Kristina Adams, travel coordinator at KJ Travel, an affiliate of CSB Travel, escaped for an adults-only vacation in September and is back with these insider tips.
The Yucatan Peninsula has an abundance of all-inclusive resorts and differentiating between them can be daunting. UNICO 20°87° is an adults-only, all-inclusive resort about an hour south of Cancun and 30 minutes north of Tulum. This modern Mexican resort is great for couples or groups of friends looking for a fun and active atmosphere. UNICO’s all-inclusive package includes food and beverages, and also activities such as golf, spa and tours, for which guests only need to pay a 25 percent service charge.
We stayed at this resort in early September. When we arrived, our bags and shoes were sanitized and we had our temperatures taken. We were then escorted to a sitting area in the beautiful lobby and given a welcome beverage to enjoy while checking in. The resort has 448 rooms, but it was not operating at full capacity. The rooms are sleek with modern design elements and include a butler. Every room, excluding the swim-up category, has a soaking tub and couch on the balcony. The swim-up rooms line the walking paths around the property, with pool loungers and a hammock chair, great for more social guests. We stayed in the oceanfront rooms that have unobstructed views of the ocean with about 500 feet of vegetation between the beach and us. The resort provided a hand sanitizer, masks and a sanitizing wipe in our room. The ocean view rooms overlook the pools and resort with the ocean in the background. With that in mind, I recommend the oceanfront suites or the suites on the higher floors for clients looking for privacy and ocean views from their balcony.
An artist hand paints sun hats at the resort.
The resort has four restaurants and a café. I am happy to report that the food exceeded our expectations. Each venue offered moderate portions and a wide selection of options. The Asian restaurant, Mura House, was one of our favorites with fresh sushi and two hibachi tables. If you have a shorter stay, I recommend making reservations ahead of time for the hibachi. They were full every night we were there.
We were pleasantly surprised by the top-shelf liquors that were part of the all-inclusive package. The hand-crafted cocktails were delicious and they offer plenty of varieties.
During the day, guests can enjoy food and beverages while lounging by one of the three pools. Every morning, the chairs, cabanas and daybeds were sanitized before guests arrived at the pools. The UNICO 20°87° pool is the center of activities with live music played by a DJ, water basketball and an inflated volleyball court. This is also the location for water aerobics and aqua spinning led by an instructor daily. Off to the side of the resort is the La Escondida pool for guests looking for a relaxed, low-key space to unwind. Twice a week, an artist came on property (poolside) to hand paint sun hats provided to guests by the hotel. This service was completely custom and complimentary. Palmera Lounge, which usually has live entertainment in the evenings and a cigar bar, was closed due to COVID-19 regulations. Instead, guests spent their evenings in the open lobby bar where the hotel had a DJ set up for them to enjoy.
Kristina Adams is seen exploring a cenote.
We booked our excursion through UNICO. It was not a part of the inclusions, but was a semi-private tour. We had four in our family and eight on the whole tour. All were guests from UNICO. Our temperatures were taken before leaving and we were given a pack with a sunscreen, bug spray, after-sun cream and a sanitizing wipe. The excursion included exploring the Minotauro cenote and shopping in Tulum. It ended with lunch at Kia Beach Club and snorkeling in Tulum. Kia Beach Club was the perfect beachside lunch spot. Everyone enjoyed the food and the open-air, modern restaurant. We were able to enjoy the beach and the comfortable lounge chairs and daybeds after lunch. The Mayan ruins in the area were closed to visitors during our stay; however, our guide was able to give us an up-close view from the snorkeling boat.
Overall, we thoroughly enjoyed the property and its lively atmosphere. The staff was very attentive and courteous to each guest. The resort was up to date, clean and the grounds were well kept. UNICO 20°87° is the ideal choice for active couples or groups of friends looking to have a good time and a stress-free vacation, knowing that all on-property F&B is included.
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