We just returned from our first Thanksgiving ever AWAY from home, and boy was it just what we needed. We had been going in a million different directions, I had been working a ton without a break, and Ian and I had been craving some family togetherness with the kids that was low-lift, fun, and where we really felt like the kids could have the greatest time while we still were able to unwind.  I’ve shared in the past that we absolutely love all-inclusive resorts for this phase of life, because the casual, family-centric vibes are perfect for life with lots of small children. It’s nice to be able to eat and play on our own schedule, without feeling like my 5 year old is taking one bite out of a $40 resort cheeseburger that is then being put in the trash. If You Know You Know! LOL

When the AVA Resort in Cancun reached out to see if we wanted to come check out the property over Thanksgiving, I couldn’t believe my ears. I had heard great things about the resort, but never been– and was especially excited by the fact that it’s right in Cancun, Mexico (just a 4 hour flight from JFK), and then a mere 15 mins from the Cancun airport. I couldn’t think of something simpler! We said yes right away, and this has truly been one of our easiest, breeziest and most fun family vacations to date. We all came back tan, relaxed, and with so many great family memories. I was especially impressed by how clean the facilities were, and how wonderful the service was! It is a big resort, but it feels like there is a huge attention to detail which definitely wasn’t lost on me.

I got a lot of questions about the resort on social media while sharing a few images here and there, so I wanted to share a full blog post today with more details and reflections on our stay. If you have any questions beyond what I’ve shared, feel free to ask in the comments and I can answer to the best of my abilities!

LOTS OF RESTAURANTS & BARS

You know my heart beats first for family…and second for food! In my travel experience, Mexico has always been a place with incredible produce and cuisine, and this remains true at the AVA Resort. The actual Mexican cuisine options were my favorite overall (If you haven’t tried an authentic Mexican breakfast…gurl RUN TO IT! The. Best) But they had everything from adults-only French fine dining to a hibachi style restaurant, international buffet, and a taco spot! Plus a REALLY good gelato place. This was all included in the all-inclusive pricing! I’ll put the faves we found below! We didn’t even get to try all the restaurants in our 5 day stay because there are tons!

• Copal: best breakfast, def go for the Mexican favorites!
• Kita: authentic teppanyaki restaurant (we’ve experienced it as Hibachi back home)
• Plaza Mx: international buffet style restaurant, great for those strange in between meal times when the kids were randomly starving!
• Livo: freshly made mediterranean fare, with homemade pita and grilled meats and fish
• Black Iron: a really delicious and elevated steakhouse we all enjoyed
• Chez Moi: adults only French fine dining, with yummy cocktails too!
• Konos: really impressive gelato! 
• Aquatico: this poolside restaurant was our lunchtime go-to for great tacos, ceviche, and freshly made pizzas in the outdoor pizza oven.

KIDS ACTIVITIES

First of all, there are SO many areas to cool off at the AVA Cancun, and it makes every day feel a little different, in the best way.  We are a beach-loving family, and spent a lot of time out on the gorgeous and calm beach. We made sand castles, took long walks, and we were mostly alone down there so it felt like almost a private beach experience! We even had beachside service and ordered food and drinks down there regularly! We spent another day at the main family pool, Aquatico, which had fun entertainment like water aerobics and even a family rave one day with an Internationally acclaimed DJ! Another day was spent at the huge, calm saltwater lagoon on property– where the kids played on the huge inflatable Aquapark, and I took a lap around on a paddleboard. I loved that there was a beach-style entry at the lagoon, which was great for families with small kids. Speaking of kids, my kids LOVED Sunny’s Waterpark and spent hours playing on all the slides and water features! It was so great having that on-site to occupy them and keep them cool on the hottest days.

Besides the pools, there is no shortage of kids’ entertainment at AVA. The kids club itself is meticulously clean, and HUGE, with an epic indoor climbing gym and lots of crafts and classes you can sign up for. You can drop the kids off and pick them up again to steal away for some adults-only time if desired.

THE ROOMS

We stayed in the north tower Penthouse, with two full bedrooms, three full baths, a huge living room/dining room with a full kitchen, and the most epic balcony that had our OWN pool/hot tub on it and an outdoor eating area. It felt like an upscale, stunning condo, and was such a great amount of space for our family. The fridge and snacks were restocked every single day with so many soft drinks, waters, and chocolate milks for the kids. The room was one of the cleanest I’ve ever stayed in.  My favorite thing was being able to pre-order room service breakfast the night before, and then wake up to a perfectly on-time breakfast being delivered to our room so we could eat as a family first thing in the morning as the gorgeous day was breaking outside. The kids’ room had a bathtub on the balcony that my kids were OBSESSED with soaking in daily, and our primary bedroom had an extremely chic walk-in shower/tub combo with multiple shower heads. Everything felt so elevated and thoughtful design-wise. The AVA boasts that every room is an ocean view, and I didn’t realize how impressive that would be until I saw it myself. It really did make the experience that much more special to take in the sunrises and gorgeous golden hours with a perfect view of the sea.

THE SPA

I have never in my life been to a larger and more expansive spa than the one at the AVA Cancun. And gurl, I have gotten around. I was SHOCKED when we first descended the beautiful spiral staircase that goes to the spa level, and truly saw the tranquil and chic spa that awaited us. Ian and I had booked a deep tissue massage and hydrotherapy treatment each, and from the moment we arrived I knew we were in for something special. From the moment I checked into the spa, there was almost like a spa concierge attendant who accompanied me through the spa ritual. She made sure I had what I needed, led me to the sauna room, brought me cucumber slices for my eyes and a cold towel while I lay there, and then came to get me when it was time to move on to the next experience: a trio of different showers to cool off.  The trio included a cold bucket plunge and a sensory shower that mimicked a summer rainstorm. Next she brought me a mud mask to put on before I went to the steam room, and made sure to get me with enough time to join Ian at the hydrotherapy pools. Both Ian and I wished we had even more time to indulge in the relaxing waters! Next, I changed into a robe and went off to my fabulous massage. The whole spa experience was run so well, and my only regret was that I had three children who I suddenly remembered I had to attend to for the rest of the day (they were enjoying the kids’ club during our spa appointments). I hadn’t anticipated the spa being such a wonderful part of the AVA experience, and I wish I had booked more treatments!

We stayed at the AVA Cancun resort for 5 nights, and had a wonderful family holiday. I am so grateful that the generous people at the AVA Resorts invited us to stay, and we definitely made memories as a family that we will always treasure! Let me know if you want any other tips, or if I can answer more questions, in the comments below!