It’s quite funny doing a travel diary when we are literally all stuck at home. I don’t know about you but perhaps this is exactly what we need to take our minds off the four corners of our homes. As things are slowly starting to open up a bit, I highly doubt that anyone is in a hurry to pack their bags and get on a plane.

Last year, we wanted to take a quick trip without the kids for a few days just to recoup. It took me a very long time to book this trip because I had a lot of anxiety about being away from the girls for the first time. It was a bittersweet trip because on one hand, I was in the most beautiful place with Kevin and on the other hand, I missed the girls terribly.

Getting There:

Cancun is a short three-and-a-half-hour flight from JFK Airport in New York. It’s the ideal getaway if you are looking to go to an island that is very close to home. My first impression upon arrival was the chaos of vendors at the airport. As soon as you exit customs, there are so many vendors lined up for excursions and transportation.

Pro-tip: Tour companies will offer you extensive discounts on tours in exchange for your time to attend a timeshare presentation. You may end up wasting half a day attending the timeshare so weigh your opportunity cost wisely.

We stayed at The Hyatt Zilara Resort for our quick 4 day get-away in Cancun, which was about 15-20-minute drive from Cancun International Airport. We arrived on a rainy day so there was not much to do but explore the resort and take a much-needed uninterrupted nap.

THE RESORT

There are three main key things that I always look for when booking a resort: price, scenery, food – did I say scenery? Yes, because views are everything. Hyatt Zilara checked all these boxes, plus, it’s all inclusive and adults only. No one wants to go to a resort to see other people’s kids when they left theirs at home.

As soon as you go through the open entrance, you will step into this massive space that gives you a Moroccan vibe with the decor. It’s based on Mayan architecture though.

The Rooms

The rooms all have ocean views, a balcony and double jetted tub (with hot water that doesn’t run out). Hyatt had amazing room service if for whatever reason, you didn’t feel like going out for a meal.

Tip: If you are going on a tour, make sure to ask them 24 hours before to pack lunch for you. You can also have them deliver breakfast to your room early to save yourself some time.

I’m wearing a Cupshe bathing suit and wrap dress (which can also be used as a cover up). I fell in love with the floral prints on both pieces.

Restaurants

They have 6 specialty restaurants onsite and 5 bars and lounges. The restaurants specialize in serving Mexican, Asian, Caribbean and International cuisines. One of the restaurants overlooks the ocean and has a swim up bar. It provides amazing views while dining.

The Swimming Pool

The oceanfront infinity pool at Hyatt is definitely one of their top selling points. You can take part in water sports like volleyball and aqua gym class. If you are tired of the pool, you can jump in one of the whirlpool tubs. It definitely makes a very relaxing environment. My favorite part about infinity pools that overlook the ocean is being able to see the sunrise or the sunset. It’s just magical and romantic.

The beach

The strip where the hotel is located has a beautiful white sand beach with turquoise water. In true Hyatt fashion, the poolside and beach-side cabanas are super chic and stylish. They also have beach butlers catering to the guests while they lounge by the pool or the beach. I’d like to note that their alcoholic beverages by the pool and the beach were watered down. I don’t know if that was intentional or not.

Sunrise/Sunset

We traveled to Cancun in October, which is part of hurricane season. It was raining heavily with thunder and lightning the day we got there but it turned out to be nice, hot and sunny the rest of the trip. There’s something about the sunrise and the sunset that simply exudes the glory of God. When the sun is rising, it looks like it’s coming straight out of the ocean or sinking into the ocean when setting. Make sure to wake up early to catch a glimpse of the sunrise or make sure you are around to catch the sunset on one of the days that you are here. It is magical!

These shots were taken at the break of dawn, just as the sun was coming out. I love this shot below because it captures the true essence of daybreak - when the moon is still out and the sun is slowly creeping up in the horizon.

Dressing the part

Having several restaurants onsite means that they have different dress code requirements when it comes to dining. Most of the restaurants require smart casual so they are not expecting you to show up in your bathing suit and flip-flops.

This romper with a long train can be worn with flip flops and be instantly upgraded to glam with a pair of heels. I wanted to shoot this outfit in different parts of the hotel grounds (there really isn’t much ground to cover). The romper is from Lulu’s and the shoes are from Public Desire.

This concludes part one of this travel diary. Watch out for part two next week Tuesday, where I’ll be going over the tourist attractions.

Until next time, stay blessed!