This was to be my first visit to Mexico and I was really pleased to be given the opportunity to go.  There were just seven of us on the trip and none had been to Mexico before so we were all able to learn together.  The 7 of us met up at Gatwick for our British Airways flight to Cancun.  We took off on time and I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of legroom we had – we were sitting in Economy.  There were quite a few spare seats at the back of the plane so we spread out and relaxed. The choice of films was huge, and the service on board was attentive and friendly.

Secrets Capri

We arrived in Cancun just after lunch, Mexican time and once we had cleared immigration and customs we were whisked off to the Secrets Capri, around a 25 minute journey away. Upon arrival we were greeted with a glass of champagne, a cold towel and a ‘welcome home’.

The Secrets Capri is an adults only, all ‘Preferred Club’ hotel so we were seated in a comfortable, cool lounge where the check in was carried out.  We then went off to our rooms to find that our cases had already arrived.  The rooms themselves were tastefully decorated in shades of blue and white and the whirlpool bath was a nice touch.

We met in the lobby for our hotel visit and had a good look around.  Secrets Capri is a smallish, intimate hotel with a lovely atmosphere. The choice of restaurants is plentiful including the usual buffet offering, together with a la carte restaurants including amongst others an Asian, Italian, Mexican, each with their own theme and no reservations required.  We were treated to a candlelit barbecue supper on the beach.  The sand was soft and cool beneath our feet and the sound of the ocean in the background was the perfect backdrop.  I could see this being a good option for a private wedding supper.  The food was delicious, I particularly enjoyed the vegetable skewers, and the fillet steak was cooked to perfection.  By this time the long flight and jet lag had taken their toll and an early night was on the cards for everyone.

Now Jade

The following morning I was up at 5.30 am ( jet lag!) and after sampling a plentiful breakfast buffet we set off on a short drive to Now Jade in Puerto Morelos.  Our guide pointed out an alligator in a lake not far from the hotel but not surprisingly no one expressed much desire to get out and take a closer look.

Now Jade is a very modern, contemporary hotel set right on the beach.  We first went to look at the rooms.  The first room we saw was large and beautifully decorated, with twin double beds and a couple of steps down to a spacious seating area.  Then, best of all, the hotel manager pulled up the blind and there it was, right in front of our eyes, the beautiful white sand and turquoise Caribbean sea. The bathrooms were vast, with twin washbasins, a massive jacuzzi bath right under the window so, if the mood grabbed you, it would be possible to lounge in the jacuzzi looking out of the window at the lovely clear turquoise sea and no, no one could see in!

Another great feature of Now Jade was the restaurants, each themed to within an inch of its life and guaranteed to make the diner believe they were in a different place, if not continent, every night.  The choices of buffet, Asian with tepanyaki tables, French, Mexican etc.  – it would be very hard to get bored with the food.  I particularly liked the coffee shop where you can get a proper cup of coffee and a beautiful muffin, all part of the all inclusive programme, naturally.  A contemporary hotel with great facilities which is also welcoming for families.

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