Have been many times and agree you don't really 'need' to stay in town. We usually only do that to use it as a home base to go to Xcaret/Xel-Ha (highly recommend) and also to take the ferry to Cozumel. The beaches in Playa proper aren't great and full of thick seaweed but the beaches in Cozumel are pristine with crystal clear water.

Anonymous wrote:We've never done an AI before and have our eyes on the SLS Playa Mujeres that just opened.

We also would love to explore Playa Del Carmen and stay in the hotel off of 5th Avenue for a few days.

We'll have a 3-year-old and 9-year-old. Does a 3-night non-AI/4-night AI seem like a good split? We could spend up to 9-10 days total in Mexico for the trip.

Thank you!

We did something similar with our kids in 2020 and it was great although I do get a bit squeamish these days with some of the random violence there. Our kids were 10 na d8 at the time. We started with a driving loop. Drove inland to an old colonial town called Valladolid and stayed 2 or 3 nights. Used that as a jumping off point to see Aztec ruins and cenotes nearby. Can’t remember which one, but it is one of the smaller ones that you can still climb. Also had a cenote there. Our very cenote was an old agave plantation and had a pool on the property with a simple restaurant. Spent a whole day there. Valladolid was a fun town. Eat at an amazing Italian restaurant of all things. Grandma was making gnocchi in the back. Then we finished up with 3 nights at Palace Playa Del Carmen. This is a pretty small AI property so few sit down restaurants, but I found the buffet to be excellent. One of the sit downs was hibachi which was fun. The kids club staff was excellent and our kids spent a couple hours each day there without us. In contrast, we spent a whole week at a larger Palace in Cancun with a water park, arcades and 8 restaurants. I would not have felt comfortable leaving kids at that kid club alone. No supervision except for youngest room and lots of other adult guests roaming around with their own kids.

Sorry misread — with a 3 and 9 year old you definitely could go snorkeling. Get a puddle jumper and a glass water viewer for the younger one.
Like this— https://www.amazon.com/ReefTourer-Underwater-Viewing-Bucket-Version/dp/B07G1VSD65?source=ps-sl-shoppingads-lpcontext&ref_=fplfs&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&gQT=1

I agree thee are basically the same thing so not worth moving unless there’s some reason like you can’t afford to stay in the nicer place the whole week or can’t get in the whole week. Cozumel is a little different in that the snorkeling is closer to the reef but with kids that are you won’t be doing that anyway. Just find the best AI you can afford and do that.

I dont particularly love the Playa Mujeres area.Look at the hotels in Mayakoba instead and plan a day in Playa del Carmen; no need to stay downtown

Just arrange a ride to playa del Carmen and spend the day. It’s fine but not worth more than a day. I love AIs but a full week needs a couple excursions. Try Tulum or a day pass at Xcarat

Nope. I don't see any point to this. It's like the same place. Just do a day trip if you need to visit playa del carmen.

The beach near 5th ave in Playa is not great. It’s better at the hotels north of there but not great right downtown. I’d do maybe 2 nights there and the rest at an AI. There are some great restaurants in Playa. Check where your hotel is in relation to nightclubs they’re loud and go very late into the night/morning.

Bump

I wouldn’t divide it. It’s not so different in terms of beach to warrant staying at two different hotels. With a 3 and a 9 year old, I just dont feel that the locations are that radically different to warrant packing / checking in / checking out twice in a 9-10 day trip. Personally, I prefer the playa del Carmen area.

We've never done an AI before and have our eyes on the SLS Playa Mujeres that just opened.

We also would love to explore Playa Del Carmen and stay in the hotel off of 5th Avenue for a few days.

We'll have a 3-year-old and 9-year-old. Does a 3-night non-AI/4-night AI seem like a good split? We could spend up to 9-10 days total in Mexico for the trip.

Thank you!