ReservedbySarah

I’m trying to select a resort for a mid-May trip with three or four couples. The requirements are

• direct flight from NYC (under 5 hours)
• room rate under $1k/night
• resort that we wouldn’t need to leave (restaurants, bars, etc on property)
• adult focused (I don’t need adults only, but I don’t want a ton of screaming kids running around)

Last year we went to Las Ventanas in Cabo, so I’m trying to pick somewhere more convenient for the East coasters for this year. I’ve been considering mostly beach resorts in the Caribbean or Mexico (Punta Mita, Rivera Maya) - but I’m open to other places (would LOVE to travel with this group to BlackBerry Mountain but way out of our price range). Currently I’m debating between:

• Sugar Beach (are the residences on the same quality level as the other hotels? they are cheaper!)
• Como Parrot Cay (We’d get the base room level, a little outside of our price range but maybe we can stretch)
• Four Seasons Anguilla (Does this feel like you could be anywhere? I go to Hawaii all the time, but this will be my first Caribbean trip. Also how complicated is the boat transfer from SXM?
• Six Senses Grenada (risky since brand new, but good preview rates)
• Belmond Maroma (switching gears to Rivera Maya)
• Etereo in Rivera Maya looks like it could be good, but it’s booked for our target weekend

KatW

You may have to fudge some requirements (a connection, flying time) but you can do no better than La Casa Que Canta in Zihuatanejo, Mexico. Well under $1K/nt yet superb, outstanding experience. Bonus: no kids.
https://lacasaquecanta.com

Fairly certain, COMO, Belmond Maroma and FS Anguilla are well out of your dollar range, unless they’re running something special.

cornwall4000

While It'll still be three months until my first visit, hard not to second LCQC in Zihua just on lore and word-of-mouth alone.
It will add a bit to your flight time vs some of your other listed options, yes, but maybe not much.

Unlike LCQC, which looks to be extremely reasonably priced ATM for what's on offer there, I'm not sure places like Maroma or Parrot Cay end up being 'worth it' at the price points you're working with. This is, of course, a philosophical question in the end.

I think Sugar Beach might be more the kind of place where the value at pricepoint might go further. Viceroy seems to have finally cracked the code - at least somewhat - on a stupendous location that had seemed slightly 'cursed' with previous hotels/management regimes. One of my only remaining issues with the current Viceroy iteration is the continuing incongruity of the fully trucked-in 'white sand' beach. But the hard product - and,again, the setting itself - is pretty great.

Not sure what alternatives would be in T&C (at least not that come to Parrot Cay/Amanyara quality points), but with Riviera Maya/PDC you might consider Rosewood Mayakoba, Escencia, Viceroy....

threepointkid

Looks like you are focused on beach, so you have the right idea in that region it seems. Might also suggest Rosewood Mayakoba if it fits into budget. Four Seasons Tamarindo was around that price range the last time I checked, but not sure it’s reachable by direct flight.

If Blackberry Mountain is of interest, what about Primland, Montage Palmetto Bluff, or The Swag. Could also look at Chatwal Lodge.

You could also fly directly to Costa Rica and do Nayara Tented Camp.

I haven’t visited all of these, but I have taken a good look at all of them for trips and have visited a few of them. Hopefully that’s helpful.

Marysmith0901

Sugar Beach has cheaper residences, Como Parrot Cay is a bit over budget but worth it, Four Seasons Anguilla feels generic and has a complicated boat transfer, Six Senses Grenada has a good rates.

ABG

If you can get Belmond Maroma for $1000.00 i'd go with that without question.... but you'll probably want to dine off property one night. The future credit promo for another Belmond hotel might tip the scale

KatW

Entry level rates at Belmond Maroma in May range from $1355 to $1575/nt. Sargassum Season for east coast (Caribbean) Mexico is May thru October and if your stay is affected it can be fairly awful. Maybe if the season begins late you could luck out.

RichardInSF

Given that this is the luxury hotel forum, I'm going to limit the scope of the rest of this thread to luxury hotels under $1000 a night. I was tempted to go farther and declare that this was not a luxury hotel forum thread at all, but then I remembered Kat's posts about La Casa que Canta being available for part of the year at well under a grand per night. So I'll leave the modified thread open for that purpose alone.

Original poster, if you want to ask about hotels in general, try a different forum please (geographic or hotel chain).

RichardInSF, moderator, luxury hotels and travel

threepointkid

My apologies if I partially contributed to derailing the thread! I did a quick double check and I was incorrect about Rosewood Mayakoba in May (I stayed last July for $800/night, but I’m seeing $1600+ for May), but otherwise each hotel I suggested had rates in May for under or right at $1000/night, all of which I believe can be considered luxury properties. Chatwal Lodge and The Swag are both a bit above $1000, but are all inclusive, so I thought that they could still fit within the parameters.

ABG

Rates are less than that.... depending on length of stay and if OP is talking with or without taxes/service charges

KatW

Rates I quoted derive from the hotel’s website. It’s a venue I’ve followed for years, have stayed, too. Those rates are consonant with my experience and knowledge. And, of course it’s Mexico where tax and non-optional service charges add from 25 to 32% of the quoted rate.

ABG

Ok... but rates are still less than USD1355.00 a night before taxes and service charges or even with taxes and service charges for May, depending on length of stay. .

KatW

Are these private rates available to you as a travel professional?

ABG

Belmond's stay a little longer offer would apply in May, combines with Bellini Club