Grand Velas Riviera Maya: Amazing resort and service (minus the beach)

Hotel: BEAUTIFUL! The hotel and grounds were super clean and very upscale. Honestly, very beautiful resort! Service: AMAZING, AMAZING, AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We were truly treated like royalty, anything we needed, whatever we needed, and very fast. The people who work there are TRULY GENUINE and honestly the NICEST PEOPLE EVER!! A++++++ Food: During the day (breakfast, snacks, and lunch), you can eat at the buffet (mind you this is not your regular buffet, very classy and offered he [... read more]althy food) or order at the pool or beach, and the food there is AMAZING! We truly enjoyed it. Amazing selection of fruits and fruit juices and smoothies! For dinner however, the buffet is closed and you have to go to one of the restaurants inside the hotel. Every night you could pick from 2-3 different restaurants to eat at which you had to make a reservation for. My husband loved it however my daughter and I did not at all and when the evening came it was a drag for us. We prefer to go eat when we want and not be forced to eat at a certain time, sometimes you couldn't pick the time you wanted to eat at because the other times were taken. My husband loved the food but my daughter and I prefer to choose our own food rather than pick from a menu of selected items. The choices were very upscale mixed with all kinds of different foods together and we are a bit more simple so it was difficult for us to find something we liked. We wish we could of had dinner at the buffet. Pool: The pool area is wonderful, we always found lounge chairs without any issues at all however we were told that during the time we went (mid-end August) it's an off season (hotel was at 30% capacity) and maybe that's why we didn't have any issues, not sure how it is during a busy season. We didn't have to get up to get any drinks or food, there was always a server around you if you needed anything which we really liked. One thing we didn't like is that in some parts of the pool on the bottom, it felt a bit gooey algae like and a lot of the bottom tiles were rusted or a bit broken. Beach: The beach is one thing we weren't too impressed with. Since there wasn't many people at the resort, we didn't have issues finding a lounge chair. There weren't too much loungers so I assume when the hotel is full that it might be hard to find a spot. For the price we paid, we expected the lounge chairs to represent this. The ones at the back were white and comfy and nice and were of quality, but the ones at the front of the beach looked like ones you buy at walmart. The beach was super clean and they cleaned it every morning. The sand is white and beautiful. The water however, we had to walk slow and watch were we stepped because there are small and medium sized rocks. My husband hurt his foot a couple of times. I wish I had brought shoes. They also installed a bunch of large cement blocks inside the water which ruined the view but we were told that they are there because of the seaweed and waves, which is understandable, just wish there was a better way as it looks REALLY ugly. Transportation: I would HIGHLY recommend upgrading to a private transfer in order to avoid time wasted waiting for other people and going from hotel to hotel, as well as due to the brutal traffic during the afternoon weekdays (easier to maneuver with a private smaller car than large bus)

Grand Palladium Select Costa Mujeres: Great Resort, Amazing staff!

Everything was amazing at the resort minus the last day when I was leaving. I was five Minutes late which was my fault to meet my bus transport to the airport and when I came downstairs no one informed me who the bus driver was. I was outside next to the driver and he wouldn’t even speak with me. He ignored Me and took some pictures and left. This made me very upset. Anyway I asked the bell boy to arrange private transportation and the transportation cost me $147 US dollars. Unbeknownst to t [... read more]hem, I saw the driver give money To the bellboy for a referral I guess that I technically paid for. It’s really unprofessional to trust a high end resort to arrange something for you and you become a victim of this scheme. Anyway the fault was Mine but to top it all off, the nexus transportation company when contacted said the driver was late picking us up about 15 minutes. When I advised the lady that driver came and left “no show up notice” she was shocked and told me that the driver has to contact them for no shows but he never did. She even tried to get me to triple check to see if my info was on the “no show notice” because she was shocked about this situation. Anyway it left a really bad taste with me and made me feel the whole thing was a setup.

Grand Sirenis Riviera Maya: Good for Snorkeling

The resort overall was nice. It was big so there was a lot of walking. The room (jr suite) was very nice but the air conditioning did not work very well - not great in the middle of August! We asked them to fix it but learned from other guests that this is an ongoing problem and it depends on what room you get. Also we discovered if we left any open drink or food out tiny any climbed out of cracks in the furniture and were swarming. I guess you can’t get away from bugs but might be a bit infes [... read more]ted. The beach was disappointing as I was expecting a long sandy beach. This was rough sand, fairy short and rocky. Water shoes are a must, but it was ideal for those who enjoy snorkeling. If you enjoy wildlife it was great. Lots of monkeys, coaties, iguanas, and Sereques. I’m the water we’re so many colourful fish, sting rays, and squid. The food was ok. I couldn’t eat much as I am allergic to onions and dairy. They put onions on everything and dairy in all the desserts. My child also got food poisoning. Good points were the big pools, lots of shaded spots to sit, the lazy river was great, not too many people smoking (but there was a man on the beach every day selling vapes and drugs). If you like to exercise they have a nice gym but it is at the far end of the property so be prepared to run or walk out. The shuttle services were almost non-existent. We didn’t run out of things to do. The staff were all super friendly. A nice week relaxing. Would I go back? No I don’t think so.

Riu Dunamar: Decent Resort

Nice property, nice rooms, great entertainment, but poor quality food for a Riu resort. The A La Carte restaurants are actually just buffets with lower quality food than the main buffet. The hotel staff are polite and friendly.

The Fives Beach Hotel and Residences Playa Del Carmen: Family Vacation

Very clean resort, great pools. We enjoyed the adults only pool (foam party) and restaurants. The staff were very courteous and wanted to make sure we have a great experience during our stay. We didn't really go into the ocean as we felt that the crew that was cleaning the beach could have done a much better job as they were pushing the sea weeds back into the ocean rather then disposing it like in other resorts. We loved the Two Bedroom suite as our teens were able to enjoy the resort and hote [... read more]l room on their own.

Barcelo Maya Beach Resort: Nice resort - needs TLC

This was my second visit to Barcelo Maya Riviera resort. The first one just before the covid which was a fantastic experience, this was a bit different. You can see that they are still recovering from the covid era. We stayed at Maya Beach hotel that has the short walking distance to probably the best beach of this resort. Rooms desperately need TLC, proper cleaning, paintin, maintenance, light bulbs were burnt etc... and elevator wasn't working most of our stay, which wasn't a problem f [... read more]or us only if you need to carry a heavier bags or for someone with moving disability. Food was better before covid but still good variety. Barcelo now offers a free wifi around resort. Still lots of things to do. We paid quite a bit for this stay (comparing to my first visit) so I expected a little more.

Hyatt Zilara Riviera Maya: A super vacation!

This beautiful hotel has only been open a short time. We had stayed there previously when it was Secrets Capri. Hyatt had totally renovated all of the public areas and rooms. The staff were uniformly excellent and went out of their way to be of service. The quality of the food was very good and we ate at all of the restaurants. Breakfast was always at El Comedor which offered a buffet with a wide variety of option. We also had dinner there three times when theme nights were offered. Capri Grill  [... read more]was a great experience with a large menu. Antonio, the manager gave us a special anniversary dinner. Lunch was always at Lola Beach, which had a lot of great selections. It was also open for dinner with a different menu. There was outdoor and indoor seating available. The beach itself is beautiful. Very wide with white sand and well groomed due to the inevitable sargassum. The large, shallow pool surrounded by many chairs and umbrellas has a swim-up bar.

Ocean Riviera Paradise: Huge resort

A good resort for the family. It's a huge resort and be prepared to do alot of walking. Wasn't happy that its not walking distance to Playa del Carmen which my agent said it was. 20 mins by cab. The food was great, rooms were amazing and lots to do. Pools were as warm as the air so no relief from the heat. On our last morning had to walk in the pouring rain because bell boys and front desk didn't answer the phone.

Riu Palace Costa Mujeres: was alright, was not my favorite vacation spot

friendly staff, hotel entertainment is not great. There is a good amount of restaurants and pools however pools are all very small and very close together so the hotel feels small. family oriented so don't expect a party.

Canto Del Sol: Not a 4Star

The lobby and lounge area had no A/C. It was very uncomfortable due to the heat and humidity. The food was very simple with nothing that really stood out. When we first checked in, they put us in the old part of the resort which was not shown on the website. The room was very small and dated. I went to the desk and asked to be upgraded , which cost an extra 600 pesos per night. On the positive side the staff were very nice, and the specialty restaurants were very good.

Viva Azteca by Wyndham: Good resort with friendly staff

Stayed in Augut 2023. Family of 4. (15 and 11 years old children) The resort was overall was very good. The rooms were clean and big enough with comfortable beds. The food at the open buffet was pretty good with plenty of options. The desserts (we tried tarts, jello, ice cream and panna cotta) were amazing. Staff all over the resort were friendly except for the reception. They were not rude but did not look happy as the other staff at the resort. We loved the idea of having door keys embedded in [... read more]to the bracelets. Zero worry of forgetting the room key. We were aware of the eco tax and safe ($2 per day) charges. It did.not.come as a surprise. For the internet we were under the assumption that we will be paying $35 for a week for a good internet in the room (read it on tripadvisor review). But that was not the case. There is an open internet in the common areas of the resort, did not check the quality at the beach but in the room it was good at one corner of the bed where there was none in the other corner. We managed somehow but anybody who needs internet for essentials should be prepared to stay in the resort open area which was extremely hot. The air condition is only in your room not in the eating or common sitting area. Ceiling fans when it is over 40 degrees not much helping. The staff was constantly cleaning the corridors top to bottom always with a smile on their face. The staff at the bars and restaurant was never eager for tips, they appreciate but never making you feel you are obligated. We booked 2 ala carte restaurants (Bamboo and Italian) through their app easily. Italian was amazing Bamboo was okay. We did not try the Mexican one as there was no air condition there. On our return Air Transat shuttle was supposed to pick us up at 6.35AM. We were ready at 6.20AM after we picked some fruits coffee and sandviches from breakfast area. They open at 7AM but start serving with some options earlier. The shuttle van did not arrive until 7.10AM which made us a bit worried and trying to reach an airtransat agent at that time was not possible, I was still on hold when the van arrived. If we knew the exact time for pick.up we would be able to sleep 40mins more which is a big difference early morning. I recommend this place for not August but for the times with a bit cooler temparatures if they do not add the air condition in common areas. The pool felt so hot on the first day but then we got used to a bit to spend ljke 30 40 mins a day max. Beach was full.of seaweed but not bad smelling ones, looks like a sea plant more than seaweed and you need to walk through them 5 or 6 meters to reach the clear sandy waters of the ocean. We never tried to book some chairs at the beach or by the pool mostly were taken. We were leaving our bag by the beach and never had any lost or stolen item issues. The heat was making us very tired during the day so we managed to go to the beach twice a day, once early morning until 11ish then around 4 5PM again. Never stayed out for the shows we were going to bed earlier than our usual times. We are not planning to go back as we like to try different places, otherwise would definitely go back in March or December but not in summer high heat season. I would like to answer any other questions as I read a lot reviews before going there and was worried with some bad reviews. We mostly.stay in 3.5 4 stars so our expectations were met. Stayed happily!

Riu Palace Baja California: The hotel was not up to RUI standards

The room was clean, but the furniture was very tired, the couch was well worn and should have been replaced, the mattress sagged. The furniture around the deck was also very tired and well worn. The lounges had torn fabric, the metal frame was dirty and in need of paint. The food was bland - all the food at the buffet was tasteless! It didn’t matter what we tried it was bland. Restaurants Krystal and Guacamole were fantastic, both in terms of presentation and taste.

Planet Hollywood Cancun by Royalton: Amazing Resort

I took my family to this resort based on recent experiences another family member had and I was not disappointed. The atmosphere was lovely and incredible. The staff were very helpful. The overall experience of the resort was excellent. I would recommend this resort to anyone looking for an all inclusive experience.

Grand Sunset Princess: Amazing!!!

Was my second time there and We had another wonderful experience!!! Service from Ady and the bartenders at the Villa pool could not have been any better!💛 Rooms were beautiful and always kept clean and there are lots of food options! Everything was perfect and we can't wait to go back again!

Blue Diamond Luxury Boutique Hotel: The perfect high end getaway!

Absolutely amazing from the moment you arrive. It’s not a party all night resort, it’s a luxury spa-like environment (with delicious drinks) which was perfect for us! They basically roll out the red carpet for you throughout your entire stay. Everything was beautiful from the rooms to the restaurants & beach. Fine dining for every meal served by the incredible staff that take really good care of their guests. We certainly got way more than what we paid for. Although it states that gratuitie [... read more]s are included, remember to tip the staff because they’re all amazing! 10/10 would recommend!

Ocean Riviera Paradise: Not worth it

From the moment you walked in it was very basic nothing that wowed you. Lobby was fresh and full of people check in was normal luggage took a bit. There were many issues with our room, we had to change 3x and not even an apology for an inconvenience. We travelled with an infant and requested joining rooms which we never received. It was funny because the hotel pushes their "time share" and even after knowing our room issues they showed us a suite which was flooded, i couldnt help but laugh. [... read more] They wont pressure you persay but they have a weird way of pitching their 50k usd sales pitch. 50k for a hotel that isnt up to any standards PLUS you still have to pay for your stay its a joke. Rooms: 1st room fridge never worked and we lost a carton of milk also towel rack fell on our child. Mini bar was not stocked with daisy club items such as chocolates or milk. 2nd room had a leak in the bathroom and the sliding door wouldnt lock. Also wasnt stocked. 3rd room finally had no major concerns but they still couldnt accomodate our joining request for another couple of days. The food at the buffet was very repetitive and lacked a lot. The Italian restaurant was far from any italian food and shouldnt be considered italian. The Mexican restaurant was always empty and after eating there i knew why. Ive travelled to Mexico 5x and have never experienced such distasteful food literally. Even the enviroment ,there was no mexican vibe; very poor representation in comparison to other resorts. The steakhouse was average but nothing to brag about. Burger spot and the beach restaurant were medicore. Route 66 was amazing and i wished we had tried them earlier. Our server Miguel was enthusiastic charasmatic and the food was amazing!! I would say that he truly deserved the tip he received. Tipping: we noticed there werent a lot of people tipping but we made sure to leave at least a dollar each time we ate and more if we had great service. Miguel absolutely got a great tip and had we met him in the beginning we would have given him all our money lol One server in the buffet was tipped for doing a good job and we let him know it was not to be shared since the other 2 servers didnt contribute and when we turned around we saw him make a rude remark and threw the tip on the counter. Unbelievable. A server at the lobby bar got upset that I returned a drink even though i solely put it on the counter i didnt even make a stink about it when she saw it she threw the drink out aggressively and slammed the bar door then began talking about us and pointing to us while giving dirty looks. A few bad apples but that can happen everywhere. No beach but they had a pool around the sand and a nice Mexico sign which people gathered around to take their pictures. Even if there was a beachfront the seaweed was insane. But we walked down the beach to the pier and swam by another resort. I wouldnt spend my money at this resort ever again.

Riu Santa Fe: Just an OK stay at RIU Santa Fe

The hotel was okay but will not be returning. The food choices and restaurants were disappointment. I found the restaurants to close too early (9:30pm). Grounds were clean and so were the facilities..

Royalton Splash Riviera Cancun: Very crowded. Average service. Average food

We splurged for the diamond club at the resort. Turns out they don't even check for diamond wristbands. The private diamond club pool area is crowded. The only time to go is in the morning, otherwise lots of drunk rowdy people at the swim-up bar. Room was new and nice. Some difficulty having our room cleaned and turned over during the day (they came at 9am one day, and 4pm the other day).

Bahia Principe Escape Sian Ka'an: Save your money and book somewhere else

I booked this hotel for a group of 11 of us for a Bachelorette because Akumal on the other side of the Bahia Principe complex was fully booked…big mistake!! Before we booked we saw plenty of reviews calling it a retirement village, which is okay because with a large enough group you can create a vibe, or go to the other resorts to find something to do, what happened after we arrived couldn’t be fixed by an upbeat attitude. To start with check in, we had to ask the guy checking in for our res [... read more]ervation number to connect to wifi, then we had to ask for a map, in which he told us to scan the QR code for the map that was just a picture and had no information, all he did was hand us our keys and told us the room number was on the key pouch, we asked where the buffet was and you could see he was getting annoyed with our questions. No explanations, or suggestions about what was happening on the resort, we were just left to figure it out on our own. We got to the rooms, looking to tidy up before dinner, ready to start our vacation and to our shock the rooms were dated, falling apart, and dirty. One of the rooms we booked had a leaking toilet that took over a day to have someone sent to fix it, in which we called again and again because the leak wasn’t fixed the first or the second time and they wanted us to pay to upgrade the room as they refused to move us. In another room besides the vents being dirty and air quality so poor it made one of the girls sick, the door sill was not attached to the ground and had nails sticking up. Multiple girls complained about the shower pressure being non-existent, broken safes, dirty sheets (blood spots and various unidentifiable stains), and the AC not working. All of our complaints fell upon deaf ears. The 24 hour snack bar was a joke…we waited 1hr and 40 mins for chicken strips and ended up with chicken chips; small hard and tasteless. One girl ordered pizza and didn’t know what the pizza taste like to this day because WE NEVER RECEIVED IT!! The first night we came back late from dinner at another hotel on the property. 1) we had no clue how to get back to our rooms in the dark, 2) we were all in heels, and the resort is cobblestone 3) it’s literally in a rainforest with a bunch of different animals and critters and poor light we asked for a trolley ride back as we were told we could order a trolley to pick us up to take us to and from our rooms like they do at the other hotels in the complex, we were told no, the trolley is only for check in and out, then we were told the trolleys pass every 15 mins when we called front desk to confirm again, then we were told if the person driving the cart felt like it, was available and we tipped well we could catch a ride. The guy at front desk ended up walking us back to our rooms after going back and forth for over 10 mins because we (repeatedly)let him know how unsafe we felt, as well as had no clue how to get back to our rooms in the day let alone in the night. Mind you there was a guy sitting on the cart obviously not busy smoking and shooting the shxt with his coworkers. The service was terrible; either the staff didn’t care or they were highly misinformed. It’s a shame because the grounds are beautiful. I’ve been to many different resorts, from various hotel chains in many different countries and I’ve never been so let down especially for what was paid!!! As part of the Bahia Principe chain, I have come to rely on/expect a certain level of service and quality, that was clearly not met and I can assure you I won’t be making the same mistake again. Thank you for ruining our stay, and the bride’s bachelorette trip, me and 10 other girls now have quite the story to tell…and I only scraped the tip of the iceberg with this review

Villa del Palmar Beach Resort: Villa del Palmar Puerto Vallarta simply nice

Very well organized resort, food delicious and various, and services are perfect. The people are friendly and accurate. Good location you can travel by bus and taxi. La ISLA shopping center is steps away.