Table for One - Part 2

Table for One  - Part 2


I guess it's really not fair to say that I would be alone in Mexico for the next seven days, I was meeting up with other travel agents during the middle of my trip. They were however, still strangers and this type of travel was still very new to me.

Since I was staying in the preferred club room at Now Sapphire, I was able to check in at the preferred club lounge. As I sat down to check in the bartender came over and offered to make me a drink. Even though it wasn't quite noon in Mexico, it was in Cincinnati, so I decided to go ahead and have a piña colada.

Check in was easy. I left my bags with the bellhop and decided to explore the resort. I walked around and took pictures for a little while, and I looked at all of the couples, friends, and families enjoying the beach and pools. Still, I didn't feel alone or lonely I was feeling a rush of excitement just being at the resort.

I decided it was time to have some lunch and found a casual beach side grille called Blue Water. I walked up to the hostess and said "table for one." 

I was seated outside at a table overlooking the ocean. There was a gentle breeze and clear sky that day.  The waiter took my order and brought out chips and guacamole. I was never a fan of guacamole before traveling to Mexico and now I will admit I'm a bit obsessed.

As I was sitting at the table waiting for my food I stared out into the ocean. All I could hear was the sound of the waves, and the seagulls flying around. Two blackbirds landed on the table next to me looking for leftover scraps. For a few minutes I watched them fighting over spilled tortilla chips and chasing each other around. I could feel the smile forming on my face. This was awesome. 

It's amazing the things that you notice and the things that you appreciate when you are left with only your thoughts for a while. A few minutes before my food came some of the other tables filled with families and couples. I observed them talking and laughing and sharing stories, but no one was staring out into the ocean, listening to the waves, or watching the birds.

After lunch I met with the sales manager for a tour of the property and checked into my room. I was delighted to find a special Champagne gift in my room, and giggled a little when I saw two champagne glasses for "Mr. and Mrs."

After changing into my swimsuit and cover-up, I walked down to the beach bar. On my way I ran into Steve and Mary from my flight. We chatted for a bit and it felt good to see familiar faces.

I really liked the beach bar. Instead of bar stools there were swings made from rope and wood. Being as short as I am I'm sure it looked somewhat comical to see me trying to get on to the swing. Once I was situated, however, it was so comfortable and relaxing I could've stayed there all night.

There were four guests sitting at the bar who I started a conversation with. There was a husband and wife, their adult daughter and friend. They insisted I do a shot with them, and even though I'm not a shot drinker I obliged. I sat there for a while chatting with them, and tried a couple more drinks they suggested. 

They told me they would be at the nightclub that evening and that I should stop by and party with them. I declined since I was getting up so early the next morning, but it was nice knowing how easily I was connecting with people.

Such a fun group!

They were right, this was delicious! 

That night I dressed up for dinner, and chose the Mediterranean restaurant, Cibu.  I did get a strange look when I told the hostess it was just me, but I didn't let it bother me. As I sat down at my table by the window I looked around the room and saw several couples having romantic dinners and a few groups as well. For a split second I felt lonely, but I brushed it off and decided that I was going to enjoy my dinner. I ordered wine, a bruschetta appetizer and a vegetarian lasagna. All of the food was incredible. I was so glad that I decided to go dine at this restaurant instead of choosing the casual beach grill or room service.

After dinner I was walking through the lobby bar and ran into the group from the beach bar. They introduced me to some of their other friends that they were traveling with. It was nice to have this sense of friendship when I was traveling alone. 

As much as I wanted to continue to socialize I knew I needed to get to sleep. The next morning I would be crossing an item off of my bucket list that I had been looking forward to for years. I would swim with whale sharks. 

The whale shark tour was incredible.  That alone was worth the trip to Mexico. When I returned to the resort I met with my driver who would take me to my next destination. 

Sandos Playacar is a large resort with an amazing beach, but I didn't get to explore it quite yet. I was already running late to meet with the other travel agents for dinner. We were to meet in the lobby area at 6:15 PM. I had no idea who I was looking for or if I was even in the right place. Finally, around 6:25 PM I saw a woman wearing a name badge that identified her as part of the group. We eventually found the others and headed to the Mexican restaurant at the resort. 

The best part about this group was that no one knew each other. I have been to several meetings and dinners before with other agents who all worked together or knew each other already and it was always a little awkward to be the one in the group that no one knows. That night, we were all in the same boat. 

After our group had dinner and attended the Madonna show we went our separate ways. I settled into my room and fell asleep quickly. 

The next morning I woke up early and decided to walk the beach. There's nothing like being one of the first people on the beach in the morning. It's the most peaceful and magical feelings. I took a few pictures of the sun rising and stared into the ocean for a few moments. This was another one of those moments when I was really glad to be alone.

One thing I really like about Sandos Playacar is the long stretch of beach.  I started walking away from the resort with nothing but beach and ocean in sight. I was fortunate enough to pass a morning jogger, who gladly took this photo for me.

On my way to breakfast I passed Jorge,  (a resident iguana that I named the night before), and a couple who I had met briefly while leaving the Madonna show. I had only been at the resort for 12 hours and already felt at home.

Jorge

Breakfast was easy to do solo, and I noticed there were quite a few people eating alone that morning. I got a seat by the window and felt a nice breeze while I enjoyed my coffee.

Amazing latte at Sandos Playacar

Resort Review - Sandos Caracol Eco Resort

Sandos Caracol, in Playacar, Mexico is a wonderfully unique place. A few weeks ago I was able to stay there and take a tour of this beautiful all-inclusive eco resort. I instantly fell in love.

This is such a multi-dimensional place and each aspect comes together in perfect harmony. The best way to explain what they offer is just breaking it down.

Accommodations

Sandos Caracol offers a Family Section, Adults-Only Select Club and The Royal Elite Section. I stayed in the Select Club and was very happy. My room  was located near the main lobby and also close to the Select Club pool and reception area. The Select Club has a private restaurant that serves breakfast, lunch and dinner and became one of my favorite spots (more on that later).

The Royal Elite rooms offer a close proximity to the beach and pool, as well as VIP service and a private restaurant.

Family Suites are sprinkled in the middle section so again, be prepared to walk a little bit to reach the beach and main pool. There are golf cart shuttles that come around and will take you across the resort if needed, so it's not a big deal to be further back on the property. Plus, the grounds are so beautiful the walk is enjoyable!

Pools & Beach 

The adults-only pool was quiet, calm and relaxing. Very nice for couples on a honeymoon. The only downside is that these rooms are a little walk from the beach area and the main entertainment plaza.

The main pool was located near the beach and that's where you will find the activities, water sports and nearby dining options.

The beach has gentle waves, not as much seaweed as several other resorts in the area this time of year and is only rocky on one side. If you walk the beach you will find the perfect spot to walk in!

There is an adults only section and Royal Elite section on the beach too, which offers some exclusivity.

Dining 

There were plenty of places to eat at Sandos Caracol. From an international buffet, to Italian and Mexican buffets there were plenty of choices. In addition, the A La Carte options were amazing. My favorite was the vegetarian restaurant, called Salvia. They have recently been discussing more vegan options there too which is very exciting!

Other dining options were with Teppanyaki, Brazilian, Mediterranean, Italian and a Steak & Fish place. I didn't have anything bad to eat the whole time. I will also mention that in the past I have been to all-inclusive resorts where the desserts look beautiful but have no taste.. not true here. They were all amazing. I think it may have to do with everything being made on site.

There is also a snack place open 24 hours so there is always something to eat. I didn't try the food there (except one evening when I grabbed a quick ice cream cone)!

 The bars were all great. They have a list of drinks they can make for you as resort specialties, but they are skilled bartenders and will make any other drink you request as well. I was very impressed with the bar service and quality of the drinks.

Activities/Entertainment

This is where Sandos Caracol really excels. Sure, there are plenty of resorts in the Riviera Maya. They all offer entertainment, water sports, land sports, etc. What you get at Sandos Caracol is that - plus MUCH more. They are called an Eco Resort for a reason.

Wildlife

Walking around you can spot several types of birds, turtles, coatis, iguanas all over, racoons and spider monkeys. The best part of my trip was when I was eating breakfast at the Select Club and four spider monkeys came down from the trees to grab bananas. They were hanging around eating their breakfast while everyone took pictures. They had no fear of us, but kept their distance too. It was such an amazing experience to be so close to nature.

I was very impressed that the resort respects nature and wildlife and leaves the animals alone in their natural habitat.

Nature

This place was built around the jungle. They didn't knock everything down to make room for the resort. Instead, they built around cenotes, trees, Mayan ruins and lagoons.

Our guide showed us different trees and explained the stories that the Mayas told about them. He also showed us the ruins that are on site and did a sensory experience with our group that was really cool.

What makes this place so unique is that you can explore the jungle (on foot or on provided bikes), swim in a cenote, view wildlife, get immersed in Mayan history and culture, yet still have all of the comforts and benefits of an all-inclusive beach resort at the same time.

Culture

The resort has entertainment every night and a huge focus is the Mayan culture. You can watch fire shows and ceremonies and participate in a survival game too. It's great for the whole family. For something romantic, couples can take a private boat ride in the Jade river.

Kids

For kids, there is a nice water park with slides and pools as well as a kids program with a full schedule each day to keep kids busy and happy the whole trip.

I'm already planning my next trip back. I will be recommending Sandos Caracol to my clients for sure! For more photos visit facebook.com/LoveLandandSea

For booking info contact beth@lovelandandsea.com

Resort Review - Sandos Playacar - Mexico

Sandos Playacar Beach Experience -  Mexico


A couple weeks ago I was able to tour and stay at all three of the Sandos resorts in the Cancun area. The first one I stayed at was Sandos Playacar Beach Resort. It's all in the name. this is a true beach experience. This resort had a fantastic long stretch of sandy white beach with clear water and gentle waves rolling in.

Cancun beaches typically have a lot of sea grass this time of year, and this year in particular it's been pretty bad. Sandos was on top of it! They worked hard day and night keeping it cleaned up. What I liked most about this beach is that it was truly walk-able. The resort sits at the end of the strip of hotels in this area,  so I was able to take a very long walk down nothing but beach.

Large Beach Area

Sunrise 

The resort is only a few miles to Playa del Carmen, where you will find fifth avenue, a charming street with shops and restaurants. A short cab ride will take you right there. For those wanting to stay inside the resort for their stay, there's no need to worry about running out of things to do.

Beach at Sandos Playacar

Dining

I arrived at the resort just in time for dinner. Our group met at Riviera Maya, the Mexican restaurant at Sandos Playacar. This restaurant provided authentic Mexican dishes with seafood options. I only had dessert here but everyone at the table seemed very happy with their dishes.

The next night I had an amazing Vegetarian Lasagna from the Italian Restaurant, El Pimonte. I could have eaten 10 more (although the serving size was quite big) it was just that good.

In addition to Italian and Mexican dining options Sandos Playacar offers Asiana, with oriental cuisine, Blue Moon, a casual beach side sandwich shop, El Gaucho (steak house), Fogo de Janeiro (Brazilian), Iztapalapa for Mediterranean specialties, Le Gourmet (French) and the International Buffet. For those staying in the Sandos Select rooms, there is an additional breakfast buffet located in the Select Club. The newest restaurant is Chayita Mexican Grill. I had lunch here on  my second day and it was set up just like Chipotle. I had a burrito bowl and it was fantastic. The hot salsa was a little hotter than Chipotle's so keep that in mind. Sandos Playacar also offers 24 hour room service.

Chayita Mexican Grill

One of my favorite spots at this resort was the Cupcake Cafe. This cute little shop was full of pastries, gourmet cupcakes and coffee drinks. For travelers who need their morning latte or afternoon frap this place is heaven. The best part, of course, is that it's all included. No additional costs for any of the dining here.

There was so much to do here. I would have needed several more days to experience it all. From beach activities like  snorkeling, kayaking, sailing, windsurfing to land sports (Biking, walking, billiards, ping-pong, chess, tennis, mini golf) There was something for everyone. Teens will especially love this place. The teens area offered plenty of activities and the entertainment team here is top notch!

I was able to see the Madonna show and it was fantastic. A tribute to all of her music with fun dancing and great visual effects.

Fantastic Entertainment

If you are traveling as a couple I highly recommend the Select Club. Access to the adults-only pool and beach area is a huge benefit, along with private check in. Families will love this whole property. There is so much to do for kids and teens (not to mention the adults) that everyone will be happy! The Royal Elite Haciendas on this property are ideal for large families who want VIP treatment and a semi-private pool.

I also found this to be a great place for weddings. Brides and grooms are able to choose from a beautiful garden location or a breathtaking beach spot. There are plenty of benefits to having a destination wedding here too, including a current special where you can get a free room when you book 7 rooms.

Garden area for weddings

I will be recommending this resort to my travel clients for sure and I will be back here in the future! For more details or a quote contact beth@lovelandandsea.com. For a full album of photos check out my Facebook page