<p>We have made several trips to Cancun, and if you count my neighbors, we have made 2 or 3 dozen trips to Cancun/Rivieria Maya. No one has gotten Montezuma’s revenge on these trips. My understanding is that Cancun was built by the Mexican government specifically to target U.S and Canadian tourists. They built a separate water system for the resort area and the hotels all filter their water. This is not the case everywhere. My brother-in-law and his family got a terribly sick in Zihuatanejo about 10 years ago. People complain that Cancun is too “Americanized” - however, I’ll take the “clean” water anytime.</p>
<p>^Bottled water is offerred at all hotels in Cozumel at no cost. When we went first time our D. was only 6 years old. In all our stays there, none of us had ever had any problems, we just did not drink water from faccet, that’s all. I would not go to any commercial place, it is not what I am looking for on my vacation. I was not impressed with ruins there either.</p>
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<p>I assume this was the case. And like it or not, attracting a younger crowd is pretty much WHY Cancun was built. Same for offering a “made in USA” with dependable weather, cheaper prices, and a lot fewer regulations. </p>
<p>Graduating seniors and college students have a different definition of a fun trip than families with small children. From all the destinations in Mexico, Cancun seems the most attractive for high school seniors. There is an entire industry that has been built to accommodate the young and restless, and help them come home with a wrist full of colorful bracelets. </p>
<p>Parents should consider that hotels that are NOT far from the main attractions (and that is NOT the pyramids and museums) offer better options. You do not want the seniors to be looking for taxis at 4am or walk good distances in the middle of the night.</p>
<p>Fwiw, a good number of college students from the West Coast have “migrated” from Cancun to Baja California because of easier connections and a bit less craziness.</p>
<p>We have been to Puerto Vallarta and stayed at Villa La Estancia Beach Resort & Spa. It is quieter than Cancun (if that´s what you are looking for). The place is very nice, but it doesn´t have much of night life. It is all inclusive, but it also has a kitchen. We had a three bedroom villa, each room had its own very large bathroom, it is great for share.</p>
<p>We have been to Acapulco many times, over New Year and long weekends. Acalpulco Princess is the nicest of all the places, rooms are big and food is very good. We are not ones for venturing out of resort, so we didn´t have any problem with safety.</p>
<p>If I were to go to Cancun, I would stay at Club Med. It is all inclusive, great food, caters to all ages. The best part about the club is evening out door music. They bring in a lot of local bands to play there. They also have an out door movie theater for kids. We had a family reunion few years back (15 people, from age 14-70), and we had a great time.</p>
<p>I climbed the pyramid at Chichen Itza- something I probably wouldn’t do at my current age. The ruins closer to the resorts are far less impressive, but don’t involve the long, possibly hazardous, bus trip.</p>
<p>If you are a high school student, then go to Cancun.</p>
<p>Club Med has been refurbishing a lot of their clubs. My favorite is the Columbus Isle, the beach is still prestine. I don´t believe there are other hotels on the island.</p>
<p>I would say that my motives, along with my father’s, are much closer to what xiggi has said. We would probably want a place with a better nightlife, as I will be 18 and, in Mexico, will be allowed to partake in such activities. It will be three of us, all guys, my father, my brother (16), and I, so the quieter or more younger child locations will probably not interest us as much.</p>
<p>it seems that Cancun is your place then!</p>
<p>Villa La Estancia Beach Resort & Spa is a fabulous place. The one is Puerto Vallarta is located in Nuevo Vallarta. There is an almost identical version in Cabo. It is far from being cheap, but in Cabo, there is a slightly cheaper version in the same resort that is very popular with students and larger families. </p>
<p>The Fairmont Acapulco is not recommended for a HS senior trip. It is isolated from downtown and “the action.” And, again, Acapulco is a location that is best avoided by international tourists, unless one wants to be holed up in a resort after landing.</p>
<p>What would you do with your 16 year old brother? Does he look 18?</p>
<p>Oldfort- Ehhh, don’t spoil the fun! We can probably drop him off somewhere, right? haha. I mean, it is MY senior trip! And no, he doesn’t. Do they not card in Mexico, or something?</p>
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<p>Haha, that question is not really relevant in Cancun. This is what I meant having fewer restrictions and regulations. As long as one can afford the entrance fees, he IS old enough. The reality is that the hotels sell the bracelets and are not “that” careful when parents accompany the students to purchase what is needed. You have to look like 12 to male the vendors raise an eyebrow. This said, it is doubtful that anyone looking 12 or 15 would have much fun in the “antros.” Not to mention that parents should not let them go!</p>
<p>Regarding finding the best combination for Cancun, check the value of the all-inclusives. Not all are identical as some might not offer the beverages as part of what is included. Also, you may want to check the quality of the accommodations versus the proximity of the nightlife. For instance, there is a difference between the FA Coral Beach and the Condesa. Some may want to be closer to the nightlife; others closer to the Isla; others at the far end of the Boulevard and almost at the airport (read Club Med.) </p>
<p>It is a matter of personal choice. When traveling with other families, including three HS semior trips, we found the best compromises at the JW Marriott and the FA Coral Beach. The ME did not work out that well for the “elders,” and the Oasis was so bad we left after a few hours. There are always newer and remodeled properties. Live Aqua might be a good option. </p>
<p>In general, you can expect to find what you … paid for. No five stars at the price of a two stars!</p>
<p>My girls have not been carded since 14, but girls tend to look more mature. My younger daughter has been going to clubs by herself in Mexico since she was 16, but they were private events. I don´t know what they would do at a place like Cancun, where there are more Americans.</p>
<p>Your brother will wear a bracelet of different color, I believe. You can get as many drink as you want and serve your brother if your father permits you to do so. 18 is official drinking age in Mexico. So, I believe that you will have the same bracelet as your father.</p>
<p>I know of 14 year olds who get into the antros (nightclubs) here without getting carded…although it’s funny to watch them complain about how they got sent away from some place when they tried to card one of the girls and figured out none of them were old enough. They won’t do anything to you, they’ll just tell you to go away and you can try someplace else. So if you’re looking for the nightclub scene you’re pretty much golden. Not that I would know, seeing how I don’t drink or go to antros. 
Most of my friends think I’m boring that way, but hey, at least I won’t miss it when I go to the US for college! haha</p>
<p>If you’re looking more for a family vacacion thing in Cancun, visit Xcaret! It’s abslutely beautiful, very touristy, and you can even snorkel around in some of the underground rivers.</p>
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<p>Not to sound like a Club Med rep here, but the villages with a few exceptions have all been extensively renovated and Cancun is quite upscale. There is nothing spartan about the rooms anymore (unfortunately as they have catered to North American tastes that require a flat screen t.v. in every room etc. I loved the bare bones old style rooms, because who needs t.v. and spends a lot of time in the rooms on vacation, anyway)</p>
<p>There are several levels of rooms and suites to choose from and “spartan” is no longer an option.</p>
<p>If there are nightlife people going on this trip, I wouldn’t recommend Ixtapa. The resort itself practically shuts down after 11, it is very much a family place. There is more going on in Cancun.</p>
<p>^^^^
Yes, and you should see what Trip Advisor has to say about Villa la Estancia, and I know of more than one kid killed in Peurto Vallarta. </p>
<p>Stick with Maui if you are smart.</p>
<p>I can confirm the different color wristbands are used at all inclusives to indicate whether your are 18 or not. The resort copies your passport as part of the registration process - so they will know which color to give you. However, at the resort, my 16 yo daughter got served about 80-90% of the time no questions asked poolside or at the tiki bar. Her brother, mother or I could always order two and give one to her.</p>
<p>However, the resort was relatively strict about admission to the on-site disco/nightclub (checking wristbands). Before 11:00 it was a teen dance club, no one 18 or older allowed, including parents, after 11:00 its a 18+ nightclub. I don’t know how strict Senor Frogs, Coco Bongo, etc are, but Mexico doesn’t have the hangups about alcohol that the U.S. has and I have heard the drinking age is more a suggestion than an absolute.</p>
<p><strong>Please Note</strong></p>
<p>Make sure any 18 yo is coded as an adult in the reservation!! Expedia shows 18 as the highest age for “child”. I thought that was unusual, but not wanting a conflict with the passport information that is included in the reservation, I used that classification. Hotel registration made us call Expedia (no easy task from Mexico) to have them reissue the reservation for our 18 yo son. To the resort there is a huge difference in the “rack” rate (close to $1,000 for the week) for an 18 yo versus a 17 yo due to the unlimited alcohol. (The reservation came through as a child, so they assumed <18. The wristbands are like currency and issued by the financial office - therefore the reservation must be changed.) However, with the big travel agencies, they price for anyone middle school up the same as an adult. So Expedia gladly reissued the reservation, but my son was going biserk for about 90 minutes while the process unfolded!! When we were checking in, there was another family with the same reservation age issue.</p>
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<p>Humm, there are 189 highest ratings out of 218. </p>
<p>[Villa</a> La Estancia (Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico) - Resort Reviews - TripAdvisor](<a href=“http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g154267-d776424-Reviews-Villa_La_Estancia-Nuevo_Vallarta_Pacific_Coast.html]Villa”>http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g154267-d776424-Reviews-Villa_La_Estancia-Nuevo_Vallarta_Pacific_Coast.html)</p>
<p>Could you be confused with another resort. Oldfort commented very positively on the Vallarta one; I have stayed for the past several years at Villa La Estancia in Cabo, and could not come up with a single criticism. This is one of the few occasions I do agree with Oldfort, and this makes me think you might be talking about another resort.</p>
<p>Oh, I didn’t notice who mentioned it. Reviews were very specific about the sellers of time shares and how annoying it was, mainly. Other criticisms included elevators not working, a/c not working, lots of noise, average food, rooms needing updating, etc. Positives were the beauty of the setting.</p>
<p>Perhaps I did read the wrong review.</p>