Tulabell: Bienvenido Mexico! Part 1

Last month we ventured out with Bob and Sue to an all-inclusive resort at Hilta Playa del Carmen (formerly owned by Real Club) – it was an adventure from day one being that I booked our hotel near the wrong airport! I had forgotten there were two in Houston as I had bought our airfare 7 months ago, and luckily we found out before we tried checking into the wrong one!

It is kind of funny now but in the moment we were there it was no way you wanted to start your vacation. So a long taxi ride to the CORRECT airport later and we were all safe and sound waiting to board our plane. All’s well that ends well, right?

When we arrived to Cancun we met up with Bob and Sue and were greeted by our transportation driver. He immediately gave us cold towels to cool off (even though we hadn’t been out of the building for more than a minute) and took our luggage and helped us in the vehicle. There he offered cold water (in a glass bottle), Mexican candies, and cold beer.

The drive to our hotel was hardly relaxing as I think the driver was attempting to make it be. I say this because there were palm trees everywhere, signs in Spanish, and street signs that had warnings of puma cat crossings! I only wish I had a picture of it all, especially the street sign that had my maiden name on it, “Carrillo” – I wish I could remember what it was.

When we arrived to the hotel we were greeted by the staff there who again gave us cold wet towels – again we were not hot from our luxury transportation, so naturally I was confused what all the hubbub was about. They offered to get us a drink (anything we wanted) right off the bat. I, feeling overwhelmed, did not think of anything I wanted. Sue looked at me like I was strange not to take them up on their offer. Again, I was just taking it all in where she on the other hand already experienced this.

In this same moment we approached the hotel, I noticed it smelled of cinnamon, and later I found out they had a scent machine in the entrance. I am just glad it was one of my favorite scents or I may not have been so fond of it or remember it as a good memory.

The entrance was grand – like the scene of the palace in Aladdin. It had marble everywhere; on the floor and in large pillars. Next you notice a large lobby very open and sort of like a ballroom…I liked how Charlie put it when he pulled me over to see it and said, “I went to the lobby looking to see if they have an aquarium, and I found one!” He, pointed to the ocean, we then chuckled as it was rather amusing to both of us.

We checked in and went to our room and right away plopped on the bed to relieve ourselves from being confined by the traveling woes. There was a bottle of champagne on the table, cold beverages in the fridge, and our room had an ocean view.

After refreshing ourselves and unpacking, Bob took us on a tour of the resort so we were familiarized with where we would be living in the next week. We stopped for a drink or two at one of the many bars (we were not used to not having to pay when we were done) and then headed back to our rooms to get ready for dinner.

We ate at an outdoor ocean side restaurant called Pelicano's - the experience that night for me was much more indulgent than the food. Perhaps I chose the wrong dish, but either way it was such a new experience I just soaked it all in. Oh and they had cats who lived nearby that would come out for dinner scraps. Truth be told that the sign said not to feed them but you know everyone did.

After dinner we headed to the main lobby where they have entertainment each night. That night it was karaoke night and if you know my husband he was the first one out there - with a lot of coaxing and cheering from me of course. There were a lot of Mexican songs and I this is when I began to start to realize how much we were the minority of white Americans the longer we stayed.

More to come...here are pictures that tell the story.