Being a Hilton Diamond member not only means I have access to some wonderful perks, but it also means I’ve stayed a lot of nights at the Hilton chain of hotels. The question soon became… how to spend those reward points? After doing some research, I realized I’d been wanting to do a trip to Mexico for a while and this was the perfect opportunity to do so! If you are interested in booking a Mexico Trip, especially your first trip, this blog post will give a review and guide for staying at the Hilton Playa del Carmen, an All-Inclusive Adult-Only Resort, and activities to do away from the hotel!

After doing some initial research, I found a hotel to use the points at and booked 7 nights using all the points available. I chose Playa del Carmen (PdC) because Cancun is more like Miami with its club scene. Playa del Carmen on the other hand is more laid back and relaxed. I then tracked and booked my flight – $800 (average) – to Cancun (~45 minutes north of PdC). I was pretty excited but unsure what to do while in PdC. I primarily used two Facebook groups to ask questions and research the Hilton PDC hotel I was going to be staying at:

• Hilton Playa Del Carmen Fans
• Hilton Playa del Carmen All-Inclusive Fan Page Uncensored

These groups provided great information and a supportive community to help plan my trip. It was through these two groups that I learned about the details of the hotel as well as shuttle options, day excursions, etc.

Transportation

To and from the airport and hotel, my group used Happy Shuttle. It was mentioned time and again in the Facebook groups as being reputable and average-priced. My mom booked our transportation online easily and got the confirmation via email. Once we arrived and made it through customs, out by the general taxi/shuttle pickup area, we looked for a person with similar clothing as described by the booking confirmation email. They printed a ticket for our reservation and sent us out to the location of the parked vans. There, you show your ticket to more Happy Shuttle staff, and they will get you situated on a shuttle van to your hotel.

As for general transportation, while staying at the hotel, we didn’t have to worry about personally getting behind the wheel at all throughout the trip. Nearby activities outside the hotel include 5^th Ave which is located one street block west of the hotel. You can think of this as a Playa del Carmen version of a “Magnificent Mile.” There is a main shopping mall with recognizable brands – and from there – various other shops and restaurants line the rest of the road from north to south. If you are looking for souvenirs, this would be a great place to start.

As for the excursions, I’ll go into detail later, the transportation was provided with the tour package. They transported us throughout the tour to the various tour locations and the guide(s) rode with us and the other tour guests. It was absolutely amazing not having to ever worry about driving for a whole week!

Hilton Playa del Carmen: All-Inclusive Adult-Only Resort

This was my first all-inclusive resort, and I had such a great time. Now, if you are new to all-inclusive, the name is as it suggests.  Drinks, with bottom-shelf liquor, food, hotel-provided entertainment, etc are included in your stay. Now, that does translate into a higher per-night rate. Because I used points, my stay was free, but the average price I saw was between $350-$450.

Let’s say a regular resort stay is $250 a night. On vacation, I spend ~$20 for breakfast, ~$30 for lunch, and $60 for dinner. Per day, that’s $110 on food so I’d be paying ~$360 a day anyway. And that doesn’t take into account drinking throughout the day. At least at the Hilton PdC hotel, I can try various restaurants, drink my usual cocktail or try a new one, and relax on the beach all day.

The hotel is pretty easy to walk around. Signs are posted in both English and Spanish. The beach lies east, and the lobby lies west and from there, you can get your bearings fast. The main pool also acts as a central hub for guests. Check-in is at 3:00PM while check-out is at 12:00PM. Check with the front desk for late checkout options. Upon check-in, you will receive your bracelet showing you are a guest at the hotel. Once checked out, the bracelet will be removed and collected.

There are a host of guest services such as the airport shuttle arrangement, beauty salon, spa, gym, gift shop, internet access, luggage assistance, medical service, photographers, taxi service, etc. There is no smoking allowed in the rooms, room balconies, room patios, pools, gardens, restaurants, or other closed venues. There are smoking areas in the front of the lobby by the vehicle drop-off.

To stay up-to-date on what is going on with entertainment and food, use the Hilton app or visit the Hilton Playa del Carmen website.

Basic Itinerary

Day	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
Activity	Arrive	Pool Day	Beach Day	Beach Day / Massages	Tulum / Sea Turtles	Chichen Itza	Beach Day	Travel Home

The Room

I enjoyed this trip with my mom and two sisters, so we got a two-queen-sized bed junior suite on the first floor. The patio faced the main road leading to the dock for the Cozumel Ferry. As you walk into the Junior Suite door from the outside, you’ll notice a small rectangular shape to the side of the door. These are referred to as “Magic Boxes.” There is a door on the outside and inside so that when you’d like room service but are relaxing in the jacuzzi (we’ll get there) or just don’t want to be disturbed at all (*wink wink), your room service order will be placed there discreetly.

Upon opening the door to the room, the bathroom was right there off to one side. The bathroom comprises a vanity/sink area with two sinks, a closet, and a separate room for the toilet and shower with a door for privacy. The closet had decent room for hanging clothes like dresses and jumpsuits. It also has a small vault safe for small tablets, passports, etc. The shower was interesting as it was a rain shower head versus the standard shower head. Overall, while the room with the toilet and shower was small, the vanity/sink area was functional and handled four women getting each morning as well for dinner.

Once the door is fully open, there is a table/dresser piece. This has one spot for a suitcase and the cabinet where the mini-fridge is located. Again, since this is an all-inclusive resort, anything in the mini-fridge is fair game to enjoy. Our mini fridge was stocked with Coca-Cola, Sprite, Tecate Light Beer, and Palmar “Frutos Rojos” (Berries – “Mixed Berry”) Seltzer.

Continuing into the hotel room, to one side were the two queen beds and a large TV, but my jaw dropped at the sight of a jacuzzi! Yes, there are rooms at Hilton PdC that have a jacuzzi in them! At first, I was really excited to use the jacuzzi – we actually used it that night and the night after. But as the week went on, we were just so exhausted after long days that we didn’t use it again until the last night at the hotel. To be fair, we also started having dinner at 8PM at night so it wasn’t practical to use it later than 10PM.

 Lastly, the room had a patio. Each patio had two chairs and a table. There was also a hammock that could be hung up. The only thing I didn’t like about the patio was the privacy. Set aside the side of the building we were on faced a main road and we were on the 1^st floor, the borders between the rooms were not private. Throughout the hotel, the patio borders start tall by the wall but curve down and end low by the guard rail. This leaves you faced with direct eye contact with your neighbors. I’m all for meeting new people and pushing your social boundaries (any other introverts out there?), but when I’m in my room, that is 100% “me” time, and I don’t want to think about or be subconscious about others around me.

Food and Drink

As I stated earlier, you’re technically paying for the included food with the increased room rate. However, it is extremely convenient to have all the options on-site and to not worry about charging plastic with exchange rates or worrying about carrying enough pesos. Another benefit is that you can get many options for dietary restrictions like vegan, gluten-free, or general allergies. The dining attire request reads as follows: “For the comfort of all guests, proper dress is required, thank you for not wearing gym attire, wet or beach clothes.” Most places allow casual clothes and even beach attire if you are dry and are wearing cover-ups. The only restaurant that strictly follows “black tie” is Chef’s Plate as it is the primo dining option (and even requires a separate charge – I go into detail in that section). Each restaurant has fun-themed cocktails to try that are delicious or at the very least, since they are included, worth trying once.

Spice – Buffet Dine-In Restaurant

Spice is located to the left as you walk to the main pool from the lobby area. It is the hotel’s main buffet restaurant that’s open for breakfast (7–11:30AM), lunch (12:30–4PM), and dinner (6–10:30PM). While breakfast and lunch are every day, dinner is not served on Tuesday.

Breakfast includes an omelet station, fruit/yogurt station, meat/cheese sandwich station, pastries station, and a waffles/pancakes station. Needless to say, there are many options! Lunch and dinner have staples like a taco station, seafood station, and various classics like mashed potatoes and mac ‘n’ cheese. There is also an ice cream and dessert station for those with sweet tooths.

The food was delicious, and I always looked forward to seeing what rotation of desserts on display for lunch and dinner. My go-to was the taco station for lunch and one day, the seafood station had jumbo prawns cooked to order. Yum!

Kalamata – Mediterranean Buffet Dine-In Restaurant

Kalamata is also a buffet located by the “quiet” pool. Walk past Spice and take the first small alley through the buildings. Continue to follow the signs’ directions to the northwest corner of the property. This restaurant is only open for breakfast (7–11:30AM) and dinner (5:30–10PM) every day.

Breakfast is very similar to Spice and while I didn’t try Kalamata for dinner, the menu says it has a pasta station, bread station, and a salad station. You can also order entrées like spaghetti and meatballs, lamb gyro, chicken parmesan, and Galician-style octopus. Now you might be thinking – Mediterranean – isn’t that Greek? How are spaghetti and meatballs Greek? Well, technically Spain and Italy have coastlines on the Mediterranean so yes, for an American, this might be a cultural translation stretch, but it is geographically correct.

Maria Petrona – Authentic Mexican Dine-In Restaurant

This dine-in restaurant only serves dinner from 6-11PM. The menu is online and has three tabs. There is a menu that is included with your stay. There is also a menu tab for prime steaks, and a bottled wine list, both of which are extra and not included. Maria Petrona is located on the other side of the lobby fountain from Spice.

There is a collection of cocktails included, but my favorite was the Petroncita – mezcal, grapefruit juice, lime juice, hibiscus infusion, and top of grape soda. It was a fun twist on a Paloma. I recommend the appetizer Cochinita Pibil for Tacos as a sharable or your own entrée – it’s a decent portion. This is a traditional Mayan dish where pork is marinated in spices, one so red it dyes the pork red. The pork is then wrapped in banana leaves and traditionally cooked over a fire. Now, since this is a hotel, I can’t say if it is traditionally prepared this way or not, but it does let you try an authentic dish in the Mayan region. As for actual appetizers, the corn on the cob is a great choice. A small portion of corn on the cob with cotija cheese, paprika, and mayonnaise sauce.

As someone who loves steaks, it was easy for me to order the New York Steak entrée, but Maria Petrona also has a Marinated Pork Shank, Chicken Breast, and Fish with Pipian to enjoy. The desserts that rounded out the meal were a “Tres Leches” Cake, Sweet Corn Cake, and The Frozen Churro. My hands down favorite dessert for the stay was the frozen churro. It is a churro disc cut in half with ice cream in between. It should really be called a Churro Ice Cream Sandwich! I can still taste the cinnamon, fried dough, and vanilla ice cream flavors in my mouth. Oops… I’m drooling thinking about it.

Asiana – Asian Fusion Restaurant

Located just out front of the main entrance to the hotel, Asiana serves food inspired primarily by Japanese culture but also has some Korean and Vietnamese dishes. It is only open for dinner from 6-10PM every day. The vibe is more upscale so I found myself wanting to wear my nicer clothes to enjoy the atmosphere.

I enjoyed the Sake Cucumber which is sake, cucumber, lemon juice, and simple syrup. I also enjoyed the Lychee Martini – vodka, mango flavoring, lychee, lemon juice and simple syrup. For appetizers, I found the edamame (don’t eat the skin), spring rolls, and Vietnamese rolls delicious. There is also sushi on the menu too. Order mainstream rolls like Spicy Tuna, Eel, California, and Shrimp Tempura. You can also order nigiri sushi and sashimi. Nigiri sushi is a slice of raw fish on rice whereas sashimi is just a slice of raw fish.

For the entrée, I did Shrimp Okonomiyaki one night and Tuna Tataki another night. Both were delicious and very unique! I’d never tried either before, but I can say I’ve tried them and enjoyed their flavors. There are also classics like Dengaku, Beef and Broccoli Stir-fry, Chicken Tandoori, and Pad Thai.

The desserts served at Asiana are Choconori, Asiana Kamelado, Banana Mille Feuille, and Peach Ice Cream Gyoza. My second favorite dessert on this trip was the Banana Mille Feuille. It layered puff pastry with sliced banana, a banana-flavored whipped crème, and chocolate drizzle. It was comforting and delicious!

Pelicanos – Caribbean Fusion Dine-In Restaurant

If you are craving Caribbean-inspired dishes, Pelicanos is the restaurant to try. It is located off the beach and is open for lunch (11:30AM-4PM) and dinner (5-10PM) every day. I only enjoyed a nice dinner here. It was quiet with some dinner conversation noise but I love the sounds of waves filling the background.

The special cocktail list favors fruity-themed flavors. The Pelicano Sour is white rum, lime juice, cranberry juice, and natural syrup. Gin, lime juice, strawberry, and cassis liquor is a Bramble & Strawberry. I enjoyed the Tequila Sunset – tequila, Aperol, pineapple juice, and fresh mint. Plus the Rumba – aged rum, almond liquor, orange juice, pineapple juice, and grenadine.

My mom, sisters, and I enjoyed sharing the fried calamari rings and beef and corn empanadas. Ceviche isn’t on my taste pallet, but Pelicanos offers a ceviche tasting if you’d like to try it. Ceviche is said to be a Peruvian traditional cuisine that is fish or shellfish marinated in citrus and seasonings. Being a seafood restaurant, the entrées include a Catch of the Day, Shrimp Skewers, Octopus, Surf ‘n’ Turf, and Frutti Di Mare Pasta.

Lastly, the desserts offered at Pelicanos were a Trio to Share and Mango Sorbet. Both were delicious. The trio had three bite-size desserts that included a passion fruit mousse, chocolate cake, and lemon tart.

Rincon Mexicano – Traditional Mexican Dine-In Restaurant

Rincon Mexicano shares the same open space as Pelicanos but the entrance is near the main pool’s bathrooms. Just find those and walk towards the building, you’ll see the entrance not far. Currently, it is only open for lunch from 12-5PM on Sunday and Saturday.

The cocktail menu had various Mezcalitas (pineapple, cucumber, and watermelon). There was also the signature cocktail called Jarrito Loco – tequila, orange juice, lime juice, grapefruit, and salt.

What I liked about this restaurant is that it had a taco station but also had a menu to order from. For appetizers, you could get a few small tacos. There was beef, pork, fried fish, and chicken for the protein of the tacos and a large spread of toppings like salsas, pickled onions, cheeses, etc. There were also soups, salads, and a shrimp cocktail you could order for appetizers. Some of the main entrées included Chicken Burritos, Plain or Chicken Quesadilla, Mexabowl, and Fajitas. The dessert was a brownie or a vanilla flan.

Chef’s Plate – International Haute Dine-In Cuisine

Saving the best and most expensive dine-in restaurant for last. Chef’s Plate is next to Maria Petrona. It is complimentary to rooms that are one-bedroom suite king, suite oceanfront king, and presidential suite king (basically the most expensive rooms). If you are not in those room types, it is an extra $60 per person. It is only open for dinner from 6-11PM and also has a stricter dress code for all the dining options at the Hilton. With the $60, you get one appetizer, one soup, an entrée, and a dessert. Walking into the restaurant, you see a huge wine rack walled room. It just feels like high-end elegance throughout the small space. With the small space comes a feeling of some privacy and peace. Halfway through our dining, a piano player started playing charming piano songs that just really set the tone for the haute environment.

With that, we all started by sharing a bottle of Segura Viudas Rosé, Brut. Because it was a sparkling wine, it was a nice balance of taste between fruity and dry. After the Sparkling Rosé, my mom and I switched to Valdubon Ribera del Duero Reserva Tempranillo 2017. My sisters (not big on wine) switched to the signature cocktails. The Sweet Queen is just coconut rum and white chocolate syrup. Very sweet and delicious, but might be a drink for sweet tooths. Elixir is cachaca (sugarcane liquor), raspberry vodka, white vermouth, lemon juice, and caramel syrup. What an elixir, huh? However, it just tastes like an apple pie drink (any Bartesian owners?). Delicious but not expected at all.

To choose from the appetizers, there was Surf & Turf Gyoza, Tuna Crudo (raw tuna slices), Caesar or Beet Salad, and Fresh Hand Cut Pasta. I got the Tuna Crudo – yellowfin tuna topped with soy sauce and chipotle mayonnaise drizzle. One sister got the Surf & Turf Gyoza. Cooked rib eye and shrimp are mixed together and stuffed in a gyoza and are to be dipped in a chili oil sauce. The other sister got a Caesar salad and my mom got a beet salad. She loves beets so it was a go-to choice for her. For the soup, we all got Lobster Bisque, but you can also get Asparagus Cream or Tomato Soup. As for the Lobster Bisque, the cream base was nice and you get 3-4 large pieces of lobster. I like there to be smaller pieces mixed throughout but that is not me saying this bisque wasn’t yummy. It was delicious!

On to the main course. One sister, my mom, and I got the Rib Eye Prime 280 GR. My other sister got a Braised Short Rib. Each was served with a side of steamed vegetables and garlic mashed potatoes. I had ordered medium rare with a beautiful pink in the middle. Delicious food!

Lastly, since there were four desserts and we all wanted to try all the desserts, we each ordered one of the four options. The options were Black Forest Cake, Key Lime Pie, Mammee (South American apricot) Cheesecake, and Apple Tart. Each one has a beautiful presentation and is scrumptious!

Aromas Café – Coffee Shop Dine-In Eatery

Open almost 24 hours, the cafe’s hours are from 6AM-11PM every day. Walking from the front desk, turn left and follow the curve of the walkway around to the other side and you’ll find Aromas Café. A variety of pastries is available with a selection of standard coffee and tea drinks made to order awaiting you there. And for midday cool-offs or late-night treats, there is gelato to enjoy as well.

Barefoot – Healthy Eating, Made to Order Grab ‘n’ Go

This made-to-order grab ‘n’ go is located just west of the main pool behind the lounge chairs. Barefoot serves breakfast (8-11AM) and lunch (11AM-6PM), but I only ate lunch there. It does serve great as a snack option for in-between times of the restaurant’s hours. My favorite go-to was the Poke Bowl – fresh tuna and veggies over rice topped with spicy mayo drizzle. My mom loved the Beet Salad. There are also wraps, pizzas, and sorbet.

Room Service

Lastly, for those nights when you are tired and want to stay in or just take a break from interacting with crowds of people (we all have one day like that…), there is room service, and it is 24 hours! Breakfast is from 5:30AM to Noon. Lunch/Dinner is from Noon to 11PM. And lastly, Midnight snacks are served from 11PM to 5:30AM. I only ever ordered from the lunch/dinner menu. You can order any included drinks which is an unlimited selection. From cocktails to canned beer and seltzers. For food, there are salads, soups, nachos, chicken wings, and sandwiches. Entrées include Spaghetti Bolognese, Pizza, Fish & Chips, Salmon, Chicken Breast, and Beef Tenderloin. For dessert, you can order chocolate, cheese, or carrot cake.

Hotel Activities

Activities throughout the hotel are not obviously advertised. Use the Hotel Activities website to find out each day’s schedule. There is yoga, water aerobics, water volleyball, craft sessions, dance lessons, music bands, dance performers, and even karaoke some nights. Most of the day activities are 45-60 minutes max. There are a variety of activity options available during the day; however, once the night arrives, the only things happening are in the lobby.

Each night has an opening act from ~7:30-8:15PM and is usually a band or music act. Then there is the main act which is usually dancers from ~8:30-9:15PM. I will say, the titles on these are not close to the actual event. One night, the act was titled “Rock Show.” I think it is going to be a rock band singing rock music. I was dead wrong. It was a dance performance to rock music, but it was like a discount Vegas stripper show. It was entertaining to me in a hilarious sense as I’ve never gotten any intended entertainment value from these shows, so I tend to find the humorous side of them. Then, the night rounds out with either more live bands or a themed “party” from ~9:30-10:15PM. I didn’t attend the parties as we usually ate dinner around 8PM so I can’t say how most of them went.

Pool

There are two pools. The main pool is in the main courtyard and the quiet pool is located in the far northwest corner of the property. There are also mini pools along the north building for the swim-up rooms, but those are private for those rooms. The pools are strictly open from 6AM to 10PM as the water is treated with chemicals daily. The main pool has a huge pool but between it and the beach is a smaller lazy river-style pool. It doesn’t have water running like a lazy river, rather it is just a pool shaped like an eclipse-like shape. This pool has access to the poolside bar and tends to be less crowded.

Surrounding the pools are cabanas around the immediate perimeter and lounge chairs on the outer perimeter. Lounge chairs are free, but the cabanas range from $100 to $200 depending on the location around the pool. Reserving a cabana can be worth the money as chairs can get full by 9AM. My group reserved a cabana for our second day and enjoyed it. We were on the beach side of the loop pool. It had a little traffic since we were next to the hotel’s main beach access, but much less crowded than the main pool area. The only other downside was that the in-pool volleyball court is over here so unless you want to play yourself, it could be annoying to have a sudden group of people appear with noise and splashing. Like I mentioned though – if you’d rather save your money, the lounge chairs are free and it has a built-in light vizor. It doesn’t totally block out the sun but makes it easier to get some shade. Another way to “avoid” spending money is to be a Diamond member. There is a section of cabanas on the beach for Diamond members only. Since my mom had this Hilton status, we utilized these for the rest of the stay. I also used the word avoid in quotes because we all know you have to spend quite a bit of money on stays to achieve Diamond status, but if you are like most and use points on trips like these, it is a nice perk!

Lastly, wherever you end up on a cabana or lounge chair, the pool has dedicated staff that can take drink and food orders for you. The northwest side of the pool is going to have sun most of the day with the southeast side getting shade around early afternoon. The main pool also includes a decent-sized hot tub located in the shade that fills up in the afternoon as the shade dwellers seek warmth.

Beach

First and foremost, no matter where you go in Mexico, all beaches are federally owned. Regardless of where you go 75% of the time, you’ll find it hard to get to a beach that doesn’t have some sort of crowd. As I noted above, the hotel does have hotel guest-only cabanas. One section is for Diamond members and the other is for other guests to rent like the ones by the pool.

The other thing to be careful with is the landscape of the beach. The area directly in front of the Diamond Cabanas is littered with rocks in the water. There are even signs warning you to watch for rocks. But when I say rocks, I mean huge boulders with ridged sharp cuts that can slice your feet and legs. I had to learn that day one. I found that going to the left/up the beach yielded areas with less rock to take a dip in the ocean.

Some other things to note – there is a flag system in use. Green is the most favorable. Yellow means caution. Red is bad and no swimming. Black means the beach is completely closed and don’t get near the water. To verify the flag’s meaning, please ask the lifeguards on duty, there is a guard lookout by the hotel’s main beach access walkway.

Finally, I think it is best to avoid late spring and early summer travel as the beaches experience sargassum season or seagrass season. This is typically from May to October and liters the beaches with seagrass. Not only will it make the beaches look rough but the color of the grass in the water has been known to make the beautiful turquoise hue disappear. From my experience and what many say in the Facebook groups I followed – there seems to be a preference for November to January.

Offsite Excursions

Located across from the gift shop, there is a desk with “Discova” in big letters and another desk by the towels at the main pool. There are different attendants each day but Discova works with legit tour companies to provide excursions throughout the area and some key destinations inland west like Chichen Itza. One hands down fantastic benefit is that they take care of transportation throughout the whole day! They pick you up at the hotel and either use that shuttle van all day or shuttle to a coach bus for longer distance excursions. The tour guides also take care of getting into the sites by giving you wristbands or individual tickets to enter. We purchased two excursions and I will detail each to give you an idea of what to expect. One was a sea turtle snorkeling with a visit to ruins in Tulum. The other was Chichen Itza.

Tulum/Sea Turtles/Cenote – Ocean Tours Playa

The day started with the shuttle van picking us up at 7:10 in the morning from the hotel. The tour group had a total of 12 people. It was my group of four, a family of 4, and a group of 4 friends. The first stop was the ruins in Tulum which is roughly 60 minutes travel. Our guide, Víctor, introduced himself and the driver and gave us the rundown of the plans for the day and some general rules.

Tulum Ruins

While Tulum is the city of Mexico, it is also the name of the ruins. Tulum was an ancient Mayan ocean port city. The heart of the ancient city is all that remains, and it is a fairly small square acreage given how big places like Chichen Itza are. What’s always fascinating about ancient cultures, especially Mayan culture, is the vast knowledge of the sun and moon. The city of Tulum had extra help as the water was right there to help understand direction. Based on the way the sun rose and set – its path – Mayan Leaders could “predict” agriculture and weather. I think our guide put it best. Today’s politics involve leaders who promise a lot and produce nothing. Put yourself in the mindset of a Mayan person from ancient times. There is limited knowledge of how the world works but the leader says that we need to sacrifice and hold a ceremony for the gods for good crops. And imagine that occurs and you get great crops. From a modern perspective, the crops were only bountiful because the leaders used the sun’s path to know when Spring arrived to plant crops and Fall arrived to harvest. You can now understand the power these ancient Mayan leaders had. The ruins are perched on 12-meter-high cliffs. That’s 40 feet tall! Almost three stories tall.

Akumal – Tortugas

After visiting the ruins, we were shuttled to Akumal where the beach for Tortuga (turtle) snorkeling is located. Again, the entrance was a chaotic mess of tourists, but our guide had given us wristbands and walked us through the gates. With the excursion costs, the tour company provides snorkels. Flippers are not allowed as they don’t want to risk tourists damaging the coral reefs. They boated us out about two football fields from the coast and we snorkeled back to shore. It was a good 30-45 minutes of snorkeling. I saw three tortugas (it’s just fun to say), two sting rays, a starfish, and many tropical fish. It was a lot of fun! I would highly recommend using a GoPro if you have it. I didn’t but had a waterproof phone necklace and was able to get video and pictures. The tour company also has a photographer who takes group pictures and pictures of you and your group snorkeling.

Cenote – Yam Balam

At the last site, we were treated to lunch. Tacos, rice, and salsa salad were on the menu. The taco choices were chicken and mushroom, pork, or roasted tomato chicken. We were a little rushed but still allowed to have seconds if we desired. Lastly, we visited the cenote. Cenotes are where underground rivers are exposed naturally. They can be holes in the ground, sinkholes, or even caves. This cenote was a cave, and the water was so clear. It was amazing to see how clear the water was! All cenotes require you not to use sunscreen as they are the primary resource used for drinking water throughout the region.

I think what I loved most about this cenote was the intimate tour we got, and we swam through it. I’ll talk in more detail about the other cenote I visited with the Chichen Itza tour, but that one had crowds and touristy vibes that gave a cut-and-paste experience. This cenote – Yum Balam – was a cave cenote that you swam through and since there were only 12 of us in the tour group, it was intimate and enjoyable. I felt like I was getting my own experience. At one point, we even saw bats sleeping on the cave ceiling! How cool?!

Overall, I would highly recommend this tour. You do need to be able to swim as you’ll need to snorkel and move through the cenote. You can book this at the Discova desk at the Hilton PDC hotel or if you want to see what other tours they offer, can visit the Ocean Tours website.

Chichen Itza – Ekinox Tours

The other item on our to-do list was to visit Chichén Itzá since it is one of the famed Wonders of the World! However, it is located over two hours into the peninsula and even crosses a time zone. I am a play-it-safe traveler. I’d rather utilize a reputable tour company to get me to and into an attraction than drive two hours into the countryside metaphorically blind as a bat. I could barely take the traffic from the airport, and I was not even driving!

What was included in this tour was Chichén Itzá, Ik Kal Cenote, Kaua (Food Stop), and Valladolid. Kaua is where we stopped for a late lunch and had an opportunity to purchase authentic Mayan stone and crystal statues. We were picked up from the hotel and taken to a gas station where a huge coach bus was waiting. Other shuttles were there with the other tour guests who had also been picked up.

Once our reservation was confirmed, we got on the coach bus and were quickly on our way. Because we booked through Discova, our tour included a boxed meal to eat or save. Another family on the tour was staying at a hotel and got a boxed meal so I’m assuming there must be a Discova desk as there was no one else on the tour who got boxed meals. Overall, the tour group was a full coach bus of people. It was a lot of people and made it very frustrating at times when one family in particular didn’t respect meeting times (they were constantly 15-30 minutes over).

Chichén Itzá

The first stop was Chichén Itzá! Believe it or not, it took a whole hour just to park! Again, why would you want to drive? There were huge crowds as expected. One thing to note – if you have little ones, you will have to buy a special children’s ticket. The guide will show you where to purchase this. Once that and restroom breaks were sorted, we entered the property. While cameras are allowed, there is a $3 GoPro fee if you choose to take one into the premises. You first notice that the huge structure is nowhere to be seen and you’ll need to walk down a long half-mile path to even get to it. Along this road and through the complex, there are vendors set up with goods and souvenirs to sell. It gets annoying, especially with the jaguar call whistles, but if you are going to get a souvenir, do so away from the main hub. You’ll be able to negotiate better prices.

The area in which the giant temple sits isn’t the first. The tour our guides walked us through was in chronological order. We actually started with an ancient observatory. It was expertly constructed to observe the sun, moon, stars, and anything related to astronomy. Interestingly, even though the massive 4 square miles was originally found by Mayans, the earlier architecture suggests the use of puuc styles. This was common among the Toltecs – another Mesoamerican culture. Other structures with puuc architecture included the Akab Dzib or “House of the Mysterious Writing.” This building hosts tons of imagery of the rain god Chaac. At first glance may look like an elephant nose, but it is hypothesized that the Mayans just believed that Chaac had an elongated human-like nose.

Once the early structures were seen, we made our way back to the main plaza but stopped by a smaller temple. One question you might have is why are these called temples and not pyramids? After all, the structures have a square base and build up to a point. One clear distinction is that the pyramids found in Egypt were tombs and these Mayan buildings were used for religious ceremonies. The more technical distinction is that pyramids are a mathematical construct while the other refers to a religious or communal affiliation.

Finally, we made it back to the main plaza and got free time to explore the main temple – El Castillo (The Castle). Looking at this massive structure, what doesn’t make you wonder? The first feeling you get is how small you are. You can immediately imagine how scared and easily won over the ancient Mayans would have to see special Chiefs and Priests so high in the sky away from the average crowdgoer. Then you’re struck with awe as the perfection of edges and steps come into focus. In certain astronomical situations, the temple sits perfectly so that when the spring and fall equinoxes occur, the corner’s step-like ridges line up perfectly with the straight inclined decorative chute that lines one side of the steps. Shadowed triangles dance along the side of the decorative chute, combined with the snake head at the start of the steps at the ground, giving the illusion of a snake slithering down the temple! While El Castillo was built near Mayan/Toltecs, the area was invaded by a group called the Itzás who built the temple. Hence the name “Chichén Itzá.” Though there is some speculation that the Itzás came 200 years later, that is still to be determined.

Lastly, we toured the arena. You could think of this as a Mayan Colosseum. In Rome, games were used for entertainment; however, Mayans used the ball game “tlachtli” [pok-ta-pok] to determine who would be sacrificed. In an unusual twist, it was the winner who was sacrificed as it was seen as an honor for a warrior. Losers were typically beheaded. Tlachtli consists of two small stone rings sitting opposite each other and the circle positioned vertically. My best way to describe this is similar to soccer in that participants could only use their hips, elbows, shoulders, etc to touch the ball. The goal was to get the ball through the rings high above them.

Cenote – Ik Kil

This location where the cenote resides is the very definition of a “tourist” trap. Crowds and children were running everywhere. It was a little chaotic, but still a unique experience. The cenote is a HUGE hole in the ground. You can get free lockers with the Ekinox tour to store your change of clothes and other belongings. Careful though as they are smaller than an amusement park locker. Unlike the shallow cave cenote, the bottom of this cenote is hundreds of miles below you. Due to this, I decided my electronics were not worth the gamble so I do not have pictures to share.

What made this cenote unique was that there was a tall platform one story high that you could jump off into the cenote water. I jumped off twice. Ideally, you jump pencil style with feet first and arms crossed. The first jump was decent form but the second time was not. When I jumped the second time, I let my balance skew and my body started to angle backward. Luckily it was enough for a back flop but I still got my thighs which were bruised the day after. So, just understand that while fun, if not done right, the jump can result in painful outcomes.

Kaua – Food Stop

On the way to Valladolid, we stopped at a restaurant in Kaua. The restaurant was a buffet that served Mayan-inspired foods as well as “safe” foods like pasta for the picky eaters. The main entrée was tacos and there were several options for protein like carne asada (shredded beef), cochinita pibil (pork with traditional Mayan spices), pescado (fish), and chicken. Can’t go wrong with tacos! The tour we booked with Discova allowed us one drink with our meal. Everyone else had to pay extra for their drinks if they chose to get one. The meal even had locals performing Mayan dancing with all the traditional clothes.

Following the meal, we were then given a tour of some of the behind-the-scenes going on at this restaurant and the stone statue next door. Being the foodie I am, I loved learning about how cochinita pibil is made and what herbs and spices are used, and most are obviously found in Mexico. The spice that gives this dish its signature red color is achiote. Achiote is from a small shrub and is typically used to give foods a smoky flavor. Once the herbs and spices are ground together in a stone mill, water is added, and pork is placed inside the bowl to marinade. After marination, the pork is wrapped in banana leaves and cooked over a fire.

Cochinita Pibil Marinade Ingredients:

• Achiote
• Garlic
• Oregano
• Clove
• Pepper
• Bay Leaves
• Cinnamon
• Sour Orange Juice and zest

The rest of the walk around the small property included seeing how authentic taco tortillas are made. A woman sat by a fire covered by a flat griddle-like pan. She rolled out the portions of dough and placed them on the fire to cook. It was very fun to see her rhythm and process as the tortillas cooked fast.

Lastly, we were introduced to the master stone craftsman. It is a Mayan tradition to use stone, mainly obsidian, for stone statues and jewelry. After the tour, we were given 30 minutes to walk around the large store that had various statues and jewelry to purchase. There is a special tradition that uses turtles to show the physical and spiritual growth of a person. From the inner area of a turtle’s shell, there are 13 sections representing a sort of calendar for the year. Now you might think it is weird to have 13 sections when one usually thinks of 12 months in a year, but there are 13 moons in a year. For the outer ring, there are 28 sections for the 28 days in between each moon. Continuing with the numeric touches, 28 days times 13 moons gives the Mayans 364 days in a year. It all comes full circle. Another popular item is a necklace used to ward off bad spirits and bring good to oneself. If purchased at this shop, the shamans will even perform a purification ritual on the necklace for you. Be expected to spend a lot of money on these crafted stone pieces. A tiny figurine was $30 USD, medium-sized statues for $60 USD, and large statues were over $100 USD!

Valladolid

For the last stop of the day, we had a quick 45 minutes to explore and small courtyard square in the center of Valladolid. Food vendors were selling delicious savory and sweet treats as well as performers dressed in traditional Mayan attire showcasing tlachtli. I got a better idea of how this game was done as the performers only used their hips and shoulders to pass the ball back to each other. Of course, if you feel their performance deserved it, they had a tip jar for any generous watchers.

We got in line for a food vendor serving marquesitas. The best I can describe it is a Mexican waffle cone, but it is rolled up and filled with various savory or sweet fillings. It is rolled up and served to eat on the go. There were options like Nutella con queso (with parmesan), mango con lechera y Philadelphia (with milk crème drizzle and cream cheese), jamon y queso (ham and parmesan), and Nutella con fresa o platano (with strawberry or banana). I had never thought to put Nutella and Parmesan together and was surprised at how popular that was! My group ended up sharing a Nutella with banana and a mango with milk crème and cream cheese. They were both delicious and it makes me want to try making these at home now!

Conclusion

I loved this hotel, and I can say that I highly recommend it for a vacation to Mexico. It was a lot of fun, and the location was great! I think if you are looking for a stress-free vacation where you do little planning but still have awesome memories, this hotel would be a great recommendation – especially if it is your first vacation to Mexico. You can decide if you want to experience as much or as little as you’d like outside of the resort. You can be a pool person one day, a beach boss the next, and an adventurous explorer the day after that! The possibilities are endless as to what you can do on this trip!

I would say the best thing about this resort is the app or website – whichever you prefer to use. The menus are all located there, plus you can check out the daily activities, get general or specific information about the hotel, and so much more! It is a vital resource that I learned to utilize very quickly. Again, I also recommend joining those Facebook groups to get “real-time” information. Many people like posting current beach conditions or magic box goodies when they checkout.

I really liked the variety of food choices and how each restaurant had its own theme and cocktails to try. But I think the drinks were my favorite part! I loved being able to try so many different cocktails and not stress about wasting money on something I didn’t like! Even at the pool, I was rotating around mimosas, pina coladas, mango tangos, Palomas, every-flavor-they-could-offer margaritas, and so much more! There is truly a drink for everyone to enjoy regardless of their palate preferences.