Playa Del Carmen, Mexico

Jasmine-Jaed
Dec 1, 2023
3 min read

Updated: Jul 24, 2024

The tropical paradise of Playa Del Carmen was home for two weeks back in October of 2023. My most recent travel adventure took me on a 10-hour flight from London Gatwick to Cancun, located on the Caribbean coast.

This trip was special to me as it was my first "proper" family holiday, that all seven of us embarked on together. I oversaw organizing the passports and tickets. When travelling with someone who has a disability it will require extensive planning, so do your homework. My mother who is mobility challenged had pre-booked assisted travel with TUI airlines. I have flown with this particular airline many times before, the staff at Gatwick were very friendly and professional, we were all able to board the plane before everyone else and help her out of her electric wheelchair. But when you have two preteen children and a six-year-old, doing simple tasks almost feels impossible! Also a little heads up, if you are bringing wheelchairs that contain lithium battery, make sure you know the make, model and weight of the chair or the scooter to avoid any delays.

On arrival at Cancun airport, we disembarked the plane and waited for all other passengers to leave the aircraft first. Then we went through immigration and baggage claims, which took forever because there was a heavy presence of police and sniffer dogs at the airport. We, amongst many other large family groups, got stopped at customs and had all twenty-eight of our suitcases, backpacks and handbags searched, causing a lot of distress to everyone. After several hours of being stuck in the airport, we finally boarded our coach, HALLELUJAH! I would advise anyone who has a mobility challenged group member to pre-book transfer to your accommodation and make sure the vehicle is accessible to your individual needs.

We stayed at the Riu Tequila Resort, which was within an enclosed, well-guarded hotel compound. Riu never disappoints, the 5* all-inclusive hotel has something for everyone, five restaurants, four pools, a nightclub and day and night time entertainment for adults, kids, and families. You can find me located pool side with my cocktails. The BEST meal for me was breakfast, in the international buffet style food includes EVERYTHING of which you could think. My plates usually consisted of avocado, plantain, eggs, pancakes, and syrup.

The hotel also has a gym; these resort's gym facilities were quite small and limited. A friendly recommendation would be to re-locate the gym in the hotel and provide guests with more equipment and floor space to use. If the gym is not your thing, then you can head down to the secluded beach area or take a tennis buggy for a day at the beach.

As Riu guests, we were able to use the restaurant and bar facilities of the neighboring Riu Yucatan hotel which has direct access to the beach. Honestly, the walk down for me was like 5-10 minutes, so I really did not mind. Inside the gated hotel complex, there was a Starbucks, 7/11 shop, market stools and a mini shopping center. The rows of shops and small shopping mall is not much, but it has pharmacy, an ATM, nail shop, gym, bar and your typical market stools that sell bracelets, keychains, shot glasses and all the other holiday gifts you can bring home for your family and friends. Check out my other adventures as I take you on a trip around the world, inspiring your next trip through my journals.