In celebration of its eighth anniversary, the all-inclusive Hotel Marina El Cid Spa and Beach Resort in Puerto Morelos, one of six properties in the portfolio of El Cid Resorts (four in Mazatlan and one in Cozumel), will debut 100 new oceanfront rooms on June 1, bringing the total number of rooms to 500.
The property, located on the Caribbean coast midway between Cancun and Playa del Carmen, was ranked as one of Mexico's top 25 family resorts on TripAdvisor.
"More than 50% of our business is family-oriented, much of it multigenerational involving family reunions, and we are committed to offering a vacation experience that exceeds our guests' expectations," said Gilbert Aviles, vice president of sales and marketing for El Cid Resorts.
The addition of the three new low-rise buildings complements the architectural style of the resort's existing footprint.
Sizes range from a standard room with two double beds to junior suites and 15 three-bedroom suites. All rooms connect to accommodate family groups of different sizes, and all have a private balcony or terrace.
Also new is the Trattoria D'Gulio Cucina Italiana restaurant, open for breakfast and dinner, one of five restaurants at the resort.
Dinner includes a la carte service, brick oven pizza, an antipasto bar and a selection of more than 50 wines from Italy.
"The restaurant has early dining options for families and a kids' menu, and it's proving very popular," Aviles said.
As I toured the property, I saw kids in the pools, at the beach and in the Kids Club, which recently doubled in size and can now accommodate up to 75 children ages 4 to 12.
"We renovated the outdoor play area, added more furniture inside as well as a mini-theater for movies and dance rehearsals and a kitchen and dining area," Aviles said.
The Kids Club is complimentary and open every day from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
The resort has a separate area for guests not traveling with children. The Quiet Zone lives up to its name, with an infinity pool, plenty of lounge chairs, a stretch of secluded beach and rooms and suites far from the family units.
The Hotel Marina El Cid draws 70% of its business from the U.S., 20% from Canada, "and the rest from everywhere else, with a lot from other regions in Mexico," Aviles said.
"We're serving the family market, but we also have wedding and honeymoon guests, senior travelers, groups and couples," he added.
Visit www.elcid.com.
Follow Gay Nagle Myers on Twitter @gnmtravelweekly.