Destination Wedding at Family-Friendly All-Inclusive Resort Featuring Adults-Only Areas

Location

Playa Mujeres is an exclusive oceanfront destination just north of Cancun. The area is gated and safe, consisting mainly of luxury resorts, condos and a marina with less crowds than the Hotel Zone. Finest Playa Mujeres is an easy 30-45 minute drive from Cancun International Airport and the resort offers free private airport transportation when staying three nights or more.

Room types

At Finest Playa Mujeres, every room is a suite with an oversized jacuzzi tub, rainshower, minibar and spacious outdoor terrace or balcony. Finest Suites are regular, non-club level suites which still provide access to the all-inclusive benefits of the resort. Finest Club Suites located in Buildings four and five are family-friendly club level suites, while the Excellence Club suites located in Building six are adults-only. Club-level rooms include upgraded toiletries, in-suite premium liquor and wine bottle selection, one free aqua hydrotherapy circuit per person per stay, access to private beach and pool areas and access to club-only lounges and restaurants. All suites are nearly identical on the inside, but depending on the room category, suites offer spa, pool or ocean view. Other options include a private pool, shared swim-up pool, or a large rooftop terrace with plunge pool. Family suites with an extra bedroom are also available.

Bars and Restaurants:

There are many bars featuring master mixologists located throughout the resort, so you will always have somewhere to quench your thirst. Favorites include Aqua Bar I (adults-only) and Aqua Bar II (family-friendly) which are the swim up bars at the main pool. Golden Bar, located on the ground floor in the main lobby building, is the most central and largest at the resort. It is a great meeting spot to get together prior to heading to your favorite restaurant or show. Be sure to also check out the tropical juice bar nestled between Buildings two and three for a coconut or healthy juice!

With offerings at 14 various restaurants, finding a place to stuff your face will not be a problem at Finest Playa Mujeres. This resort features authentic cuisines, including Mexican, French, and Asian. Whether you’re in the mood for steak, seafood, or even just bar snacks—whatever you’re craving, Finest has it! A total of 12 restaurants are available to all guests, while two are club-level only. Dommo, located in the Excellence Club in Building 6, is my favorite restaurant. It is an adults-only, club-level eatery featuring fine gourmet dining. On the more casual side, standouts include Duke’s Lobster & Seafood and Insieme—both of which are located above the main pool area with ample ocean views.

Things to do:

Your all-inclusive stay includes activities by land and by sea, whatever strikes your fancy! This includes planned activities and entertainment throughout the day. Learn something new with Spanish, cooking, or even dancing lessons. Explore the ocean via kayak, snorkel, or paddle board. Have some fun with the fam at the kids club with a water playground and rock climbing available. Get your game face on and check out the tennis or basketball courts. Take your workout to the next level, as Finest’s gym features upscale equipment, TRX, and multiple free fitness classes daily. Whatever your jam may be, Finest has a plethora of activity options.

For the more relaxed traveler, kick back and lounge on the beach or sip drinks by the pool. Feel free to unwind and let the One Spa staff melt your stress away (for an added charge). The spa is often offering deals and one free couples massage is included in the Excellence of Gold wedding package!

Wedding:

Finest Playa Mujeres offers three different wedding packages to suit your needs and are more cost-effective compared to other, non-Excellence Collection resorts. My favorite is the Excellence of Gold wedding package, which includes the standard ceremony decor, a cocktail hour with hors d’oeuvres, a four hour reception with private dinner and open bar, wedding cake, bridal bouquet and boutonniere, floral centerpiece, music trio, couples massage, bridal hair and makeup, and more! The resort also has in-house and preferred vendors to make your dream wedding become a reality.

Photo and video of the ceremony are included in the Excellence of Gold wedding package, but we wanted full day coverage and hired Novski Photography to capture our special day. Nik and Thamm are a husband and wife photography team who truly know how to capture the essence of your special day. I highly recommend them for all your photography needs! We were glad to have them throughout the day and received some absolutely stunning photos of unforgettable moments we’ll cherish forever.

The resort offers several venues to fit your personal style, with the largest site able to accommodate up to 120 guests. The two main ceremony locations are the Stone Gazebo and the Beach. Deck Dunas, Sky Bar, Grand Palapa, the Beach, the Convention Center, and the brand new Palms Terrace are all available for wedding cocktail hours and receptions. Obviously some locations are weather dependent. Our original plan was for a Beach ceremony and Sky Bar reception, but mother nature had other ideas. We ended up having our ceremony at the Stone Gazebo and reception at Dunas Beach House—both of which are outside and beachfront, yet protected from the elements. It ended up being perfect.

Please Note: Finest handles A LOT of weddings, often hosting multiple nuptials per day. Because of this, the wedding planning process can be slow (by American standards) since they prioritize ceremonies happening soonest. Despite the seemingly lack of communication leading up to the big day, the wedding team is well-trained and hard-working. They will do anything and everything they can to make your special day perfect. They are great at what they do, so trust the process and let them do their thing!

Pro tips:

Bring your own reusable straw! Finest Playa Mujeres (as well as the Excellence Collection as a whole) pride themselves on sustainability. They are EarthCheck certified so there are no single use plastics and you will not find a single straw on resort, unless your savvy self brings a reusable one of your own!

Download the Excellence Collection App! On the app you will find menus for bars and restaurants, a resort map, and a schedule of activities and events.
Check out other The Excellence Collection resorts! If you want to get away from the kids for your honeymoon(or another trip), hop next door to Excellence Playa Mujeres (adults-only) or Beloved Playa Mujeres (couples-only). There are also locations in Riviera Cancun, Punta Cana and Jamaica as well.

I recommend Finest Playa Mujeres for a stress-free wedding destination. The resort has something for everyone and the service is top notch. The wedding team truly goes above and beyond to make sure your special day is perfect. Finest is also a great destination for family vacations and reunions. Reach out to me and book your dream destination wedding with someone who has been in your shoes and knows what you’re going through!

This trip report is part of our ongoing series on travel to Cancún, Mexico. In need of further inspiration? Check out Gina Hwang’s guide, The Best Cancun All-Inclusive Experience.