A vacation at an all-inclusive resort is always going to be the latter, but what about a trip during the festivities of Halloween?
Get your scariest face on – we’re heading down Mexico way — with our list of the best all-inclusive resorts to celebrate Dia de Las Brujas (a festival considered mainly for childre and the closest equivalent to American-style halloween festivities, not to be confused with Dia de Muertos aka Day of the Dead, which is a Mexican holiday that honors deceased loved ones).
First, All about Halloween
Pixabay
Halloween hails from Pagan beginnings – the Celts know it better as Samhain. Falling the day before All Saint’s Day – it is commonly known as All Hallows’ Eve. As in much of the world, Mexican kids love to celebrate this ghoulish festival and go door-to-door knocking for treats – dressed up in the scariest best. Candy and toys are manufactured to resemble skulls, coffins and skeletons – all in the best possible taste! All Saints’ Day is celebrated on November 1st, and All Souls’ Day follows on November 2nd. Many resorts give out free candy to residents over the Halloween break, and some resorts offer costumes to kids to wear during on-site festivities – or you can always pack your own.
Let’s take a look at the best all-inclusive resorts for celebrating Halloween.
Hotel Xcaret
Hotel Xcaret
For those with really young children, it’s probably best to enjoy the on-site activities, but for those with older tweens or teens (and yes adults too!) there are few places that have more fun options for both Dia de Muertos and Dia de Las Brujas than Check PricesHotel Xcaret (and Check PricesHotel Xcaret Arte for adults-only)….in addition to the numerous offerings at the resort, a stay includes access to all of their eco-parks (at the time of this writing, please check in advance for inclusions before booking), where they go all-out with traditional Dia de Muertos festivities, music, parades, food, costumes, and so much more!
Moon Palace Cancun
Moon Palace Cancun – HauntedHouse
The sprawling and luxurious family-friendly Check PricesMoon Palace Golf and Spa Resort offers something for everyone, including swim-up bars, a water slide, kids splash pad, plus the world-famous “Flow Rider” (not to be confused with rapper Flo Rida), and now through the end of the year they’re running their “Kids & Teens Stay Free” promotion, but….they go ALL OUT for Halloween!
Back again by popular demand this year is their renowned haunted house they call “House of Horrors” and it’s even scarier than ever! They’re promising “all-new chills lurking around every corner” and “unforgettable Halloween thrills” (squee! I can’t wait!). Guests staying from October 23 – 31 can explore The Colors of Fear, a multi-room, multi-sensory horror experience that will take them through six terrifying rooms – and yes, there is a “panic button” in every room, just in case. (Editor’s Note: due to the scary nature of this activity, Moon Palace does not recommend it for children under the age of 13).
Pixabay
For an upmarket ghoulish experience, Check PricesFinest Playa Mujeres is hard to beat. However, there’s nothing formidable or frightening here. There’s a Mini Club a Maxi Club and a Teen Club, for terrors of all sizes. The Imagine Lounge is where they may be dropped off for childcare whilst their parents enjoy a leisurely breakfast or dinner. Not just for Halloween, come along for the adventure at Finest Playa Mujeres, where “Junior guests get to design their own vacation experiences” with all-day activities for all ages–from toddlers to tweens to teens. Away time is play time at the children’s pool with its own built-in playground. There’s even a pool just for babies and toddlers, and three indoor areas that are grownup-free zones. Plus a kids plaza, mini spa and mini theater that offer up big-time amusements.
Hard Rock Hotel Vallarta
Pixabay
A rock star vacation where you can dress up your little VIPs as Harley Quinn and Co, and head down to the Check PricesHard Rock Hotel Vallarta. There’s nothing remotely frightening about the fabulous rooms at suites at the Hard Rock, but you can bang out some terrible tunes if you wish, as there’s not just free Wifi, but also a selection of guitars (PICKS® program) and Crosley turntables (wax® program) available upon request and availability. Adults can dress up as their favorite dead rock star …. Just don’t throw the TV from the balcony!
Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit
Velas Resorts
The family-friendly Check PricesGrand Velas Riviera Nayarit will host its first “Mexology Fest” on November 2nd and 3rd to celebrate Día de los Muertos traditions and Mexican mixology innovations. The mixology workshops and tastings are included in the nightly rate, and Mexico City’s renowned Licorería Limantour will do a “bar takeover that sounds like a blast! For the Day of the Dead, attend a poolside Catrina parade with musicians and dancers and opt to get Catrina skull makeup for a festive dinner of Mexican cuisine.
El Cozumeleno Beach Resort
Pixabay
Known as Ah-Cuzamil-Peten (Island of Swallows) by its earliest inhabitants, Mexico’s largest and most populated island is home to Check PricesEl Cozumeleno Beach Resort. It’s also the perfect base for witches, ghouls, and skeletons for the Halloween break. Dressed up pirates will also feel at home here, as it’s a world class diving reef, and was highlighted in a Jacques Cousteau TV documentary. There are ancient Mayan ruins in the north and south of the island, which are worth visiting and may be packed with the ghostly remains of former residents…depending on your imagination! Ghostly happenings aside, the resort is jam-packed with things to do, including a children’s activity center, giving the bones of the older skeletons a bit of a break.
Grand Fiesta Americana Coral Beach Cancun
Fiesta Americana Coral Beach Cancun
The family-friendly Check PricesGrand Fiesta Americana Coral Beach Cancún, will host a variety of fun “Day of the Dead” events and serve a traditional Hanal Pixan dish called “mukbil pollo”, every Friday throughout October. Mukbil Pollo is made of nixtamalized corn, lard, chicken and a variety of condiments, then this enormous tamale is wrapped in banana leaves and buried and slowly cooked using the heat of incandescent stones. Mayan people wait for this season to cook mukbil pollo, as it’s believed that it creates a connection between the worlds of the living and the dead.
So, head down Mexico way for ghoulish, ghostly fun and games, for your Halloween vacation!
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Originally from Dublin, Carol has also lived in London and Wales before settling in Spain with her husband and family in 2006, and is published regularly on travel and more from her mountain-top home in the picturesque foothills of the Sierra Nevada. Driven by a passion for travel, history, other cultures, and sustainable living, she enjoys life with her family in a traditional and tiny village. She also blogs about her traditional village life, sparked by a passion for the diverse culture and history of Spain.
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