For families looking to visit the Riviera Maya section of Cancún, a fun (and safe!) bet is The Fairmont Mayakoba Hotel.
Located within the private Mayakoba development about 40 minutes from the airport (other posh hotels nearby include Rosewood, Banyan Tree and Andaz), The Fairmont is a spacious, spread-out resort that winds through a mangrove forest (most rooms are right on the canals) before ending at the white-sand beach. And of course, it's got lots of ways for kids to stay busy.
For starters, included in your stay are three hours of daily kids' club at the Fairmont Discovery Club & Adventure Camp. Parents can choose a morning session or an afternoon session for kids age 4-12. There's also a special teen room for kids ages 10-17.
What's great about the Discovery Club is that while there is a physical clubroom off the family pool, the program also arranges adventures througout the resort such as this boat ride through the canals that wind through the mangrove. Kids will learn about the ecosystem here, including the cenotes, and will definitely spot a crocodile or two. Other adventures can be done as well, including a turtle release proram on the beach, but some adventures will be an extra cost.
Each day at the Discovery Club has a theme but typically most days include a mini-adventure, craft-making, science and cultural lessons (guided by a few Mayan charaters), and lots of games.
The resort also offers babysitting services in case parents need a night off, but there are plenty of things to do as a family too such as biking the mangrove trails, snorkeling (where you can learn about the coral reef restoration), stand-up paddling, windsurfing, and golf. You can also arrange to take some off-resort excursions to see more of the surrounding area, like Mayan ruins and jungles where chewing gum is found in trees, something we highly recommend doing to break-up the #resortlife. Bring bug spray though!
As for the guest rooms, the resort has 401 rooms (including about 34 suites) and even the starting room category with double-beds is plenty enough space for a family of four. But if you want more space or to make the trip extra special, book a siganture casita suite which has a separate living room with sofa bed and two bathrooms.
One fun touch is found a turndown where a worry keeper doll is given for you to tuck under your pillow.
Rates for the Fairmont start around $542 a night in mid-January. Rates during peak seasons like the winter holidays will often cost more. We visited the resort during the off-season (October 2017) so there was not much activity happening, which was kind of nice. If you can swing an off-season stay, we say do it.
Want to stay at Fairmont Mayakoba with your family? Let me know and I'll help you plan your trip!
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