Yucatan Peninsula Vacation

Yucatan Peninsula vacation...


Yucatan Peninsula Photo CC

Is it time to return to Mexico's stunning beaches and warm hospitality? A recent pre-Christmas getaway to the Yucatan Peninsula allows me to respond with a resounding...absolutely!

In lieu of gifts this year, my sister-in-law Cathy and I decide to vacation with our daughters (both 23, an age when the benefits of traveling with mom are again apparent). In a careful review of the all-inclusive resorts around Cancun, the Paradisus Riviera Cancun Resort (a member of The Leading Hotels of the World) emerges as an enticing alternative to the busy Cancun-strip properties. Located in Puerto Morelos along the Riviera Maya, the Paradisus is closer to the airport and the Mayan ruins we plan to visit, and it offers a full complement of activities and restaurants. Cathy and I exchange emails. The girls post messages on each other's Facebook "walls." And we are ready to go!

There is no dramatic entrance at the Paradisus. We briefly wonder if our taxi driver plans to deposit us at the service entrance when we round a bend and see we have arrived. Neighboring hotels funnel their guests immediately toward the beach, but here the plan is different. Whitewashed walls and an open-air lobby cooled by lazy ceiling fans await us. Porticoed hallways lead past fountained pools and strategically placed mini gardens. This is a tropical retreat that promises to sooth after travel, excursions, or simply the heat of a day on the beach.

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