Grand Sirenis Riviera Maya: Wonderful Family Vacation
We spent a week at Grand Sirenis as a family of four in March, and overall we had a fantastic vacation. We have two teenage girls, and they absolutely loved this resort.
The beach was not great during our stay, but we can’t fault the resort for that as there was a major sargassum issue throughout Mexico at the time of our trip.
The resort itself is huge, so be prepared to do a lot of walking, which we personally didn’t mind. The pools were all great, and the lazy river was AMAZING.
The [... read more]food was surprisingly good, especially at the buffets. There were endless options, and everything was fresh and delicious. The only disappointment was how difficult it was to get reservations at the à la carte restaurants. We were able to try the steakhouse and the Italian restaurant, and both were very good.
The entertainment was excellent. There were lots of fun activities around the pools during the day, live music in different areas of the resort in the evenings, and nightly shows in the theatre (some better than others, of course). The White Party on the beach Saturday night, complete with a fire show, was fantastic.
There was also lots of wildlife around the resort. Seeing the monkeys every morning was definitely a highlight!
Our only real negative comment was the pool chair situation. Like many resorts, people had to get up very early to reserve chairs by the pool. It’s disappointing that this continues to be such a common issue at resorts, because it takes away from the relaxing vacation atmosphere when you feel pressured to wake up early just to secure a shaded spot. Many reserved chairs sat empty for hours, sometimes until the afternoon.
Overall, we had a wonderful family vacation and would definitely recommend this resort, especially for families with teens.
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Anita L -
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Grand Sirenis Punta Cana Resort: Average Resort
We made the best our our week at Grand Sirenis. This resort should definitely not be rated high. The food was not the best. There was no consideration for dietary needs. My friend got food poisoning for two days. We found the pools to be very dirty and the majority of the pool is fairly deep. One day the shallow pool had throw up in it. The employees are wonderful, especially Ana at the buffet and Anthony at the front bar. They do have shows in the evening, however everything pretty much shuts d[... read more]own by 11:00. It would be nice to be able to dance or have a bit of night life. The resort is huge so if you have mobility issues, I would avoid this one.
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Private -
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Grand Sirenis Punta Cana Resort: Decent resort
This was the biggest resort i have ever been to, saying that i guess i just expected more from it. The seaweed was rolling in and they did not clean the beach only the small area in front of the executive section. Other resorts along this stretch had tractors that cleaned the beaches. There was a ton of cigarette butts in the sand as well. I didnt like the tour operators were at the pool the entire time trying to sell excursions (dont hassel me while im on vacation) we did some a la cart reserva[... read more]tions was not a fan of the italian my pasta was like eating a soup it was all sauce i had to search for my pasta. We saved the steak place for last and was extremely dissapointed. And hour and a half wait (people were leaving ) for our food to arrive, and again was not very good. The game galaxy was closed the entire time.
Be warned if you check in before 3pm they charge you a $40 fee for early check-in , that only gives you the bracelet so that you are allowed into the resort. If you refuse to pay the $40 usd you are told that you can wait outside the resort.
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Private -
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Grand Sirenis Riviera Maya: 2nd time still a charm
It has been 10 years since we have been here. It still aims to please. The room is great spacious good air-conditioning well appointed. The food was good. The à la carte restaurants were underwhelming. No better than the buffet. Beautiful grounds and meticulously kept. The monkeys, coatis, raccoons and iguanas are always entertaining. If you appreciate premium alcohol you will be disappointed here. The only downside was the water temperature of the pools-felt warmer than body temperature; couldn[... read more]’t cool off. And of course the sargassum prevented you from going in the ocean.
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Laurahsn -
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Grand Sirenis Punta Cana Resort: Stunning grounds, unhelpful staff
Grand Sirenis is an absolutely beautiful resort. Everywhere you look, it is picture perfect. There are very tall palm trees and beautiful flowers everywhere. It is very spacious and the kids never got bored. Anywhere you go, no matter the time of day, you can find chairs! There are many bars all around the resort and always food available. Food was good but not a ton of variety. I changed rooms 3 times. Many many problems with my rooms including a wasp nest making it impossible to get in and out[... read more] of my room. Also, they fed me sunflower seeds (I am allergic) in the Italian restaurant resulting in a visit by the doctor. They even asked my allergies and fed it to me anyways. I asked many many times over several days to have towels, a mattress for the pull out, to fix my fridge and safe. I didnt even bother with the broken hair dryer. The girl on the phone to the lobby would just hang up on me, it was unreal. Finally stuff got done when I left a note for the maid in Spanish and a big tip. Although there were lots of problems, I would actually still recommend the resort! It was a very relaxing vibe and the scenery was the most stunning I have seen, and I have been to many places! No one in our group got sick minus the allergy mishap, but we did use sanitizer before every meal. The kids had the best time. I would return here (knowing to go right to the manager for problems and be pushy about solutions). If you are easy going and things roll off your shoulder, you'll have a good time. If the little things bother you and you want a perfect room, maybe not the best for you!
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Private -
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Grand Sirenis Mayan Beach: Awesome resort
The resort is beautiful,the food is amazing,and the staff are so welcoming .The monkeys,and Mexican animals are fun to watch.We have been to this resort 5 times,and love it.The buffet is amazing.Its fantastic that the staff remember us every year.
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Rick99 -
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Grand Sirenis Riviera Maya: Wonderful resort
Very beautiful resort spread out with many walking paths to different areas. Great pool areas with bars and lounge chairs. The resort included many restaurants with a large variety of food. A desk with two concierge staff is located on the main floor of each building and we found them to be the nicest and most helpful you could ask for. The beach area left a bit to be desired as the sargassum was quite bad but the staff were working hard on that issue. A lot of wildlife for those intereste[... read more]d in seeing small animals. Overall a beautiful holiday location with great staff who couldn't do enough for you.
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Private -
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Grand Sirenis Riviera Maya: Family of 5 trip to The Grand Sirenis
We had a fabulous holiday over March break. Although there was a lot of hype about the sargassum at the beach, this did not hinder our trip. Maybe because we live on the East Coast of Canada, we know that beaches have a ‘smell’ and seaweed happens. We layed by the beach regardless and snorkeled in the protected cove near the ruin. The hotel staff worked tirelessly to remove the sargassum, and still more came in each day. Oh well.
The water is blue, the sand is white, the weather is gorgeous [... read more]and drinks are brought to you anytime/anywhere. We spent our mornings at the beaches everyday. We did at least one lazy river ride each day and often several per day, we never had to wait for inner tubes. Meandering through the jungle with a drink in hand, watching the wildlife and connecting with my teenagers was amazing!
The food … wow. The food was incredible and there was so much variety. I’m a ‘mean’ mom, and my kids were raised to eat “all the foods” … and they did. My 15 year old, made it his mission to bring some unknown food to try at every meal. Proud mom moment. I can’t imagine anyone not finding “something” they like … and if they don’t, I feel like that’s a YOU problem. The staff were incredible at all buffets and we made several friends who we had to take photos with at the end of the stay. Our concierge in the lobby of our block (1440) was fabulous and booked everything.
The Al La carte’s were delicious. We ate at the Mexican, Butcher’s and Tepanyaky show cooking and every restaurant was a hit. Again, our three kids are not fussy eaters, so even the cucumber and seaweed salad was devoured in seconds!
The drinks were excellent and always flowing. My youngest (9) loved moseying up to the swim-up bar to order his daily strawberry daiquiris, pina coladas and mango breezes. The adults enjoyed mojitos, seaside sangria, Paloma’s and Hawaiian breezes (among many others).
The wildlife and jungle scenery were highlights. We loved seeing the geckos, iguanas, white nose cotis, raccoons and of course the monkeys (outside the breakfast buffets) … but do us a favour and DON’T feed the wildlife. Several people brought fruit from the buffet and then staff had to intervene. The monkeys especially become aggressive when they are being fed and too familiar with people. If they “hurt” someone by accident - we all know what will happen to them. Yeah, it’s cute to get a photo of them eating your apple - but then you ruin it for everyone. Also - clean up your plates at the pools. The more familiar the animals are and bugging guests - they will be removed. If you love animals and want to enjoy them - PLEASE DON’T FEED THEM!
The evening entertainment was awesome (some people said it was lame - maybe compared to Broadway or the Ballet… but enjoy it for what it is). We watched countless practices during the day. These dancers are trying their best. Have a drink and enjoy the show. We watched The Lion King, the cabaret/broadway one and the around the world (I forget the proper names). They were all fun and enjoyable (but yes, I’m from a big city and have seen higher quality entertainment - so what?!).
The market /artisan booths. Thursday nights only. We arrived at 8pm on Thursday and didn’t purchase anything not realizing that would be our only opportunity. The stores out front by the OXXO have lovely staff and reasonable trinkets.
The pools. We loved all three pools. I forget the names. But the one outside “salt and nut” seemed rowdy. lol. We stayed near the one out front of Butchers. (Our preference). Also the quiet pool snaking through the jungle was amazing. Reserve your loungers with towels before breakfast if you want a spot. The lazy river was enjoyed by everyone!
The kids club. … uuummm… kinda lame. It’s inside, so for our fair skinned 9 year old, a few hours outside of the sun was great. I thought/hoped it would be more activities, but it was iPads and video games :(. But the staff were lovely and take the kids for a walk for lunch each day. The kiddie pool out front needs to be parent supervised - so not the kids-club fun we had hoped for. Oh well, I’m the parent, so I parented.
The beach bar b que and lunches were fun and delicious. Try to catch paella day if you can!!! Tips: we brought many 50 peso bills and tipped every few drinks. It’s not expected but appreciated. We tipped $150 pesos at suppers. Maybe you get better service, but genuine kindness will also earn you great service.
Our rooms were fabulous. Fourth floor, at the absolute farthest villa away from anywhere - so we walked - A LOT. The rooms were clean, large and the air conditioning was excellent. We leaned some key Spanish phrases while we were there, and the staff seems delighted that we were trying.
I would certainly recommend this property. It was a third Mexican vacation and first time to Sirenis. We thought it was wonderful. Previously stayed at Bahia Prinicpe and Palladium for reference.
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Moni -
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Grand Sirenis Riviera Maya: Great Resort
My husband and I spent two wonderful weeks at the Grand Sirenis in Mexico. We just wanted to rest as I injured my knee and could not walk for long. We spent time at the pool and the beach. The sea weed was really bad so I did not go into the ocean. My husband went in to refresh himself and said the water wasn't very deep and there were tons of fish. We tried all the a la carte restaurants and most were really good. The spa was great. The concierge staff were wonderful team 5 helped us book the r[... read more]estaurants, spa and made sure the shuttle were called to get us around the property due to my sore knee. We had 2 weeks of sun and feel refreshed. Just returned in time for more snow. We will definitely return to the resort in the future.
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Dawn -
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Grand Sirenis Cartagena: Not a resort yet
This hotel is quite nice and close to the beach but was lacking service. We had to go get our own drinks at the bar and we’re not asked if we would like more at all. Even taking our own dirty glasses up to bar and get refills. Bartenders did not know how to make many drinks and each bar was a different experience
The food was excellent every night and had a great variety of different food options every day ,and the scenery and sights were awesome. There were very few workers who spoke English [... read more]and they lacked restocking guests fridges
The rooms were clean and maid did a decent job. There was very little entertainment other than dj and one evening had a singer for a couple hours. They seem to cater much more to the locals that were coming in. The one light was a young girl named Laura who was very helpful. She had to help the air Transat rep sell our excursion as the rep spoke very little English. You had to find all of your own transportation they had nothing going on a regular schedule to the city or the marina for excursions.it would be better to be picked up at the hotel for these. I would go back to Columbia again in the future as it is quite beautiful. Near the end of our visit some owner and managers showed up and things seemed to get a bit better. Finally had the cards for food names with English as well
They didn’t have a good selection of options for beer and absolutely no rye whiskey and had to fight for cans of light beer that they only wanted to serve in rooms if you badgered the staff to bring them They usually never came
No map or cards to make visitors aware of restaurants or service hours only one card at front desk
Pools were clean and all areas were kept clean and tidy. If you want quiet and not too many people it was that as it seemed there was only maybe 25 percent occupancy even though they said they were fully booked
Large amount of construction right next door worker Monday to Friday
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Private -
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Grand Sirenis Riviera Maya: Great Resort
This resort has a lot going for it. Situated south of Playa del Carmen. Hotel is modern, and recently renovated. Rooms are clean, bright and spacious. Great shower, ample hot water and great water pressure. Bar with modest selection of soft drinks and beer serviced daily. Concierges book as many a la cartes as you wish. Food is above average, with surprising availability of quality steaks, cooked to perfection. We enjoyed t bone, rib, striploin and tenderloin. We have been to Mexico a dozen time[... read more]s, including twice previous to this resort, and never had food as good. The prime evening buffet has a great selection of food (although seemed always the same). Of note to us, the a la cartes served decent Spanish Red Wines at room temperature, and you could request same at the bars, although you might not get it there. Grounds are sprawling, and well maintained with lots of natural vegetation. Expect to see lots of birds and animals including coati, racoons, squirrels, agouti and monkeys, which unfortunately have become acclimatized to human interaction. Pools are clean, with ample lounges, except quiet pool which sees lots of pressure. Beach is ok. Struggle to keep up with the Sargassum. Interesting rock outcrops. Beach bbq lunches great! Lazy River is a fun bonus. Entertainment was ok.
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JHolovy -
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Grand Sirenis Riviera Maya: Amazing Resort!
This Resort was amazing from start to finish of our trip.
The rooms, grounds, pools, beaches, staff and food exceeded my expectations and I would return again in the future!
The lazy river was great, the wildlife was abundant and the evening show and entertainment staff were wonderful!
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Bobbi -
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Grand Sirenis Cartagena: Beautiful place.
This hotel was clean, quaint, and perfect. There were a couple of flaws but over all amazing. Staff were helpful and wonderful. While I feel they are still trying to figure out the all inclusive bit, their food everyday was great.
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Private -
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Grand Sirenis Riviera Maya: Fantastic Resort
Loved everything about this resort. Travelled with another couple and we could not come up with one complaint. The best part of our stay was that there is no need to get up early to save seats at the beach or pool. Lots of lounges available even at 9:00am.
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Jojo -
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Grand Sirenis Mayan Beach: Fabulous Resort
We choose Grand Sirenis because of the beach, pools and Lazy River. The staff, food and room always exceeds our expectations. We also enjoy looking at the wildlife on site. The night and daytime entertainment are great. We watched the fire show on the beach and the Lion King at the theatre. We spent our days on the beach and they had Valentines Day entertainment one day and a fabulous 3 piece band another day. We also enjoyed swimming in the ocean and snorkeling. This was our 6th visit to the r[... read more]esort with our friends and we will be going again this April with family and friends.
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Private -
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Vila Gale Cayo Santa Maria: AMAZING STAFF BUT HOTEL NEEDS PEST CONTROL
THE BEACH WAS BEAUTIFUL ALTHOUGH HOTEL STAFF MADE NO EFFORT TO REMOVE EXCESS SEAWEED AFTER STORMS. THE HOTEL IS STYLISH ALTHOUGH OLDER AND KEPT CLEAN. THE ROOMS WERE NICELY LAID OUT ALTHOUGH WE DID SEE ROACHES AS DID OUR FRIENDS. WE WERE MOVED TO THE NEXT BUILDING AFTER 2 DAYS FOR SOME CHEMICAL WORK THEY CALLED IT WHERE WE SAW MORE ROACHES WITH A SEWAGE SMELL THAT SEEMED TO COME FROM PLUMBING. THE BUFFETT WAS ADEQUATE BUT THE ALLA CARTE MENU WAS MUCH BETTER. THE PORTIONS WERE VERY GOOD AND THEY [... read more]OFFERRED STEAK AND SALMON WHICH WERE COOKED PERFECTLY.
ALL THE STAFF WERE VERY FRIENDLY AND WORK VERY HARD .WE WERE NOT HAPPY WITH THE SUNWING REP WHO REFUSED TO ACCEPT OUR INITIAL TRANSFER REQUEST TO NEXTDOOR HOTEL DUE TO THE ROACHES. SHE WANTED MORE MONEY REGARDLESS OF PRICING FOR NEXT DOOR ACTUALLY BECAME CHEAPER. SHE REDIRECTED OUR COMPAINT TO JEANETTE WHO SEEMED TO BE THE HOTEL TROUBLE SHOOTER. JEANETTE WORKD VERY HARD TO TRY AND MAKE IT UP TO US ALTHOUGH THIS DEFERRAL WAS NOT FAIR TO HER. SUNWING REP SHOULD HAVE DELT WITH US.
I WOULD RATE THIS AS A FOUR STAR AT BEST IF THEY GET RID OF THE ROACHES
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KSKR -
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Grand Sirenis Punta Cana Resort: Big fun resort
Huge resort
Staff were wonderful
Drinks very good
Room slightly outdated
Lots of bars and restaurants
Kid friendly
Adult friendly
Beach is beautiful
Nice touch with water park
Felt safe
Pretty lobby
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Lorenzo -
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Grand Sirenis Mayan Beach: Great Resort
Positives:
- Grounds: great set-up, nice environment (vegetation, wildlife, etc.), well kept;
- Food: big variety for all tastes and requirements, fresh, clean eating places;
- Beach: excellent: sandy, in a little gulf thus protected of big waves and warmer;
- Service: Personnel very friendly and helpful.
Negatives:
- People allowed to sell (black market ?) pot and other drugs on the beach while smoking themselves those products, which is annoying for non drug consumers like me;
- Conci[... read more]erges and other personnel insisting too hard on customers taking promotional presentations for time-sharing packages, etc.
All in all it was worth the money, looking forward to coming back in the future
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Private -
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Vila Gale Cayo Santa Maria: Great resort
This is our 2nd time to this resort! The grounds are beautiful, the beach fantastic!
The rooms were spacious, clean and bright! Showers were amazing with lots of hot water and pressure.
There were no food shortages although much the same each day. But that's Cuba. And the al la cartes were wonderful. The steaks, fish portions were large.
Some observations were that the maintenance staff are in great need for even the basic tools, ie screwdrivers, pliers, etc, .
A con was that a lot [... read more]of bathrooms were closed.
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UIGE1956 -
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Vila Gale Cayo Santa Maria: Wonderful Resort!
We had a great experience. Public relations staff topnotch compared to most resorts that we have been. Cleaned well maintained grounds, rooms cleaned daily hot water, good shower good ac. Attentive waiters at the buffet, good food, wine, beer. Good breakfasts, lots of eggs, bread juice coffee etc. Wonderful beach lots of beach chairs, the resort was not operating full capacity, maybe 40%, great pool. Activities at beach and pool.
We enjoy it very much