Ocean Coral Riviera Cancun: Average Resort for the cost

We recently stayed at Ocean Coral and Turquesa for two weeks over the Christmas Holiday. The airport transportation wasn’t very friendly or good. When we arrived at the hotel, we tipped the driver three dollars Canadian, which we thought was fair as other passengers didn’t even bother to tip. The driver insulted us saying that he doesn’t accept “metal” and demanded that we provide him bills instead. Off the Start we did not have a good experience and found that to be quite rude as we didn’t have [... read more] any American money at the time. The reception was quite friendly and it brightened up our day. We had to wait until 3 PM to check into our room, but we were able to enjoy the amenities of the resort. Overall, we found the rooms to be quite dated, although adequate. The king size bed was extremely hard and almost felt like we were sleeping on a brick. The maid service was quite good and we did tip our maid as we now had American money. Overall, the food was actually quite good at all the restaurants and the buffet. Although the buffet was quite repetitive and was pretty much the same food every night with minor differences, it was still quite good and we enjoyed it very much. The one thing that we found foolish was the first come first serve at restaurants so you could not make reservations for those restaurants and you have to break up your day and wait in line 30 to 40 minutes prior to the opening of the restaurant. They gave priority to The upgraded Privilege customers who were permitted to make reservations at first come first serve restaurants. They often held at least HALF the restaurant tables empty just in case others from the privilege would book. I really think they should just get rid of this waiting in line process and just have all Reservations. If they want to give priority to privilege then that’s fine but at least we should be able to book a reservation so we don’t have to queue up in a line for 30 to 40 minutes. A bit of a downer was my wife suffered an injury on the fifth day of our trip at the pool on a broken tile inside the pool. It caused a gash on her big toe while walking into the pool as her toe got caught on a sharp broken tile and she required 17 stitches at the hospital. Although the staff was very nice and seemed to be sympathetic, they did not really offer much to compensate us for the loss of basically the rest of our trip due to disrepair of their pool. The hospital doctor ordered my wife could not go into the pool anymore and could not go on the beach as it could infect her injury. So this caused a bit of depression on our part because we were unable to enjoy the rest of the trip as we should have. Although accidents do happen, I believe something could’ve been done to mitigate the fact that their pool was in disrepair and was the cause of her injury. On another note, the beach had a lot of seaweed on it however we noticed that this was one of the only resorts in the area that actually use the tractor to try and get rid of it and clean up the beach so this is definitely a plus for them. However, we would recommend Water shoes for the beach. The shows provided by the animation team were fairly average as we have been to other resorts that have provided better entertainment. This would not be such a big deal if the location of the resort was closer to the town or other amenities around. Also, they shut their indoor theater and all the shows were outside. Given the season it did rain a fair bit so they had to shut some shows down. They did not have a disco, although you could go to the pool area where there was a DJ, but unfortunately, they needed a little bit more nightlife at this resort. A bit of a letdown on the entertainment and dancing part. The taxis to travel to other places were all triple the price even the resort was aware of this. Thus the extra cost was quite big as the resort is fairly secluded. Serving staff was a bit aggressive when it came to tipping. We tip and feel this is important but it should not be aggressive to make guests uncomfortable. The Gym area was terrible. It was misrepresented online. Tiny gym could not accommodate hundreds of people - fail marks on this. OVERALL, the resort is average. Quality wise we would give it a 3 star.

Valentin Imperial Riviera Maya: Excellent Vacation

Rooms were excellent clean spacious mini bar stocked daily. Grounds were amazing well kept and lit nicely for an evening walk. Food was excellent tried every restaurant was never disappointed. Staff friendly and courteous. Pool was large clean and warm. Beach area separate from resort being ocean not visible from a lot of resort.

Valentin Imperial Riviera Maya: Excellent Stay

We had a great time at Valentin Imperial. Rooms were clean comfortable and good size. Mini bar stocked daily. Grounds were excellent. Pool clean and warm. Food was excellent. Entertainment was average. Beach is separate from pool area and not visible from most of resort. I would recommend if beach is not your primary concern.

Blue Bay Grand Esmeralda: Don't stay here

Black mold EVERYWHERE, black spots all over our sheets, pillows, curtains, tiles, aircon was unusable as it spit black gunk everywhere the second it was turned on. shower heads caked in mold, corners of shower literally growing. They didn't change our sheets all week, we even left tips to telry and make it happen. All 4 water taps fall off when you touch them, the bathroom was almost unusable, the sink was literally falling apart, silicone ontop of silicone in top of silicone, growing mold. N [... read more]o hot water all week. We found cockroaches in our bathroom. Doors/patios don't lock. It was repulsive condition. Everyone got sick from the food. The staff is absolutely checked out- the others in our party, my mum and my aunt ordered a double queen room, were given a king room and they wouldn't change their room all week despite having availability. Never stay here.

Blue Bay Grand Esmeralda: GREAT RESORT FOR THE BUDGET

I thoroughly enjoyed my stay there, the food was great, drinks were good, the only buts might be the mattress (it was okay, but you can feel it needed replacement) the glass doors for the bathtub need a good scrubbing, and the tabs were bit hard, but nothing that prevented me from enjoying the room and the hotel. The pools were great although they are not heated, the beach was good, as with any resorts, they could have benefit from more lounge chairs but like I said, for the budget the resort w [... read more]as excellent! I will visit again. Do not fall for the presentation, they told me no selling, no money, no time-share and it is true, no time share but some point stuff that required purchasing and stuff.. waste few hours of my vacation there... The spa is great, I had two massages and both times I felt very relaxed. I recommend the Spa. The gym is a bit hot, I don't know if the AC wasn't working or was setup at what temp but yeah, tiny bit hot for my liking. Lots of wildlife so it was a nice experience, my suggestion to the hotel is to have more people at the front desk before/during check-in and check-out hours, update their system because it takes forever to be processed. I read some of the reviews before going and I think those that were discontent were not in touch with reality, you can not have a Ritz experience when you are booking using a budget vacation service.

Riu Playacar: Repeat guest!

This resort prides it's on being very, very clean. Quality food, drinks and service. We even had beach and pool bar service all set on a nice beach. Our room was spotless and made up daily. Comfortable beds and pillows. Quality sleep. Stayed previous year in building 8 and this time building 7 on second floor. This area is close to beach, pools and lunch restaurant. Favourite restaurant was the Italian. Then when we wanted a quick meal the buffet had a huge assortment of choices fo [... read more]r dinner. Buffet breakfast was amazing with churros, homemade donuts and pastries to fresh omolettes, scrambles, eggs to order and so much more. Fruit, veggies etc.

Catalonia Royal Tulum: Almost Perfect

This is the perfect size resort with an amazing beach and lovely grounds. I enjoyed all the restaurants and buffet for lunch and breakfast. Pretty good food for an all inclusive. Lots of veggies, beans, legumes, and fruit. Loved the juice bar at the beach. Service was great everywhere. Entertainment staff engaging, and had some fun playing games. Some improvements would be a little welcome snack and drink. There was nothing when we arrived very late at night and exhausted.  [... read more] This would have been a nice welcome. No late night/ 24 hour snack place. Instead there is room service that was hit or miss, sometimes waiting almost an hour. No buffet at night-except for Saturday Mexico night. Reservations, sit down only. There really should be a buffet option every night , or no need for reservations at a la carte. It’s a long drive from Cancún airport. Otherwise I really enjoyed this resort and would definitely recommend.

El Dorado Royale: Didn't live up to the hype

A really nice resort. Manicured landscapes, super attentive staff, mostly. Our concierge didn't help us out one bit. The restaurants require reservations made through an app. It is designed for parties of 2. We had 4 in our group and could never get in anywhere. Our concierge didn't care. The food was good, excellent presentation but most dishes lacked flavor. They cater to the masses but when a dish is described as spicy it should have something to taste. We couldn't find anywhere to get an e [... read more]arly morning coffee and pastry before 7am. The main breakfast buffet was very lacking. The bars were very inconsistent in their mixed drinks. A strawberry daiquiri should taste the same everywhere but only one bar made them well. The property is massive, a 15 minute walk to a few of the restaurants, the golf cart rides are inconsistent. Our room in the 4400 block was showing signs of aging. We continually had to call for towels, we never did get robes delivered. The pools were cold but clean, the beach wasn't the best by far. The upside is their "More Inclusive" additions, Maroma beach excursion with catamaran ride, snorkeling and BBQ is included along with trips to Cenote's, the private airport transfer is a nice touch for no charge. Overall there is better value for the money out there. An honest 4 star, not 5

Akumal Bay Beach and Spa Resort: We will be back!

Our stay at Akumal Bay Resort was truly unforgettable—by far the best resort experience we’ve ever had! From the moment we arrived, we were immersed in an atmosphere of relaxation, warmth, and impeccable service. The highlights of our trip included Franco’s daily sound healing meditations, which were transformative and left us feeling completely rejuvenated. Ricardo, our server, and Jeanie, the hostess with the mostest, consistently went above and beyond to ensure our every need was met with  [... read more]a smile. Manrique at the beach snack bar was equally exceptional, always offering great food and friendly conversation. The resort’s grounds were stunningly maintained, and the beach was nothing short of paradise. Our room was fabulous—comfortable, spacious, and perfectly suited for unwinding after a day of adventure. What truly set Akumal Bay Resort apart, though, was the staff. Every single person we encountered made us feel special and cared for, exceeding all expectations and creating memories we’ll cherish forever. We cannot wait to return and experience this slice of heaven again!

Allegro Playacar: Great resort and expensive

Few experiences may help the clients: 1) Online booking is set up to pay using the Credit Card number, Name, and Expiry. Nowhere it is mentioned that they are also looking for a phone number that is associated with the Credit card company. The Credit card will not go through, sticker and Invoice will not be issued. Someone from trip central will call you to get the phone number. Suggestion: Clearly mention in the online booking page, the CC info and the associated phone number is required to [... read more] process payment. 2) The booking page flight timing and the flight times at the actual flight info page already shows a different time. This should be fixed in online booking page. 3) On arrival at the destination, where to get the airport shuttle picture will help greatly to first time travellers. 4) The resort charges one time environmental fee and that should be made aware of. 5) Airport transfer to resort was great. 6) Allegro resort requires booking for Mexican and Italian restaurant reservations and that will only in person near the front desk. People wait from morning 8.00 am to meet the reservation clerk who started at 9.00 am. You will lose a day’s morning for reservations. This can be online as well so people can plan and book. WASTE of time of every one. MUST CHANGE 7) The working of in room Fridge and Hot water for bathing always an issue. No HOT water on most days in the morning for taking bath.Must be fixed 8) Excellent staff and waiters at both restaurants and great. 9) Food Varieties are plenty and good 10) Local sight seeing options are very expensive to book in hotel. Better to get it from other online or travels. 40% easily can be saved by booking outside. Once booked, NO CANCELLATION is possible and the tour booking staff won’t attempt to call the tour company to cancel and pay the refund. Simple argument is that, you signed the contract and you were told to read the terms and conditions. So cancellation is always possible with ZERO refund. Be aware of this. The resort claims that the higher cost is due to insurance etc., but no were mentioned about what type of insurance and details. So be-aware 11) There is an Air transat office set up at the resort and no guarantees that they will show up as per timing on the chart. The timing chart and the phone numbers are behind the glass door and you have to guess they are emergency numbers and reachable. You just have to try your luck and on my case it worked. Overall : Great service staff, excellent food options. DO NOT dream of Mexican and Italian restaurant food reservations and no guarantees. Expensive and Expensive to pay in USD

Hyatt Vivid Playa Del Carmen: Staff are awesome

The staff are super friendly cant do enough for you. Resort is clean and beautiful. Beach is rocky. Pools are big, however the swim up bar is small and out of the way of the main pool and unless you are renting a very expensive cabana it is very hard to find chairs when busy. Even though lack of swim up bar the servers are fast. entertainment team was very good, shows at night are lacking but good. Food is very good and so is room service. We had no hot water 3 days but they were quick to  [... read more]come and fix it. Proximity to 5th avenue was great. Although a nice hotel it is over priced for what is offered in my opinion and will not return, I prefer more jungle so this was a great change for what we wanted this time around. Overall I would say a 8 out of 10.

Dreams Puerto Morelos Resort and Spa: Not worth the star

Minimum food selection all around and what’s worse is Only 1 restaurant open during lunch between 11-1pm. Room service usually takes 2 hours and house keeping is usually not done until 6-7pm. definitely not worth the stars

Bahia Principe Explore Coba: Absolutely fantastic

This is my second time to the mayan riviera but the first time at the bahai principe coba. I found everything at this resort to be top notch from the moment I checked in. The courtesy from the resort staff added to the experience and the resort itself made my week-long stay that much more enjoyable. I would definitely return in the future. Thank you again for a wonderful time.

Bahia Principe Explore Akumal: Wonderful way to escape the Christmas craziness

I traveled here alone and met my friends staying in the neighbouring block (Tulum) the following day of my stay. I felt safe, well fed, and so relaxed on day 1. That didn't change for the next six days. The gym facilities and equipment are expansive and clean, the transport between resorts from Tulum to Coba to Sian Ka'an are all so accessible, the a la carte restaurants are beautiful and they accommodated all of my requests for pescatarian meals. My room at Akumal was beautiful. The staff pr [... read more]ovided housekeeping and re stocking daily. The bartenders were friendly and fast. A note: some margaritas were better than others, and I was curious why I never met a woman bartender. If you find a bartender you like, stick with them for consistency of your drinks. The beaches were gorgeous. If you stay at akumal you can walk along the beach all the way to the neighbouring resort. Some sections are quieter than others, and some lounge chair blocks are reserved for Sian Ka'an or Privilege Club guests. If you don't want to be near the entertainment or music in the day time, seeking out a quieter beach isn't difficult at all. The adults only section of Akumal near bar 66 and the infinity pool got a bit busy during my time there, it seemed to be a bit of a tourist attraction for guests, but that is easily remedied by going wherever else your heart desires on the massive property. Had a blast, would go back. Thanks to my travel rep and to the staff. Besos!

Paradisus La Perla Adults Only Riviera Maya: Wonderful resort

We had amazing service at all the restaurants and beach and around the pool. The fantastic food options did not disappoint. And the beautiful beach was well staffed and clean! We will definitely return to this resort again.

Bahia Principe Explore Akumal: Amazing Experience

Perfect for our family. Safe and clean, lots of entertainment. Beach was amazing and snorkeling was so much fun! Pools were cold but my daughter enjoyed them. Lots of options for food in a friendly atmosphere!

Viva Azteca by Wyndham: Nice place

Washrooms and bar far from the beach swimming pool a bit small everything else pretty good close to the main shopping district nice nightly entertainment and daily activities are for all ages good place for a family with kids

Bahia Principe Explore Tulum: nice resort but bad beach

rooms are good, tubs are a little high for old folks to step into, glass enclosure leads to much water on the floor leading to possible accident getting out of tub.. grounds are beautiful. pools are good. door to buffet should be in the middle so you don't have to walk so far if sitting in far corner at back of room. need to put a break out in ocean so beach is protected or allow access to the akumal beach.

Blue Bay Grand Esmeralda: Mediocre below expectations

The staff are friendly when you first arrive, but near the end of your trip, they prefer to serve the newer guests, no matter how much you provide in gratuities. The grounds are well maintained however, the lobby and all of the rooms are dated and under desperate need of significant repairs Most rooms, including the lobby are covered in mould and condensation, which is unavoidable due to the humidity in the climate. Our bathroom fauct and tub faucets were not secured to the wall/sink. The tub [... read more] had been painted and was flaking. There was mold on ceiling and caulking. The food was OK. The beach maintenance is much better than past reviews have indicated. Just don’t get suckered into the timeshare presentation! I would not go back. It’s way over priced. TripAdvisor and Google should knock off one of the stars be sure to lower your expectations if you are staying here

Blue Bay Grand Esmeralda: Do not trust in the room safe

My wallet got lost inside the room safe, nobody knows about it. Please make an inventory of your belongings and sign any form after making sure that your belongings are all complete in there. I am just warning others guest.