So many of our clients have asked us if we are still traveling. Well, yes, yes we are. The abundance of caution we now live our lives with happens if we are at home, or afar. Mexico officially never closed their borders to American tourists and has remained open, albeit in limited capacity, during the pandemic. So, is it safe?
Hotels have strict guidelines in place for occupancy levels, cleaning procedures, and food preparation. We have heard great things from our customers regarding traveling to Mexico even during the pandemic, so we sent our very own Edina Store Manager, Cassie on a well deserved vacation. Cassie traveled to Cancun, then drove down to Xcaret, where she had a 5 day stay at the all-inclusive Occidental Xcaret. The trip was adventurous and dreamy... and more then she expected considering the times.
Jenn: What was your favorite part of the trip?
Cassie: Well obviously the sunshine and warm weather!!! But also the feeling of freedom and being able to travel again. The locals and staff at our resort were so friendly and kind. They were thankful and excited to have us there. Oh and the Monkeys! They were the best!
Jenn: Did the resort take Covid precautions?
Cassie: Yes! Just like in the states, masks were required indoors. The shuttles and taxis greeted you with hand sanitizer and they wiped everything down upon exit. The resort also greeted us with hand sanitizer when we entered restaurants, stores, activities, etc. The restaurants that served buffet style had the staff serving the food instead of people serving themselves. One of them took our temps upon entering. They also had a doctor available 24/7. We felt safe and It was obvious they cared about staff and guest safety but still made sure we were able to enjoy our vacation. We stayed at the Occidental at Xcaret and they are only able to be at 25% capacity so social distancing is naturally happening.
Jenn: Did you do off-site tours?
Cassie: Yes, one with Cancun adventures. We went on a jungle adventure where we went zip lining, rode ATV’s, and explored 2 cenotes! We also rented a car and explored Tulum for a day and went to Akumal for A snorkeling adventure.
Jenn: What surprised you about the trip?
Cassie: Probably that the airports were busier than I expected- but still quick to get through security. With Covid I thought people were still hesitant to travel but it was good to see that people are starting to get away. I was also surprised at how many fun activities we were still able to do so it still felt like a normal vacation!
Jenn: How did the pandemic affect your trip? Was it still worth it?
Cassie: Oh my gosh, YES! So worth it. Getting out of the house and feeling normal again was much needed. I really don’t feel like it affected our trip besides us having to wear a mask indoors but at this point we are used to that so it wasn’t an issue!
Jenn: What advice will you give our travels who are anxious about traveling?
Cassie: DON’T BE! Take the trip, get away, live your life!! Take the precautions you can to stay healthy and safe and go explore our beautiful world.