DH and I just got back from our 10 year anniversary trip to Riviera Maya, Mexico.
Our trip had a lot of challenges, including full flights for standby (ended up spending the night in LAX) and the stress of having a 1 year old with us while trying to chill out (and while spending the night in LAX) - but otherwise, it was a beautiful place and a wonderful trip.
I'd recommend the place that we stayed, the Grand Oasis Rivera Maya in Akumal - it was pretty laid back, not in the hustle and bustle of Cancun or Playa del Rey - but it was quite a ways south (about an hour and a half from Cancun) and there may be other options that are not so far. We specificially went down that far because it's close to the Mayan Ruin, Tulum and there is apparently fantastic snorkeling in Akumal - although with our little one in tow, we didn't go much snorkeling. Next time, we might not go that far South. The Grand Oasis is a 3.5 star place - I'm sure there are nicer places, but it was sufficient and had really pretty grounds. The all inclusive aspect is just so luxurious, I loved it. If you go there, definitely upgrade to an Ocean front room, you'll be steps away from the ocean. Our room was about $180 a night - and we had zero expenses while we were there, so it felt really reasonable and affordable to us - A good value.
Next time, we'll leave our little one with grandma!
