This is a nice resort, it's big with regular shuttles if you want. The staff is friendly and helpful. The food was good at all the Ala Carte restaurants and buffets. Bartenders great everywhere. Snorkeling from the beach was great waves permitting! A good resort for runners. The room was nice.
Location
Value
Food
Beach
Rooms
Service
Helpful?
Report
Elaine58 -
Verified Purchaser
Bahia Principe Explore Tulum: Everything at the hotel was great
Everything at the hotel was great. The staff was so helpful and there was always a lot of choice for food and it was at its best. The grounds where clean and so was our room. Pool area was wonderful and the beach was great
Location
Value
Food
Beach
Rooms
Service
Helpful?
Report
Terry54 -
Verified Purchaser
Occidental at Xcaret Destination: absolutely beautiful I would definitely stay again
everything was good about this hotel lots to do service was great, big place but there was a bus to take you down to the beach very friendly place I would definitely go back the timeshare people were not too bad they do not bother you too much
Location
Value
Food
Beach
Rooms
Service
Helpful?
Report
Mike and Karey -
Verified Purchaser
Grand Riviera Princess: Spectatular Vacation ( A Must Go)
The resort was absolutely Beautiful, warm welcome upon arrival with drinks available and fast easy check out on departure, immaculate well kept property, Very Safe, food was excellent, plenty and lots ( except breakfeast bacon), drinks were very good, servers were very up beat and friendly. Ala carte's were very good as well, rooms were very modern, includes hot tub, clean and spacious. All our accommodations were exactly as requested. Resort is huge with lots of walking and to ocean (good to lo[... read more]ose a few pounds), Chill Out Bar at ocean front, waste of $13 / person. Chairs at ocean are free and same view. Staff were very nice and cheerful, had a GREAT time and were close to pools. Shuttle to Playa Del Carmen available for $4 / person, great deal. Trip to and from airport were very easy and aprox. 45 min. Would recommend this resort and come back as several people on resort were returning vacationers.
Great vacation and memories, all was more than we expected. Would recommend to friends / family for future vacations.
Location
Value
Food
Beach
Rooms
Service
Helpful?
Report
Roxana -
Verified Purchaser
Bahia Principe Explore Coba: Nice resort, but it was better in past years
This is our 4th year at Bahia Coba. It's a bit far from Cancun (and a long ride after and before a flight), but food and kids' club are amazing. Entertainment is geared towards an older audience, but okay. Better activities for parents at sister-resort Tulum. Coba beach was moved slightly towards Tulum and is not great (small, rough sand and lots of seaweed this year), but you can spend time either at the beaches of Tulum or Akumal. Overall okay, although it was nicer in 2012 and 2013. I would b[... read more]ook Tulum or Akumal next time just for the beaches and daytime activities by the pool.
Location
Value
Food
Beach
Rooms
Service
Helpful?
Report
Cher -
Verified Purchaser
Occidental at Xcaret Destination: This resort is amazing!
Beautiful resort! The staff were amazing, the food was plentiful and delicious. We liked the idea that we didn't need to reserve for any of the 5 a la carts restaurants. Clean rooms and grounds. Loved all the wild life wandering around. The only negative thing is that you are approached a few times by staff that want to sell timeshares.
Location
Value
Food
Beach
Rooms
Service
Helpful?
Report
JBPB -
Verified Purchaser
The Fives Beach Hotel and Residences Playa Del Carmen: beautiful resort
WE INJOYED OUR STAY AT AZUL FIVES RESORT, FOOD WAS ADOVE AVERAGE FOR AN ALL INCLUSIVE, ROOMS WERE VERY CLEAN AND SPACIOUS (BUILDING 15 ONE BEDROOM SUITE)THE GROUNDS WERE BEAUTIFUL, THE BEACH WAS BEAUTIFUL AND THE STAFF WERE OUTSTANDING. JUST SOME TO NAME WERE DIAGO(BEACH BUTLER I THINK)JULIO AT THE THIA RESTURANT,AXEL AT THE FRT LOBBY WENT OUT OF THERE WAY TO MAKE OUR STAY COMFORTABLE. CAN'T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT THEN IN PARTICULAR. THE RESORT IS QUITE SMALL BUT THAT I FOUND TO IT'S ADVANTAGE.
Location
Value
Food
Beach
Rooms
Service
Helpful?
Report
CityChristine -
Verified Purchaser
Barcelo Maya Caribe: Thanks Tripcentral for an amazing vacation :)
The Barcelo Maya Caribe in Riviera Maya was unbelievable. The moment we arrived we were overwhelmed - so chic and everyone so professional and helpful. Totally awesome, a shopping mall right off the lobby, 24hr sports bar with bowling lanes. This resort has everything for whatever age with an amazing beach you can walk from one end to the other. The buffets are all delicious, the al la cartes are totally worth it, the bars cater to whatever you desire. The pools, water slides, rock climbing wall[... read more], volleyball, basketball, tennis, etc. Nightly shows very entertaining and then a disco for the youngsters and the Jaguar for those of age. You must go and enjoy this resort, we are so looking forward to going back and can't thank Tripcentral enough, especially Karlol, for referring us to this wonderful place.
Location
Value
Food
Beach
Rooms
Service
Helpful?
Report
SteveTan69 -
Verified Purchaser
Platinum Yucatan Princess: Amazing resort
Being a new resort it was impeccable. Ongoing cleaning. Grounds and decor were amazing. Very accommodating staff. All food incredible. Drinks great except house wines sucked. The beach was beautiful but inside the water a lot of rock and coral made it tough for swimming. Just had to walk down the beach a short distance for great swimming
Location
Value
Food
Beach
Rooms
Service
Helpful?
Report
JackieJim -
Verified Purchaser
Bahia Principe Explore Coba: Relaxing resort!
Coba was clean, friendly and easy to navigate around. Our room was spacious, clean and well stocked.The food was delicious and plentiful. A little disappointed that a couple a la cartes were closed.Sunrises were amazing! The beach was a let down due to all the washed up sea weed but we realize the resort was not at fault for this. The pools were clean and warm. We recommend this to anyone with children. Our 2 teenagers weren't interested in very many activities but enjoyed the family friendly at[... read more]mosphere. Although we felt very safe all throughout the resort our teenagers lost $20 each from their wallets. Their wallets were in their room in their luggage. So I would recommend using the safe in the room. Overall, we enjoyed the relaxing atmosphere, great food and beautiful sunshine.
Location
Value
Food
Beach
Rooms
Service
Helpful?
Report
Laulau9 -
Verified Purchaser
Sandos Caracol Nature Resort and Water Park: We didn't want to leave!
Traveled March 12-19 with another couple. This was my 1st trip to Mexico, 4th to the Caribbean. To say this resort met our expectations would be an understatement! To start, Alan Medina was in contact with my husband prior to our trip and booked all our a la carte reservations for us so that we didn't have to worry about it once we got there. He also got us rooms in the same building, with balconies. My husband and I had champagne and a plate of fruit waiting for us upon arrival, which was a nic[... read more]e & thoughtful touch. There's been a lot of talk in reviews about Timeshare "vultures", and our Sunwing rep even warned us but we weren't approached once by anyone so maybe they've changed this because of the negative reviews. The Guest Services staff did talk in our welcome meeting about the benefits of booking directly through Sandos, but this was a 2 minute bit and that was it.
Resort: This is an absolutely beautiful resort. It's an eco resort, so there has been little clearing and you really feel like you're in the middle of the jungle. There are cenotes and Mayan Ruins on the property, as well as lots of wildlife and special features to look at. We did a lot of walking, but there are golf carts available to shuttle you to and from. Yes, this is a family friendly resort. We didn't really find this a problem, there didn't seem to be any more kids than we have normally found at an all-incusive over March Break. The only issue we had was there seemed to be a lot of kids in the main pool, and it often seemed like they had the run of the place with no supervision. Splashing, doing cannon balls right over your head, etc. This is more a parenting issue than a resort issue. There is a kids club & pool for your child, I shouldn't have to be worrying about other people's kids. Although to be honest, sometimes adults were more annoying (someone was spitting chewing tobacco into the pool one day- what is wrong with people?!). That being said, this isn't a "party" resort, but we weren't looking for that atmosphere anyway. There were people drinking and being social, but it certainly wasn't a "Spring Break" type of place.
There are yoga classes offered every morning except Sundays at 8 am. Unfortunately I only made it to one class due to excursions and being the only one in my group interested- that being said it was hands down one of the best classes I've taken! It's Ashtanga/Flow style, but very doable as Juan Carlos is an excellent instructor who makes you feel comfortable (while challenging you at the same time). I would definitely recommend!
Wifi is free, but is only available in public areas- Sports Bar, Theatre, Pool/Beach, Lobby. Mosquitos weren't an issue for me for the first half of the trip, second half I got lots of bites so make sure you bring bug spray!
Room: We were in Building 44 which was a decent walk from the pool/beach. You can certainly get buildings closer to beach, but then you're a walk from food. I don't think you can lose out on rooms...we didn't bother upgrading to Adults Only as it seemed to be quite isolated from everything else and the furthest from the beach. We just didn't feel it was worth it! They don't have bottles of water (which is great), but instead a water cooler in each room. Bring a water bottle with you! If a hair dryer is a necessity, bring one. The one in the room was old and looked like a vacuum cleaner.
Beach: Yes, the beach isn't as beautiful as other beaches in the area. I thought the note in other reviews about water shoes was an exaggeration, but if you want to enjoy the water you really do need them. We had some cut feet before we found a path out to a sandy area. There was lots of seaweed, but this was the case everywhere from what I heard/saw. Vendors do approach you but they're very friendly and we didn't feel pressured. We never had any issues finding chairs by the beach, even on the day we didn't make it down there until after lunch. The pool was a little tougher, but we were usually in the water anyway so just set our stuff on one chair.
Food/Drinks: Since this was our first trip to Mexico, we were blown away by the food. There is one main buffet that is open for all three meals. Lots of options- I don't eat a lot of meat but always found lots. We also liked the Mexican for breakfast, and the Italian for lunch. These become a la cartes in the evening but have great selection for breakfast/lunch. The 24 hour sports bar wasn't anything fancy, but you could get burgers, hot dogs, nachos, fries, etc. Guacamole on everything. The a la cartes we visited were the Teppanyaki, Mediterranean & Brazilian. All were amazing butt the Teppanyaki was my favorite, mainly because of the experience. Drinks were standard all-inclusive: lots of sugary/slushy drinks but still good! Mojitos were fantastic, and often the little drink stand by the pool made delicious things not on the regular menu (rum punch, Oreo milkshakes with Baileys).
Entertainment: Wow. Just..wow. This was the best entertainment we have seen in our four trips south. The Michael Jackson show was insane. The Mayan shows were so different from anything we've seen, and I loved that they had them in different locations around the resort (Mayan Ruins, beach, cenote).
You have access to the Sandos Playacar as well. We went one day, because we were told the beach was amazing and had friends who had stayed there. It was a $40 return trip by taxi which was reasonable for two couples, and we weren't disappointed! The beach is gorgeous, but I found the Caracol grounds were much nicer, maybe just because they were different.
I don't want to call these complaints, because they really didn't bother me that much but these are a few things we noticed during the week: It would be nice if there was a snack bar (even if it was small) on the beach. We really liked this about the Playacar. The disco doesn't open until 11, but often the shows only go until 9:15-9:30, so there was a large gap of time we had a hard time filling. Because of this we only made it to the disco one night. It would be nice to separate the main pool into family friendly/adults only...it's big enough that I don't think this would be an issue.
This is the first resort we've visited where I didn't want to leave, and would go back in a heartbeat! If anyone has any questions feel free to message me!
Location
Value
Food
Beach
Rooms
Service
Helpful?
Report
Travelforme -
Verified Purchaser
Sandos Playacar Beach Resort: fantastic for family's with children!!
Returned from a week's stay at Sandos Playacar on March 18th.
The food was fabulous. There was a wide assortment for every taste, including fresh baked breads and pastries. They also had lots of kid friendly options. The a la carte restaurant's were very good as well.
There are four pools, however if you are looking for a swim up bar...you need a special bracelet for that which is an upgraded price, as is several other areas throughout the resort, including some areas on the beach.
The fancier r[... read more]ooms are far from the beach and main dining and entertainment areas but there is shuttle service, but the unrenovated rooms are comfortable, clean, and convenient, and you're there to enjoy the sun and fun!
I have never been to a resort that has had sooo many family's with kids under 10 and they really cater to that as well as teens there was plenty of activities for all ages of children and teens.
Location was good too. Quite close to Playa del Carmen.
So I had a great vacation but I wouldn't go back as I don't have children but if you do definitely check it out!
Location
Value
Food
Beach
Rooms
Service
Helpful?
Report
Weber2119 -
Verified Purchaser
The Fives Beach Hotel and Residences Playa Del Carmen: Best Resort Experience Ever
Azul Fives was to date the best resort we have had the pleasure to stay at. The customer service was amazing, the food and drink unsurpassed, and the amenities were all over and above our expectations.
Location
Value
Food
Beach
Rooms
Service
Helpful?
Report
Jojo2013 -
Verified Purchaser
The Fives Beach Hotel and Residences Playa Del Carmen: Not suitable for couples looking for a quiet time!
I booked this resort for the infinity pool, but wouldn't go back again. it was always noisy with the kids...the infinity pool...the restaurants. So because of the constant din, there wasn't much of an ambience for my husband and me, looking for a quiet, relaxing time.
The food was great though. staff were nice too.
if you have little kids, it offers fantastic facilities.
We upgraded to a 1 bedroom Suite, because the double bed deluxe was pretty horrible..felt like some regular 3 star motel in th[... read more]e US. Poor design for bathrooms. The 1 bedroom suite has a nice jacuzzi in the bedroom, though it was a bit creaky when my husband and I got in (we're both small built)!
The beach is pretty disappointing too...small and very weedy. In other resorts we've been to in Cuba and Antigua, we spent a lot of time on the beach...not at Azul Fives. So we had to spend time in the swim up pools to find the quiet time we were looking for.
Entertainment (shows) was excellent!
Location
Value
Food
Beach
Rooms
Service
Helpful?
Report
Susan123 -
Verified Purchaser
Bahia Principe Explore Coba: Wonderful Holiday!
The resort was beautiful and very big. So big that my husband and I had trouble finding our way the first day or 2. The food was delicious and there was quite a variety. We also enjoyed the 4 a la cartes as well.
While the room was lovely and very clean, it was very musty smelling. As a matter of fact, I had to wash our winter coats a few times and then hang them outside to get the smell out.
The staff were friendly and very helpful at all times.
Location
Value
Food
Beach
Rooms
Service
Helpful?
Report
Red13 -
Verified Purchaser
Blue Bay Grand Esmeralda: GREAT!
Had an awesome time, resort was very clean, staff was friendly. no complaints. Food was good, a lot of options, bars, no night life though. Big resort but never had any issues finding chairs by the pool
Location
Value
Food
Beach
Rooms
Service
Helpful?
Report
StephM -
Verified Purchaser
Grand Sirenis Mayan Beach: Had a great time!
We enjoyed our week at this hotel. Highlights were the on site ice cream parlour - BEST chocolate ice cream ever! The Brazilian restaurant was by far the best a la carte we visited. The selection of drinks included was tremendous and all the food was good. A lot of variety at the buffet and was always the right temperature. The staff at the resort was so hard working, never took a rest! They really wanted to ensure we were well take care of. Great lazy river and a lot of wildlife on the property[... read more]. The resort is also environmentally friendly which we were very impressed by. The resort is huge which we knew - lots of walking which was good considering how much we ate! One of the things we would change is beyond the control of the resort....smoking. Certainly not like Canada. Smokers could smoke pretty much anywhere (except theatre and in restaurants) It was awful to be sitting by the pool or in the lobby and smell that awful smell....The other thing worth mentioning is that we were travelling with a child with a nut allergy. The resort wasn't nut free but we certainly weren't limited at all. We were careful as we would be anywhere - Anytime we had a question about any food item, it was quickly addressed. Our daughter was completely safe, a total relief! We already miss the Grand Sirenis!
Location
Value
Food
Beach
Rooms
Service
Helpful?
Report
DMBuch -
Verified Purchaser
Occidental at Xcaret Destination: Amazing Resort
This was our first all inclusive vacation and we were very confused on what resort to go to. We eventually picked Occidental had we are glad we did. No complaints at all. Food was great, just make sure you plan to be at dinner before 730 pm and you will have no problems eating at any of the fine dining places. All resturants were exceptional. Swim up bar and pool was fantastic, bartenders were entertaining and provided exceptional service. Rooms were large, clean and everything you need. Beach a[... read more]rea is a cove, and no problems getting room to spend time at the beach.
Location
Value
Food
Beach
Rooms
Service
Helpful?
Report
Richie228 -
Verified Purchaser
Hotel Marina El Cid Spa and Beach Resort: Another great experience and Stay !
This was our third stay at El Cid, this time we booked a one bedroom suite which was amazing and lost of room for all four of us. As usual the food was great and the staff very friendly and helpful. We upgraded to Platinum which I don't think was worth it , this was our only negative.
Location
Value
Food
Beach
Rooms
Service
Helpful?
Report
Tammie -
Verified Purchaser
Hotel Marina El Cid Spa and Beach Resort: Great Family Resort
This is a very good family resort. The service everywhere was excellent and they work really hard non stop to keep all areas of the resort very clean. This resort was at full capacity during our March Break stay and there was never any shortage of great service that we saw. We did not encounter any Timeshare issues. The beach is not that great due to the sea grass that is washed up each day. This is of no fault of the resorts and they work all day at clearing it up. We did see some good night en[... read more]tertainment as well as all the entertainment during the day around the pool. Was never an issue to get a lounger by the pool or beach. Maid service was good and our fridge was restocked each day. The commute between the airport and resort was very efficient and only about 30 minues away from airport. The town is very close and a very safe and nice spot to check out. We did not have any problems getting the reservations for dinner and the Italian was very good. The resort is a great size for a family wanting to give the kids some freedom yet still keep an eye on them. Would return.