Photo by The Beloved Playa Mujeres
Last Spring, Ben and I and decided we needed some R&R and took a week-long vacation to Mexico! Having previously gone to Cancun, my idea of a Mexican vacation was a large commercialized resort, a trip or two to Señor Frog’s and shopping in the midst of a tourist frenzy. We decided that Cancun, while a great hub for the start of our travels, wasn’t the spot that we wanted to end up. We were looking for something a little more laid back and relaxed.
Once we nailed down the location (pretty much anywhere within an hour’s drive of Cancun), it was time to book the most important part–the hotel! We decided that we wanted a boutique all-inclusive resort that was adults only, backed up to the beach, had great on-site restaurants and stayed around $200 per night, per person.
I went back and forth between various travel sites looking for the perfect hotel- one that checked off all of our boxes. My searches would come up short. Hotel A was all-inclusive, but not adults only, Hotel B was the most perfect thing I’d ever seen, but “perfect” came at an imperfect price.
After weeks of searching, it finally happened, that ah-ha hotel moment! The stars aligned and there she was, The Beloved Hotel Playa Mujeres. It fit every bit of criteria that we had listed out and (bonus) it had a 5-star rating on Tripadvisor (my travel bible) with over 4,000 reviews. It was so perfect that we didn’t believe it was real. I mean, someone had to dislike something–the location, the food, the service–but they didn’t. Check out the reviews here, you’ll be amazed.
HOW WE GOT THERE:
Fast forward to May 31st when we landed in the Cancun airport. We paid an extra $190 through the hotel for a private car transfer to and from and it was so worth it. I’m sure you could grab a cab and pay less, but with the hotel about 40 minutes away, we decided to secure our ride through them. If you’re teetering with the idea of this then I would definitely recommend it. It made the arrival and departure process so smooth and effortless!
THE HOTEL:
The Beloved was tucked away on a gated side road in Playa Mujeres and, while off the beaten path, the location still felt extremely safe. The hotel’s main entrance was so charming and as soon as you stepped out of the car you were offered a warm hand towel and cold drink.
The check-in process was seamless and the staff took a few moments to tell us about the events at the hotel and additional excursions that we could add to our package (a day to trip to Isla Mujeres, checking out the Mayan Ruins, etc.). It all took about 10 minutes and then we were on our way to the room!
THE ROOM:
When we first opened our front door, I swear I almost fainted. Here? We’re staying here? We booked the most basic room the hotel offered (named The Junior Suite) and it blew me away. There was a large bathroom with a walk-in rainfall shower, a king-sized bed, a sitting area with TV, a built-in bar that was fully stocked (hello endless wine, beer, liquor and snacks!) and a Whirlpool Jacuzzi that opened to the patio. The patio was also amazing and included a daybed and table and chairs that overlooked one of the smaller pools that was rarely in use. Since room service was included in the all-inclusive package, we spent most of our mornings out there enjoying fresh fruit and coffee.
The hotel offered 8 different room options ranging from The Junior Suite all the way up to The Owners Suite (I would love to see that one). Due to our budget, we stuck with tier one, but if you can swing it I would recommend moving up to the next level and staying in a Casita Suite. They have a private pool and we saw a ton of people utilizing them throughout our stay. Regardless of which room you choose, you’ll be greeted with champagne, fresh fruit and a mini bar that’s stocked daily with full sized bottles of your favorite beverages, soft drinks and snacks.
THE BEACH/POOL:
Now even though I wanted to face plant on our day bed and never leave, we found a beachfront hotel for a reason so we had to check it out! There were plenty of chairs and shaded beds (we never had a problem grabbing two together–even in the afternoon) and the servers were constantly walking around checking up on our drink levels. The second you finished a drink or food item, another one appeared in your hand. I’m pretty sure Ben ate his weight in nachos and I had the Pina Colada Kennedy Package–How I Met Your Mother style.
They had daily events at the beach as well. My favorite was a small station set-up near the water where they served up drinks in personalized pineapples. They were so cute! I must have taken 30 pictures with them (sorry, Ben). It was just such a sweet touch!
Right next to the beach was the resorts largest pool that sported a swim up bar and low-key entertainment. Even at peak hours, the pool always has a relaxed vibe and there were tons of couples mingling with one another.
SPECIAL OCCASIONS:
On day two of our stay it was my 28th birthday and we had made a note about it when completing the reservation, but didn’t think much about it after that. The hotel went out of their way to make the day special for both of us. There were Happy Birthdays left and right, room service left a nice card/desert in our room and the restaurant we went to for dinner brought out a personalized dessert (thankfully I was burnt from the beach, so no one could see the shade of red I turned)! Ben was also able to order flowers and balloons and have them delivered to the room while we were out (the sweetest, I know). If you are going to this resort for a birthday, honeymoon or anniversary, I promise you will not be disappointed. They know how to make the day a special one!
SPA:
Now onto the Spa, my favorite place to be! The Spa at the hotel was beautiful, we could have easily spent all day in there! The main space featured an expansive pool, hot tubs, saunas and white furniture throughout.
The Beloved offers a free Hydrotherapy Ritual to all guests which I would definitely recommend booking! We decided to try it out, but had no idea what to expect. We assumed we’d be splashing around in the pool for a while, but the ritual was way more relaxing and intricate than expected! You spend most of the time in the spa’s main pool area where a therapist walks you through the different Hydrotherapy activities-these included entering into different pressure pools, a dip into the hot tub and some time in the sauna.
We also topped our day off with the Romanza Couples Ritual which was so nice! They set us up in a room together and it included a massage and a facial.
Photo by The Beloved Playa Mujeres
WHERE WE ATE:
I would have to say my favorite part of the trip was the food. The restaurants were great and we had a hard time deciding which ones to go back to because we wanted to revisit them all. Here’s the breakdown:
Bars: The property had 4 bars and 1 lounge. There was never a wait at any of the locations and the bartenders were all very sweet and accommodating. They don’t skimp on the alcohol quantity or brand.
The pool bar was by far my favorite–the bartender was fun and engaging and made the best drinks! There was rarely a time when he was wasn’t surrounded by chatty guests who thoroughly enjoyed his company!
Lupita Restaurant: Only open for dinner, this restaurant features Mexican cuisine and has a great selection of Mexican wines. You’ll look at the menu and want to try everything, so I would recommend ordering a slew of apps to share among your group.
El Mar: One word: Seafood! This restaurant is a casual hot spot during the day and a cozy romantic spot at night. It’s outdoors (but covered) and on a platform overlooking the water. Go around sunset to catch the view and make sure you order the lobster.
Isla Grill: This spot is open all day and overlooks the main pool and beach. We never tried it for dinner but we loved it for lunch–the nachos were pretty darn good.
Aroma Restaurant: Open for breakfast and lunch, this was our go to morning meal spot. They had an extensive buffet that would impress any pallet.
Natura Bar: For you healthy folks out there, you will love this place. They offer a wide variety of refreshing smoothies and crepes throughout the day. This was always our stop on the way back from the beach before we got ready for dinner.
Sushi and Ceviche Bar: This place still pops up in my dreams and ranks up there as one of my favorite sushi spots ever–and I swear it’s not just because the main server called me “princessa” 🙂
Located in a courtyard outside of the main building, this bar offers a selection of rolls, nigiri and sashimi. The fish was so fresh and so yummy that Ben and I went there almost every night before dinner!
Lounge Service/Room Service: All day long you could order snacks, entrees and beverages from server’s poolside or at the beach. You also had unlimited room service throughout the day. Hello late night french fries and wine.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
And that’s it! I really hope this travel guide was helpful if you’re considering a beach vacation or if you already booked your room at The Beloved. I know spending a lot of money on a trip is nerve-wracking and you want to make sure the experience matches the price tag. In terms of this hotel, regardless of which room you book or which package you decide on, you get a bargain deal for the level of service, inclusive atmosphere, and amenity options.
Now get ready to relax!
Photo by The Beloved Playa Mujeres
