Buenaventura Grand Hotel and Great Moments: Just not satisfactory in so many ways

Here are the main grievances that I will cover: • Check-in and Upselling • The Rooms, Internet, Noise Level • The Pool Chairs!!!! • The “Adult Pool”!!!! This is not to say there were not other issues, but for me these are the main ones. See also positive notes at the end. Check-In and Upselling Problems started right from the moment we arrived at the hotel. Right beside the front desk are 2 offices staffed with people who wear tags saying they work for the hotel but it  [... read more]would seem they are there to get you to buy other services. During check-in, any questions we had about the hotel were referred to these people. You couldn’t even ask a simple question about what time dinner started. We still had not caught on, and I naively asked about the "adults only" pool. I was again referred to the other offices, and was told they could set us up with "preferred seating" at the adult pool (see further notes below on this subject: The “Adult Pool”!!!!). After check-in we asked about this at the desk we were referred to, only to be told this would be explained by their specialist who would be there in the morning. So by then we knew there was something fishy. We did go to see the "specialist" in the morning and sure enough, he was doing an up-sell. He talked about a “Vacation Package” (probably timeshare) – wait a minute, hadn’t we already bought a vacation package through Westjet? He wanted to give us a free breakfast and talk about it. Sure - the usual timeshare come-on. So you see the connection: tired travellers just off their flight have all their questions redirected to a side office and are then told that in order to get answers you need to come back in the morning when the "specialist" is there (read Sales Guy). It seems the hotel has no qualms about trying to get weary travellers to give up more of their money for these additional “services” and “packages”. In my opinion it is shameless. I have been coming to Mexico 25 years and have never seen such blatant attempts to get their customers to buy more from the minute they walk in the door just when they are most tired and vulnerable. We talked to many other guests who were equally disgusted with this shoddy and unethical practice. The Rooms, Internet, Noise level Forget about internet in the rooms. Our package from West Jet did say there was wifi in the rooms, but neglected to say it doesn't work most of the time! We complained about that and also about the fact our room smelled and after 2 days we were moved to an ocean-front room (we paid for the upgrade). The internet still did not work properly. So we just gave up on that front. The room was very nice until about 8:30 at night when the "entertainment" started at the pool. It was absolutely the loudest music I have ever heard and would probably be damaging to the eardrums. We had to close out balcony door and also needed earplugs just to survive. So much for the upgrade and listening to the surf. We called down and asked them to turn it down. They said they did but we did not hear any difference. The hotel claimed they had 400 guests and some people did like this music. So we went down and saw that there were only 8 people actually watching the show. What about all the parents trying to put kids to bed? What about people just trying to have a relaxing evening, what about those who paid a premium to hear the ocean (ie us) who have to the shut the balcony door and put ear plugs in???? This took much more complaining to both the hotel and West Jet. They did turn it down a little on follow-up nights but we still needed to close the balcony and wear earplugs. So we requested yet another room change, this time to the far side of the building. Finally, the noise was bearable. By then we were on day 6 of our 14 day vacation. The Pool Chairs!!!! This is perhaps one of the most hidden and bizarre aspects of their poor maintenance program. Every single lounge chair at each pool could not be placed properly in an upright position so you could read a book. In fact the mechanism for adjusting the chairs was in all cases mangled (see photos). Did they get the chairs at a fire sale or what??? This is not something you think to ask about in advance when going to a new hotel (ie – “can you actually adjust the lounge chairs?”) So most people we talked to were very unhappy about this and had resorted to putting stones in the mangled mechanism so as to get a bit of an upright position. This was very, very common during out stay. The stones would fall out and you would have to keep putting them back in. It was quite a common discussion point, or joke, on the elevators or poolside. Every night the cleaning staff would remove the stones and then you would have to find some more the next day. My husband decided wood would be better, so he collected wood pieces from the ground in town (I kid you not), and then chiselled them to the right dimension with sharp stones he found in the beach. The wood pieces were very popular and we ended up making some for other guests and also giving ours away when we left. I know this sounds incredulous, but look at the pictures! You couldn’t make this stuff up! The "Adult Pool"!!!! The website states that there are “Three heated pools with adults only areas”. This is quite misleading. We thought there was an adults-only pool which we assumed would be a quiet area. This is not so. There is a small area or “pool” with submerged lounge chairs which is what they refer to as the adults-only area. It is approximately 3 meters by 10 with no room for swimming. The actual swimming pools all allow kids so there is no actual, quiet, adults-only swimming pool. This was very disappointing as this was one of the main reasons we chose this hotel. Other guests told us they had the same misconception. At all the pools, you are subjected to noise off and on all day of various sorts, including pool aerobics and pool-side bingo. If you want peace and quiet, this is not the place to come. On the positive side • Non-management staff are friendly and try to do a good job. None of the above is their fault. It is management. • On another note, they have established an exemplary recycling program including organics, plastics and paper. This was very good to see. • The place is kept relatively clean.

Grand Sunset Princess: Beautifull Resort

Very nice Hotel. Beautiful grounds and vegetation. Room and housekeeping excellent. Specially enjoyed the beach. Superb location. This resort is on our top 3 list. Probably will return in the near future.

Riu Flamingos: Amazing Resort

We had such a great time, the resort was beautiful, the staff were great, the food and entertainment was outstanding. We went on the tour to go see Cirque du Solei and was amazing. we would definitely go back.

Grand Park Royal Cozumel: Not great - just OK.

Resort is OK, nothing spectacular. If you are looking for a beach vacation, this is not the place. Beach is extremely disappointing - tiny for size of the hotel and your view is blocked by cruise ships all the time. If you want a spot by the pool, make sure you get out and reserve your spot before 8AM (finally got this figured out by Day 3). Want a dining experience, make sure you book it days in advance. I was told book at noon for the evening. When I did, they were booked for days so never  [... read more]got to use my a la carte dining. My fault for not booking sooner but wish they had mentioned this on arrival. Hotel is clean, staff friendly but not overly helpful, beds are extremely hard and uncomfortable and none of my booking preferences were honored. Overall my experience was mediocre. Wish I had looked at reviews from other sites before booking.

Hotel Xcaret Mexico: Amazing resort.

One of a kind, unbelievable! Everyone should take the time to stay at this awesome resort. The rooms, the workers, the pools, the food, the river, unbeatable! They all treat you like royalty and work so hard. The best resort we're EVER stayed at in all our travels. Recommend it to everyone! 10 stars !!

Fiesta Americana Riviera Nayarit: Nice little resort

Very quaint and well designed with space limitations. Overall a pleasant experience but not worth the money. Having been to a couple of other Dreams resorts found this one to be much lesser in overall value.

Grand Oasis Cancun: Mixed reviews

the grounds, beach, pools and public areas are really nice. the entertainment is great staff overall are very good the negatives the food is only okay there is not enough restaurants to service this large hotel, we waited sometimes over and hour and a half to get in for dinner this is a tiered hotel be aware, check out what comes with your tier otherwise you are charged for a safe in your room, $6.00 a day and internet $40.00 for 5 days and excluded from some of the restaurants and bars  [... read more] the rooms are very tired, basic and in real need of update there is not enough activities, the #1 activity is power drinking this hotel is advertised as party central, geared to students on reading and spring break

Ocean Riviera Paradise: Stunning Resort!

We stayed 2 weeks at this beautiful modern resort. Had our wedding on Valentine's Day along with 12 of our family members in attendance. The wedding turned out perfect for us with no complaints. Everyone had a wonderful time at the resort. The food was beyond our expectations! Thanks to Kassandra and the rest of the entertainment team for doing an amazing job every day, always energetic and fun! The bartenders and staff were very friendly and attentive. Only complaint is the house keeping was la [... read more]cking many times. We would most definitely return!!!

Ocean Coral Riviera Cancun: Great place, no regrets

We were there for 10 days From feb 3ard. I really have no complaints. All of the dinning was awesome. Only one that needs a reservation is the sensai and its one of those cook in front of you deals. Very good as well. The beef is very good there and I would recommend the Chateau Briand. its a little extra $ but worth it . Blue moon.. The buffet is also very good but can be a bit noisy timing is important here eat early in the morning they open at 6:30 am so you can grab some grub before you go  [... read more]on your early tours.and around 9 at nite. The pools are fun and they have pool parties as well. The guys at the bar are a fun bunch and no problems getting loads of drinks, and yes they come around and bring drinks as well. Beach is very nice and they try to keep all the sea weed picked up. Great for long walks I think about 4 km to Peorto Moralas , check out the nude beach on your way. Rooms were all clean and comfortable. They also have nightly entertainment it was hit and miss but still fun. Book this place and your in for a good time, CHEERS !

Catalonia Playa Maroma: Nice relaxing vacation

We spent 10 days at the Catalonia Maroma in February. The resort is extremely clean, the food is good and I highly recommend the Privilege package if you want to take full advantage of the restaurants. Overall, our only deception is that the beach was not what we expected. There was a lot of seaweed during our stay. They had teams digging enormous trenches and filling them, but I was impossible to keep up. It has nothing to do with the hotel, but it was not inviting to go swimming. When you  [... read more]go South for the beach and it’s not what you’ve experienced before, it’s a bit disappointing. Last but not least, we took a ½ day Transat excursion to Rio Secreto, a spectacular underground river, which we really enjoyed.

Excellence Riviera Cancun: Great vacation at Excellence Riviera Cancun

I spent a week at Excellence Riviera Cancun in mid-January. I had a fantastic time. Good things: • First and foremost, the staff. Friendly, courteous, helpful. And I mean everyone – housekeeping, bell men, reception, gardeners, restaurant staff, management; • No wristbands; • No towel cards and no need to exchange towels. Unlimited towels are available in several locations and there are bins to dispose of them when you are done; • Adults-only – need I say more? • No reserv [... read more]ations required at the a-la-cartes. • The food was always good to great. The selection at the buffet for breakfast was incredible. • Aroma coffee shop near the lobby served very good lattes and cappuccinos. • Lots of live music. Breakfast buffet had a guitarist or saxophonist or keyboard player. Early evenings there was a different live band each day in the plaza outside the theatre. Not as good things: • Housekeeping service was at a different time every day, sometimes 10:00, sometimes 3:00 or 5:00. I was able to be as busy or as idle as I chose. There were lots of activities during the day – Spanish lessons, cooking demos, audience participation games, music trivia, bingo. I never had a problem getting a seat on the beach. I went on the bike ride to Puerto Morelos. I walked on the beach for about an hour every day. I never felt unsafe. All in all it was an excellent experience and I would highly recommend this resort.

Grand Sirenis Riviera Maya: Great resort with lots to do

We had a great time at this resort. The staff were friendly, the rooms and areas were clean. There were many pools, bars and activities to do. The food was decent but you do get sick of the buffet after a while.

Allegro Cozumel: Good resort

We stayed at this Hotel for 2 weeks..overall everything was good. Grounds & pools very nice, rooms a bit small, beds very comfy.. food wasn't the best..beach very good..downside. beware.sales reps for time share there own staff though were all quite good.. We ourselves wouldn't return, but there are a lot of returnies..

Zel Cozumel: Excellent

Excellent only thing needed bedside lamps so you don't need the overhead lighting that is too stark. Would recommend and return liked the absence of kids in the adult area and students. The extra security at Cozumel seemed unneeded since we went through security in Toronto.

Finest Playa Mujeres by Excellence Group: Amazing Resort

This is my third stay at this resort. It does not disappoint and I can’t wait to go back next year. The resort is kept clean and beautiful. The food is fresh, plentiful and a great selection. They have lots of activities to join - yoga, biking, archery, cooking classes. Spa has a wide selection of services and specialize in a unique Hydro Therapy treatment that stimulates your senses from head to toe. The staff are friendly, attentive and pay attention to detail.

Riu Flamingos: So wonderful!

This hotel was fantastic, the food was great, the people amazing! The staff was amazing, they did so much, and always had a smile on their faces! There was always something fun to do and always someone there to help you if needed! Amazing!

El Dorado Royale: Nice Relaxing Resort

This was a nice relaxing resort. It never felt crowded, as it was spread out along the ocean. You could get a shaded outdoor bed at anytime. Lots of natural palm trees provided shade everywhere. Both at the pools, and along the walkways. There was a lot of variety of food and restaurants. The house wines were decent. Premium liquors were readily available. The resort staff were genuinely friendly. More friendly than any other mexican resort that we've been to. Downfalls - The  [... read more]water at the beach was too rough for swimming or snorkeling. There is no proper disco. There are NO fresh juices offered at the resort, aside from a couple of small glasses at the breakfast buffet. That was pretty disappointing for a gourmet food resort. My husband got food poisoning at the resort. He has never been sick at any other resort in Mexico.

Ocean Riviera Paradise: Beautiful resort!

Resort absolutely beautiful. Friendly staff. The rooms were very spacious and modern. The resort was very clean. Resort upgraded us to a swim out room at the Eden and we were extremely happy. Food very delicious. Loved that the a la cartes dress code for men was casual and relaxed. Plenty of a la cartes and no reservations required. Very safe environment. Nightly entertainment was awesome. Lots of activities and no need to leave the resort. The only downfall was the house wine and the Mexica [... read more]n a la carte. Overall this resort we would highly recommend! And we will be returning in the future.

Grand Palladium Kantenah: Great Week at the Palladium

The resort grounds were beautiful, clean and safe. White sands was particularly beautiful but much quieter than the Colonial or the Kantenah. If you want some activities I would suggest either Colonial or Kantenah, you can always go to White Sands for a more quiet day. Food was very good with many options, nice to try the different a la carte restaurants at dinner. Never any issue getting in, no real line ups. Japanese, Thai and Fish (Emilia) restaurant was very good. Ribs and More not so  [... read more]much. No real issues with food being cold which others have wrote about. Service was very good, staff was polite and we never had any issues. Rooms at the Kantenah (Jr Suite) was ok, not spectacular. Nice balcony, however pretty much all of the rooms look out at the jungle so no real view. When we first arrived the room was damp and musty, but eventually the musty smell went away. Beds were comfortable. Beach was disappointing for us. Only one area really to enter in with no rocks and manageable seaweed. The beach water line was covered with seaweed. They worked to remove this but really not feasible to keep it off the beach. Where you could enter in it was nice and we enjoyed. This was our first time in Mayan so we would suggest that the beaches in Punta Cana, Antigua, Cuba and Bermuda were all nicer. The sand was soft and nice but the seaweed and rocks in the area deterred us. Overall, we would recommend this resort it was big, international, good food and service, good entertainment at night in the colonial. Great week with our 22 & 18 year old sons, who loved it!

Dreams Huatulco: Hot Hot Hot

Definitely recommended this hotel. Staff are exceptional and friendly Hotel and grounds kept immaculate. Plenty of great food options. Pools galore including infinity pool. Great two week stay. br /> We shall return