We are looking for a resort in Cancun/Mayan area that is great for travelling with a 3 year old and a 15 month old. Or anywhere else that is a direct flight from Calgary.
Wondering if there is anything that fits the things we are hoping for:
1. Calm sandy beach area (not too wavy)
2. Rooms that are big, and/or have a separate area for kids (suite or at least big enough that you’re not too crowded)
3. A few things the kids might enjoy (lazy river, water park, kids club for little ones)
4. Direct flights from Calgary and not a long shuttle ride when we get there
Thanks for all your suggestions,
Shalini

Sandos playacar. Awesome water park and they have villas in the back

Sandos Characol was amazing as well.

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Sandos caracol eco resort & spa

Kim was just going to recommend as well.

We just booked Bahia principe. One thing we found with Sandos Caracol was you had to be 3’7 to go on the medium sized waterslides so our kids would have only been able to do the little waterslides. So at that age it didn’t work for our family

Sandos Caracol , we were here in April with out 3 young grandkids ( 5,7,9) they loved it especially the water slides

it has been years since we went the big water park wasnt put in but we loved the resort really want to go back location is amazing close to play del carmen x plor x caret etc

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Sandos Caracol-family suite has a separate bedroom with bunk beds, huge water park

Barcelo Maya Palace

Grand Sirenis, excellent areas for kids of all ages. Lazy river for floating, kiddy pool, and some of the best snorkeling we have ever had and even Mayan ruins on site

Barcelo Colonial has a great water park and activities for the kids. The Barcy club was awesome

Barcelo Bavaro Palace in the Dominican. Direct flights on Saturdays. Check costco travel. Family rooms are 2 bed rooms with jacuzzis on the patio.

Azul Beach Resort is amazing for small kids. And we love the swim up suites there https://www.karismahotels.com/.../riv.../experience/for-kids

@barcelomaya

Iberostar paraiso lindo... mid tear in that complex lazy river wave pool kids club indor and outdoor activities

Moon Palace is nice. Waterever you do Do Not do the timeshare presentation. Most resorts entice you with credits to have “breakfast” You will lose a full day. Trip central is a great website to find deals.

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Thank you everyone! I’m enjoying looking into all these places. We are beach people so finding a calm beach is a huge win.

Shalini I'm getting married at Sandos Caracol and while it has a waterpark, the reviews on the beach have been that it is very rocky.

Dreams Riviera Cancun is a smaller resort but we loved it and at the time travelled in a big group with lots of young kids - service was amazing. Also liked the Grand Riviera Princess - it is MASSIVE - but very family friendly. We did not like Sandos Caracol... the resort is built into a mangrove forest and the kids came home with a million bug bites, service was just ok, and the resort felt a bit “tired”. Club Med in Ixtapa is great for families too... it also looks a bit dated, but the customer service and activities make up for it and the beach is nice

I would second dreams riviera Cancun. We have been there twice and still talks as my favourite resort. I love the small size of the resort and the variety of restaurants. Service was great and they have a kids club too. The rooms are fairly roomy.

We love the grand Riviera princess

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And do most of these places have rooms with an extra room for kids? I feel like sleeping in the same room with my kids doesn’t really feel like a vacation

Just FYI the seaweed was really bad last year when we were there , all down the Mayan side. They did clean everyday but you still had to walk through it to enjoy the water not sure if all the resorts are effective or not

It is way better now! We were there in February of 2018 and it was SO bad and smelly!! This past September we went again and it was not as bad!

Wasn't bad when we were there in November

Moon palace

Baha'i Principa in the Mayan Riveria. There are 4 resorts together, the Coba resort has a great waterpark for kids but they also have apartment condos on the resort that you can do the inclusive package with. Mike and I stayed on the Baha'i Principa Tulum part of the resort and we had a great time.

Las Brisas in Huatulco !!! Super short shutttle , awesome kids area that looks new and wasn’t busy (kids have to be 4 though to be left there ) but the pool is great, trampolines and new swing set

Grand moon palace will meet and exceed your expectations,

Dreams Playa Mujeres. Loved our time there. Love that it’s close to Cancun but not in Cancun. Great kids club and outdoor water park.. if you upgrade to the travel club then you get access to the lazy river. Smaller resort which means it’s completely walkable.

Following - my children are the same age.

We stayed at now jade at Christmas in the preferred club. The room has a door and my son and daughter slept one on the couch and one on a. Cot in the loving room and we had a bedroom. There was a toddler pool which my daughter loved and a great kids club with late hours.

Look up Sandos Caracol Eco resort, just outside of Playa Del Carmen. They have a waterpark for both big & little kids.. lots of pools, 3 cenotes on site you can snorkel in, kids clubs, jungle nature walks for kids, a petting zoo & monkeys that cruise the resort that you can feed bananas to right out of your hands. It’s perfect for kids and there is a sister resort you can go to with a cat petting zoo (yes really lol), mini golf. A lot of their rooms have a bunk bed in them too for kiddos. They also have a barrier in the ocean to calm the waves that come in. Highly recommend

Amanda was there last month and we got no negative comment about that resort. Love it there, would love to go back there again!

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barcelo or crown paradise . At the latter my kids had a small room within our and slept in a bunk bed with their own tv

I’m staying at the Grand Bahia Principe Coba now, it’s so kids friendly, my grandson is 19 months and loves it! If you go onto the hotel website there is a happy holiday deal on at the moment, I think it’s really good value for money!

Grand Bahia Principe Coba, best bang for your buck in the Mayan.

It’s hard to find a beach in Cancun where the water is swimmable especially for young ones. But the resorts have wonderful pools.

Msg me. I just booked the exact trip ur looking for

Try Paradise Village in Puerto Vallarta Mexico. Pictures on the internet should show that this is what you are looking for. Perfect place.

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Second Bahia Principe Grand Coba. The best vacation we ever had.

Iberostar Paraiso Lindo! 30 minute drive from airport. Water park, lazy river, wave pool.. they have to be 4 to go in the kids club though

Club med Cancun, or Ixtapa west coast has better weather

Grand palladium Vallarta if you’re willing to go west coast.

Sandos caracol eco resort

Of you're looking for a smaller resort Sensatori Azul was so great for us, plenty to do for the kids, the beach was good too!

We just spent 2 weeks at Barcelo maya Palace, part of Barcelo Maya Grand Resort just out of Playa del Carmen

It was wonderful

Ed How is the sargasso problem there? It’s my favourite resort part of Mexico but have been warned off it in the last year

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Barcelo Mayan. Has a kid’s water park. Our room had 2 beds as well as a fold out couch. There is tons to do there and the beach is a very gradual slope so they can wade easily. You can also watch the dolphin shows for free. They have a mall, bowling, arcade, kid and regular water park, swim ups, kids club was wonderful but like most it’s 5+. I’m probably forgetting a ton. It’s a great family resort

Paradisus La Esmeralda playa del Carmen is incredible for families! Our favorite resort

Catalonia Riviera Maya is an amazing resort. Small so you’re not amongst 4000 people. In Puerto Aventuras which is a gated community. We rented a golf cart for 50 USD for 24 hours to tour around the marina, stores and the dolphins.
There’s a huge wave break, nearly flat in a large area of the water - https://www.cataloniahotels.com/.../catalonia-riviera-maya

Jamie Cosh that is super nice. So I imagine it’s not an all inclusive? I don’t usually like all inclusives but with the kids right now, I want a break from feeding them and cleaning up after every meal haha

Also, there’s a private Facebook group for the Catalonia - People that go there usually return many times. The staff are AMAZING

My recommendation is not go to Cancun, go to Huatolco Las Brisas hotel is great for kids. I am in Cancun now....

Any preference between the Bahia Principe Coba and Iberostar Paraiso Beach? Traveling with a 2 & 4 year old.