Luxurious living a short flight away
February is the shortest month, but it's going to seem long for Lorry and Bob Perkins of Forward Township.
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, the Perkinses won't be able to take their usual February trip to a resort on the Riviera Maya coastline on the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico.
They usually go twice a year to Mexico, said Lorry Perkins. The last time they went to Bahia Principe Luxury Akumal resort was Feb. 1 through Feb. 8 last year.
It's an all-inclusive resort in the Quintana Roo state on the Caribbean side of Mexico.“We have stayed at this resort six times,” she said.The Perkinses became fans of Mexican vacations in 2007, when the cruise they were on made two stops in Mexico.“We have been to Mexico 20 times since 2007,” Perkins said. “It seems unbelievable that we have been there that many times.“We started going to these all-inclusive resorts. It's a lot more affordable, it's super relaxing, and they have everything you need,” she said.The cost includes the air fare for a three-and-a-half-hour charter flight, traveling directly from Pittsburgh to Cancún and then by land transport from the airport to the resort, about an hour's trip away.The cost also includes accommodations at the resort and all meals and drinks.“You can eat all day, you can eat breakfast twice if you want,” she said.
The resort's guests also have access to a stocked refrigerator in their room, slippers, robes and the services of a butler.“He will bring aromatherapy into the room,” Perkins said. “They have a pillow menu. If you need a fluffier or a flatter pillow, he will bring it.“They have a variety of newspapers delivered every day, and he will have them brought to your room,” she said.The butler will also make dinner reservations for guests at one of the many restaurants in the area.“They have à la carte restaurants, Japanese, gourmet, Italian,” Perkins said. “You don't have to dress up super fancy. But we'd dress up and go to dinner every night.“You don't have to pull out your wallet unless you want to, and you tip, of course,” she said.In addition to dining, the resort has its own beach, which is very long and perfect for walks along the sea, along with a number of pools.“We stayed in the luxury section of the Bahia Principe Luxury Akumal: It has its own beach,” she said.“There are four sections to the resort,” Perkins said. “You can use all the other sections. You can walk to them or take a tram.“There's a golf course and another whole resort across the road,” she said.“We don't golf. We are in the pools. We go into the sea almost every day,” Perkins said.
There are excursions to a number of Mayan archeological sites in Quintana Roo, as well as to the Sian Ka'an biosphere reserve, established in 1986.Scientists, technicians, students, fishermen, farmers, rural promoters and administrators, together with regional and international partners, have successfully carried out more than 200 conservation projects in the reserve.The resort also provides bike tours, tennis lessons, beach volleyball and basketball, as well as water sports, sailing, kayaking and paddle boarding.“They also have activities every day,” Perkins said. “There's a cooking class where they let you eat what you cook. There is tequila tasting, Spanish lessons and water aerobics. Anything you want to do is right at your fingertips.”
And there is music everywhere, she said. Live bands rove about the resort, playing at a pool one day, at a beach barbecue the next and in the resort lobbies every day. There is also nightly entertainment, ranging from a salute to Queen to magic shows.And she said the weather was perfect for any activity or excursion selected.In February, the daily high temperatures in Quintana Roo are about 82°F, rarely falling below 76°F or exceeding 86°F.“The weather was wonderful,” Perkins said. “It was perfect. You could go right into the pools, right into the sea. It wasn't the least bit chilly.“We usually go in February, and we have been going in October also,” she said.The Perkinses aren't retired, but they have been able to take these trips because Bob Perkins has a home remodeling business.Lorry Perkins had worked as a fundraiser, but her job was eliminated in April.The Perkinses have traveled to the resort so often that they've made friends from Pittsburgh in Mexico and keep in touch with them.But, as with so much else, the reality of the pandemic has forced the Perkins to change their plans. They were unable to travel to Riviera Maya in October, and they won't be going this month, either.“We were very sad,” Perkins said. “We would have been going this month. We know this pandemic won't last forever. We are grateful for the trips we were able to take.
“We are hoping for October. We are keeping our fingers crossed that we will feel safe enough to travel. That is our goal,” she said.Since she has a little more time on her hands — she hopes to get back to work sometime this year — she's started a blog, www.noshoesjusttravel.com, about their trips to Quintana Roo and the Riviera Maya.
