Mexico

PLAYA RESORTS
Panama Jack in Playa del Carmen and Cancun

Playa del Carmen and Cancun in Mexico has always been our go to place for a quick getaway away from the dreaded Canadian Winter. We have been to other Caribbean islands but somehow always find ourselves back in sunny Mexico. This time around we decided that we wanted to visit both these spots and broke up our trip into three days in Playa and three days in Cancun.

We decided to stay at the Panama Jack resorts which have locations both in Cancun and Playa del Carmen. The service is top notch and our stay was far above what one would expect. Here is our review for The Panama Jack resorts.

CHECK IN

On arrival, you are greeted with a welcome drink, moist towels and even a fresh ice cream bar. The lobby for both the resorts is newly renovated and looks extremely chic and modern. Check-in process was smooth and our rooms were ready even though we had arrived well before check in time.

LOCATION

Both the Panama Jack properties are located right on the beach in the very center of town with access some of the best beaches and walking distance to the shopping in town. For the party animal in you, the resorts are located walking distances to all the major clubs like Coco Bongo, Mandala and Palazzo.

Car parking is also not a issue as both properties have their own designated spots for guest parking. So if you are driving around and are worried about this, be assured you car will be safe.

ROOMS

Rooms in both the properties are similarly laid out with almost identical decor and furnishing. The beds are extremely comfortable and the views from our ocean front rooms were perfect. The rooms also are spacious and come with a private balcony with hammocks for you to relax in while enjoying the ocean view.

The room also came with a fully stocked mini bar which included beer, water, pop and juices. Other amenities include a large flat screen TV, iron and safety box. Our favorite part was hands down the room service. The menu was extensive, the food was delish, and best of all, it came within minutes of being ordered.

Above all the housekeeper always added a personal touch that we looked forward to seeing at the end of the day!!

 

POOLS

Both the properties has two large pools. One one the pools is an activity pool where all the daily activities such as water aerobics, water polo and volleyball took place. The other pool is a family friendly pool which was more geared to families with younger kids.

One aspect of Panama Jack Cancun that made it family and kid friendly is the kids play zone with splash pads and two long water slides. Yes…we did go on them as well…. And are not ashmaed to say that we also had a ton of fun….We got our chance to be kids again!!

Both the properties also have a foam party on one day of the week. They hire a DJ and close off an area where people of all age groups can boogie to some tunes in the sun and lots of foam.

The pool and beach areas are equipped with ample amount of beach beds and cabanas for you to relax on. Even with the hotel being at 80% capacity, we did not have any trouble securing a spot in a cabana. You are also able to reserve a cabana for a small fee if you did not want to get up early to hold a spot.

The only thing both the properties lack, is a swim up bar for drinks.  However, the service provided by the waiters at the pool and the beach side is phenomenal and you quickly forget the lack of it.

BEACH

Both the properties are located right on the beach which is nothing but a long stretch of beautiful white sand that is nice and flat with warm caribbean water.  The beach at Cancun is however much more cleaner and free of seaweed when compared to Playa del Carmen.

There were lots of workers working really hard to clean the seaweed but it was far too much for them to handle. The beach at Playa del Carmen here was also rocky, so if you decide to choose the Playa Del Carmen location, we would highly recommend water shoes.

The service on the beach was exceptional at both resorts and the waiters were constantly taking orders and replenishing our drinks.

FOOD

Like any other all-inclusive resort, food is always something Darshan and I look forward to. We were not disappointed in either of the properties. The resort boasts an Italian, Mexican and steakhouse restaurant. The menus at both locations for the restaurants are very similar and the food was delicious.

The buffet during breakfast, lunch and dinner had a variety of choices and we found the food to always be fresh and tasty. During lunch, they also had a grill going by the pool for you to grab a quick bite to eat.

The highlight for us was the Panama Jack Coffee Co. It was open from morning to night serving  anything from espressos to fancy lattes and cappuccinos along with freshly baked goods and sandwiches. All in all, the choices for food were plenty and we were never bored of the food.

AURA SPA

Panama Jack also has an onsite spa, which is fully renovated on both properties and is extremely beautiful. The all inclusive stay gives people access to the hydrotherapy area. The only downside is that it is not a co-ed spa and if you wanted to enjoy you hydrotherapy as a couple, you would have to make a special request to check if this could be accommodated.

OUR VERDICT

Panama Jack resorts are picture-perfect escape for couples, families and youngsters in need of some serious fun in the sun. If you are looking for the perfect combination of beach and tourist attractions, Panama Jack Resorts are the place to be in Mexico.