Ocean Blue and Sand: Disappointing food and frustrating restaurant reservations
We stayed at Ocean Blue & Sand in September 2026. I booked it because I had an excellent stay at Ocean Eden Bay in Jamaica earlier this year, and I expected a similar standard from the same brand. Sadly, the two experiences were night and day.
Food: This was the biggest letdown. In both the buffet and the à la carte restaurants, food was often served cold, tasted stale, and was bland. The buffet had very few options, and the same limited selection repeated throughout our stay. I also had an u[... read more]pset stomach for most of the trip.
Restaurant reservations: Booking the Japanese restaurant and the steakhouse was a daily struggle. We had to get up at 7 a.m. and try again and again just to get a table, as availability was always very limited. Yet when we finally got in, there were often plenty of empty tables, which made the whole system feel pointless.
If food matters to you on an all-inclusive vacation, I'd look elsewhere. If you do book here, be ready to line up for reservations first thing every morning.
The pools were nice and often clean; however, the beach was borderline unusable. There was a lot of seaweed, and the water didn't feel clean.
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Ocean Coral Spring: Great for Families
Resort was beautifully lots to do for kids and families. There are opportunities for improvement such as towels and tubes for the lazy river not being available. Also lifeguards do not enforce rules and the pools could be cleaner.
Otherwise family lounge, bowling, cafe and restaurants were great and the staff for the most part were friendly and helpful.
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Ocean Coral Spring: Nice resort
Ocean Coral Springs hotel is a nice resort with lots of friendly and accommodating staff’s from front desk, bellman, grounds keeper, entertainments and other areas. I found out that the food was good but Jamaicans who travel and returned was not treated with a smile like the white people and that’s a shame. Checking was amazing from start to finished.
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Ocean Coral Spring: Location of the Ocean Coral Springs resort is far from the city.
What i really liked about the Ocean Coral Springs, the beach is right on the property. The grounds are kept lovely but other things Really needs improvement, some of their staffs needs customer service training. The tables and chairs needs to, update. Most of the tables are wobbly and the plastics on the chairs are peeling off, also. The small fridge inside the room wasn't working at all , the bottle water felt like room temperature water, also the scale to weight ,wasn't even working at al[... read more]l , the lights on both bed frames, only one light was working. I was extremely disappointed in the conditions of the room, the windows curtains was so dirty.
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Ocean Coral Spring: Ocean Coral Spring
We had a lovely time. Resort was clean and well kept. Staff were friendly. Room was beautiful. Thank you to all staff. Particularly enjoyed the coffee shop! We also loved the visits form the sweet cats and dogs who remain invisible but if approached are very friendly
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Ocean Allure Costa Mujeres: Beautiful Resort!
I loved it! Everything was clean and in good condition. The staff were very attentive, helpful and kind. The food was actually much better than I expected too! The beach was gorgeous and the service was top tier, I would highly recommend!
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Nella -
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Ocean Allure Costa Mujeres: True 5star Experience
Stayed Aug 9-16 2026 at Ocean Allure Costa Mujeres and it was THE MOST AMAZING EXPERIENCE RESORT VACATION EVER! Absolutely stunning design every single detail well thought out! Other resorts need to take notes! The hospitality of every single employee was truly humbling and made the vacation that much more special but the special mention must go out to the FOOD!!! Most amazing cooks and the variety! Beyond impressive! Thank you Ocean Allure Costa Mujeres for such a wonderful experience! Looking[... read more] forward to returning:))
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Ocean Riviera Paradise: Amazing resort
We had a wonderful stay at this hotel and really enjoyed our experience. From the moment we arrived, the staff were friendly, welcoming, and helpful. The check-in process was smooth, and the overall atmosphere of the hotel was relaxing and pleasant
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Ocean Allure Costa Mujeres: Great experience at Ocean Allure
We had a great experience at Ocean Allure. We have stayed in Costa Mujeres before at a family resort, but this adults-only resort felt like a much better value for the money at a similar price point.
We booked the Prestige package because I was concerned about dinner reservations since there is no dinner buffet. However, the resort seemed to be operating at about 60% capacity, so we had no issues getting into any of the à la carte restaurants. But we probably could have booked the regular packa[... read more]ge and enjoyed the resort just as much.
The food and drinks were excellent. The breakfast and lunch buffets offered a wide variety of options, with hot food that was actually served hot and tasted great. There was a nice mix of local Mexican dishes and more traditional European-style selections.
The à la carte restaurants were outstanding. You could order lobster and high-quality steaks at most of them, which was a pleasant surprise. The alcohol selection was excellent, even with the regular package. Each bar had its own signature drink menu, which made it fun to try something different. Of course, the bartenders were also happy to make or customize any drink you wanted. The beach bar had a great selection as well.
There was some seaweed along the shore and in the ocean, but it wasn't nearly as bad as in other parts of the Riviera Maya, so we were still able to enjoy swimming in the ocean.
The pools were beautiful. During the summer they were naturally quite warm, but the large activity pool had the most comfortable water temperature.
As Prestige guests, we received a complimentary one-hour visit to the spa, where we enjoyed the sauna and hydrotherapy circuit. It was a wonderful experience. You can also book massages, and Canadian guests can request a receipt to submit to their insurance provider, as the therapists are RMT registered.
Every employee we encountered was friendly, welcoming, and incredibly hardworking. The resort was kept spotless, and we frequently saw managers walking around with staff, making sure everything was well maintained and addressing even the smallest issues.
This isn't a large party resort, but there are plenty of activities during both the day and the evening, making it a great choice for both younger and older adults.
We absolutely loved our stay and hope to return in the fall!
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Ocean Riviera Paradise: Poor Service and Frustrating Experience
We travelled as a group of 10 (7 adults, 1 teenager, and 2 children), and unfortunately, our experience at Ocean Riviera Paradise was very disappointing.
From the moment we arrived, the service was poor. There was no warm welcome, no one to greet us, and no guidance on where to check in or what to expect. We had to carry our own luggage to our rooms, which was especially frustrating since the resort is very large and it was our first visit. Finding our room was difficult, and it was located f[... read more]ar from the main areas. The same lack of assistance happened when we checked out. Even after asking staff about the departure process, we received only brief, one-word answers with no helpful guidance.
The resort also appeared to be understaffed. While there were a few friendly employees, most of the staff came across as rude, impatient, and annoyed whenever we asked questions. Customer service was one of the biggest disappointments of our stay.
Making reservations for the à la carte restaurants was another frustrating experience. Three restaurants require reservations (two online and one in person), but the online system only allows you to book for the number of guests in your room. Since we were travelling as a large group, it was nearly impossible to coordinate reservations together. Everyone had to log in and book at exactly the same time, otherwise we couldn't get the same seating. No one explained this process to us—we only figured it out by asking other guests and visiting the restaurants ourselves. To make matters worse, reservations can only be made between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. for dinner on the same day, making it feel like a daily mission just to eat together. Of the three restaurants requiring reservations, only the Italian restaurant was worth the effort. The steakhouse and Japanese restaurant were both overrated.
The resort offered plenty of activities for younger children, but very little for teenagers. My 13-year-old son quickly became bored because of the many restrictions. He wasn't allowed to use the gym or ride the mechanical bull, and the bowling alley had long wait times because only 3 of the 6 lanes were working. The games room had outdated equipment, several machines didn't work properly, and there was very little variety. For a resort that advertises itself as family-friendly, it did not provide enough entertainment for older kids and teens.
Another disappointment was the beach. During our stay, it was covered with a significant amount of seaweed, making it much less enjoyable to swim or relax by the ocean. While I understand that seaweed is a natural occurrence and not entirely within the resort's control, it definitely impacted our vacation. If the beach is one of the main reasons you're choosing this resort, I recommend checking the seaweed conditions before booking.
The most disappointing part of our trip happened through the resort's excursion desk. Our excursion package included a complimentary shopping tour that stopped at a jewelry store and a tequila shop. I strongly recommend that anyone purchasing tequila there inspect the bottles carefully before leaving. We purchased two bottles of tequila, but the cashier wrapped them while we were still browsing the store, so we didn't have an opportunity to examine them. When we returned home, we discovered that both bottles appeared to be counterfeit. We immediately contacted the resort's tour representative, who told us he would speak with the store and get back to us. Unfortunately, we never heard from him again. Since we made the purchase the day before our departure, we didn't have enough time to return to the store and resolve the issue ourselves. This experience left a very negative impression and added to an already disappointing vacation.
The resort itself was large, clean, and well-maintained, which is one of the few positives I can mention. However, the poor customer service, confusing restaurant reservation system, lack of activities for teenagers, beach conditions during our stay, and unresolved issue with the shopping tour overshadowed the entire experience.
This was my fourth resort visit in Mexico, and unfortunately, it was by far the most disappointing. I would not recommend Ocean Riviera Paradise, especially for large families or groups travelling together.
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Karim -
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Ocean Coral Riviera Cancun: The worst resort experience we've had
The resort in it's current state should not be welcoming travellers. They have hygiene issues causing food poisoning. They also let sargassum rot on the beach causing an unbearable smell all over the resort.
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El Beso Adults Only at Ocean El Faro: Great Resort
This is a beautiful resort... Spacious rooms, many food choices... lots of pools to choose from... plenty of on site activities... but the beach is its downfall.... plenty of seaweed with heavy waves rolling in.... If the beach is your thing then avoid this area...
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Michelle -
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Ocean Riviera Paradise: Great time
This was our first visit to this resort. Certainly, it will not be our last. I would not rate it as a five-star hotel. Solid four would be a better rating for me.
Check- in was easy and quick. We needed a wheelchair, and they contacted the company for us; it arrived within the hour. This was our first time renting one, and it was well worth the money. Even though the resort was on a sight incline, it was not hard to get around, and the trolley drivers went out of their way to help. The only[... read more] spot we found not accessible were the stores along the main walkway.
We had a swim-out room in the El Beso area. We were first assigned to building four, but mid-week we moved to building one when our section relocated. This change made things much easier with the wheelchair, as building one was much closer to the buffet and main area. The rooms were bright, and the fridge was stocked and cleaned spotlessly each day.
We skipped specialty restaurants by choice. Loved the buffet's wide variety, though food was sometimes only warm or cold. Service was disorganized; we never knew our server. The ice cream and coffee shops were delicious—they became regular stops. Room service was great. Enjoyed the El Beso snack bar and visited often.
The swim-up pools were lovely. It was amazing stepping out the door and just walking into the pool. It stayed at 90 degrees the whole time we were there. A warning, the sun is extreme in June. Even with constantly reapplying sunscreen, we still burned. There were always activities happening at the pools. I am not a music person, but I found it not loud and dancing to the beat.
Lots of variety of entertainment in the main area. Always had people chatting and singing. Enjoyed watching the little ones having fun too. There were some great activities for them.
We did not stay at the beach. I could smell the sargassum if the wind was in the right direction, but it did not impact our holiday. Kudos to the staff who work relentlessly to try to keep it clean. It’s a never-ending battle. It was heartbreaking to see the amount of sargassum floating in the ocean from the plane. The worst I have seen.
Seen lots of animals. We were lucky and saw the monkeys on the first day. The wildlife was not overwhelming as some of the other resorts we have been to. I think this is partly due to the patrons not bringing food to the poolside, as I have seen in other places. People still feed the animals even though there is signage everywhere.
All in all, it was a lovely holiday. Met lots of wonderful people from around the world. Some first-timers and others who have visited several times. We are planning to come back. Thanks for a great holiday.
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Muffin -
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Ocean Riviera Paradise: Amazing Resort
We booked a Privilege Jr. Suite for our 40th wedding anniversary. Our butler, Lilyann was amazing and Miguel at the beach. They catered to our every need.
Food was delicious and our room was very nice. Would go back in a heartbeat.
Loved the privilege beach area, the only down side was the sargassum in the water and on shore. Unfortunately it was that time of year and there was nothing the resort could do about it. There was a big infinity pool at the beach so we could swim there.
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Shitsue -
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Ocean Blue and Sand: Perfect all around!
I stayed at the Ocean Blue and Sand once before about 8 years ago and my friend who I travelled with has been there 19 times. This is a very clean and friendly place to stay. They have renovated their rooms and are continually working to keep it fresh. The staff are so welcoming and many are still there15 years later. Especially enjoyed Mike’s Cafe where we met Benjamin and Christopher for our evening cappuccino.
This Hotel is small and warm, compared to other resorts we have been to that[... read more] are too large and not as friendly.
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MIA12 -
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Ocean El Faro: A good hotel!
Check in was quick and easy (but we were the only ones at the time). Everyone who worked there did a great job, people were friendly. Kids loved Jelly's kid club, the water park and the lazy river. Bring your own tubes or wait in line for a bit. Kids are picky eaters most meals they were able to find something, if not we went to Mike's Cafe and they were able to get yogurt and sandwiches. First resort that I found the a la cartes bland and nothing to write home about. I did like that there were[... read more] 3 you had to book a head if time and the rest you could just go to whenever, the cons of that were some restaurants were closed on certain days. Using the barcode they provide can help you plan meals accordingly thou. We much preferred the buffet to the a la cartes (this would not be typical for any hotel I've ever gone to). We were unable to go to the ocean because of the sea grass so that was a bummer. Would I go back to this hotel? Nothing draws me back or away to be honest. I probably wouldn't choose to go back just so I could go to other resorts, but nothing happened that wouldn't make me want to go back.
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El Beso Adults Only at Ocean El Faro: Nice Resort
Nice small walkable resort with a tropical vibe. Good food. Tennis club is excellent. Shower in the bathroom - the water is leaking past the shower door onto the bathroom floor. Only shower out of 2 was working.
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Ocean El Faro: Good but not great
Had issue with the room assigned to us for the first 3 days of our trip and then finally got the room which was included in our package. Didn't like the attitude from front desk when I initially brought to their attention about the room. If you are beach lover this is not your resort. They have nice short lazy river and many pools. Food is Okay
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2tall2fly -
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Ocean Coral Riviera Cancun: Mostly fantastic!
My mother and I went for 11 days in May and found this hotel had some great qualities. Clean, good sized rooms with comfy beds and only 25 minutes from the airport. A good sized hotel, spread out but walkable and they have elevators so for people with mobility issues it's great!
The entertainment was decent and there were always clean towels in the rooms and at the pool. The games room and bowling was a nice plus (open daily 3-11, operating on a first come, first served basis).
All of the l[... read more]obby servers/bartenders were top-notch!
I have food allergies and the staff at guest services (Sergio and Estrella) were great. They helped me navigate all of the buffets and restaurants so that I didnt have to worry about having a reaction.
My only complaints are that the pools could be kept much cleaner and the raccoons are a major hindrance, I would watch out if you have small children as they will climb right up on them, the raccoons are everywhere after dusk. The beach is also a bit small/skinny and there was sargassum which wasn't too bad while we were there, but we're not beach people so it was fine. Would still return for a good price.
Thanks to Tammy Beamish at TC for this holiday.
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MR090611 -
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Ocean Riviera Paradise: Unhelpful non existent management support!
Amazing food and great service from all the wait staff, but our trip was overshadowed by a drugged drink at the El Beso pool bar, and the managements inadequate response and support during a medical emergency forced me to take my wife privately to a hospital to seek medical help