5th time back for 1 month stay

This is our 5th time back to the resort. We stayed a full month, which in the end was not long enough, for us! This resort has many returning guests some up to 20 years and many that stay 2-3 months. A sign of a consistent, valued resort by many of us. I have written several in-depth reviews of this resort, which are posted on trip advisor, so I will just highlight some of changes and give a quick overview. Everyone’s expectations can be very different and so in order for you to be a [... read more]ble to read our review you can understand what we look for in our vacations. We look for a nice beach, mature adults not a lot of party people, friendly atmosphere, clean hotel, controlled smoking areas. A variety of food selections, and various extra items such as bikes, boogie boards etc. As well as quick access to the countries culture. The town is within walking distance of the hotel, lots to discover and great options on restaurants. It is our understanding the hotel is under new management and it was very apparent that the staff were on edge through this trip. We were happy to find many of our favorite staff members, still remained at the resort even with the new ownership, we even met a few outstanding new ones who have joined the Decameron team. We still received the same amazing and friendly service as we have come to expect from this resort, although many of the staff seem to have limited English skills. Give them time and in a year they should be up to speed. In the meantime It was very challenging to order your eggs how you want them cooked as this staff member english understanding was very limited. She really tried. However, often we had to get someone to translate or simple hand gestures worked at times. We mainly ate in the small restaurant by building 5, except at dinner time. The grounds are kept in tip top shape; you can see the gardeners working hard every day to keep it looking amazing. No hummingbirds this year which was a bit of disappointment. The hotel has several zones set up, the quiet adult pool area, which is very quiet, no kids and no loud music. The rest of the pools can be more active. They do monitor it to ensure the kids and loud music is kept in control. They have some work to do on the smoking rules. It was not uncommon to see people smoking right under the no smoking signs. It was kind of disappointing as many of them were fellow Canadians, who should be accustomed to limited smoking areas. The day to day staff do not enforce the rules and you do have to ask management to do something about it. It was very frustrating through the vacation, especially when trying to eat our meals, enjoy beach or pool time. They put out ashtray around the pools which suggests that smoking is open to the pool area. They need to designate a smoking pool area in the adult zone as we found we had to move often. The same on the beach, as well with folks simply dropping their butts on the beach where can be washed into the water. The food was acceptable but they do have some work to do on it. A bit different this year with the management changes. Most of the meats were in a lot of sauces. There is always options and variety. Plenty of fresh fruit and veggies. Each night they have a different theme in each of the large buffets. Last year they offered more carved meats this year we could only find that option at dinner in Flamingos. They do offer A La Cart meals which are worth going to. The Italian is the most popular. Many people line up very early in the am to book these. By early around 6 AM. You can only book for two nights and can only book for parties up to six unless you bring another person with you. The bookings start at 730 and they do get you through the line fairly fast. Also you have four choices in dinner sittings. Wifi is not available throughout the resort. It can be slow depending on how many folks are using it. There are two spots, however the one by the main check in desk seems to be very buggy this year and you could not stay connected. They have upgraded their TV channels, however not many Canadian channels which is a big disappointment, given that the resort is primarily Canadians and Mexican folks. We were there during the grey cup and it would have been nice to watch in the sport bar on the resort. We did go across to the local sport bar and had great food drink and an enthusiastic crowd. Great fun! Hubby went back often to watch the hockey games. The beach is wonderful for those that like to walk, you can walk for miles and miles, keeping in mind at that time of year it has a bit of slant. The waves were higher than normal this year, so many folks really enjoyed boggie boarding! You can get them for free at the sport shack, they also offer Kayaks and you can sign up for a fun short sail. The beds are very hard! We did request a fridge for medications but was never fulfilled. We had to continue to get an ice bucket to keep things cool. This year they did not clean up the beach as well as they have done in the past, not sure why this is the case, this could be improved. Keep in mind that the beach loungers are plastic and after a time can get uncomfortable, many of us simple bring or purchase a blow up lounger which work great! Often people leave them behind for the next person to enjoy. You can get your blow up filled in the small store or at the bike rental. For a small fee, sorry not sure what it is. They have also changed to small water bottles in the rooms rather than the large once, being focused on the environment seems like another poor contribution. It is best to bring your own drinking glass, especially if you wish to have a straw as they do not have any straws in the resort. Which is great! This year they moved from plastic disposable glasses to washable ones. Lots of folks ended up with stomach issues, including our group, we are speculating that is due to them not washing them well enough. After the second week the cups disappeared and the disposable ones were brought back. Given so many folks were sick this year, far more than in our previous visits. I think they could perhaps add some hand sanitizers, or even better bring your own. Several people in our group got sick and had to visit the resort doctor. They loved her and she really took great care of them. This is also a fee service. Given we were there for a month, I wanted to go the gym every day to bike. The bikes were broken and in very poor condition. I would have used other equipment but I have mobility issues and that is the only piece of equipment I can use! I am hopeful they will address this for next year. Sometimes we booked dinner late (8:30) and we did find that we need a snack late afternoon, unfortunately none of the bars offer any snacks. I think offering some tortillas and salsa might be a great upgrade. The safe in the room is recommended, you need to know it is an extra daily charge. It is important to also budget tipping. The staff work hard for very little pay and the tipping helps them out a lot. It does go into a pot for them to share among each of their teams. If you plan for it you won’t get tip fatigued. Canadians do not leave loonies or toonies, they are useless to them. Peso is best but dollars also work. US or Cdn. We did find a lot more grumpy people this year as well as some new cultural folks that were not that friendly. So it did change the atmosphere somewhat. We heard Air Transat has added new routes which may reflect the differences. We booked our trip with Trip Central, with Air Transat, we will be back again next year. Jenn Black our travel agent was outstanding, as she is every year.

Had a great time!

Lots of restaurants to choose from and very good food! Staff incredibly friendly and rooms sparkle clean. Very satisfied overall for pretty much everything. Would recommend this hotel to anyone. The only drawback is how farsi the hotel from downtown but not much we can do ha ha. Happy New Year!

Pleasant Staff

Nice resort with great beach access. Variety of food was decent except that the tastes were often bland. Fruit was fresh and plentiful. Deserts were well crafted but again lacking in distinct taste. Staff were friendly, grounds well maintained. Maids were accommodating and rooms were well cleaned. Not enough time was taken during check-in to explain services and entertainment. Too few options for those with food allergies and not enough food services staff were were trained to assist with aller [... read more]gy alternatives. Not recommended for celiac guests.

One of the best resorts

I have gone to this resort 7 times and would return Other than a request for the third floor all our expectations were met and that was dealt with immediately This resort is large and kept clean and everyone including the grounds keepers are friendly and helpful Mats of choices for food

Nice Resort

Visited for the first time after being away for 5 years, previously been here 4 times. Food - ranges from bad to really good and it depends on what night and what location you eat at. Find the La carte restaurants better than buffets. The Buffet by section 1 really bad. Loved the Italian and Japanese restaurants, Brazilian good too, but if you say no they only come around once for each type of meat. Do not have pizza, it is awful, not cooked and plain. We even asked for it to remain in th [... read more]e oven for a few more minutes but they would not do it. Reservation system for dinner in the carte restaurants really sucks. I am on vacation, I don't want to get up at 7! All the pools are good, we mostly stayed at the adult only one but did visit the others. Hate how people reserve loungers early in the morning then don't show up to use they until 2 or 3 in the afternoon. Beach - nice, lots of room, ocean can be a little rough. The waiters in the restaurants and bars are extremely courteous, and pleasant, really want you to come back to their sections. Wifi is only in the lobby areas but then again we were on vacation so really did not use it much. Rooms are basic and clean. They are musty smelling, bring air freshener with you, I have done this in the past. Biggest complaint is that there are no fridges in the rooms, (I forgot about this when I booked). I checked with Air Transat and they said they would put request on the file for our check in. I also sent an e-mail to the hotel (twice) requesting the fridge and explaining why we needed it. (Medication that need to be kept cool and taken 3 times a day). We did get a fridge on the second day but it was very stressful until then, wondering if it would be OK or not. (sitting on ice can make it too cold) Found that the evening show are not as good as years ago but still worth going to. Do need a bit more lighting in the seating area before and after the show. Would go back as you can get a great deal here!

Good resort.

I like this resort because of it's proximity to Bucerias. Easy to go to local shops and restaurants. The staff is pretty good. The food has gone downhill. Booking for the a la carte is absolutely ridiculous! One 7:30 a.m. booking location so you have to be up and over there by 7 a.m. at the very latest to hope for a restaurant reservation.

Wonderful resort

I love this resort and have nothing but great things to say about it. When one goes a number of times you will see the same faces, staff and visitors, this says something as there are many places to choose from so why the DeCameron? It is simple, they make you feel as though you are coming home. One of the best things that I can say about this visit is that Ricardo is BACK. He is one terrific guy and will strive to assist in any way possible. Will be back next year. Does one ever get t [... read more]ired of it? The answer is NO. Keep up the good work DeCameron. There is no other place on my list as home is home. Thank-you Ricardo for being you.

Best Holiday Ever

Had a wonderful time at the Royal Decameron Complex. I felt very comfortable there. The staff and the clientele were all so very friendly. There was a lot of choice for food and lots of fresh fruit and fruit juices. Our room was very clean and fresh. We stayed in the adult area of the complex so it was nice and quiet. We could walk to another area if we wanted action, and it was a nice short walk to the beach. The sand was very clean and we had no fear of walking barefoot. A nice feature [... read more] was that we could walk for hours along the beach in either direction of the resort. We could also walk a few blocks to town or to a convenience store. We could use the bikes for free to ride and explore, and the boogie boards were also free to use. I would definitely go back and stay longer. Excellent Bang for your Buck.

Royal Decameron

This was my 3 rd visit here. The staff was very friendly and hardworking. The food and entertainment quality went down. There was a lot of changes made to who was performing and what night. It was never what the board said. Used to be every night a dance routine now they added lame trivia night and a couples contest. Front desk staff was very accommodating and helpful. The rooms were very clean and grounds were very well maintained. They even swept the side walks and cobble stone roads around th [... read more]e complex.They need more English taught to the staff though.

Great resort

Excellent on all counts. Very easy checkin and checkout. Grounds are well maintained. Staff very helpful and friendly. Easy to get around. Shows were entertaining. Rooms were clean. Beach was very nice and had enough chars at all times

2nd time; another awesome holiday!

This was the second holiday my husband and I spent at the Royal Decameron in Bucerías. We were just as impressed this year as last. Rated as a three star, this resort gets reviews like a four star. The grounds are immaculate, the buildings colourful and always being maintained. The staff is always super polite and friendly. The beds are admittedly hard, and the rooms can be rough around the edges, but really, who spends their time in the hotel room when there are crystal blue pools, an incredib [... read more]le ocean, and food and activities all around!?

Colorful Resort and not just the Iguanas

Loved the exterior colors of the buildings. Aztec Blue. Xihuacan Orange. Red. Purple. Royal Decameron Complex is the first all-inclusive resort in our experience where one is able to enjoy a specialty restaurant as often as one likes, as opposed to other resorts where one may book a specialty restaurant just once or twice per visit. Our favorite was Piccolos. The buffet selections are very good, as well. The grounds are well cared-for, the pools clean. Our room was clean, the bed was c [... read more]omfortable, hot water was adequate, and our request for a mini-fridge was answered promptly. The resort can be a bit noisy at night, depending on where one's room is located. The theatre sound is aimed into the complex. Our room was near wedding celebrations at one end of the building and another entertainment stage by a pool area at the other. The nightly theatrical shows were generally good although we found the dance routines repetitive and the strobing lights effects very distracting. The emcee was a bit over the top. He talked too fast and too much.

Nice beach front rooms

I stayed here two years ago and it appears that they may have done some work around the hotel. Less tripping hazards, more even walkways. Stayed this time at Block 1 - beach front and loved it. A little noisy on nights there were weddings but otherwise, the view more than made up for it. Food still needs work and can be bland and cold in the buffets.

Like being home

We love the Decameron! Have been many times and find them consistently friendly and helpful. The resort and rooms are clean and well cared for. It is very conveniently located in Bucerias which provides lots of opportunity to wander, shop and dine out. Will be back again soon.

Good resort.

I've been to this resort a number of times, last time was 8 years ago. The grounds are well taken care of, lots of room to move around. The food is fine, not special, but always good. There's no internet in the rooms, it's located in a lobby, often no open seating. Line ups at the buffet or no seating at times, shouldn't happen at a buffet. Overall a good place, I don't think I'll return though, lots of other options for a similar cost.

Awesome resort

I have been to this resort previously and the grounds, staff and beach are still amazing. My complaint is that there is no Wifi or coffee pot in the rooms. I think with all of the other options in the same price range, I will look elsewhere.

Another wonderful holiday at the Royal Decameron in Bucerias

This is our second trip to this resort. The food, accommodations, staff, pools and location all excellent! So close to Bucerias and all local amenities. The beach is wonderful and everything was so clean!

Awesome vacation! Awesome Staff

Just returned form a week stay at this resort with my senior mom and my two children aged 2 years and 6 months. Had an amazing time. Beach is beautiful. Staff is amazing. Food is great, always something to eat. My kids had a blast riding around in little baby boats in the pool. There is tons of pools of all different depths.

Amazing resort

The people that worked there are always happy and are really good at what they do. The food was excellent and the weather was great! The only thing I would make better is that the maids would come to our room before 4 or something so we have time to get ready for supper

Good resort. The value was just ok.

This Hotel is good except the buffets are limited in variety. Unlimited ala carte's help but you have to work for them. Room was very good and clean. Maid service was a little inconsistent but manageable.