By Expedia Guest Author, on June 28, 2018

Excellence, Finest, and Beloved: Which Playa Mujeres Resort is right for your vacation?

Photos by Jetset Christina

Located on the sprawling crystal-clear, white-sand beaches of Playa Mujeres, Excellence Group’s three modern luxurious all-inclusive resorts Finest, Excellence, and Beloved each feature five-star restaurants and bars, countless water activities, beautiful pools and suites, and a one-of-a-kind emphasis on service and relaxation to disconnect from the real world, and reconnect you with your loved ones. But each resort is unique in its own way, and caters to a different vacationer.

So which resort is right for you?

Put simply, it depends on who you’re traveling with and what you’re looking for! Finest and Excellence are the larger resorts of the three—each with over 400 rooms, while Beloved is a boutique resort with 80 rooms. Both Excellence and Beloved are adults-only and cater to a lot of honeymooners, destination weddings, and anniversary celebrations whereas Finest tends to cater to a family friendly, multi-generational, sun-seeking audience.

Finest Resort: The luxurious family-friendly resort with something for everyone

Best for: Families, couples, and groups looking for a perfect mix of quiet relaxation and fun in the sun

For families and multi-generational groups, the 400-room Finest, with 10 swimming pools, 16 bars (including swim-up bars!), and 13 jacuzzis, is the move—Finest is the only all-inclusive luxury family friendly resort in greater Cancun, and the only one of the three Excellence Group resorts that isn’t adults-only.

It’s easy to see why young families are drawn to Finest – from the colossal state-of-the-art kids club with waterslides, movies, round-the-clock activities, and full-time nannies at no additional cost, to the family-friendly atmosphere throughout the resort, Finest has fine-tuned the family vacation. A family vacation at Finest is one that will please even the pickiest of kids and keep all adults happy and (most importantly) relaxed! Multi-generational families will love the resort and find it easy to find activities for everyone, at all ages.

But, even if you’re not traveling with kids, Finest may be the right choice resort for you. The kids club is quite hidden from the rest of the resort (and since most kids spend their whole day there, you don’t see many out and about at the other pools), and Finest is a happy medium of relaxation and activity – it’s quieter than its neighbor Excellence, but not quite as quiet as Beloved.

There is also a beautiful exclusive adults-only VIP section of Finest —called Excellence Club—that is is a major draw for honeymooners, young romances, anniversaries and weddings. Whether you choose one of Excellence Club’s Swim-up Suites, or one of their spacious two-story rooftop terrace suites with a private plunge jacuzzi, you won’t want to leave your room.

The food and restaurants at Finest

If you’re thinking “all-inclusive means sub-par food and beverages,” then Excellence Group is here to blow your mind. With more than 12 five-star restaurants on the property, and 24-hour complimentary room service, there are countless options for dining at Finest, and you’re sure to find a perfect cuisine for each mood and meal! Favorites are Le Petit Plasir, La Cocinita Food Truck, and Duke’s Lobster & Seafood. All of the dishes at every restaurant at Finest are made to order and, usually made from local ingredients. They also are very careful about food allergies & sensitivities, and offer healthy meals, vegetarian dishes and gluten-free options. Cocktails are made from quality liquors and the house wine and champagnes come from Chile and are delicious.

And, if you’re on your honeymoon, celebrating a birthday or anniversary, or just looking to have a special romantic dinner on the beach, Finest will even set up a torch-lit romantic sunset dinner on the beach for you.

Activities at Finest

Each morning of your stay, a guide to the daily activities, weather, and resort information is delivered to your suite. There are so many resort activities to choose from every day! Or you can spend your day relaxing (and often not even needing to leave your suite!) When I was feeling more active, I loved sailing, jet-skiing, water aerobics, and beach volleyball.

But when I was feeling a more relaxing day, I absolutely loved the Finest’s ONE Spa! Their massages are easily some of the best massages I have ever had, and ONE is one of the most relaxing spa atmospheres I’ve been in.

*Spa treatments are one of the only things not included in the all-inclusive rate, but they are well worth it.

As a bonus, for those of you traveling with kids, Finest even has a mini spa for kids! It was so cute and features kids-oriented mani/pedi stations, and even adorable kids massage tables to make your family spa day one to remember.

The Kids Club at Finest

The Spa isn’t the only place where Finest prioritizes families—the Kids Club at Finest is absolutely incredible. It features an entire mini water park hidden within the resort, is open day and night, and has constant activities to keep kids of all ages entertained, from movies to games to outdoor sports to waterslides. You can even stay with your kids within the Kids Club (or soak up the sun at the water park) if you choose to.

Excellence Resort: The action-packed adults-only all-inclusive resort

Best for: Groups, destination weddings, fun-loving couples

If an adults-only resort with action-packed activities, nightlife options, nine all-inclusive restaurants, 11 bars (including swim-up, pool, and a disco bar), seven pools, and a full service Miilé spa with 450 artfully-designed rooms and suites (some with rooftop terraces, balconies, and jacuzzis), is what your after—Excellence may be the right choice for you.

Activities at Excellence

At Excellence, you’ll have your choice of everything from complimentary bicycle tours, golfing, water aerobics, yoga, pilates, spanish dancing and cooking lessons, diving, snorkeling, ping pong, darts, tequila tasting, nightly entertainment, a state-of-the-art fitness center, the world-class Miilé Spa, and more.

The rooms at Excellence Resort

Excellence features terrace suites, swim-up suites, two-floor private pool suites, junior suites and Excellence Club suites (Excellence Club Suites have their own VIP section with a dedicated concierge, upgraded full-sized bottles of liquor, and upgraded amenities).

The food and restaurants at Excellence

Excellence offers ten fine-dining international restaurants and eleven contemporary bars featuring cuisines from all over the world! Go to Basmati for Indian, Toscana for Italian, or Agave for Mexican in a traditional hacienda.

Beloved Resort: The sleek, sexy adults-only all-inclusive boutique resort

Best for: Romance & small destination weddings

Beloved is Excellence Group’s intimate all-inclusive boutique luxury resort of 80 rooms, four a la carte restaurants, a stunning white-sand beach, an incredible 35,000-square-foot spa and three gorgeous pools.

The rooms at Beloved

This clean, modern romantic resort features suites with enormous beds, separate sitting areas and outdoor daybeds, a well-stocked, all-inclusive bar of fine liquors. The rooms all have fast WiFi, iHome docks, espresso machines, and flat-screen TVs. Spacious bathrooms, lavish showers with multiple jets, and separate jacuzzis as well as lovely Bulgari amenities make the suite feel like a vacation in and of itself.

The food and restaurants at Beloved

Four different restaurants offer the best in all-inclusive fine dining at Beloved. From gourmet dishes inspired by international influences like mediterranean and seafood to the fresh and spicy flavors of local Mexican cuisine. There’s also 24-hour room service for anything you could possibly wish.

Activities at Beloved

Most of Beloved’s guests choose to relax in the pools and the beach, but there are plenty of activities to keep you entertained as well—such as water activities, paddleboarding, ping pong, tennis, seaside golf, boating, fishing, and of course, the spa. The 35,000 square-foot spa facility features an unparalleled range of full-service wellness treatments, fitness equipment, and a Roman hydrothermal bath.

Booking your stay at Finest, Excellence, or Beloved

First book your flight on Expedia, and unlock Expedia’s new Add-On Advantage to unlock hotel savings for your Mexico trip! Then book your stay at Excellence, Finest, or Beloved using your new savings!

This blog is written by Christina Vidal, @JetsetChristina, luxury travel blogger & Expedia correspondent. 

Christina Vidal is the travel blogger and Instagrammer behind the award-winning luxury travel blog Jetset Christina. She has been to 56 countries and counting and her swoon-worthy Instagram (ranked in the Top 8 Luxury Travel Instagrams to Follow by Travel & Leisure) is all about showcasing the world’s most exotic and luxurious destinations.