This resort was amazing. Staff were very helpful and the food was great. Plenty of Ala carts with no reservations required. They have a food allergy program which was very helpful to us as my wife is gluten free. The chef would come out and explain what she could eat and even offered to make something extra. If you have food allergies this is the place to go. Nice beach although there were a few rocks getting in to the water but fine after that. Pools were good. Would go again
By far, (and I have been all around the Caribbean to many resorts including Sandals) this is the BEST resort I have stayed at!!! From food, service, grounds, rooms, beach, amenities and the list goes on!!! Not ONE complaint or thing I would change!!!
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Riu Flamingos: Nice resort
We found this hotel had beautifully kept grounds. The food quality was good but not outstanding. Our room was clean however the maids never changed the glasses in our rooms and we did not see anyone with a cart to change the glasses. We marked the underside of our glasses on Day 2 and those glasses were never exchanged. All of our party got a cold/flu which we believe was due to the not changing of the glass wear. As well, the pool water needed to be cleaned up as there was clearly a lot of[... read more] biologicals in the water from urine and drinks being spilled. Our bathing suits smelled like urinals after getting out of the pool. It is a decent enough place to stay but be aware of the lack of hygiene in the glasses you are served as well as the pool water quality. The entertainment staff and wait staff are all OUTSTANDING!!!
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Paul -
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Hotel Xcaret Mexico: Worth every penny
Hotel Xcaret is by far the best all inclusive resort I have stayed at.
The service and amenities are excellent and having access to all the eco parks from Xcaret is a huge bonus. Staying at Hotel Xcaret is a special and unique experience. Just book it you won't regret it !
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Mywneo -
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The Reef 28 Playa del Carmen: Great location and great resort!
My wife and I had a great week at the Reef 28. Food was great staff was good. It's a brand new hotel so some staff are training and learning the ropes. Rooftop was a great spot to hang out. Music was inconsistent and too loud on the rooftop. Steps away from great shopping and great restaurants! Mamitas Beach club was very nice. Not cheap though!
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Private -
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Iberostar Waves Paraiso del Mar: Great resort...
We had two rooms booked and we got there early and got a bit of a run around at the front desk.English not the greatest. We just wanted one room if possible .They told us our rooms were empty . just needed cleaning. We decided to walk around and kill some time and found out that half the pool was closed due to broken pipes .Would of been nice to get a heads up at the desk about the problem. We dealt with concierge and got all our alacartes booked . He was wonderful and so the fabulous vacation b[... read more]egan. Once we found our spot by the waterfalls we enjoyed every min. Great bar service .Great food. Grounds well kept. Staff were amazing. Drinks were great. Shows were fabulous. Our drivers on the golf carts were so much fun.We want to go back for sure.
This was our second visit to Secrets Akumal! We had such a great experience last year (Oct 2017) we couldn't wait to come back this year (Oct 2018). The resort is beautiful and the staff are exceptional. Both visits we stayed in the preferred club (building 4) with partial ocean view and this year with ocean view. Our concierge (Tallia) was so friendly and helpful. She maid sure everything was perfect in our room and helped us with pointers for local, off-resort excursions. Beach staff, pool sta[... read more]ff and activity staff were friendly and helpful everywhere on the resort. Even though the resort didn't feel "crazy-busy" full with vacationers/staff, there was always someone available to assist us. We did notice a few overall changes in service from last year to this year, but they were minor. We highly suggest a spa treatment and a wine tasting; we tried both this year and thoroughly enjoyed both! This resort is a peaceful place with relaxing fun for adults throughout the day and into the evening!
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Burlington bankie -
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Riu Dunamar: BEyond what we expected
Beautiful grounds, lovely layout and plenty of choices. We have travelled to 7 RIU properties and our personal choice of favourite is the RIU Dunamar. Exceptional customer service from every level of staff, cleanliness is their top priority. Yiu will always see a staff member cleaning, scrubbing hallways, LOUNGERS (first ever we have seen this, even pick up the beach ones) bathrooms, restaurants. It was such a pleasure to stay here. Entertainment staff were so good and plenty of fun at the games[... read more] pool area every day. Beach is beatiful but unfortunately lots of seaweed, even though there was a tractor and grounds crew each and every day, couldn’t be prevented. Our week we were very lucky to have fabulous weather. Would return here in a heartbeat.
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GeorgeV -
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Riu Santa Fe: Decent resort
Although the resort is pleasant, clean and plenty of pools to cool off, is a bit boring in the afternoon when everyone is looking for some sort of entertainment. Beside amassing pool parties happening every second day in not much else to do. People over 30,s are mostly intimidated to attend though due to the fact that those parties are design for young people with contemporary music and amassing light shows.
Food is acceptable, lacking variety and a la cart restaurants are a combinations of sel[... read more]f serve and served main course.
Very impressed with room update, although having a room bar doesn't mean much. Replenishing the liquids that matter is not always happen.
It didn't happen to me.
Overall is a decent resort but I will not consider it in the future.
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BadBronte -
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Akumal Bay Beach and Spa Resort: Absolutely Amazing!
As frequent cruisers, this was our first all-inclusive beach destination and we loved it! We went with another couple from October 5 – 12. We did a fair amount of research beforehand and I really think we found our paradise. The place is a perfect size – not huge, but big enough to provide amenities, and yet small enough to have everything close and see familiar faces.
It was our first time with Air Canada vacations and in typical AC fashion they oversold our flight, which resulted in us [... read more]taking a different flight and having a stopover in Houston. However, the compensation was generous and we still arrived in Akumal later that day.
There are many more pros than cons, so I’ll start with the cons: There aren’t a lot of veggie options in the a la carte restaurants but the options they do have were excellent. The snack bar had very few options, but it was convenient and easy for a mid-day snack (at night the snack bar serves gourmet burgers which are delicious! In fact my friend and I shared the veggie burger as an appetizer while we waited for a table at Rodizio and it was amazing – don’t judge us, we were on vacation! Lol)
There had been some rain and because of the tropical environment and open air setting there were some insects around (they had to fumigate all the rooms one day) and a bit of an unpleasant sewage odour in the evenings at the back of the buildings (by the elevators). Fortunately this only lasted a few days, didn’t affect the common areas, or our suite, and our room was clean and free of any unwanted critters!
We had asked to have rooms decorated for 2 birthdays we were celebrating during our trip and they missed the first one. I followed up with the front desk for the second birthday and there was no record of the request ever being made. Fortunately Minerva took care of things and our room was decorated for my husband’s birthday. A special thank you to Corrina for the champagne and strawberries – a lovely surprise!
The pool is definitely on the small side and felt very crowded at times. It’s also difficult to get a Bali bed unless you are up before 7am, but we were able to find space by the beach. The only other concern is all the smoking – it was hard to escape the smell sometimes – but fortunately there was no smoking in the restaurants.
The Pros list is much, much longer!
Rooms: we were in building 2 which is perfectly positioned with a view of EVERYTHING! Rooms are plain but clean and spacious. The private 2-person hot tub is a great treat, but it does take time to fill so we only used it twice (felt guilty about wasting all that water).
The housekeeping staff are great! Very thorough and so sweet. And we loved coming in to find towel-animals and chocolates waiting for us!
The a la carte restaurants were amazing and we never waited long for a table. It’s so nice not to have to make reservations in advance and pre-plan your meals – you can just decide what you want to eat that night and within 20 minutes you will get a table. The French restaurant took a bit longer but we enjoyed live music and cocktails in the lobby bar while we waited.
A special thank you to Mario (Lobby and Japanese/Peruvian Restaurant) for helping us arrange a birthday celebration, and thanks to Angela and Roy for a lovely evening! Also a big shout out to the Rodizio crew – we loved it so much we went twice. Luis was the best (sorry again about the glasses – we blame the tequila!) and Araceli, Kevin, Roger – thank you for a great night.
Definitely try the sushi bar. Enjoy a seat on the gorgeous deck overlooking the ocean with some of Liliana’s delicious creations and a drink from the bar – we miss you every day, Liliana!!
Snack bar – Manuel gets a big shout out! He definitely made our trip special - such a character and so much fun – always smiling and working so hard. He made us a ‘surprise’ drink each day and they were all delicious – but Diablo is definitely my favorite. And thank you for making us the little paper turtles on our last day. We will remember you (and crave a Diablo) every time we see them!
The wildlife was so beautiful and the setting was lush and gorgeous. Iguanas, capybara, birds, tiny little lizards (anoles maybe?) and the smallest, cutest frog I’ve ever seen. Take the time to walk around the resort, past the yoga studio and into the wooded areas – it’s beautiful and there are lots of friendly critters to see. The best, of course, are the sea turtles. We did get to indirectly assist (no touching!) with the rescue of a sea turtle nest which was a truly incredible experience, and on the last day we FINALLY got to swim with sea turtles (they are so well protected that they aren’t the least bit afraid of us), as well as stingrays, schools of fish, gorgeous coral – it really was paradise. But the turtles were incredible!!!! Those memories will last a lifetime…
Check out the hammocks for a place to relax and enjoy a siesta. I also recommend the walk to the town of Akumal. It’s only a few minutes along the beach and there are some nice little off-the-beaten-path shops there for souvenirs. Stop in and see Jose if you’re looking for silver!
The live music in the evenings was nice – much better than mediocre staged shows you get on some vacations. The live musical talent was really amazing. We had fun with Raymond (the DJ) and enjoyed the tequila tasting!
We did a few excursions (thanks to Tim from the resort and Bernardo from BDT for the recommendations - Coba and Playa del Carmen) but our favorite times were spent right there on the resort. We loved it so much we can’t wait to return.
And finally, the biggest shout out of all goes to the activities staff. Alejandro (thanks for the guacamole lesson! I’ll always have beer handy and never throw away an avocado pit again!) and Samantha were great. Loved our aquazumba sessions in the pool every morning.
And last but certainly not least, Mariana!!!! She was our absolute favorite!! Such a lovely person, inside and out. She made everyone smile and feel welcome. Just a bundle of energy and so sweet and genuine – you are the best, Mariana! Keep up the amazing work. And when you’re ready to come to Canada, let us know and we will take care of you :) Thank you for everything!!
We highly, highly, highly recommend this resort!!
Tammy & Steven
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Dreams Jade Resort and Spa: amazing stay!
Our stay at this hotel was amazing ,We really felt welcomed the service was great especially Alvaro and other guys by the pool .
I liked that the grounds were not so distant, I could easily travel with 2 small kids . The seaweed situation was not so pleasant, but you could still get a few hours in the morning of a nice beach .
Thank you , and I'll for sure consider coming back again
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Levie60 -
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Royalton Hideaway Riviera Cancun: Amazing resort
Vacationed October 13th to 20th. Only 15 minutes from Cancun airport. Beautiful facility. Great options for dining. Hunter steakhouse and Caribbean grill were my two favorites. Lots of entertainment by the pool during the day and nightly entertainment. Staff were courteous and helpful throughout the resort. Enjoyed the coffee/ice cream shop. Espresso Americano was my favorite. The 5 minute head,face and neck massage by the pool was awesome. Definitely would return.
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Eva49 -
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Riu Palace Las Americas: Very good resort
We spent one week in October at this resort. When you go Riu you know that service and cleanness is always a given. This resort lives up to it's name Palace and I'd like to salute the management and the workers who makes this all possible! I was amazed by the little details that they add to everyday things. At the buffet you could find those little plates with food in them each made by hand. And the chocolate!!! The best chocolate ever at any resorts. I could go on and on praising everything. Bo[... read more]ttom line is they deserve the five star that I had given in my review.
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BevL -
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Ocean Maya Royale: Fabulous Resort
Hotel was just the right size (not too large). Very well kept, rooms very clean and food was good. We also liked the Adults only atmosphere. We were a group of 4 ladies and loved everything. The animation team and shows were great. Everyone working at the hotel was very friendly and helpful. There was a lot of seaweed on the beach - could be the time of year. This wasn't an issue for us as we like staying at the pool most of the time.
Suggestions for Improvement - Put more signs up to[... read more] educate and deter people from feeding the wild animals. We had an issue with a racoon staying on our balcony all night He made a huge mess. We couldn't go outside. Fortunately we were able to move to the 1st floor. So many visitors think they're being kind feeding these critters but don't realize what a nuisance they can be.
Also, an extra mirror in the bedroom area would be helpful.
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Ocean Riviera Paradise: Ocean Riviera Paradise
Resort is clean, grounds beautiful, service not as good as can be expected for a 5 star resort. For example, we had to walk for 10 minutes to the reception area in pouring rain carrying all our luggage at 0600 hours in the morning in darkness all alone to check out. No one available to pick up luggage. We booked a tour with the Air Canada agent. On the morning of the tour we left at 630 am. Nothing open to get breakfast. We went hungry. There is a problem with excessive moisture in the r[... read more]ooms. There is a smell of mold/mildew in the rooms. We asked to switch room because the smell was unbearable and the next room had the same smell. The food was good. Too much targeting and sales tactics to get you to buy time share or tours or other things. Unable to walk off resort and go anywhere. Beach was filled with moss. Resort should clean it daily like other resorts do.
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Scott -
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Bahia Principe Explore Coba: Half decent resort
You definitely get what you pay for , the food and service was ok but definitely not a 4 star +
The grounds are big and lots of different activities to do.
We enjoyed the fact that you can visit other resorts and there is a casino on location
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Alvis -
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Barcelo Maya Palace: Great resort
Truly experience with Spanish lessons, dance lessons, and enjoying the water with both motorized and non-motorized watersports. The Barcelo Maya Palace is the perfect mix of first-class comforts and relaxation, and a true all-inclusive vacation experience with plenty to do.
Pools, restaurants, and bars await to offer plenty of options and something for every traveller. A playground, fitness center , shopping, Internet business center, convenience center, and fully functional spa are availabl[... read more]e.
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TRS Yucatan: Amazing Resort!
We had an amazing time at TRS. Everything was above and beyond our expectations! The infinity pool was incredible and the food was top notch. The only thing we didn’t like was the beach, it was nice enough but you definitely needed water shoes which we didn’t bring. Other than that 10/10 we will definitely be going back!
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Grand Oasis Cancun: Great escape
Hotel was large, very clean, staff were attentive and very nice. Many restaurants and bars were closed, many things are an up-charge that was not expecting. Was quiet which was nice, but made me wonder why is such a large resort, not even close to being as half full as it looks.
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Hotel Dos Playas Faranda: Not very impressed
The room was clean , outdated , small and a queen bed for two. The local people have all the vip oceanfront rooms.
Food was good but repetitive and they all waiting for tips .... pretty intimidating... the guy who prepares the ags on spot was never there in a week ... only for those who tip or for local people was there. I didn t expected this demande on tips in mexico ... once you tip they give you better service and then next day they expecting more than you give them today ...
Beside that [... read more]is not a bad location, the beach is small but ok . The advantage is that there were no waves compared to the hotels located on the front of cancun strip. The beach is facing the island Mujeres which kind of blocks the big waivs comming from the shore in this period of the year .
Overall satisfied but for sure a better deal in dominican for better stars and cheaper...