mexico, resort advice please

[backtowork2015]

I'm considering going to Mexico for a week in Nov Dec this year. I've only travelled far east before and I always go b&b then eat out locally, all inclusive has never really grabbed me.
Id normally be interested in snorkelling trips and seeing the sites but will be travelling with my mother this time so probably looking for relaxing on a nice beach, guided tour of somewhere local and great value local eateries that serve mexican food, we wouldn't like a loud, banging Brits abroad crowd with full English served in the morning type place.
Someone suggested looking at playa del Carmen, can anyone give me some recommendations or tell me if I'd be better looking at a different resort?

I'd suggest you look at Tulum, the resorts nearer the airport are very touristy with big AI hotels.
Tulum is smaller, still with a good tourist infrastructure but less full on. The beach & snorkelling are great and Grand Cenote is 10 mins away.

We stayed at the sensatori resort 7 years ago, which is classed as Cancun. Like a lot of those resorts you are rather a captive audience and can't really explore much without a taxi. We did visit playa del Carmen and really wished we had been in a hotel there. It was a busy town with lots of shops, bars and restaurants. Do check on location though because I expect some that say they are Playa del Carmen are remote all inclusive rather than being in the town.

We stayed here on our honeymoon, it was amazing. It's adults only, outside of Cancun so its there if you want it but not on the doorstep. Mainly American couples when we were there. Would go back in a heartbeat!

www.excellenceresorts.com/resorts/excellence-playa-mujeres/

Thanks for the advice, lots to look up!

I would get away from cancun. Tulum would be ideal for you has lots of boutique type hotels, great beaches, wildlife, ruins, restaurants and is away from the all inclusive scene.

agree with Tulum, we actually stayed in a resort on the road between Cancun and Tulum and I have always hated the idea of AI but with 3 generations between us it made the trip easier but we also got out every day to the various cenotes and ruins, if you do want AI then ours was great, mixture of food places, rooms were huge and really comfy, staff were lovely, pools were decent and it was well located for loads of stuff (took us 40mins to drive to Tulum for example)

we stayed at the Sandos Caracol Eco Resort