Allegro Cozumel: A hidden gem

This resort is getting better everytime we go back love the updates . Its a smaller resort but what it lacks in grand lobbies etc it makes up with cleanliness great food and amazing staff not to mention amazing diving right on the resort some of the best in the world.

Barcelo Solymar: Great party resort

Food wasn't the greatest but your not coming here for the food. Don't come here during spring break if your not ready to party with a bunch of drunk college kids. Maids only leave a 1.5L water bottle in the room each morning so use it wisely. Good crowd and close enough to walk to the city

Royal Hideaway Playacar: Excellent stay at Royal Hideaway Playacar

Five star all inclusive resort. Excellent accommodation. Rooms are large and very new. Clean and well maintained. There are six restaurants to choose from. And can be reserved when you check in on the first day. Gourmet food. Great staff.

Palma Real: Get what you pay for

We weren’t quite expecting what we got when deciding to stay at Allegro Palma Real. Walking into the loud, smoky lobby at 11pm after our flight was a little shocking, and being brought to a room that had 2 double beds pushed together and cracks in the walls we decided to give it a few days before losing our cool. The next morning at breakfast Osiris and Iedy at the back of the buffet restaurant made it so much better! They were so kind and friendly to both my sister and I that it made us forge [... read more]t that we had been quite disappointed with the resort so far. We of course returned to their section every breakfast and lunch from then on! The pool was also quite good; a few rough patches around the outside that could be mended, but overall well kept and the entertainment each afternoon paired with the swim up bar made for a pretty good experience. Although the beach was across the street (about a 5 minute walk) it was definitely worth it! So beautiful! And the snack bar had decent food & drinks as well if we didn’t feel like trekking all the way back to the resort. The location near downtown Varadero was also convenient to check out different markets and restaurants when we got sick of the resort food (the fondue place was quite good!). We also went to the Italian a la carte on the resort twice, but wouldn’t recommend it - I wasn’t sure what exactly was in my lasagna and the pizzas were made on pitas. Not quite what we were hoping for since the food at the buffet wasn’t wonderful either. The nightly entertainment was quite good as well, though I don’t have much to compare it to! Overall, despite the mediocre food and the not-so-great room, Allegro Palma Real was an okay resort, that I’d be fine with returning to if travelling on a budget again in the future.

Allegro Cozumel: Nice place but food was lacking

Had a nice stay at Allegro Cozumel. Food was the only somewhat disappointing part. The Italian restaurant was WORSE than the buffet dinner so we regretted booking it. The oriental restaurant was the only really good food we had all week and it was so much fun watching the chefs cook and chop the food in front of us... a real show!! Highly recommend booking the oriental restaurant. We booked the premium level and had access to another snack bar so we could have breakfast outside by the water  [... read more]rather than in the buffet area (which had a school cafeteria feel). The premium level was well worth it! Apart from the lackluster food, everything was lovely.

Barcelo Gran Faro Los Cabos: Disappointed

I booked this hotel for our honeymoon three months in advance. It was for a Supreme Ocean View King size bed. When we arrived, they had no such room. We were put into a room with 2 doubles (not even queens). The Ocean View was a Palm tree. The next day they put us in a room with a King size bed, but with the same view. The service at the buffet restaurants was poor. No one had a smile on their face. In the a-la-carte restaurants it was different. Here they smiled and were glad and rushed to help [... read more] you. I never like to complain, but it was a very disappointing stay. It was the worst on my travels. Planning another holiday, but will make sure that things are different.

Palma Real: Ok resort

We booked so last minute ( 1 1/2 weeks prior to our trip) as we didn’t want to spend too much money. Well, you definitely get what you paid for in Cuba with this 3.5 star resort. It was a prime location and friendly staff. However, rooms were absolutely awful, the only plus side is that we barely spent any time in our rooms (holes in walls, broken AC, broken balcony lock, dirty looking). The food was very mediocre, to be expected as you’re traveling Cuba. They also don’t play any sort of p [... read more]ool game or have any kind of daytime entertainment.Wouldn’t recommend this resort, spend the extra couple hundred for a better quality!

Occidental Arenas Blancas: Amazing staff

Overall it was a great experience, staff was amazing, the bar and beach access was awesome! Only down side was some issue in the rooms and food variety. Our room had a leak, and a balcony door that did not open. Similar issues for the rest of our party in the hotel.

Occidental Caribe: Great week

The resort was a nice layout with lobby bars and nightly music which I quite enjoyed. The buffet was well stocked. I only wished that there were a second self serve drink station as it took time for staff to get drinks (very busy resort with ++people) and the only station was at the far end of the main buffet restaurant. The French and Japanese a la cartes were great. Italian was okay! and that's all I was able to try. book your a la cartes on your first day!! The room was very basic and old I [... read more] might say. *Basic clean each day. beach=gorgeous. pools were also very nice. NO FREE WIFI at all. only "free" if you went to casino and bought drinks/played. 3$/ 15 minutes at a small internet cafe on the 3rd floor. on vacation, so I guess we dont need our phones. but I had never been to a resort with no wifi before. Transat rep helpful. overall, a great week. thank you! back to the snow :( 25cm expected tonight

Barcelo Solymar: Very good resort

Grounds - beautiful, pool excellent, beach to die for. The dining room and meals were excellent. A la carte meals were a disappointment. The room was clean, however it was very noisy at night because the room was over the service entrance for supplies. Also the new hotel next door was worked on all night. However we enjoyed our whole experience at the Barcelo Solymar.

Barcelo Maya Caribe: Bad time to stay at this resort!

The hotel and beach are lovely and the food was excellent. Our first 2 days were wonderful at the hotel , and then guests started to arrive for a 3 night Phish concert that was held at the hotel . There were people using drugs in public places all over the resort during the day , and we were kept awake with loud parties on the lawn right below us that started around 2 am and went until 6:30 am one night , and 5:30 am the other 2 nights . There were people running around the grounds screaming an [... read more]d banging on doors and we couldn’t call the front desk from our room. Don’t go to this resort while Phish is playing if you want a relaxing holiday or if you are traveling with a young family .

Occidental Nuevo Vallarta: Great Resort!

Just returned from a 10-day stay at the Occidental Nuevo Vallarta. We loved the caring staff, availability of pool and beach chairs, clean rooms and hotel grounds (food served only in restaurants) and buffet food was enjoyable (could have had a bit more variety). Great nightly entertainment. We felt very welcome. We will not hesitate to return next year.

Occidental Tucancun: Great hotel

The staff were amazing and so helpful! We were a group of 8 people and everyone was so accommodating when it came to meals. The beach is beautiful and exactly what you think of when you picture the Caribbean ocean. The water was a bit rough, but still lovely. The rooms could definitely use an upgrade, but very clean and we were never discouraged when coming back to a clean and tidy room. The biggest complaint I have is that the pools turned all our white bathing suits green. I’m not sure if it [... read more]’s a chemical imbalance or algae, but it was less than desirable to swim in when wearing light coloured bathing suits. The hotel, however, did clean them and they are white again. Overall we had a great time!

Occidental at Xcaret Destination: A little piece of heaven!

This hotel was amazing! If you’re a nature lover and love to explore, this is your place! Watching the monkeys in the jungle was the highlight of my trip. There is a man made beach which is small but very well maintained. There was a lot of seaweed and beach was unswimmable for 2 days so we used the pools instead which are beautiful. Grounds are spectacular. Loved the buffet at the beach the best. All food was good. Drinks were delicious. Loved the Oriental restaurant. All staff worked very ha [... read more]rd and went out of their way. We’ll be back!

Occidental Cozumel: Great Vacation!

We enjoyed our stay at this resort. The ground were very lush and jungle-like, very well kept and beautiful. There was lot's of wildlife around, which was fun to watch. The food was great, with lots of options for everyone. The rooms were clean, and large, and had everything we needed. The only downfall for us with this resort, was that it was very quiet (perhaps too relaxing). We travelled with a group of 10, and we were looking for fun and to party. The shows were over by 10pm and we were t [... read more]he only ones in the disco, when it was open. So low night life at this hotel. If you are looking for a quiet, relaxing resort with not much to offer in terms of entertainment, than this one is it! Being in a larger group, we were able to make our own fun - but sometimes were told to quiet down :o( The staff were very friendly and accommodating. We would definitely recommend this resort to a friend - depending on what you are looking for.

Occidental Arenas Blancas: Everything we needed and more!

My partner and I went here for our spring break. Clean rooms. Amazing grounds. Beautiful beach. Pretty solid food. Great service (shout out to Haiti at the buffet). From the moment we stepped into the lobby we were taken care of. Just wish our excursion packages could have had better half day options. We can’t wait to come back.

Barcelo Maya Colonial: Third visit to Barcelo Maya Colonial

This was our third time staying here and we continue to enjoy everything about the resort. The rooms are clean and spacious. There are so many chairs on the beach and around the pools to choose from. The beaches are very clean and beautiful to walk along. We enjoyed all of the restaurants also. We had a premium package so we had dinner every night for 2 weeks in all of the restaurants. The restaurants in the Palace are excellent also. It is worth paying extra for them. We love the French  [... read more]Bistro the most. A very elegant atmosphere. We enjoyed using the spa and gym as they were both well equipped and spacious.

Palma Real: great value for the price

We have been coming to the Palma Real since 2009 and outside of a few inconveniences have always felt comfortable there, the staff polite and helpful, and the proximity to Varadero main drag excellent. Our rooms although well used were clean and bright. The noise and smoke in the main lobby is often overwhelming when the place is fully booked but that problem lies with the lifestyles and behaviour of the guests, not the hotel. The bars in the two alternate lobbies, The Daiquiri and the Black a [... read more]nd White, offer a pleasant quieter environment but their hours of operation were too limited. The food quantity and variety in the main dining room was always adequate, however the alternate snack facility, the barbacoa , which we love to use, was too inconsistent in selection and hours. The pre booked a-la-carte restaurants are a pleasant alternative. The five minute walk to the world class Varadero beach is no problem and the beach bar a nice touch but the rugged hazardous goat trail leading from the end of the paved road down to the sand is absolutely terrible. It has been this way for all ten years we have been coming and would take so little effort to upgrade. Come on Guys ! Overall, I would recommend the Palma Real as great value for the price and certainly will stay there again when we return to our beloved Varadero.

Barcelo Maya Colonial: Excellent vacation

This was our second stay at this resort. We chose to go back because of the amenities - lots of pools, great beach, great restaurant choices and wonderful food selection/quality. This stay, we experienced weather that was much more humid than our previous stay - as a result, the rooms smelled a bit musty and everything (clothes, towels, bed linen) always felt damp. This did not hinder our vacation at all - we just happened to notice it. 2 things to consider if booking this resort - 1) week [... read more]end concerts: the resort occasionally hosts concerts; these run Thurs-Sun (from what we could tell) and can be found on their website or through a Google search; the hotel fills up with concert goers around the weekend and you can hear the concerts quite clearly in your room well past midnight; our stay straddled 2 such concerts; it did not hinder our enjoyment of the resort at all, but our last night had rowdy hotel guests/concert goers staying in the room below us who partied loudly til the wee hours of the morning; when selecting dates if you think that might affect your vacation, try selecting alternate dates; 2) specialty dining: the restaurant selection is good and the food is great; their system for booking and accommodating guests is somewhat frustrating - we booked the restaurants we wanted on the first day we arrived and were given some very late (8:30, 9:30) dining times; what is frustrating about that is when we presented to the restaurants, even at our other earlier times (6:30, 7:00) the restaurants were half empty and remained that way during our meals; we would have loved some earlier times, and it seems as though we could have been accommodated (space wise) but for some reason, they only book their restaurants to half capacity (it was like this our previous stay as well); again, it did not hinder our enjoyment, it was something that we just had to work around. All in all, we would very much like to stay here again - it is a great vacation destination for our group and what we look for in a vacation.

Occidental Caribe: Great value for your money

Beach and pools were beautiful. Food was not bad, Paris was by far the best restaurant! The resort was pretty clean. Maids were hit or miss with their service and it didnt seem to matter how much you tipped. I think you get the most out of your money at this resort!