Hotel Highlights

The Grand at Moon Palace

I cannot rave enough about this resort. It is the most luxurious, incredible place I have ever stayed. The food, the grounds, the pools and entertainment were absolutely top notch. We will definitely be back here soon!

Interior of a modern hotel room with a large bed, sitting area, sliding glass doors leading to a balcony with ocean view, and a flat-screen TV.
A man and woman in a swimming pool, smiling at the camera, with a modern circular outdoor structure and palm trees in the background.
Colorful water slides at a water park with a clear blue sky in the background and people relaxing under umbrellas.

Resort: 10/10

From the perfect room to the luxurious grounds, this resort is what dreams are made of. The restaurants were all so gorgeous and our room was breathtaking. The grounds were spotless and the smell was delicious.

There is SO much for kids of all ages to do including water slides, ice cream shack, indoor games and so much more. I am and forever will be in awe of the Grand at Moon Palace.

Lettuce wraps topped with shredded cheese, shredded chicken, and drizzled with sauce on a white plate.
Three tacos with lettuce, tomato, and fried seafood in soft taco shells, served on a wooden tray.

The Food:10/10

I don’t even know where to begin with the food. I have never had such a palette pleasing experience in my life. Everything from the salads to the pizza, tacos to burgers— it was ALL AMAZING. Los Tacos had the BEST tacos I have ever had in my life. I cannot rave enough about all of the delicious food. WOW … just WOW!!

Dinner table with various dishes including a burger with fries, pizza, fried chicken with fries and sauce, nachos with guacamole, and fried fish with tartar sauce, set with napkins and silverware.

Room Service 11/10

Okay— this may seem a bit snobby of me but I do not think I would ever stay at a resort without room service again. There is nothing better than having the 12pm munchies and being able to order a plate of delicious nachos and guac, or burger and fries. The food always came quick and was so delicious.

Iberostar Paraiso Beach

El Puerto Mexican Restaurant

Four people sitting at a brightly colored table, wearing sombreros, celebrating. Mexican flag in the background, with colorful decor and drinks.

Atmosphere: 10/10

The waiters were amazing and so much fun! They really made us feel comfortable and helped us embrace the culture.

Plate of chicken fajitas with sautéed green peppers and onions, served with sliced cucumber, radish, lime wedge, and a small cup of green salsa.

The Food! 5/10

WOW WOW WOW the tacos were sooo delicious. My favourite were the chicken tacos with a spicy green salsa! However, the rest of the food on the resort was so-so. I didn’t find a ton of variety in most of the buffets and the Japanese (which I normally look forward to) was VERY bland. If you are a foodie, I would not book at this resort.

A brightly colored, decorated glass bowl with a wide rim holds a yellow dessert topped with a spicy chili powder rim.

The DRINKS! 6/10

The margaritas were delicious. My favourite and a must try was the mangorita! I didn’t like the spiced rim though! Overall, the drinks were underwhelming. The cranberry juice for my typical vodka cran was weird tasting. I don’t love fruity drinks and they seemed to specialize in these.

Dreams Riviera Mayan

Tips: Pack a Babymoov pop up playpen. This was the best thing we packed. Berlyn slept every day in a safe and shaded area while we soaked up the sun beside her and took turns in the pool. Bring a portable clip on fan!! I cannot rave enough about this. Click on the pictures to shop these must haves.

View of a beachside hotel pool area with lounge chairs, umbrellas, and people swimming, with the ocean and sky in the background.

Resort: 9/10

The grounds were absolutely stunning, the ocean view was immaculate and the pools were perfection. My only reason for not giving a perfect 10 was because of the seaweed on the beach ( but this is normal in Mexico and wasn’t a big deal at all).

Three shrimp tacos with shredded cabbage and drizzle of white sauce, served with a lime on a white plate.

The Food:9.5/10

If you can’t tell by now, its all about the tacos for me! The fish taco took the win in my books. It was soo tangy and delicious. My favourite food by far were the Mexican restaurant tacos.

A baby in a swimming pool wearing pink sunglasses, a sun hat with decorative flowers, and a pink and white swimsuit, surrounded by poolside umbrellas and lounge chairs on a sunny day.

Baby Friendly? 7/10

We absolutely loved this resort with our four month old. There seemed to be a lot for kids to do around the resort and the staff was incredible with our baby. They called her the “princess of the resort” which was so cute. There wasn’t a TON of shady spots by the pool to keep baby if you forget your pop up tent, so this is why I am giving it a 7/10. Overall, the resort was amazing!

Secrets Silversands

Empty beach volleyball court with a net, sandy ground, and a tiki hut on the shore under a clear blue sky.

Atmosphere: 10/10

The beach was stunning! Perfect white sand and great for volleyball (which I love) The staff were so much fun and so friendly. This is an ADULTS ONLY resort so it was nice to have no kiddos running around.

A deep-fried spring roll with colorful chopped vegetables on top, served with a side of dark dipping sauce and a small salad of shredded carrots and cucumbers.

The Food! 9/10

The calamari was so incredible. The food was delicious. The only thing that stopped this resort from being a 10/10 was the loooonnnngg wait to get an omlette in the morning. When I did get it though, it was super yummy.

A person holding two rainbow-colored layered shots at a beach resort with palm trees, lounge chairs, and a dark cloudy sky in the background.

The DRINKS! 10/10

The shots were so much fun and all tasted delicious!! All of the liquor was top shelf and was not watered down at all. I was very impressed.

Cologne Germany!

To See: An absolute must see when in Cologne is the famous Cologne Dome. When you stand beside it, you get the most uncanny, incredible feeling. The architecture is unbelievable.

To Stay: XII Apostle Albergo (400m from centre)

To Eat: RheinZeit ( definitely check out their rahmschnitzel.. it was AMAZING

Night view of a Gothic cathedral with tall spires and detailed stone carvings, illuminated against the dark sky, with flags hanging on the front.
Nighttime scene of a festive market with decorated stalls, bright string lights on trees, crowded with people, surrounded by buildings, in winter with some snow on the ground.
A plate of shrimp and pasta with creamy sauce, garnished with chopped parsley.