This was a first time venture for our family of 2 adults and 2 young teens, joining other members of our extended family (all with kids) for a week long stay. We have no previous all-inclusive experience to compare this to, so I'll just share our thoughts. I was struck by a few things: the friendliness of the Melia staff, the amazing weather we had, and fun that our kids had just doing what kids do. My family members are seasoned all-inclusive travellers and also enjoyed their stay. The area is more 'rustic' than the slickness of Cancun or other more established resorts. All I can say is that when we got off our plane on arrival, and saw the palm trees, warm weather, and blue skies, we knew this would be just fine!
This was a great vacation for all of us, low key and restful, with the ability to increase activities as desired with trips into Itapa and Zihuatenejo, or boating over to Ixtapa Island, or with resort-based activities, or simply exploring the local area on your own. The bus rides into the local towns were definite humourous highlights and thank goodness, not all that long in duration! Beach walks down to Playa Linda and the local merchant markets were enjoyable and we did not encounter much pushiness with locals pedalling their wares. One night I took the kids to the boardwalk towards the Oyster Bar and there were lounging chairs in a bumped out area, and we lay there looking at constellations with the ocean crashing onto the rocks below - it was very memorable.
Food was good for us, in that there was plenty of selections from various areas and you quickly learn where to get your best taste options. The menu is not huge and repeats but all you need to do is change your selections and be creative and adventurous. I found the kids (and I) preferred the buffets and the adults liked the restaurants (which require reservations and are restricted in how many times you can go). I found the food appealing to the masses, with enough variety that you could begin to create meals - like making tacos one night for all the kids with the fixings from the Mexican restaurant when it wasn't Taco Night. You could also spice it up further as numerous condiments were available. I was concerned about the foods as I heard all sorts of stories about gastro probs in Mexico, but I had faith that the hotel took great care with their food, and we had no problems at all. I chose to stick with Mexican food whenever possible and even the kids began to increase their Mexican food experimentation as the week progressed. A snack bar provided quick food fixes and was very kid-friendly.
Rooms were great - we were in tower 1 on the 9th floor, with the most amazing view. Yes the air conditioner was noisy but it was like white noise and most appreciated on so many levels. Once the bar music stopped, I pushed our windows wide open so we could sleep to the sounds of crashing waves on the shore, and we simply got up when our room filled with light. Each day our rooms were immaculately cleaned by Pilar and our beds had hibiscus flower petals scattered on them and decoratively placed in our bathroom - she even made towel critters with petals. These touches were much appreciated and she was tipped nicely for her work.
Pools were well maintained - 3 pools, which seemed to develop their own culture as the week progressed. The swim-up bar pool and the pool beside it tended to be adults, who were boisterous and enjoying the loud music and frequent alcoholic beverage service. The kids tended to gravitate to the top pool, which was fine with us. For a pool side seat, it was essential to be up early to stake your turf - and pool side was definitely needed due to the 30 degree Celsius+ temps. It was actually too hot as there was no breeze and despite continual sunscreening, we sizzled to the point that the kids were peeling from burns.
Computer services there require pre-paid cards unless you bring your own but that cost $25/d, which seemed too steep to me. Phone service was quite the ordeal, but really, I was there to vacation and not work, so I just took it all in stride and became incommunicado!
The one thing that I was annoyed with was the time-share hawking that took place within the hotel - more persistent than the local vendors. The only other thing I would suggest is better communication other than in the lobby re: daily activities and to have postings for restaurant themes, and restaurant closures, nore clearly and accessibly posted.
This trip provided great memories for our family and we were happy to have taken this opportunity to try out an all-inclusive.
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