A Simple and Sunny Weekend in Riviera Maya, Mexico

What better way to celebrate a birthday than by getting out from under four feet of snow, below zero temperatures and heading to the beach! Yes, it was the big 4 0 birthday for Amanda and all she wanted was to feel the sand under her toes and lay under the warm rays of the sun. Thanks to our travel perks with American Express through Delta Airlines, reward miles tickets were booked and we were off and running.

From Minneapolis the nonstop flight was just over three and a half hours to Cancun International Airport. Again, we scheduled our driving services through Booking.com. What an easy feeling to have everything prepaid and ready to go upon arriving at the airport. About an hour after arriving in Mexico, we were enjoying a welcome cocktail as we checked into our resort. One interesting item to note at the Cancun Airport, there is an expedited customs line for those traveling for vacation purposes, without kids and have a US passport.

Not only was this my first trip to Mexico, this was our first introduction to an all inclusive resort. The Cancun/Riviera Maya/Playa Del Carmen area has hundred’s of resorts and hotels to choose from. At times, it seemed a little overwhelming reading through the descriptions of the accommodations, what was actually covered under “all inclusive” and the overall atmosphere of the resort. We knew an adults only location was a must for us, Amanda wanted on site spa services and I wanted the ease of showing up for a pool day or dinner without having to make reservations in advance. With these must haves in mind, we chose the Hyatt Zilara Riviera Maya. The Hyatt Zilara fulfilled everything on our list and had a small resort type feel to it as there are only 291 rooms on the property. Another bonus was that the resort had just opened after a full scale remodel of the property.

Talk about easy living, which was a must for a four day get away. Staff was everywhere and ready to assist with any need you have. The resort and grounds were beautifully maintained and the beach was raked every morning for a day of fun, sun and water. The beach is large with gradually sloping sand into the Caribbean Sea. There area plenty of lounge chairs on the beach and drink service is provided.

There were four restaurants and five bars, including a sports bar, social bar and pool bar on the property with additional 24 hour room service available. We checked out all the restaurants and were delighted with the menus and food and service. Our favorite was the hibachi style grill at the Tempest and the light, beachy menu and view at Lola’s. For the coffee lovers, Coffee Republic is open all day for a little pick-me-up.

For those who are looking for some night life, there is a dedicated theater, with daily shows and entertainment. During our stay, there was an evening beach party one night and an outdoor Cirque du Soleli type show another night. It was also a short cab ride to head into Playa Del Carmen for additional restaurants, shopping and entertainment. There is a large (heated!) pool positioned between the resort and the beach. One side is more laid back and the other side, with a pool bar, is more lively and energetic. We met fun people visiting from California to Massachusetts and Chicago to Arizona. There is always someone to talk with and share stories around the pool and patio areas.

There were several types of rooms available at the resort. Whether it’s beach front, ocean or garden view, or a swim-up patio, there area many options to chose from based on your price point. We chose the ocean view room, which also had a great view of the pool lights at night. The rooms were newly remodeled and decorated. They were roomy with ample storage space and amenities that included a cappuccino maker, stocked fridge, snacks and nightly turn-down service. Our balcony was a great place for a breakfast or a happy hour sunset view.

Our outing for the weekends was a few hours at the Zen Spa, which is located on the resort grounds. Your can order specific treatments or pick out a package deal. We chose the couples massage and hydro therapy treatments. Wow, how relaxed were we after that!

We had a really fun time and relaxing weekend, it was nice not to have to make any decisions. Great to have a break from kids and work schedules, winter weather and our everyday routine. I would definitely return to the area and the Hyatt Zilara again!