And I'd only been there one night.
At 97 rooms, the Azul Beach Hotel is easily the tiniest all-inclusive I've ever used, and proof that small can be beautiful.
I was there to experience a concept called Gourmet Inclusive, created by Karisma for the six resorts it manages on Mexico's Mayan Riviera. Three belong to Azul, which welcome children; three are adults-only El Dorado properties.
According to Karisma's website (www.karismahotels.com), Gourmet Inclusive "addresses and defines every detail of the guest experience from the decor and atmosphere to the variety and quality of services, amenities and cuisine.''
Let's look at cuisine.
One of the Azul Beach's three restaurants features an all-lobster menu, and there's a tequila lounge serving more than 30 varieties of Mexico's most famous liquor.
Every guest entering one of the newly opened Azul Sensatori's six dining places is greeted with a big spoon containing a tiny appetizer.
At the El Dorado Royale, candle-lit dinners under thatched-roof palapas are staged every night.
With Gourmet Inclusive, it's a la carte dining at every meal. The Azul Beach's only concession is an optional breakfast buffet for guests anxious to get going on the day's activities.
I wasn't surprised to learn, given the hotel's small size, that restaurant reservations weren't needed. But nor are they required at the El Dorado Royale, which has 644 rooms plus an even more upscale "casitas'' section with 169 suites.
Youngsters get something of a VIP treatment at Azul resorts when the family checks in. While mom and dad are enjoying chilled facecloths and champagne, the tykes receive a welcome drink, often a chocolate milkshake, a small gift and their own registration cards.
"We treat children as guests,'' sales manager Alejandra Montufar told me.
A menu of baby amenities includes organic Gerber baby food, which is one less thing for parents to pack. Family rooms come with a stroller, crib, bathing table and infant-size bathrobes that match the grownups' ones. There are also electronic baby monitors for parental peace of mind.
Two Gourmet Inclusive features that were a huge hit with the vacationers I talked to at the Azul Beach were the beach beds and the beach butler service.
Lining the beach are wood-framed cabanas with king-size mattresses and pillows, and gauzy curtains for a bit of privacy. A staff of butlers provides sun products, reading material and fresh towels. Drinks are available at the wave of a hand, and every 45 minutes a tray of snacks is brought around.
"The staff goes to the guest, not the other way around,'' Montufar explained.
Indeed, superior service was what most impressed me.
Culinary activities are another hit, she said. The Azul Beach does four a week. At one, the chef shows guests how make paella, a Spanish favourite. On Fridays, a fishing boat lands on the beach and the catch of that day is grilled then and there.
How much does all this cost?
Air Canada Vacations' fall-winter brochure lists a one-week package at the Azul Beach, including return air from Toronto, at $2,479 per person, plus taxes and service charges, for early January, which is when I was there.
The El Dorado Royale was $2,369.
Other Canadian tour operators also offer package holidays to some of the Azul and El Dorado resorts.
Another option would be to fly from Detroit, as I did. Northwest does daily non-stops to Cancun.
Room reservations can also be made directly with Karisma.
To Buy or not to Buy, from Detroit, that is
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