Riu Santa Fe: Riu Santa Fe

We just came back from Riu Santa Fe. here is straight forward what I think and you can count on it. Service excellent everywhere in the Hotel. From the front desk, pool, bars, restaurant, cleaning staff, this feature sets them apart from many hotels. Food is good not the greatest, could use some more spices, appears to be finding a neutral taste so appeals to everybody. I prefer the cooking to be as traditional to its cuisine and not an international version. Cleanliness. Amaz [... read more]ingly clean everywhere you go. The place is spotless. I was delighted to find this. Entertainment. Good but could be better if they use proper sound equipment. The entertainment area is very large and the speakers are not powerful enough to bring clean sound, and because of it , it takes away from the good showmanship and entertainment performances. Riu really you can afford a much better sound system. I am completely sure, the artists will be so happy and so will the people enjoying their performances. A negative for some may be that people do get loud at night and through the night, so be prepared to be woken up and not be able to sleep fully because of the loud shouting having fun at night. I fixed this by ordering more pillows and simply covered by ears at night. The Hotel may be find useful to purchase noise strips that are place on the frame of the doors and keep away the outside noise. I used this for my basement at home where I blast my surround sound cinema hideaway, and no one upstairs can hear anything. What is best is that the strip is pretty cheap but does great work. This would be a good thing for Riu to do to take care of this problem. All in All, we had a great time at this Hotel and we would definitively go back again. Other than these minors constructive criticisms, I highly recommend this Hotel.

Allegro Cozumel: Great resort!

We stayed in room 4224 which is on the right hand side of the play pool heading towards the beach. (Each building is two stories high with 4 rooms on each level). The room was clean and the regular maid exceptional. The beds and pillows were the most comfortable I have ever slept in from a resort. The room is bright with excellent black out curtains. There are no drawers or dressers in this particular room, only a closet and night table. Everything worked very well, including the hairdryer whi [... read more]ch had a dimmable night light on it, safe, air conditioning and TV. We always had hot water. The only issues were debris from the thatch roof coming onto the beds and tiny ants, but we didn't complain about these seeing the nature of each building. The ants we continually flushed down the drain and never put limes in our room again from the bubbas. The ants pretty much left. Keep in mind; the adjoining door to the room behind yours and walls are not sound proof!!! Like a lot of resorts, you can hear most things that go on in the other room(s). Please be mindful of this for respect of your "neighbour(s)". The hammocks on the patios were a nice touch and we saw lots of people using them. I want to mention the staff before I forget. Everyone was terrific towards us and very friendly. We never had an issue with anyone on the resort. Treat people with kindness you'll get the same in return. Act like an ass or arrogant jerk and you should expect less than stellar treatment. Having said that, our "star" staff from the week of Jan. 23 - Feb. 3 2017 were these: our "regular" room maid (you could tell her days off), who kept the room immaculate and made the best towel art we've ever seen! We never saw her or got her name, but thank you!; Luis at the Beach Bar (lively pool), who was extremely friendly and made great drinks including caesars (ask for not as much "brown mix" and they're perfect!). He would joke with you and had a great demeanor; Monica at the buffet restaurant for breakfast and at the lunch restaurant. She was always "on" and so very sweet and pleasant. Her famous saying, "It's a pleasure" or "My pleasure"; Angel at the breakfast and lunch. Jokey and nice; Hector at the Italian restaurant and buffet. He was personable and pleasant. Nice to talk to.; Maria who makes the omelettes. She has those down to a science. She works hard, so a little smile goes a long way.; the whole animation team, including Raul and a guy who wore a "dog" hat, so I called him Scooby Do. The grounds were immaculate and there were workers there always cleaning, fixing, mowing, planting, upgrading. The sound system was being worked on so that speakers would be "hidden" in fake "rocks" so that as you walked down the walkways the music could be heard. They even had a falcon and falconer that came around during certain parts of the day to keep their version of crows/grackles away. The washrooms, especially by the beach, were always kept very clean. If there was an issue, it was dealt with. This was also I think due in part to how the patrons kept the washrooms as well. I've been to resorts where the clientele was less than respectful to helping the staff keep the bathrooms nice. Being maybe a family friendly resort could have something to do with it???? Anyway, I was impressed. There were 4 restaurants at the Allegro; buffet, italian, japanese and mexican. Because we stayed 11 days, we could do 3 a la cartes. We decided to try all of them. All were great and we were stuffed by all of them. Our favourites were the Japanese and Italian, but watching the sun set at the Mexican was nice. We are not that picky when it comes to eating; we can always find something to eat. The buffet was probably the best at breakfast, and the lunch at beach restaurant (Mexican a la carte) second. They would also have a BBQ about every second day there with hamburgers and then either chicken or pork or both. Excellent!!! The buffet restaurant at dinner we could always find something to eat, but if we could change one thing about it it would be variety. Like I said, we did not go hungry! There's more than enough food, but a few dishes were too repetitive. There was enough to do for us around the small resort. They had volleyball, water volleyball, water basketball, table tennis, tennis, night entertainment, disco, lessons of all sorts like Spanish, bracelet making, paella cooking, towel art making, etc. You had the choice of a few pools (kid's, quiet and lively), plus a couple small ones, one of which was reserved for time share people. The kid's pool looked like a lot of fun! Also has a bar there. All pools were cleaned daily, and several times the liner was scrubbed by staff. The beach was very nice and one of the best on the island! Turquoise water, soft white sand (made from coral is my guess), palm trees for some shade and if you like snorkeling, some fish. Because Cozumel is known for diving and snorkeling, there are many tour operators for that and you see many boats out on the water that go to the various drop off points. We did a snorkeling excursion and were lucky enough to be on a boat with mostly divers, so there were only four of us snorkelers! Compare prices with going to the actual dive shop on the resort, an outside vendor or other tour operator at the resort. We paid $57 each US (about 4600 pesos) directly from the dive shop on the resort. Others got it for $50 US from their tour operator. WiFi/Internet is expensive, so you can go across the street from the resort to Iguanas, order a beer or something to eat, and you can use their WiFi there for free if you need to contact home. If not, relax and leave the cell phone in your safe. You're on vacation! :) There's also a little further down a market shop (complete with Juan Valdez donkey) where you can buy some mementos. You can get Mexican blankets there for as little as $10 US, whereas the vendors on the beach sell them for much more. The one guy I ended up buying from anyway for $20 US had an attitude so watch out for him. I should have bought elsewhere, but I got the blanket I wanted. Trust me, the beach vendor will barter. The market shop owner will also bargain. The shop on the resort is pricier, but is more boutique-like with some nicer products and toiletries. You can also get things on the resort at the shop by the kiddie pool. You can buy t-shirts, jewelery, sunglasses or even ceramics there, or pick an un-painted one and hand paint it yourself!! The lady there will fix any muck-ups and fire and glaze your handy work! Three of us ladies did this, and depending on the piece you choose, you have your own masterpiece in about a couple of hours! It was fun and not just for the kids!! You get your finished product the next day and prices are subject to item chosen. The time share people there are in cream coloured shirts. They will ask you if you're interested, but a polite "no gracias" will do. They also just say hello to you, so if they recognize you from before, you'll probably not be bothered again by them, unless of course, you would like to talk time share. I didn't personally find them pushy. Order your a la cartes early in the morning. They fill up fast! Bring money. Taxis aren't the cheapest there. Watch which vendor you use for renting your own jeep; a couple we met there rented a jeep and it was a piece of crap, BUT did the job and they had an awesome time touring the island by themselves and stopping off at places. Another couple rented a car to do the same thing, and paid for sight seeing tours themselves, which they thought was much less expensive to do than through excursion operators. You will meet so many people, so pick people's brains on what to do!!! Get info like we did and make decisions on stuff you'd like to do from them. Everyone has their own unique experience! As well, we never found trouble getting a beach or pool chair. The busiest day on the resort was when the cruise ships came in and the clients could purchase a day pass to the resort. All in all, we had a great trip! I would recommend this resort if you want to relax and don't mind kids being around, as it is family friendly. It was just my husband and I and we met some great people! We would go back no problem!!

Grand Sirenis Mayan Beach: Best trip ever !!

I have been to Mexico 9 times over the last 15 years and this trip was the best so far! The service, hospitality, food, cleanliness of everything and quality was second to none! I loved it so much I bought a travel package with Sirenis. Thank you for the experience and I will see you in the very near future!

Azul Ixtapa Grand Resort: Beautiful resort in Ixtapa on Pacific coast of Mexico

We just spent eight days and seven nights at this lovely resort. It was a girls trip full of relaxation and enjoyment . Ixtapa weather is perfect and guaranteed in the winter. Not only did we have sunshine every day- there was not a single cloud nor a single raindrop during our stay. . Azul Grand Ixtapa was a wonderful resort with amazing service, delicious food and everything you could possibly need in a vacation. We would go back in a New York minute !!

Barcelo Gran Faro Los Cabos: Average

First of all, there are two "Cabos". Cabo San Lucas, which is near downtown, marina, and all they have to offer. San Jose del Cabo is up the coastline, and $40. USD cab ride to go back to Cabo San Lucas (or two bus rides for about $4. USD). What you want to do on your vacation should determine which area you stay. The Barcelo is fine if you want to sit around at the resort / beach all day. Except the music is for teenagers, and the entertainment is fair at best - both night and day. One guy pul [... read more]led out his ghetto blaster, and was playing better tunes than the DJ. The staff is great, and hard working. We paid extra for a Superior Ocean view room. It was neither a superior room, nor a superior ocean view. Housekeeping was late, and forgetting to stock things like towels, snacks, and beverages.

Grand Fiesta Americana Los Cabos: Wonderful!

We had a great time. Lots of food and drinks. All fantastic. Staff were super friendly. Beautiful scenery. Lots to do. Yoga, water aerobics, volleyball, pingpong. I highly recommend for anyone where swimming in the ocean isn't a priority.

Riu Flamingos: Fabulous experience

Thank you for a wonderful holiday. We found the facility excellent. The service was always great, people were happy and even singing! The grounds were immaculate. The room was also well cared for.

Buenaventura Grand Hotel and Great Moments: Great Resort

Trip Central has been very instrumental to me in the last decade with my yearly hot holiday. I can not say enough excellent accolades about Nicole Deforest. I approached her this summer about a trip to Puerto Vallarta. She went above and beyond normal travel agent expectations. She helped me and the group of eleven secure travel plans, she assisted with numerous hardships along the way, such as: passport and payment issues, cancellations and participant changes. Her diligence and patience when  [... read more]dealing with clients like us. West Jet, Buenaventura staff and follow up with trip advisor, in my opinion, is second to none. Nicole is truly a strong credit to her profession. My future travel plans will always include her expertise. The Buenaventura Grand Hotel &Spa is a resort I would visit again. First impression of the hotel is limited as it doesn't have the flash and cosmetic appeal of other hotels, but upon entering you are over come with a feeling of comfort. There was an even ratio of staff to guests, each staff member goes out of there way to constantly make you feel special. The staff appear to enjoy their work, job duties and coworkers. I would say they were the best staff I have ever experienced at a resort. I would like to acknowledge one of the staff members in particular, Edwardo, who's work station is on the beach serving guests. He walked in the sand all day long never missing a beat, he would remember your name and your drink preference. Also Leticia Galena of the Frutas & Flores buffet restaurant. She makes you feel so comfortable and relaxed while she caters to you. 0verall, hotel is extremely clean and tidy, best of all you always had hot water in the shower which is not always the case at other resorts. Hotel Security is top shelf. It has a subtle presence no matter where you are on the resort. The beach area is constantly patrolled with a roped of section where you can relax and soak up the sun. Beach Vendors are closely watched and can only enter the roped off area when granted permission by the security guards. It's awesome. As good as it sounds, you can always find a few negative points too. The beach needs more sand, it is a challenge to enter the water due to the pebbles and river rock. The resort needs to have more night life after 10 pm. I believe the crowd that frequents the hotel is older in nature, a lot of pensioners that retire early in the evening. After the evening shows end around 10 pm, everything shuts down. If you wanted to socialize or dance a little you are forced to leave the resort. Obviously this is both a plus and a minus for guests depending on the individual. I have a suggestion or solution to possibly rectify the problem. Perhaps the resort could have parties or dances on Friday and Saturday night, they could go to midnight or 1am with live entertainment. After all your on a holiday why not have some fun! All in all, I had a very enjoyable experience and would do it all over again. I would like to thank Nicole Deforest from Trip Central and the staff at Buenaventura Grand Hotel & Spa again, just outstanding customer service.

The Fives Beach Hotel and Residences Playa Del Carmen: Great experience!

Grounds - overall feel of the resort: We loved how lush the grounds were - lots of vegetation like trees and plants which gave nice shade and a sense of being in 'the great outdoors' rather than a concrete jungle...Many options for pools and shallow parts for the kids to play in, but we spent most of our time on the gorgeous beach where there was white, soft sand, and not too busy. Beach: There was a drop from shallow to deep water almost right away (and then it got more shallow again) in  [... read more]the swimming area so we had to right there beside our small kids when they ran to the water to dip their feet or wash their hands. Staff: Most of the staff were very friendly, but some more than others (smoothie lady was crusty with me - but then very friendly with the next customer who spoke Spanish). Food: Buffet was a bit limited in terms of size and options and that's where we ate for the most part because of the kids (slow service at other restaurants - very slow in the thai restaurant and my mom only got served her food when everyone else was done, at the sushi place). But it was yummy at least. And I liked eating the fresh-made tacos at almost every meal anyway. Entertainment: Night performances started pretty late (9:30pm) but our kids loved dancing to the music so we stayed up late as a holiday exception. No extravagant shows/performers, and a much smaller entertainment area than we're used to seeing at other resorts (no stage and big audience area - they'd just set up a few chairs in the area around the lobby/shops). But it was fine, just different. Room: We had a 1-bdrm jacuzzi suite and it was huge! We appreciated the sliding doors between kitchen/living room area and bedroom/bath area so the kids could nap on the one side while we walked around on the other, hung out on the porch area etc. The pull-out couch was super uncomfortable as a bed but did the trick when we needed it. The humidity caused a urine-like smell in the kitchen area (at least I think that was the cause?!) but we didn't spend much time in that area so I didn't stress about it. All in all we loved our experience - first trip with the family (kids ages 2 and 4, and we brought the grandparents!) - and we'd return to this area and this resort specifically, in a heartbeat.

Fiesta Americana Puerto Vallarta: Delightful and relaxing stay at Fiesta Americana

The second we arrived we were quickly checked in at the front desk and beautiful lobby of Fiesta Americana. Hotel is just minutes away from down town which is a must see. Buses and cabs are very inexpensive and only steps from the hotel lobby. To every employee at Fiesta American, thank you, thank you and thank you again for making our two week stay unforgettable. We can't believe the service you gave use. The Super Bowl party at the FA was crazy. Platters of chicken wings, hot dogs, fries, etc. [... read more], etc.. was super fun. Every kind of mixed drink you can think of was at our finger tips. Loved the three peacocks that walk around outside. From inside the hotel to the beach, you will enjoy 5 star service. So much food available I don't know where to start. We are returning for two weeks next year.

Melia Puerto Vallarta: Very family oriented!

The hotel was not what I was expecting. It is family oriented and very child friendly which iwould have been awesome if I was travelling with my family. The staff was incredible. They were very friendly and not smug like the staff in Cuba. The hotel is nice but could use a lift and a good cleaning. The food was good and plentiful but not exceptional. The fancy drinks like margaritas were made with syrup instead of fresh fruit. Not sure why. I would recommend this hotel to families that are [... read more] travelling together. They have buffets, bathrooms, play areas and so much more for children. I wouldn't recommend this place for adults only.

Pueblo Bonito Emerald Bay: Stunning Resort

My recent stay at Emerald Bay was a sunshine paradise! The grounds are breathtaking full of lush gardens and waterfalls. The places to eat on the resort are limited as you only have 2 options. We ate at the buffet mostly which was good, not amazing though. They lack in theme nights and there is next to no nightlife or entertainment. It tends to be a resort for an older crowd.

Ocean Coral Riviera Cancun: Great Resort

The resort is beautiful, very well maintained - we loved the fact that it was not too large so that everything was in walking distance, no more than 5 minutes. The food was excellent, from the numerous restaurants to the buffet, each offered well prepared and tasty options. Premium liquor was available upon request at all the bars, and wine selection for purchase if the "house" wine was not to your liking. The room was good, ocean view, however the air conditioner and ceiling fan were loud whi [... read more]ch did interrupt sleep at times. Beds were comfortable and room was clean. The nightly entertainment was well done, not your typical resort shows; each night offering a different performance i.e. Lion King, Cabaret, Grease and Il Divo type trio - great. There are 4 pools from party, family, kiddy and adults only - something for everyone. The staff respect "no" if you are not interested in participating in the pool activities. We would definitely recommend this resort and consider returning in the future.

Las Hadas by Brisas: Needs work!

While the time away was great the resort needs some work. It is one of the oldest resorts in the area. The pool is in need of repairs as there are tiles missing and it needs to be cleaned from the inside out. The rooms are very comfortable but the patio furniture is in need of repair. There were some early issues with the food, there were prices on the menu and you were told you could not order over 291 pesos or you would have to pay for half of the whole price? The General Manager Senior Ortiz  [... read more]was very helpful and open to all guests. By the end of the week they were already making changes. But that being said I do not think that we will return unless there are more changes.

Royalton Riviera Cancun Resort and Spa: Amazing resort

My husband and I went for the first time ever on a tropical vacation and we loved it. We are already talking about where to go next. The grounds were clean. We saw in building 9 on the 4 th floor where someone had left their tray by their door. That was disgusting but besides that it was great. The staff were perfect in every way. There was one special gentleman at the buffet his name was David... very attentive, carried our plates for us. Never have I had service like that. The food was good. T [... read more]he ones in the hallway for the timeshare stuff not so much. Would we go back? In a heartbeat.... thank you Royalton. Steve and Lise Miller

Bahia Principe Escape Sian Ka'an: A beautiful resort

We arrived at Sian Ka'an and my husband asked if we could get an upgrade. We ended up staying at Akumel in Building 83 which was still all adult luxury accommodation. We did eat, golf and wander the grounds at Sian Ka'an and found it to be above expectation. We also have a friend that stayed there and raved about how nice it was. We golfed four times and the golf course is kept - as everything else - in impeccable condition. If you are a "beach" person you may find the trip over to the beach tir [... read more]esome after awhile but the beach is highly overrated and the pools will not disappoint. Would I go again? Yes.

El Dorado Seaside Suites: Fantastic Resort!!

This was the first out of country trip my husband and I have been on in 20yrs and 5 months. We booked a trip for our 20th wedding anniversary. The resort was more then we imagined. It was stunning, and everyone was so friendly. We were sad to leave b/c we know we may never again see the amazing people we met. And I mean the people that worked there. It was an incredible experience that we will never forget. The grounds were beautiful and well kept, our room was so beautiful and relaxing,  [... read more] the food was so delicious, I have the 5 extra pounds to prove it! There isn't one bad thing to say about this resort. This was an amazing time away and I wouldn't hesitate to suggest family and friends to go and experience El Dorado Seaside Suits for themselves. We are hoping to return ourselves one day in the near future! :)

Riu Emerald Bay: AMAZING STAFF

The most exciting part of The Emerald Riu was its staff! From check in to exit everyone included was amazing and more than accomadating! Checkin took two minutes ! Needs were met in a flash ! Call the front desk( low on soap , plumbing issue ) someone was there in minutes ! Grounds were spotless / rooms always spotless / towel service easy! Food was average / nothing spectacular ! But wait staff friendly and again always willing to help! Although there were 3 restaurants they were all th [... read more]e same and buffet style ! As far as The Mexican Restaurant it was the saddest!Nothing about it was Mexican / the guacamole was watery / crackers were dried out! Truly I came for the warm weather ( which happened the second week of vacation/ but as a bonus I was spoiled by a wonderful staff instead! Mucho Gracias Fernando!

Paradise Village Puerto Vallarta: Amazing Resort

We loved our stay at Paradise Village. Bartenders Hector, Hector and Elias were our favourites. That being said all of the waiters were wonderful. Our room was spacious, the housekeeping staff were excellent and the food was amazing. Good variety for meals especially breakfast. The pizza was our favourite.

Ocean Maya Royale: Great holiday

We enjoyed our stay at the Ocean Maya Staff were very friendly, the resort was clean and well kept. The food was good our favourite restaurant was the Blue Moon special thanks to Caroline and Adrienne. His Mayan coffee was the best! Entertainment in the evenings was professional not the activities staff and was very good. The resort went all out for the Super Bowl party -decor , big screens great themed food and lots of Coors light! We had no problems getting lounge chairs on the beach everyday [... read more] and enjoyed long walks down the beach. Only downside was they need more bartenders and could only get wifi with iPad in the lobby. Phone picked wifi up better even on the beach.