Chablé Maroma: Discover the Riviera Maya's Most Exclusive Family-Friendly Hotel

The Chablé Maroma hotel in Playa Maroma has done what few hotels have even attempted to do -- successfully combine luxury with family-friendly at the same hotel.

Opened late in 2018, the Chablé Maroma is located on a pristine stretch of beach in Playa Maroma, roughtly half-way between Puerto Morelos and Playa del Carmen. Most guests arrive through the Cancun International Airport, then take the main highway about 45 minutes to the hotel entrance gate, which it shares with a handful of other high-end hotels.

After a few twists and turns through the jungle, you'll arrive at a thatched-roof entryway and as soon as you step outside, you'll know you've arrived at somewhere special. The staff greets guests with a cool towel and icy drink and ushers you into a relaxed lounging area, that's more like an outdoor living room than a hotel lobby.

The rooms are housed in low-rise buildings, painted crisp white against the encroaching green jungle. Paved paths wind through the complex, while orchids hang from the trees and iguana, coatamundi (friendly animals in the racoon family) and peccary (a cuter version of a javelina) wander through the underbrush.


Rooms feature private plunge pools, lots of outdoor covered space for lounging, and spacious floorplans that let even families feel like they have plenty of space. The bathrooms are a highlight, with a long vanity, large glass shower and private outdoor shower with a view of the jungle.

As nice as the rooms are, guests are more likely to be found lounging or sipping a cocktail by the pool, sitting and chatting in the beachfront bar, or snoozing inside a beach cabana or on a lounge chair. The beach is powdery white, too fine and flour-like to get hot, even on the most tropical of days. The waves are calm, thanks to a barrier reef a few hundred yards off-shore.

Unlike the beaches of nearby Cancun or Playa del Carmen, Maroma Beach is tranquil and barely occupied, making it perfect for a long stroll or an afternoon of castle-building with the family.

Meal-time at Chablé Maroma is always special, as the in-house chef prepares dishes made from local ingredients, following a daily trip the the market for fresh vegetables and seafood. Guests can choose to dine al fresco, or in the upscale interior dining areas. For a real treat, head to the upstairs bar and restaurant for a commanding view of the beachfront, intriguing tropical cocktails, and fresh seafood that will make you want to come back again before your trip is over.

The hotel's day spa is another highlight, offering a menu of locally inspired treatments as well as international therapies and body wraps. The room rate gives guests daily access to the common areas and Jacuzzi, plus the adjacent workout room, with its own view of the jungle and tropical plans.

Though kid and family amenities are practically nonexistent, the pure delight of being in such a privileged location seems to set the whole family at ease, with the pool, calm ocean waters and family time enough to keep everyone happy.

For more information, visit the hotel's official site at: https://chablemaroma.com.

Paddle Boarding in Cancun With 360 Surf School

Stand-up paddle boarding (SUP) in Cancun is a relatively new phenomenon, but it's growing fast -- and for good reason. It's one of the few sports where you can go from a total beginner to a highly competent practitioner within a single outing. With any athletic ability, coupled with a reasonable sense of balance, most people progress quickly from feeling like they are walking on marbles, to gliding along with ease, and keeping a steady pace.

In fact, paddle boarding is so simple that the view and surrounding scenery quickly become much more the focus than the actual mechanics of controlling your board--and that's a good thing. This is why paddle boarding in Cancun is so rewarding. If done in the right place, at the right time of day, and with the right group, there is simply no better way to enjoy a combination of amazing landscapes, colorful fish, soaring birds and nature at its finest, all while enjoying the company of your friends and family.

Cancun's 360 Surf School offers its standard SUP tours just minutes from the heart of the main hotel zone, in a tucked-away mangrove region of the Nichupte Lagoon, which is sheltered from the open Caribbean Sea by the island of Cancun. It offers calm waters, mangrove tunnels and hidden pathways that only the experienced guides know how to navigate.

To maintain a feeling of calm and control, the company keeps its groups very small, so everyone has the attention and assistance they need to have a great day on the water. For beginners, a few minutes of one-on-one help is given to teach the basics, and soon, everyone is on their board and ready for fun. The pace is slow and relaxed -- it's always more about the journey than it is getting somewhere fast. In fact, it seems that the slower you go, the more you see.

And there is plenty to see! On a good day, the waters of Nichupte Lagoon are gin-clear, affording amazing views of stingrays, jack fish, barracuda, puffer fish, tarpon and even several sunken boats, most of which have been lost in a series of hurricanes that has struck the area in the last 20 years. The firm's employees, and other groups in the area, help to keep the area clean and litter-free and it really takes on the vibe of a natural aquarium, where you become part of the environment, rather feeling like an outsider gazing inside.

The 360 Surf School also offers SUP excursions in Puerto Morelos, Playa del Carmen, Tulum and Isla Mujeres, by special appointment. Or for something even more athletic, they even offer surfing lessons and surf outings, with their "if you don't stand up, you don't pay" policy for beginners.

All-inclusive luxury just steps from Quinta Avenida

THE ROYAL Resort Playa del Carmen (Constituyentes between First Avenue and the beach) is the most upscale all-inclusive resort in the heart of Playa del Carmen.

With 518 rooms and a grandiose portico reminiscent of Cancún or even Las Vegas, it is by far the largest hotel so close to Quinta Avenida and the Playa del Carmen town square. The sand on the beach is great, the water is calm, and it’s one of the better beaches in the area. In fact, it’s the site of many weddings, which make for a fun distraction for the sun-worshippers that always inhabit the waterfront area.

THE ROYAL offers six restaurants, four bars, a massive pool, an ultra-luxe day spa, a temazcal sweat lodge, and a full fitness center, which offers daily spinning and pilates classes. Next door is a private beach club, which has become a popular day-tripping site for cruise passengers and trendy beach-goers.

Guests lounging poolside or beachside will enjoy butler services that include cleaning sunglasses, cold towel services to battle the heat, a choice of 20 varieties of suntan and sunscreen lotions, and the delivery of newspapers, magazines, and books in varied languages. THE ROYAL is among the first resorts in the region to offer online check-in 24 hours before arrival, allowing guests to choose their room from available options the day before they arrive.

Acanto Boutique Hotel better than ever following massive renovation

Acanto Boutique Hotel in Playa Del Carmen has completed a massive two-year renovation with an investment of more than $5 million, emerging as one of the premier condo hotel projects in all of the Riviera Maya. 

The renovation earned Acanto Boutique Hotel a spot in the "Great Hotels of the World Luxury Collection," a rare feat for hotels in the Playa del Carmen area. The hotel features 21 upscale rental suites, from one to three bedrooms, with refined amenities like marble floors, granite counter-tops, and plasma TVs. 

Each guest suite has a full kitchen, private outdoor terrace with sitting area and hammock. Shared amenities include a luxurious day spa, on-site bakery, rooftop hot-tubs and cookout gear. 

Acanto Boutique is nestled on a quiet street just a block from the beach and around the corner from Quinta Avenue, Playa del Carmen's famous pedestrian walkway, with hundreds of shops, bars, restaurants and other attractions, all within a short walk from the hotel. 

Though the hotel is not directly on the beach, guests have access to the Playa Del Carmen Beach Club, located just a block away.  

More:

Riviera Maya Guidebook

Acanto Boutique Hotel - Official Site

Top 10 Things to Do at the Moon Palace Resort

The Moon Palace Golf & Spa Resort outside of Cancun has released an action-packed list of the Top 10 Things to Do while staying at this family friendly hotel, which has become one of the most beloved properties in Cancun and the Riviera Maya.

1. Enjoy world-class entertainment Palace Resorts is known for hosting world-class performances by artists like Usher, Shakira, Enrique Iglesias and Ricky Martin and shows like Cirque Dreams, mentalist Ryan Oakes and comedians such as former Saturday Night Live Comedians including John Lovitz, Chris Kattan, and Tim Meadows.

2. Practice your surfing skills at the Flowrider ® double-wave simulator Challenge your surfing skills against friends and family. The Flowrider creates two lanes of perfect endless waves, pumping thousands of gallons of water over a riding surface, and provides hours of surfing excitement for all ages. Participants can drop in on their own unbroken wave, feel the power and acceleration, carve a turn, do maneuvers and cut back. While kids can bodyboard on the new Flowrider, the more advanced and adventurous guests can use the standup flowboards. 

3. Dance the night away at Noir night club Created by renowned French designer François Frossard, Noir is the newest addition at Moon Palace, a nightclub with a chic atmosphere where guests can unwind in style. At Noir guests can enjoy trendy and exclusive VIP areas designed with stylish comfort. Friendly bartenders, premium drinks, cutting edge music and the latest audio and lighting equipment, make Noir the ideal place for guests to dance the night away.  

4. Kiss a dolphin The Ultimate Dolphin Swim Experience at Dolphin Discovery offers an exciting way of learning and interacting with our dolphins. During this program, the first 15 minutes prior to entering the water is dedicated to an orientation about dolphins. The remaining 40 minutes will be in the water with one dolphin, during this time visitors will be allowed to perform various activities including the famous kiss.  

5. Enjoy a drink at the chic Sky Bar The well-known designer Frossard is introducing a sense of modern minimalism to the property’s bars, all featuring top-shelf libations. Sky Bar features a transitional ambiance that is ideal for both business and pleasure. Featuring a curved wall that creates a sense of privacy, the bar can entertain sports aficionados and nightlife enthusiasts. 

6. Visit the popular teens club, Wired A destination for teens unto itself, the lounge features everything the resort's young guests need to stay connected, feel at home, and enhance their stay. Teens are welcome to try their luck at the arcade and console video games, listen to a DJ spin the latest sounds, surf the web, watch their favorite television shows, and snack on delicious treats. This state-of-the-art and fully-equipped lounge is a vibrant haven for young adults seeking a great time away from mom and dad. 

7. The Playroom Moon Palace’s new kids club, “The Playroom,” is a dream come true for our royal mini guests. Complete with various game rooms, the new kids club has iPlayrooms for toddlers, a beauty salon perfect for girls to embrace their inner princess, a mini runway to practice their catwalk, a girly doll house, a kitchen, an Xbox room and a separate area filled with toys. “The Playroom” also has a theatre with comfy seating and concessions, where kids can mingle while watching movies. For the more active kiddos, there are two playgrounds, both inside and out. All children in the club are always under strict supervision by the property’s helpful staff. Anything and everything a kid can ever desire can be around in The Playroom. 

8. Feel pampered and try the pillow and aromatherapy menu As part of the all-inclusive experience, guests can choose from an elaborate, signature Pillow Menu including: Orthopedic, Lavender, Chamomile, Goose Feather, Hypo Allerginic, Water and Mint Lavender. Guests can also hand pick their favorite aromatherapy scents such as: Balance (coconut and verbena), Energizing (tangerine and vanilla), Revitalizing (eucalyptus and mint), and Relaxing (lavender). 

9. Take advantage of Resort Credit Guests who book a stay of five-nights or more can also take advantage of the most valuable vacation promotion on record - $1,500 Resort Credit, which can be used toward spa and beauty salon treatments, golf outings, romantic dinners, wedding packages, and off-site excursions and tours. If you do not use all of your credit, you can save them for your next visit or even gift them to a friend! 

10. Play golf on the Mexican Caribbean’s most prestigious golf course The Moon Spa & Golf Club is home to the only Jack Nicklaus Signature golf course in Cancun. Its dynamic layout challenges golfers to navigate through native vegetation as well as wetlands and strategically placed bunkers.

Video Highlights Top Events for 2014

A new video produced by the Mexican News Network highlights some of the best events planned for Cancun, Playa del Carmen and the Riviera Maya during 2014.

 

Video Adventure: Cancun & Playa del Carmen

It's always good to have an idea of what the area is like where you're about to travel. Check out this great video for an overview of the Cancun and Playa del Carmen area.