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Now Jade with kids- My Ninja Mom Review (Cancun)

Are you considering Now Jade?  This is my overall Review... 


We traveled 12/19-12/24/2016 with our 6 year old and 2 year old minions.  
 Now Jade Puerto Morelos.    The resort is off the Cancun main strip.  Isolated and amazing.   We never left the resort...  (because sorry but toddlers do not appreciate Mayan Ruins).

Kids club-
Yes yes yes.  One reason we will be back. 
The staff fell in love with Aidan (6yo).  He wanted to know the list of activities every morning. Then told me "I want to do it all". Ok then!!  We dropped him off after breakfast and didn't see him again until 2pm.  He then went back for dinner.    They give you a pager so your kid can page you when they want to leave (that may be a downside to most Ninja moms like me). 
They take them to the pool.  Playground. Make crafts. Movies. Video games.   It's a kids nirvana.    And you get rid of your kid for hours.  Win-win. 
Downside:  kids have to be 3 years old... so we had to keep the little minion (BOO)!

Pools:
Yes-  pools are kid friendly.    There is a toddler pool for the 2year old. But all the pools have a sit ledge for them plus Baja shelves.    (Note-  bring a ball and inflatables)!
The beach is super kid friendly w/a lifeguard.    No rip currents, water is warm.  

Room-  
The basic room has 2 steps down to lower level (where the sofa/desk/balcony are). My toddler ate it hard and the whole place is tile!   So if you have an accident prone kid--- ask for a non-stair room!   The sofa bed SUCKS, so just leave it as a sofa and they will make it into a bed for your kid.   If you have a 2nd kid--- I saw a cot in the storage closet that had a real mattress.  

Great size.  Restroom is fabulous (ladies you know this is important)

Yes, you want to upgrade to a partial ocean view.  You have a toddler who you can't pawn off on Kids Club (BOOO!).  You will spend time in the room- pay the money for the upgrade!    Imagine taking a shower and looking at the ocean as you bathe.   All tubs are jetted!!!   Heaven!

WIFI
Yes your phone will work!  WIFI in room (3 devices) unlimited data!  There is wifi at the pool & the bar areas.    Turn off your CELLULAR data service, and only rely on the wifi.    My kids had iPads & watched netflix  all the time.    

Toddler to dos:    
The playground in the kids club is open anytime.   You can take them there.      The pools are super safe.   My kid loved the green football turf laid out for NFL nights.  Other parents played with my tot!     The beach is SAFE and has life guard.   Besides the playground, pool & beach- there is nothing else to do.   We sat at the lobby bar and he played on his ipad- Win-Win. 

Food-  
Room service food is blah.  The sit down restaurants are phenomenal!   Italian place is the best on site!!!    Buffet for breakfast and lunch- plus the pool side grill and restaurant for lunches.    We did 2 dinners every night!    Make sure you open the restaurant you want at 5:30!  They fill up quick because they are not all that big.   
French place:  order the duck and the salmon-  best salmon dish my husband has ever had. The chocolate mousse is also amazing 
Italian:  lasagna & grilled shrimp!

Coffee Snobs: 
Moms- there is an espresso bar on site.  And it's fabulous.   But drinks are hot... bring your own cup sleeves.  Room service and restaurant coffee sucks.   The in room coffee (you make in the pot) is actually better!  Just call room service for cream!     Stick to the espresso bar---    Get your machiato then sit on the beach before yoga every morning.    I found my JOY there!

Liquor-  top shelf stuff.  Beer-  Modelo is beer of choice.  They have the dark Modelo at lobby bar for you Beer Snobs.      I saw Grey Goose, Absolute, etc.      

Tipping:
Note: bring a ton of dollar bills (we took $125 and needed about $20 more).   Tipping goes a LONG way here.   I understand those of you with the mindset "why tip, I already paid for the resort".  But let me explain something-  these Mexicans make $6 a day.    The American company who owns resort took your money-   These Mexicans make nothing trying to live a decent life.     Mega service to those who tip.   If you tip well your service just upgraded to GOLD status (like Julio will keep coming back, follow you around, and make sure your kid gets 4 cherries in his Roy Rogers).  

Gym:
Yoga and Pilates are advanced status!  I almost died the first day- I didn't expect much, but wow!    Doing yoga out on the gazebo terrace overlooking the ocean- priceless!
The gym is a GREAT size.   Weights, 4 treadmills, a bike, etc.   My husband loved it.  

Safety:
This place is amazing and I never felt any fear (OK, once- when me and the toddler ventured up to the rooftop tennis courts at night-  got off the elevator- doors closed and we were in PITCH BLACK darkness-  OMG- found my flashlight real quick on my phone- took one look at the tennis courts in the dark, back down we went---too dark for my liking).
I never saw a police, I never saw anything unusual!     I even left my iphone on my chair at the bar, another patron quickly followed me to give it to me.  We are all paying adults- looking out for one-another.    NOTE:  Cancun's 100% economy is tourism!  They cannot mess it up!!!  Safety/security & service is their #1 commitment- it keeps their economy going! 

Adult time: well with a toddler- that doesn't happen at all.  But there was lots of stuff listed on the daily schedule.  You get the daily schedule the night before.  Dancing. Sports bar, etc.    My husband and I did lots of things alone (not together)-  he wanted gym time. I wanted coffee and yoga time.     Gotta enjoy the journey with littles :)

NOTE:  The primary language is Spanish!  All the staff will address you in Spanish (except check in).   At one point I asked a janitor a question and he could not help me.    I loved the fact I was in "true" mexico.   If you stay in Cancun on the "strip"- English is the primary language.    This is not something to be concerned about, I just don't want you to be surprised.   


My only complaint:
People go down at 7am to reserve pool chairs.  And they keep them ALL day!   We never got chairs, because we went down at 11am and were only there for 1 hour.   ALL the chairs around us were not occupied for the entire 1 hour.  So we just put our stuff down and sat at the end of the seats.   If they came back, we moved.     So play the game-- go down before 8am and grab your seats. Put out a bag, magazine, shoes, etc.      There are NOT enough lounge chairs for all 1200 guests (at capacity).  

We cannot wait to go back and to book at other NOW resorts...  with our kids! 


if you have already booked please see my other post on the my specific do's and don'ts for Now Jade (I tell you what to bring, what to leave at home, etc).  












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