Traveling in 2021

This past year has been surreal. Covid-19 has wreaked havoc on this world. There was sickness, deaths, layoffs, depression and so much more. We are slowly coming out of that darkness. As I market my travel business or book trips for clients, I have conflicting thoughts. Part of me feels shallow for doing so while people are suffering, part of me needs to do whatever it takes to keep my business going, and the big part of me feels that traveling makes memories. You don’t have to go far or spend a lot of money. Be together with your spouse, kids, family, friends and enjoy each other’s company. Explore a new place. Or just take the time to decompress.

Last week I was lucky enough to travel to Mexico. It was part work as I wanted to see firsthand what my clients are experiencing with the Visitax, health questionnaire, Covid tests to get back in the States, and I also had site visits at numerous resorts. There was also a little downtime too. My 50th birthday was May 5, 2020 and I was planning to visit Austin, Texas with a group of friends but thanks to Covid that was canceled. So I wanted a redo of my 50th and instead spent my birthday (Cinco de Mayo) in Mexico.

My husband and I stayed at Secrets Maroma Beach and I chose that resort to stay at, not only because it is a 5 star resort but also because I am certified with their parent company AM Resorts and received a travel agent rate. I wanted to support AM Resorts as they were one of the first resorts to offer free Covid testing on site and a free quarantine of up to 14 days if a traveler tests positive. On January 26th, when the law changed that everyone entering the US would need a Covid test, it was anxiety ridden for travel agents trying to figure out how to get their clients tested while on vacation. AM Resorts also owns Dreams, Zoetry, Now, Breathless, Reflect, Alua and Sunscape Properties.

Secrets Maroma is on a gorgeous beach and is a very walkable resort. I have to admit that when I first got there, I was a bit underwhelmed and I couldn’t figure out why but maybe because I like a bit more greenery and the main area is very open. After walking the resort the next morning, I realized that I shouldn’t have been underwhelmed as it was a beautiful property and was one of my favorites – I can’t wait to stay there again! What sets Secrets Maroma apart is their staff. Everyone was just fantastic! Special shout out to Sharon who just started working there in the entertainment department and Daniel who is a bellman. As for food, we loved the French restaurant, the breakfasts were great and I loved the shrimp tacos while sitting by the pool. There are four Now properties in Mexico and one in the Dominican Republic.

While in Mexico, we also visited Now Sapphire Riviera Cancun and met with the wedding planner Ramon, as our clients are getting married there in November. Walking into the resort is beautiful, seeing their open air lobby. It is a great family resort with a large pool, a kids club, water slides, a preferred club adults-only pool, and beautiful landscaping. It is also a short 15 minute drive from the airport.

If you are open to a longer drive, I absolutely fell in love with Secrets Akumal Riviera Maya. And I realized from visiting there what I was missing at Secrets Maroma. While Secrets Maroma is absolutely beautiful, I loved the vegetation and flowers at Secrets Akumal. They have a relaxation pool which is a quiet pool. Their main pool and beach are beautiful as well. The drive from the airport is approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes but I think it’s worth it!

We toured three other resorts: Dreams Tulum Resort & Spa, Sunscape Akumal Beach Resort & Spa, and Barcelo Maya Riviera. Dreams Tulum was not one of our favorites but it did have Mexican charm and a beautiful chapel on site. Sunscape Akumal is a budget resort that is good for families. We had the most delicious lunch there prepared by the chef who previously worked at Secrets Akumal. Barcelo Maya Riviera was our last stop and I was hot and tired. I didn’t expect to like it as it has 850 rooms there but is part of a larger Barcelo complex which has over 3000 rooms. I ended up loving Barcelo Maya Riviera. It is an adults-only resort, very hip, beautiful pools and beach, and the restaurants are gorgeous. Whoever designed them did a fantastic job. I haven’t been offering the Barcelo to clients as they do not Covid test for free. However, they do Covid test on site and I found out it is a nominal fee for the antigen test.

I will be returning to Mexico in June to visit other resorts – that trip will be all AM Resort properties. I have to give credit to Mexico and their Cancun airport – they did a great job with their processes for Covid. And props to all of the resorts that we visited – they are doing a great job with their safety precautions.

If you are ready to travel, we are ready to help you. Travel and make memories.