If you are dreaming of a destination wedding, then your head is already swimming with resorts, wedding packages, and potential costs. We are here to help you sort this out and provide some much needed stress relief!

Coordinating travel arrangements for your group of guests requires careful planning. As a Destination Wedding Travel Planner, I will help you find a destination, resort, and wedding package that matches your wish list and spending plan as closely as possible. Once I narrow down the options for you and you make your resort choice, normally, I will assist you in confirming your wedding date and wedding package choice with the resort through a wedding day contract. From there, I will assist you with confirming a group rate for your wedding room block and begin educating and assisting your guests on how they can book their room in your contracted room block. To ensure the best fit for you and your guests, two contract options are available to accommodate your type of group, number of travelers, and flexibility of schedule.

Check out part 1 of my destination wedding series here.

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WHAT IS A ROOM BLOCK?

Typically a group of 10 or more guest rooms that resort puts on hold at a specific “negotiated” rate for a group of people. While room blocks normally need at least 10 rooms or more to qualify for the potential special rates or concessions, some hotels will actually provide this with only 6 rooms.

These “negotiated rates” are typically a standard rate (sometimes discounted) set by the hotel or management company for wedding groups. So..in essence, they aren’t really negotiated haha.

Once this has been set up, you will either be given a link or promo code for your guests to book into your group. As a Destination Wedding Travel Agent, I would help all of your guests with booking and coordinating details for travel.

Traditional OR CONTACTED groupS

This is the perfect booking option for travelers that are traveling on the same itinerary who need a flexible payment and cancellation policy for the entire group. This option typically has more perks associated as there is a contact made with the hotel or tour operator.

A traditional group typically consists of:

• 10 or more rooms (20 or more people)

• All traveling together (but with various date combinations)

• Set price for all travelers with pre-reserved room block inventory!

This option requires a signed contract with the resort in order to pull guest rooms out of inventory. In this contract, you will need to guarantee that a certain amount of the rooms will be sold or you’ll have to pay for them regardless. The contract will state the nightly rate based on occupancy, the amount and type of rooms available to book, and the repercussions of not booking all of the rooms in the block. This consequence is often called an attrition clause.

An attrition clause is when a group doesn’t live up to the room block agreement and payment is required to make up for the rooms not booked. For example, some high traffic hotels might have a 90% guarantee, meaning that you must book 90% of the total rooms in your block. So, if you’ve requested the resort to block 10 rooms in the contract, then you will be financially responsible for 9 of them, even if they are not booked by your guests.

As a destination wedding travel agent, I will oftentimes negotiate something called a “drop date”. A drop date is normally about 6 months or so before your wedding. This allows you to return any un-booked rooms in your room block, with no penalty, so you’re not responsible for them. This is my job so try not to worry too much about it!

Flexible and courtesy Groups

They're ideal for small groups of 10 or more who want to vacation together at the same resort, yet need flexibility with their travel dates, flights, length of stay, or who may be traveling from different cities.

• No need to sign a group contract!

• Guests can book from any origin and the hotel will still see them coming as one group

• You can customize every booking to the clients' individual travel needs

Sometimes resorts will offer what is called a Courtesy Room Block, which is a block of a certain number and type of rooms that the hotel has set aside for you as a “courtesy”. You’ll sometimes be given a special rate for these rooms, but not always. These rooms do not have to be financially guaranteed that they will be booked by you or your guests. Even though you are not financially responsible for these rooms getting booked, you may still be asked to sign a contract.

The contract outlines that the hotel will hold these rooms for you at “x” rate and the date the rooms will be released to the public. After the rooms are released, your guests will not be able to book a room at the terms offered in your room block contract. Generally, hotels will offer 10 or so rooms on a courtesy room block, but it all depends on the specific hotel.

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Why CHOOSE a Contracted group when a Courtesy or flexible group has no penalties?

• Courtesy room blocks may not be offered at the resort that you have chosen for your wedding. Mid to higher end hotel chains and most all-inclusive resorts will not offer a courtesy room block as an option. This is most likely found at a lower end hotel or resort.

• Another reason to book a contracted room block is that the hotel or resort is at risk of booking up leaving your guests with no room availability for your wedding date. This could happen due to booking a busy hotel that fills quickly or the date chosen is during a busy week or weekend. Unfortunately, most guests will wait until the last minute to book their room. If you didn’t set up a room block, then they may not be able to come to your wedding.

• You require several rooms for your wedding group. Again, if your guests wait until the last minute to book, the rooms may be gone, and they may not be able to come to your wedding. Couples sometimes think that blocking a large quantity of rooms will give them negotiating power. If the number of rooms that guests book are not guaranteed, there is more risk from the resort’s perspective. The more rooms you request, the less favorable the contract terms will be in most cases.

WHEN SHOULD WE SET UP THE ROOM BLOCK?

Once your destination wedding location is confirmed, you should set up the room block for your group. The booking rate and payment terms are likely to be more favorable the sooner you contract your wedding room block with the resort.

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More questions? Check out part 3 of my destination wedding series with some frequency asked questions here OR email me at lauren@thatblondetravels.com.

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Why Choose ME

Lauren Bailey Travel and Event Co. (That Blonde Travels, LLC) is dedicated to ensuring your experience, as well as your guests, is seamless from start to finish. When reserving your destination wedding with us, you'll enjoy:

• Flexible deposit, payment, and cancellation options

• The best vacation prices—including hotel and activities

• Complimentary room upgrades and money-saving offers based on group size

• Customized itineraries and group activities

• Group Travel Protection Plan, protecting your travel investment

• You'll receive professional, personalized one-stop-shop service

To get started schedule your complimentary consultation today!

So, you just got engaged and you think to yourself immediately - DESTINATION WEDDING!

Next step, google “Destination Wedding” and you’re like whaaaaaa…hold up (la de da de da - please tell me you get this reference)…when more than 15 million results hit your screen. You think to yourself “wow, there’s a ton of info” and “where do I even begin” and “I’m already overwhelmed”. After you’ve clicked through a seemingly endless amount of websites, you’re more confused than ever. Where should I have the wedding? How expensive is this going to be? Where do I even start? Maybe I should just go to the courthouse..

If this sounds like you, then welcome! With so much information available, it can be hard to decipher what is what. This is where I come in! Hopefully, you had someone refer you in my direction, or maybe all your googling found me. No matter how you ended up here, I’m happy to have you and to help, so grab yourself a glass of wine (or champagne, this is wedding planning after all!) and read on.

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PLANNING PROCESS

STEP 1: CHOOSE A DESTINATION WEDDING PLANNER

Your destination wedding planner (or destination wedding travel agent) will help you narrow down location, choose a date, negotiate rates and concessions for you, etc. In order to get as many of your “must-haves” as possible, we will take a look at your spending plan (or make one) to guide you to the right location or venue.

Where you start this process, will determine how fun or how much of a headache the planning process, travel, and wedding day will be.

STEP 2: LET’S DISCUSS

We will jump on a video chat and discuss all things relating to your wedding. This will take roughly an hour, so grab a glass of wine and get comfy on the couch and let’s discuss all your wedding dreams!

There is so much to talk about. Here are some examples of things that we will discuss..

• What are your wedding absolute musts?

• What kinds of activities do you want to have for you, your guests, or even on your honeymoon?

• How many guests?

• Are children allowed?

• Is your wedding date flexible?

• Are you looking for an all-inclusive resort or an off-site venue?

• Do you want an outdoor or indoor ceremony and reception?

• Do you want a legal or symbolic ceremony?

• Are you planning on bringing any of your own vendors, like a photographer?

The biggest tip I can give is to BE HONEST! If you really want something or really don’t want something, you need to tell us about it or we won’t know (We don’t have ESP-N or something - lol). Another tip - and this is a huge one - please don’t lie about your spending plan! Most couples have a spending plan in mind, but instead of telling their destination wedding planner, they give us a much lower number to “see what magic they can do”. This is a HUGE waste of time, for both you and us. Give us the honest info and we’ll give you the best options we can find or we will tell you if that number just isn’t feasible for what you are wanting. Either way, honesty is the best policy.

step 3: DESTINATION WEDDING PLANNER GOES TO WORK

After we finish our video chat and you go relax, I get to work figuring out what locations and resorts work for your budget, guests, and wedding preferences. From here, we will narrow it down to a few options and I will reach out to the resort’s wedding department to inquire about wedding dates. This could narrow our search down even more as some of the resorts may not have your preferred date available.

Once we have 1 – 3 locations in mind that have your wedding date options available, we will put together room rates for you and your guests, based on the types of rooms that are available and the options you’ve asked for, and present them to you for review.

How does this happen? Sometimes, we reach out to the resorts directly and other times we work with something called a “tour operator”. A tour operator buys or owns a very high volume of travel components and will then package these components for travel agents to sell. In order to purchase or book this way, you need to be a travel agent (with a CLIA or IATA number).

Why would we use a tour operator versus booking directly with the resort, you ask? First, a tour operator books millions of dollars a year with these resorts, so when something goes awry, you have more than one avenue of complaining and being able to get a resolution. Second, they offer travel protection in the form of travel insurance to protect your investment. Last, the rates will be the same as when booking directly with the hotel so why not have a huge company backing your event to make sure that things go according to the way they are planned.

We then present these options to you and go over room rates, contract, wedding packages, etc.

STEP 4: CHOOSE YOUR VENUE

After reviewing all of the options presented, you say yes! to the venue! Once we get your approval, we will proceed with a contract to secure your wedding date and room block. Woot woot! Other than the legal stuff, this is super exciting!

How does this happen? Your destination wedding planner/travel agent will first re-contact the resort that you have chosen and ask them to proceed with a contract for the wedding ceremony date and time. The resort will need your exact names – very important – address, email, and phone numbers. A contract will be prepared with this information and emailed to you for a signature. Normally, there is a small window to get this contract signed and returned – usually 1 to 2 days. You’ll fill out the contract, signing each item, and return it. The resort will ask for your credit card or your bank information at this time and will charge you a small ceremony deposit – usually around $250 or so, but each location is different (here lately the ones that I have been doing are $1000).

Once the resort has received this information, they will email a confirmation of your deposit payment an you are officially on the books. Your wedding date and time is reserved and I will email over a confirmation receipt to you.

Once the resort has secured your ceremony date and time, you will, in most cases, be assigned an “on site wedding planner/coordinator” from the resort.

I pride myself on being super responsive to emails and messages. If you’re like me, then this is a super important message for you! Once your contract is signed and your date is reserved with the resort, communication from them will typically slow down significantly. This might drive you crazy if you let it (just like it does me!), but realize that they are on island time. As your wedding gets closer, the response time will get better and better. Just make sure to cc me on all of those emails and we will make sure that everything gets taken care of! *wink* This does not mean that you aren’t important! They just have a lot of Brides that they are working with that may have wedding dates sooner than yours.

step 5: set up your room block

After your on-site destination wedding planner receives your wedding confirmation, we send it on to the tour operator. They then proceed with the contract for the room blocks for your guests. If you’d like more clarification on setting up room blocks for your wedding, or why you should do so, check out part 2 in my destination wedding series that explains it.

The room block contract will be sent via email and again you’ll have a short window to sign and return it with the initial deposit. We can schedule a quick call with you to go over the contract and discuss any questions you might have before signing if needed. The room block contract will show the deposit amount, when it is due, all of the payment milestones along the way, and the date for the final payment. Any other costs associated with the travel - travel insurance, attrition rates, etc - will also be listed.

How much is the deposit? The deposit varies with each room block. It could be as little as $50 – $100 per room to 50% (or even the whole amount) of the room rate. This just depends on the resort you choose, how many days before your wedding you book, and a number of other factors. Normally, the further in advance you book your room block, the more agreeable the deposit.

Don’t forget, up until you have signed the contract on any part of your wedding – room pricing, ceremony details, airfare – the rates are subject to change. Travel components can change VERY frequently. There is such a short window to sign the contract because, until signed, the rates can change at any time!

Once your room block contract is signed and returned with payment, your destination wedding planner will receive a confirmation email. which we forward onto you.

STEP 6: SAVE THE DATES AND YOUR WEDDING WEBSITE

We set up your wedding website where you will send your guests. This will have all of the information about the wedding – the location information and photos, time of events, how to book their rooms and travel, info on transportation to and from the location, passport information, and just about anything else that guests need to know. You can fully customize this site and can also post information about yourselves, like how you met, photos of together, registry information, a timeline or itinerary, dress code, etc.

This will be the place where you can send guests that gives them all of the information and help eliminate a ton of texts and calls to you asking about anything and everything under the sun. You can just tell them to go to your website and if they still have issues give them my email and we will get it worked out!

At this point, you will compile a list of your guests and give it your wedding planner/travel agent -very important!

STEP 7: VISIT THE RESORT

If you have the time, and you’re able, I’d recommend taking a few days to visit the resort you’ve selected to check out the ceremony locations and chat with their on-site wedding coordinator. Once you’ve selected a specific resort as your wedding location, some will offer discounted rates or other perks for you to visit. This way you can taste the food, check out the resort and surrounding area, meet with your on-site coordinator, look at the ceremony options, come up with a Plan B option just incase, and then just relax and have a little fun.

Your destination wedding planner can help you set up a meeting with your on-site coordinator and book your trip or “site visit”. If you’re not working with a full service wedding coordinator, the on-site coordinator at the resort will be your contact for anything involving the actual ceremony and reception. He or she will take all your vision for your wedding ceremony and reception and assemble the on-site vendor team to make it all happen. If you do have a full service destination wedding planner, the on-site resort coordinator will still be available to you, if needed, but your full service wedding planner will be the person that is most in contact with the on-site coordinator.

STEP 8: GET TO PLANNING!

Between now and the wedding, you will be getting all of your plans in order (cake, decorations, photographer, DJ, etc.). Your destination wedding planner will be connecting with all of your guests and helping them to confirm their travel arrangements and answer any questions that they may have.

45 days before the wedding: All of your on-site ceremony and reception items will typically need to be chosen by 45 days or more before the wedding. Also, this is typically when final payments will be due for travel and wedding related items.

30 days before the wedding: The countdown is on at this stage of the game! Now, a new person will be assigned from the resort – the onsite wedding planner. I know it is unnerving to feel like you’re starting with someone new so close to the wedding date, but don’t stress. This is just the way most resorts work. Once your on-site coordinator passes you along to the onsite wedding coordinator, they will confirm all the services you’ve hired and they will be assisting you once you get to the resort.

2 days before the wedding: 48 hours prior to the wedding, you (the couple) are almost always required to be on site at the resort. If possible, play it safe and arrive to the resort 3 days before the big day so you can consider the possibility of any weather or other delays. After arriving, you will meet with your on-site wedding coordinator to confirm all of the details of your wedding ceremony and other events.

Step 9: sit back, relax, and get ready for an awesome day!

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Ready to get started planning your dream wedding? Book a consultation today!

EATING AT HOTEL XCARET ARTE: RESTAURANT CHINO POBLANO

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate Links for products I’m currently using, by using these links you won’t pay any additional fees, but support me to keep this site running!

My husband and I just finished an amazing stay at the brand new adults-only all inclusive Hotel Xcaret Arte. It was seriously one of the most amazing all inclusive experiences that I have ever had! (and that’s saying something as I have been to a ton of all inclusive resorts haha!) This post is just about their amazing Chinese-Mexican fusion restaurant, Chino Poblano.

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Chino Poblano

We experienced an 8 course tasting menu developed by Chef Jonatan Gomez Luna that was so amazing and unique. It was such an awesome experience and the food presentation, wow!

To start, the welcome drink, Chinchin (lichi margarita), reminded me of a mango lassi, it was so good! The shot was a Green tea Tepache with rice wine and green tea powder.

courses 1, 2, and 3

Edamame with macha and roasted onion oil. Walnut foie with walnut sauce praline and soya caramel. And candy balls with mezcal that almost killed me haha!

COURSE 4

Ceviche marinated in a sweet and sour sauce. This was topped with chicharrón (a dish generally consisting of fried pork belly) like a tortilla.

COURSE 5

Grilled bao topped with a duck and almond mole stuffed with pork. The almond mole was so flavorful - my mouth is watering as I type this!

This was probably my favorite course along with the ramen!

course 6

Grilled marrow roasted with five spices on a bed of smoked chileatole and escamole (chileatole - thick soup made of corn masa or corn kernels, which is cooked with corn chunks, epazote, salt, and a sauce made of chili peppers and pumpkin leaves.)

COURSE 7

Guata Ramen: huatepe broth with lamb from Cuetzalan

COURSE 8

Peking duck with mole poblano and plum sauce, accompanied by fresh corn tortillas, Chinese crepes and chives. Garnishments were Bok Choy with pumpkin sprouts, sesame praline and corn smut and a Potato froth with Pao Kai, crispy potato and onion ash.

DESSERT

For dessert we had a lemon (Yin Yang) filled with bitter chocolate with soya, sesame seeds, eggnog and caramel. The five EL PARIÁN CANDIES were Borrachito jellybean, Brittle soya bar, Coconut candy, Eggnog marshmallow, and Xcaret fortune cookie.

Did I mention how beautiful this resort is??

If you are contemplating a trip to the new Hotel Xcaret Arte, then DO IT ASAP! You will NOT regret it! You can find a link to the full menu for Chino Poblano. They also have a separate menu for dining for an additional charge. You can find that here.

I do recommend using a travel agent when booking as you are supporting a small business and secondly, the resort is very confusing during the booking process. Also, there are so many added things that you are unaware of when booking yourself, so save a headache and let someone else do all the work for you!

If you have been to Xcaret Arte, what was your favorite restaurant? You can also find my full review here as well as my post on the restaurant Arenal here.

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PIN FOR LATER!

HOTEL XCARET ARTE REVIEW

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate Links for products I’m currently using, by using these links you won’t pay any additional fees, but support me to keep this site running!

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To start I just want to say how AMAZING this hotel was and I CANNOT wait to return! Also, I was not paid for this review nor was the hotel for free. We actually used credit card points for this booking.

My husband and I just finished our stay at the brand new adults-only all-inclusive Hotel Xcaret Arte. We booked the Jr Suite Ocean Front Adultos Room in Casa Artistas. Our room was number 2615.

I definitely recommend to use a travel advisor when booking this property! Seriously, there is so much that is included and so much to know about this property that a travel advisor will be super helpful to you! (And you’re supporting a small business, win-win!)

Hotel Xcaret Arte: Jr Suite Ocean Front Suite in Casa Artistas

Hotel Xcaret Arte: Jr Suite Ocean Front Suite in Casa Artistas

Hotel Xcaret Arte: Jr Suite Ocean Front Suite in Casa Artistas

Hotel Xcaret Arte: Jr Suite Ocean Front Suite in Casa Artistas

We arrived at the airport in Cancun and met with the Xcaret hotel representatives that were waiting outside the terminal for us. Transportation is included with your stay at both Xcaret Arte and Xcaret Mexico. If you book in Casa Artistas, then you receive a private transfer for your stay that is in a Mercedes mini-van. The ride was super comfy! From the moment we arrived, to the moment that we were in the van and on our way, it was probably 5 minutes. We were also offered refreshments for the journey! (It would be nice if they had some beer, but alas, they did not!) The transfer from the Cancun airport is about a 45 minute drive depending on traffic.

Upon arrival at Xcaret Arte, we were greeted by the bell boys that took our luggage. Next, we were escorted by a personal concierge that welcomed us. She took us to grab a freshly made popsicle and then showed us to our room where we were greeted by our two butlers, Roberto and Jose. Roberto and Jose welcomed us and privately checked us into our room (inside of our room). We were then given a room tour and shown where everything was and how to work everything. The amenities that were offered in our suite were great. Our luggage was delivered to our room immediately after checking in. Roberto and Jose, our butlers, were amazing throughout our stay and were so helpful with every request that we had! The very first night, they walked us to our first dinner reservation at Tah-Xido as we had just arrived and had no clue how to get around the resort. They were awesome!

Pro-tip: email the hotel to make your restaurant and park reservations 30 days before your stay! (If you are using a travel advisor, then they can do that for you!)

The first night, we had dinner at Tah-Xido. We chose to do the hibachi, but I would love to go back and try just their normal menu. The hibachi was so delicious and my husband even liked it (he doesn’t care for hibachi)! It was probably the best hibachi that I’ve had at a resort!

The next day we chose to relax at the rooftop exclusive pool that is just for guests of the Artist building. They had so many pool servers it was crazy! The bartender made me a delicious drink, a cucumber spritz, and Jazmin and Maria were amazing at constantly keeping us hydrated and fed. The Artist pool has a menu of poolside snacks that you can order. The chicken tacos were delicious and so was the guacamole!

We didn’t experience any of the parks unfortunately (they are all included in your stay with the hotel as well as transfers) because we have a newborn at home so we used this time alone to recuperate. Xcaret has 8 adventure parks that are included with your stay. The thing to know is that some of these can be reserved by emailing the concierge 30 days before your stay while others do not require a reservation. Xcaret, Xplor, and Xplor Fuego do not require a reservation while the other parks do. Also, Xcaret and Xel Ha parks have optional extras that are not included in the ticket price of admission. These optional excursions have to be booked and reserved for a specific time at the park.

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RESTAURANTS

The other restaurants that we ate at were Arenal, Encanta, Kibi-Kibi, Cayuko, and Chino Poblano. (you can see my blog post here on Arenal). Arenal was seriously amazing (we ate there twicelol!). Feel free to see what we ate and my thoughts in full detail in the blog post. Arenal had just opened a week before we arrived so the service was a little slower than I would’ve like (it took us 2 hours to eat) during our first visit. Also, this restaurant was outside and there was no breeze because the wind was blocked by the lagoon. I also got eaten up by mosquitos, but the hostess had bug spray so it was all good!

Encanda and Chino Poblano are both tasting menus. They are super accommodating with food allergies and specific diets (e.g. vegetarian). Chino Poblano was my favorite as it was a Chinese Mexican fusion that melded into such amazing flavors (the mole sauce – omg yum!). Encanta was an 11 course tasting menu that was also fantastic! I couldn’t wrap my head around the fact that I was eating like this at an all-inclusive resort!

We had breakfast at Kibi-Kibi, Mercado San Juan, and Cayuko.

Kibi-Kibi is such a unique experience and exclusive to the guests that are staying in Casa Artista. The chilaquiles were so fresh and flavorful and the almond pancakes were amazing! Mercado San Juan is so beautifully decorated and has a ton of options to choose from. We loved it here! Cayuko was our least favorite. It was just a buffet by the main pool and they didn’t have a ton of breakfast options available. Also, it felt as if there were not enough servers.

Restaurant Kibi-Kibi

Additionally, another really cool thing is that this resort has a speakeasy! They have nightly entertainment and the area is huge! It was a really fun adventure to try and find the speakeasy too.

Lastly, check out was a breeze and made super simple by our butlers! They had the bell boys come to our room and grab our luggage and then they escorted us to checkout from our building. We were then taken to the front of the hotel and placed into our private transfer for the return trip to the airport. We were so sad to leave the resort and we cannot wait to go back!

If you made it to the end of this review, congrats, haha! Check back soon for my guide to this resort!

Again, I cannot recommend enough to use a travel advisor when booking this property. As you can tell there are a ton of things to know! If you don’t have one, you can reach out to me and I would be happy to help you book. My email is lauren@thatblondetravels.com!

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EATING AT HOTEL XCARET ARTE: RESTAURANT ARENAL

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate Links for products I’m currently using, by using these links you won’t pay any additional fees, but support me to keep this site running!

My husband and I just finished an amazing stay at the brand new adults-only all inclusive Hotel Xcaret Arte. It was seriously one of the most amazing all inclusive experiences that I have ever had! (and that’s saying something as I have been to a ton of all inclusive resorts haha!) This post is just about their comfort food restaurant, Arenal, but a full review post on the resort will follow shortly!

ARENAL

This was some of the best food that I’ve ever eaten in my life. (Seriously!) The burger was so good that I had it again the very next day!

Every restaurant had a special welcome drink and Arenal was no different. They brought out a special watermelon spritzer that was so refreshing and not too sweet or too watermelon-y. My husband actually enjoyed it and he hates watermelon!

For starters, the chef prepares a special sample that is different everyday. Ours was a fresh shrimp mixed in a spicy sauce, layered with a piece of dragon fruit on top, and placed on a piece of jícama.

It is also important to mention that this resort does an amazing job of dealing with food preferences. They have a vegan restaurant and have alternatives for the tasting menus that don’t involve meat! I thought this was so awesome!

Appetizers that we ordered:

Black Cocktail - Chiapas shrimp with cocktail sauce and avocado. This was so yummy! The cocktail sauce was a mix of like a spicy mole sauce. I really enjoyed the unexpected twist on a traditional cocktail sauce that normally comes with shrimp cocktail.

Yellowfin Tuna - this was a yellowfin sashimi served in a lime emulsion sauce and topped with pickled green papaya and pumpkin seeds

Tubers - vegetables sautéed with a pumpkin seed and coriander and served topped with pine nuts on a bed of honey ricotta pesto. Magnifique!

Grilled corn - fresh grilled corn that was topped with a dry chili mayonnaise and fresh cheese. They had this precut into shareable portions that made eating this very easy!

MAIN COURSE

My husband ordered the roasted chicken with white recado and the French fries. The fries reminded me of those potato sticks in a jar from when I was little lol. The herb infused olive-oil on the side was my favorite over the gravy. I ordered the burger (two days in a row!) that was topped with caramelized onions and mozzarella cheese. The sauce that was on the burger was so smoky in flavor that the onions and cheese just all blended so deliciously together. It was divine. The fresh potato wedges were like the super yummy ones that you get at a gas station, but make it fancy! I really enjoyed dipping them into the olive oil that was a little spicy in flavor.

DESSERT

My favorite dessert by far was the Maria cookies with soft toffee! This was served with a homemade popsicle. The other desert was a corn sponge cake with salty caramel sauce and Dutch cheese ice cream. I didn’t care for this one as it was a little salty and I was not a fan of the texture.

If you are contemplating a trip to the new Hotel Xcaret Arte, then DO IT ASAP! You will NOT regret it! You can find a link to the full menu for Arenal here.

I do recommend using a travel agent when booking as you are supporting a small business and secondly, the resort is very confusing during the booking process. Also, there are so many added things that you are unaware of when booking yourself, so save a headache and let someone else do all the work for you!

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PIN FOR LATER!

Disclaimer: This post contains Affiliate Links for products I’m currently using. By using these links you won’t pay any additional fees, but support me to keep this site running!

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AMResorts® recently announced the grand opening date of December 14th for two new Secrets® branded properties, Secrets Moxché Playa del Carmen and Secrets Impression Moxché Playa del Carmen.

These two adults-only properties are luxurious, adjoined, all-suite resorts located on the white sandy beaches in the heart of the Riviera Maya.

Courtesy of AMresorts

Together, these gorgeous, romantic resorts will offer various upscale amenities including:

• Gourmet cuisine by world-renowned chefs

• Three man-made cenotes

• Seven heated pools

• One interior, beach-inspired pool designed for intimate social gatherings

• Nearby snorkeling and diving excursions, as well as the famous 5th Avenue in Playa del Carmen, a 5-mile pedestrian-only walkway dedicated to tourists

• Breathtaking rooftop sky wedding gazebo that overlooks the Caribbean Sea

• Amphitheater-style indoor theater for entertainment and corporate events with top-tier sound system and digital technology as well as state of the art meeting rooms

• Contemporary sports bar

• Expansive Spa focusing on wellness using innovated and traditional treatments in a natural environment that is conducive to self-healing and recovery from daily stress

Courtesy of AMresorts

Secrets Moxché Playa del Carmen will feature 485 uniquely upscale rooms with chic amenities that will come with the following Preferred Club and signature Unlimited-Luxury® concept guests know and expect:

• Contemporary ambience to experience a wide variety of spaces for gatherings of all kinds, from large meetings to intimate moments

• Stunning suites with relaxing rain showers, Nespresso machines and large terraces that feature attractive architecture and the finest comforts that pair perfectly for private celebrations, cocktails, events and tranquility

• Nine unique dining experiences that each provide endless options for every appetite, including seven a la carte restaurants, one buffet, a wine cellar, Barefoot Grill, and Coco Café

Courtesy of AMresorts

You can’t miss the upgraded offerings in addition to the accessible Unlimited-Luxury® offerings for Preferred Club guests at this resort, such as:

• Enhanced suites, including extravagant and upscale Paramount Suites that offer an unparalleled, luxurious experience

• Rooftop terrace that offers captivating Cozumel views with a private lounge, bar, infinity swimming pool and exclusive restaurant

• Upgraded mini bar

• Special access to Secrets Impression Moxché Playa del Carmen’s author’s signature restaurant (for an additional cost)

Secrets Impression Moxché Playa del Carmen will feature 198 stunning suites with contemporary, rustic-chic designs that introduces Impression’s concept of exquisite exclusiveness to the Secrets brand. The new Impression concept gives a brand-new meaning to Unlimited-Luxury® vacations with spectacular suites and villas with ocean views in addition to a more private, personalized experience for the most discerning travelers.

Courtesy of AMresorts

All guests staying at this resort will be granted the same free flow access to Secrets Moxché Playa del Carmen and its Preferred Club areas listed above, as well as:

• Oversized suites that begin at 947 square feet with furnished large balconies with marble soaking tubs, a full marble bathroom with the soothing rain shower, Nespresso machines and more

• Elevated concierge and butler service when reserving a Master Suite, Ocean-Front Panoramic Suite, Two-Story Penthouse Suite or Presidential Villa

• Three exclusive Impression restaurants in addition to the nine options mentioned previously that include the rooftop Impression restaurant, complimentary access to the author’s signature restaurant with a daily rotating menu with wine pairings, and a beachfront restaurant

• Complimentary access to exclusive, on-site dining experiences like the Omakase experience – a 12-seat sushi bar located within the Japanese restaurant and a taco tasting, Mezcal & Tequila bar located within the Mexican restaurant

• Access to the premier dedicated beach area with exclusive wait service

In addition, these elevated resorts have a plan to follow green practices to do their part working towards zero emissions using solar panels, wind energy, and sound water processing.

Courtesy of AMresorts

Contact me to book your stay at one of these exclusive properties today!

Excellence Riviera Cancun is located right outside of the hotel zone and only about 20 minutes from the airport. This hotel is relatively small compared to other all-inclusive resorts that are in the area. We just returned from a 5 day/4 night stay in one of their Jr Suite Rooms. This was our annual girl’s trip (7 of us went) and it was well..excellent (pun intended lol) This was my second time here and I will definitely be returning!

When we arrived, we were greeted with an ice cold glass of champagne by the bellman. They took our luggage and we proceeded to the check-in counter. We arrived very early so we were not able to check-in right away, which was fine, because we went and had lunch at the buffet and then headed to the pool.

Excellence Riviera Cancun has 7 different restaurants of which we tried all but the French. All of the food is phenomenal, my favorite is Basmati, the Indian restaurant. I know what you’re thinking, “Indian food in Mexico..”, but take my word, it was delicious! With there being 7 of us, it was at sometimes difficult for us to get a table at restaurants during peak times, but the hotel staff was very accommodating in getting us seated in a timely manner. If the wait was going to be awhile, we headed to The Flavor Market, Spanish tapas restaurant, for some yummy tapas and sangria.

The only restaurant that we thought we were not going to be able to eat at was the hibachi grill because they only take reservations the day of. One of the hotel concierges ended up helping us out on the last day since we had such a big group. The hibachi show is not to be missed! The chef on the grill was very entertaining and did some unique things that I have not seen at other hibachi restaurants so it was really fun!

On Friday night was the Mexican Fiesta. This was a blast! We ended up getting several tables to do shots with us and the seven of us finished off a bottle of Don Julio. Miguel and Edwin were so fun and Miguel was such a sport with dancing (It was hilarious!)

Last but definitely not least, the drink service at the beach was outstanding! Armando took such great care of us (all 7 of us!) and gave us the nicknames of Sirenas and Cowboys, haha! He was so fun! I can’t forget Ivan either who also served us at the beach and would anticipate our orders before we even asked for it!

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Image C/O Crystal

Image C/O Crystal

This was definitely a girl’s trip for the books! We had such a great time and we thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Excellence Riviera Cancun!

Contact me to book your stay at Excellence today!