Barcelo Maya Colonial: Great resort!!!!

From the moment we arrived at the resort we knew it was going to be a great week! The staff are very helpful and friendly and had us checked in very quickly and our dinner reservations made that same day. The grounds are kept immaculate with gardeners taking great care of water features, plants and trees. The rooms are very spacious and clean and stocked with beer, pop, water and chips daily. Always enough fresh towels and beach towels available in the room on day 1. The buffet restauran [... read more]t has a large selection of food and was themed every night. Breakfast always offered fresh omelettes at the egg station! The lunch beach grill had a good assortment of selections for lunch as well and you didn't need to leave your beach chair for long. The a la carte restaurants for dinner were amazing. We tried the steak house which was our favourite, the Italian which was very tasty as well and the Japanese which provided a show during dinner. The chef did an amazing job preparing our food in front of us. Try the surf and turf, it's delicious!! The beach was absolutely stunning. Crystal clear water where you could see the fish in knee deep water! There was never a rush to save a beach chair at all as there are plenty of them. We were never bothered by beach vendors and there is plenty of room to walk the beach daily. The pool was a bit on the chilly side however once you got in it was fine!! The swim up bar was a bit under staffed while we were there and you did have to wait a while for your drinks. We did find it faster to go into the beach grill and get served much faster in there. The one feature that I've never experience on a resort is the Dolphinarium. I got to have a close up encounter with dolphins!! They also offer a dolphin swim too. All of this is at an additional cost but worth every penny in my books! The onsite shopping is incredible, not only are there the regular resort shops, there are market vendors offering many local talents. There is also a mall that has some high end shops as well. Overall this is a wonderful resort, from the people to the rooms, to the meals, to the beach and pools!! We will definitely return to this resort the next time we visit Mexico!!

Platinum Yucatan Princess: Beautiful clean resort

Excellent quality food friendly staff and clean well kept resort. Grounds were beautiful. Activities were fun and a good variety. The animation team kept people involved. Overall a great resort. Would recommend it

Occidental at Xcaret Destination: Great Place to Vacation (if you can deal with a few things)

We returned to the Occidental Xcaret after having a great experience in 2015. This time was terrific too - food is always amazing, staff couldn't be nicer or more helpful, rooms are VERY clean and the grounds are keep near immaculate. A few things that didn't make a good grade would be the HUGE snake we ran into twice during our visit (two in our group have serious snake phobias), the ever present pressure to sign up for the Vacationers Club (time share racket), the very loud noise in a couple o [... read more]f the restaurants (you'd think that would be a relatively easy fix) and some sketchy guests (there was a domestic dispute including violence in our building - would be nice to see a greater presence of security staff to actively tone down the stuff you wouldn't want your kids to hear). Some of those criticisms they could easily fix, others probably not. Overall the place is awesome and we've never experienced better food, facility or staff. You just have to navigate the stuff that isn't quite as perfect. Just like life, lol.

Barcelo Maya Colonial: We love this Resort!

This resort is large with five properties but it doesn't feel too big. You can stay in your own area and have everything you need, or you can eat, play, swim and have fun at all the resorts. We stayed at the Colonial which is right in the middle. Rooms are well maintained and very comfortable. You don't need to bring shampoo or body wash as it's provided and plentiful. The beach is varied - some all sand and other areas with rocks. I brought my water shoes but never used them. If you like [... read more] to walk on the beach you have almost 1.5 miles of sandy almost flat area to walk The buffet meals are excellent with lots of fresh fruit and a large variety of excellent quality food. We ate at five or six a la carte restaurants and our favourite was the Tokyo at the Caribe resort (Japanese Teppan meal). This was our second time at this resort and we would go back again for sure.

Royalton Riviera Cancun Resort and Spa: Royalton Riviera Cancun Mexico

The resort and staff were amazing. There were a couple of glitches. My daughter and I got only one bed upon check in but we were moved the next day. And the room we did get was an adjoining room so we could hear into our neighbours room especially when they were having arguments. They happen to have an argument at 3 am in the morning so I called the operator and someone was dispatched immediately to solve the problem. other than that it was a beautiful resort and we enjoyed our stay. Rooms were  [... read more]clean and comfortable. Pools were amazing. Staff at the resort were very customer service oriented. The food options were great. The service by the pool for drinks was wonderful. The fitness staff at the resort were fantastic.

Occidental Cozumel: 2nd trip back 14 days

we have returned twice, and the improvements improve. Barceló bought out in oct 2016 with an intensive upgrade to the property . Examples .new pillow top mattresses , linens, pillows, usb ports...wifi on the way.. wine/cooler fridge, block out drapes, bathroom fixtures, additional loungers at the pool and planted beach palms for shade, This is a 4.5 and are returning march 20th with a 90 yr young mother...the small 250 rm complex is easy too navigate and has beautiful grounds...not children in [... read more]tensive as the sister property Allegro with family orientation. You will be surprised.

Sandos Playacar Beach Resort: Sandos Playacar was beautiful. My wife and I had a wonderful time.

The grounds from the beautiful sand beach and turquoise ocean to the well designed and pruned gardens surrounding the properties were incredible. Pathways were beautifully lit in the evening and Cozumel sparkled, across the ocean, in the dark night sky. The staff were very attentive and helpful, from arrival to departure. The dining staff were very professional and attentive. Thank you to our waitress at the Asian ala carte for recommending a dessert......heavenly!!!! Thank you to maintenanc [... read more]e, (there were a few small problems with our room), all was taken care of promptly and effectively. We made use of many of the different food venues and found all to be excellent. Coming from Nova Scotia and being a lover of seafood, I must say....I could live there forever and eat nothing but the seafood...it was amazingly prepared by your chefs. Did not always recognize the type of fish but was never disappointed...soooo delicious. Memories: Happy children everywhere. Amazing beach. Fantastic shows Delicious food. Romantic evenings. Whether you are a couple or a family, this resort has it all. We had a great time, and would recommend Sandos Playacar to others.

Royal Solaris Cancun: Royal Solaris Delivers!

Our room was lagoon view with balcony requested. Upon check-in I was surprised that although balconies are few our desk man said he could get us into a room with a balcony on the following day. I did not think that would even be an option so I happily agreed for a room switch. Being early my bags were left at the entry of the hotel with the bellman. I was given a resort briefing by a woman whom I thought may be a time share rep but did not get a sales pitch. Possibly because I had checked in ear [... read more]ly and was being joined by a girlfriend arriving on a later flight. We did not get bothered about timeshares except when shopping off the resort. Our room was very clean, the mattresses in great condition, very clean sheets and great pillows. Flat screen tv, bar fridge, iron and board, ice bucket, shampoo and soaps. Nice amenities and comfortable. When we were switched to the balcony room on the seventh floor we had robes and slippers as well as extra toiletries in our room. Again very clean and comfortable. The cleaning ladies did a great job. The buffet was good with lots of options. We would ask for bacon in the morning as it was not usually on the buffet. Never had to wait at all to be seated. The Rosamarinus restaurant by the pool was our favorite spot as it was open to the outside and the ocean was visible. Always good and friendly service. Marco Polo was the sign up restaurant. We went twice and did not have problems getting a reservation. The waiters in this restaurant did not speak english as well and the food could have used more spice and sauce. I had the cannelloni the second night and it was not very good. The pool area we enjoyed although sometimes there were no chairs. We would go to the beach and the chairs at the pool would become available in the afternoon. The beach area was not as flat as some resorts. there was a bit of a ledge. We could always find a chair at the beach. Drinks were good and the service fine. There are a lot of children and babies at this resort which we knew before we left and was not an issue for us.It looks like it is a good resort for families. There were shows each evening which we never went to. We enjoyed the lounge area where where there was live music. This is the only place I felt they could spruce it up a little with some better lighting. All in all we had a much needed restful girls visit in a comfortable environment and it is a resort I would return to.

Samba Vallarta: Great Resort.

If you are expecting a five star resort, Samba Vallarta is not the place for you. But if you are looking for a very good resort, with friendly and customer oriented staff, Samba is a great choice. The hotel is a bit dated, but it is clean and has most amenities. Samba does not nickle and dime you. There are many complementary accessories available.The beach is amazing. The pool is very good, but some tiles have fallen off. Spent a week there, and would definitely go back.

Secrets Huatulco: So Relaxing!

A great hotel in a fabulous setting with super staff. Can't say enough good things about this vacation. Every room has an oceanview and you can hear the crashing waves from every corner of the reaort. So relaxing!

Grand Sunset Princess: Loved It !!!!!

we could not find one bad thing to say about this resort! It was very clean, nice size rooms, the food was good, staff was awesome. Beaches were very nice. Short shuttle ride into town...great experience. Felt very safe the entire week.

Velas Vallarta Suite Resort: Loved Staying at Velas Vallarta

We just returned from a 7-day stay at the Velas Vallarta. We have stayed in the PV area many times at different hotels and this is definitely our favorite so far. Located in the Marina Vallarta area, the hotel was within walking distance of the Marina and all of its "many" restaurants, bars and shops. The service was truly amazing - in all areas - full happy, smiling service at the pool and beach as well as the restaurants. We had been upgraded to a king size suite and loved our room. Our ki [... read more]tchen was completely stocked with water, pop, beer, milk in the fridge as well as various breakfast and snack items and coffee/tea. Our room was very clean with a beautiful view of the lovely grounds and pools (seventh floor - Room 2712). The beds were more comfortable than ours at home and the room temperature was perfect for sleeping. We spent most of our time at the pool but enjoyed the beach as well. Our only complaint was about having to get up early to save a pool chair and then watch other chairs that were saved before us sit empty all day (happened a few times). There was a nice swim-up bar at the one pool but we did not use it much as our pool side service (beverages and food) was excellent. There were two ala carte restaurants for supper (one of those also served breakfast/lunch) for which you needed reservations and one all day buffet. The food was tasty in all but we found the buffet did not vary much in their offerings from day to day (unless you ordered from the menu - every night was a different theme). There was a lobby bar where there was various entertainment every night. Sunday night was a Mexican fiesta in a large conference room and we found the food that night was disappointing. The entertainment involving the audience at times was excellent. We caught a bus (7.50 pesos per person) right outside our hotel to go to downtown PV and had a wonderful evening out on the Saturday night.

Royalton Riviera Cancun Resort and Spa: beautiful resort

apart from visible garbage and plastic in ocean at beach, this resort was clean and well staffed. The kids club was decent and the pools were fantastic, except the posted hours of pools were inaccurate

Barcelo Maya Colonial: Lots of fun at this resort!

There were 15 of us at the resort ranging from ages 4-75 and we all had a great time! It was especially good for the 6 kids who participated in the surfing, mini golf, snorkeling, sailing, water biking, stand up boarding, scuba diving, water polo, basketball, kayaking, paddle ball,tennis, soccer and tennis as well as lots of swimming. The bonus was listening to the Dave Matthews band on the beach without paying for the concert. I like that even though the resort was fully booked, there was  [... read more]still lots of room at the pools, the restaurants and the various activities. We went to the Kyoto restaurant twice and the kids loved watching the chef prepare the food. It was delicious. On the down side, I was surprised that there were no yoga classes considering how popular that activity is. And the spa prices were way too expensive! The price for a 50 minute massage is at least twice the price it is in our home city. It is little wonder that the beautiful spa at the resort sat almost empty much of the time. Four of us were planning on going for a massage but quickly changed our minds at those prices. And the other services at the spa were very much under used because of the high costs. I am sure that many more local people could be employed if the prices were more reasonable! We had no problem with the extra charges for the surfing and the boogie boarding but the extra cost for the attached water park with the slides meant that it sat almost empty the whole week. Checking in our group was tedious especially after flying and bussing to get there. More staff at the front desk would be appreciated to get people to their rooms sooner.

Royal Suites Punta Mita: Very attentive Staff!

We stayed on the Adult only side of the resort. We loved the lobby bar and Luciano, the bartender. The restaurant there had delicious entrees and you can order things that are not on the menu daily. If you're a wine lover the wines are disappointing. The house wine is (putting it kindly) not drinkable. Good drinks (top shelf brands)at all of the bars though and the pool. Victor the pool waiter was the best! We were never empty handed. Great lunch options at the pool bar. Our room makeup s [... read more]ervice was a little slow on some days but very comfortable overall. Nice bathroom products and hair dryer. Beautiful floral arrangements in the lobby. Bathrooms all over the resort were clean and well stocked. There is a sewage smell in certain places on the resort in the evening.

JOIA Paraiso by Iberostar: Unbelievable as always

We have been to this resort many times and each time it is like going home. The staff go out of their way to assist and please the guests. There are always sufficient beach lounges at the pool and/or beach. The grounds are immaculate. There are long time staff members who seem genuinely happy to see us again and we have made friends with a few.

Bahia Principe Explore Akumal: Great place!

Akumal! Very clean and staff is very attentive to the property and they take real good care of you in the buffet area. Meals are pretty good with lots of choices! We only had what we would consider one bad meal at the Oasis restaurant. It was supposed to be a la carte and we ended up having to use the food bar for the entrees. And.... the food was dry and not that hot. I think they just warmed up the dishes they served us. The free Shopping trip to city was not very pleasant. Transat told us it [... read more] was a four trip that turned into 6 hours, half of which was travel time in a van as they had so many pickups and drop offs. Very unpleasant to say the least! Our only other complaint is that there is no noise control at the (Infinity) adult pool area. I had to encourage people to turn down their portable music at the pool areas. I was not the only one to complain to those responsible. We went there to relax and not have music blaring. At one point we could not hear ourselves talk.

Blue Bay Grand Esmeralda: Good Resort

The staff were very friendly. The resort was clean. Some of the services were a little slow in responding to the needs of the elderly members who traveled with our group. The resort is very large and spread out and a lot of walking to different venues

Moon Palace Cancun: Completely recommend!

Moon Palace is an incredible stay at one, play at 3 resort! Blown away by 16 restaurants, and only 2 require reservations! So many pools, once the Grand is complete - Wow - a water park! We loved the many sport activities for the kids, plus a trampoline/bouncy castle, large ball that you get inside and bump each other around...The beach is such fine white sand. And the staff is so friendly and accommodating. The hotel credit is a nice idea too. The only room for improvement we could suggest, [... read more] is an option to have one-on-one information session of the resort, after day 2 we had things down. It was only after we were leaving that we learned of a hotel app that told you the entertainment schedule.

Riu Santa Fe: Rui Santa Fe

We had a fantastic time at this resort and would highly recommend it to others! The grounds, the service, the food, the pools...... all AMAZING! I didn't want to leave and will go back 100% in the future.... SO MUCH FUN!!!!