Grand Palladium Kantenah review: 'Why a trip to Mexico changed my mind on booking a family resort holiday'

Nothing strikes the fear of God into me like a holiday resort complete with a children’s zone.

When it comes to booking a trip I’m the type of person who immediately filters out child-friendly resorts or anything with a kids’ club.

I can’t think of anything worse than having to spend my hard earned break with someone else’s children running around jumping in the pool and causing havoc at the dinner table.

Call me mean spirited, and before you ask no I don’t have children myself, but I like to spend my time in the soon brushing off the cobwebs and just enjoying the peace and tranquillity of a far flung destination.

So it was with some slight trepidation that I ventured to Mexico to soak up the sights and sounds of Grand Palladium’s Hotels and Resorts Family Selection.

Billed as a hotel in a hotel especially designed for VIP families, it promised that with its exclusive facilities and customised services that children and adults would have the trip of a lifetime.

The resort is in the state of Quintana Roo, to the south of Cancún, on the Yucatán peninsula.

Occupying a 122 hectare site it also contains the Grand Palladium Colonial Resort & Spa, Grand Palladium Kantenah Resort & Spa, and Grand Palladium White Sand Resort & Spa.

With just a 90 minute transfer from Cancun International Airport, a tropical climate all year around and 130km of coastline, home to pristine beaches and the second largest coral reef in the world, what was not to like?

The high-end Family Selection has undergone an extensive refurbishment with beach front exclusive areas, greater privacy in the swimming pool and stunning room transformations.

My room was enormous - a large bed complete with huge bathroom and a balcony to soak up the view. The rooms could even be interlinked too to provide extra space for larger groups.

And you had your own designated butler who at the click of a WhatsApp message could help you with any reservations as well as offering advice and booking a buggy to help you navigate around the extensive resort.

The resort itself is broken into interconnected hotels with a choice of pools - my favourite being at the TRS Yucatan Hotel which was exclusively for adults. Complete with a jazz saxophonist and a cheeky lizard trying to share my sunbed - it was complete bliss.

Next door was the Helios Beach Club, which boasted Ibiza style vibes and specialising in fish and rice dishes for a tasty lunch interval.

Guests are certainly spoiled for choice when it comes to dining and even breakfast at The Nest was an international treat. Although my judgement is still reserved about whether I’d include doughnuts on my breakfast plate. There was plenty to cater for even the pickiest of taste buds.

When it comes to gourmet options the Chic nightclub is a great shout. It’s a high-energy three hour extravaganza with dozens of performers taking to the stage taking guests on a musical journey across the years while tucking into a tasting menu accompanied with drinks.

Meanwhile, if it’s something a little bit more laid back you’re after the Bravo dining experience is an option. I’ve never seen an airplane of shots doing the rounds in a restaurant before and it’s fair to say the Freddie Mercury tribute would leave Queen fans scratching their heads. But it’s a light-hearted party atmosphere where the night is just beginning.

Outside the resort there are several tourist attractions including archaeological sites at Tulum, Playa del Carmen, Cancún and Chichén Itzá to marvel at the Mayan lifestyle.

I never expected scaling a Mayan temple to be on my list - and rather than feeling like Indiana Jones I opted for the safer approach coming back down on my bottom! Certainly not my most glamorous moment.

We then took a visit to the Ek Balam Cenote Maya. A cenote is a natural pit formed by the collapse of limestone bedrock which created a little underground cavern complete with freshwater pool.

The more daring of those on the trip took to abseiling down the Cenote and enjoying the aerial acrobatics in the pool. I was just more than happy to watch - I’d been far too adventurous for one day!

After all the excitement, what better way to unwind from my expedition than a session in the spa at the resort.

It’s safe to say my mind has definitely been changed when it comes to booking a family friendly hotel - it was luxury living through and through.

Although next time I will have to remember that I’m not a child anymore and scaling up temples might be best left to someone slightly more spritely - and without a fear of heights!