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One week all inclusive beach vacation with toddler

Discussion in 'General' started by Phl218, Oct 26, 2016.

  1. Captain Morgan

    Captain Morgan Well-Known Member

    Good for you, the whole concept of being scared and traveling with your kids is a load of shit. Have meet plenty of family's sailing around the world with young kids. America has a way of judging people and safety instead of just enjoying life. Cheers
     
    Phl218 likes this.
  2. TurboBlew

    TurboBlew Registers Abusers

    Which hotel did you stay at in Ocho Rios? I personally loved the area.
     
  3. TurboBlew

    TurboBlew Registers Abusers

    I dont think trucking a toddler around would be ideal for that kind of cultural exposure, but I sure wish my teenage son wasn't such a hard head when I asked him to join me in Jamaica. I don't have a problem telling folks to "eff off" with the tourist pitch... most of the Jamaicans I met were very pleasant. Of course, if you're an easy mark, they will smell it. The assumption is if you are white, you can afford to pay more! :D And seriously... anything you desire was just a question away! I asked this one beautiful girl to read me a story in Patwa! :D
     
  4. peakpowersports

    peakpowersports Well-Known Member

    Just make it easy and got Cancun. The good for a family includes: Very very short ride from the airport (Shortest of anywhere else you'll go), cheapest prices you can usually find on both resorts and flights (most direct flights of anywhere), beautiful beach, Americanized enough to not freak out any less savvy travelers. Good gringo shopping, very safe, friendly staff pretty much everywhere.

    Having been to all round, the best beach we've been to was in the DR, but the people are not nearly as accommodating as the Mexicans. Jamiaca is nice, Ocho is cool but an hour ride from the airport and the beach's are not on par with Mexico. It is a nice jungle/forest type vibe though.

    At the end of the day do some research for kid friendly resorts. Now resorts are a good options at a good price. And remember, the Mexicans have this shit figured out... they practically invented this market, its their lively hood and they know it. Hard to beat. Start there and for your next trip go to another country.
     
    Phl218 likes this.
  5. BigBird

    BigBird blah

    Can't find it now..it was booked through an agent and no emails about it. Between the hold on to your woman before I take her comments, and the incident where we were looking for migraine medicine and was walking and asked someone for a pharmacy. They "helped us" find a pharmacy, and then having a subsequent woman, politely stop us and whisper stay away from that man who was showing us the pharmacy, was pretty much the indicator to leave the area. It did have one of the best Indian food places that I've ever been to in my life.

    The hotel we booked on the fly, The Rose Hall Resort And Spa, A Hilton Resort, in Montego Bay was pretty nice, and made the vacation at least end better.
     
  6. rk97

    rk97 Well-Known Member

    That's awesome, but do a weekend trial run with an iPad and face time.

    My oldest LOVES grandma and her aunts.
     
    Phl218 likes this.
  7. cha0s#242

    cha0s#242 Ignorance and prejudice and fear walk hand in hand

    Riviera Maya is pretty average for scuba diving. But if you just cross over to Cozumel, you'll experience world class diving.
     
  8. SuddenBraking

    SuddenBraking The Iron Price

    Yup - love my kids to death but since my oldest has been born (she turns 4 in a couple days) we've taken 3 or 4 2+ week vacations with just me and the wife - the kids love staying with their grandparents and their grandparents love spending time with them, too.

    Taking them to Fort Myers in a week to visit my parents and the missus and I are going to sneak off for a couple days to Key West by ourselves.

    Never had a twinge of guilt about leaving them - as rk97 says above, Facetime each day to tell them you love them and see how their day was and then spend some QT with your spouse :beer:
     
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  9. TLR67

    TLR67 Well-Known Member

    Went there last year myself..... Did you check out Leon's Lobstershack next door on the beach? Unreal.....
     
  10. zertrider

    zertrider Waiting for snow. Or sun.

    Funny you brought this up. Was just looking through threads again a couple of hours ago about where to go this winter. And nope. Tried Lobster once. Sent it back and got a burger. Why do people eat that crap?
     
  11. Focker

    Focker Well-Known Member

    I like Mexico the best. We stayed at the Now Amber in PV last year, hands down the best resort I've ever been to. We just booked 10 days in Cancun/Riviera Maya at Now Jade for $6K Canadian. That's 2 adults, 2 kids flying from Vancouver.
     
  12. Rdrace42

    Rdrace42 Almost Cheddar

    Jamaica is great....if you're drunk the entire time. Least favorite of any Carib destination. "gimme J, mon....gimme J" Constant harassment from the locals, food can be dicey, and only a few places that we felt were unique. Diving is so-so. BVI was way nicer, people are nicer, diving is better...totally different experience.
     
  13. Phl218

    Phl218 .

    jsut saw the thread on the all inclusive tipping situaction.

    here's my quick report:

    we flew ATL-CUN, lap infant. quite a hassle but he wouln't have sit still even in his own seat. so up and down tha aisle.

    got a private limusine from the airport, booked in advance, with child seat, $90 incl. return.

    ended up at the AZUL beach resort, 20 min south of cancun. (booked through cheapcarribean, including flights)

    it was extraordinary. small resort, about 150 rooms, 80% full that week. no lines, no wait no hassle. room was 30 feet from the kids pool.
    i felt sorry for all the honeymooners... so many kids. staff was perfectly friendly. even friendlier in the 2nd half of the week when i started tipping. (a lawyer form DC admitted that you americans ruin the system, since the website of the resort said -all tips included - anyhow. $50 in small bills got me my doubleshot cappuccino within a minute then).

    beach huts - yeah, you had to line up. but the line was at the bar and we played bingo. so 3 mojitos later you had the hut for the next day.

    the restaurants were top notch. italian, asian and south american.

    only a few miner dislikes: they try to lure you into a lifetime membership, for a free massage, but you have to listen to them for an hour. shit's like 45k or so.... so not really worth a free $180 massage. after the 5th attempt i told them to STFU.
    2 meals were crap, the burger and the ribs, but hey, only a drunk tourist would order that in mexico.
    the jellyfish got me while snorkeling, but that was a good excuse to come back in after 5 pina coladas.

    aside from that, top notch and the wife loved me for leaving the phone in the safe for 7 days.

    cheers!
     
    cha0s#242 and Boman Forklift like this.
  14. cha0s#242

    cha0s#242 Ignorance and prejudice and fear walk hand in hand

    We just booked a week at the Royal Park in Cozumel. It's going to be our second time there, first time with the toddler (17 months old now). Last time we were there (2012) was great. Small resort, great food and friendly staff. Cozumel is a cool island and the resort is not isolated like the big places on Riviera Maya, so you feel less boxed in. We just love to go walk in town and rent scooters to ride on the island. I'll certainly book a few scuba dives also to say hi to the giant sea turtles at Palancar reef. Looking forward to taking off :D
     
    Phl218 likes this.
  15. pscook

    pscook Well-Known Member

    We are heading to Mazatlan for our third time this spring. Tipping is essential to top tier service. It's interesting to taste the drinks after a couple of $1 bills drop into the jar. And the poolside service becomes faster after you establish the relationship. We had a bartender serve me two drinks at a time as "you have a long walk back to your family, don't get dehydrated."
     
  16. Mechdziner714

    Mechdziner714 More Gas Less Brakes

    Do yourself a favor and find el Camaron Dorado in Cozumel, probably some of the best authentic food on the island
     
    cha0s#242 likes this.

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