Royal Hideaway Playacar

Resort Photoblog:  We only had a brief visit at the Royal Hideaway, so photos will be our major means of communicating what we experienced.  Enjoy! The Royal Hideaway is located on the gorgeous, soft sandy white beach of Playacar, on the south end of Playa del Carmen.  In our opinion, it is the most elegant hotel situated on this stretch of beach.  The property is gorgeous, the landscaping well-maintained, and the staff and service just amazing.  We would love to spend a few days enjoying this resort!  If we had to rate… Read More

Reflections a Four Months

Four months.  We’ve been here in Playa del Carmen for four months and have been surprised by how quickly God has allowed friendships to form.  We’ve moved a lot in our lives.  Each time, we’ve had to say good-bye to dear friends and start the whole relationship-building process again.  We’ve learned over the years to be patient and  give it at least two years before we start feeling those bonds of friendship deepen. When you make the decision to journey around the world for a year, you hardly have time to wait two… Read More

Day 123: The Break In

We knew it would happen at least once.  We even tried to mentally prepare for it, wondering what would be stolen first.  Like most responsible travelers, we also made sure we had travel insurance.  But the truth is, unless you’ve gone through something like this before, there really is no way to prepare for…The Break In. So, what happened?  Saturday night, while we were sleeping, a stranger scaled the walls of our home, traversed the roof, and swung himself into the screened window of our daughters’ second floor bedroom, while they were fast… Read More

NOW Sapphire

This resort was a complete surprise and we just loved it!  We were able to do a site inspection in the morning and then we enjoyed the rest of our day experiencing some of what it has to offer.   As always, photos first and then our review.  Back to Mexican Resorts. NOW Sapphire Fact Sheet Now Sapphire is ideally located between Cancun and Playa del Carmen, and is a short 20 minutes away from the airport. Size:  Now Sapphire offers 496 rooms/suites.  While that may seem like a lot of rooms,… Read More

Ocean Coral and Turquesa

Ocean Coral and Turquesa is a beautiful resort located about 20 minutes away from Cancun International Airport.  It is about 30 minutes south of Cancun and 30 minutes north of Playa del Carmen, so guests have several fun options if they want to get off the property.  Keep in mind, however, that taxi fares can be rather costly.  As always, photos first and then the review.  Enjoy.  Return to Mexican Resorts. Ocean Coral and Turquesa Fact Sheet Size:  Ocean Coral and Turquesa offers 591 rooms/suites, a large variety of restaurants, four beautiful… Read More

Day 110: Bungee Trampoline

Occasionally, we take our Fridays and visit nearby resorts, photographing them, writing reviews, and experiencing all they have to offer.  While it may be “work”, we still find ways to have fun! Here are Danny and Katie, flying high on the Bungee Trampoline.  The age limit was 12.  You tell me, is that fair? Now, my true confession.  I love adventure and trying new things.  I would have done this in a heartbeat.  Truth be told, I love seeing my kids be adventurous and try new things as well, especially when they… Read More

Day 107: Sun Setting Over Playacar

Some of our best family memories are created when we take time to walk to the beach.  We sit and watch the kids swim and splash in the turquoise blue water while the sun melts into the sea. This is the sun setting over our beach in Playacar tonight.  It was just stunning.  No matter how long we’ve been here, this site never feels repetitive or boring.  We’re so thankful for this experience and just wanted to share it with you tonight.  Buenas noches todos!

Akumal

Recently (July 25), my family, a couple from the church we’re going to (Mr. and Mrs. D), and I went to Akumal!  Akumal is known for it’s snorkeling and turtles.  A fairly quiet and relaxing place, filled with lots of amazing sea life, it is a perfect place to spend the day! We all woke up around 7:30 and were picked up by a cab at 8:00.  In about 30 minutes, we arrived at our destination!  After getting set up, Mr. and Mrs. D joined us.  Snorkeling gear in place, we all waded into… Read More

VBS!

We found a church that we really like and are going to go to from now on.  From the very first day, everyone was so friendly; they all came up an introduced themselves.  The Pastor had just started a new series: Parables.  All of us loved the church and felt at home there.  We’ve been going there ever since. About a week after we first came to that church (The Lighthouse Church), they had a VBS which we volunteered to help with.  It lasted from Thursday to Sunday, but we were only… Read More

Azul Fives

Azul Fives is a family-friendly beach resort located about ten minutes north of central Playa del Carmen.  Photos first and then our thoughts/reviews below.  Back to Mexican Resorts.   Size:  Azul Fives offers 360 contemporary suites, 4 gourmet restaurants, and a Vassa Spa and Fitness Center. Star Level:  In terms of service and overall property, we would rate Azul Fives a solid 4.5 star.  It is a beautiful resort.  This rating, however, is based on two separate site inspections of about two hours each.  We have not yet stayed throughout the day,… Read More