Ocean Maya Royale: Very acceptable, clean resort.

We stayed at the Ocean Maya Royale for a week in February 2017, to celebrate my 50th birthday. It was a very pleasant week, with only a few minor issues. Our overall summary would be this: it was very acceptable and one of the more affordable adults-only resorts in the Mayan Riviera, but nothing special enough to make us want to return for another visit, when there are so many other all-inclusive resorts to investigate. The GOOD: this resort is very clean, and the grounds are well-maintained [... read more], and quite beautiful. We enjoyed seeing lots of animals and birds: coatis, deer, and iguanas mainly. They are not a problem (just please do not feed them) We found the FOOD in the restaurants very acceptable. Nice serving sizes that look too small for North Americans, but actually do fill you up. Picky eaters will always be picky eaters. We tried all of the restos, and thought they were mostly very good. The buffet was available for all 3 meals, and had an impressive assortment of foods. The 4 a la carte restos were all very acceptable. The teppanyaki show at Yookoso was very entertaining, and there was lots of food, although it was all seasoned the same way, so it was a little repetitive. We thought the Mexican “El Charro” was very good, and the Italian “La Dolce Vita” too. Probably because this resort is only about 10 years old, the climate control works very well. It was a treat to find that the air conditioning inside the buildings wasn’t set so low that you were freezing cold. It was just comfortable, and a nice break from the outside heat/humidity. The Mexican and Italian restos are al fresco, so no air conditioning at all… but good breezes off the water! Another nice surprise was that clothes and towels in your room would actually be mostly dry by morning! The entertainment was enjoyable, and some of the shows were surprisingly good. Remember that this is not Vegas… these are young, local dancers and performers who work hard to put on entertaining shows. The resort staff were generally very friendly, helpful, and hard working. Lots of activities around the party pool area if you wish. Unfortunately, guests do go down to the pools/beach to reserve most of the chairs early in the morning, but we were usually able to find a little space to sit after breakfast. IMPORTANT TO NOTE: We booked through Sunquest, and the airport rep gave us a package with our local Sunquest agent’s name and the time we should meet with her to arrange return shuttle to the airport, and it had some coupons for booking daytrips, etc. The airport rep warned us that the resort staff might ask for that package then just try to get you to book extra things through them! When the resort “concierge” checks you in, they will tell you that you must book a private “breakfast orientation” for the next morning to learn about the resort. Be wary of this “orientation”. You might get some resort information, but it is actually a time share talk, and they are very high-pressure. We declined the breakfast meeting, and she kept pushing, but we wouldn’t budge. After that, this concierge was suddenly much less friendly, and although she had earlier promised that they would do something special for my birthday, nothing happened on the day! Very petty. Hubby did ask at the front desk, and they did a little something the next day, so that kind of made up for it. So the moral is: if you want anything special, don’t assume that it will happen with one request…. Follow up a couple of times! This is a fairly small property, only 320 rooms, and there are no shuttles/carts to drive you around. Thank goodness we brought a rented wheelchair from home for my husband who walks with a cane due to M.S. There were several other guests with wheelchairs too. Because of the chair, we were given a bigger room, which was very helpful. The staff were generally very kind and helpful in assisting us. But be warned, there is no elevator to get to the main lobby building where the buffet and 2 of the a la carte restos are located!! There are ramps everywhere, but the main one up to the lobby level is fairly steep. There is a good handrail with the stairs, so hubby was able to work his way up the stairs, while I rolled the empty chair up the ramps… I definitely would have worked up a sweat pushing it up with him in it!! Oddly, the party pool and the quiet pool are right next to each other, and right at the beach. So if you are looking for absolute peace and quiet on the beach or at the pool, you won’t find it, but it is somewhat quieter at the far end of the pool/beach. If you enjoy a nice beach and swimming in the ocean, this resort might not be for you. As you can see in the pictures, there is a boardwalk along most of the beach, with just a small area off to the side with direct sandy access to the water. That area is quite crowded with beach chairs, and only a few umbrellas, but the water looks nice (although some people do complain about seaweed… this IS the ocean, folks). The “beach” area enclosed by the boardwalk is really weird… it feels like a huge concrete slab with about 4 inches of fine sand on top. Very firm. In summary: this is a very acceptable resort, especially if you are easy-going, just want to relax, have some fun, and enjoy different kinds of foods. (i.e.: not a picky eater). We probably won’t return, but we would be ok with recommending it to friends who were looking for a somewhat budget-conscious holiday and who aren’t too uptight!

Hotel Roc Casa del Mar: Amazing holidays

Hotel is very nice, modern, very clean. Grounds are nice and clean, gardners working very hard to maintain developing vegetation. In a few years landscaping will be in full bloom since this hotel is very new. Service is very good, people try very hard to please. Rooms specious and very clean, very modern. Our housekeeper outstanding. Beach is beautiful, enjoyed the fact that the water is not too deep, simply beautiful. Enjoyed swimming as well as walking on the beach. Swimming po [... read more]ols super, enjoyed drinks at the swim up bar. Food was good and selection good for Cuba.

Valentin El Patriarca Varadero: Great Vacation

We had an excellent time at the Ocean Varadero El Patriarca last week. The room was very comfortable and everything worked well. Everyone we met at the restaurants, bars, front desk, housekeeping and entertainment were so friendly and very efficient as well. The selection of food was quite good too at the buffet. The a la carte restaurants were very easy to be seated at since it's first come, first served with no annoying reservation system to have to line up for. The hotel grounds are kept [... read more] very clean as well. The beach is beautiful with plenty of lounge chairs. Same with the pool area. The pool is very shallow for the most part just below chest deep in the main pool. We visited Havana on the Air Canada tour for a day since Varadero is not as far as some of the other resort locations in Cuba. We were really glad we did. It was a fun day for us.

Ocean Coral Riviera Cancun: Best Resort We've been to so far!!!!!

We loved this place!!!. We just came back from a week in February 2017. The lobby was impressive and it only got better from there. We were in building 5 on the 2nd floor. very private balcony looking into thick palms facing the ocean but no sightline of the water (we didn't mind and enjoyed the privacy without having to close our curtains all the time) 4 pools allowed us to pick what mood we were in each day. The swim up bar pool was a bit too much of a party pool for us so we stuck to t [... read more]he activity pool and quiet pool most days. We were looking for good beach volleyball and although the resort had a court, they kept taking the net down for special dinners that were set up on the beach and then would take a day to get it back up. They also didn't have lines for the court. (walking along the beach to the south all the other resorts had proper nets and lines) The a la carte restaurants were fantastic!!! we loved not having to make a reservation however be warned that if you aren't dressed and waiting in line at 6pm then you will most likely be getting a 'buzzer' and called back later. We arrived around 7:30-8pm most nights and would have about an hour wait till we could be seated. After figuring this out on the first night we took advantage of the great singer/piano duo that played in the lobby while we waited. Servers were always coming around to top up drinks also. Our favorite restaurant was BY FAR the Crepery!!!!!! We went there for 2nd lunch each day and 1 personally ordered 2 Nutella crepes with whipped cream and strawberries every time. A highlight for sure. The breakfast buffet was wonderful with omelette bars and fresh juice bar, and loads of fruit and pastries each morning. we also were offered Mimosa's and Bailey's in our coffee. (nice treat as Bailey's is an extra charge or for privileged guests otherwise) The rooms were very nice and modern. Huge shower with separate water closet and soaker tub. We initially wondered if these were nicer due to being in the "privileged" area of the resort around the quiet pool, however after glancing through a few windows we saw the same interior around the entire property. The staff was great and we were very pleased with how well most spoke English. The evening entertainment was very well done. They had it set up outside and used the stairs and balcony of the lobby veranda as part of the set. The ones we saw: Grease, Lion King, and International were impressive with costumes, and great choreography. A few things that weren't our favorite: saving chairs around the pools and on the beach was ridiculous. My husband was up one morning and down at 7 am and every single beach chair was saved as well as almost all the pool chairs except around the quiet pool. (we were looking for 4 together) The beach wasn't awesome due to seaweed washing up (I know this is completely out of their control and seasonal) The water seemed to be really dirty with garbage washing in and seaweed growing in the shallow waters made for an unenjoyable time wading in. All in all it was our favorite resort so far and we would definitely go back.

Valentin El Patriarca Varadero: Amazing resort

My wife and i just spend a week at el Patriarca in Varadero. We had a very nice week. The staff was awesome and made us very comfortable. The food was great and lots of selection. Walking arounds the grounds is like walking in a park all day long. We would stay at el Patriarca again without question.

Ocean Riviera Paradise: We'd go back in a heartbeat!!!

Just returned from a one week stay at the ORP in an Eden room. I was a bit apprehensive over the bad reviews I read before I left. As expected for being open 2 months there are still kinks that need to be worked out but overall, I had an AMAZING time. The OR promises a 5 star experience and I can honestly say that I enjoyed one. Being brand new the resort, facilities, rooms, beach, pools and grounds are beautiful and pristine. The staff is incredibly attentive and service is stellar. Check  [... read more]in was seamless taking 15 minutes. We received a delicious welcome drink, and we were drive to our room 5 mins later. . A very nice woman named Marta was introduced to us as our host. She provided maps to the grounds and the area, provided coupons for tours and tried to get us to attend a welcome (sales) breakfast the following day. We declined and were never approached by her, or other 'salespeople" again. The room was impeccably staged and prepared for our stay. The mini-fridge was well stocked and remained so all week. Housekeeping was fantastic. We spent most of our time at the Eden pool. Delicious drinks, daily bingo, dance classes, aqua fitness, crazy games: heaven! We strolled to the El Beso pool for the Tuesday foam pool party and were not disappointed! What a blast! We feasted at most of the restaurants and enjoyed not having to line up to make reservations. The Japanese and Italian restaurants were top-notch, with the Mexican and Romantic in second place. The breakfast buffet was fresh, plentiful, and served up with Mimosas: who could ask for anything more? We enjoyed daily lunches at the beach grill, followed by a quick dip in the beach pool. Sadly, we did not swim in the ocean as it was terribly choppy and much too rocky to enjoy. We did however indulge in sinfully amazing beach massages, and woke up early to witness a beautiful sunrise by the beach. Although all pool bars close at 5:00 p.m., the lobby bar remains open (for what seems like 24/7!) and sets the stage well for the nightly entertainment. We watched 2 evening shows in the theatre, caught a live fire show outside, and enjoyed browsing through the goods that local vendors set up one evening. The bowling lanes are a very popular spot and so we only managed to enjoy bevvies there, and no actual bowling. Was great fun to watch and is a hit with all guests. Overall, I would highly recommend the ORP for all groups (families, couples, singles). Note that it is a very large resort, with golf carts and busses only travelling through unpredictably so some with mobility issues and young children could find it challenging to make it from one end to the other. If you are looking for a clean, modern, ultra-chic resort that is a quick taxi ride away from the action in Playa Del Carmen, look no further. This is the spot for you!

Ocean Coral Riviera Cancun: A great vacation at a world class resort

Everything about this resort was wonderful. The food especially the Japanese and Italian restaurants were exceptional, the service in the hotel, in the bars and in the restaurants was great and the location was to die for. The pools were clean and very accessible.

Ocean Blue and Sand: Nice Resort

This is a large resort with two nice pools. The staff at the bars are very friendly. The beach at the resort is an eye sore but just walk further down the beach for a better view. The food was not very good nor was the service at the restaurants so we would not return as a result

Valentin El Patriarca Varadero: Amazing Resort

A five star resort We upgraded to privlage and were very happy we did. The rooms were very clean and up to date, the grounds were in beutiful condition. A 30 second walk and we were at the beach. The resort staff were very helpful and quick to serve you. Our private pool and pool bar were awesome. I would recommend a ground floor room facing the pool. It was our 30th year anniversary and could not have enjoyed it any better than this!! Our travel agent Lisa could not have done any better to mak [... read more]e this a memorable and enjoyable vacation for us. Thanks, Anna and Greg ☀️☀️✈️✈️

Playa Vista Azul: Ok

Cet hôtel est ok ,pour cuba c est bien,lobby pas tres confortable ,tres cher pour upgrader une chambre.les chambres sont très propres et le personnel gentil.ont a demander trois fois pour réparer la serrure de notre porte patio au premier étage et personne n est venu La réparer alors ont à dormi avec la porte qui ne se verrouillait pas tout le long de nos vacances.la nourriture est ok mais froide.la plus grande plage est bien avec un bon service.les tours sont bien organiser avec des auto [... read more]bus confortable.pour ce qui est de conseiller cet hôtel ,je dirais aux gens de bien regarder qualité prix avec autres destination.

Ocean Coral Riviera Cancun: good time good food

Resort was great. Food was awesome. Staff and locals were real nice. Housekeeping was ok. Buying from vendors was expensive no great deals. For Canadians better to use peso bring a calculator. I would go again for sure!

Ocean Coral Riviera Cancun: Not impressed

We were very disappointed in our stay at the Oceans. Had food poisoning and was sick for 3 days very bad. Have come to Mexico 7 times in the last 10 yrs. never had food poisoning before,but talked to others the next day they also had it from the exact food that I ate. Also there were bed bugs also seen a cockroach. Elevator was broken and my 78 yr. old husband had to climb up to the 3rd floor where are rooms was,although he is in good shape it became too much for both of us. We will not return t [... read more]o this hotel again. The very best thing about the Oceans was Carlos the bartender at the pool bar he was a great guy. Very friendly and always a smile on his face we looked forward to seeing him everyday.

Hotel Roc Casa del Mar: Amazing Resort...Friendlly staff!!

This resort was clean, inviting and filled with fantastic friendly staff. Anything we asked for we were given. We would definitely recommend this resort and would visit again. The resort is new so it will take sometime for them to receive feedback and fix a few things here and there but overall we were more then pleased.

Ocean Coral Riviera Cancun: Great resort

Rooms / food/ beaches were nice. Staff is very friendly and accommodating. The seaweed on the beach is a daily task but the staff do there best to clean / mulch it. We were told that you wouldn't have to struggle in finding a beach chair but we found out that as with most resorts, you have to be up early to put your towel down in order to get a decent chair. Certainly didn't ruin the trip though. Would definitely go back to this resort.

Hotel Roc Casa del Mar: Beautiful resort!

The food/dining experience was terrible. Very disappointed in the a la carte restaurants. The pool area was beautiful. The beach was very narrow. The staff was friendly. The drive to the resort was long.

Hotel Roc Casa del Mar: Very friendly staff

The resort was beautiful, entertainment was excellent, but the food was inadequate. I would have at least expected the food at the a la carte restaurants to be superior to the buffet, but the meals were served cold and of poor quality. Most of all, the staff were extremely accommodating and friendly.

Hotel Roc Casa del Mar: Clean, New and an amazing beach

Ocean Casa del Mar is a very new hotel so everyting was nice a clean, the sevice was outstanding, and the beaches were breath taking. The clear aqua blue waters are fantastic if you enjoy snorkeling, kayaking or are just a nature lover.

Ocean Coral Riviera Cancun: Amazing resort .

We had a Excellent holiday. Sun everyday ..The service was amazing, staff always friendly. Rooms were good size, very clean . Resort was well maintained . Many pools to choose from , something for everybody . Restaurant were all good and Buffet had variety. Couldn't make reservation for dinners but we never had to wait or if we did wasn't long . Resort was very busy and chairs at the pools went early but we were early riser so wasn't an issue for us. I will for sure return to this resort and w [... read more]ould recommend .

Valentin El Patriarca Varadero: Enjoyable stay, would go back

Beach: Very nice. Clean. Had lots of activities like volleyball, kayaks, catamarans (with instructor), dancing and yoga but the activities were not overwhelming which was nice. It was very easy to simply relax if you didn't want to participate in activities. Easy access to the beach bar made getting drinks easy. Main facilities: Main buildings were new and more modern. Areas were clean and welcoming. Public washrooms were in good state of repair and reasonably clean unlike some of the storie [... read more]s we heard from travellers at other resorts. Rooms: Rooms were modern and clean. Maid was very polite and cleaned room nicely. Pillows and bed could use improvement as we often woke up sore. Bathroom was good with both tup (with detachable shower head) as well as separate stall shower. Stall shower design was poor (glass door was installed on center of shower lip and as a result all the water dripping down the glass pane seemed to run out of the sower instead on into it and we needed to use our extra towels to sop up the water on the floor. We ended up using a hand towel and jamming it between the door and the stall wall to hold the glass door in a position inside of the shower so water dripped into shower instead - this solved our problem with all the puddles on the bathroom floor for the remainder of our trip. We really liked that the resort was not like a hotel. Rooms were in little blocks of 12 in each building. Everyone had their own patio or balcony. It was nice to walk out of your room and already be on the resort. No elevators or hallways. We were in Block 11 which is close to the main Lobby. At first we weren't sure we would like that but it was really nice to be close to the main restaurants and lobby for dinner. We always packed our beach bag and spent the day at the beach or pool so you only did the walk (5 mins) once or twice throughout the day. By the end we felt this was better than being close to the beach and having to walk further for dinner and evening entertainment. Food: Food was okay. This was our first time in Cuba and we were warned that Cuba isn't known for food and that is definitely true. We have been on several cruises and even the cheaper cruise lines (carnival) have AMAZING food/choice compared to this resort. That said neither of us got sick and enjoyed our meals throughout the week, you just can't have extremely high expectations but nothing wrong with any of it. A la carte restaurants and beach restaurant: Meals were inconsistent. Sometimes meat was way to over done or under done and other times done to perfection (same meal, same restaurant, different day). Sometimes tender other times lots of fat. Chicken Wing at the beach restaurant is by far the best lunch and always done properly. Buffet: For breakfast and Lunch buffet is good. Similar choices for lunch and dinner so we always chose to go to the a la carte restaurants for dinner. Would have liked to have more fruit (that was ripe) - watermelon, pineapple, etc were not great. Juices were good. Omelette bar for breakfast was good and filling. Pasta bar and meat/grill station at lunch and dinner were good. Sightseeing: Enjoyed the included half day Matanzas and Bellmar cave tour that came with our stay. We also went snorkelling off the beach with a guide (as part of the resort) to a section of coral about 10 min sail away for 20 Pesos on afternoon. This was great, lots of fish to see. We also did a group tour to Havana which was great! The only downside to the tours is the tour picks people up from many resorts on Varadero Peninsula (and same for drop off) so this resort being closer to the tip of the peninsula you end up spending an extra 45 mins or so on the bus simply picking people up before you really get on your way to your destination. Guides were very nice and accommodating. Hidden Gem: the Piano bar (off the main lobby) has great entertainment (as an alternate to the evening shows in the theatre, or attend both)

Ocean Coral Riviera Cancun: Awesome Resort

We loved everything about this resort. You had so many choices of amazing restaurants, the rooms were clean and large. The staff was friendly and very helpful. The beach was breathtaking and pools were kept clean and inviting. We would definitely go back again, and highly recommend it.