The Grand Palladium Colonial Resort & Spa is one of four Palladium Resorts Riviera Maya properties, which also consists of the Grand Palladium Kantenah Resort & Spa, Grand Palladium Riviera Resort & Spa and Grand Palladium White Sand Resort & Spa. Each resort shares restaurants, activities and amenities on the 5-star, all-inclusive property, which is situated along 2,400 feet of white-sand beach.

The all-inclusive resort is extremely family friendly. While teens 13 to 17 stay for a reduced rate with parents, kids 12 and younger stay, play and eat free. Proving kids are ever important to the resort chain, the Palladium Hotels & Resorts partnered with Raggs, a live-action, Emmy award-winning TV series featuring five colorful and musical pups. Kids will enjoy all-inclusive Raggs-themed breakfasts, dance parties, pirate shows and more during their stay.

One of the best parts of the full resort is its commitment to the environment. The resort is spread across its massive acreage, surrounded by lush tropical greenery, with rooms in buildings that do not grow higher than three stories, and palm frond-covered walkways, as well as paths connecting accommodations to the resort’s restaurants and shopping areas. You may pass flamingos, crocodiles or iguanas en route. Even at capacity, Colonial never feels crowded, and families can find places to be alone together.

The Palladium Resorts make a wonderful choice for families visiting Riviera Maya.

The Colonial resort features 252 standard rooms, 132 junior suites, 32 Mayan suites and six suites.

Standard rooms feature two queen or one king bed with private terraces, while junior suites also feature a double-sized sofa bed. Suites include large living rooms with TV's in both the living and bedrooms, while Mayan Suites are adult-only suites with outdoor showers, terraces with sunbeds and a private entrance.

Play at Palladium with Raggs
A new Play at Palladium with Raggs program brings the cast and characters of the award-winning children's TV series, Raggs & Friends, to life across the resort. Special breakfasts, dances, activities and events are scheduled throughout a weeklong or weekend stay. On Sunday nights, kids can join in Pido's Surf Party dance party, as well as the 50-minute live Raggs Pirate Show spectacular.

Kids' Clubs
Located at the large pool between the Colonial and Kantenah Resorts, two all-inclusive kids' clubs provide a place for supervised activities for young children. A Baby Club, open 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., is offered for children 1 to 3, with the El Ranchito Mini Club, open 9 a.m. to 11 p.m., for kids 4 to 12. Radios are provided to parents of infants so parents can be reached. Activities are divided by ages 4 to 8 and 9 to 12, although exceptions may be made for siblings wanting to stay together.

Teens 13 to 19 will enjoy the Black & White, which is located far from the kids' clubs at the Kantenah Resort, so they won't feel like they are little kids. The teen center offers computers with Internet, pool tables and video games, and is open from 11 a.m. to midnight daily. Children's activities are planned throughout the day and evening.

Sports
The resort's sports complex features six tennis courts, two basketball courts, a soccer field, shooting range, archery and mini-golf, while three beach volleyball courts are also available for active guests. Water sports include kayaking, windsurfing, snorkeling, pedal boats, pontoon boat rides and sailing aboard the resort's catamaran. The facility is located at the Colonial resort.

Habitats
With a focus on the environment, guests will find two flamingo lakes and two crocodile habitats with public feedings. Koi ponds and ecological walks are also part of the charm of the property, with multiple paths connecting guest wings and main areas of the resorts.

Pools
The entire resort shares activities and amenities, with families able to enjoy four pools (three additional adult pools are available), a saltwater pool and Jacuzzis. Lifeguards are on duty at the pools from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Guests must get pool and beach towels from towel huts. A brand new water park opened in late 2013, and includes water slides, a splash zone and a kid-friendly pool.

Spa
The small spa provides basic treatments for children, including manicures, pedicures and hair braiding.

Nightly Entertainment
Two indoor theaters offer kid- and adult-friendly entertainment nightly, as well as live music and karaoke, and a disco for the 18 -nd-up crowd also provides evening fun. Special evening Raggs' events entertain children and are supervised, if parents want to attend adult programs.

The resort features nine a la carte restaurants, five buffet and open-air restaurants, and 21 bars, spread across the entire property.

The main buffet at Colonial is El Gran Azul buffet serves breakfast from 7 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., and dinner from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. The El Gran Azul buffet is also offered at the Kantenah resort, and La Laguna buffet is available at White Sands and Riviera, with breakfast from 11 to 11:45 a.m., lunch from noon to 4 p.m., and snacks and tea from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

A la carte dining is available during the evenings from 5:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., with men 12 and older required to dress in long pants and sleeved shirts. A la carte restaurants at Colonial include La Adelita for Mexican fare and El Dorado as a traditional steakhouse.

Kantenah restaurants include Mare Nostrum Mediterranean restaurant and Sumptuori Japanese restaurant. White Sands also features a la carte restaurants, including Portofino (Italian), Bamboo (Chinese), Rodizio (Brazilian) and Ribs & More (BBQ).

All About the Extras
A shuttle train services all four properties, so guests can travel to different restaurants, theaters and pools. Shuttles operate between 8 a.m. and 2 a.m.

Lobbies provide free Wi-Fi access, and in-room access is available for a fee.

Babysitting can be arranged through the kids' club for in-room and off-hours sitting services.

Cribs are available at no additional charge, but are limited, so reserve in advance to guarantee you'll have one. Rollaway beds and cots are not available.

An onsite doctor is available between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m., and 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Medical services are not included in the resort and are additional fees, as needed.

The Art of Smart Timing
The resorts' peak season is spring break and the holidays, with summer through November being hurricane season, creating the possibility of some rain-filled days.

Getting There
The nearest airport is Cancun's international airport. The resort provides shuttle service to the resort, which takes 45 minutes to an hour.

For Mom and Dad
The Renova Spa at the White Sands Resort features a wonderful outdoor spa with steam baths, infinity pool, pediluvium, Jacuzzi and sauna, as well as outdoor showers. The spa does not offer changing or showering facilities, but does feature treatments from massages and Vichy showers to facials and body treatments. There's also a beauty salon and state-of-the-art gym and workout room. The spa is open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.