Bahia Principe Explore Akumal: Needs improvement

Having to dispose of toilet paper into a waste paper basket (at all times) instead of directly into a toilet was gross and having scented toilet paper in the hotel room caused irritation which was quite uncomfortable. Very limiited in food choices when eating at the buffet due to lack of signage or incorrect signage (so not knowing what certain foods were). Not having the many sea food dishes segregated as there was too much of a risk with cross contamination from the utensils meant I could not  [... read more]eat much at times. Showering in a tub that needed to be scrubbed as the finish of the bottom of the tub had trapped in dirt and felt slimy. Continually having to ask for face cloths every day and even when trying to use towels for two days there were still times when even clean towels were not left in the room. First day at the resort found some of our towels had ground in dirt in them which was upsetting. Tiny pillows (not even standard sized pillows) and uncomfortable beds. Someone on our floor had ordered room service and the tray with leftover food and drinks was left out all day and night and racoons got into the tray for over two hours at 4am in the morning smashing dishes, glasses and leaving a disgusting mess on the floors and table/bench where tray was left. This mess wasn't cleaned up until much later the next morning. Why are room service trays not picked up in a timely fashion? Multiple staff saw this tray and could have reported it to food services...maybe they did but it was never picked up. Room has not been thoroughly cleaned in a long time included cloth covered couch and chair which were in dire need of a good vacuuming. Blankets on bed are really old and used and even though they put an extra mattress topper on top of the original mattress they were both old and uncomfortable. Room was damp and mouldy and triggered my asthma. Entertainers in lounge areas and performing at the regular 9pm show lack talent and that is the most polite way I can describe the entertainers. Tired of seeing people completely drunk who obviously had been overserved. My husband had to pull one guy out of the pool who was passed out from being so drunk. The temperature of the pool increases as the day goes on due to the heat but also having people who obviously must urinate in the pool (as they never get out of the pool but always have a drink in their hand) meant the pool and pool water was gross by the end of the day. Needless to say after many years of going to all inclusives I will no longer take this kind of trip.

Riu Palace Cabo San Lucas: Simply fantastic!

We went as a family of 5, with three teens and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. The service was 5 star, the food was excellent, the grounds amazing. It was also nice to have the two bigger pools as one was devoted more to families with kids, having fun (games, water polo, etc.) with lots of music. The other pool was a little quieter if you were looking for a nap, tanning or reading time. The swim up pools were always busy with the teenage crowd (it WAS March break!). It's about a 3km wal [... read more]k along the beach to the marina of San Jose. The undertow and surf is exceptionally strong in front of the resort so I wouldn't recommend it for swimming. That was the only thing our kids were disappointed about. However, the water park with all its slides made up for it. We had access to all 3 Riu resorts. Mornings we went and found a lovely little nook at the Cafe with an amazing view of the resort, the beach, the Pacific, the distant rocks, and all the boat and cruise ship activity. We could even see whales in the distance! We also used one of the gyms but found it a tad on the small side and it should have had more mat space. There is another gym for cardio with a view of the ocean and beach, however we didn't use it. We did 2 day trips, snorkelling and whale watching, as well as took a taxi to the marina and went shopping at the flea market one day. We enjoyed watching someone feed a sea lion on the dock while lots of pelicans tried to steal its food. There was lots of activity and restaurants, bars to stop at along the docks. All in all, the weather was amazing and we had an awesome trip!

Barcelo Maya Beach Resort: Beautiful grounds and Facilities / Average Food / A la carte difficult

Restaurants were overbooked. Thus only able to access a la carte 3/7 days. That was booking immediately upon arrival. Very disappointing Limited english language amongst staff. Other than front desk and guest services (not typical in the Mayan 8 previous visits) extraordinary grounds excellent fitness facility beautiful beach with adequate chairs well maintained pools Buffet - average Ala carte Italian - average, Mexican - above average, Spanish - below average

Riu Dunamar: Great water activities, food could be better

Great beach, lots of waves (Sargassum can be an issue), great pools, great water park. Staff is really nice and friendly. Food could be better, the a la carte dinner restaurant system is a nightmare, since people have to line up or wait for a long time (with a beeper), because there are no reservations. People cannot ask for special drinks at any of the restaurants; only soft drinks, draft beer or wine. In other resorts, a la carte restaurants not only offer cocktails but also offer premium  [... read more]brands. I was able to visit 3 of the a la carte restaurants and found that the wait was not worth it, specially at the asian restaurant that is also a buffet... Another one seemed to always be closed. I found that at the buffet restaurant the most popular items would run out quite fast and would take time for them to be replaced (eg ketchup, syrup, guacamole). Finally there was no room service which is very useful specially with small children. The rooms are spacious, almost no decoration, the bathrooms are also spacious, but hand only soap, body wash/shampoo and towels are offered, none of the other things that can be found at other hotels is offered at this one (body lotion, mouth wash, sawing kit, conditioner, shower cap etc...). Finally quite a few times they ran out of clean beach towels and people would have to wait to get new ones (even tough the resort limits to 2 changes of towels per day per room).

The Fives Beach Hotel and Residences Playa Del Carmen: Wonderful Vacation!

The staff, grounds, pools and location were excellent. Staff were great—everyone followed COVID protocols, and all were lovely! The food was also excellent—from beachside tacos and pizza to the French restaurant (which was one of my favourites!) Lots of different places to go, depending on what you want (party or peaceful). My only suggestion would be to offer cappuccino/espresso drinks and the ice cream bar as part of the all-inclusive price. Will definitely go back! Thanks so much for a wo [... read more]nderful vacation.

Bahia Principe Explore Akumal: beautiful resort with exceptional customer service

Didn't know what to expect since it was our first time at such a large resort. Even though it was large it never felt crowded. There was always plenty of seating in the dining room and available chairs at the pool/beach. Hands down it was the best customer service, from the manager Oscar, to the dining staff Armin and the drink ninja Melissa. Everyone was willing to make your vacation top notch. Will recommend to family and friends. Thank you Karol for your suggestion. Vacation was amazing, will [... read more] be contacting you soon for the next one...

Occidental Nuevo Vallarta: Super clean hotel during Covid

Great small resort . Very clean. Friendly staff , good food. We paid more for the private restaurant and better room. Had a separate pool and a separate part on the beach. The restaurant was ok same menu for a week but enough choice just be aware that the service there is very slow and they are a bit unorganized! Did not do any of the restaurants where you had to make reservations. However everyone spoke an bout the Italian restaurant Make sure if you are booking a balcony ocean view tha [... read more]t you ask for a non obstructive view. I really liked this resort

Grand Palladium Vallarta: Resort showing its cracks

Feeling like this resort is suffering from Covid cutbacks. The resort is nicely spread over a lot of area, with nice amenities available and a variety of restaurants and buffet to choose from. The beach was lovely. The resort only has three floors with 2-4 buildings and all open hallways. In the middle of the resort is a small and shocking 'zoo'. Time to do away with this. It was really appalling conditions. Rooms: Our first room - an oceanfront room- had an amazing view, but overlooked the ' [... read more]quiet pool'. This was the adult pool with the bar and thumping bass music until 12 am every night. Even with the doors closed and headphones / TV on, you could still hear the music for the entertainment of the 5 or so guests. The first room was also not thoroughly cleaned with traces of mold on the shower door. We changed our room the next day to another with less view but much quieter ( of course no discount was offered to change from an ocean front). The front desk attitude was not very accomodating - they couldn't see why I didn't want the noise disturbing us until 'only 12". The second room was much cleaner, and quieter. Food: Not a fan of buffets, esp. during Covid. YOu have to use their app or line up everyday at 9:30 am to book a restaurant if you didn't just want to walk into the buffet. The food at the buffet ranged from fine to good. Very clean and strict protocols in place for food handling safety. We tried most of the other restaurants and they were all good portions, fresh and good, although sometimes not overly hot. A highlight was the Mexican restaurant with a lovely patio overlooking the ocean. A server came tableside to create custom guacamole which was fun. Not all wines listed by the glass were available. One night on the way to dinner my son slipped and hurt his foot. So we had to return to our room to stay in and order room service as he couldn't walk. There is a $15 per person delivery fee for this. Incredible. Lunch was either the buffett a walk away from the beach and pool or there was a disappointing BBQ beachside that offered burgers and hotdogs daily, and a few times nacho chips and ceviche. So no variety, no added extras like fresh fruit, or a change in menu. A real lack of opportunity to improve the food offerings. No snacks provided beachside or at the pool - only the bar. Drinks- there was a real lack of healthy options. If you wanted a 'smoothie' it was the highly sweetened drink mix offered blended. Given the amazing amount of fresh fruit at the buffet - it would be nice if they could offer a better selection of healthier drinks, esp. since the resort is really marketed to families vs. singles. Beach - There was a real lack of loungers on the beach. Plenty of room for more - and of course there was no monitoring of those who tagged chairs with towels at 8 am not showing up until 11 am - so with limited chairs and many broken - it was very frustrating. There were some boogie boards, kayaks, and a catamaran, but they could offer some scheduled kayak outings etc. There were daily activities including some yoga, and pool fitness classes that were well attended, and nightly shows for the kids and adults. Staff; Very mixed. Some were lovely- the concierges and the bar staff, but front desk staff - not so much. The attitude I received when I complained about the noise was not understandable at all, and there was clearly free rooms as the resort was only 60%. Overall I would rate the resort closer to 3.5 stars. There is plenty of room for improvement and the grounds and rooms were relatively clean and not too out of date. It is clearly showing its age and perhaps need for more investment. Clearly Covid has had an understandable impact on them and i hope they recover soon and are able to put a little bit more back into the resort to have it really meet its potential.

Armony Marival Resort and Spa Punta de Mita: Well worth it

Great place with incredible sunsets - the ocean rooms are well worth it. Very clean everywhere and fantastic service. Nice beach with lots of space for walks or jogs. Would go back again. Suggest coffee service in morning on balcony.

Sunscape Dorado Pacifico: What a nightmare

The hotel has changed drastically from years past, the air Canada person is all over the map with the cost for COVID rapid test, some paid 40pp some 80pp then I heard as high as 100pp, all USD, this is so wrong in so many ways. Air Canada should be ashamed of themselves for the inconsistency of there representative. What a money grab from the rep for the airline in Mexico. The cost for prepaid seats of 196.00 for extra leg room, air Canada double sold these seats…, next time I travel I’m  [... read more]going with a smaller independent travel agent other then your outfit. Your to hard to get a response from, customer service is the worst I’ve ever experienced in all the years booking through your company or dealing with air Canada.

Riu Caribe Cancun: Fantastic hotel

Older hotel but very clean. Staff was great - was greeted by name by the waiters in the restaurant. Beach was kept clear of seaweed. Never any long lines at the front desk or at the bars. Room was cleaned daily. A great experience and would love to come back!

Krystal Grand Los Cabos: Nice, Clean Friendly Atmosphere

The hotel was nice and close to the airport so no long bus ride after a long flight. We found the grounds, pool, rooms all to be extremely clean. We loved the roof top pool and bar! The staff were friendly and helpful. Our only issue was our minibar fridge did not work so they took it out and never did replace it.

Riu Emerald Bay: Second trip is a charm

We went for the second time March 1 to March 15 2022. Two weeks not a drop of rain blue skies and sunshine our whole trip. Covid testing was a breeze had a little wait but not bad. We love this resort from the workers to food and cleanliness. Beautiful resort with beautiful people. My most favorite person is the cleaning lady Veronica in the main buffet she is such a hard worker we love her so much. Can't wait to return only next time will be 3 weeks. Thanks again Riu Emerald Bay

Paradisus Cancun: Cancun 2022

Beach - Lovely sand & great for walking/ ocean for swimming. Red Flags for strong under current/rip tide. National guard and police patrolled the beach on ATVs. Very safe. Resort- 5 pyramids connected through passageways. You can stay inside or walk outside to arrive at your destination ( spa, restaurant, hospitality suite). We stayed in the Reserve. It was worth the added expense (reservations for dinner, Bali beds, etc).The resort is now at 90% capacity. The atrium decor has tropical foliage, [... read more] koi fish, ponds. Excellent Nespresso coffee stand and snack bar. COVID- staff prefers you mask indoors. However, the staff indicated that it depends on your country of origin if you mask indoors. Our group of 6 masked indoors consistently. We all had covid within the last 90 days and have been vaccinated. Majority of people did not mask indoors as it was not enforced. Although to enter restaurants you were required to wear a mask until seated ( similar to Canadian protocols). We booked (upon arrival) our return antigen test for 430pm on our last day (Friday). We received 5/6 test results (NEG) promptly. No records were found for my 15 year old until 20 min before our airport shuttle departure (Sat). Plan B was to obtain a test at the airport. Staff- service was excellent. Thank you Moises, Jose, Maximus, Galdino & many more. Hardworking and very pleasant.  They were extremely accommodating. We connected with our Reserve concierge through WhatsApp. We could text at any time to make plans or ask for drinks/snacks for our room bar fridge.  One of our rooms was in a party zone so they were moved to a different floor after banging and knocking on doors occurred after “quiet” hours. Gym- this would be less than ideal for the amount of people at the resort. Not enough gear or free weights. In pre covid times, I assume classes would occur in 2 of the fitness rooms ( spin, yoga?). Again, we masked to attend then removed the mask when exercising in a spot ( similar to Canadian rules). Food & beverage-Lots of margaritas. Buffet had many selections.We had great meals. Of course the 2 Mexican restaurants were our favorites. Beautiful resort. I would highly recommend a vacation to The Paradisus for families, couples, and groups. Please improve weight room.

Sandos Caracol Nature Resort and Water Park: Great time had!

My family and I returned to Sandos Caracol for March break 2022. We loved our initial experience in 2019 and were delighted to return. Our children are aged 7 and 9 presently. The resort offered a LOT for our kids: the amazing water park (slides! games! ice cream!), the cenote to swim in (do bring your own snorkel equipment to avoid buying at the store), the beach with the amazing coral (do bring water shoes ) , the various animal sanctuaries among more! We loved the variety of restaurants and m [... read more]ostly ate the Mexican for dinner (must try the Tortas appetizer, and the fajitas) and do ensure you book the teppanyaki restaurant with the concierge upon arrival to ensure you get a spot! The resort was clean, the food variety was great, drinks were great and the overall experience was wonderful. The sports bar was a huge hit with my boys who loved playing ping ball and learning how to play pool. I would recommend this hotel to others as it is really “different” in a cool way, with the Cenotes, rivers, mangroves, and rain forest! A really great time! Lastly, my kids and I loved seeing the monkeys and the coatis: made the experience extra special to see the animal life ;)

Excellence Playa Mujeres: Outstanding!

This is by far the best resort we have ever been to. Everything they had to offer met our standards and exceeded our expectations. The grounds are immaculate, all facilities have been played out with thought and the beach was excellent for lounging and walking.

Riu Tequila: Wonderful Service!

The Riu Tequila was a great experience. The food was excellent - buffet was great and had a vast variety of foods, and the a la carte restaurants were good and convenient (not having to reserve was really appreciated). Room was nice (especially the bathroom) and well-appointed. Grounds were meticulously maintained. Entertainment was okay, but the Neon Party must be experienced! The service was tremendous - drinks were generous and the servers were eager to serve. Wait times were non-exist [... read more]ent. There was a pool for everyone (kids, quiet folk, and a more 'energetic' crowd!). A bit of a walk to the beautiful beach (missed seeing the beach all the time), but the overall experience made up for it. Well-done Riu!

Secrets Huatulco: High and lows

So much of this resort was amazing. The few things that were disappointing however really stood out. All inclusive doesn’t include bags. Add $120 per person Food was excellent except for Food allergies were not taken care of. My husband had bathroom issues daily even though we reminded them daily. Glassware was awful, often giving me red wine in a beer or champagne glass. Pool glassware was very old. When pool bar was busy cleaning of glassware was scary to watch. Finally preferred [... read more] was not worth it. Top shelf bar was only in one area and anyone could get it. Covid tests were free but now not needed.

Catalonia Royal Tulum: Perfect Resort for a quiet and remote vacation

I will keep it short and point form because I could go on and on about the excellence of this resort. Some have said that it is 'too quiet' and everyone was old and grey. We found a great mix of all. During our week, we met with people literally from all over the world and even a few groups of people travelling/partying together. We are not necessarily 'joiners' so we did not partake of the Entertainment offerings but what was organized was very well done. Participants were all having a won [... read more]derful time, lots of laughs and cheering. The resort is in the perfect location and is the perfect size. We were looking for a small and quiet get away, this was exactly what we were looking for. The staff are amazing, very warm and welcoming. Always a smile and an 'Hola'. We chose the Privilege option and suggest it to everyone, the perks are SO worth it! The Junior suite is wonderful with a large and furnished balcony. The bathroom is large with a great rain shower shower 'room'. The room was immaculate as well as all other areas in the resort. There are 6 buildings with rooms located between the lobby and the pool & beach area. The walkway to the pool & beach area is beautiful with the entire resort right in the middle of the jungle. The pool is large as is the beach. The beach was immaculate. A few days there was quite a build up of seaweed but that is not under the control of any of the resorts. They kept on top of it as best the could. WE WILL BE RETURNING!

Bahia Principe Explore Coba: Meh

I would say 3.5 stars. We went to this resort for March Break and it was OK. We’ve been to better places for sure, we met great people and have a good time because we are able to brush certain things off but we wouldn’t return. FOOD AND DRINKS: First off, nobody mentioned the two closed restaurants which I feel should’ve been mentioned before confirming our trip. You can only book three a la cartes which sucks as we wanted a week of date nights after a few years at home. They’re pr [... read more]etty important to us. The a la cartes weren’t very good except for the Brazilian. The buffet was super repetitive but fine. ENTERTAINMENT: The bars and entertainment ends quite early 12pm for music and 1am for drinks so if you’re wanting to be out and enjoying this isn’t for you. The entertainment was okay, but the team wasn’t lively and charismatic during the day. They aren’t half of what I have experienced in the past as far as creating daytime fun and welcoming atmosphere. WELCOME: The bus ride at 2.5hrs from the airport SUCKED. The welcome wasn’t there. Our first room door didn’t work, we were given a smelly joint room which we denied and were finally given a third one. Rooms are okay but need an update, but we didn’t really care about them. BEACH: You have to take a trolly to the beach. It isnt a walk away. It is small and loaded with rocks in the shoreline. There aren’t many loungers and you are limited to blue chairs whereas other resorts can come over and use our chairs and bar facilities. POOLS: There are two big pools with bars which is great. There’s a third tiny quite pool which was more just a big jacuzzi for anyone wanted alone peaceful time. The pool bar gets busy and it’s hard to get a drink at times. The bars and the pool closed at 6pm which I felt was early and should be more like 7-8pm. OVERALL: The resort was OK but definitely no 5 star. We are pretty easy to please but we were just extra dissapointed after splurging an extra few hundred for a better resort after two crappy years. This is comparable to a 500-700 dollar cheaper resort. I’d say you’re much better off at one of the other two Bahia principe hotels as they’ve been updated and are closer to the beach but we weren’t allowed in them really. Only they were able to use our resort.