We all have those holidays, trips or adventures which stay with us for a long time. That’s the beauty of travelling- the memories last forever and it’s wonderful to be able to flick through an old photo album, CD, or Facebook profile and reminisce over the special times you shared. Here at Space In Your Case we know just how lovely it is to take a trip down memory lane, so if you have a weekend away, holiday or adventure you want to relive then get in touch with us.
First up reliving one of their past holidays is Katie who is remembering her honeymoon to Playa Del Carmen in Mexico…
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We booked our honeymoon, 14 nights in Mexico and 4 nights in Miami, pretty much as soon as we got engaged and as we counted down to our wedding we also had the anticipation of going away as well. We got married on the 20th December 2009 and headed off to Heathrow on the 21st ready to catch our flight with Virgin Atlantic early on the 22nd. That particular December was really snowy which seemed really lovely on our wedding day, but when we almost got stranded on the way to Heathrow with my stepdad having to stop half way and drop us off at the nearest train station because the car wouldn’t make it, we weren’t too sure we were even going to get on our flight.
But we made it thankfully and headed off on the flight to Miami excited about the trip ahead of us. We spent a lot of time choosing the hotel in Mexico, wanting somewhere All Inclusive (after all it was our honeymoon and all we wanted to do was drink cocktails in the sunshine) yet also not wanting your typical All Inclusive holiday. We eventually settled on the Royal Hideaway Playcar– a adults only resort and member of the prestigious Leading Hotels of the World.
Our first impressions of the Royal Hideaway were that it was beautiful, the hotel offers just 200 rooms set in small villas, each with your own personal concierge who helped you book dinners, answer questions you may have etc. Our room was lovely, big and spacious, with a lovely whirlpool bath and big elegant bathroom.
The hotel was All Inclusive but not like any I had been to before. There were six restaurants and three bars- from the elegant Les Ventanas which was modern and grand, to the the amazing Azia, a AAA 4 Diamond award restaurant offering Asian specialities. You booked for each night over the course of your stay (usually with your villa concierge) and there wasn’t an all you can eat buffet in sight.
The hotel grounds were gorgeous set right on the beach, with a stunning infinity pool that looked out on the ocean. It was peaceful and even though we were there over Christmas it was never full of people.
There were also lots of private pools dotted around between the villas and in places you wouldn’t expect, meaning that you could easily find a secluded place to read your book or relax.
The beach was stunning and we loved going for walks up and down it early in the morning or late in the afternoon when it wasn’t so busy. The hotel had a private stretch of beach meaning that you didn’t get the usual sellers walking up and down.
Normally we love to go out exploring on holiday but as it was our honeymoon we decided to spend the whole two weeks relaxing, before heading back for four nights in Miami where we explored and went out and about. We mostly stayed at the hotel, but on a couple of occasions we headed into Playa del Carmen which was only about a fifteen minute walk away. There were lots of nice shops there as well as a great nightlife, but it was pretty touristy.
As it was Christmas the hotel had a lot of activities on, but it was very understated and not in your face. They had a saxophonist playing Christmas songs by the pool on Christmas Day which was just lovely, and on New Years Eve the hotel laid on a party where we all dressed up and saw in the New Year in style. It was just the right kind of entertainment for us, as we aren’t the type of people who enjoy cheesy entertainment.
The hotel looked beautiful over Christmas, there were twinkly lights everywhere you looked and every single palm tree had lights on, it really was stunning at night time.
Obviously of course your honeymoon is a special time, but I have really fond memories of our time at the Royal Hideaway as it was the last proper holiday we went on just the two of us. While we were there, we sat sipping cocktails on the pool on Christmas Day and we talked about the possibility of starting a family. Little did we know that almost exactly a year later, our eldest daughter would be born on Christmas Eve 2010. For that reason, I am so pleased we chose to go on a holiday where we pretty much did nothing but ate amazing food, relaxed and enjoyed each other’s company.
I love looking back at the photos and remembering the excitement we felt at being newlyweds, and the anticipation we felt about what we had in store. It really was a fantastic holiday and one I will remember for a long time. The Royal Hideaway is an adults only resort so not one we will be visiting any time soon, but we have always said one day we will go back, perhaps for our ten year wedding anniversary. Only five more years to go!
If you have a holiday you want to relive be sure to get in touch with us at editor@spaceinyourcase.com