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Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Original poster

Mexico or Dominican?? Help please

34 replies

Laalaalala · 14/04/2024 09:23

If you have been to both which one would you recommend? I’m torn between the 2.

we are a couple in our mid 30s, first holiday outside Europe and wanting to do 5 star all inclusive, hopefully hotel has a lot of restaurants, so we don’t really need to leave resort

we want a nice beach and good food. Also don’t want a party hotel, want it to be pretty chilled but with a little bit of entertainment in the evening. Reading online people say DR isn’t great for food? Also worried about it being full of partying students. Wanting to do feb/march 2025 but worried about going when it’s spring break so trying to avoid. Cancun looks like it’s pretty party hotels but riviera maya I was told beaches are not as nice?

OP posts:
ilovepixie · 14/04/2024 09:27

What's the point of going on holiday if you're not going to leave the resort!

MississippiAF · 14/04/2024 09:29

Mexico over DR. Riviera Maya has quieter-paced resorts.

takemeawayagain · 14/04/2024 09:39

I read that in 2023 the sargassum came as early as Feb to Cancun so worth being aware that it could affect your holiday. I've been to the Yucatan area twice but not to DR as DR doesn't interest me. It would be a real shame to go to Mexico and just stay in a resort though, there are amazing ruins, beautiful cenotes and fantastic food.
Cancun is not for me and Playa del Carmen when we drove through it looked worse. I'd go for Akumal personally although we stayed in Tulum town and travelled around by bus and taxi as Akumal isn't cheap and we were on a budget. Holbox island is very nice too and i think avoids the sargassum.

Pigeonqueen · 14/04/2024 09:46

ilovepixie · 14/04/2024 09:27

What's the point of going on holiday if you're not going to leave the resort!

I agree. I mean that’s fine if you just want sun and to lounge round a pool and eat nice food but you can do that at a luxury all inclusive in Spain / Greece / Turkey etc - I wouldn’t pay ££££ to fly long haul to do that.

Overtheatlantic · 14/04/2024 09:48

Mexico for the culture and food and the lovely people.

GruffalosGirl · 14/04/2024 09:54

I've been to both and much preferred Mexico. Akumal is absolutely beautiful. As is Cozumel. Some of riviera maya is really developed though, so it will depend on hotel pick. You definitely got more for your money in Dominican Republic when we went, so if you're not leaving the hotel at all and price is an issue I would go for the best hotel you can afford in either place. And the seaweed issue can be a problem in Mexico.

WhatWouldYouDo33 · 14/04/2024 11:27

Riviera Maya is beautiful. Pick a Hotel for adults only, you don’t want a kids resort if you don’t have any. We stayed in one that had 7 restaurants so plenty of choice. Beaches were beautiful too.

WhatWouldYouDo33 · 14/04/2024 11:28

Pigeonqueen · 14/04/2024 09:46

I agree. I mean that’s fine if you just want sun and to lounge round a pool and eat nice food but you can do that at a luxury all inclusive in Spain / Greece / Turkey etc - I wouldn’t pay ££££ to fly long haul to do that.

Show quote history

Sorry but Mexico is much nicer than Turkey or Spain and you get more for your money. A five star AI in Greece can easily be 2-4K more for 2 weeks.

CormorantStrikesBack · 14/04/2024 11:30

I’ve stayed at xcaret occidental in Mexico which was amazing. They have a small private beach. We looked at the beach at playa del carmen and it was ok. Tulum was nicer. We hired a car and drove about. I preferred the cenotes to the beaches as they were so different

Original poster
Laalaalala · 14/04/2024 11:32

We did all inclusive 5 star in Greece and it was nice but not that nice. The hotels in Mexico and DR look much nicer.

More than likely will go adults only. We may venture out of the resort but unlikely as we just want to relax and enjoy good food, pool and the beach. I just can’t decide between the 2 and as it’s first time outside Europe and us spending this amount we want it to be nice. We could do Europe but we want nice beaches like what I see in pictures in Mexico or DR

OP posts:
ExplodingCarrots · 14/04/2024 11:37

I wouldn't recommend DR. We were constantly hounded on the beach by people to buy stuff . We were moved hotels last minute by TUI and looking at reviews it seems to be a thing at loads of resorts . We were even hounded around the resort . It was also really breezy in Punta Cana . We went on a day trip to the south of the island , on the Caribbean side and it was much better. It's also not a place you can really roam outside the resort . Food wasn't the best and there was a definitely a more party atmosphere.
We are going to Mexico next year to Akumal . Done lots of research and hotel has a private beach and it looks absolutely beautiful . Already booked excursions and reviews are great .

WhatsTheEffingPoint · 14/04/2024 12:12

I've done DR once and mexico twice now.
DR was lovely even if it was interrupted by Hurricane Maria. We were in an adults only hotel but on a complex with about 5 other hotels and we could use all their restaurants/facilities but no one other then the people in our hotel could use ours.

Mexico was amazing we did the El Dorado resort (adult only) which is huge and had lots of different restaurants, pools activities etc. I think you do need to go off resort in mexico just because there is so much to see and do.

Sunnnybunny72 · 14/04/2024 12:30

DH was very unwell with food poisoning in the DR.

siameselife · 14/04/2024 12:32

It is worth noting that Mexico legally doesn't have private beaches. There are surprisingly strict laws about this.
So often people selling things do walk along the shore line.
They don't stay and aren't problematic. Where you are will impact how many if anyone bothers to walk along your shoreline.

Original poster
Laalaalala · 14/04/2024 12:36

@ExplodingCarrots whag hotel have you got booked for akumal if you don’t mind me asking please? It’s so overwhelming looking at hotels.

seems more people are recommending Mexico!

OP posts:
Riapia · 14/04/2024 12:59

ilovepixie · 14/04/2024 09:27

What's the point of going on holiday if you're not going to leave the resort!

No doubt there will be room service and staff to lie on a sunbed to save guests leaving their air conditioned rooms.

Theimpossiblegirl · 14/04/2024 13:08

For those questioning why go that far to stay at a resort, you get better weather and can get really good deals long haul in term time. Much better than Europe, especially in spring when it's often not even that hot in places like Spain.
If you want a fly and flop, either would be fine. If you want to explore and experience culture and history, Mexico over Dom Rep for me.

WhatWouldYouDo33 · 14/04/2024 14:36

Theimpossiblegirl · 14/04/2024 13:08

For those questioning why go that far to stay at a resort, you get better weather and can get really good deals long haul in term time. Much better than Europe, especially in spring when it's often not even that hot in places like Spain.
If you want a fly and flop, either would be fine. If you want to explore and experience culture and history, Mexico over Dom Rep for me.

There will always be one complaining about this. Why can’t people enjoy the holidays they like? Not everyone needs to see Chichen Itza…. (And yes I have seen it! 😂). We had an amazing time in México one Easter and nowhere in Europe would have been that sunny (and everywhere a lot mor and expensive for a comparable resort).
4 hours to Greece vs 8 to Cancun for nicer weather and food is a no brainer for me.

WonderingWanda · 14/04/2024 14:52

I'd go for Mexico. Costa Mujeres is north of Cancun and has beautiful beaches, bit further for sightseeing but if you just want to stay in resort lots of new huge 5star hotels up there but it's an area still in development so quite spaced out which makes the beaches quiet. Nothing else around the hotels so nowhere to walk too but also fine if you just plan to stay in resort. Some of them are brand new, not sure which ones are adults only though. We stayed at the Rui Palace which was lovely but quite popular with kids and families due to the waterpark.

iamwhatiam23 · 14/04/2024 14:56

I've never been to either but work in the travel industry and have heard lots of reports of food poisoning from the DR and most people absolutely love Mexico! To those who are commenting on the sort of holiday op wants to do, what's different people enjoy different things! Whats so hard to understand about that?

WeaselCheeks · 14/04/2024 15:03

I've been to the DR three times, always in winter/spring. Weather was lovely, boat excursions/snorkelling were great.

Last time we went was a bit rougher, despite being in the most expensive resort of our three visits. We were pestered by the concierge and various staff members to attend presentations about timeshares, and they had regular markets on site with quite pushy salesmen (my husband and I kept on finding longer ways to get around them, or used other guests as human shields! 😅). Not sure if it was an issue particular to that hotel, or of it's become more common in general, or if was because the third time we went during US spring break.

The husband also caught a weird tropical stomach bug that briefly hospitalised him on return to the UK, so it's rather dented our enthusiasm to return!

SweetDreamsAreMadeOf · 14/04/2024 15:35

Mexico is amazing. Although please god don't stay in Cancun which is horrendous unless you are 16 and on Spring Break! I loved Playa del Carmen, and would recommend for a mid-range fun holiday over the more-hyped (and admittedly beautiful) beaches of Tulum, which was a bit 'Burning Man' for my tastes. ...And if you don't get what I mean by the reference, you'd definitely prefer Playa del Carmen.

Edit: spelling

CormorantStrikesBack · 14/04/2024 15:42

Ha ha, yes Tulum is definitely a bit Burning Man.

Floofydawg · 14/04/2024 15:49

Neither. Have been to both and much preferred Cuba for a similar price point.

WhyDoesItAlways · 14/04/2024 15:54

Just to add to the popular opinion on here, Mexico every time. You can do as much or as little as you like there. I believe sargassum is less north of cancan or tulum area. There is very little on Playa mujeres too, although it's a small island so I'm not sure I'd want to stay there, but it is great for an easy day trip.

I have stayed in the hyatt/dreams resorts a few times and they're fab. They have some adult only hotels too. But next time I go I will be seriously considering going to the xcaret hotel, it looks amazing and there will be plenty of stuff to do there if you decide not to go off resort. I will say there is so much to see/do on riviera maya that it would be a shame not to book in some excursions but if that's really not your thing, no judgement here. Enjoy!