BoulderFam

We're flying into Cancun in early January and I'm having a hard time deciding which area to stay in. We are traveling with our 2 year old daughter and mother-in-law so I'm thinking Tulum may be a bit too rustic for our group. Playa del Carmen sounds great but the lodging is a bit higher than I'd like to pay (would like to be less than $150 per night in one room).

Our preference is a small, quaint hotel preferably on the beach. We do not want an all inclusive and we are not looking for luxury accomodations. We plan to rent a car for the week so mobility will not be a problem.

Is Akumal a good place for what we are looking for? I've found a small beach hotel in Puerto Morelos (Casita del Mar)- any input on this hotel and area would be appreciated.

Thanks for the help!

Diana

Akumal is a good choice for you and there are lots of choices in the price range you mention.

It is extremely quiet, but not as quiet as Puerto Morelos.

PDC is VERY bustling, and it will be hard to find something on the beach in the price range you mentioned. I can only think of Playa Maya as fitting the bill. A car there is not necessary unless you want to see the ruins, attractions away from town or drive to other towns.

I agree that Tulum would most likely not be the best choice.

You might also want to look at Isla Mujeres - a quick and fun ferry ride over from Cancun. No need for a car, and there are many choices for low-cost but nice places right on the beach and lots of restaurants and shops in an area that is easily walkable.

Safe, fun, lots to see and do and very family-friendly.

Have a great time!

SusanMargaret

Try asking your question on www.locogringo.com it is a website devoted to that area and has very active forums.

BoulderFam

Great! thanks Diana and Susan for the additional travel information.

One more follow up question - I've read that the beaches in Puerto Morelos are 'natural' and are not as clean as other beaches in the area. Any experience with the beaches in this area?

Diana

Yes, all that means is that they are not regularly raked clean of seaweed, and some have turtle grass or other marine grasses in the water.

In some of the more remote areas, there may also be some debris that has washed up - think beer cans or fishing nets, etc. - but certainly nothing awful or very dense. More just here and there, and a lot of places have informal beach patrols - residents or visitors - who pick up things as they are walking on the beach. We try to do that.

The beaches in front of the better resorts in the less-populous areas, and also in the more tourist-oriented places are raked on a daily basis.

pepper131

You might like this place:
http://www.locogringo.com/playa/kaik...me=Kai%20Kaana

It's north of PDC in Xcalacocco also called Punta Bete. There are just a few other hotels in the area: Ikal del Mar being one of them.

There's a small restaurant to the south of IdM called Juanito's. Not sure what the other food options are. IdM is hotel guests only. But you'll be 10 minutes from PDC for lots of good eats.

Beach in front has huge slabs of rock, but just to the north - like hardly any distance, there's a huge clearing in the water w/o rocks. You can kinda see it from the aerial photo on the hotel's page.