FAMILY

Dream Onyx

Family, Romantic, Luxury

Location- About 45 minutes north of Punta Cana airport

The family resort, Dreams Onyx might be best suited for a little older kids with some activities such as a foam pool party. The resort did build a brand new water park making the resort that much better! Our favorite spot is reserved for adults and preferred guests with “island” over the interconnected pool with wait service and swim up bar! The main pool can be quite lively, nothing like the Breathless next door which adults have full access to for those evenings the kids are entertained!

Nickelodeon Punta Cana

Family, Luxury

Location- 45 minutes from Punta Cana airport

This might be the best branded resort for younger families… How fun! Some of the kids favorites all over the resort with the themes of even some of my favorite characters. Family of 5 and swim outs, great dining and even a well-appointed gym (like anyone has time to work out with a family vacations!). Smaller resort and high quality means it has a higher price tag, but it maybe just enough to hang out with Sponge Bob!!

Iberostar Select Playa Mita

Family, Couples

Location- North of Puerto Vallarta airport about 45 minutes

The Iberostar Playa Mita was on our list for a couple years and we needed to go, so we took a family group and it did not disappoint. It is almost the perfect resort for groups and weddings with pretty much everything to offer for all crowds without compromising on each experience. This is often our top pick for the Puerto Vallarta area for overall value! The kids have a great spot with a little water slide, adults have the swim up and water volleyball, there is a dive shop on site, surfing if the weather is right and some good food. The only down fall is the beach, its narrow and rocky which gets worse with the tide but the sunsets and pools make up for the lack of amazing beach.

Crown Paradise Cancun

Family, Value

Location- Cancun Hotel zone approx. 30 minutes from the airport

This smaller family fun resort includes water park, zipline, wall climbing, and beach front to the white sands of Cancun hotel zone. They do offer some adult-only sections in the resort but for me I would pick a different spot to enjoy the Caribbean sea for an adult or couple experience! This resort is often priced well for families especially for the amenities that are included which brings a great value when looking here!

Dreams Playa Mujeres

Family, Romantic, Wedding

Location  -Playa Mujers North of Cancun airport approx 45 min

Dreams Playa Mujers is a great option in the up and coming area of Playa Mujers. The beautiful beach is perfect for those that love to spend their days watching the waves or playing volleyball or hit the water park or lazy river (for preferred guest only). Complimentary golf (fee applies) can keep the golfer in your life happy. With cool touches such as kids and teens “bars” to compliment the kids and teens club will make your kids never want to leave! Don’t worry adults, you have free access to the secrets next door to enjoy your evenings or hang out with other adults!

*Personal experience (September 2020)

Dreams Los Cabo

Family, Romantic

The Dreams Los Cabo is situated in between the contrasting San Jose Del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas was given ample opportunity to explore these two unique areas. The infinity pool is something to see and maybe spend some time enjoying the view. Once that has grown old (if it ever does) jump into the games from the entertainment team or head to the adults-only pool to spend quality time with the people you came to reconnect with! A little kids pool with a small slide will entertain the small kids but the older kids may need to head to the kids club activities such as archery! Family of 5 with a wrist band and reservation free a la cartes help you breeze through and enjoy your vacation that much more!

Wyndham Alltra Cancun

Family, Wedding

The Wyndham Alltra Cancun brand was the first of a new trend of quality with a laid back attitude. This resort is on an amazing stretch of Cancun beach, water slides, kids pool, kids club, play ground, mini golf and a really cool teens club with VR! The adults can enjoy the massive sports bar with massive TV and the super tasty coffee bar with self serve drip coffee so you don’t have to wait!

Grand Bahia Principe Fantasia

Family

Location- 27 km from Punta Cana Airport

The Bahia Principes are typically large complexes spilt into “sections” but called different resorts and this one doesn’t change from that. This is a very large complex but this particular resort is geared towards your family, I mean it has a castle… They do offer the family of five and some activities for kids with the kids and the kids water park as well!! A solid choice for a al inclusive, if you can get over the size of the whole complex!

Paradisus Playa del Carmen

Luxury, Family, Romantic

Riu Dunamar

Family, Couples

Location- 45 minutes from the Cancun airport

Another property in the Costa Mujers area, which has been up and coming for a few years now. The area is quiet and a distance to tours so it may be best to stay in the resort which thankfully there is a huge water park, great beach and nice surf to play in. Families of 5 welcome or the connecting suite for up to 8, just the fact of no real “deal” on the kids pricing whcih would be nice to get more families to this resort.

Dreams Natura

Family, Wedding, Romantic

Located approx. 15 minutes from Cancun Airport

The Dreams Natura… We have been waiting for this resort for a couple of years since we heard of the build! They did have some downfalls like no family of 5 but have since corrected this and this resort now checks every box for a family, multigenerational, and wedding/group trip resort! Connecting rooms for occupancy up to 6, oceanfront 1 bedroom suites, 80% ocean view rooms and swim out suites basically covers all the wants for rooming! The resort itself is a new build with a water park for all ages, a small water park for kids, lazy river and an “aerial glider” basically keeps you on the resort with no need to leave unless you want of course! On that note, currently offering green fees at the close El Tinto and El Camaleon golf course, other fees, and transportation fees apply but a great opportunity if you want to go for around. Back to the resort, they offer an adult-only pool, a sports bar that turns into a disco, and adult-only dining which is a big perk for those looking to travel without kids or take advantage of the babysitting offered at a fee. If that’s not enough, they do have a teens and kids club for kids ranging from 3-17 included in the price of admission! Wrap that all up with a great beach, (water quality subject to the weather as with most resorts in this area), swim-up bar, room service included, wrist band free, reservation free a la cartes, wifi throughout the property, a world-class spa, and under 15 minutes from the airport, I don’t know what else can be offered… This is why we picked this property for our family-friendly group trip for November 2021!!

Dreams Sapphire

 Family, Wedding

Location-Riviera Maya approx. 25 minutes from the Cancun Airport

Renovated November 2019, this family and Canadian favorite just got better. Now it’s easy to get a family of 5 in here, with the new water park with large slides, kids wading pool, and swim out suites the Dreams Sapphire jumps a couple of points on my family usability scale!! Close to Puerto Morelos which is a nice little town to explore, close to diving and water tours and all that with free wifi, wrist band free, and reservation free a la cartes!

Ocean Riviera Paradise

Family

 Located approx. 1 hour south of Cancun airport

Ocean Riviera Paradise has done a great job making a family hotel into a generational hotel! They have created adult-only sections and pools to make couples feel welcomed and the family section is made for families to enjoy their holiday,We have no issues having couples of all ages and families heading here to vacation, we would just love to see some better kid pricing at times!