The blue sea beckons from beyond the wall of glass in the lobby, and a long horizontal fountain adds a background of trickling water. The reception area, a swirl of blue and green hues from the carpeting to the turquoise chairs. To us, there's a touch of an institutional feel in the big enclosed, rectangular space.

Nevertheless, the resort is friendly. A staff member welcomes us with cold face cloths, sparkling wine and juice or water for children. At this large all-inclusive resort of about 550 rooms, there are two categories of guests. Preferred guests have a separate room for check-in. Non-preferred guests line-up at the lobby registration desk. When a busload or big tour group pulls in, then the line can move slowly. Depending on the time of day, the staff invites those waiting in a long line at check-in to enjoy the buffet and then come back later when the line has thinned.

Interestingly, wrist bands are not de rigeur. It's a small thing, but since we associate wrist-bands with hospitals, we're glad not to wear one. Now Jade and Now Sapphire, another relatively new AMResorts' Riviera Maya property, are beachfront, all-inclusive properties -- the first Now properties in the company's chain. In the Caribbean AMR's other brands include Dreams Resorts -- positioned for couples, singles and families.

How to differentiate between the Dreams and the Now properties since both are large all-inclusive resorts in the Riviera Maya? With just two Now properties open, and more on the way, the answer is still open-ended, but it feels as if Now Resorts aim for a more fashionable experience, attempting to appeal to vacationers in their twenty, thirty and forties -- with or without children -- more than to other groups. Of course, everyone is welcome.

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