Slides, slime and smiles: A family-friendly keep at Nickelodeon Accommodations & Resorts Riviera Maya

I used to be raised on Nickelodeon. I typically dreamed of being slimed or visiting SpongeBob SquarePants’ pineapple-shaped house below the ocean. As a mother or father, Nickelodeon continues to be an enormous a part of my day-to-day life, and I’ve had my eye on Nickelodeon Accommodations & Resorts Riviera Maya because it opened in 2021.

After a current go to with my household, I can say Mexico’s first Nickelodeon-themed all-inclusive resort nailed the enjoyable, frivolity and nostalgia I really like concerning the model with out sacrificing the upscale all-inclusive expertise the resort guarantees.

And, sure, I did get slimed. Greater than as soon as.

Here is every part you should find out about Nickelodeon Accommodations & Resorts Riviera Maya.

What’s Nickelodeon Accommodations & Resorts Riviera Maya?

Because the title suggests, Nickelodeon Accommodations & Resorts Riviera Maya is a Nickelodeon-themed all-inclusive resort simply outdoors Cancun, Mexico. The resort is clearly geared towards households, however throughout our go to, I felt it was reaching out to my explicit demographic — elder millennials with younger children.

The reveals and characters represented ranged from those who have been fashionable after I was a toddler, like “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,” “Are You Afraid of the Darkish?” and “Rugrats,” to the reveals my very own youngsters gravitate towards, reminiscent of “SpongeBob SquarePants” and “Paw Patrol.”

The resort has three principal areas: the primary foyer, the beachfront constructing the place the visitor suites are positioned and the Aqua Nick water park. The foyer and water park are shut sufficient to stroll between, however it’s essential to take a shuttle to achieve your suite. Every space has a number of eating areas and actions.

Once we arrived, my husband and I have been greeted with agua fresca and my children obtained inexperienced slime smoothies (that have been scrumptious, by the way in which). Slime is the secret at this resort — it is within the decor, the drinks and, after all, the precise slime.

Although it’s the first in Mexico, this resort is the second Nickelodeon Accommodations & Resorts location. The primary opened in Punta Cana within the Dominican Republic in 2016 (you may learn TPG’s assessment from 2019 right here). Karisma Accommodations, the model that runs each areas, operates different seaside resort manufacturers, too, together with a number of Margaritaville and Azul properties.

Methods to ebook Nickelodeon Accommodations & Resorts Riviera Maya

It is best to ebook your keep at Nickelodeon Accommodations & Resorts Riviera Maya instantly by the resort’s web site. It has a web page with particular provides that can assist you get monetary savings in your keep. In case you have a trusted journey agent, they might additionally be capable of help you along with your reserving to make sure you get the most effective worth and any add-ons chances are you’ll be excited by, like spa providers or character meals.

In case you have an eligible Capital One card, Nickelodeon Accommodations & Resorts Riviera Maya is bookable by the Capital One journey portal. The pricing is much like what you’d discover by reserving instantly, however you may earn as much as 10 miles per greenback spent for those who ebook utilizing money (primarily based on which card you utilize) or use Captial One miles to order your keep.

The price of your all-inclusive keep at Nickelodeon Accommodations & Resorts Riviera Maya covers:

• Eating
• Drinks (alcoholic and nonalcoholic)
• Entry to the Aqua Nick water park
• Entry to the Membership Nick children membership
• Day by day character meet-and-greets and actions
• Child care objects
• Nightly leisure
• Airport transportation
• Health middle entry and lessons
• Taxes and gratuities

The all-inclusive worth construction means the price of your keep can range vastly primarily based on the variety of folks in your get together. For instance, a normal swim-up king suite for 2 adults and one youngster in Could 2024 would price roughly $1,200 per evening throughout the resort’s 30% off Summer season of SpongeBob promotion. A household reminiscent of mine with two adults and three youngsters in the identical room sort would price $1,702 per evening.

Whether or not that quantity appears excessive to you depends upon your typical trip finances. There may be quite a lot of meals and enjoyable constructed into that price, and my household did not spend a dime throughout our keep outdoors of some souvenirs on the reward store and an extra housekeeping gratuity. The quantity could give some vacationers sticker shock, however the quantity you’re looking at is actually your all-in trip price for meals, actions and lodging.

If you’re out there for a budget-friendly trip, Nickelodeon Accommodations & Resorts Punta Cana’s pricing could also be extra your velocity. Comparable lodging for a household of 5 in Could 2024 have been below $1,000 per evening.

Each suite has an ocean view and a plunge pool

One of many issues I used to be most enthusiastic about after planning this journey was that every of the resort’s 280 suites faces the ocean and has a balcony with a plunge pool. My children have been virtually as excited as I used to be. Every plunge pool extends the size of three visitor rooms, and my children have been truly hoping our neighbors would leap in to play sooner or later, however we by no means crossed paths. In the event you have been touring with a big group and had connecting teams, this setup could be perfect.

Strolling a couple of steps to the balcony to see the dawn or take heed to the ocean at evening was a spotlight for positive, and my children began each morning and ended each night within the plunge pool. Do not count on the water to be too heat as a result of the balcony above yours shades the swimming pools, however the temperature wasn’t cool sufficient to discourage us from spending quite a lot of time there.

The balcony additionally had comfy seating the place I may learn my ebook and drink a Food regimen Coke from the minibar whereas the children performed. There was a drying rack that folded out from the wall as effectively, which was handy for moist towels.

Inside, our 581-square-foot room was equally spectacular. Your complete room was immaculately themed to numerous Nickelodeon reveals with out feeling infantile. The room was brilliant and playful with a mixture of apparent character integrations like SpongeBob art work hanging above the mattress and extra refined nods like an ornamental pillow coated in pineapples.

Visitor suites sleep as much as 5 folks, with both one king mattress, a Murphy mattress and a settee mattress or two queen beds and a settee mattress. Throughout from the couch mattress is a separate seating space with a small eating desk. Every room additionally has two TVs, however due to their proximity, it was too distracting to observe two totally different reveals. We simply turned them each to the identical channel so everybody may get in their very own mattress and nonetheless watch TV.

Every room has a totally stocked minibar with soda, water, milk, beer, chips and chocolate bars. Housekeeping did not refill the minibar or Nespresso espresso pods for the espresso machine that lived above the minibar robotically, however we may name and request any objects we wanted to get replaced. Housekeeping did come twice a day — as soon as for a full cleansing and once more within the night for a turndown service.

Within the hallway main from the entrance door to the primary dwelling and sleeping space, there have been a number of closets with area for storing your belongings. We additionally discovered an iron, an umbrella, robes and further bedding.

Every visitor suite additionally has two full loos, which is a big perk when you’ve gotten two adults and three children attempting to prepare concurrently. There was an en suite toilet with a rest room, a bathtub, a bathe and a double vainness, plus a secondary toilet with a rest room, a bathe and a single vainness. Refillable tub merchandise have been included in each showers, together with refillable hand cleaning soap and lotion on the sinks. My favourite contact was the inexperienced slime sticker on the brand new bathroom paper rolls.

Scrumptious meals on the resort and the water park

Nickelodeon Accommodations & Resorts Riviera Maya has a number of eating choices unfold throughout the resort. Here is a bit extra concerning the ones we tried throughout our keep. We have been happy with all of the eating choices, so I might suggest attempting as many as you may.

Piazza

Piazza is a “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles”-themed restaurant in the primary foyer constructing. It is also the one restaurant that requires a reservation (aside from specialty eating experiences like a personality breakfast or non-public meal on the seaside).

The menu had salads, flatbreads and pasta, however it largely featured the Turtles’ favourite meals: pizza. Our server introduced bread with olive oil and balsamic for dipping after we have been seated, and I ordered the Casey Jones pizza with serrano ham, pears, mozzarella, child spinach and tomatoes. The pizza was scrumptious and the correct measurement to share for those who weren’t too hungry.

Le Spatula

Le Spatula is the first breakfast spot, additionally positioned in the primary foyer constructing. The title and theming come from SpongeBob’s iconic spatula. This was one of many largest breakfast buffets I’ve ever encountered at an all-inclusive resort, with what felt like infinite choices. My children may have waffles and bacon whereas I had a Spanish omelet, chia pudding and hen broth. When my children ordered chocolate milk, it was offered with whipped cream and sprinkles on prime, and the espresso my husband and I every had perked us up for a day on the water park.

The restaurant was big, however as a result of it was the one breakfast buffet, we often needed to wait 10 or quarter-hour for a desk. We did not thoughts, although, as a result of the resort’s two resident cats posted up outdoors the restaurant every morning, and my children have been pleased to spend a couple of minutes petting the cats whereas we waited (the cats appeared pleased about it, too).

Nick Bistro

Nick Bistro is a buffet positioned on the Aqua Nick water park. It’s open each day for lunch, although that is additionally the place they maintain the character breakfast (for an extra price) on choose mornings. The meals right here was plentiful and various. My children used the supplied bread, sliced meats and cheeses to make sandwiches, whereas my husband and I gravitated extra to the seafood, plantains, guacamole and contemporary vegatables and fruits.

There may be additionally a big show with sweet, desserts and a smooth serve machine. Throughout our time on the water park, we may pop in right here for the children to seize a deal with as effectively.

Good Burger

Good Burger is open for dinner, however the retro Volkswagen van that serves ice cream and milkshakes opens at 3:30 p.m. so you may seize a day deal with earlier than dinnertime. This restaurant is within the beachfront constructing the place the visitor suites are positioned, so it was straightforward to pop downstairs for our dinner right here.

To begin, they introduced every of us a plate with a hamburger drawn in ketchup. Shortly after, a basket of fries and onion rings appeared at our desk. I needed to pattern as many burgers as I may, so I went with the chef’s selection slider sampler. The burgers have been good, however additionally they did not style that totally different from each other, so I might suggest simply selecting your favourite burger and ordering that.

In the event you grew up watching Nickelodeon, the Good Burger theming from “All That” could have you feeling nostalgic. Memorable quotes from the present have been used as art work all through the restaurant, making for lots of enjoyable photograph moments.

Bikini Backside Bar

The Bikini Backside Bar can also be conveniently positioned within the visitor suite constructing. This SpongeBob-themed lounge serves many functions all through the day. It’s open for espresso each morning, breakfast most days of the week, lunch each afternoon and stays open each day till 11 p.m. Evidently, we paid this lounge many a go to.

We largely stopped in for our morning espresso or cocktails and mocktails, however we did have lunch right here one afternoon. The children had spaghetti (their favourite children menu merchandise on the resort), and my husband and I attempted the tacos. I had octopus tacos, they usually have been contemporary and flavorful.

That is additionally the place we found our favourite cocktail of the weekend: a Spicy Mezcalita. This drink is actually a margarita made with mezcal as a substitute of tequila, with a couple of jalapeno slices stirred in and a Tajin rim. Take my phrase for it, and provides this drink a strive.

Pool, seaside and water park areas

There was no scarcity of swimming alternatives at this resort. Along with our plunge pool, there have been two massive beachfront swimming pools on the primary flooring of the constructing. The swimming pools run the size of the constructing, every with a swim-up bar.

In case you have a room on the primary flooring, you’ve gotten a small shallow space with in-water loungers and swim-up entry to your room moderately than the small plunge swimming pools accessible on the upper flooring. There was ample seating, and most chairs had umbrellas and tables. There was additionally a shallow child pool for younger swimmers.

Strolling backwards and forwards between the seaside and the pool was straightforward. There aren’t many chairs on the seaside, however there are a couple of, and it isn’t such as you get to take a seat down typically once you journey with children anyway. Towels have been supplied, and a server typically made the rounds taking drink orders.

The seaside right here is finest for wading within the surf, going for a stroll or taking part in within the sand. There may be presently a man-made reef in place to sluggish seaside erosion and bolster the well being of the pure reef, which is a part of the second-largest barrier reef on the planet.

For my part, the bogus reef was not a deterrent or an eyesore. Reasonably, I respect the dedication to conservation and hope it makes an influence on the seaside and its ecosystem.

It actually would not matter how good the seaside was; our children begged to return to the water park time and again. This 6-acre water park has one thing for everybody. There are two lazy rivers (one quick and one sluggish), a slide tower with raft and physique slides, an exercise pool and two water play areas for teenagers.

The primary play space was a multilevel playground known as Bikini Backside Seashore. There have been a number of slides and interactive areas, and the children spent hours on this space alone.

There was additionally a play space for youthful youngsters themed to Journey Bay from “Paw Patrol.” I used to be impressed that the slides have been primarily miniature variations of a number of the big-kid slides, and there was additionally a big however shallow swimming pool.

What I used to be most enthusiastic about on the water park was the each day group Tremendous Sliming on Bikini Backside Seashore. You possibly can browse the resort’s app or converse with a employees member to examine the precise time, however each afternoon round 1:30 p.m., the exercise employees members gathered everybody across the large Nickelodeon blimp for a gaggle sliming. Personally, I’ve dreamed of being slimed since I used to be a toddler watching “You Cannot Do That On Tv,” and I’ll admit that I teared up a bit when my dream lastly got here true.

If you’re involved concerning the slime staining your garments, there isn’t a want to fret. It washes proper out as quickly as you get again within the water.

If a gaggle sliming is not an intimate sufficient expertise for you, you may reserve a non-public slime expertise for your loved ones. The Aqua Nick staff actually made this second particular for each household who had signed up. They take pictures and movies along with your telephone so you may relive the expertise — they even interview you earlier than and after you get slimed. Getting slimed with my household was a core reminiscence for me, and I actually suppose it’s a must-do exercise for those who go to this resort.

Day-to-night actions and tremendous useful employees

Although we spent most of our time on the water park, there have been actions all day — and all evening — lengthy. Obtain the Karisma app earlier than your go to as a result of that is the place you may discover the schedule of actions every day (in addition to restaurant hours and menus). There have been each day alternatives for seaside volleyball, large Jenga, pool video games and a lot extra.

There are character meet-and-greets in all three areas of the resort, however I had my coronary heart set on assembly SpongeBob. He appears to be the most well-liked, although, so for those who, too, are eager on interacting with SpongeBob, arrive 15 to twenty minutes earlier than the beginning time and get in line. The employees members actually shined right here as effectively. Although they needed to transfer by the road shortly, they took pictures and movies with our telephones and completely captured the second.

Children may go to the Membership Nick children membership by the water park. There are areas at no cost play, like slides, a ball pit, toys and online game consoles, however the area additionally hosts crafts and actions all through the day. Our children stopped by to make tie-dye T-shirts that have been the colour of inexperienced slime, after all.

In the primary foyer, there’s a Snick lounge that was undoubtedly additionally geared towards the mother and father. Although there have been inexperienced slime drinks and video video games for the children, the decor was pure ’90s nostalgia. There was art work themed to Snick (quick for Saturday Night time Nickelodeon) reveals like “Are You Afraid of the Darkish?” and “Ren and Stimpy.” Upstairs, I bought to have my “Clarissa Explains It All” second on the Large Orange Sofa.

You possibly can cease in to hang around right here anytime, however there may be leisure, like musicians and magicians, within the night.

The first nighttime leisure spot is held on the Primary Stage close to the water park. The theme of every evening’s present is totally different, and as soon as every week, they maintain an interactive sport present known as Slime Time Reside, the place contestants can get slimed on stage.

Throughout our go to, we noticed Present Mexicano, a have a look at the historical past of Mexico by music and dance. Different nights featured performances from acrobats, magicians and extra.

Accessibility

From what I noticed throughout my go to, the resort may be very wheelchair pleasant. There have been wheelchair-accessible visitor rooms, ramps that led to the seaside and pool areas, elevators in every constructing and floating wheelchairs for the lazy river.

The resort can also be licensed within the Autism Double-Checked program. Nickelodeon Accommodations & Resorts Riviera Maya employs specialty concierges who might help with particular wants and supply data on crowds, security, quiet areas and extra.

Trying out

As somebody who grew up within the ’80s and ’90s and is now an unashamed lover of theme parks and themed experiences, Nickelodeon Accommodations & Resorts Riviera Maya spoke to the deepest elements of my soul.

Even when it would not fairly contact you in the identical means, if in case you have youngsters, it’s a strong all-inclusive trip possibility with good worth and really useful employees. The water park was top-of-the-line I’ve visited, the meals was scrumptious, the rooms have been clear and spacious, and I lastly realized my lifelong dream of being slimed. What extra are you able to ask for in a resort?

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