Anonymous wrote:Finest Playa Mujeres. Went in Dec for a few nights with 21 month old. Paid extra for a room with its own pool. Beach was perfect, food was mostly great, kid loved every minute. Highly recommend!

Ditto - spent a week last winter at Finest with a 14 month old and it was terrific

Just a FYI, anything too far outside Cancun is going to be a hike in the car. DH and I had traveled to different Riviera Maya beaches pre-kids and when we went back with our toddler we said hell no to all that travel time and picked a really nice place that was 35 minutes from the airport.

couple options-- try vacation express. I've foudn the cheapest deals through them

i was not an all inclusive type before kids, but now i'm a convert. food 24/7, often, usually some good places for kids (playgrounds, indoors and out); not having to worry about finding a restaurant; kid pools, activities, etc.

Jamaica has great beaches:


Grand Palladium resort and spa, jamaica. 6 nights w/flight in june under 3k, all inclusive.
Jewel runaway bay is fantastic but might be out of price range.


lots of nice places on the riviera maya--though I dislike cancun.

we've been to catalonia tulum which was nice because it was small, not tons of walking. Sandos Eco caracol is great for kids--splash pools, plus animals, etc. Food is decent, not great, but overall a nice place for kids. Usually inexpensive.

Akumal Beach and Wellness is lovely, great beach, snorkeling, food. Low key.

Tulum itself is lovelytoo, although much more built up than it used to be. with a 2 year old, might try akumal.

Try Fairmont Mayakoba - depending on dates it could be within your budget. We have loved it with our young children.

Finest Playa Mujeres. Went in Dec for a few nights with 21 month old. Paid extra for a room with its own pool. Beach was perfect, food was mostly great, kid loved every minute. Highly recommend!

Try vacationexpress

Anonymous wrote:We are looking at going on vacation in early June with a roughly $3,000 budget for myself, DH and 2-year-old DD. It could be a little bit over that for an all-inclusive.
I've found a bunch of places in Cancun that fit the bill in terms of budget, but wonder if we'll enjoy -- some of the reviews kind of scare me, but I can't tell if it's just disgruntled/snobby patrons or if the places are truly not nice. It doesn't have to be the Ritz, but we do want to enjoy ourselves.
Anyone traveled to Cancun with small kids on a similar budget? We would consider other destinations as well, Cancun just seems to have the most bang for buck and the most options. Would love some ideas or recommendations.

What are some of the places you have seen in-budget? People might know about them specifically.

In general, assuming your budget includes flights, that is going to be relatively light for 6-7 days at a lot of the all-inclusives. But that doesn't mean you might not be able to find a deal or that you might not be perfectly happy at a somewhat more modest resort.

There is definitely something to be said for all-inclusives, especially with a toddler. It is very easy and you can let her sample without breaking the bank. Also, if you are the type of family that is likely going to eat at the resort most of the time anyway (again easier with a toddler then heading into town, if there is a nearby town), all-inclusive can sometimes be a decent deal because ala carte report prices tend to be high. And, even if it is a wash in pure $ terms, not having to think that I am spending $10 for french fries each time (for example) is more relaxing for me.

Anonymous wrote:Four seasons Anguilla

Not going to be in op's budget, not even close.

check cheapcaribbean.com

Check Expedia for a deal.

If you're feeling adventurous...look on skyscanner for a good fare and find an AirBNB in a locale that you like. Norwegian goes to Martinique and Guadeloupe and has $99/OW fares every now and then. Pair that with a nice AirBNB, and you'll probably have more money for food, souvenirs, and incidentals.

Four seasons Anguilla

Does it have to be a resort or would you consider a luxury condo? My preference is the latter from vrbo or home away because I don't always want to eat breakfast out and I want to sleep in a different bedroom from my kids.

I've done this in Turks, Grand Caymen and St. John. I think the bigger issue with your budget is airfare. I think you will be looking at $500-800pp just for that.

Look at cheapcaribbean.com -- they always have great deals.
I happen to hate Cancun. In June, I think you can find nicer places to go for your budget. The Bahamas, PR, Jamaica and others might have deals then.

(Forgot to add: We're looking at going for 6-7 days)

We are looking at going on vacation in early June with a roughly $3,000 budget for myself, DH and 2-year-old DD. It could be a little bit over that for an all-inclusive.
I've found a bunch of places in Cancun that fit the bill in terms of budget, but wonder if we'll enjoy -- some of the reviews kind of scare me, but I can't tell if it's just disgruntled/snobby patrons or if the places are truly not nice. It doesn't have to be the Ritz, but we do want to enjoy ourselves.
Anyone traveled to Cancun with small kids on a similar budget? We would consider other destinations as well, Cancun just seems to have the most bang for buck and the most options. Would love some ideas or recommendations.