Family Swim-Up Suites: Azul Beach Hotel by Karisma

During my stay at Azul Beach Hotel {by Karisma} in the Mayan Riviera, I was fortunate to stay in the newly renovated 900 block. The delightful and decadent suite that I called home was the Family Swim-Up Suite, generous in size at 711 square feet.

Not only is it a remarkable room, but very functional {and kid-friendly} as well. Read on my friends…

A screen shot of a living room

The spacious suite features these key areas: a separate bedroom {privacy!}, the living and dining area, as well as a generous sized bathroom and a relaxing terrace area as well.

A kitchen with a sink and a mirror

In the bathroom you have a hydro jet Jacuzzi with the most invigorating rainforest showerhead in the separate shower area. The vanity has dual sinks, a hair dryer and lots of storage room for all your toiletries both on the counter and on the shelves below.

A sink and a mirror

Lots of Caribbean character, the room also boasts a modern and sleek look with two 32-inch plasma TVs, a DVD player, an iPod docking station, deluxe bathrobes and even an umbrella in the closet for those short but fierce tropical rain showers.

The king sized bed is the ultimate in comfort, plush to envelop after a long day of ‘beaching’ {I’ve decided it should be an official word}. Yet, the bed is firm enough to allow support required to get a good nights rest. Really, this bed easily made it way up there on my ‘best hotel beds’ list {yes, I do have such a list}.

A bedroom with a bed and desk in a small room

The stocked mini bar includes choice of pop, water and beer and is stocked daily. There is ample closet room and drawers for a ton of clothes and the coffee pot area/fridge is masked as a cabinet for both aesthetics and safety for little guests. I like that these amenities are hidden, ‘out of sight out of mind’ for kids.

There’s no need take up a lot of room in the hall for that stroller if you are using one, there’s a spot right at the front door. So, you can keep that single {or double} out of the way. As well, a shoe cabinet/bench is the first furniture piece that you’ll see when you walk in the door.

These features may seem simple, yet they do add a lot to comfort and safety. Parents that have traveled with kids are applauding over these details not overlooked. Have you ever tripped over a stroller or a pile of little shoes in the middle of the night? I have and it’s not fun.

Suite and Hotel

The couch converts into a bed, which will easily fit 3 kids comfortably {love this!}. The coffee table can also be stored under the side table, to get it out of the way so it’s not a tripping hazard. Use the couch and coffee table by day and in seconds the table is gone and you have a bed! Great design!

A living room with a couch and a table

Speaking of safety, the patio doors have double locks, one way high up and the other in the usual spot. Unlike most swim-ups which are open to the pool, these have a full railing and deck gate with lock. Sure older kids can access the pool with ease, yet it’s not like they can just leap out from the patio. And, for those with early walkers or crawlers who can’t ‘do’ locks yet, feel secure knowing your baby can roam the patio safely.

A chair sitting in front of a fence

The pool is right there, so if the kids are begging to swim before your morning coffee on the patio, how’s this for compromise?! We always tend to forget items in our room on vacation, and once you are settled with kids, packing up to fetch something is a pain. Such easy and fast access to the room is a very attractive feature!

I mentioned the rooms in the 900 block have been recently renovated, yet all rooms at Azul Beach Hotel are also getting new looks {all should be completed by December 2012}. Make sure to check out the complete listing of all the accommodations at Azul Beach Hotel, as there are many different types to suit all wants {the Honeymoon Suites are to die for!}.

A dining room table

Stunning by day or at night, there’s so much to be had at award-winning Azul Beach Hotel, yet the room you call ‘home away from home’ is only one offering to ensure a fantastic vacation. Make sure to read my post on how these resorts help parents traveling with kids.

More posts to come on the many Gourmet Inclusive amenities, their partnership with Fisher-Price and obviously more drool-worthy photos of this resort.

Beach and Hotel

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Disclosure: I’m apart of the Fisher-Price Play Panel and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation
with being a Fisher-Price Play Ambassador {#FisherPriceMoms}. The opinions on this blog are my own.

Art and Fisher-Price

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34 Comments

  1. I have been waiting for this post Tammi! I have 2 young boys and have the hardest time finding something for all. This looks amazing for our trip this Winter. Nice to see so much thought put into the family suite, so many resorts overlook so many things that should be included. and yes to more photos please!

    1. Oh, I have tons to share Teresa! If you have any specific questions about the resort {or the other Azul resorts} please send me an email. I’ll be sure to include them in an upcoming post or get the answers you need!

  2. Your room was 711 square feet? That’s a couple of feet shy of the size of our first apartment! Only our bathroom wasn’t nearly so luxurious. And there was no pool. DH mentioned wanting to go down south over the Christmas break. Now I am going to look at some Azul hotels. And I mean, like right now!

    1. Nice size, right? Let me know if you have any specific questions about any of the Karisma Resorts Diana. As a side note, I’ve always wanted to go away for Christmas, maybe our time is this year!

    1. I was very impressed, Meghan.
      They post incredible deals every Friday, I’m watching their SM pages like a {sun-worshiping} hawk!
      🙂

    1. Ha, me too Elena! Reality is hard, where’s my paradise?
      And no, the backyard sprinkler just doesn’t cut it!
      🙂

  3. We will be at this resort for a week starting aug 25. Will be in a similar family suite. Our kids are older- 10 and 16- ever see any families with teens there??

    1. Hi Sheryl, I did see a lot of teens there! Many were playing ping-pong or chess by the pool, or in the pool of course. In fact, during the time that I was there, there might have been more in the 10-12 age group than there was babies and toddlers. I seen a couple boys while I had my morning coffee on my terrace and took note of how much fun they were having because they had the entire pool all to themselves {and it was about 10am!} . It’s a great time to go!

      1. side note – the photo I have of the pool above {1st pool photo} was taken at about 3-4pm. And just 5 people in the pool! Fabulous!

  4. This looks amazing. Thanks for much for such a great article. I want to start planning my family vacation right now (I have an 8 yr old boy and a 7 yr old girl).

  5. This is on my must see list! Although hubby swears up and down we will never fly again (plane caught on fire in Calgary on our way to Hawaii last year)…this may just change his mind. I’m thinking vacay 2013!

  6. This is fabulous!! I’ve been perusing your travel section and was curious how you decide where you’re going to travel to? We are currently trying to plan our first family trip after our twins arrive (they’ll be about 6 months probably) and don’t know where to strt!!

  7. This looks like a beautiful resort! Love the quick (and secure) access to the pool 🙂

  8. My husband and I would like to take our kids in Jan or Feb. We have 2 teenage boys and 7 yr girl. Just wondering if they would make us get 2 rooms because of our teenage boys? Place looks amazing and we’ve been to the Mayan many times!

  9. This looks amazing! We did the swim up suites at Sandals Royal Caribbean in Jamaica, but that isn’t a resort where you can take kids. This is a great setup for the whole family, I love how they have a gate, too!!

  10. I am trying to plan a trip to Azul Beach in March 2013. Your post has been very helpful, thank you. Just curious on the approximate cost for a week in the family swim up suite. Getting a lot of different prices and wondering what might seem “reasonable”. Again, thanks!

  11. Question – do the swim up suites get any sun? The balcony area looks quite dark and while my daughter naps it would be nice to hang out on the patio if there was some sunshine!

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  13. What a fabulous looking resort. I love the swim up idea with a gate & lock for peace of mind! I will be looking at Azul to see what else they have to offer! Thanks for your great review!

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