Mexico holiday searching help please!

[sunseeker19]

We're wondering whether to do our first further afield holiday in 2023 (so excited!) for us two adults and two DC age 11 and 8. We're especially looking at Mexico Riviera Maya area for the school Easter holidays, probably leaving as early as possible in the holidays so around 1st April for 9 nights. I can't see anything that isn't around £10k though - is that just what it realistically costs or am I looking in the wrong places? Any help massively appreciated as I'm completely new to further-afield family holidays!

Depends what you want from a holiday. What are you & the family interested in?
If it's just a beach & AI resort like RM you can get that in Europe for a lot less money.

Mexico has a lot to offer re archaeology, history, etc ; but the AI resorts are not the best way to see the country

£10k is about right assuming that’s direct flights and staying for 14 nights all inclusive. The flights alone would be around £800-£900 each, then £120 a day each for all your food and drink.

If you don't mind a package, pop into TUI. We have been through them a couple of times in August for about £7/8k 2 adults 2 teens.

I'll come back to this thread later, I love talking about holidays.

There can be a lot of seaweed in Summer. Went this summer and couldn’t swim in the sea because of it. There was 10 foot of seaweed and not all resorts clear it
so check that out

I went via Tui to Xcaret Occidental. Amazing hotel/resort. Think it was about 3k for two of us but that was 2019 I guess prices have increased. We hired a car and drove round to places like Tulum and Coba and to lots of cenotes. Great holiday.

We went to the Riu Yucatan and Riu Palace Mexico this summer. Both were great, but you would need a family room or 2 rooms with 2 children which bumps the price up (you couldn’t get 4 in a standard room).

The Playacar resort is great, really safe and it’s a lovely walk to 5th Avenue for shopping/meals/bars etc.

The Riu Tequila and Riu Playacar are in the same area as well. You can use any one of them if you are in the Palace, or three without the Palace if you are in one of the others.

Yes the seaweed is an issue, but most of the Playacar hotels clear it every morning.

we did a number of trips and the X parks. Pricey but made the holiday, I’d go back in a shot but it’s looking like £7k at least for 3 of us next year, so unlikely.

Went to Catalonia Riviera Maya in July this year. 2 adults, 14 year old and 16 year old, and I think we paid about £7.5k for 2 weeks all-inclusive.

Hotel was in a marina area, so you could go out and explore, although within that gated area it was very much not 'Mexico'.

It was a fabulous holiday and I'd thoroughly recommend.

There was a bit of seaweed, but didn't affect our holiday.

Trips are very expensive though. We found this in Jamaica also. About $500 for the family for a day trip.

Xcaret hotel - no question! Includes coaches and entry to all the Xcaret parks which are amazing. Hotel itself is fantastic. Our young teens loved it.

This is all great thanks so much! So based on all your help I'm thinking we stay somewhere in Riviera Maya and do these trips: a historical mayan site, a cenote and Xcaret park - does that sound good, are there any other must-do's? Do we need any vaccinations from the UK? Any hotel recommendations gratefully received too!

We just went in the summer. Flew to USA thrn mexico as much cheaper then. Booked lovely Airbnbs. Went all around mexico (night bus and internal flights). Had a stay in tulum and visited cenotes, ruins etc. Hired a car. Much cheaper and imo much nicer than the all inclusives

We stayed at Akumal Bay hotel. Was amazing and saw turtles lay eggs and a hatching too. They cleared the beach every day of seaweed. We paid £5k AI for 2 weeks in Aug 2017 in a beach front family room.

Went to xcaret and 2 Mayan sites.

Fab holiday!

@sunseeker19 We did get vax though can’t remember which! Here’s what I would recommend if staying at Xcaret hotel…(not the Xcaret occidental, but this one…www.hotelxcaret.com/en/all-fun-inclusive/ )

our stay included travel and unlimited entry to the parks in the Xcaret group. Xcaret (we did twice, once at night when it’s all torchlit- great fun!) xenses, xel-ha and a few more since we’ve been.

Absolutely book the cenotes trip, we did with hotel which had exclusive use of some so uncrowded, small mini bus, great guide. Not to be missed, best day of the holiday.

the all inclusive pass thing saved us a fortune so worth checking!

there is a wristband photo pass, very useful as you will be in and out the water loads and this is great for capturing pics from the best spots, you won’t be able to take mobile pics on zip wires, rapids etc

outside of resort we did see Chitchen Itza which was impressive (no shade and super hot) but you will get much closer and be able to climb the step pyramid at Coba which I would also recommend. Coach takes you to the edge of site and you help yourself to a bike, cycle into the area and head on up!

its a fantastic destination. People, food, nature, history - got it all, enjoy!

There’s more than one Xcaret park, which you’d prefer might depend on the kids ages and how adventurous they are. Coba was an amazing trip, we preferred it to Tulum.

mexico was so expensive, excursions cost a fortune which is the main reason I hired a car and drove everywhere. Driving was a bit scary on the motorway but otherwise ok. We got a bit ripped off in Tulum at the parking situation we were waved into a private car park which cost a fortune and there’s much cheaper parking about. Food was expensive when eating out but I guess again we were paying tourist prices and possibly getting slightly ripped off. But I’d say that you’ll probably need more spending money than you think and the exchange rate won’t help with that currently.

Again, really helpful, thank you! So finally, any must-do trips that haven't been mentioned? And I'm still really confused about whether vaccinations are necessary...?!

I didn't think it was particularly clear on whether we would need vaccinations either (were from the UK). We didn't have any, but made sure the kids were up to date with tetanus.

And for trips, I would definitely do a cenote of some sort.

Tui planet Hollywood looks great.

I've been playing with dates, and school summer holidays seems to be around £2k cheaper than school Easter holidays. Is this because there is more rain in summer? Have you been in summer and if so what was the weather like? The thought of a £2k less price tag is appealing...!

We stayed at the Iberostar Paraiso Maya in August a few years ago. The hotel was gorgeous and I would absolutely recommend it.

August is hurricane season and we actually landed in the middle of one, which was scary! The first night was stormy to say the least. But we woke up in the morning to glorious weather which stayed for our two weeks. Other guests told us that their week before us arriving had been terrible with the hurricane though. So it is a risk.

Chichen Itza was amazing. As is Tulum. Xcaret eco park was fab. Avoid cancun! Bloody awful. Like an American Blackpool on acid.

We went in August this year ( we had to travel then)
It is very hot and humid at that time of year and wouldn't be my first choice.
That said we had a lovely break.
We hired a car and drove ourselves around but there are lots of tours you can use.

I believe summer is hurricane season. We went in mid July and it was baking hot, no rain, sunshine every day and no hurricanes.

Also does Easter coincide with American spring break? If so that might push the prices up as it’s a popular spring break destination for American college students.

We stayed at the sensatori in the Riviera Maya in September 2016 for our honeymoon. Absolutely loved it. Weather was lovely too. There were so many great activities nearby too (we did Tulum, Coba, chichen itza, xplor and Isla mujeres). I'd recommend!

Avoid the Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya.
We went in September and got rain and storms.
Chechen Itza is impressive.

Summer holidays are hurricane season. Sea can be a bit rough if there is one around even if it doesn't hit your hotel. Tui have Bahia Principe Grand Coba £6163 for 9 nights from4 April from Heathrow. Superior Junior Suite with Balcony or Terrace
Sleeps:1-4 people
Beds:King-size or 2 Double Beds, 1 Sofa-bed In BedroomI would avoid the Riu hotels.

Cancun Bay Resort £6285
Double Room with Balcony or Terrace
Sleeps:1-4 people
Beds: King-size or 2 Double Beds

Cancun bay is closer to the airport.