Azul Sensatori is an all-inclusive, oceanfront resort located just north of the small town of Puerto Morelos on Mexico’s Riviera Maya. It is part of the “Gourmet Inclusive” collection of properties by the Karisma brand. Its two other properties in the Riviera Maya include Azul Beach and Azul Fives Hotel. This luxury resort offers lots of services and amenities that are included in the price. For families in particular, that includes a phenomenal kids’ club, interactive teen center, use of baby gear like high chairs, cribs and baby monitors, and toy-lending library. Plus, the food is unusually good for a mid-sized all-inclusive resort, many of which are more often known for their cattle-herd buffets.

Azul Sensatori has 435 rooms, and they are located in four different four-story buildings: Premier, Luxury, Adults-Only and Family.

Family Suites
The Azul Sensatori has an entire building of the resort designated for families. This section is closest to the kids' club, activities pool, climbing wall, kids' pool and water-play area, as well as Breeze Lounge that is open just for teens in the evening. In this section, you'll find 52 oversized Family Jacuzzi Suites that can accommodate up to two adults and three children. A dividing wall in the suite separates a private queen-size-bed area with the living area housing a double sofa bed and single sofa bed.

Another option for a large family - or if you're traveling with Grandma - is the Connecting Jacuzzi Ocean View Suite in the Luxury (aka Azul) section of the resort. Here, you are guaranteed two connecting oversized suites with one king-size bed and two queen-size beds. (The "guaranteed" part is important, as with many all-inclusive resorts you can request adjoining rooms, but they are never guaranteed.) These two rooms joined by a connecting door accommodate up to four adults and two children.

Premium Suites
The Premium Jacuzzi Suites with two double beds in the Premium section, offer some lovely upgrades: a private concierge check-in, champagne and fruit platter in the room, pillow and aromatherapy menu, complimentary Wi-Fi and pool butler service at the Premium pool (where staff offers cool towels, snacks, picnic lunch and sunscreen throughout the day).

The Premium rooms are very classy, with dark wood furnishings and half-canopy beds. First-floor rooms suites, house the Premium Jacuzzi Swim-Up Suites. These guests have access to a private outdoor hot tub (the only outdoor Jacuzzis on the premises) that is connected to the pool right in front of their terrace. Nice!

Amenities in all the suites in the resort include a Jacuzzi tub and separate shower, iPod docking station, air conditioning, 32-inch plasma TV, DVD player, safe, iron and ironing board, coffee maker, balcony or terrace, hair dryer, deluxe robes and once-daily stocked mini-bar.

But here's where the Azul Sensatori really walks the walk when it comes to promoting itself as a family-friendly resort: Before you arrive on the property, all you need to do is ask (through your travel agent, tour operator or an email to the resort) for a crib or pack-n-play, bottle warmer, bottle sterilizer, baby monitor, stroller and high chair, and the gear will be waiting in your suite upon arrival. Furthermore, a complimentary lending library of Fisher-Price toys aimed at children up to 5 years old is available, as well. Borrow items like the popular Go Baby Go Crawl-Along Musical Ball or even Kid-Tough Digital Cameras, then return them for new toys the next day. Forget packing all your gear and paying extra baggage fees to the airline; Azul Sensatori will provide baby gear and toys for you!

Other nice touches in the rooms: Pint-sized robes for kids and stepping stools for the sinks (they are unusually high). All you need to do is ask the concierge for them, if these items are not provided in the room for you already.

Kids Club
The Azul Sensatori's free-standing Kids Club building is one of the largest and nicest facilities we've seen among all-inclusive resorts in the Riviera Maya. A circular, main open area houses colorful mats and gym equipment for the My Gym program (see below), while adjacent rooms are themed according to activity: dolls, games like pint-sized pool and foosball tables, Fisher-Price toys and arts & crafts. A large theatre is for showing movies and holding talent shows, and a nap room with a sweet nautical theme (boats for beds) is where the youngest children rest in the afternoon.

Children enrolled in the resort's complimentary Azulitos Kids Club during busy periods at the resort are grouped by age: 4 to 7 and 8 to 12. If family occupancy is low, activities are planned to accommodate all of the ages. The Kids Club is open 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. and then again from 7:30 p.m. until 9:30 p.m. so mom and dad can have dinner on their own. Guests can enroll children for the entire day and again in the evening, or for just an hour at a time. Staff brings the enrolled children to an onsite restaurant for lunch if they are there during the noon hour.

Kids Club activities might include tennis lessons, time on the rock climbing wall, making play dough, salsa lessons, beach time, face painting, board games and much more. Parents are invited to family activities during the 4 o'clock hour, such as a "whipped cream war," treasure hunt, water balloon party and pinata making. Also at the Kids Club, for an extra fee per class, children can sign up for age-appropriate My Gym classes. Parents accompany their toddlers on the colorful gym equipment, including mats, balance beam, and trampoline, while older children can participate on their own.

For children under age four, private babysitting for an hourly rate is offered. Also, parents can bring kids under four to the complimentary playgroups held at certain times every weekday morning. This is a nice way to get to know other parents with similarly aged young children, and have fun playing in the Fisher Price Room at the Kids Club; it contains an amazing array of Fisher Price toys for preschoolers, toddlers and babies. Parents can also drop in at any time with younger children; but kids under four must be accompanied by a parent (or adult caregiver) at all times.

Water Play Area
Adjacent to Azulitos Kids Club is the stellar kids' pool and water-play area. This includes water cannons, dumping buckets and sprays, as well as a short, twisting water slide into a 2.8-foot-deep pool. Use caution with the water slide -- kids can fly down it quickly. The toddler pool here is just shy of a foot deep.

Teen Activities
Teens have their own scheduled daytime activities, from tennis clinics to soccer on the beach, plus a weekly beach party. They can congregate with kids their own age at Breeze Lounge, which is open for teenage socializing nightly from about 8 to 11 p.m., with board games, non-alcoholic drinks, a dance floor and DJ music. An arcade with games such as air hockey, basketball throw and foosball is open to all ages; games are paid for with Mexican pesos. A video-game center with Xbox, Wii and Playstation is also available for a fee.

Daily Activities
The Azul Entertainment Team organizes activities all day long, many of which are appropriate for school-age children and/or teenagers, such as Ping-Pong, bocce, volleyball, pool games, bingo, darts, horseshoes, dance lessons and water aerobics. The activity pool near the Family section, with nets for water polo and basketball (just ask the activity staff for balls) is generally 4-feet deep, but can accommodate younger swimmers with wide step entries and a few shallower ledges around the pool.

Nickelodeon Experience
New as of 2015, all Azul properties will offer families the Nickelodeon Experience. Kids will enjoy special check-ins just for them, as well as Nickelodeon concierges, a Nick toy lending library, special Nickelodeon-themed amenities and character experiences.

Since the Azul Sensatori is all-inclusive, all your meals, snacks and drinks (including alcohol) are included in the price. All but one restaurant at the Azul Sensatori is open to children. The beauty of dining at Azul Sensatori is that a la carte menus are the rule, not the exception. This means guests are rarely standing in line with a crowds at a large buffet (here, self-serve items are called 'interactive stations'). Meals just feel more civilized when you are ordering off the menu.

That's not to say the restaurants aren't kid-friendly; in fact, it's just the opposite. At any of the restaurants open to children (a total of five), youngest diners can order off of a "Food & Fun" children's menu, with offerings such as pasta, grilled cheese, chicken nuggets, cheeseburger and pizza. (You should be offered this paper menu at Spoon restaurant, the most kid-friendly eatery; if not, ask for it.) Meals are served with fruit, vegetables or French fries, and kid-sized desserts include a mini brownie, cheesecake or ice cream. Another huge bonus for families traveling with babies: Jars of Gerber baby food are available at no extra cost at all the restaurants or through room service.

Here's a peek at the restaurants open to children, all of which have Fisher-Price high chairs for young diners:

Spoon
The largest restaurant serves "world cuisine" and is open for three meals daily. You can order off the a la carte menu for breakfast, lunch or dinner, or choose items from the "interactive cooking stations" (aka buffets). The dinner offerings change nightly, but might include New Orleans, Mexican, International, Asian or Italian foods. Families with young children are typically seated near chafing dishes with self-serve items such as chicken nuggets, quesadillas and French fries (quick and easy if your kids are 'dying of starvation'). Here, you'll also find mini Fisher-Price DVD players with preschool-age animated movies already loaded. This is a brilliant amenity for families with young children who would like to keep kids occupied while parents finish eating, enjoy a glass of wine or relax over coffee!

Tapaz
This air-conditioned restaurant in the main lobby building focuses on small plates served family-style with a set menu. It's a long dining experience, with at least five courses, but very enjoyable. Children may enjoy some of the tapas offerings -- mushroom tempura, roasted chicken, salmon bites with avocado sauce -- but also could order plain pasta and chicken nuggets to fully satiate them. We recommend eating at least one dinner at this eatery, which has a cave-like feel, with faux rock on the walls.

Siena
This Italian restaurant came highly recommended by guests. A variety of antipasti starters, soup and pastas, pizzas and main courses are offered. Order the house red or white that is included in the price of your vacation, or from an extensive wine menu for an additional fee.

Zavaz
This Caribbean-themed eatery is great for breakfast each morning, especially if your guestroom is nearby. We liked choosing a few menus from the buffet (with items like made-to-order omelets, French toast, bacon, sausage, cereals and fruits), and also sampling the a la carte menu. Kids were partial to the chocolate chip pancakes, while adults raved about the eggs benedict. It is also open for lunch and dinner.

Zocalo
This Mexican restaurant has a large open-air, shaded terrace for lunchtime. Authentic menu items include shrimp tacos, fried turnovers stuffed with beef and tostada platters to share.

In-Room Dining
Available 24 hours/day with a vast array of menu items, including breakfast foods, salads, burgers, sandwiches and more.

Beach Barbecue
Burgers, fish sandwiches, grilled chicken, plus sides and dessert on the beach every day for lunch.

All About the Extras
In general, an all-inclusive vacation is a good deal. Because your lodging, meals, drinks and activities are all included in the room rate, you know the price of your vacation up front (excluding off-property excursions). For families, especially, all-inclusive resorts such as the ultra-family-friendly Azul Sensatori makes vacationing together very convenient.

Once you arrive at the all-inclusive resort, there's very little cash you'll need. Exceptions include pottery painting on the beach, gift-shop purchases, spa treatments and spa-staff gratuities, or ordering any wine besides the house brands. All gratuities for hotel staff are included in the room rate, but tipping a dollar or two for good service in the restaurants and for daily housekeeping is recommended. Small tips for hardworking pool butlers, bellmen or shuttle drivers are not expected, but certainly appreciated.

That all said, Azul Sensatori is firmly in the luxury camp when it comes to all-inclusive resorts along Mexico's Riviera Maya. It features a la carte dining, a phenomenal kids-club facility, and extra perks like pool butlers and a complimentary baby-gear borrowing program that you just won't find elsewhere. Before you arrive on the property, all you need to do is ask for a crib or pack-n-play, bottle warmer, bottle sterilizer, baby monitor, stroller and high chair, and the gear will be waiting in your suite upon arrival. Furthermore, a complimentary lending library of Fisher-Price toys aimed at children up to 5 years old is available, as well. Forget packing all your gear and paying extra baggage fees to the airline; Azul Sensatori will provide baby gear and toys for you!

Children under age 3 stay for free at the Azul Sensatori, while kids ages 3 to 12 are charged half price of the room rate.

The Art of Smart Timing
Mexico is a great place to visit any time of year, however, hurricane season is general between September and October.

Getting There
The Cancun International Airport is situated just 20 minutes away.

Getting Around
The resort is walkable and strollers can be provided.

For Mom and Dad
With built-in child care, in the form of the complimentary Kids' Club, parents have no excuse not to escape one afternoon or evening for some grownups-only time. Book a reservation at Le Chique, the resort's adults-only restaurant that serves a set eight-course meal. (Be sure to let your server know if you have children in the Kids' Club that closes at 9:30 p.m., or make late-night babysitting arrangements.) You can opt for the wine-pairing experience or the 14-course meal option for an additional fee.

Other child-free recommendations: Book a massage at the spa; workout in the fitness center; sample one of 30 different kinds of mojitos at Mojitios lounge; watch the live entertainment nightly at 9:30 p.m. in the open-air Roof Garden Lounge, which might feature a comic, Caribbean music, casino games or folklore dancing.