Top 10 See and Be Seen Spots in the Riviera Maya

1. Blue Parrot, Playa del Carmen: With an open-air dance floor and fire dancers at your back door, you can’t go wrong.
2. Fairmont Mayakoba, Punta Bete: The huge stone entryway makes you wonder what’s inside; only the privileged few know for sure.
3. Live Aqua Cancún: Cancún’s one and only lounge hotel, with 24-hour DJ and luxe beach bar.
4. Hotel Básico, Playa del Carmen: The prosperous days of 1950s Latin America glorified with a rooftop bar, oil-tank swimming pools, and rooms with neon lights.
5. Hotel Deseo, Playa del Carmen: Up the unmarked stairs, it’s the hip hangout for the Playa elite.
6. Hotel Esencia, Xpu-Ha: The former estate of an Italian duchess can be yours, for a price.
7. Maroma Resort & Spa, Punta Maroma: If it’s good enough for Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, you’ll probably enjoy it also.
8. Mezzanine Hotel, north of Tulum pueblo: Swanky digs, topless beaches, and DJ parties in the shadow of the Tulum ruins.
9. Occidental Royal Hideaway, Playacar: Playacar’s premier hotel proves all-inclusive resorts can be luxurious, too.
10. Zoetry Paraiso de la Bonita, north of Puerto Morelos: With a $3,000-a-night penthouse, you never know who you may rub shoulders with at the swim-up bar.

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Reserve Now for Spring Break in Cancun

Every year about this time, students from across the country start to plan their Spring Break vacations. This year, there are some great package trips, including airfare and hotel.

Many students choose to use a big-name tour company to book their trip, but they don't realize that they are throwing money away, since they end up paying way more than if they just booked the trip themselves. Travelers can go to the SAME CLUBS, the SAME BEACHES, the SAME PARTIES as people who book with a tour company, but can pay about half a much.

There's no need to spend too much to go to Spring Break. With tour companies, you are restricted on how many people you can put in a room, who you can stay with and you will have chaperons bothering you all of the time.

Book your own trip and you can be in control. You can choose to go to the clubs you want to go, when you want to go. You won't have to sit in a big massive bus waiting for everyone to be ready. Do what you want to do, when you want to do it. And you can party with all of the same people.

Find Hotels in Cancun >>
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Visit the Riviera Maya for Spring Break >>

Don't be treated like cattle on Spring Break. Plan your own trip and pay half as much -- and have twice as much fun!

More:
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Riviera Maya guidebook
Mexico's best local beers
Golfing in Mexico
Stay and work in Mexico

New Riviera Maya Events Calendar Launches

The Riviera Maya Events Calendar is the most comprehensive online events calendar for local events in Playa del Carmen, Akumal, Puerto Morelos, Puerto Aventuras and throughout the Riviera Maya.

Events include local cultural and arts events, food festivals, wine tastings, restaurant specials, local fairs, environmental events and local get-togethers.

Local residents moderate the daily events in various cities to ensure up-to-the-minute information is posted to interested travelers. Both vacationers and residents use the calendar to enrich their experience in the Rivera Maya.

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Riviera Maya Raising Funds for Haiti Victims

Fund-raising events will take place on Sunday, January 24, in Playa del Carmen and Akumal to raise much-needed money for "Hope for Haiti," a local, grassroots campaign that is supporting the relief efforts.

"Hope for Haiti" Playa del Carmen will take place on Sunday, January 24, from noon to 6pm on the beach at Wicky's (10th Street), which has volunteered their beach and their culinary skills for the event. There will be pulled-pork sandwiches, potato salad, veggies and all the fixin's for $200 pesos per adult, $100 pesos for children 12 and under. Children under 3 eat for free. There will also be a raffle and beer and drink specials running all day.

Playa del Carmen’s J.J. and the Nasty Bastards Band will provide entertainment with guest performances by some of Playa’s favorite visiting musicians. Proceeds from the event will be sent to Doctors Without Borders to support their relief efforts in Haiti.

For more information visit the event's page on Facebook. And for more Riviera Maya events, check out the event's calendar.

Taylor Lautner Headed to Cancun for Spring Break

As if Mexico's beach resorts needed any more dubious publicity, Summit Entertainment, the Hollywood film studio that created The Twilight Saga, has announced plans to film an adventure movie set in the Cancun.

The movie will star teen Twilight heartthrob Taylor Lautner, who will play a Spring Break vacationer whose pleasure trip turns into a nightmare when his girlfriend and her friends run into trouble at the hands of the local drug cartel. Rather than spend their days frolicking on the beach, going snorkeling and enjoying wet T-shirt contests at Sr. Frog's, they end up fighting for their lives as the drug dealers threaten them with all sorts of unpleasantries sure to ruin a Spring Break vacation.

Directors are making use of Lautner's fairly extensive martial arts experience, so audiences should expect to see plenty of action and fight scenes.

Though drug cartels are present in many of Mexico's cities, even the tourist towns, vacationers have not been the primary targets of any violence, making such a story a bit of a stretch from the current reality. That said, with all of the negative press that Mexico has seen lately, it's easy to see how the plot line will resonate with many American tourists, many of whom are already wary of traveling south of the border.

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Resort Report: Hotel La Tortuga

The Hotel La Tortuga is located at the corner of 10th Avenue and 14th Street, just a block off Playa del Carmen's popular Fifth Avenue. The 45-room boutique hotel offers stylish rooms; a welcoming pool, exclusive social area with pool table and a private and upscale ambience. Rooms have air-conditioning, safes, fans, satellite TV, wireless Internet access and phones. Many also have a minibar, private balcony, and views of the courtyard pool.

The hotel has an entrance into the Spa Itza, a Mayan-themed day spa, and the hotel restaurant, Agora, serves Italian and international food in a casual sidewalk café atmosphere and boasts the best cappuccino in town. Rates range from $85 for a standard room in low season to $189 for a suite in high season; complimentary beach club access and the use of a beach towel included.

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El Taj Oceanfront Condo to Open in January 2010

A variety of upscale condos have opened recently in Playa del Carmen, giving visitors to the Riviera Maya new accommodations options without the need for a pricey full-service hotel.

Another new property, the El Taj Oceanfront Condo, is scheduled for opening the first week of January, 2010, was designed by Mexican architect Sergio Segura. The condo will feature a smooth Bali-inspired design that seduces imagination by combining soft curves, natural materials and luscious tropical landscaping with soothing water features. Many hotels in Playa del Carmen were built to please guests without considering how they merge into the environment, but this architect’s vision was to create a modern luxury dwelling that blends nature and modern design, tranquility and plentiful amenities.

The condo is only be a block away from a world-class gym, inspired and built by Vito Errico, the original founder of the famous Equinox sports clubs in the US. There will be two upscale restaurants, a scuba shop, New York-style gourmet deli and day spa.

The El Taj Oceanfront will feature marble counter tops in kitchens and bathrooms, private terraces, modern appliances, Jacuzzis, private rooftop showers and artwork imported from Bali.

To add to the magical splendor of this new jewel amongst hotels in Playa del Carmen, there are breathtaking views of the Caribbean Sea, swaying palm trees and a light sea breeze. Only steps away, there is the famous pedestrian 5th Avenue with the convenience of the best restaurants, nightlife and shopping.

The luxury condos are available for vacation rentals and also for sale. Rental rates start at $265 per night per condo. The accommodations vary from one-bedroom apartments to three-bedroom penthouses.


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