Cancun, Mexico…a popular destination for Winnipeg families to escape the cold of our winters and a great getaway any time of the year. Especially now that we have an airline that is flying direct weekly.

This summer I had the amazing opportunity to take a few days away from my family to travel to the Azul Beach Resort Riviera Cancun to meet up with other Macaroni Kid publishers from around the United States so that we could unwind and relax. Basically have a LOT of fun with some of my closest friends. 

Now I know I should just enjoy the me time and not be thinking constantly about my kids, and don’t worry I definitely had a lot of self-care time (as you can see in the above video), but at this resort I couldn’t NOT think of my family and how much the girls would love everything about it.

Changing Perspectives

The last time I went to Mexico was when I was in my mid-twenties, before kids and really even before my husband as we had JUST started dating so I had left him at home when I traveled with friends to attend a wedding. So my memories of an all-inclusive resort was that of adult time. It wasn’t something that had made me think I should put traveling to an all-inclusive resort on the top of my list with my family. I honestly thought it wouldn’t be worth the money to have them just sit at a pool. It’s not like they can drink!! I know, I know…I should have done some research because that can’t be farther from the truth at a resort like Azul Beach Resort Riviera Cancun.

Time for Family AND Just You

On my second day there, while we were enjoying some drinks at the swim up bar, we had a great conversation with another guest who couldn’t stop raving about her experience. She wasn’t part of our group or someone in PR, rather just a mom who had chosen this resort to come to for her anniversary with husband AND her two daughters, a teenager and a six year old. She explained that for the week they had planned to spend most of the time together as a family at the pools, beach and doing some excursions she had booked with one of the resort’s concierges but on this day, the one that she was sitting at the swim up bar in the adult pool just before our champagne pool party was about to start, she and her husband had set aside for JUST them. They got their selves a cabana at the pool, booked massages at the spa and made reservations at Le Chique for a 22 course fine dining experience. And the best part was they could do all this kid free as they were able to drop their youngest off at the Azulitos Playhouse for a few of their daily programs and arranged child care on the resort for the rest of the time. 

Is this what an Ah Ha Moment feels like?

I’m not sure why this was SUCH an Ah Ha moment for me as to why this needed to be our next family vacation but it was. What parent doesn’t want worry free vacationing? All-inclusive means that when you sit down to eat you don’t need to stress out that your 3.5 year old won’t eat half the things you ordered as you can let them eat a plate of fries and strawberries and come back in an hour when they say they are hungry or call 24 hour room service when you didn’t get to enjoy desert because you needed to take the kids back to the room after a mini meltdown. It means you can plan less and play more. It means mom gets to feel relaxed and just ENJOY being with the family instead of working as the tour operator for your trip, as you corral everyone into a hot vehicle to get to a restaurant, activity or hotel within the allotted time on your itinerary. It means you get to be PRESENT. You get to just BE.

Seriously though, everything is provided for families and here is just are some of them:

• As part of the Karisma Gourmet Inclusive ®  Experience, “Toddler Inclusive” amenities have all your baby gear needs covered, including strollers, cribs, pack & plays, bottle sterilizers, a toy-lending menu and organic baby food, freshly made by their superb chefs. Gerber baby food is available in all restaurants and for room service too, should you be inspired to spend a night in! Natural baby food can also be prepared by request.

• This resort’s littlest guests, nicknamed “Azulitos,” have a special playhouse club, full of daytime and evening activities in a colorful environment, where it’s easy to make friends and have fun. From games and arts & crafts, to hanging out with Nickelodeon characters and themed activities, the staff encourages play to make sure every kid feels included and entertained.

• There is also a My Gym Children’s Fitness Center in the Azulitos Playhouse for kids ages 4-12 to enjoy daily classes and programs. The facilities include ropes, parallel bars, trampolines, springboards and big floor pads.
• For teens: the Extreme Breeze Teens lounge. Geared just for 13- to 17-year-olds, they’ll be thrilled with what awaits them: movies, music videos, Xbox, Playstation 3, Wii, billiards and air hockey. There are also daily activities organized outdoors, like a rock climbing wall and volleyball, so you can be sure they’ll be enjoying that Riviera Maya sunshine!

See? How can I NOT have this on the top of my list for family trips? 

The author received complimentary accommodations to facilitate this review. All opinions are her own.