Happy holidays! It’s the coldest I’ve felt in recent memory and I’m sure most would say the same for folks in most areas of the continental U.S. Here in Atlanta where I live, the city infrastructure was never meant to handle this kind of cold. There are water pipes bursting from the flash freezes all over the city from shopping malls to residential high rises. Plumbers in the area are making a record-breaking profit from this Pipepocalypse.
Luckily for us, the short, 3-day vacation to Cancún we booked a month ago started right as the winter storm rolled into town. This trip was a bit different from our usual vacations because we didn’t plan to go on adventures or explore nearby areas. Instead, we decided to stay at an all-inclusive, beach-side resort and relax. I’ve never stayed in one and I was not convinced that the perks would be worth the extra cost. I guess the room service and dining at all the resort restaurants are part of the “all-inclusive” -ness of the resort. Personally, I like eating at hole-in-the-walls to try local cuisines but what the hell, let’s try this out.
We called an Uber for the airport just as the highs got down to the mid-30s.
Breathless Soul Resort
Located at the tourist-filled Hotel Zone in Cancún, this resort is a part of the “Breathless” brand owned by Hyatt. The Breathless brand is a collection of resorts that incorporates the all-inclusive perk with entertainment and luxury. The Breathless Soul Resort opened in December of last year. The resort caters to a younger crowd as it advertises itself as a social and stylish resort with a copious amount of partying and unlimited drinks.
It was about a 30-minute ride from the airport. This party image was validated the moment we arrived at the hotel. A server came over to us and handed us a glass of champagne to drink while we were waiting in line to check in. There was a bar across from the check-in lobby and it was packed with resort guests waiting to order their drinks.
How is the Room?
We knew the room was going to be top-notch from the vlog reviews we saw beforehand. The bathroom was stocked with shower and face towels as well as face care and shower products. The king-sized bed was comfortable. I thought it had too many pillows but my girlfriend thought differently.
The room was very tech friendly. It seems like there was an outlet in every corner of the room. All the lights could be controlled switch from the bathroom or the switch next to the bed. It even has the ability to on mood lighting. The room service is controlled by a small touchscreen tablet. If I had to nitpick, I would say the tv remote was hard to use. I had to press multiple times before the button worked.
The balcony view wasn’t terrible. We were on the second floor, but we could see Isla Mujeres off in the distance. There is a small dock between Breathless and the resort next door. It got pretty busy early mornings when people were boarding the ferries to get them to the island in the distance.
What amenities were there?
The weather was the biggest enemy on this trip. We thought we were lucky for escaping the worst of the winter storm but realized it was raining in Cancún for most of the time we were there. Non-stop rain and wind stopped everyone from enjoying the pool and the beach. There is the main pool which has a walk-up bar. Some guests actually used the hot tub during the rain. They weren’t going to let a little rain get in the way of enjoying their vacation. There are two more pools, one on each rooftop of the two buildings that make up Breathless Soul.
The lobby bar was packed with people who had nothing to do but drink. We met some interesting couples who were in the same boat and hung out with them for most of the day.
The resort staff organized indoor activities, but I’m not sure if anyone went to them 😅.
There is also a gym, spa, and night club but we did not visit them.
Did you like the restaurants?
There are 7 restaurants to choose from at Breathless Soul. This includes a wide variety of cuisines from Japanese to Italian. I went to all of them except Kibbeh and Spumente. I’ve ranked them here:
Fish Nets (Seafood) - Easily had the best menu and not even close. The crab soup had the perfect balance of taste and consistency. The crab was not overpowering and it was balanced with the onions and cilantro. The ceviche was very fresh with a tinge of citrus. I would have tried everything on the menu if I wasn't so full from breakfast.
Silk City (Japanese Sushi) - This restaurant has the best views and entertainment out of all the options. It’s located on the rooftop of the resort and you can look out into downtown Cancún. The rock shrimp tempura was the best dish on the menu.
Spoon (International Buffet) - This is the only place open for breakfast. It has a wide variety of options. I stuck with the chilaquiles every morning, but the omelet looked good too.
Coquette (French) - I would go here once you’ve tried everywhere else first. The food is pretty bland and they try to mask it by adding a ton of salt. They do have an extensive wine menu to choose from. The wine is not included as part of the all-inclusive package and you have to pay extra.
Picante (Mexican) - I would skip and find way better options outside of the resort.
Not ranked: Kibbeh, Spumente
The Nook (Cafe) - This place is open 24 hours. I picked up some coffee and snacks from here. It’s convenient and fast.
Conclusion
We were here for 3 days and I believe this is the perfect length of stay at an all-inclusive resort. If we had stayed any longer I would have lost my mind from being cooped up. I am better suited to just booking a hotel/Airbnb and going out exploring.
The quality of the food at the restaurant and amenities made it a little hard to justify the US$456/night, but I think it is worth it for those who are looking to relax and enjoy their holidays in a stress-free environment with as little planning as possible.
And that wraps up 2022! Looking forward to all the trips we have planned and thank you so much for reading! If you like reading my blog please share to your friends and family!