May is one of the hottest months in Mexico, with temperatures often reaching a toasty 30 degrees plus. It’s also the start of the low (and the rainy) season, but one of our Travel Pros, Lauren, wasn’t too worried about that as she hopped on a flight from London Gatwick at the very start of the month for a gloriously sunny stay at the adults-only All Inclusive Almare Isla Mujeres, A Luxury Collection Resort on Mexico’s Isla Mujeres – said to be home to the country’s best beach.

Naturally, we pecked her head to find out all about her experience. Spoiler alert: you’re going to want to copy her.

We flew with British Airways on one of their direct flights to Cancun, exclusively operating out of London Gatwick. Since March of this year they’ve been offering daily, non-stop flights to the most popular city on the Yucatan Peninsula – because apparently, they didn’t think flying on 6 days of the week was enough!

But if you’re a northerner like me, don’t fret. Being based in Lancashire, I took an easy British Airways flight from Manchester down to London Heathrow, and then self-transferred to London Gatwick. It was so much easier than I thought it would be – you can hop on a National Express Coach or do the transfer by train. Even though I wasn’t familiar with the stations it was super simple to do – just take the underground from Heathrow into London Victoria, and change there for a Gatwick Express or Southern Rail train to Gatwick.

From Gatwick it’s just over 10 hours to sunny Cancun, so I was more than happy to be plonking myself in one of their premium economy seats in World Traveller Plus. The difference between premium and economy really is noticeable here – the extra legroom is fab and makes all the difference on a longer flight (the footrest is a nice touch too). I happened to have an empty seat next to me as well, so it was extra roomy. If, like me, your seat is in the first row, your screen sits in the leg of the chair instead, but it’s easy enough to pull out. When it comes to entertainment there was loads of movies and series to watch, if a little slim on the brand-new releases, but you do get access to Paramount+. I went for the Boyzone documentary and enjoyed it thoroughly.

In World Traveller Plus you get a welcome drink and multi-course meals (on proper plates!), as well as being able to grab snacks from the galley whenever you like – handy. I was pleasantly surprised during this flight – the service from start to finish was brilliant with no hiccups and polite and professional staff.

After landing at Cancun International Airport, we had a private transfer (either a luxury car or a minivan), which was air-conditioned and with bottled water – heaven – to take us the 30-minute trip to The Renaissance Cancun Resort & Marina in Puerto Cancun. We were greeted by the lovely Almare staff (and a complimentary drink) and took a seat in their lounge waiting area until our boat transfer was ready to take us to Isla Mujeres itself – about 9 miles off the coast of Cancun.

Once our boat was ready, our luggage was transferred, and we were off! It’s about a 20-minute journey to the island and it’s an experience in and of itself. We landed in the evening on the way out, so we didn’t get to enjoy the views, but on the return journey in daylight it was really something special (if you minus the tears from leaving paradise).

On arrival at Almare Isla Mujeres, we were greeted by the welcoming staff who ushered a much-need welcome mocktail – an Almare, their own concoction – into our hands before passing over our room keys. Forget ugly plastic bands or cards – at Almare your key is a cute little bracelet that you can keep after you leave, a personal stand out for me!

We stayed in one of their Deluxe Guest Rooms, with the most beautiful views of the Caribbean Sea from the balcony – I honestly could have just sat all day and listened to the waves. With a HUGE king-size bed that was next level (I slept like a dream every night), as well as an equally massive bathtub and rain shower, these rooms were stunning. They come with a mini-fridge with a variety of drinks like Gatorade, Coca Cola, and delightful lychee-flavoured drink I loved, as well as two drawers filled with gummy bear sweets and nuts (cute!). Then there’s the Nespresso coffee machine, which was refilled daily with capsules for us coffee gluggers.

It comes with all the usual amenities you’d expect, including the nicest-smelling body wash and lotion I’ve ever used in a hotel! And an absolute game-changer for me was the steamer! So much easier than an iron! Who knew?! The 24-hour room service was the icing on the cake.

Boga is one of Almare Isla Mujeres’ signature restaurants – it focuses on local ingredients and indigenous cooking methods, so by day it serves up authentic Mayan and Mexican cuisine before changing to a more international selection in the evening. It’s also where breakfast is served, and obviously I had to have the lobster – what All Inclusive do you know of that offers lobster at breakfast?!

Seasalt, meanwhile, is the resort’s 360-degree ocean view restaurant, where they mix Mexican and European cuisine together – the menu has things like organic glazed chicken, smoked octopus, and wagyu ravioli. They even have a Raw Bar too, with things like Baja oysters and crab and mango salad.

AlPaso is a cute spot on the beach with a food truck serving loads of healthy bites, bowls and smoothies, and Botanik Coffee House is the resort’s fancy coffee and detox spot for drinks made with local ingredients, as well as gourmet organic coffee featuring the finest Mexican cocoa – also roasted locally. For poolside drinks, there’s the Breeze Pool Bar which serves tikki cocktails and house-blended rums with local flavours.

There’s two pools at Almare Isla Mujeres – you’ve got the oceanfront pool if you like your swims with a side of sea breeze and swim up bar, and a gorgeous rooftop infinity pool at the Seasalt restaurant with stunning 360-degree views, especially at sunset.

There’s a fitness centre here too, if that’s your thing. It’s a large space and has all the usual stuff you’d expect, like treadmills, bikes, stair climbers and free weights. The resort’s spa, ALMA, on the other hand, has loads of services on offer, from facials and foot baths to steam rooms and Ayurvedic treatments.

Use of the pools and fitness centre are all included as part of your All Inclusive plan, but spa treatments do come at an extra cost.

Despite how heavenly it was, our stay wasn’t all about Almare Isla Mujeres. We were here to explore the island too, and see just what makes it the perfect counter to the craziness Cancun can bring. This little sliver of paradise just off the coast is where you jump in a hammock and says, “You know what? I’ll deal with that mañana.” “Isla Mujeres” means “Island of Women” in Spanish – named by Spanish conquistadors who, upon landing in the 1500s, found statues of goddesses like Ixchel, the Mayan goddess of fertility, scattered across the island.

It’s a teeny-tiny island – only about 4 miles long and half a mile wide, so golf buggies are the preferred method of transportation for getting around and that’s exactly what we hopped in to start exploring. Our first stop? Punta Sur.

Located on the southern end of the island, it’s actually the eastern-most point of Mexico and the highest point in the Yucatan – it’s said to be the first place in Mexico to receive the sun’s rays each morning. The coastline has dramatic limestone cliffs, tangled vegetation, and gorgeous panoramic ocean views, there’s even a path that loops you along the cliff’s edge for an easy but beautiful hike. It’s also home to the Mayan temple dedicated to Ixchel, as well iguanas – there are lots of them and some are HUGE!

The Punta Sur Sculpture Park is also here and only costs 100 pesos to enter – that’s about £4/5, so a really reasonable price! Along the paths, you’ll find a collection of abstract, modern sculptures – some are really surreal. It’s about a 10-15 minute drive in a golf buggy, but you could walk it in about 30!

The next stop on our tour was one of my favourite places – Isla Mujeres Sea View Cemetery. Just south of the main downtown area, it was the most beautiful, colourful cemetery I’ve ever seen! Imagine being buried facing the Caribbean Sea! This was a really special place and definitely worth a visit. It captures the Mexican culture around the Day of the Dead so well – you can really see how it’s honoured in such a beautiful way.

On the tour we also visited Isla Mujeres town and its beach. It’s small, but there’s lots of cobblestone streets, candy-coloured buildings, and plenty of bars and restaurants. There’s also loads of really cool street art here too – bright murals of sea creatures, goddesses, and Mayan symbols. But the main draw here is the beach – Playa Norte. Often voted one of the best beaches in the world, it’s got all the things you want in a beach – powdery white sand, crystal clear turquoise waters, and gorgeous sunsets.

You should definitely consider a stay at Almare Isla Mujeres if you enjoy wellness escapes or are looking for the perfect adults-only honeymoon spot. If you’re into gourmet dining and elevated service (and a whole lot of luxury), then you’ll love this place. It’s also great if you prefer a quieter, peaceful location but don’t mind getting into the thick of it too.

Isla Mujeres might be small but it’s a gorgeous island that still has plenty to see and do, and I think it would be perfect to pair 4 nights here with a stay in Cancun so you get the best of both worlds, and with just a 20-minute transfer between the two it’s a seamless experience.

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