Barcelo Maya Caribe: Pretty much perfection!

The Barcelo may seem large but because it is made up by 5 smaller resorts put together, you have the benefits of accessing the other resorts' ammenities and the total beach is huge and offers different options from clear sand and water to coral for snorkeling. As well since it is in a cove, the water is somewhat calmer than more open areas. The food is exceptional including the buffets where fresh fruit, veggies and Mexican favourites were highlighted, and the a la cartes that are abundant and  [... read more]amazing. Beautiful grounds, cenotes to visit across the road, many activities at the resort made for an exceptional vacation. My son played volleyball everyday and we played tennis. Staff are kind and caring and hardworking. Unlike other resorts I never got the feeling any of the staff was looking for tips. And there was little to no waiting to get drinks and food. And unlike other Mexican resorts I've been too, this one I would like to visit again. The only downfall is the dolphinarium which is definitely unnecessary, sad and a black mark against an otherwise beautiful resort.

Palma Real: Amazing resort!!

It was my first time in Cuba and all I've gotta say is that it was legendary. Resort was really amazing, it had 24/7 snack bar (closes when lunch or dinner buffet is open) more than 5 bars (including 1 on beach). Palma Real also had different kind of shows arranged every night such as Cuban Show, romantic show, Aqua Ballet and more and Most importantly 'Havana Club', opens every night 2300-0300. I found it better than the local clubs as La Comprasita and La Mamba. I'd say rooms were about averag [... read more]e. Our TV did not worked but i wasn't there for TV lol so that didn't matter to me at all. Overall, if i'd ever get a chance to visit Varadero again, i'll be staying in this resort.

Allegro Cozumel: Great Resort

The food was good. There were a lot of nice activities onsite, like beach volleyball, aquagym, soccer, yoga. There was included snorkling equipment for one hour. There were a lot long chairs on the beach. The staff was nice.

Barcelo Maya Caribe: Beautiful resort!

This was my second time staying at the Barcelo Maya Caribe in Riviera Maya. The grounds and common areas of this resort are beautiful and well maintained. The beach is very nice and if any sargassum appears, they work hard to keep it cleared up. I loved that there were so many palm trees on the beach instead of man made palapas. The pools are a few steps from the beach. I never had a difficult time to get a lounger at either the beach or pool all week. There are many parts I keep disc [... read more]overing here. Mini golf, haunted house, bowling, wave runner, water parks...the list goes on. They are building a zipline course at the outter edge of the resort. The resort is quite large, but always walkable. They do have a bus to take you between the sections, but it really isn't necessary if you are able bodied. We ate at 4 of the ala cartes that we booked from our allowed ones, and paid to eat at the Brazilian restaurant (Braza). It was good, but I don't think it was any better than the restaurants we ate at for free. Enjoyed the swim up bar at the Caribe section, although we mainly were at the beach. Loved the bartenders in the Maya Mall bar. Jaguar disco was fairly busy a few of our nights, but a bit too much techno being played. Lovely sized disco with go-go dancers up high. The only downsides to this resort would be that they don't include unlimited wifi for a 5 star resort, and just find little places to skim a little off the top. They try to make you use a credit card for everything extra instead of being able to use cash, so if you use cash, expect it to take a long time to pay for things. The staff work very hard and are all very friendly. I highly recommend this resort for families or for a couple looking for a quieter stay. I would suggest it isn't ideal for singles as there really isn't a lot of night life. Overall a very good stay at a top quality hotel.

Palma Real: Solid place to stay!

We went on our trip Jan. 2019, we had low expectations, just from reading other reviews, but we got a good deal so took the chance! I loved the location, we could easily walk downtown etc. The beach access was awesome, with the bathroom/ bar/ snack shack right there. I’ve never seen beaches that beautiful before, they were well taken care of too. There was always someone picking up trash/ cleaning and there was always a life guard or security guard at night. The bars: always friendly ser [... read more]vice, I don’t drink a lot so had to request some “lighter” drinks. Only downside was they never had all the stuff to make the drinks they had on the drink list. Restaurants/ food: I am a super picky eater and I never went hungry. They had amazing fresh buns at every meal. We went with very low expectations of the food. We did take our own salt and pepper and I seen another couple with hot sauce they brought! Easy things that made it more enjoyable! Only downside was if you ordered a snack at night or the beach you would often get “ sorry we are out of that”... we also ate off resort a bit and really enjoyed everything we had! Hotel/ rooms: it is definitely dated, the elevator didn’t work ( I knew this before booking and we were on the third floor so it was fine). The room was fine, nothing amazing but we only slept there so we didn’t really care. The door locked and we didn’t have anything go missing or any problems. Only downside was sometime they would take the dirty towels and now leave clean ones, so we just used our “pool” towels, really no biggie! Staff: I took a huge suitcase of gifts, and handed them out to everyone from the front desk ladies, servers, room keepers and bar tenders. They have a hard time buying “stuff” so this is often more appreciated then money. We got amazing service our hole stay. I believe in tipping with some cash too and I have found this ensures awesome service. Pools: the water was super cold and we spend more time in the ocean. Entertainment: we enjoyed shows most nights, something to do! We also took cards and dice and spent time in the lobby in the evening drinking and playing games. Safety: I love Cuba, this was our first time and I felt so safe the entire time. We are bringing our kids back next year! ( we have been to Mexico a few times and Jamaica, and I wouldn’t feel comfortable taking my small children to those places if we planned on leaving the resort) we like to go explore and I felt so safe doing that in Cuba, we would wondering around the beach and downtown, all the locals were friendly and I felt 100% safe. At the hotel there was security at the beach at night, always someone at the front doors and again I felt 100% safe our entire stay. We plan to come back at stay at this resort next winter and bring our kids! We are already counting down the days!

Barcelo Maya Colonial: Great week spent with family

This is a very nice resort. Very quiet and relaxing. We attended a wedding and it was beautiful. I would definately go back. I wasn’t a fan of the beach. But we fixed that by staying by the pool. One thing to keep an eye out on. Make sure you don’t book while Crash my Playa is on. It’s a huge party/concert. It’s just drunk people everywhere with nowhere to even sit. I’m happy this was only on the first day of our trip.

Barcelo Solymar: Rooms need updates

We had 2 phones in our room- neither one worked. We had maintenance in our room 3 days in a row to fix the toilet as it would not flush. The patio door on to the balcony was so hard to close you had to push with both hands

Occidental Papagayo: Disappointing resort

This was the most expensive all-inclusive I have been to and for the money we paid, it was a great disappointment. By no means is this a 4 or 5 star hotel, more like a 3 if I'm generous. The hotel has reduced its service to the bare minimum. I would say the cost should have been $1500-$1600 not $2200!!!! King bed in the room when 2 beds were requested. The manager response was they only advertise king but this is not true, their site lists king or 2 double beds. Another excuse was that there's [... read more] only a few and it's on availability when you CHECK IN, not when you book your vacation (no sense). A small single was shoved beside the king as an alternative. Very small buffet which is OK if it's good food, but it was not. The food was bland, cold and generally the same thing every day. Usually there were only 3 fruits, 3 desserts per day. Ice cream was set out in bowls and if they ran out, too bad for you. A la cartes were hard to book and we only rec'd late bookings. Of course we arrived to empty restaurants so why did we have to take late bookings? They've cut back on staff - only one drink server at the main pool, and sometimes only 1 or 2 in the restaurant. Hard to get mimosas (a staple at breakfast usually) and even asking for champagne at dinner was a no no - they would charge for it even though you could walk through the lobby and get it at the bar. The entertainment team (which finally showed up on Thursday) played some games but other than that, not very enthusiastic. The rooms need TLC; they had running toilets, faucets ready to break off, no water pressure in shower, key cards constantly not working. I will not return to this hotel nor recommend it to anyone.

Barcelo Solymar: needs upgrades

Grounds were well looked after. Buffet waitress and cooks were great Food good But the resort needs alot of general maintainance.But for $1055 i guess it was worth the money.I would say it should be a 3 star.

Occidental Papagayo: Lovely weather, not a hotel for group getaway

The views at this resort are one of the best selling points along with the majority of staff. The weather also helps This resort would not be a great location as group getaways due to the fact that there are only 10 rooms in the resort have 2 beds, despite there indication of deluxe bay view having 2 beds or king. This would be designated a couples resort not adults only. The rooms need some updating. Wifi intermittent and most of time not functioning in the rooms, malfunctioning room key cards [... read more]. The food at the buffet was mediocre and service at the beginning of the vacation was pretty sparse. Difficult to get into the a la carte restaurants with line ups every day. Of all my vacations with my girlfriends, this was my most disappointing.

Barcelo Puerto Vallarta: Not great!

It's a small resort in middle of nowhere. it's 40 minute cab ride of downtown Puerta Vallarta. the rooms need some upgrading and there's always repairs going on. The buffet is limited and lacking in the variety of food. I am a beach person but spent the whole week by the pool. the beach is not great for swimming or laying in the sun. the loungers are in the shade for most the day and the waters are rough for swimming. Housekeeping lacked since everyday I had to go hunting for wash cloths, [... read more] face towels and a bath mat. even after leaving a generous tip the service did not improve. this was my first time to this resort and would not go back. overpaid for the service received.

Barcelo Puerto Vallarta: Not what I expected

The hotel was nice, considering an older building. Clean rooms. Had issues getting linen had to ask for it everyday. We had a note on our bed 3rd day in to use our towels more than once and shut of all electricity when leaving room to save on hydro..eg A-C and fans. Also only changed sheets every other day if asked if not they would change them on 3rd day. Problems with wi-fi all week and we paid for it. Food was ok.The beach area was terrible, very small and a lot of small boats sitting there, [... read more] waiting to take you out to see the whales, and snorkeling. The under toe was some what bad and everyday. Entertain was good a show every night...but no disco's. When we went it was last minute received a little break on the amount..but not worth the $$$$. Won't go back to that resort.

Palma Real: Great resort

The hotel grounds, public areas. As well as the pools were great. I still can't believe how good the food was. Fish, chicken, shrimp, and the snack bar even had fries. The hotel staff was very friendly. Hotel has a great location as it is right downtown. However watch out for people who aren't very social. That could seriously effect how much fun you have. But that isn't the fault of the hotel. It is just the luck of the draw, when considering who stays at the hotel the same time you do.

Barcelo Bavaro Beach: Beautiful resort

Everything was clean, efficient, and very friendly. The food was very good. The beach was excellent. The grounds were landscaped perfectly. The shuttle service to the Bavaro Palace was always available which was especially nice for seniors. The pool, buffet, and bar were centrally located around the rooms so there was not much walking.

Allegro Cozumel: Nice resort except for the rooms

The rooms at this resort are terrible. They're small, dated, not the cleanest, and our upper-floor room had a leaky roof (so did our friends'). Staff aren't quick to repair the roof, they just ask whether it's leaking on the bed (if not I guess it's not a priority), and tell you to move all electronics away from the leak. Beyond that, they attend to it when they see fit. There was a distinct smell of raw sewage in our bathroom all week. You either get a king-size bed or two double beds, and it b [... read more]ecomes very difficult to switch if you don't like what you initially get. The walls are paper thin. You can hear your neighbours conversing at normal volume even with your door and windows closed. In the evenings, the show/entertainment can be heard from almost every spot on the resort, so bring earplugs if you're a light sleeper. If the quality of the room makes or breaks your vacation, do not stay here. Nice beach and pool areas, very clean, easy to get a chair in the morning, bars and washrooms are well-located. Service is good (except for front desk). The food is great, lots of variety and good quality. I have several food-related sensitivities and I had no problem finding adequate meal items. The meal times are great - they don't hem you into a two-hour lunch window, etc. Drinks are served in reusable (not disposable) plastic cups, and there are no straws. So if this type of thing bothers you, bring your own. There's no lobby bar which is a bit odd. This resort is geared towards families with small children- there is a pool dedicated exclusively to kids (play structures, water slides, etc). It looks like a great place to bring kids. The resort is small and easy to navigate.

Barcelo Huatulco: Nice resort

Enjoyed this resort..very clean and friendly. Comfortable beds, food is good. Long lineups to book a la carte. Had the Italian a la carte, it was terrible..was fried mozzarella with tomato sauce, chicken parmesan and dessert..the fried mozzarella was cold and sits on tomato slices (no sauce), the chicken was so tough you couldn't cut it and the dessert was so hard it was like a rock. The food on the buffets is good, lots of variety. The beach is ok..the sand is hard to walk in. The pool is n [... read more]ice, not too crowded. If you want a lounge chair you have to get up real early to put your towels out to save your chair. This resort is fairly quiet..had a good time.

Barcelo Huatulco: Good Resort

The grounds are very well maintained. The beach was good but hard to walk due to the slope and sand you sink in pretty much up to your ankles. Staff are very good and very clean rooms. Downsides were you need to get up at 5:30 a.m. to put your towel out on a chair or you are not getting a spot. Also, line ups to book an a la carte restaurant are ridiculously long.

Barcelo Bavaro Beach: Third Time's the Charm!

This is the third time for us at this venue. We stayed twice before (2001 and 2003) and were surprised at the many upgrades since those long ago vacations. The grounds were groomed to the nth degree; the guest rooms are roomy and clean; maid service was excellent, and while we normally prefer not to dine at buffets, this one was a surprise because the menu selections were plenty, varied, and interesting, so we found ourselves drawn to the Carib buffet. We dined at two of the reservations-only [... read more] restaurants, especially enjoyed the Chez Gourmet. However, the servers were so accommodating and polite in the Carib that we found ourselves drawn to it. Unfortunately, for some reason, we could never find "snacking" venues at the resort to tide us over between scheduled dining times, and for later in the evenings--we prefer to dine lighter and more often rather than three large meals. Clean large beach towels were always available, pool areas were spotless and pools were temperate and pristine. We particularly enjoyed seeing a beautiful peacock strutting about here and there with his more drab harem of peahens following. All in all, a wonderful venue. My husband enjoyed it as much as I did.

Barcelo Bavaro Beach: Very impressed with this resort

The grounds were very clean, the people were very helpful. The food was very good. the weather was fantastic. I loved that we could visit the Palace. Lots of variety in the drinks at the bar. Loved that bottled water was available at any bar and you did not have to stand in line for it.Would go back to this resort

Occidental Punta Cana: Amazing resort

Staff is friendly rooms are great common areas are breathtaking food is good swimming pool is nice I say overall it was a nice experience there Santos at the pool bar was amazing back yard of the ground floor room is amazing thanks everyone .