Grand Sirenis Mayan Beach: Has great potential!

My husband and I attended this resort together. It’s a family friendly resort but the price was right so we went anyway 😁 The resort is very spacious and has many unique qualities. It has its own coffee house, ice cream shop, a ruin!, dolphin show - you can even pay to swim with them. A lazy river that was a lot of work for me lol. Wildlife is around and they have descriptions everywhere explaining what they are. They are very eco friendly - no straws, reusable glasses, change sheets and to [... read more]wels every two to three days unless it’s necessary to do so before. The rooms are cleaned daily, the resort itself, well maintained. They were removing the seaweed daily, it was very hard work but they did it. The shops in the lobby were great - they only take pesos, so we would have to charge to the room then go pay at reception. There’s a shop in the middle of the resort where they sell locally made, beautifully crafted items. They take US dollars. We’re Canadian but brought US money. Here’s where we had issues and not all of them are the resorts issues but it reflects badly and I can not think of any way to resolve them. Here we go...the staff. My husband and I have travelled to many resorts all over the Caribbean, West Indies, South America and Mexico and I feel that I’m a pretty good judge of people. 4 people stood out to us during our stay. Louanne from the spa - phenomenal! She actually came down to the pool, talked to people, gave great sample massages and booked quite a few of us. It didn’t end there though. Every time we saw her, she remembered us, asked us how we were feeling, took a few seconds. She made us feel like more than just a massage. More than just a face. The second person, our concierge, Ivan. Super guy. He explained things to us, helped us figure things out. Talked to us. He was so accommodating. Felt more like a friendship than anything. He seemed genuinely happy to see us. We feel that Louanne and Ivan could teach the entire staff a lot in regard to customer service. Even if it’s just on how to be pleasant. The other two people were the coffee house girls, the ones that worked most of our week there. They couldn’t speak English well and our Spanish is not great but we managed to all be understood and they were great. Can I mention also the cookies at the coffeehouse??!? They are amazing!! We normally build a relationship with the staff at the buffet and at the restaurants. This did not happen here. It’s not that they were rude, they weren’t but there were no smiles, no greeting. It was disorganized mostly. Nothing made sense. Only on the Mexican night were we seated. No one greets you at the door - They stand there or they talk to each other but you walk in and find a seat. I would go get my dinner or lunch or breakfast while my husband waited at the table then I ate while he went and I would get dessert while he ate. We basically ate alone. Having the staff seat you, you know no one will steal your seat. They had welcome drinks outside on a few nights but they were there for the taking. They should be handed out while being greeted and then you should be taken to your seat. The buffet was all over the place, I think I missed a lot of stuff lol. It was good food though. Service was also slow - when it came to drinks and taking plates away. And the staff, they didn’t really look you in the eye. Not sure if it’s because they don’t know English well and were maybe afraid we’d ask something or if they were shy, but they need confidence instilled in them. Hey, I work with the public and I know it can be tough but it’s your job. You’re representing your company. You’re the face of grand sirenis .... no matter the day your having you gotta wear a smile for shift because these people have saved all year to come to your resort to escape whatever goes on in their regular lives to be pampered for one week and you have the opportunity to help make their lives a little bit better. Doesn’t matter if their kids are brats, their spouses are drunk, they’re drunk...it’s only a second out of your job but it could turn their whole day around. I recommend customer service training. We went to two a la carte restaurants, we cancelled the third. The steak house was good. My steak was a bit fatty but it was good. The Brazilian...not our favourite. The service was so so slow. The meat was either fatty, burnt or dry. Our waiter didn’t serve it right either. There’s a specific way it should be sliced and served...they need to learn that. The soup though...cream corn shrimp...omg...the absolute best! The elevator didn’t work a lot of the time and when you need to change US dollars to pesos, you need that elevator lol. Also the buffet was up there and after having walked so far to get there...last thing I wanna do is climb stairs. It was exercise, I’ll give you that but geez Louise.... 😁 The sports bar. There’s a word there... bar. In no way, shape or form should a child be any where near a place with the word bar in it unless it’s an ice cream bar. The sports bar was filled with kids. All around the pool tables. No parents. I understand people are on vacation and it’s a family resort but aside from the kids club, parents still need to be responsible for their kids. There’s no vacation from your children unless you leave them at home. I saw a little boy drinking pool water and finally the mom came in, I thought finally! She gave him another cup!! What the flip!! That was our first day...we discovered the quiet pool day two. Kids would bring lazy river floaties in there and jump in - parents said nothing. No one monitors the pools. The pool wasn’t cleaned for two and a half days. No jets were on the one day. Then 2 men came in what looked like hazmat suits to test the pools. That was scary...we joked about it but I’m still a bit nervous. Some of the children were so messy and inconsiderate, dropping ice cream, breaking plates, splashing, throwing things while people were floating... I don’t know how to rectify this other than to post signs, have restricted areas, adults only areas where children have no place being. This resort has so much going for it but it’s just shy of missing the mark. It has such great potential to be so much better than it is. On the other hand, it was nice seeing that some families were actually there enjoying their time together. My granddaughter, I’m sure would love it there and it might be a different experience for us having her there. The question below asks if I would recommend the hotel to a friend. I’m saying no but if it was a friend with children I think I would.

Bahia Principe Explore Coba: Another great stay at the Bahia Principe!

The grounds are always well kept, the staff friendly. The rooms are welcoming and inviting, and always clean. There is something to eat for everyone with all the food selections. Entertainment everywhere you go. Drinks aplenty, the sun is shining, loungers everywhere, several pools to choose from.......what more do you need? Can't wait for my next visit!

Hyatt Ziva Los Cabos: Another pleasant stay at the Ziva!

We'd stayed here about 12 months prior to this stay and headed back as we knew we'd enjoy it again - Very good restaurants, with excellent service, which we found again was better than many other hotels that we've stayed at. We went with our 4 and 1 year old kids, and we know the kids pool is well located and warm water (some don't have heated pools), so we were happy to be back and enjoying the ground floor Ziva suite, where you have back entrance to the kids pol and front entrance to the  [... read more]beach and the main pools. The staff are always ver helpful and pleasant, and are excellent with the kids. The distance from the airport is also appealing - about 15 mins and the first drop off on the hotel route. The rooms are good, but not like some 5 star rooms we'd stayed at, but we're happy to let that slide with the amount you actually spend in them. We'd go back!

Riu Palace Cabo San Lucas: Amazing resort.

Absolutely loved this resort. Amazing food. Never have had lobster offered in a buffet before. I really enjoyed the Indian restaurant available in the specialty restaurants. Fridge restocked daily with water, pop and beer plus a dispenser bar. Great maid service. Loved that we could visit the Rui Santa Fe and Rui Baha next door with our wrist bands. The only thing that could improve in my opinion is the entertainment. A little on the lame side. But otherwise worthy of a 5 star resort.

Iberostar Waves Tucan: Fabulous resort - Iberostar never fails

You always know what you will get with an Iberostar. Great service, smiles and courteous always. Never waited for a drink anywhere within this resort. Great food although a little repetitive. Shade all around the huge pool. Separate adult only swim up bar. Ice cream bar, Paella at the beach every lunch. Freshly made burritos at the beach every lunch. Fabulous beach - some seaweed but constantly being cleared by hard working staff. Monkeys, Peacocks, Flamingoes, Tucans, Parrots and more a [... read more]nimals I can’t pronounce the names of throughout the jungle!- lots to see and beautifully well lit in the evenings. Al a carte restaurants easily reserved. Italian and Japanese fabulous. Rooms smaller than average but plenty big enough and clean. Fully stocked mini fridge daily. Would definitely return to the Tucan/Quetzel. (They are the same resort)

Wyndham Alltra Playa del Carmen: Good Resort

Everything was very good, but not really good beaches around the resort. Very good location, close to 5 ave. The personal was very nice, clean, friendly. Food was ok. Very good Brazilian steak house. Swimming pool nice and clean.

Ocean Riviera Paradise: Great resort for kids!

The water park area and pool was great for kids. Same with the staff at the kids clubs. Resorts was beautiful and lots to do for all ages. Clean grounds and rooms. Staff was very friendly. We would recommend this place for families.

Riu Palace Baja California: Great resort hotel

Stayed at the new Riu Baja California recently and the hotel hit on all points. Check in was one of if not the smoothest I have ever experienced. Been to 30+ all inclusive hotels to date. Room cleanliness was great, daily service was fine, room additions such as bar fridge and water was always filled to the max. Large patio deck with alot of privacy. Deck view was of the ocean and the Riu St. Fe. We were on the 4th floor. Food at the buffet was decent. Everyday there were new options. At [... read more]e here mostly for breakfast and lunch. Dinner was taken at the other restaurants offered. Steak house was good and so was the Fusion. Pools....great atmosphere, great service, swim up bar was more lively than other pools but that is to be expected. Entertainment in the evening was pretty good. Make sure to take in the Micheal Jackson show. It was the best! Overall I hold no reservations is suggesting the Riu Baja California! Wish I could be back there tomorrow!

Bahia Principe Explore Tulum: Amazing Resort

We loved the resort. The food was fabulous, the rooms were clean and the staff was friendly. We had great waiters at the buffet. There is shopping right on the resort and the prices are very good.We will definitely return to this resort.

Akumal Bay Beach and Spa Resort: Excellent Resort

This hotel was outstanding. Incredibly clean everywhere you went. The food was very good with a large variety available in the buffet. The ala carte restaurants were readily available and the food top notch. We were able to snorkel every one of the nine days we were there. We saw rays, turtles and an amazing variety of fish on the reefs which were easily reached from the beach. The staff was very attentive to our needs. A special thank you to Abel the concierge who treated us just like fa [... read more]mily. We highly recommend the wonderful retreat.

Hyatt Ziva Puerto Vallarta: Fantastic Resort - Can't wait to come back

Everything about this place is fantastic with one exception, the "towel game" is the resort's biggest problem. There is absolutely no problem that you get up early and leave your towel and a book to secure yourself a spot, however because there is no limit to towels people are securing both a spot at the pool and the beach leaving it limited for others. Positives: - No wristbands - No reservations required for restaurants - Vendors are respectful and don't bother you - Private beac [... read more]h - Resort is spotless - Staff are accommodating and extremely friendly - Food is amazing, best part of this resort is that there are a number of restaurants open throughout the day, including breakfast. You are not limited to the buffet - Close proximity to "old town" Puerto Vallarta Would I recommend: I most certainly did and my best friend will be celebrating her 40th Wedding Anniversary this May.

Occidental at Xcaret Destination: Amazing resort!!!!

When my girlfriend and I arrived, we were greeted with friendly smiles and hellos. Check-in was fast and we were escorted by a staff member to our building(19). Our luggage showed up 10 min later and we were off to explore this beautiful resort. Everything from lounging at the pool/ beach to the delicious food was nothing short of amazing. I can’t wait to come back. This resort is a gem!!

Blue Bay Grand Esmeralda: So So

I stayed at Blue Bay Grand Esmeralda the last week of March. The trip was wonderful as a whole but there were cons for this resort. 1. DEFINITELY NOT A 5 STAR! 2. Beach area is small but beautiful. I'd suggest waking up early to reserve a chair. Your chances of getting a little hut for some shade is also slim to none even if you wake up early to reserve. Don't leave stuff unattended as my cover-up was stolen from one of the chairs. This was probably from another traveler and not the staff.  [... read more] 3. The transportation carts did not run on any particular schedule. They came when they came.. sometimes waiting more than 20 minutes so you might as well walk to get from place to place on the resort. 4. In addition to #3, the transportation carts were old, slow, and smelled strongly of exhaust fumes. 5. Food was a hit or miss. VERY Americanized... had a very hard time finding real Mexican food unless we went to the Mexican a la cart. Hardly a fruit selection for a tropical country. 6. Hardly any hot water or water pressure in our room. Truthfully, I'm a rather easygoing person so for me to have this many complaints speaks volumes. The resort is visually appealing, there is wildlife to be seen, the staff was warm and friendly. If you go on excursions, its a bit more accessible from the resort than it is from a resort in the busier part Cancun.

Secrets Maroma Beach Riviera Cancun: Beautiful ! Friendly staff.We stayed 2 weeks.

Swim up was amazing! Only negative re beach was seaweed but the beach is continually cleaned and it didn’t prevent walking but swimming a few days was out. Service was great including beach area— staff go the extra mile. Rooms are excellent with a huge bathroom.Making up of the rooms was an issue most days as by the time it was made up it was almost time for turn down service.Loved the “secret box” in the room — want privacy— room service is delivered to this box .A great idea!! B [... read more]eware —- there are sales people waiting to pounce as soon as you arrive!! Not time share but want you to invest in future Secrets( and affiliates) holidays. Wine choices are very limited. Only 2 each of either Chilean white or red.The for purchase wines are ridiculously pricey .The next time we go I will purchase wine before going to the resort.There is a great cafe ! I had a massage which was fantastic!! Ask for Harvey. Do not get your nails done at the spa— not a good experience for me. There are some great day trips offered if you want to venture out.we were there to just relax and enjoy the resort but did go to Playa del Carmen one day to pick up some souvenirs.We stopped at a jewelry store on the way and yes,I purchased! This place is enormous and has some great pieces— be prepared to negotiate. I have pointed out a few negatives but we would go back so the positives definitely outweigh the negatives. Forgot to mention the resident critters “ coati” or commonly named “ Mexican raccoon”.They are very entertaining! Friendly so don’t worry.

Dreams Aventuras Riviera Maya: Very good resort

Everything at the resort was A-1 From cleanliness to friendliness, the facilities and staff were incredible. We never had a bad meal and our overall expectations were exceeded regularly. Our one and only hiccup came when we inadvertently got caught up in a “Holiday Club” presentation we had no intention of joining.

El Dorado Seaside Suites: Great Vacation Spot!

Everything is top of the class in this resort, above all is the food quality that is top notch! The night entertainments can be improved, but this is not to say there is not plenty to do already. Definitely recommend, especially to couples looking for a peaceful and restful get away!

Bahia Principe Explore Coba: No service and à la cartes?

The grounds were clean, and a few staff members were smiling and provided great service, Barbara and another one in the main lobby(Coba) But their was not one server around any pools, and the bars(swim up or not) were very slow, short staffed for sure!! We picked up empty glasses around the pool area and so did the Life guards. They fixed my air conditioner, phone and fridge very fast, but why were they all not working? Others in my group had similar issues, with the fridge or air condition [... read more]er. It was nearly impossible to get an à la carte booking, yet, a lot of tables were empty when sitting in the restaurant. Again, probably not enough servers!! I would not recommend this place, unless they get MORE STAFF!!!!

Bahia Principe Explore Akumal: Perfect Vacation!

The resort grounds were so perfect! The service and food were excellent! The beach was so crystal clear and beautiful! A shout out to Alejandro from the Dolce Vita restaurant who went above and beyond and Gerardo from Alux for making our dining experiences just perfect! Thank you to all the staff and the managers who paid visits to ask what else they could do to make our stay more enjoyable. We stayed in building 49 which was close to the buffet, pool and just steps from the beach. The Mexican n [... read more]ight at the buffet was such a delight! Another shout out to our Air Transat representative Antonio Martins who was so resourceful. Our vacation was just perfect! Definitely returning!!

Playa Mazatlan: Really nice place

Well let's get it out of the way first, it's not a five star by any stretch. It's a good three star , the service was great, the room was enormous and the side we were on was very quiet at night. If I were to go again I wouldn't go "all inclusive" because the buffet is only cafeteria quality and they didn't have much high quality stuff. I was expecting smoked salmon and a bit more seafood varieties but salmon isn't plentiful in these waters so i guess it's very expensive to fly it in. In any [... read more] event the food was OK and the breakfast menu provided eggs cooked to order. Pity they didn't have bacon and only had sausages if you were early out of the gate.The specialty restaurants did offer better quality but there's too much formality to get through and the portions are ridiculously small. One mouthful and the whole lot's gone! The shows were all in Spanish , in fact all of the entertainment was in Espanol so we only went the first night, after that it we just went for an evening stroll along the Malecon which is clean bright and friendly, as are most of the people you see. I guess the shows were entirely in Spanish because most of the guests are Mexican, we didn't really see anyone from Canada or the States until the start of the second week and then the place became much more enjoyable because we had someone to talk to. They were mainly from Edmonton , Calgary and Vancouver, Mazatlan being the closest tourist spot beyond the States, where I refuse to go these days. A couple of the waiters in the Terraza could do with some smile training but mostly they were really friendly, the housekeeping staff were just like your mam. Pool was great and the beach was right on the doorstep with chairs and beds readily available, beach service was really fast. We only took one tour which was in the back of a converted, open air VW beetle and it was the best day of the vacation. A charming young feller named Jorge Gonzalez ( phone #669-131-1861) took us on a 2 hour tour along the Malecon , around and beyond the old city and it only cost 600 pesos , ( he charges 300 pesos per hour) Just a wonderful time. To sum up it was a very nice experience, I would recommend it to anyone who's happy with an older place and who is prepared to take things as they come. The elevator broke down just about every day but it's only 2 floors up that you have to walk and it's not a big inconvenience.

Occidental Cozumel: Nice Resort

Occidental Cozumal is a beautiful resort. The staff are very friendly and hard working, rooms are nice and spacious and fridge was always stocked. However the food needs some work. Two of the nights it was a Chinese concept, 4 days apart. Also had 3 nights of severe severe diarrhea.