Coconut Bay Resort & Spain St Lucia, set amongst 85 acres of waving palm trees, is a blissful beachfront hotel with nine restaurants. They serve buffets and a la carte dishes, as well as themed dinners. They even adapt menus to cater for various dietary requirements. After a delightful dinner, head to any of the hotel’s seven bars and treat yourself to as many drinks as you’d like. Additionally, you’ll have full access to all the pools and activities throughout the day and evening, including live music from local artists. Cocoland, the hotel’s complimentary kids’ club hosts a range of indoor and outdoor activities to occupy little busy whilst Mum and Dad sip co*cktails, completely care-free.
Suitable for couples and families, the luxurious, family-run,Sea Breeze Beach Hotelsits on Barbados’ south coast, providing stunning ocean views across Oistins Bay. Your all-inclusive package will include breakfast, lunch, dinner, drinks and a minibar brimming with free snacks. Make the most of the hotel’s three pools and activities, including sailing, rum tasting and co*cktail classes, just to name a few. Teens aged between 12-16 years can hang out at Shore Break, which features a lounge complete with TV video games and table tennis. Meanwhile, Lil Dippers Kids Club is a space for children aged four to 11 years, with puzzles and arts and crafts to entertain them throughout their stay. For adults, the hot tub is the perfect place to disappear and relax after a full day of activities.
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, in the Dominican Republic, is the Caribbean’s answer to Vegas. Its swish lobby leads into an impressive casino, with live music and entertainment. This epic resort embodies retro glitz and glamour, apparent in its decadent rooms, magic shows and live rock concerts. Hard Rock offers the supreme all-inclusive experience with no hidden costs. You’ll stay in contemporary five-star accommodation, some with a double hydro spa, and 24/7 room service. The whole family can dine at any of the nine restaurants, make full use of the water sports and activities and indulge in free poolside snacks. Roxity Kids Club provides kids aged three to 12 years old with endless fun and games, while adults socialise at themed parties, contests and live concerts.
Sandals Grande Hotelis a picturesque, adults-only resort in the north of Antigua. Situated on its own peninsula between Pigeon Island and Rodney Bay, the resort is nestled amongst 27 acres of lush, tropical gardens alongside Dickenson Bay – the island’s longest sandy beach. Accommodation is arranged over four areas across the resort called The Caribbean Village, with panoramic views of volcanic mountains. All-inclusive guests benefit from gourmet dining at any of the resort’s 16 restaurants and access to all activities, plus organised trips to private offshore islands: Sandals Royal Caribbean and Sandals Royal Bahamian. For the ultimate royal treatment, hire your own personal butler and private airport transfers.
Escape toSecrets Akumal, a secluded beachfront resort, located on Riviera Maya’s coastline. The resort’s Mexican design fuses elegance with natural elements, and rooms feature traditional Mayan artwork. Secrets Akumal provides its guests with an opulent all-inclusive experience, with excellent service, facilities and food. Dine at nine of the hotel’s restaurants, play golf on championship courses or unwind at Secrets Spa with an award-winning Pevonia skincare regime or the latest hydrotherapy treatment. Want to spy the sea turtles for which Akumal is named? Join a free snorkelling class for an unforgettable experience.
Cancun is a bustling resort, on the Yucatan Peninsula, synonymous with raucous partying, plush resorts in its Hotel Zone, 21 miles of powdery, white sand beaches, palm groves, stunning coral reefs and a smattering of Mayan ruins. Snorkel or dive to witness the incredible Cancun Underwater Museum of Art, complete with 470 submerged sculptures, where you can also swim with turtles. Splash around at the massive Xel-Ha Waterpark or go snorkelling on the world’s second largest reef, the Mesoamerican. The leisure opportunities on Cancun holidays are practically limitless.
Tulum was one of the last cities built by the Maya. At its height during the 13th to 15th Centuries, it was abandoned by the end of the 16th. The ruins of this pre-Columbian Mayan walled city are a major tourist draw today, as Tulum is one of the best preserved coastal Mayan sites. Tulum town lies about three miles from the beach and is gradually developing. It offers a good selection of small hotels, restaurants and shops. The Tulum beach strip is a small road that leads you to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Sian Ka’an biosphere. The beach is open to the public and the whole area has a very relaxed, bohemian vibe.
Located in the heart of the River Maya region, the resort town of Playa del Carmen is renowned for its stunning palm-tree-lined beaches and water sports. With an average of 340 days of sunshine a year, the fastest growing city in Latin America has plenty to entice visitors. Party the night away at Coco Bongo, get a massage on the beach or take a catamaran cruise. All of Playa’s beaches are fully open to the public. Escape the tourists and mix in with locals on Punta Esmeralda or for a more secluded setting head out of town to Xcacel which even has its own cenote. Check out some of the authentic taquerias for tasty treats like tacos al pastor with cheese, delicious shavings of spit-roasted pork topped with a slice of pineapple, served on corn tortillas.
Mexico’s sprawling capital, Mexico City, has done much to clean up its image in recent years. Public spaces are being revitalised, the culinary scene is booming and a cultural renaissance is well underway. There’s plenty to discover here. Wander around the bustling downtown to take in centuries of history, pop into an intriguing museum, such as that dedicated to artist Frida Kahlo, or take a boat ride along an ancient canal in Xochimilco. Learn about Aztec history at the Chapultepec Castle, take in the splendour of Catedral Metropolitana or hang out in the Zocalo, one of the largest squares in the world. For colourful handicrafts to take home check out the city’s largest artisanal market, La Ciudadela, scale the 65-metre high Revolution Monument for panoramic city views and immerse yourself in culture at the Palace of Fine Arts.
