Traveling with an infant to Mexico. Would we do it again?

We traveled to Mexico with our 10 month old son in August of 2017 and stayed at Finest Resort in Playa Mujeres. Would we do it again? In a heartbeat.

This was our fourth trip to Mexico. The first trip was on our honeymoon in 2014. We stayed at an adult only resort called Excellence in Riviera Maya and fell in LOVE with the resort, the country, and the people. From that point on we were hooked. Mexico is now our go-to destination.

Both Excellence and Finest offer professional photo shoots. Highly recommended! Photo taken at Finest Resort.

In 2015 we stayed at a newly opened all inclusive called Finest Resort in Playa Mujeres. It was family friendly and owned by the same people who run Excellence. Again we were blown away by the outstanding service, food, and drinks We knew when we had children some day we had to bring them back for a family vacation.

We also stayed at Excellence resort in Playal Mujeres for our babymoon in April of 2016. Again we had a trip of luxury and loved being pampered by the staff. When you find a gem like the resorts that are a part of Excellence group, you don't want to ever venture anywhere else!

Baby mooning at Excellence Resort, Playa Mujeres Mexico.

Fast forward two years and we were on our way back to Finest with our then 10 month old son, Cole. Some family and friends questioned our sanity when we mentioned we were going to the Cancun area for our first family vacation. "Are you sure it's safe? Is it clean? Are you sure the resort is family friendly? What if Cole gets kidnapped?"

First off the tourist areas in Mexico are safe. With the world that we live in today, going to your local grocery store, shopping mall, or even sending your kids off to school isn't even 100% safe anymore. Life is filled with uncertainties and if you live in constant fear of the "what if's", you will never live a life worth living. Plain and simple.

People watch Man on Fire and think the entire country of Mexico is exactly like what is pictured in this movie. Can you imagine if people in other countries watch 8 Mile and think that ALL Americans are wannabe rappers, the country is completely gray and dreary, and everyone lives in run down trailer parks? If this sounds silly it's because it is. Be smart. Know where you're going. Do you're research and most importantly don't let anyone else's opinions ruin your good time.

Playa Mujeres is about 35 minutes north of Cancun. The city is gated off from the surrounding area. Your taxi driver has to show his ID and tell the guard where he is taking you before they even open the gates and let him in the city. There is also a gate in front of the resort. Again, they do not open the gate without seeing identification from the driver. They also asked for our last names and the number of people in our party.

Finest resort was extremely clean. There were always people cleaning the resort in general, pools, doing yard work which includes spraying for bugs early in the morning and right before dusk. We did not see one bug when we were there. Iguanas are also everywhere so they help keep the insect population to a minimum.

When you step out of your taxi & walk into the resort, you walk through beautiful giant wooden doors. You are handed ice cold towels and a glass of champagne which is more than welcome after a long day of traveling. Employees help you with your bags and welcome you with a warm smile. Welcome to paradise!

View from the top of the stairs in the main lobby of the main bar.

The rooms are spacious and clean. The decor is very airy, modern, and chic. You truly feel like you are living the life of luxury. The mini fridge is stocked with plenty of cold drinks and snacks including my sons favorite cookie, Oreos!

We booked a suite with our own private pool. It was perfect for us because as Cole napped during the day, we could be in the private pool just steps away. We packed our video baby monitor with us for extra peace of mind. Waiters and waitresses also come to your private pools and bring you ice cold drinks while you lounge all day. It really was the perfect setup!

The main pool was always fun! Mid morning they would have some type of entertainment or activity going on. Water aerobics, Zumba, and hip hop dancers performing on the sides of the pool were the most common. We would pull up a float and bring Cole over to join in the fun. He always participated in the activities which kept him entertained along with everyone else around. Who doesn't love a chunky little baby trying to keep up with some Zumba moves?!

The beach was also wonderful. There are plenty of chairs with umbrellas and tables around so you don't have to sit directly in the sun. Waiters also make their rounds and bring you drinks frequently. The beach is generally seaweed free. A hurricane passed by the day we landed so some seaweed had washed to shore, but that's mother nature! It didn't bother us one bit.

You can’t leave Finest Resort without checking out their day spa. My husband got a Swedish massage and said it was heavenly. I got a facial and it was so relaxing it actually helped get rid of a migraine I was experiencing. They have a really cool thing called hydro therapy. It’s an absolute MUST! You’ll thank me later.

I should also mention that Finest has an entire pool and play area designed just for kids. Our son loved being able to crawl around and play on all the toys. The water in the little kids pool was up to his knees. The setup was absolutely perfect!

Mexican people are hands down some of the friendliest people I have ever met in my life. Mexican people also LOVE children. They acknowledged Cole everywhere we went. They engaged in conversation with him, went out of their way to make him smile, and did anything to accommodate our family.

I can not express how much the staff makes this resort so spectacular. Yes it is clean. Yes it is luxurious. Yes the food is amazing but it’s honestly the friendly attitudes and warmth that the staff portray that make us come back year after year. Everyone from management to the grounds keepers greet you with a friendly ¡Hola! as you pass on by.

When you are at Finest Resort or any of the Excellence resorts, you are not just at a resort. You are home.

We are planning a trip back to Finest with a group of friends and their little ones for January 2019. Stay tuned for more adventures!