In October 2010, I started planning my dream vacation, my honeymoon, to Playa Del Carmen, Mexico!  My experience in Mexico vacationing was not extensive, the yearly mission trek with my church to Tijuana and three afternoon stops to various cities while on a cruise were the most I had traveled in Mexico. Patty at Totem Travel helped me plan this vacation every step of the way.  She was patient, efficient, responsive and had prepared us for our trip!

When we arrived at The Royal Playa Del Carmen Resort we were in awe.  The hotel looked exactly like the pictures and exceeded every imaginable dream and expectation we had for our honeymoon. The Royal Playa is an all inclusive hotel, something John and I had never experienced. The all inclusive service is outstanding. The food, alcohol, entertainment, pool/beach service, room service etc. was perfect on every level.  The staff was always available with a smile and at times we felt they knew what we wanted before we even asked!

The food was amazing and literally had every cuisine imaginable to choose from. My husband happily enjoyed steak every night for dinner, while I indulged in all of the tasty seafood dishes they offered.  The food was fresh, always hot and cooked upon order and served so beautifully.  The Pellicano Grill was our favorite restaurant to go to.  It was ocean front and had a casual feel at lunch, and semi formal feel during dinner.  The staff was always working hard and there was never a moment where you had an empty glass.  The bar staff at this resort always made sure you were having a great time and made incredibly strong drinks.  I recommend the Riviera Maya drink to anyone that visits this resort, fun and fruity, the perfect pair for a pool day!

Our hotel was right along the water and was in the middle of the infamous “5th Avenue” which is a pedestrian only walking town, full of amazing shopping and excellent restaurants. The colors, smells, and culture were exciting, new and fun to experience! Staying at The Royal Playa gave us endless access and options of things to locally! On our trip we visited the Mayan Ruin towns of Chichen Itza and Tulum and also visited Xel-Ha, which is an ecological water park. All three were so worth it and our hotel helped set these tours up!

We recommend visiting Playa Del Carmen and staying at The Royal Playa Del Carmen in a heartbeat.  Every single aspect of our trip was perfect, from the planning stages, to actually being there and now being home and sharing stories and forever holding the memories near and dear to our hearts! We can’t wait to plan our return back!

-Kathleen & John Kiefer

The Royal In Playa Del Carmen is perfect for those who want a little bit of everything from a luxurious rooms, good food, nice pools, beach and resort atmosphere yet also want to be centrally located so you can walk to shopping and other activities.  If you wish to book The Royal In Playa Del Carmen, you can either book directly online or give me (Patty) a call at 1-800-321-7907.

If you are looking for more of a private or remote resort in Riviera Maya, let me know and I’ll introduce you to some of our other favorite resorts in Riviera Maya. I can be reached by email at patty@totemtravel.com as well.  I personally specialize in Mexico as well as other fabulous destinations which you can learn about by visiting our website at www.totemtravel.com    We are happy to help you get away to the perfect spot in the destination of your choice!

One of our all time favorite family friendly all inclusive resorts is opening a new location on a gorgeous beach in Cancun Mexico and there are villas and suites for a family of five!  The Iberostar Resort chain purchased the former Hilton Cancun Hotel property and has been busy renovating areas such as the lobby, restaurants and other areas to get them to “Iberostar” standards for the December 2011 grand opening.

The quick facts are this resort sits on a nice big beach and features rooms, suites and villas. There are seven infinity pools, tennis courts, soccer field, spa and gym facilities on site, as well as a 18 hole golf course. There will be 4 specialty restaurants including, Japanese, gourmet, steakhouse and Mexican. They will also be adding a kids club with small water park and youth program area. There will be 426 ocean view rooms, 23 suites and 82 private villas to choose from

For those of you that have experienced Iberostar Tucan or Quetzal or the Iberostar Paraiso complex south of Cancun, this resort will offer the same high standard of service, food quality and clean rooms and environment. The main difference besides location will be their Cancun resort is in more of a modern style complete with sleek infinity pools and more modern interiors in the rooms. And for those of you who have run into the problem as a family of five and having to book two separate rooms at the other Iberostar Resorts, there are private villas at this resort as well as interconnecting suites. This will be a fantastic option if you are a family of five or a family with teens who need more space.

We have sent hundreds of clients to the Iberostar All Inclusive Resorts with great feedback and are excited to have another fabulous Iberostar for families. If you would like help planning a family vacation to the new Iberostar in Cancun or one of their other resorts in Riviera Maya, Jamaica or Dominican Republic, give us a call at 1-800-321-7907. I can also be reached by email at patty@totemtravel.com

Click here for Slideshow

If you are looking for the best “adult only” all inclusive vacation in Riviera Maya, look no further than the El Dorado Seaside Suites Resort.  The El Dorado Seaside Suites is one of the best all inclusive vacation values in Riviera Maya and happens to be a favorite destination of many of our clients.

El Dorado Seaside Suites is conveniently located only fifteen minutes south of the fun town of Playa Del Carmen and yet the resort is close to several interesting and worthwhile off resort excursions. While El Dorado Seaside Suites is a five star, luxurious and gourmet “all inclusive” resort yet it is quite affordable and at certain times a year rooms start at as little as under $300 per night!  Whether you are looking for the most romantic place to honeymoon or the best place to celebrate an anniversary or just looking to get away with other couples, the El Dorado Seaside Suites is a fantastic choice.  Here is what some of our clients are saying about the resort:

Patty,

Just wanted to thank you again for making all of our travel arrangements. The resort was FANTASTIC! So beautiful and everyone was so friendly. They absolutely bent over backwards to be sure we were taken care of.  We are already scheming to find a way to get back there again soon. We met so many wonderful people and plan to continue to stay in touch. We even discussed getting together there again next year. The whole experience was better than I dreamed it would be.

Thanks again, Barb and Joe Sandegren

These are the sort of comments we receive when our clients return from this beautiful resort.  So if you are looking to plan that special trip, we would be happy to help you see what everyone is raving about.  Best of all, you have four El Dorado Resorts in Riviera Maya to choose from.  Give us a call at 1-800-321-7907 or you can book this beautiful resort directly on line. Get personalized help at no extra cost!

Click for a slideshow of the Garza Blanca Preserve

I recently had the pleasure to tour the Garza Blanca Preserve on the south shore of Banderas Bay, outside Puerto Vallarta. This resort is absolutely beautiful, brand new, and in a fantastic tropical jungle setting, on a private beach.

Garza Blanca Preserve is a contemporary hotel set amid the lush hills and mountains of a nature preserve.  Walking paths lead guests to the private, secluded beach below.  Garza Blanca Preserve is designed to complement its surroundings, with a relaxed atmosphere for families and couples seeking that stress-free Puerto Vallarta vacation.

With only 82 guestrooms and suites, Garza Blanca Preserve Resort is not a mega resort, but more quiet and intimate.  Guestrooms feature furnished balconies, marble bathrooms with separate tubs and showers, plush bathrobes.  Suites, 1 to 3 bedrooms, have full kitchens, living rooms, dining rooms, and laundry facilities.  The suite terraces are huge, with a wet bar, and are the perfect setting for family get-togethers, even a small wedding reception!

Within the Garza Blanca Preserve Resort are 2 swimming pools, one just for kids, a poolside bar, with snacks and beverages, as well as the gourmet restaurant Blanca Blue.  Baby sitting service is also available, so mom and dad can have that romantic private candlelit dinner on the beach!

If luxurious, beachfront, accommodations, in a peaceful setting, are on your wish-list, Garza Blanca Preserve Resort, in Puerto Vallarta is the place for you.  Whether for a family vacation, a wedding, honeymoon,  or a couples retreat, Garza Blanca Preserve Resort offers something for everyone!

Please give me a call, Sandi, 425-821-4100, or send me an email to start the ball rolling on your luxury vacation!

At Totem Travel you will get personalized help from a travel expert, at no extra cost!