Written By: Geoff Millar, Owner – Ultimate All-Inclusive Travel Inc.
This month we will continue our tour of resorts with the Sunscape Resorts. These are a collection of resorts in Mexico and the Caribbean that are AM Resorts entry level product. These are great resorts for the budget minded client as they are at the 3 star level. They still offer the AM Resorts quality but with slightly less amenities than AM Resorts other AAA 4 and 5 Diamond rated resorts. There are a variety of Sunscape Resorts located in Mexico, Jamaica, Dominican Republic, and Curacao. This month we will look at the Sunscape Resorts located in Mexico. There are 4 of them located in Ixtapa, Cozumel, Puerto Vallarta, and Cancun. The first resort we will look at is the Sunscape Dorado Pacifico Resort. This resort is located in the town of Ixtapa.
The Sunscape Dorado Pacifica Resort is located in the Beautiful Mexican town of Ixtapa. Most people know the area as Ixtapa/Zihuantanejo on Mexico’s West Coast. The Resort used to be a Barcelo Resort and was taken over, remodeled, and renamed a Sunscape Resort by AM resorts. This is one of the most beautiful areas of Mexico. The only downside is the Airlift. Since this is a smaller more residential area of Mexico, there are a limited number of flight choices. Most of the airlift is from Houston. The resort sits on a beautiful beach. It is within walking distance of town and most of the major attractions including 2 golf courses. The resort is a Green Resort with a Rain Forest Alliance certification. The certification covers Green activities, food-handling, waste handling, and participation in monthly beach clean-ups. It is more of a high-rise resort.
Accommodations range from Deluxe Partial Oceanview rooms to the Oceanfront Sun Club Presidential Suite. In-between we have the Deluxe Ocean View Rooms, the Family Connecting Rooms, the Sunclub Ocean View Rooms, the Sunclub Family Ocean front Rooms, and finally the Sunclub Ocean Front Presidential Suite. The Sunclub is Sunscape’s Concierge Level. Also remember that Room Service, 7AM – 11PM, is only complimentary in the Sunclub level rooms. Rooms do include gaming consoles for the kids (upon request), a mini bar with juice, water, and beer. The standard deluxe rooms have an extra charge for WIFI. WIFI is free in the Sunclub Rooms and Suites.
As far as dining the resort has 3 A La Carte Restaurants, a buffet, a Food Truck, and a Café. The A La Carte Restaurants have healthy menu items and kid friendly menus. The A LA Carte options are, Italian, Mexican, International Grill. There is also the International Buffet and a Food Truck serving your favorite grilled snacks. The Coffee Café serves a variety of Coffees, as well as, sweet and savory snacks. Be aware that not every restaurant may be open every night. As far as drinks and bars, guests have 4 choices including the swim-up bar. Remember that this level resort does not serve top shelf alcohol.
There is a wide variety of activities at the resort, most are family oriented. In the water there are two pools, the main active pool and a kid’s pool. Relaxing on the beach. Non-motorized water sports are included. There is a splash pad for the small ones. Motorized water sports are available for an additional charge.
On the land there is biking, tennis, a rock climbing wall, Soccer, Board games, Basketball, Nightly entertainment, Zumba and Yoga classes, Wine, Tequila, and Coffee tasting. There is a fantastic Spa with a variety of treatments available. For the young ones there is a kid’s Club with a wide variety of indoor and outdoor activities. Included for the teens is the Core Zone teens club where teens can gather and watch a movie on the beach, Xbox competitions and other social events.
This resort is great for the budget minded family vacation client that still wants a very nice vacation experience. It would also work for the budget minded couple looking for great value at a lower price point.
The next Sunscape Resort we will look at is the Sunscape Puerto Vallarta. This resort was the Holiday Inn Puerto Vallarta until AM Resorts took it over, remodeled it, and rebranded it a Sunscape Puerto Vallarta Resort. It is a nice 3 star Family resort on a great beach situated close to town and other activities. This resort is also a green Resort with the Rainforest Alliance Certification.
Accommodations range from the Deluxe Ocean View Room up to the two story Sunclub Bay View Suite. In-between there are the Deluxe Family room, the Deluxe Bay View Jr. Suite, the Sunclub Deluxe Ocean View, the Sunclub Deluxe Romantic Suite Ocean Front, the Sunclub Romantic Suite Bay View, the Sunclub Jr. Suite Bay View, and the Sunclub 2 story Bay View Suite. Again, Sunclub is Sunscape’s concierge level providing extra amenities like free WIFI, free room service 7AM – 11PM, private check-in, upgraded mini bar, upgraded bath amenities, complimentary daily newspaper, Private Sunclub area with continental breakfast, top shelf alcohol, private beach area, and afternoon hot and cold snacks.
Dining options include 2 A La Carte Restaurants, an International Buffet, a fast casual Restaurant, a Grill, and a Café. The A La Carte restaurants are Italian and Mexican. There is an International Buffet, a Grill that serves your favorite grilled items, and a Cafe that serves a variety of coffees as well as sweet and savory snacks. The Fast Casual Restaurant is a barefoot Grill located on an island in the center of the pool.
Activities center around the family. The resort has 1 heated main pool and a kid’s pool with a water slide. Water sports include relaxing on the beach, swimming, non-motorized watersports are included. There are motorized watersports available for an additional cost. This resort also has a Turtle release program where families learn about the turtles and participate in the turtle releases (July – December)
On land there are a variety of options such as Mini-golf, Tennis, Beach Volleyball, Ping Pong, Board Games, Zumba and Yoga, Water Aerobics, Nightly Entertainment, Wine, Tequila, and Coffee Tasting. There is also the highly regarded Kid’s Club the Explorer Club with a wide variety of inside and outside activities for kids 3-12. There is also a supervised teen Club with movies on the beach, Xbox, Air Hockey, Pool Table, Ping Pong, PS4, Movies and Music for all teens 13-17.
Again, this resort a great for the budget minded family vacation and also the budget minded couple who wants a lot of value at a lower price point.
The next Sunscape Resort we will look at is the Sunscape Sabor located on the island of Cozumel. This is an older resort that AM Resorts took over, remodeled, and rebranded as a Sunscape resort. It is located in a nice section of the island but beware the beach is on the smaller side and it is quite a ways from the downtown area of Cozumel, about a $12 -$15 cab ride. The resort sits right next to the Secrets Aura. Guests staying at the Sunscape Sabor do not have exchange privileges with the Secrets Aura. This Sunscape Resort is a 3-3.5 star midsized family all-inclusive resort.
The accommodations at the Sunscape Sabor consist of Deluxe Tropical View, Ocean View, and Ocean Front. Jr Suite Tropical View, Ocean View, and Ocean Front. An Ocean View Honeymoon with Jacuzzi, and a Tropical View Family Suite. All accommodations are non-smoking and come with a mini-bar with water, beer, and juice. The rooms have WIFI at an additional charge. Room service is not available at this resort. This resort does not have elevators and rooms on upper floors are only accessible by stairs.
Dining options offer a wide variety of choices. There are 4 restaurants consisting of Italian, Mexican, a Grill, and an International Buffet. There is a Chefs Kitchen for private parties at an additional charge. As far as bars, there are 3 bars available, a Lobby Bar, a Beach Bar, and an Ocean View Bar but, there is no a swim-up bar.
Activities are varied with both water and land activities. In the water there is, sailing, Kayaking, Water Aerobics, Snorkeling (Cozumel has some of the best snorkeling and scuba diving in the world), and water volleyball. On the land there is beach volleyball, yoga, ping pong, and nightly entertainment. If all else fails, there is always relaxing on the beach.
This is a resort for those looking for a very nice beach vacation but are on a budget.
The newest Sunscape Resort the Sunscape Star in Cancun will be opening April 1 2019. This resort will take the Sunscape experience to a new level. The resort will have 4 pools, a surf pool, an adult only rooftop pool and bar. It will have the Sunscape kid’s club and teen club. There will be 5 restaurants and a food court, as well as nightly entertainment. There will be a fantastic Spa. It sits next door to the Puerto Cancun Golf Course. All rooms will be Ocean View.
Next month we will take a look at the other Sunscape Resorts in the Caribbean.
Until then safe travels and good selling.