Living the Dream.
Vacation. It’s a word everyone loves. It’s also a word that
has a different definition among people. To me and Steve, it’s become 2+
weeks at an all-inclusive, adults-only resort in Mexico. It’s where we find our
total peace and have the time of our lives. We started in Cancun and during the
past two years have moved south to Playa del Carmen. During all of my extensive
research, I've found we're limited in the number of adults-only resorts that fit into our
budget, particularly for an extended period of time. In the end, Ocean Maya
Royale has become our vacation mecca. For two straight years, we have visited
for 18 days. It checks off every box on our wish list and we have found every
reason to return time and time again!
A link to last year’s review can be found here:
This year we had the honor of having our New Jersey
friends, Jean Marie and Ron, stay during the last seven days of our trip. We met them at Live Aqua Cancun two years ago while they were on their honeymoon.
Thanks to Facebook, Jean Marie and I have stayed in touch and thought this was
a great time to meet up again! We had so much fun. We met a lot of different
people from all around the world and even spent a lot of time at the pool with Dawn and Ken who we met
last year at Ocean Maya. This year was Ken and Dawn's 4th stay at the resort and we're all planning another trip next year! In this big world, vacation seems to bring everyone
together with a common goal…Have fun, relax and enjoy!
When we checked in, we were so excited to receive the same
exact room from last year, which we already knew had some of the most spectacular
views. We also upgraded to the privilege package, but opted not to stay in the
privilege suite. We chose not to stay in a privilege room simply because we prefer a
room with an ocean view over a room with more square footage. None of the
privilege rooms are oceanfront. We were checked in at an exclusive privilege
desk and then escorted to our room. When we arrived in our room, we were happy
to see a pair of “welcome back” t-shirts, which we thought were a nice touch. There was also a bottle of wine, chocolate covered strawberries, two fruit plates, a
set of robes and slippers as well as our privilege towels.
View from 1207 (our room)
View from 1206 (Ron & Jean Marie's room)
With privilege
status you receive access to the privilege lounge with top shelf liquor, hot snacks mid-day, and a-la-carte breakfast. You also have top-shelf liquor at the bars, access to a separate privilege beach with service,
a privilege concierge, breakfast in bed, a romantic dinner, and the ability
to make reservations at restaurants. We enjoyed the a-la-carte breakfast the most (the fruit plate is fantastic),
followed by the top-shelf liquor at the bars. The breakfast was nice and relaxed
with a view of the beach. Regarding liquor, we mostly drank Ketel One vodka,
1800 Anejo tequila, Jim Beam and Crown Royal from the privilege options. If you’re
a rum drinker, Bacardi is available without privilege.
As part of the privilege package, we also received five
mini-bottles of liquor in our room, in addition to domestic beer, diet Pepsi,
regular Pepsi, orange Fanta, club soda, juice and peanuts. Our fridge was
restocked daily and if we wanted more of something specific (water, Bacardi
etc.) we would just leave a note (and a tip!)
Restaurants
There are four a-la-carte restaurants and one buffet
restaurant on the premises. We found the buffet to be satisfactory, mostly for
breakfast and lunch, but preferred the al-la-carte’s for dinner every
night. To be honest, we made much healthier food choices this year and we didn't have to search for them. It's fun to overindulge at times, but we love the fruit and salads so much that they were something we looked forward to having every day. Some people say portions are too big, other say they're too small. To be honest, we rarely finished a meal, not because we didn't like it or we were overly stuffed, but because we knew there was always another meal or another drink waiting on the horizon.
La Hacienda is the buffet restaurant which is available for
breakfast, lunch and dinner. There are so many options with many items changing
daily. We skipped (missed?) breakfast a lot or ate in the privilege lounge, but the few
times we did choose La Hacienda, we enjoyed toast, eggs, bacon and fruit. The
fruit was fantastic every day and the bread and bagels were always fresh. They
also have made-to-order omelets as well as traditional breakfast fare. The self-serve mimosa, bloody Mary and screwdriver bar is a nice touch!
Lunch at La Hacienda offers grilled meats and fish, cold cuts, cheese, salads, etc. There is also was a pasta bar and sometimes a chef cutting up pork for tacos. We enjoyed making our own sandwiches, tacos and salads with whatever ingredients were on hand. Once again, fruit was always a must-have! This year, we opted out of the buffet for dinner, but we liked to check it out and it offered a lot of variety.
Yookoso is the Japanese restaurant that is only open for dinner and offers both hibachi and
a-la-carte dining. We dined at Yookoso four times during our stay, including three times at the hibachi table with six other people. They serve four courses: sushi,
tempura, main and dessert, which ended up being too much food! We quickly
learned to only ask for one or no appetizer. The hibachi was excellent and we much preferred it over the a-la-carte. It's a nice show and fun with other couples you know. Along with fried rice, you get shrimp, chicken, beef and vegetables. We also ordered the sweet and sour pork and the chop suey off of the a-la-carte menu as well as the fried ice cream.
La Dolce Vita was hands-down our favorite restaurant, both this
year and last year. We tried to keep track of how many times we visited, but it
was nearly impossible. We enjoyed it mostly because it offered the best
variety. The chicken was great, the steak was pretty good and the lasagna delicious. We also ordered fettuccine Alfredo with shrimp (even though that
wasn't on the menu), linguine with the aioli pepperoncini sauce, ravioli and seafood casserole flambe (not actually flambe, but more like a cioppino). We always asked for extra sauce, whether it was Bolognese,
arribiatta or carbonara. We also liked to ask for freshly grated Parmesan with our bread. Yum! Jean Marie and Ron also ordered the beef and fish carpaccio. You always have two servers and the service is excellent, particularly from Oscar and
Primitivo.
Bars
There are three different bars on the premises. Corona is
the only beer on tap, but there is a plethora of liquor. Since we were
privileged, we drank mostly top-shelf liquor such as Ketel One vodka, 1800
Anejo tequila, Jim Beam bourbon, Crown Royal whisky and the occasional Absolut
Raspberry.
Tom (below) was travelling from England with friends, so on the look out for single women.
On my birthday, Oli made me a celebratory birthday shot and then I had him take a picture. Little did I know that he was taking a sequence of photos! Hahaha. Steve tried to keep his composure, but as you can tell, I really don't like shots...especially tequila shots.
Fun with Jean Marie, Ron and Grant (a.k.a. Ralph, because he was always wearing Ralph Lauren!)
The boys getting a little crazy! Steve, Aaron, Ron & Darcy.
Uncle Ron with Grant and Christopher. They're 23 and 18, so yes, we were Auntie Shannon & Uncle Steve and Uncle Ron & Auntie Jean.
We may have been seen a few times dancing in the courtyard...or the theater...or the lobby.
The pool bar is located in between the loud pool and the
quiet pool, but also has a swim-up bar on the party pool side. At the start we
would simply walk to get our own drinks, but Ana Iris was so efficient with her
pool service, we decided to order from her instead. This simply meant we didn't have to get out of the pool!
The bar outside of El Charro also doubles as a smoothie bar
during the day. Many people don’t know about it, but we sure did! If we missed
breakfast or didn't feel like going to lunch, we would just get a smoothie (or
two). They’re blended with fresh fruits and vegetables and made-to-order as you
wait.
Mike’s Coffee Shop opens at 4 pm every day and serves delicious coffee drinks as well as a limited number of pastries and sandwiches.
If you want coffee prior to 4 pm, you can simply visit the lobby bar and they
have an espresso and cappuccino machine ready.
Entertainment
This year we didn't attend as many shows as last year. They have moved most of them to the outdoor courtyard area, which is much cooler than the theater. The entertainment staff is a little smaller than before and perform fewer shows per week, while the rest are performed by outsiders. The staff help facilitate with many of the other shows, including the Mayan show at the pool every Friday. They work very hard and very long hours, beginning at the pool and ending at the nightly shows. They had karaoke twice per week and Steve participated nearly every time! There was one particular night where we had a very large group of people, so there was a lot of singing, dancing and fun.
Pools
There are two pools at Ocean Maya. Most people refer to them
as the quiet (or big) and loud (or party or swim-up bar) pools. We spent every
day at the quiet pool until Ron promised everyone we’d see them at the party
pool! We kept his promise and met the group at the swim-up bar for a few hours.
It was fun, but I may need a replacement liver if I spent 18 days there! There
were often games going on with the entertainment staff. The quiet pool remained
pretty quiet. I brought a float with me and I was happy I did and was not alone. We had 18 days of perfect weather and
the heat was so intense that the pool was just perfect.
Our room overlooked the party pool, so we saw (and heard) a lot of activity!
There are two small beaches with plenty of chairs as well as
a boardwalk with several more cabanas and chairs. Overall, during July, it’s
just too hot for us to stay outside of the water, so we stayed at the pool. I made sure to take pictures to prove we were there!
Lagoon
We didn't actually visit the lagoon this year…18 days just got
away from us! We think it’s worth the trip for those visiting OMR and haven’t
seen it before. It’s a 15-20 walk on the beach and once you get there, you can
walk and swim in the crystal clear water. We found it quite beautiful. These
are some pictures from 2013.
Romantic Dinner
Included with the privilege package is a romantic dinner,
which includes dinner poolside with a three or four-course shrimp dinner. Upgrades available are $20 for filet and $40 for lobster (per person). If you upgrade,
your dinner will be located on the beach instead (if available). For our
dinner, we did not upgrade, but Jean Marie and Ron upgraded to the filet and
the lobster. We had our dinner poolside and they had their's on the beach, both
at 7:00 pm. The pros and cons of both are that at 7:00 on the beach, you have
better lighting for pictures…at 7:00 by the pool, you still have people in the
pool, so the romance isn't quite there J
Jean Marie & Ron at their romantic dinner on the beach with lobster & filet.
Now that I've covered all of the essentials, I'd like to point out several other factors that contributed to making this our best trip ever!
Birthday & Anniversary Celebrations
I celebrated my 35th birthday on July 8th! We enjoyed time at the pool, watched the World Cup and I was surprised to have a cake and champagne waiting for me in the room. It’s such a nice gesture when a hotel or restaurant recognizes special occasions and Ocean Maya knows how to please J We were also celebrating our 8th wedding anniversary, so they had a rose petal display throughout the room.
World Cup
We had the honor of watching the FIFA World Cup semi-final
and championship games while in Mexico. Sure, we enjoy watching the games in
the US, but there is something different about watching soccer in a country and
with people where soccer really matters! It was fun to have people from Germany
and Argentina watching the game together.
LeBron
On Friday, July 11, 2014, Steve and I woke up and read
through our twitter feeds. We decided we wouldn't let any decision, other than our own, dictate our day. It was time to get to the pool! We left our phones in the safe
and headed out…when we returned to our room for our afternoon siesta, chaos
ensued!! Steve saw that I had several missed calls and texts messages, so as I laid
my head down, he opened twitter and couldn't even get the words out of his
mouth. Together, we read “The Letter” and then read it again and again and
again. I called my family and I called my friends. The pure excitement was
overwhelming. With tears rolling down our faces and a silly grin, we couldn't
wait to celebrate! In Steve and Shannon
fashion, we put our Cleveland GV shirts on and went out on the town (ok, just
outside). It was probably the only time during our trip that I really missed
being home, but Steve did NOT miss being at work! (Louie's first birthday was a close second, but I know he understands!) For the rest of our trip I played “I’m Coming Home” on repeat every
night as I went to bed and as much as I could during the day. Jean Marie and Ron may have gotten
a little sick of it J I honestly couldn't imagine being any happier when this picture was taken...
Feel free to read my 2010 blog post here…More Than a Player 2010
Steve, on the other hand, has worked for the Cavaliers organization since 1995. It’s why he moved from Connecticut (via South Carolina)
to Cleveland when he was 22. It’s where we met and it’s where he remains. He
works every home game and has never been to a Cavs home game as a fan because
he’s always working. This also means that when the Cavs are playing on
Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter, Steve is working. It’s our livelihood and
it pays the bills. We love the Cleveland Cavaliers and we love them for
different reasons, but one reason that runs through us both is what his homecoming does for
the city of CLEVELAND. Sure, downtown has thrived in recent years, but LBJ can
only make us better and make us more proud. Steve wants a ring and the person
who gives the Cavs the best chance is coming home…
Ok, back to vacation…
Vacation Friends
In addition to the staff, the people we meet on vacation are what keep us coming back for more. We have so much fun and these people would be shocked to know we keep such a private and (sort of) quiet life at home. Having met Jean Marie and Ron two years ago on vacation, we already knew we had a lot in common. Who would have guessed we’d meet in Mexico again?! and the room next door?! Haha. Lucky for us, we had them as our neighbor.
Steve and Ron clearly spent too much time together, or their wives shop at the same stores (we do), because three days in a row, they were twins! This was not planned...seriously.
And when I forgot the key in our room, Steve just climbed to our balcony :) Note: this is also why I can never carry keys when we go anywhere.
From Mexico to England to Canada to USA, we met so many great people who made our trip one of the best ever. Thank you!
We even met a few readers of my blog who chose Ocean Maya after reading last year's review. I was so happy to hear that they all were pleased with my "recommendation" and glad I'm not writing anything misleading. After all, we all vacation differently and I'm not shy about sharing what we take from a vacation!
Darcy (below) actually approached me while we were waiting for a table for dinner and asked "are you the person who wrote the blog?" He and Tanya were also the first people to mention anything about LeBron to us. Bonus points!
Darcy (below) actually approached me while we were waiting for a table for dinner and asked "are you the person who wrote the blog?" He and Tanya were also the first people to mention anything about LeBron to us. Bonus points!
Staff
Let me finish with the highlight of this resort: The Staff. From
top to bottom, everyone treats you with genuine reverence and kindness and
always eager to please. This year was only our second visit yet the staff
remembered us from our previous stay. Groundskeepers, housekeeping, bar staff,
dining staff…I could go on forever about their seemingly genuine attempt to
make every guest happy. Yovannetti might be the most adorable person on the
planet. She and Tila are the servers in the lobby bar and work with diligence
and speed, while still taking the time to take pictures and dance (Yovannetti
was insistent that I “move my hips more”). They truly make nights at the lobby
bar more enjoyable. Also at the lobby bar were Oli, Jose, Octavio and Antonio.
They were bartenders who were efficient, conversational and good people. They
were always thinking ahead and making drinks as quickly as possible to attempt
to satisfy every guest, regardless of tipping. Ana Iris was a pool server at
the quiet pool. We distinctly remembered her from the buffet last year and vice versa. She took care of all of our drinks in the blazing heat while we
socialized in the pool. She was so nice and patient with us and other guests.
Primitivo was our server at least three times at La Dolce Vita as well as our romantic
dinner on the beach. He always had a smile on his face along with being professional and accommodating. Finally, Maria Lopez is an enormous asset to
the company. We’re not alone in this thinking as she always went out of her way
to accommodate all requests. We exchanged several emails prior to our stay and
she never seemed bothered. When we arrived, she met us to ensure all was well and throughout the trip, she stopped and talked to us whenever she saw us around
the resort. I have no doubt that she was
responsible for the cake and champagne for my birthday and the rose display for
our anniversary. She even put Ron & Jean Marie in the room next to us! Overall, the
staff at Ocean Maya Royale is phenomenal and should be proud of what they bring
to the H-10 organization.
In the end, I can say everything went right during this vacation. We were perfectly happy, perfectly relaxed and had the time of our lives.
hasta la próxima vez
A photo montage to Marc Anthony's "Vivir Mi Vida" (Live My Life)...We danced a lot to this song and the words couldn't be more true.
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Live
My Life
I'm
gonna laugh, I'm gonna dance
[I'm gonna] live my life, la, la, la, la
I'm gonna laugh, I'm gonna enjoy
live my life, la, la, la, la
[I'm gonna] live my life, la, la, la, la
I'm gonna laugh, I'm gonna enjoy
live my life, la, la, la, la
Sometimes
rain comes
to clean wounds
Sometimes just a drop
can overcome the drought
to clean wounds
Sometimes just a drop
can overcome the drought
And
why cry, for what?
If it hurts bad, forget it
And why suffer, for what?
If life is like this, you must live it
If it hurts bad, forget it
And why suffer, for what?
If life is like this, you must live it
I'm
gonna laugh, I'm gonna dance
live my life, la, la, la, la
I'm gonna laugh, I'm gonna enjoy
live my life, la, la, la, la
live my life, la, la, la, la
I'm gonna laugh, I'm gonna enjoy
live my life, la, la, la, la
I'm
gonna live in the moment
to understand the fate
I'm gonna listen in silence
to find the way
to understand the fate
I'm gonna listen in silence
to find the way
And
why cry, for what?
If it hurts bad, forget it
And why suffer, for what?
If it hurts bad, forget it
If it hurts bad, forget it
And why suffer, for what?
If it hurts bad, forget it
I'm
gonna laugh, I'm gonna dance
live my life, la, la, la, la
I'm gonna laugh, I'm gonna enjoy
live my life, la, la, la, la
live my life, la, la, la, la
I'm gonna laugh, I'm gonna enjoy
live my life, la, la, la, la
My
people!
I'm
gonna laugh, I'm gonna dance
Why mourn? Why suffer?
Start dreaming, laughing
I'm gonna laugh, I'm gonna dance
Feel and dance and enjoy,
you only live once
I'm gonna laugh, I'm gonna dance
Live, always keep moving forward
Don't look back
Why mourn? Why suffer?
Start dreaming, laughing
I'm gonna laugh, I'm gonna dance
Feel and dance and enjoy,
you only live once
I'm gonna laugh, I'm gonna dance
Live, always keep moving forward
Don't look back
My
people, you only live once
I'm
gonna laugh, I'm gonna dance
live my life, la, la, la, la
I'm gonna laugh, I'm gonna enjoy
live my life, la, la, la, la
live my life, la, la, la, la
I'm gonna laugh, I'm gonna enjoy
live my life, la, la, la, la
