We tapped in to our newly named “30Under30” winners for 2020 to find out where they send their clients in Mexico for destination weddings and honeymoons. They’ve provided a broad selection of romantic resorts which should help you for your altar-bound clients.
Andrew Rose of Vacations At Sea in New Orleans loves working with couples on honeymoons. “Of course, not everyone has the same budget — but with a once-in-a-lifetime trip [we all hope], I try to advise my clients that this is certainly something that you shouldn’t cut corners on and one of the few trips that you’ll remember for a very long time and take many picture from,” he says.
In Mexico, Rose says he tends to lean toward adults-only properties that he’s been to or that have great reviews or excellent track records.
“For AMResorts, Secrets is my go-to brand. For Karisma Resorts, El Dorado is the way to go and there are other great brands like Le Blanc, Royalton and more,” says Rose.
“A new brand that I’ve come to recently adore is the TRS brand by Palladium Resorts. This is an adults-only brand with excellent food, drinks, service and more. I stayed at the TRS Coral Hotel in the Costa Mujeres area and was blown away. Another nugget of info on this resort, [if you book early enough] the swim-up suites cost only a little more than the Garden/Standard suites. To spend an extra $20 to $40 for your own pool to use 24/7 is a no-brainer,” says Rose.
Corey Hargarther of Dream Vacations in Ponte Vedra, FL highly recommends the Secrets Maroma Beach Riviera Cancun for honeymoons in Mexico. “While the resort is expansive and offers an array of amenities for guests, the property itself does not feel crowded. Additionally, the service is exceptional and the cuisine is to die for. Another great option is the Valentin Imperial Riviera Maya. The property is family-owned and its design is unique within the Riviera Maya region.”
Christine Wolff of Brentwood Travel in Saint Louis, MO recommends the Palace Resorts brand for destination weddings and honeymoons in Mexico. “They specialize in creating unforgettable experiences with amazing romantic twists. Their staff/groups staff are unbelievably amazing to work with, and their products never disappoint for both a honeymoon and destination wedding…they will supply a bride and groom with anything they may need or want for their big day and if they don’t already offer a requested service, they know how to obtain it to make sure one’s wedding is exactly what they were hoping it would be. They have beautiful grounds and views for an unreal destination wedding/honeymoon setting. The staff is amazing to work with when planning a destination wedding/honeymoon as they are all very responsive and will take all the time they need with us when planning/facilitating bookings and make suggestions that make our job much, much easier. Last but not least, the brand offers unique, one-of-a-kind experiences for both types of travel and we all know that these two types of travel are some of the most important in people’s lives. They truly leave the clients feeling like they are the most important people on property. This also leaves the clients feeling like we [the travel advisors] are the rock stars because we went above and beyond to plan and execute these unique, special moments with the resort,” says Wolff.
What’s on the horizon for romance travel? “The soon-to-open One&Only Mandarina will be a stunning honeymoon and/or destination wedding location,” says Sarah Brook Austin of Currie & Co. Travels Unlimited. “Located on one of the last remaining beachfront jungles in Mexico, the property enjoys the luxury of having the beach, jungle, and mountains. The rooms are jaw dropping, many with plunge pools — the treehouses are my favorite. The property has a romantic, sexy feel that makes it perfect for a wedding or romantic getaway. Guests will feel like they are in Bali or Thailand without having to go halfway around the world. Also, One&Only is famous for their impeccable service.”
For families, it’s “Rosewood Mayakoba, which offers a great ‘Rosewood Explorers’ Club for the little ones as well as many family fun activities and theme nights throughout the year. Their room categories are ideal for family travel as they have a number of configurations and connecting options,” adds Austin.
“Grand Velas is a land-based ‘cruise experience,’ including so much in its fixed pricing that it is ideally tailored for those families who want to know their costs before they travel.”
Sarah Attaway of Sea to City Travels, an affiliate of Cadence Travel in Santa Monica, CA also recommends Imanta in Mexico. “It’s close enough to Punta Mita and Sayulita to leave the resort to explore,” she says. “Imanta offers an extremely unique, adult ‘treehouse’ experience. The hotel is known for romance by providing exceptional romantic dinners around their property and couples treatments at the Jungle Spa.”
Emma Major of Major Traveler, an affiliate of Travel Edge in Atlanta, GA says her recommendations for honeymoons in Mexico vary drastically based on the client’s budget and preferences, specifically whether they desire all-inclusive or not. “In Mexico, I recommend Chable Maroma, Viceroy Riviera Maya and Nizuc for clients who desire the non-all-inclusive route. For those envisioning the opposite, I recommend Le Blanc Los Cabos, Grand Velas [Los Cabos and Riviera Maya], Excellence Playa Mujeres, and UNICO,” she says.
For a bit of colonial Mexico, Anna Clara Lee of Valerie Wilson Travel in New York recommends San Miguel de Allende. “Not only is it a cultural gem that leaves you feeling inspired by its history and style, but it is an incredibly romantic destination filled with hotels that encompass the city’s natural beauty,” says Lee. “The Rosewood San Miguel de Allende is my favorite property for weddings, as the multiple venues are truly stunning and the staff’s level of service and attention to detail are unprecedented.
An Ocean Treehouse at the One&Only Mandarina
“Another Mexican favorite of mine is the ultra-luxurious Le Blanc Cancun. For the toes-in-the-sand kind of bride, this property’s extensive beachfront is the ideal spot to tie the knot, and the views from each room are unforgettable.”
Rachel Troop of Vacation Experts in Louisville, KY recommends UNICO 20°87° in the Riviera Maya for a destination wedding. “This is my top pick because of multiple reasons with one being that the planning process is seamless due to having coordinators based in the U.S. who make communication a priority. Though they have packages to help start the ideas and planning, each wedding is totally customizable based on their preferences from the ceremony backdrop all the way to the different venue options for the reception. Other reasons I recommend this resort is due to the fact that you fly into the Cancun International Airport, which is easily accessible from many cities in the U.S. if guests are coming from all over, and that multiple religions and same-sex marriages are welcomed.”
What if there are children attending the wedding? Troop recommends “any of the Hard Rock properties since they are under the same hotel group as UNICO so the process is similar.”
Sara Matulonis of Cruise Planners in Fort Pierce, FL also likes UNICO 20°87° “because nothing says romance like indulging in 24/7 room service churros while relaxing together in the soaking tub on your oceanview balcony. Working with the U.S. and hotel-based wedding team makes planning easy and the Limitless Inclusions program is a can’t-beat value for couples and their guests. Say goodbye to your typical all-inclusive Miami Vice or rum and coke and sip on craft cocktails made with mezcal or homemade guava syrup while dining on Yucatecan cuisine,” she says.
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