When we got settled in Ecuador, I made a promise to myself that I would go back and write posts for trips we’d taken and places we’d visited pre-COVID. It seems fitting that after departing from Puerto Morelos just over a month ago, that I begin catching up there.
It was September of 2018 and Tina had found a great deal at yet another 5-star All-Inclusive resort on the Riviera Maya. This would be our first experience at an “El Cid” resort and we were both looking forward to it.
For those of you who have never disembarked at the Cancun airport, allow me to try and set the stage for you. After you’ve gone through Immigration and Customs, and picked up your luggage, (all of which by the way is a pretty simple and quick process) you are free to exit the airport and make your way to your pre-arranged transportation. What no one tells you is that once the Luggage doors close behind you, you are bombarded by dozens of Mexicans, each trying to get your attention and calling out various resort names and asking where you are going.
Now, for the unwary or inexperienced, you may think that these people (who are dressed professionally, complete with name tags and ID badges) are here to guide you to your transportation. Ohhhhh you couldn’t be more mistaken! The fact of the matter is that all of these individuals are paid by timeshare resorts to get arriving tourists to Mexico to agree to a free breakfast or lunch and attend a “40-minute” presentation about the particular resort. To sweeten the pot, they will also throw in some other pretty attractive incentives. In most cases, these include a free tour of the most popular tourist attractions along with an actual cash payment, sometimes up to $1000 USD.
Having gone through this gauntlet once before, we should have known better and been prepared. Perhaps it was the exhaustion of a day of travel, or preoccupation with making sure we hadn’t forgotten anything, however, for whatever reason on this occasion, we allowed ourselves to be reeled in with hook firmly set.
It took us a while to extricate ourselves from the situation, however, we did walk away with a free tour of Coba and $500 USD, payable after attending the 40-minute presentation.
Our coach ride to the resort was a quick 45 minutes and before we knew it, we were pulling up in front of the impressive Marina El Cid Spa and Beach Resort in the seaside town of Puerto Morelos.
This 4-storey luxury resort features 400 rooms and all the amenities you could want, perfect for spoiling yourself on a much-needed vacation. We would come to spend a lot of time between the hot tub and the infinity pool. Our room was large, spacious, well appointed, and provided us with an exceptional view. We unpacked, showered, and changed and went down to walk the property and enjoy our first meal and drinks.
This hotel really was first-class, and we would happily recommend it to anyone. The food was always on point, and the staff were friendly and attentive. 5-Stars indeed.
The next day, our first morning had us up early to be in the lobby to attend our “40-minute” free breakfast presentation. Now, I don’t know if you’ve ever attended a timeshare presentation before, but let me assure you, they are NEVER 40 minutes in duration. In fact, we have never attended one that did not go well over 4 hours, and our first one was almost 8 hours! (we’ve been sucked into 3 in total, and did actually purchase once) Armed with this experience, during the entirety of our breakfast with our very polite Host, I reiterated several times how I was going to hold them to the 40-minute timeframe as we had plans for the day. I was very clear and was reassured multiple times that it would not be longer.
The presentation began after breakfast, and I allowed the presenter to finish his pitch, and then I politely declined his offer and asked to leave. This only meant being handed off to another sales representative who could lower the price and offer more incentive to buy. That conversation was cut short by me and we were handed off again to a “Manager” for departure. Of course, you guessed it, another attempt to sell the timeshare with larger incentive offers and another ‘rock bottom’ price. It only took 30 more minutes and 3 more hand-offs until we were “not-quite-as-politely” handed our $500 cash and told that we were free to go. Total time spent after breakfast? 90 minutes – a record! Let this be a lesson for the uninitiated.
From the resort, you can easily walk into the small beachside portion of Puerto Morelos which was the first thing we did. Be advised, that there are caution signs along the sidewalk indicating to be careful of crocodiles, which we found amusing until we came across one! It’s actually an iguana but…..made ya look!
You may have read my previous post “A New Life! – Phase 2-a” where I described Puerto Morelos to some degree. Looking back again to our first visit there, recalls all of the charm that this seaside town has to offer. September and October are great times to visit Puerto Morelos since the busiest, and most expensive, months tend to be January thru March. We found the temperatures to be right in the sweet spot for us in these months with temperatures ranging in the mid to high 20’s with an almost constant breeze coming in off the ocean. The people were always friendly and helpful, and we never once felt concerned about our safety.
There are so many fun little spots down by the beach. There is a small park in the center across from the church where vendors set up local craft stalls most evenings and on weekends. There is usually some sort of live entertainment and there is a multitude of bars and eating establishments to meet all of your tastes. The beach itself is perfect for strolling along and there are more beach bars further down. There is more than one tequila shop for sampling the wares, and some pretty awesome cafés to choose from for my fellow coffee aficionados. As you know, it would not be our last visit to this gem of a place.
The next day we decided to take advantage of our free tour of Coba. Now I think I’ve mentioned more than once how one of us is all about history, and the other is all about beaches. Let there be no doubt that Tina is definitely the beach bum. I enjoy history and ancient history in particular. Don’t get me wrong, I’m no Indiana Jones but I do like to visit ancient sites, handle ancient relics, and hear ancient history. Tina? Tina indulges me. Bless her heart. Over the years, she’s trudged along with me to some places where she was probably pretty bored and daydreaming of beach time after the tour, but I have to say she definitely gets involved no matter where I drag her. When it comes to pyramids, nobody beats her to the front of the climbing line and once summited, she will usually start posting a Facebook Live video so she can share her experience with friends.
Such was the case with Coba. Coba is a pretty popular pyramid with tourists because it’s relatively close to the Mayan Riviera. It’s also one of the few remaining pyramids that you’re permitted to climb, and that provides a spectacular panorama once you get to the top.
The remainder of our vacation was spent between venturing into Puerto Morelos beach area, and lounging in and around the pool at the resort. This was one of those vacations where we just wanna “recharge the batteries” after a busy or stressful streak back at home. We did stroll next door to the marina and happened to catch an entertaining dolphin performing next to the piers and had an amazing dinner at the steakhouse by the sea.
For those of you who haven’t yet checked out Puerto Morelos, we strongly urge you to make the time. Mexico is one of our favourite destinations for a multitude of reasons, but a LOT of those reasons can be found in friendly and pretty Puerto Morelos!
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