The El Dorado Seaside Suites resort is a beautiful, well-maintained resort with very friendly staff. The food was delicious and the pool bar served great drinks. The resort is about 90 minutes from the airport.
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Selection Riviera Cancun: Very nice resort but paid a lot less for the same experience
Room was clean and spacious. Food was great. Everyone was friendly however sometimes communication was an issue. Beach and pool is nice however access to the pool for those who have limited mobility was an issue (only one place that I have found). Had an experience with the kids club which left me with the feeling of uneasiness.
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Selection Riviera Cancun: Tremendous Resort
I am usually quite demanding and difficult to impress, but not this time. It was a wonderful experience. The Sensatori Resort with all the amenities, the beautiful weather, and most importantly the gracious Mexican people/staff made our stay most enjoyable. We thank you.
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Barb -
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Selection Riviera Cancun: Top Notched Resort
Absolutely beautiful resort! Food was amazing and the service was exceptional! Super clean and well organized.Staff friendly and respectful!
Pools great! The beach was amazingly well cared for!
Would love to go back!
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Nickelodeon Hotel Punta Cana: Great resort
We travelled with our daughter, son in law and two grandchildren (2 and 4). This is a beautiful resort. Very clean and friendly staff.
Food was much better than we expected - which was a nice surprise.
The kid's entertainment was great and they enjoyed the water park, ball pit and characters.
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The Fives Beach Hotel and Residences Playa Del Carmen: Great resort for foodies
The best thing about this resort is the food
Our room was amazing as well comfortable clean and beautiful
Even though we were a couple without children the amenities they offered for children and families were outstanding
I would definitely recommend this resort to anyone ..we loved it
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The Fives Beach Hotel and Residences Playa Del Carmen: Great Resort
Very nice resort. Very clean. Very friendly staff. Great beach. Good food.
We walked along the beach from Azul Fives all the way to Playa del Carmen and found the beach at Azul Fives to be the best of the 6 KM stretch.
We had a 1 bedroom jacuzzi suite. Room was large and we had a view of 2 pools. We had a large balcony which was great for evening drinks.
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The Fives Beach Hotel and Residences Playa Del Carmen: Mixed feelings
I have very mixed feelings about this resort. Some things were great and some awful. We were traveling with a very small baby so this resort was recommended for babies. They offer things like high chairs, crib, strollers. We chose to bring our own stroller and happy we did. Several couples we met didn't and were not able to get one. One couple was there 14 days and couldn't get a stroller.
The resort is beautiful but our room was the smallest room I'd ever seen. It was clear the resort was[... read more] no where near capacity and apparently most rooms are huge. We asked to move, again we had so much baby stuff, and no one would help us. They finally offered to move us for an additional $150 per night to a room slightly bigger with two queen beds. I went to look and it was very small still. Oh and no bathroom. Just a sink with no where to put anything and a standing shower that was a nightmare and a very not private water closet. We moved some unnecessary furniture onto the balcony and were able to fit the crib and our stroller into the room. No really it's that small. About the size of a cruise ship room if not smaller.
It was difficult to communicate as very few people spoke English. We asked for water to our room several times, still waiting for it.
Several times I was in the ladies room and staff used the washroom and didn't wash their hands, every time I saw staff there was no hand washing.
We were told we would be away from the construction but we were right beside it. It wasn't too loud. We didn't mind.
The area we were in made it very difficult to get around with a stroller. It was very rough. We had to carry baby most of the way and then put her back in the stroller. Also the elevators are so tiny only one parent could go in with the stroller and other would take the stairs.
I feel like this resort should become adults only. It's beautiful and the restaurants were really good. The house wine was fantastic. The concierge was amazing and friendly.
There is monkeys there that really made our trip.
Would we go back? Probably not but we might try another Azul.
If you book just be sure to get a bigger room and you'll have an amazing time.
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El Dorado Casitas Royale: Excellent Resort
My husband and I enjoyed our time at El dorado Royale Casita. We had a swim up room. Section. 30.
We enjoyed our holiday very much. The van pickup at the airport was quick and efficient. It was a 30 min drive. Both ways...to the resort and back to the airport. Check in was quick and efficient at the hotel.
It is a large spread out resort..With golf cart shuttles available. Although sometimes the shuttle is not available in a timely fashion.We enjoyed the walk...For exercise and relaxation[... read more].
Food is fantastic!
Lots of choice for alcoholic beverages and lots of availability. I enjoy wine. The white Chardonnay and red cabarnet house wines were both very good. The wine is available by the glass, with refills, in your all inclusive package. If you want a bottle of wine...you pay extra.
In room bar had beer, pop, water , juice and some munchies...Refilled daily.
Rooms were clean and comfortable..We needed an extra blanket as the air conditioner blows right on you when in bed. Sometimes maid service was slow to come clean and provide clean towels. I needed to call our private concierge and it was handled quickly. As well the concierge provided assistance with dining reservations.
Beautiful shower inside with a relaxing rain head as well as an outdoor shower. As well as a large 2 person soaker tub.
The only 2 cons would be the beach has some rocky areas entering the ocean. The beauty is distracting by large cement blocks and sand bags that the resort has placed in the water to encourage reef development for fish.
The second con would be the lack of juice available at the bars. I like fruity drinks made with pure juice ie. orange and pineapple. But the mix available was a sugary syrup blended with ice.
I would highly recommend this resort. The resort is clean, beds comfortable and the landscaping was immaculate. Food is amazing. The beach beds were plentiful in the Casita area. This is a privilege area. This premium area is a quieter area with lots of beach beds and beach and pool Butler service.
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Selection Riviera Cancun: Best vacation yet!
The staff and service at this resort were fantastic. Room was large, bed was comfy, and the jacuzzi in the room was a nice touch. Always clean and well maintained. The food at the buffet was the best we have had at an all inclusive, also tried the Mexican restaurant which was also delicious. Resort is right on the beach (with a great beach BBQ). Would definitely stay here again!
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The Fives Beach Hotel and Residences Playa Del Carmen: Family Vacation Azul Fives
The Hotel was beautiful. We stayed in a one bedroom Jacuzzi suite and there was lots of room for all four of us to stay. The restaurants were beautiful and the food was great. As a family we enjoyed everything from the smoothie bar, to the pools, beautiful beach, and rainforest walk way. The staff was friendly and helpful. We truly appreciated the staff at the beach front as they took the time to get to know us and make an effort to get my young daughters 'drink orders' correct ;) We found[... read more] the concierge at the beach very accommodating and would help us book one of the 'beds' on the beach when prestige members were not using them. The overall experience was relaxed and comfortable.
We went on one trip off the resort and really appreciated the efforts Air Transat puts into helping families plan a day trip; everything went smoothly.
The only complaint I have is of the room cleaners; they did not speak any English so it was hard to make requests (ex. inquire times when they would need access to the rooms, or to replace dirty glasses). However, we did not spend a great deal of time in the room, so it did not adversely impact our time at all!
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The Fives Beach Hotel and Residences Playa Del Carmen: Amazing wedding
We just got back a week ago from Azul Fives and had a wonderful time. Our wedding was perfect- the staff were so attentive and amazingly friendly. My only complaint was our room. We booked an essence sky suite- check in was supossed to be at 3pm- we were with a group of 25 and almost half of us had to wait until 5pm for our room. As for our room- it was nice and clean but we were looking directly at a huge air conditioning system and there wasn't much privacy. I asked for a room change and they [... read more]accommodated the next day- but again we had to wait until 5:30 pm for our room- our new room was nice had better views but had a terrible sky patio- literally a table with 8 chairs a rusty BBQ, a tub which didn't even function and a ripped chair. We were really lot pleased since we where there for our wedding. Everything else was great! Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves!
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Selection Riviera Cancun: First time at Azul Sensatori, won't be the last!
After having just spent a wonderful week at Azul Sensatori we would like to share our own experiences with this awesome resort. We aren't overly experienced with resorts and weren't sure what to expect but for a first time all-inclusive vacation we were definitely impressed and came back feeling rejuvenated, refreshed and very happy with our choice.
Right from the start we were glad that we booked with Sunwing as they took care of the little details like a shuttle service to and from the ai[... read more]rport which was greatly appreciated. The resort is a short 20 minute drive from the airport and was filled with just the people staying at Sensatori, both ways.
Once at the hotel we were greeted with a welcome glass of champagne at check in and with luggage service to our room taken care of we took the opportunity to excitedly check out our accommodations. We had booked a room in the adult section and had asked for a higher floor before arrival which we received with no issues. From the plentiful amenities inside the room to a welcome bottle of champagne in the room to the view we were blown away right from the start! While not technically ocean view, every room in the adult section does face the ocean but is set back from the beach area and there are palm trees that partially block a full view. Our recommendation is to get a higher floor room and you will have some fantastic views above the tree line. As for noise, we found with the sliding door closed we did not hear any background noise or music from the pool.
Staff:
The staff at Sensatori are nothing short of exceptional and we can’t say enough about them. From start to finish we were always treated with the kindest respect and gratitude from everyone with a few minor but not life altering exceptions. We are not high maintenance people and know that everything doesn’t go perfectly while on vacation and realize it is not the end of the world when something happens. The way we look at it is that you are on vacation after all so don’t sweat the small things.
Our room was always kept immaculate by the cleaning staff and we were treated to a new towel creation each day upon returning from the pool or beach.
Tipping is not required at the resort and we were never felt obliged to do so by anyone although we did tip on quite a few occasions which always seemed to be received with genuine appreciation. Even without tipping if you treat the staff with respect and are not a wanker to them you will receive the best service ever. A special thanks to Alex, Angel and Enrique at Spoon who remembered that we enjoy a Mimosa from time to time and would suggest it without having to ask. They were all extremely pleasant and welcomed us with a big smile each morning for breakfast.
Food/Restaurants:
There is something for everyone here and no one should ever go hungry during their stay. All of the restaurants were as described, although we did find out our second day that they had changed their reservation policy a little in that you now need a reservation at all of the restaurants except Spoon. This is also where your personal concierge is one of your best friends in that they will book dinner reservations for you most of the time. Making a reservation at La Chique took a mere 15 minutes and was a great addition to our taste buds. We would definitely recommend taking the opportunity for the free tasting menu provided as an extra perk by booking through Sunwing.
Excursions:
Originally we planned on booking our excursions before travel but we are glad we waited as they have many great deals and price discounts once you are at the resort. The ladies at Nexus Tours were extremely accommodating and even despite a hiccup in our plans we were able to rearrange our excursion plans with no issue. We definitely recommend checking out the snorkeling excursion through the Original Snorkel Adventure which is located just a short 5 minute walk down the beach.
Another perk through Sunwing was the free shopping trip to Playa Del Carmen which we took advantage of as well. We found the resort to be centrally located to the more popular excursions so the bus transfers were not bad at all time wise.
Beach:
We had read so many differing opinions regarding the beach that worried us as to what to expect but here is our take - While it may not be the most gloriously over-hyped beach on the Mayan Riviera, if you are looking for a place to relax and just take it easy this beach will definitely fit the bill!
It is still a powdery sand beach just like the others and yes, bring some water shoes if you venture out in the water as it is a little rocky but most of the time it is clear a few feet out and we never encountered any major problems with seaweed as they work extremely hard to keep the beach clear and enjoyable. There are plenty of lounge chairs and cabanas but as with the cabanas by the pools you should probably be there early in the morning to reserve them as they are occupied quite quickly. If you don't mind hanging out in a lounge chair for part of your relax time at the beach or pool you can keep an eye out and usually score a much more comfortable cabana around mid afternoon. One suggestion that we would make to Azul Sensatori is that it would be nice if there was some way to split the cabana times into morning and afternoon reservations so that more people could enjoy them.
There is also a very nice beach barbeque lunch buffet and bar with waiter service to add to the relaxation experience.
Security:
Again may have been a slight concern for us but we were given a lock for our in room safe at check in and never felt uncomfortable leaving some things out in the open. We had left a tip for the cleaning staff for the first few days but it was never touched so we ended up having to personally give it to the cleaning staff. If you want to be extra cautious it should be a no brainer to use a suitcase lock for both the flight and luggage transfers to and from the airport and even in the room for extra security.
Sales presentation:
Yes, there was some push for buying into their Prestige Club vacations which we found both good and bad. On the day we met with our concierge Rosi we were moved from our spot at the adult pool to the prestige pool with personal Butler service as well as a few other perks. As nice as this was we soon found ourselves back at the adult pool as there seemed to be a lack of atmosphere at the prestige pool and we really found it wasn't for us. They do ask you to attend a 90 minute to two hour sales presentation in exchange for discounts and vouchers for the resorts activities but you are under no obligation to neither attend the sales presentation nor accept the temporary upgrades. The sales pitch was a little pushy at times and we found ourselves a little uncomfortable seeing the upgraded areas with the intent of being sold on them. It was an experience that we will likely turn down in the future.
Overall, despite a few hiccups we were treated like royalty all week and would definitely return to Sensatori in the future as the experience has left us both with life long memories.
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Darlene -
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The Fives Beach Hotel and Residences Playa Del Carmen: Exceptional experience
We can't say enough about this hotel. This was our second visit and nothing had deteriorated but improved! The new Essence suites are modern and we had the pleasure of spending our holiday in a swim up suite. The showers had a 16" x 16" rain shower head surrounded by a light! The grounds are really well kept. Some pools get busy but you can always find a quiet area in one of the other pools. Staff are more than accommodating and very personable. Restaurants now have a no reservation polic[... read more]y which seems to be working well. You are not rushing to a set time for a reservation. Love Azul Fives!
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LP46 -
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Sensatori Resort Punta Cana: Lovely new resort!
We just got home from a one week holiday at the Sensatori resort Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic. This resort is fairly new as it was completed May of 2016 and indeed it was lovely.
To say it was clean is an understatement as the staff was constantly cleaning every aspect of the resort every day, painting and power washing. Even before entering any of the eating establishments, hand disinfectant is provided to all guests...a real plus. The rooms were cleaned with care and stocked very w[... read more]ell every day.
The grounds were also very impressive with greenery and flowers which were groomed continuously while we were there.
The room:
We were in a swim up adult only section of the building. Most of the swim up units were in the shade all day, and at this time of the year the water was a bit cool, where we would have appreciated a room that faced the sun( we had requested one but none were available). However, having said that, in the hotter months the shady rooms might be more appreciated as an escape from the hotter days and sun. The mini bar was refilled daily as were the bathroom sundries and towels ( lots of towels which was great).
Restaurants:
The food on the resort was great and there was lots of variety. There were 2 buffets The Lighthouse ( which was next to the beach) was great for lunch and the Sugarcane ( which was located in the gourmet village) was open for breakfast and supper. Both buffets had lots of choice and variety. The food at times was not as hot as one might want, which is an area that could be improved. The service was excellent at times and less than that at others however most everyone was really trying to do their best to please.
There were also a la cart restaurants some which required reservations and others that didn't. The Verdello , Spacewalker and K23 required reservations which could be obtained at the concierge office outside each block of rooms. We ate at the Verdello, which was ok and at the K23 which was fantastic- gourmet cuisine and treatment- a real experience.
Another nice addition was the Doppio which is a coffee and tea house with sweets and treats. This made for nice afternoon visits and breaks.
We also ate at the Wok Wok which was ok and at the Burger restaurant which had delicious food and good service. Needless to say, we had lots of choice. We also attended a special lobster dinner on Wednesday night at the Lighthouse restaurant, but having travelled from Nova Scotia, we soon discovered that their lobster could not begin to compare to ours- a nice experience in any case.
Activities and entertainment:
There were lots of activities each day of which we participated in the water aerobics, archery and exercise gym. There was entertainment in the gourmet village square each night which was a nice addition. There was also nightly live entertainment in the theatre which was nice but a bit repetitive as the same group of singers sang different artists songs on different nights. A little variety would certainly add to the experience. The Vino Vino bar also had nightly entertainment for the night owls which would provide dancing opportunities into the wee hours. All the bars were good with the James Bond bar next to reception standing out as the best on the resort ( for both drinks and bar tenders).
The beach:
The beach was great as it is a fair size, nice sand, lots of chairs and waves to jump in the water. You can also walk quite a distance in either direction along the beach past other resorts.
Points to note:
1) The Sensatori is on the same grounds as The Nickelodeon which is a family resort designed for kids. People who are staying at the Nickelodeon have access to all the pools, beach, entertainment , sports and restaurants ( except K23 which is adult only) as the Sensatori guests. However, the Sensatori guests do not have access to the Nickelodeon water park which was a bit of a disappointment. Even though there are sections of the Sensatori that are adult only, it is not an adult only atmosphere. We didn't mind, but if you are looking for a quiet environment, it might not meet your expectations.
2) We discovered while there, that when in the Dominican, most resorts won't accept or make change for large American bills ($50.00 or $100.00 bills) if they have any writing on them or a tear. So bring smaller bills with you.
3) It was interesting to note the majority of people staying at the resort were from the UK. It must be really be promoted there.
All in all, we had a great time...relaxed...ate well...and enjoyed the great resort.
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The Fives Beach Hotel and Residences Playa Del Carmen: Awesome resort
excellent food, staff and weather! spent the entire time by the infinity pool and it was amazing! only downfall was there were quite a few children always around the pool, would maybe consider an adults only resort next time!
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Lucytoronto -
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El Dorado Royale: Beautiful resort if you pick your room wisely!
hotel is beautifully maintained and has amazing staff - we never had a moody staff member! Food is exceptional! Recommend upgrading to a premium room to get exclusive use of a quieter pool. You can always sneak into the other more exclusive areas of the resort which have more pools abd pool bars!
Main pool is loud & the towel game is strong. Beach isn't great. Entertainment was varied and decent quality. Overall I recommend this resort and was super happy with my travel advisor's recommenda[... read more]tions!
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Cathy and Danny -
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Sensatori Resort Punta Cana: Beautiful Resort...
We stayed in a Family suite...This resort was beautiful and well keep and the grounds were beautiful.The food was great.The room was clean and well stocked.The patio was very large and plenty of seating.The bathroom had 4 towels and face cloths and a nice tub and shower.Entertainment nightly and kids shows with Lisa and Liam,they were also great.There was 4 or 5 A La Carts.The burger place was well worth the trip its a must try.The staff were amazing and when ever you thank them they always repl[... read more]ied with it,s my pleasure.Plenty of chairs at the beach and pool.Activities daily and dancing lessons.Everything was perfect i,d say.I don,t drink but my Boyfriend thought there would of been more places to drink,but other then that,we really like the place.
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Fkat -
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The Fives Beach Hotel and Residences Playa Del Carmen: 2nd time around was even better!
I went 3 years ago and it was great. This time around they had added more restaurants and they were all exceptional. Loved the Thai and sushi the most. Italian was great too. The grounds are very well kept and staff is very friendly.
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Mariana -
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The Fives Beach Hotel and Residences Playa Del Carmen: Amazing vacation with my family
The resort is gorgeous. We travelled with our 10 month old daughter so we upgraded to the one bedroom suite. It was well worth it. It had a fully equipped kitchen. Even though the resort advertised that they provide gerber baby foods, we brought our own. We did ask at the restaurants if the have them and they said no. Maybe it was just provided if ordered by room service. We used the fridge for the baby food, and the microwave to warm up her food. Also the dishes provided came in handy as[... read more] well. After a day at the pool or the beach we were able to enjoy a glass of wine on the balcony or just relax by watching a bit of tv while our daughter slept in the bedroom. The resort provided us with everything that we needed for the baby. Such as: - baby bath, high chair, bottle warmer, bottle sterilizer and a crib. The staff was amazing. The restaurants and the food was really good. The only complain is that the pool water was very cold. Out of the 7 days we were there I was only able to take my baby in the water one time and it wasn't for too long. I was hoping the pool water at the kids club would be warmer but it wasn't. Overall, we had an excellent time and we really enjoyed our vacation.