Narrowing things down - Honeymoon!

[*RubyRN*]

Just wanted to chime in as I''ve had experiences at a couple of these places..

Couples Swept Away Negril is beautiful, I was there quite recently. As to having to stay "confined" to the resort, I think it''s a shame to visit another country and not leave your hotel. Why pay all that money and not experience the culture? As with any foreign country, you have to be careful about where you go and do your research before hand, but there are a lot of great places to see and really interesting people and culture in Jamaica. I''ve been to Negril 5 times and it is true that there are a lot of people trying to sell you things, especially on certain areas of the beach (outside of the resort area). They will certainly try to sell you drugs. However, all you have to say is "no thank you" and keep on walking. They will quit asking you if you do that. I have never had anything stolen from me or even really felt unsafe. If you are respectful of the people living there, they really make you comfortable and look out for your safety. I''m probably biased because I''ve been there so many times, but it truly is a beautiful, interesting place.

I also have to say that I''ve been to Sandals in Negril, which was nice. It wasn''t extraordinary, but there was nothing "crummy" about it. Good friends of mine had their HM at Sandals Antigua, and absolutely loved it.

Anyways, good luck! All of the places you''re considering sound like great honeymoons!

 

[Courtneylub]

Date: 2/27/2008 11:51:44 PM
Author: LauraSLP07
I''m bringing up this thread again because FI are changing our minds once again!!

The decisions keep getting harder and harder! We met with a travel agent on Monday, who suggested looking into some of the all-inclusive resorts that are away from the ''hotel strip'' of Cancun to make our honeymoon more intimate!

Now, we have narrowed down our choices to:

1) Secrets Maroma Beach Riviera Cancun - (website: www.secretsresorts.com) It is looking very promising that it will be up and running by July 1st! Also, it is located on the worlds #1 beach!
2) Iberostar Grand Hotel Paraiso - (website: www.iberostar.com/EN/Riviera-Maya-hotels/Iberostar-Grand-Hotel-Paraiso_3_117.html) This resort has gotten great reviews on Trip Advisor and looks phenomenal, but is more expensive than Secrets!

I really need some PSer opinions: Would you be willing to spend more $$$ for extra peace of mind with an established resort like Iberostar, or would you save some $$$ knowing that there may be a few kinks in the system for a brand new resort like Secrets?

I vote to spend more money for extra piece of mind. We did just that and now I''m not worried AT ALL like I was about Sandals.

I still want to plan a trip to Royal Cancun if I''m not pregnant right away!!

 

[LauraSLP07]

Courtneylub - I''m with you on The Royal Cancun! FI and I definately want to go sometime, we just changed our minds about going there for our honeymoon. I think that we may get some friends together sometime and plan a group trip for sometime in 2009!

Any other votes out there??

I am still so torn because Secrets also has this special deal: Secrets Eternity Honeymoon Package
http://www.secretsresorts.com/maroma/honeymoons.html

 

[LauraSLP07]

Really? No other opinions???

 

[Cleopatra]

Not sure if you''re considering Jamaica at all - but this is a 5 star resort that has an all-inclusive package and looks incredible. Reviews on TripAdvisor are great!
It''s a subsidiary of Sandals, but slightly more expensive.

http://www.royalplantation.com/ochorios.cfm

 

[FlatironGuy]

Is the Sandals Grande Antigua resort really all that bad?

 

[LauraSLP07]

Flatironguy -

I was surprised to see my original honeymoon thread back! LOL!

I have heard mixed reviews about most Sandals, which is why my FI and I decided to go to Mexico instead! However, if you stay at Sandals Grande Antigua, I heard from some tripadvisor.com reviewers that the Mediterranean Village has the newest/nicest rooms!

Good luck!!

P.S. We decided to book at Secrets Maroma Beach Riviera Cancun (www.secretsresorts.com)! YAAY!

See this thread for more information.....
https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/honeymoon-booked-excited-yet-nervous.80455/

 

[FlatironGuy]

Date: 3/12/2008 11:26:54 PM
Author: LauraSLP07
Flatironguy -

I was surprised to see my original honeymoon thread back! LOL!

I have heard mixed reviews about most Sandals, which is why my FI and I decided to go to Mexico instead! However, if you stay at Sandals Grande Antigua, I heard from some tripadvisor.com reviewers that the Mediterranean Village has the newest/nicest rooms!

Good luck!!

P.S. We decided to book at Secrets Maroma Beach Riviera Cancun (www.secretsresorts.com)! YAAY!

See this thread for more information.....
https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/honeymoon-booked-excited-yet-nervous.80455/

Looks like a really nice place. What did you like or dislike about it? Is it all-inclusive?

 

[FlatironGuy]

Date: 2/11/2008 2:20:38 AM
Author: sunnygirl
Hi Laura,

I don''t know much about Secrets Maroma Beach but if it is anything like Secrets Capri in the Riviera Maya, it will be fantastic! FI and I spent 7 wonderful, relaxing days at Secrets Capri a couple years ago. The food was delicious, the service was great, and the pool was beautful (with, of course, a large swim up bar). I thought the price (at least at that time) was very reasonable for what we got. We alternated between lounging on the beach and lounging by the pool - with pina coladas etc being served to us all day. Ahhh the memories! There were many honeymooners there (in fact, everyone thought we were honeymooning until we informed them we were just living in sin!) and I even ran into an acquaintance from college on her honeymoon.

Overall, it was a fantastic vacation and I highly recommend Secrets. Not having splashing kids in the pool was priceless. I wish we could do an adults-only resort but most are in the Caribbean area and we are getting married during hurricane/rainy season.

Good luck with your decision! Isn''t tripadvisor horribly addicting?

sunnygirl,

I don''t know if you know but I already had my room held at Sandals Grand Antigua this upcoming mid-May but now I''m sort of doubting my plans. What were the pros and cons of the Secrets Capri resort? I am looking for an all-inclusive resort where my fiance and I can get married, and enjoy ourselves all week without too many other people being around. Also, why would this be priced less than a Sandals resort? Is it really better?

 

[FlatironGuy]

Date: 2/12/2008 5:13:06 PM
Author: Courtneylub

Date: 2/12/2008 5:01:07 PM
Author: LauraSLP07
I think that FI and I have decided to go with The Royal Cancun - All of their amenities just seem too great to pass up! For an all-inclusive, the location seems great, the rooms look beautiful, and the food has had decent reviews on Trip Advisor. Apparently, a beach renovation/''renourishment'' is going to be performed to add more space and sand. It is scheduled to be completed in March or April.

Does anyone know if AAA can get you good rates on all-inclusive resorts such as The Royal Cancun?

Very good choice! I would definitely choose that for our honeymoon if we didn''t already go to Cancun almost every year as it is. That''s the next trip we will take after our honeymoon!

I''ve figured out we can cancel our Sandals reservation, so I''m excited to book a different Bahamas resort!

Courtneylub,

Did you have a reservation at Sandals (like the $400 room hold fee) and they just refunded you the money?

 

[FlatironGuy]

All,

Question, with Cancun being so "Americanized" and crowded with people, how does that compare to something like the Sandals Grande Antigua Resort?

 

[LauraSLP07]

Flatironguy -

Secrets Maroma Beach Riviera Cancun is a new all-inclusive resort opening on July 1, 2008. It looks like it will be too late for you in mid-May, but I have also heard good things about Secrets Capri Riviera Cancun.

For our honeymoon, my FI and I really wanted to go someplace newer and more modern than Sandals, so we took a chance and booked at Secrets! If you are nervous about Cancun being too "Americanized," look into some of the areas south of Cancun. Riviera Maya, Playa del Carmen, and Tulum are reportedly quieter with better beaches.

Secrets Maroma Beach Riviera Cancun is being built on one of Travel Channel''s voted "Best Beaches," so I know that it will be spectacular....I can''t wait!

Here are a few links to some other all-inclusive resorts I looked into...hope it helps:

www.excellence-resorts.com
www.palaceresorts.com
www.riu.com

 

[FlatironGuy]

I think I''ve narrowed it down to the following resorts. What would be the best to have a destination wedding?

Secret Capri
The Royal Cancun
Dreams Cancun Resort & Spa
Excellence Riviera Cancun

 

[LegacyGirl]

The Royal Cancun looks nice from its website

 

[LauraSLP07]

Date: 3/15/2008 6:44:51 PM
Author: FlatironGuy

I think I''ve narrowed it down to the following resorts. What would be the best to have a destination wedding?

Secret Capri
The Royal Cancun
Dreams Cancun Resort & Spa
Excellence Riviera Cancun

If I was debating between those 4...this would be the order I would choose!

#1 - Secrets Capri Riviera Cancun: Adults only; lovely wedding gazebo and a few set-up pictures on the website! Near downtown Playa del Carmen (close to shopping)! http://www.secretsresorts.com/capri/weddings.html

#2 - Excellence Riviera Cancun: Adults only; many wedding packages to choose from! http://www.excellence-resorts.com/all-inclusive-resorts/riviera-cancun-mexico/weddings-honeymoons.htm

#3 - Dreams Cancun Resort and Spa: Located on the ''Hotel Strip'' and close to shopping, but not an adults only resort. Similar wedding packages to Secrets since they are sister resorts! http://www.dreamsresorts.com/drecu/plan-your-wedding.html

#4 - The Royal Cancun: I haven''t heard very good reviews lately on Trip Advisor lately, but maybe things will be better by May. Non-existent beach w/. erosion! http://www.realresorts.com/The_Royal_Cancun/Weddings/

Hope that I have been of some help! Good luck with your decision Flatironguy!!!!!

 

[chellebelle]

Just had to chime in and say that DH and I honeymooned at The Royal Playa del Carmen last summer and we had an amaaaazing time! Playa del Carmen is absolutely gorgeous, the resort was beautiful, and we loved the all-inclusive aspect of it. Everyone was so nice and the service was excellent. Here are a couple of pictures, I never got around to posting any, but maybe this will give you a better idea of what it''s like. We want to go back!

Good luck with your decision!

our balcony....

 

[chellebelle]

the view....

 

[FlatironGuy]

Ah yes, another question I forgot to ask. Is it better to book your vacations on the hotel websites themselves or on Expedia, Travelocity, Orbitz, etc.?

 

[LauraSLP07]

Date: 3/16/2008 4:04:44 PM
Author: FlatironGuy
Ah yes, another question I forgot to ask. Is it better to book your vacations on the hotel websites themselves or on Expedia, Travelocity, Orbitz, etc.?

My FI and I booked our honeymoon at Secrets Maroma Beach Riviera Cancun through a travel agent...we wanted to meet with someone face-to-face to discuss our options. I, personally have never booked anything online. I actually don''t even know if Expedia/Hotels.com/Orbitz/etc. give you the option for trip insurance, but feel more secure having a back-up plan in mind...just in case!!

 

[FlatironGuy]

I''m pretty sure I''ve narrowed it down to one now, Excellence Riviera Cancun.

Is this one considered better than the Excellence Playa Mujeres?