Barcelo Maya Caribe: Excellent Resort!

Excellent resort ......if it weren't for the Dolphinarium. Very very sad that such a large resort chain refuses to become a World Class Leader in the tourism industry by not only going to great lengths to protect green sea turtles but also dolphins. Instead of a dolphinarium which continues the degradation in human intelligence in terms of environmentalism and the protection of animal species, why not provide demonstrations/shows teaching the Barcelo patrons about the land and aquatic species in [... read more] its' surrounding areas? The world is starting to take notice and become aware just look at the huge drop in attendance at SeaWorld thanks in part to the movie Blackfish. Its disgusting to see people waiting their turn to swim with a dolphin, the dolphins being forced daily to perform and behave in tremendously small pools. At the end of each day you will find all the dolphins lined up with their noses resting of the pool's edge facing the ocean which is only metres away. So very sad. Upon reading the Barcelo's in room informational booklet the espousing of how they are protecting the environment by only washing the sheets every third day. Really?! Dismantle the futile Dolphinariums, and watch the Barcelo resorts really stand out as World Class Leaders in the travel and tourism industry..... The above makes me so angry but I also very much need to mention about the dive company Dressels that is on site here. My husband and I have been to other Dressels many times before and each time we dove with them they have been wonderful but I have to impress upon you that this Dressels location is THE best one! The entire crew there, everyone from the managers to the equipment guys all are top notch! Our 11 year old son just completed his open water PADI certification there and WOW we/he treated like royalty and we felt like we were a part of a family. Nina was our son's dive instructor. She THE best dive instructor we've ever come across (my husband and I both have our advanced open water and have more than 10 years dive experience at many dive sites including Roatan, Cozumel, Cayman Brac, entire Yucatan peninsula and soon Curacao). Nina was extremely professional and knowledgeable and really related to kids well. We hope to one day be able to dive with her again! This Dressels was absolutely perfect for those wishing to get their open water certification - highly recommend! Even the building itself was very clean, open, huge cleaning tanks, boats very clean, boat crew amazing etc. etc. So the resort itself now. Its massive. There is an enclosed 'mall' to walk through with various touristy shops with a very small casino and a haunted house (?) which was weird. Your all inclusivity doesn't go very far as everything fun is extra $$$. The bowling alley, awesome, costs $15 per game for instance. Want to play pool? Ya that's also $15 per game. Don't even know what the haunted house cost. The only extra thing that we did was the Flowrider which my surfer/snowboarder husband and son wanted to try...and loved. That was $15 for an hour. We did not go on any outside excursions as we had gone before and again, all of these 'tours' are very Disney'esque' and very over-priced. The food everywhere we tried amongst all 3 hotels was amazing. So much food!! Our 4 a la cartes were: Spanish, Japanese, Seafood, Steak house. The only one that was just okay was the Spanish one but ALL were excellent!! Our favourite was the Japanese with the Tepanaki show. The rooms were okay, nothing fancy but clean and adequate (room fridge always fully stocked). We stayed in the Sahil section of the Caribe hotel. This was a perfect location because of its central location to everything and proximity to the dive shop which was our primary focus on this trip. Have to also mention the service and staff at this resort were all excellent; very friendly and very hard working. Would we go back? No. Never again will we stay at a place with a Dolphinarium which is extremely unfortunate because of how much we loved diving with this Dressels location.

Barcelo Maya Caribe: Très beau site!

Nous avons séjourné à cet hotel, du 20 au 27 aout. Très bel hotel, très propre, excellent service, belle plage, bonne nourriture, idéal pour les familles, resto Japonais et Italien excellent. Tout est à proximité. Parmi les points à améliorer: le buffet est un peu redondant, surtout au déjeuner et la nourriture pourrait être un peu plus chaude. Le wifi est disponible uniquement dans le Maya Mall entre 10h et 13h; d'un autre côté, c'est excellent pour les ados qui doivent conve [... read more]rtir leur appareils pour la lecture ou les activités. très beau séjour et j'y retournerais sans problème!

Iberostar Waves Tucan: Amazing resort!

The hotel is beautiful clean and the staff is very helpful and polite. The service is impeccable and the man made jungle is unique and well looked after. The only thing that I would recommend to the hotel is to supply bath robes and slippers to their guests.

Sandos Caracol Nature Resort and Water Park: Great Kids Resort- but bring bug spray!

We travelled here from Aug 16-Aug 23 2017. We were a family of four (kids age 5 and 3) and traveled with another family same age as our kids. The resort itself is lovely and a lot for the kids to do. Resort is about 40 MIN drive from airport. Rooms: There are 3 sets of rooms.. I stayed in the basic room with my family (Building 36/37/38/39) all very close to the kids Aqua Park and Cenote. This is the simple room, but the space was sufficient. We pushed the two big beds together and there wa [... read more]s a lot of room for the stroller and space for the kids, beds were comfortable and good pillows. Open concept washroom area for shower but private toilet. We did get mosquitos in our room as well though, so bring extra spray for inside and outside the room. Also the monkeys are close to these rooms which we saw every morning. Next set of rooms are ECO upgraded rooms (Rooms 13-19), can't tell you about that, but more money to upgrade. Last set of room is the SUITE (our friends stayed here), they were in building 9 (extra $1800 US and ask for it when you are there), and had two washrooms and lots of space and access to room service and separate sleeping area for kids and parents to relax in, these buildings are close to the BIG MAIN pool and adult GOLD member restaurants. Food: First day and last day food wasn't the best, but overall was fine. Began to get repetitive. Lots of options for vegetarians (there is an actual vegan restaurant too on the beach) and lots of gluten free options too, lots of fish and sliced up vegetables and always apples to take out with you. They are fine if you take food out as long as you ask for a plastic plate. Waiters very nice. We tried Teppanyaki restaurant (Reserve when you check in), we found it just "OK", food was over cooked and the sushi was cream cheese sushi, so wasn't "amazing".. The vegan restaurant was good, just VERY hot/humid in there (no restaurants have AC) and the Mediterranean restaurant had a great breeze from the beach and good food (but service is very slow) there, it opens at 5:30. Buffets open 5:30 or 6, and always pizza/pasta/chicken/rice/beans etc.. There is also a snack bar, but we avoided it, out in the heat and the Coati animals all around it.. Restaurants NOT air conditioned so you are sweating and hot while eating.. Entertainment: My only complaint is that the shows begin at 8:30pm, which was too late for my kids who were fast asleep by 7:45pm! (one hour behind and humidity all day), they never saw a show. Kids club is a big indoor playground and they let the kids run wild, not as much planned activities there as I would have liked. I generally stayed there with my kids to cool off as it's air conditioned and they have a movie theatre there too (not always in English though). Sign up for activities the day before though. Pools: Great AQUA KIDS POOL, pretty amazing, tons of slides, shallow waters, and water is warm. Always ice cream and hot dogs here and chips as a snack. My 3 year old went up and down the slides by himself and was easy to supervise them here. Overall great family trip, just VERY hot and humid (bring shorts or very light long pants.. not jeans). Bring a lot of mosquito repelleant and after bite and aloe cream for the bites.. luckily my kids weren't eaten alive as bad as I could imagine, but my husband was! Must go swim in the Cenote, it's open daily from 9-5 , the water is cold but you see lovely fish and turtles. Also lots of animals to see, that the kids loved.. petting zoo with donkeys, sheep, bunnies, pig and ducks. Along with another area where the deer are and lizards and monkeys out every morning too waiting for a banana.. ( I wouldn't feed them directly as the monkeys have gotten mad or grabbed the banana out of our stroller), we just tossed it at the bottom of the tree and saw them run down to get it.

Bahia Principe Escape Sian Ka'an: Best Bang for Buck

Pros: Adults only / Amazing food / Private beach area / AAAA Service / The resort App becomes very useful. You have access to all of the other resorts when staying at the Sian Khan. Cons: LOT'S OF MOSQUITO'S

Barcelo Maya Colonial: Great resort

Resort is very nice and very big. We stayed at the Barcelona Maya Colonial Aug 18-25, 2017. 5 hotels on the property but you would never really know that. Lots of space, big pools, tons of pool and beach chairs. Service was good but check in process was not - waited in line 30 minutes and we weren't the last ones. More staff needed when the buses arrive from airport. Check out was similar. Beach and ocean were rough/waves for 5 out of 7 days. Somewhat windy on beach (never felt too hot). Food wa [... read more]s excellent but only able to eat at 3 restaurants even though we had 5 to choose from (the others were all booked). But buffet was very good. The mall and market on the resort was a great feature. Surfing machine was a blast for the kids ($15 for 1 hour). Kids were happy to do that once. Cenotes across the street (Eden and Azul) were great ($6 per person) and only a 15-20 minute walk. Lots to do at this resort. Overall impressed and would recommend.

Occidental at Xcaret Destination: Very nice resort

We really enjoyed the fact that the resort is located within an eco park, interesting animals, however mosquitos were quite bad so beware. Food was excellent in a la carte restaurants ( we ate at the oriental and Mexican ones) and you don't have to make any reservations. Buffet was also good. Friendly staff. One complaint is that some staff are pushing to sign up to an info session to become a member of the Barcelo hotel chain, unless you are considering buying into their time share don't waste  [... read more]your time. The resort is very convenient if you want to go to the XCarat park which is right by the resort or X-Plor park, for which they offer a free shuttle. We went to The Xel-Ha park and Tulum combined. One disadvantage is that you lose half of the day to enjoy the park because visiting Tulum takes up 2 hours (approximately). We got caught in stormy weather so couldn't appreciate the snorkelling as much, but it is hard to predict when you book a few days earlier. We still had fun though. Beach is very small and can get busy but snorkelling in the cove is great as well as along the shore by the adult pool.

Bahia Principe Explore Coba: Fantastic Family Fun!

Everything was great....the hotel, views, food, nightlife and the clean beach at Tulum had fish eating out of your hand. The staff was very friendly and the shuttles to the different areas around the hotels was a quick and easy ride. The beach has a fishing charter with knowledgable guides and know thier stuff, I caught a 25lb barracuda to prove it. Ill be back!

Grand Riviera Princess: Very Nice!

The resort was huge! That is a positive and a negative. Lots to do, lots to see and lots to eat. A lot of walking, but our kids - aged 11,8,6 - were up to the challenge. We would go back. We had a great time. The rooms were clean and the staff was nice most of the time.

Grand Sirenis Mayan Beach: Not as good as before

This was our third time at the resort. We were there last in 2012. The resort grounds are beautiful. The beach used to be pretty with great snorkeling but I think a storm must have wrecked havoc on the beach and reef. The staff are amazing. The food..not so good. Too much catering to the Brits. I grew up in England and I really don't want to travel to Mexico to eat bangers and mash. Wildlife on resort is nice. Sad that the reef has disintegrated and disappointed in food. Other than that the sta [... read more]ff are great, rooms are big and clean and grounder pretty. Another complaint..pl3asebdknt allow kids to walk or swim in the last river. Use a tube and relax. Can't do that when kids are pushing by and swimming around you. I have 3 active boys and I wouldn't allow this.

Ocean Maya Royale: Average Stay

We stayed at the Ocean Maya Royale, and had a relitvely good expierence. We noticed that the resort was very understaffed in all restaurants and bars. The beach was very Disappointing, there was little swimming areas, luckily the pool was right next to the beach. The food selection was poor in comparison to other resorts I've stayed at in the Mayan. I really enjoyed the no reservation policy at the a la carte restaurants, the Italian and romantic dining a la cartes were delicious. All and all it [... read more] was a pretty average stay. Nothing over the top, but nothing terrible either.

Barcelo Maya Colonial: Disappointed and scammed

The property is beautiful but thefood is very poor unless you go to a la carts restaurants! One night in the buffet they had "North America night - had US flags hung everywhere and offered fried foods ... didn't come to Mexico to get American food. At the stations where they cook your meat, fish, hamburgers - they add lots of salt and oil. The food was similar to Cuba even though the hotel claims to be 5 star. It only shows as a 5 star as the waiters watch for opportunities when you are actually [... read more] happy and hand you a survey then so the results are skewed. Extremely slow check in with not even water offered to help tired hot guests. We were bumped from our room as well as several others due to double booking rooms. Beware - upon arriving at airport we were offered excursions at reduced prices in order to hook us into time share presentation - thankfully we got out of it or it would have taken an entire day!!! Extremely long walks to buffet. Poor signage to everything - easy to get lost. Expressed multiple concerns to management - completely ignored! Check out was ridiculous -not only did the employee try to delay us so that we would be forced to take a taxi, the excursions booked at the hotel get registered as a room charge - we purchased excursion for $109 US but upon checkout we were charged $127 US per person and we had 6 people!!! Arguing would have cost us even more so we just offered up the money in complete disgust. Don't book Xel-ha - it's a 9 hour exclusion unless you want to pay to go back to hotel. And by the way. If you really want to go - don't book through hotel. Take a taxi there and only pay $89!!!! Per person. Limited choices for entertainment. Disappointed!

Grand Sunset Princess: Very nice resort

Our family spend one amazing week in this resort.Room was clean,comfortable beds.No problems with any towels.Great variety of food choices.Staff is very friendly and trying to serve best possible way they have been taught. Unfortunately some of the waitress didn't know the etiquette,and the right way to serve,but it is not their fault.However our vacation was great and we had very nice time together.

Unico 20 87 Hotel Riviera Maya: Our New Favourite Spot and Super Gluten Free Friendly All-Inclusive Mexico

Wow, where do we start. From the food to the pools to the decor, it's truly fantastic. Service was outstanding, and drinks were perfect. Plus, they have a Free App that gives you access to everything you need. This review is for all of those with food allergies. I'll let the others speak to how amazing everything else is. Let me start off by saying, every single staff member knew what Gluten Free was from pool service to chef. Gluten Free Options: -Every restaurant (From Sushi to I [... read more]talian) And I'm not talking about just a limp salad with olive oil and balsamic, but you have more options then you can count. -In Room Dinning -There is Gluten Free Stone Oven Pizza -Pastries in the Cafe Recommendation for the resort: - In the App, communicate what is gluten-free, vegetarian etc. - Update the menu slightly in the App, there are many food items not included that are available such as Guac or the Gluten Free Bread

Viva Azteca by Wyndham: Boring Resort

My husband and I stayed at the Wyndham Azteca resort this August. We quickly wished we went somewhere else. Although the staff gave excellent service, the resort itself had too many downfalls. First we were given the wrong room, then the toilet was broken. Next the shower handle broke off in my hand , the blow dryer holder fell off the wall, the power shorted out when my husband was ironing a shirt and i was blow drying my hair. The walls are so thin we could hear the conversations in the next  [... read more]room. The only air conditioning in the resort was in our room. The pool closed at 8 pm. There is no disco. No dancing. No nightlife. We were in bed every night at 9. The Tv had only 1 English channel. The only good thing was the excursions and staff. The hotel needs to be redone. And they need to hire someone to liven up the place. It was very relaxing because there was nothing to do. The pool was ok, but no swim up bar. The ocean was close and worth the visit.

Bahia Principe Explore Coba: Ok resort

All was fine but when we came to 5 star resort we got room with AC not working, fridge not working, safety box not working - broken. We got another room and after two days we had a fload in the room from AC. Did I regret going there? No, as we so many nice things on our trip. Would I go again? Never.

Grand Sunset Princess: Large, Lively and Impeccable Grounds

If you enjoy a large and lively resort then this one is for you! There is always something to do from water activities, cultural tours like Tulum, Chichen Itza, beach dance lessons and games to evenings filled with live bands and performances and great evening shows. The demographics are pretty scattered, from young children to elderly from everywhere around the world. We found the majority were from the UK, US, Russia and Spain. My husband and I arrived a few days following Tropical Storm Fra [... read more]nklin so the ocean was unsettled. We asked staff members if the water is usually that sandy and covered in seaweed, but they said it's usually clear, it was caused by the high winds of the storm that lifted the ocean floor.That was true since a few days into our vacation the water did clear. Regardless, my husband and I were in the ocean every single day. As mentioned, the resort is large. It is long so the distance from the beach to the main lobby is about an 8 minute walk. We don't mind walking at all so it didn't bother us. There was a trolley that apparently came every ten minutes or so on the outer paths, but we never saw one and we didn't care to use it anyway. This resort offers a daily shuttle to Playa Del Carmen for 8USD round trip which drops you off directly downtown and the driver explains the pick up times and provides you with a small map to find the location. The service was incredible. My husband and I love Mexico because we find that the service, food and culture is the best. The staff was very organized and kept records of everything it seemed. We really liked the idea of offering a "Boxed Lunch." My husband and I departed at 6am so we asked front desk if the buffet would be open so early. They stated that the sports bar would be available with some breakfast foods and drinks, but they also offered the boxed lunch which is ordered at the reception the previous day and they have it ready for pick up the next morning. It apparently came with an apple, sandwich water from what he briefly described. It was a magnificent vacation and we would definitely recommend this resort.

Valentin Imperial Riviera Maya: Superb week

The hotel was top notch across the board. The grounds and pool were impeccable and the staff was extraordinary right across the board. The restaurants in particular were fantastic. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Hyatt Zilara Riviera Maya: FANTASTIC RESORT !!!

This hotel was absolutely fantastic it was my husbands birthday and they made it very special for him. Banner on door, balloons, champaign, cake etc. The food at all restaurants was delicious. Not too fussy on the employees in front lobby offering you breakfast at another resort to check it out. Ends up being a sales pitch for their club memberships! Didn't feel they where up front and tricked you into going to another secrets for their "pitch". Also took almost double the time they told yo [... read more]u. Rooms where very nice and clean, beds super comfortable. Will definately recommend this hotel to anyone. We will also be back.

Occidental at Xcaret Destination: awesome experience

Our family had an amazing time on this trip to Grand Xcaret, starting with the highly proffesional help of Robyn from tripcentral, all support and reminders, flight and hotel staff. Thank you Robyn and great people at Grand Xcaret! There were few small inconvenients during arrival (far suites between family members - fixed, room problems - fixed) but overal great people, very proffesional, polite and giving their best, unique hotel by design, atention to details, amenities, nature, events, fo [... read more]od and drink, everythin first class. Big thanks again and atrongly recommend it, specially families