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Dreams Cancun Resort & Spa

Cancun, Mexico

It could be theorized (and probably has been) that the institution of the all-inclusive resort subliminally babies the baby in all of us. Eat, play, sleep, repeat – all without lifting so much as a baby finger for oneself. So it stands to reason that the all-inclusive resort is ideal for the family that includes an actual one-year-old baby, as well as a three-year-old and one beleaguered woman who does way – and I mean way – more than her share of the parenting and housekeeping.

"I want to stop one minute," pleaded the queen of the castle. "I want to lie down – and not just at bedtime. I just want to breathe."

This she said while sipping a pina colada over a plate of ceviche at Oceana, the agreeable beachfront seafood restaurant at the family-friendly Dreams Cancun. Number One Son tried some octopus, his wee brother crawled and flirted with folks at nearby tables, and Daddy devoured an exceedingly fresh, crispy friend fish; a feeling of well being began to set in before we had even set foot in our room. There was lots going on at the resort that afternoon – games in the pool, big ids bouncing high on a bungee-trampoline, volleyball – and there were dolphins cavorting sociably in a 200-foot-long pool. How many hotels have a pod of dolphins you can observe at close range any time you feel like it? Yes, Dreams Cancun made a nice first impression, the momentum of which carried us through the disappointment of finding that our Deluxe Oceanfront accommodation in the Pyramid building was a standard size hotel room in sore need of attention on several fronts, including fault bath and sink fixtures, noisy headboards connected to neither bed nor wall, a sketchy TV and spotty housekeeping.

The kids' club failed to enchant the 3-year-old (it was geared to slightly older kids), but thanks to the quality of the food-and-beverage service – a value of at least a couple hundred bucks a day at a-la-carte prices – it was a good deal at $375 a night for the whole shebang. And our room was blessedly quiet, thanks to good bones that go back to mid-70s Cancun, when the hotel was known as the Camino Real. A Tower building was added in the mid-80s, and the Jacuzzi Junior Suite I saw there was a world apart, spacious with mod furnishings, a big flat-screen television, and a Jacuzzi on the balcony. The Dreams team took over in 2004. The 379-room resort occupies an enviable situation with a couple of nice beaches and scenic places to tuck bars and restaurants.

"Mission accomplished!" announced the missus at noon of Day No. 3 upon returning from a massage (not included, but absolutely necessary) that she declared "one of the best I ever had."

"Now it's Daddy Time!" I shouted as I high-fived myself. From that moment on the big question became, "Mojito or margarita?" It was posed with admirable regularity by teams of waiters tirelessly working the beach palapas. Room service was included, and as we dined on surprisingly good steaks on our final evening, my wife said our vacation was "just like a honeymoon!"

"Plus the kids and minus the sex," I pointed out.

C'est la vie. I had recently tried to explain to a middle-aged bachelor that one seldom regrets the sacrifices that come with parenthood, and to that conversation I would add this note: Even for those of use who fancy ourselves independent-minded globetrotters, an all-inclusive resort has enormous, irresistible appeal for a family of beach lovers in sore need of quality time together. The baby blows up a box of Fruit Loops at breakfast, and instead of grumbling and getting down on your knees, you just get up and go have playtime in the sand. 

Rates start at $144 per person, per night.

866-2373267; dreamsresorts.com/cancun

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

Traveling with little kids? Consider choosing a destination with non-stop flights from your hometown. If you're planning on depositing the little ones in the kid's camp, check the minimum age requirement. Some programs don't accept babies or toddlers. Though some resorts include complimentary babysitting, additional charges may apply depending on the number or age of children, the time of day or length of time required.

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