This was our fifth trip to Excellence. We’ve also been to Hyatt Zilara, Valentin Imperial, El Dorado Maroma, and Live Aqua. We will continue to try out different places, but this one is our favorite. I have full day by day reviews of years 2, 3, and 4 that I’m happy to share… but this is an “all-in-one” of year five. (I also have a one based just on travel tips for this trip… but this is just about the time at the resort.)

I’ve realized that I become a creature of habit at resorts. Generally, I start the day on the beach, SOMETIMES do breakfast… SOMETIMES do lunch… Then, I move to the pool, and always do dinner and after dinner entertainment…

I always book Excellence Club Pool View. Usually, the pool view has a little bit of an ocean view, and I spend so little time in the room it doesn’t matter…BUT I do LOVE the club beach, the club pools, and Magna. I wouldn’t go if I couldn’t get Excellence Club for my days. I spend almost all my time during the day in the club only areas. All rooms are the same, but you can get a swim up or plunge pool (on the same floor or a rooftop). The only DIFFERENT rooms are the honeymoon suite and imperial suite. There are only two of those each, and they’re VERY hard to book. I have one reserved for 2023.

Anyway, the room is large and has GREAT storage, toiletries, and most things that you could need. There are full bottles of alcohol and a well stocked mini fridge that gets replenished every day. I didn’t think to take pictures of everything in the room, but there are a WEALTH of YouTube videos that include it all!

This time we had room 8170. I like building 8 best. It’s closest to the beach. This one happens to be 8B (overlooking the club pool). I like 8A best (overlooking the Grill) just because I think the view is better, but this one is great, too… Doesn’t matter to me as long as the beach is close.

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Mornings

I do set my alarm every day, even on vacation. The thing is, I’ve never actually heard it go off! I’m always too excited and wake up. BUT I set it for about 15 minutes before sunrise so that I can get down to the beach and get a bali bed. I do LOVE them, and yes… they go early. There are only about 8 of them. They’re on the back row of the Excellence club beach, and they’re first come, first served.

I pack my bag the night before with Picaridin lotion, Sunscreen, my insulated tumbler, my Pepto (just in case), my Kindle paperwhite, my phone, a battery recharger, a couple of $5s and about ten $1s. I leave out the bathing suit, sunglasses, coverup, and flip flops that I’m going to wear so that I can sneak away while my husband is still in bed. I wind around the hallway, past the building 8 club pool, and I take the little rock path out past the concierge onto the beach. I like the third bed over. (Close access to the bathroom and a great view!) I’m down there at 6:30 in November, and I’m RARELY the first person… BUT there are usually beds available until about 7 or so… and loungers available all day. I definitely saw concierges clearing things off the unoccupied beds, particularly when people asked for one. I get myself a glass of chlorophyll water, accept the snacks when the concierge starts making his way around, and I spend the entire morning reading.

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Generally, my husband will come join me with a concoction and some pastries from aroma. Some mornings that’s all we have for breakfast. Some I go to lobster house either with him or on my own. I love room service breakfast, but I don’t want to be up in the room when things are so gorgeous on the beach.

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The last morning of your last full day is often a little different. That morning sometimes on the EC beach they give you some “going away” art. This is not a promise… it’s only if you’re often at the same place for a long time. Then, sometimes around noon, they bring you a coconut monkey with a special goodbye drink. They actually brought ours to our room (after I locked my husband out on the balcony… OOOOPS!!! Be careful! Sometimes the door latches without you meaning to do it! He had to flag down a concierge to let him back in.)

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On our VERY last morning, we usually get up and pack the room; then, head off to Magna for breakfast and one or two last drinks before the transfer comes to pick us up. The Excellence Club app is excellent, and you can find the menus for all of the restaurants there. They don’t currently have physical menus at the restaurants.

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In the afternoons, we usually move on. Sometimes, we go to the club pool and spend time there, sometimes there’s a great live band playing at the main pool, sometimes we do our hydrotherapy or do one of the activities on the app. sometimes we paint ourselves a souvenir at the cart. Sometimes we get some coconut water from the Revive bar.

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We don’t always have lunch… but there are so many options if we do. Sometimes, we just order food to our bali bed, sometimes we have snacks in our room while we’re getting ready for dinner. (I love to climb in the big bathtub and read a book for awhile.) If we haven’t eaten breakfast we may do a sit down meal outside at The Grill or inside at Toscana. We did that much more this time than the last few times! Probably why I gained 10 pounds in five days! lol. The pizza came out a little underdone, but we just sent it back no problem

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At least once during the trip we like to do one of the tastings at the Havana Bar in the afternoon. It’s over by building 7. It’s now a great place for a nightcap, too. We did Mixology with Alberto this time, but we’ve also done the tequila tasting and the mojito class. They’re only $25 extra and a very fun way to spend an hour. They often fill up quickly since only six people can be in each class, but they’re a lot of fun!

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Then, we love the elegance at night of EPM. The way people dress DOES add to it. We like the dress code, and we like that it’s enforced. We usually start the night with a cocktail at the martini bar with Cesar, or in the Magna club lounge, or at Havana.

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After our cocktails we generally go to one restaurant first for an appetizer and then a second for dinner. (We do this more than not). On this trip, it was as follows: night one, sushi at Spice followed by The Grill…

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night two, Basmati;

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night three, charcuterie at Flavor Market followed by Chez Isabelle;

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night four, lobster tail at Lobster House followed by Magna.

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I always INTEND to take pictures! Some nights I do better than others! :-). After dinner, we usually go to aroma to grab dessert and then sit out at Prelude for awhile for whatever live band is playing on the terrace. This time, we really loved the Elite band and the Crooners.

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Then, we usually go roam for awhile. Either we check out what’s happening at the show or spend some time at the sports bar, or we go down to the X lounge on the beach to watch the lights from Isla Mujeres and listen to the entertainment at Finest.

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Then, by about 9:30 or 10:00 we’re ready for bed. I love to go back to the dark quiet of the room for room service, some petit fours and maybe a nightcap or two before starting all over the next day…

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We have now come close to spending a month at Excellence when we put all five trips together. I still want to try other places, and I think a day could come when I’m “finished” with Excellence. We’re not at that point, yet… See you next November EPM! Thanks for another fantastic trip!