AVA MOMENT IN MEXICO



Sampling all-inclusive Heaven at two ‘Mex-level’ hotels on the Yucatán Peninsula

By Richard Jones

It’s one of my favourite holiday moments – when I first pull back the curtains or drapes, slide the glass doors open and admire the view from the balcony.

And on this occasion, the vista from the eighth floor of AVA Resort Cancun was unlike anything I’ve seen before. The pool was colossal, and while bathers were attempting to stay cool in its baby blue waters, on its shores, flamingo pink-shirted servers weaved in between the sun beds and cabanas carrying trays of frozen drinks and hot snacks.

To stay on top in the hotel business, you have to stand out from the crowd, and this new Mexican resort is undoubtably an eye-catcher. Having escaped the British winter for a few days, I was on the Yucatán Peninsula to sample AVA, and also a property that I previously visited in 2022 –

Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya. 

TUI operates direct flights to Cancun International Airport from seven UK airports, meaning Mexico is within convenient reach for Brits looking for picture-perfect beaches, ancient Mayan ruins, five-star hospitality and buzzing nightlife. I boarded a service from Manchester, and kudos to two of its cabin crew members, Sam and Clara, who ensured the nine-hour flight duration flew by.

After landing at Cancun, I headed up Highway 307 to the Hard Rock and was immediately impressed by the upgrades that have taken place, in particular the new swim-up rooms in the adults-only Heaven section. I spent three nights in a Rock Royalty Ocean View Suite, next to the Hacienda Azul hub. 

With a huge living, dining and kitchen area, as well as two fridges stocked with beers, juices and sodas, and complimentary in room dining, you may not feel the need to leave the room. I would often sit on the whopping ocean-facing balcony with a cold Corona in the evening or Nespresso coffee in the morning, watching people (as well as the odd agouti and iguana) sauntering past, and wedding pre-parties and ceremonies taking place within the sea coves. The room’s iPad also gives guests information on, and access to, the many restaurants and bars. I enjoyed a bountiful breakfast at the new Faro Gastro Market and lunch at the funky La Isla, which serves American street market-style food around vintage VW vans. During the evenings, I was booked in for Mexican Yucatan cuisine at Umo; Thai dishes at Wai; and a teppanyaki show at Zen.

While I spent my mornings jogging on the 5km loop around the grounds and the afternoons at the central pool’s swim-up bar, during my first day, I headed to the Rock Spa for a refreshing men’s facial. 

There are plenty of excursions available and I took on Hard Rock Campo de Golf’s spectacular water holes and mammoth 600-yard par fives alongside Larry, a retired tailor from Toronto, and his wife Adele. For kids, there is bowling, laser tag, video games, a trampoline park and climbing area in the new Vibe City building, as well as flumes at Rockaway Bay water park.  When the sun sets, there is family entertainment in the two main Hacienda buildings, while the adults-only Heaven Bar turns into nightclub.

My destination for the second half of the week was AVA Resort, a short drive away from Cancun airport. Despite only opening in September 2024, the hotel has already gained a reputation for being among the best in the area, and that satisfying new smell hits you as soon as you enter the cavernous lobby.

Influenced by luxury yachting life and decorated in neutral whites and blonde woods, the 1,622 chic accommodations range from ocean front kings to five-bedroom panoramic villas, and each one has an unobstructed balcony sea view, meaning you can delight in the mesmerising sunsets and sunrises.

AVA’s layout is based around a huge concourse running from north to south, where you’ll find cafés, bars, shops and à la carte restaurants.  There are a total of 17 eateries offering everything from Peruvian, French and Mediterranean, to Italian, Korean and Mexican. The kitchen staff have been trained by top chefs from around the world, and it shows.

During the week I sampled fish quesadillas and beef fillet at modern Mexican eatery Copal, French nouvelle cuisine at Chez Moi and dry-aged ribeye at Black Iron Woodfire Grill. However, my favourite meal of the week was at Bao, where I enjoyed Vietnamese spring rolls, Japanese sushi and Korean-style fried chicken and pork. 

During the day, if you’re not tempted by the complimentary in-room dining, there are two Food District areas, where you’ll find tacos and wraps on another level to the stuff in those yellow boxes at home. The Pods is AVA’s snacks and small bites menu perfect for those lounging by the pool. And if you’re looking to stay fit while you’re away, head to AVA’a state-of-the-art fitness centre Fiit, next to the 90,000-square-foot spa where I checked in for a detoxifying 50-minute massage. 

For families, there are dedicated clubs and activities for kids and teenagers, as well as a bowling alley, an escape room and an F1 driving simulator. But the hotel’s main draws are undoubtably its pools and beach. The pièce de résistance is AVA Bay, a sprawling 2.8-acre sustainable lagoon, powered by state-of-the-art technology, surrounded by cabanas, and plentiful sun and day beds. There is certainly no need to get up early to put a towel on a chair. 

Providing you slip on a lifejacket, you can also have a go at SUP, kayaking and paddle boarding, while the floating obstacle course is great fun for adults and kids who have outgrown the smaller water park.

Just down the road is Riviera Cancun Golf & Resorts, with its all-inclusive course expertly carved into the local terrain’s natural contours by the Golden Bear himself, Jack Nicklaus. I played 18 holes on the challenging mangrove-lined course which can devour your spare balls, if, like me, you have a tendency to skew your tee shots. After the round, Hole 19 restaurant serves delicious lunches, while Jorge at the club shop is your man for any golfing goodies. 

While there is chilled vibe through the day at AVA, there is plenty of fun for night owls later on.  I pulled up a chair at the Digit Bar and The Cocktail Bar for drinks before and after dinner, and made a beeline for Zen nightclub, depending on my energy levels. On my final night in Mexico, I had a ticket for the world-famous Coco Bongo nightclub in the centre of Cancun. It was a bonkers evening of singing, dancing, acrobatics and theatre, inspired by movie characters like Beetlejuice, Spider-Man and Captain Jack Sparrow, and music stars Freddie Mercury, Axl Rose and Michael Jackson. The following day, with a sore head and a heavy heart, it was time for one of my least favourite moments of the holiday – that bittersweet final glance down at AVA’s staggering pool from my balcony.

Cancun and Riviera Maya have changed a lot over the past half a century, with a Mexican wave of all-inclusive resorts popping up, ready to host American spring breakers and other fun-seeking holidaymakers. But I doubt many compare to the revamped ‘Mex-level’ Hard Rock Riviera Maya and the gleaming AVA Resort Cancun.

And once you see the pools, you can’t help but AVA moment, as I did.