Bahia Principe Explore Tulum: Stayed for honeymoon

My wife and I stayed here for our honeymoon. While overall we enjoyed our trip we did have a few hiccups with this resort. To start off our ocean view suite was on the dated side. While it was clean and comfortable, you can tell it was an older room. My wife and I did have issues with the room. On our first morning my wife was able to take a shower just fine, but when I stepped in to take one there was absolutely no water pressure. We complained and the issue was promptly fixed. The seco [... read more]nd issue was with the safe. Initially we had a lock and key safe but on the second day we were given a opportunity to switch to a digital safe at no extra cost. The maintenance crew came quickly to install the safe and were in and out in less then 20 mins. On the third night though, right before my wife and I were about to go to dinner, we could not get the safe to open. When I complained the sub driector promptly arrived to fix it. It took him quite a long time to fix it. I ended up telling my wife to have dinner without me while I waited for him to finish. I liked speedy response time and the fact that it was the sub director that came to fix it rather than a regular maintenance person, but what I was upset about was not being able to have dinner with my wife on our honeymoon. When we complained to the front desk manager, Leslie, she said she would talk to guest services to see what she could do for us, but we never heard back from her. We didn't let this ruin our trip and quickly realized that all the other services the resort provided made up for these issues. The buffet has something for everyone and the al a carte restaurants were amazing. The food and dining experiences at the al a carte restaurants were comparable to some mid to high end restaurants. We enjoyed the Mediterranean restaurant and the Don Pablo restaurant in particular. The beach near the Tequila restaurant is gorgeous albeit rocky. The main pool has great entertainment throughout the day. The beach closer to the 24hr restaurant isn't great. It was full of seaweed that the crew shoveled into piles, and they had put a barrier up in the water so you couldn't swim far out. We spent 3 out of our 7 days off the resort on different excursions so we didn't end up spending a lot of time on the beach. It was an overall good experience but we expected more from the room and beach. The grounds are very clean, the staff are all very friendly, and the entertainment is something special. If you are coming strictly for the beach, I wouldn't recommend it but if you are a pool person or going on a few excursions, than this is a good resort for you

Valentin Imperial Riviera Maya: A lovely resort!

This resort is meticulously clean and the attention to detail is brilliant. Far superior to any Sandal resorts. Staff are very courteous and food was excellent. Their return customers are increasing in numbers and it is easy to see why.

Secrets Akumal Riviera Maya: Very lovely spot

This resort exceeded our expectations on many levels. There was plenty to do and the restaurants were very good. We enjoyed a bike tour and I especially liked that we rode to Ya Kul, a lagoon nearby. They provided very good tours also. Our tour to Tulum was guided by an excellent Dutch born guide.

Bahia Principe Explore Coba: Overall good value

My wife and I stayed at Bahia Principe Coba for 9 days (Dec 26 2018 to Jan 4 2019) and we enjoyed ourselves. We paid a bit of a premium given the time of year so taking that into consideration, it was a good value for the trip. We were happy with the overall resort, in that the Coba resort is linked to the Tulum resort. In fact, the beach at Tulum was much better than the beach at Coba, so we went to the Tulum beach every day and had lunch at the Tulum buffet. We ate breakfast and dinner at t [... read more]he Coba buffet everyday. We never go to the restaurants at resorts as we prefer variety. We go to enough restaurants throughout the year back here at home. Regardless, both buffets are about a 7/10 selection-wise and an 8/10 quality-wise. Not too bad, really, although by comparison, we had stayed at the Luxury Akumal, which is another part of the Bahia Principe's overall resort. The food at the buffet at Akumal was 8/10 for selection and 8.5-9/10 for quality. There was a greater selection of food (less repetitive once you've been there for a few days) and it was better quality. The service at the Coba resort (and the Tulum buffet) was average. Not terrible, but not exceptional. Just average. Sometimes the front desk staff were more helpful than others. Having to call to get more bottles of water or to have the mini fridge replenished just about every day. Sometimes the housekeeping was done a bit better than other times - towels not always replaced, etc. So, average service - which in and of itself is fine, but again, to compare, the service at Akumal was better - more personal, more professional. It was essentially adults only and had its own private area of the beach and better pools. Of course, its a bit more money, but considering what you're getting for your money, its much preferable than Coba or Tulum. No matter how you slice it, the coastline for the entire resort is very rocky and although there are specific areas marked off by buoys where swimming is permitted - even then, very rocky. No jumping into the ocean waves at Bahia Principe. We've stayed at a different resort on the Mayan Riviera in the past that was closer to Playa Del Carmen and you could access the ocean right off the beach without any concern for rocks. The Bahia Principe brochure and website video don't show or mention the rocky beach or lack of access to the ocean waves. We booked our trip at the Coba based on the experience we had at Akumal. Well, that was a mistake. They really aren't comparable. I guess its true that you get what you pay for. Anyhow, overall, we wouldn't go back to Coba - mostly because the food isn't what we were hoping it would be, the service was lacking on several occasions, and there is no ocean access other than very rocky cordoned off swimming areas.

Grand Sirenis Riviera Maya: Beautiful Resort

The rooms we’re lovely the grounds well kept The dining was exceptional. The entertainment enjoyable. The staff very accommodating and helpful. Once at the main building all amenities we’re easily available. The beach area was small but clean.

Bahia Principe Explore Coba: wonderful week away with friends

thanks to the great suggestion of our wonderful travel agent from tripcentral judy donaldson our spur of the moment weeks holiday could not have been better. our sign in at the resort was done quickly and we received the perfect room for our needs, next door to our travel companions. the resort is on the larger size but we were central to everything and quickly found our way around. we found lots of seating around the pools with many shady areas, also lots of places for lunch with great var [... read more]ieties to choice from. lots of ala carte restaurants or a very large buffet for dinner, many bars to quench your thirst. people were friendly and helpful always with a smile. entertainment every night was very fun. and best of all the rooms were large and the beds extremely comfortable. we will definetly be coming back to this resort. thanks grand bahia principe see you again the ovendens

Paradisus Playa del Carmen: Exceeded our expectations!

We’ve travelled to Mexico pretty extensively (more than 10 visits) to both Cancun and the Riviera and this one is a pleaser. The food was impressive, even the buffets offered tasty selections that didn’t disappoint. We booked the “family side” as it met our budget goals and as two adults travelling we could still access the adult only side. If you are going without kids I’d definitely recommend the La Perla side. The rooms were spacious and lovely. Cons booking a la cartes was made [... read more] complicated, and my goodness the sea weed on the beach. Still very useable and swimable but wow that is a real problem, they do there best! General use pools not heated, that’s a shame!

Hyatt Vivid Playa Del Carmen: Just Incredible!

The Hilton Playa Del Carmen is amazing. The hotel itself is newer (and apparently about to undergo some more renos). The layout is spacious without being too big & there are so many bars & restaurants you will never be hungry or thirsty. 4 included a-la-carte, 1 Chef’s Plate ($85/couple) for a high end dinner menu which changes daily, a buffet and a 24 hour lounge like none I have ever seen at a resort. Excellent coffee, a buffet of hot and cold snacks as well as pop, alcohol and beer. It†[... read more]™s large, modern & has several tv areas, pool table and private patio. There is a large pool with a swim up bar area, a water volleyball area and plenty of loungers and cabanas. There are activities and music- but if that’s not your speed, there’s also a completely separate ‘tranquil pool’ with its own bar, a restaurant and a coffe house within steps. The beach also offers cabanas, drink service and sporting equipment for your use- free of charge. Rooms are all ‘suites’ with a large jacuzzi, sitting area & bathroom with dressing area & separate room for shower & toilet. Balconies/patios have table & chairs and a hammock. SPAzul is the resident spa with great deals on massages & treatments - at the end of your treatment, they will recommend another service if you want to book it- at 50% off. There is also a gorgeous hydrospa which is available daily at no extra cost- steam room, sauna, 2 different temperature hot tubs and a cold plunge. There are various healthy snacks, lockers and showers available at no cost. Definitely a nice way to unwind. The shows are incredible- I was blown away at the talent and dedication of the dancers and acrobats in their troupe. Normally, I don’t bother with resort shows, but I went every single night & was not disappointed. The location could not be better- steps to 5th Avenue and all the shops, restaurants and bars you could ever want. The only complaints I had were as follows: buffet food could be cold- but with the a-la-cartes, I only ate at the buffet twice. People saving their towels and then putting them on the cabanas at 6am to ‘reserve’ them, only to have them sit vacant ALL day! I wish staff would have been a little more on top of that. The air conditioning in the room kept it cold, however, it did little to dehumidify the room- but that’s a minor complaint. I can’t wait to go back.

Ocean Riviera Paradise: Great resort

The resort was beautiful, rooms were clean,did not have a alcohol dispenser in room, only two beers a day, and pop. Stayed in daisy section close to food, the Japanese, and Blue moon restaurants were our favourite, as far as the pools they were nice , but could use to be cleaned better noticed rings around edges, the hotel was not to far from playa we took a cab ride for $17.00 one way ,only about 15 min ride .

Bahia Principe Escape Sian Ka'an: Amazing Resort

My husband and I just returned from a 9 night stay at this resort to celebrate our 35th wedding anniversary. We were greeted with a bottle of sparkling wine and chocolates. We enjoyed the interactions with the friendly staff. The food was amazing. The grounds are beautiful and well maintained. This resort is awesome and I would highly recommend it. We have been to many others but this one is certainly at the top of our list.

Grand Sirenis Riviera Maya: Great,fun family vacation

We enjoyed our stay at the Grand Sirenis riviera Maya!! There were plenty of activities for all ages. We enjoyed swimming with the dolphins and all the fish in the Sea. The wifi needs a lot of work.

Grand Sirenis Riviera Maya: Loved my Stay

I stayed at the Grand Sirenis Riviera Maya January 14 to the 21st 2019. I am a service orientated kind of guy. Love good service. I would have to say my stay here was beyond a doubt the best service I have ever received at a resort. The staff was consistently perfectional and very polite. I found the staff to be genuinely kind people by nature. They would not hesitate to go above and beyond for any requests I would have or questions. The thing that stood out to me, was they sincerely enjo [... read more]yed their jobs. Can't say enough good about the wonderful service here. The resort itself is beautiful, spread over a large area. Plenty of activities to explore and do. My room was spacious and well appointed. First time I have ever thought to myself the room looked better in person than the pictures from their website. Pools spread out the resort, nice beach area as well. The food was delicious. They have a good central smorg area and I would safely say there would be something to please everyone. Plenty of ala cart restaurants to choose from as well. Thought it was great. Plenty of selection. I seen some local wild life through out the resort. Loved that. Seen some agouti, racoons, tropical birds, iguana's, coati and if you keep your eyes open in the trees very possible you will see some spider monkeys. Good snorkeling in the beach area as well. I would say my visit here was as close to a perfect vacation as it gets for me. I also would not hesitate to recommend this to anyone considering this place. I'll be back...

Grand Palladium Kantenah: Amazing resort!!

I was very impressed with the resort and the beach .No fighting to find a lounge chair to sit at the beach or the many pools. .The food was fabulous and plenty of restaurants to chose from .I loved the eco friendly feel of the place with lots of green floral around .Also they did have plenty of palm trees for shade on the beach. I did go scuba diving on this trip and found the dive crew friendly and had a very nice dive .I will definitely go back .

Grand Palladium Colonial: Second time here and it is even better then our first visit!

We decided to return to a Palladium resort as they always exceed our expectations. We previously stayed twice at the Palladium in Punta Cana and it fulfilled all our desires. A friend recommended the Palladium in the Riviera Mayan. So we booked at the Kantenah section and it was just perfect. This year we decided last minute. We wanted a Palladium resort and wanted to use the Hamilton airport to avoid Toronto. This time we stayed at the Colonial section. Last time we were really impressed, [... read more] this time we were blown away. The room was large and included a cozy king size bed. The meals were delicious. I thought the meals rivalled any meal on a cruise ship. The workers couldn’t do enough for us whether we tipped or not. There is a lot of walking because this is a large complex. Most of the walking areas are covered and well lit. We spent most of the time at the beach, but there are many pools. Although we are retired, we did notice that there was a fun club for the kids. The pool area for the little ones was amazing and well used. My only complaint was the fruity drinks. It seems like they used crystals instead of real juice. All in all this was a fantastic vacation and I will continue to book with the Palladium chain. Thanks Victoria at Tripcental for taking care of us.

Barcelo Maya Caribe: Fantastic visit

Just got back from a 1 week visit to the Barcelo Maya Caribe Resort. We had a great time and would probably go back again. During the week we visited, the hotel was sold out because of a big concert/festival going on from Thursday to Sunday. The concert stage was set up at one end of the beach and the bands started playing from about 7-midnight. You could hear the music playing at the hotel, but it wasn't overly loud. The only drawback to having the concert going on was that the nightly en [... read more]tertainment got moved from the theatre to the Maya Mall for 3 nights which did not have great acoustics and therefore the the music/singing was uncomfortably loud and unfocussed. There weren't a lot of people in the audience because most of them were down at the concert. The great thing about this visit was that since everyone was at the concert, there was no issues with booking the a la carte restaurants at reasonable times! The a la carte restaurants were all great. We visited the Seafood, Italian, Steakhouse and Japanese restaurants. The buffet was like all other all inclusive resorts - a good selection and if you are not too picky, you could always find something to eat. We had some issues with the rooms (toilet leaking water, sink faucet was not tightened down so it was wiggly) and it took about 3 days to get it fixed, but Sunwing and the hotel was very good to deal with and in the end, Christian, the assistant manager, met with us and apologized in person and then upgraded us to the Premium level which gave us some extra perks that we appreciated! The resort itself is beautiful and very well kept. There were never any issues with getting loungers at the pool or the beach and they never ran out of towels. The fitness center and spa were beautiful and it was great having the Maya Mall on site. The venders are not too pushy so it was pleasant to walk around stalls. There is no casino at the hotel anymore, even though it is advertised in the brochures. All of the employees at the hotel were friendly and helpful. Shout out to our waiter Raquel Torrez Vidal and Roberto Olvera(manager) at the Traitoria Ristorante for making my birthday dinner extra special! Overall we had a wonderful visit! Thank you Barcelo Maya Caribe!!

Iberostar Selection Paraiso Lindo: Great Vacation!

Hotel was great. Could use a little updating, but was clean and grounds well kept. Staff was amazing. Everyone was helpful, and went out of their way to make your stay enjoyable. No bottled water other than in room as part of recycling initiative and found the filteref water salty. Steak and Seafood Restaurant were amazing!

Occidental at Xcaret Destination: Amazing Resort

We stayed at the Occidental at Xcaret - this resort was amazing. It was beautiful. Mature trees, monkeys, deer, lizards running around. Our family just loved this location. The food was outstanding. Highly recommend this location - we will be back for sure!

Paradisus Playa del Carmen: Fantastic family holiday

Traveled in mid-January 2019, and was pleasantly surprised - rarely does a resort look nicer in person than in photos! Staff was beyond lovely, accommodating and friendly. Will absolutely return! Amazing little inlet down the beach, shallow calm waters for the kiddies to play in.

Blue Bay Grand Esmeralda: Pretty Nice Resort

Resort was clean, people were friendly. Cleaning staff were amazing with the full on clean they did of our room every day. Mini Fridge was stocked daily with plenty of water and other options for drinks Didn't like being bombarded with Time Share people the minute we hit the ground at the airport and again at the hotel. Food was good, beach smelled bad but the water was warm. Hotel should wash/disinfect bar glasses instead of dipping them in dirty water. Bartenders should stop pouring alcoh [... read more]ol down tourists throats. Seen a lot of people get hurt, falling down drunk and passing out where they shouldn't be passing out. Be careful of golf carts as they go too quickly down paths. Party pool was fun, but preferred the quiet pool.

Grand Sirenis Riviera Maya: We love this resort!!

This was our 3rd time to the Grand Sirenis and it hasn't disappointed yet. The newly renovated rooms give the resort a fresh look. The beds are super comfortable. The food is fantastic. If you are a BBQ lover, I would suggest hitting the beach BBQ for lunch. The entertainment staff is some of the best I have seen at any resort. The shows are fantastic. I also enjoy the weekly market. There is always something going on. There is a quiet pool, I am not sure what goes on there. I walked by it  [... read more]a couple of times, it is pretty quiet. A daily visit to the lazy river is a must. If you are a bigger person such as myself, I would suggest taking your own floaty. As special shout out to Gil of the entertainment staff and Oscar at the swim up bar. You guys are awesome. Thanks for keeping me going all week. You guys do a great job.