-somethings drinking and partying their faces off... Its a short ride into Playa del Carmen and about 45 min to an hour from Cancun depending on how fast you drive (note speed limits and stop signs appear to be merely suggestions) so if you're planning on going off property, its a perfect location to reach just about anywhere.
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