January - Royalton Riviera Cancun, Mexico

This impromptu girls' vacation was a long overdue reunion with one of my best friends.  We have kept in touch regularly over the years (29 years to be exact) but I live in the Toronto area whereas she lives in Richmond, VA.  We took separate flights in and met at this brand-new luxury hotel.  I am an avid traveller, but this was my first time to Mexico, so I wasn't entirely sure what to expect.  The airport was quite busy, with several flights landing at the same time.  In true form, I made friends with my fellow passengers in line and passed away the time talking about our previous vacations.  The hotel was only a 10 minute drive from the airport, and the hotel was impressive even from the (albeit long) driveway.  My girlfriend welcomed me and we were whisked off to the Hideaway (adults-only) private check-in area.  As we waited for our room, we caught up at the bar within the check-in area and became acquainted with the local drink selection.  Our room was simply AMAZING - a swim out room, the most comfortable beds, rain showers, a huge tub with jets and 24-hour room service are just a few of the luxurious room amenities.

We had dinner at Agave (MesoAmerican Fusion), the Hunter Steakhouse, Armadillo's (TexMex) and OPA! (Mediterranean).  The Service was efficient, the food was phenomenal and the staff were incredibly friendly.  The Gourmet Marché (Buffet) is amongst the best I have ever had, with a ridiculous amount of options, including fresh guacamole, pastries, grill items and even a mini-buffet for the kids which is lower to the ground.  The SCORE sports bar is open until 4am and serves amazing poutine, chicken wings and is directly across from the disco, so you have easy access to drinks and food while you dance the night away!  There is also a great martini bar (Martini Mix), where most people went before/after dinner.  It was such a great way to meet people and hear about everyone’s experiences at the resort.  We met a couple from our hometown who had actually gone to our elementary school and we have stayed in touch ever since!

My favourite part of the resort was the Hideaway - this section of the resort is reserved for adults only and has daily activities by the pool (stell drum bands, chocolate parties, etc.).  The pool is simply amazing - it is heated in the evenings (which is especially nice in January) and has little "booths" inside of it that are great for socializing while you take advantage of the two swim-up bars.  The pool also surrounds the Dorado (Seafood, Adults-Only) restaurant which serves breakfast, lunch and dinner from a fantastic menu.  It overlooks the ocean and as with all of the restaurants at the Royalton, no reservations are required.

Overall, I highly recommend the resort for families, weddings, honeymoons, couples - there's definitely something for everyone!