Royalton Riviera Cancun Resort and Spa: Top knotch resort

I'd recommend this resort. The food was excellent and the staff were well trained and friendly. Great pool area with waterslides for the kids. The beach is very nice with lots of chairs and great sand, but the swimming area at the beach is just so-so. My only other quibble would be they have staff that are asking you about once a day to attend a time share presentation. They're nice enough about it, but it gets old after a bit.

Secrets Aura Cozumel: Paradise in Cozumel

This hotel is beautiful. The food was great but the buffets get a little repetitive in the mornings. The beach was beautiful but a bit rocky going into the ocean. Didn't stop us though. Great snorkeling and jumping off the pier into the ocean was fun. The only down fall is the rooms are old and very dark and some of the rooms have a sewer smell.

The Fives Beach Hotel and Residences Playa Del Carmen: Perfect destination for young families

We just returned from our week-long stay at Azul Fives. Although the resort was recommended to us by a friend, it is always a gamble when you go somehwere you have never been, and we couldn't have been more impressed. I'd gladly return to this hotel anytime and I'll break down my opinion into sections: 1. Room We reserved a one bedroom pool view jacuzzi suite for ourselves and our 18-month old son. The room was huge and gorgeously kept. There was an enormous full kitchen and dining room along  [... read more]with a large sectional couch. There were two bathrooms (one powder room and one full bathroom), and the bedroom and jacuzzi area could be closed off by sliding doors. This was the perfect set-up for people travelling with children. In the evening, the kids could sleep in the bedroom section and you still had access to a bathroom and the full kitchen/living area without disturbing them. We were on the ground floor which was amazing because we had the pool right outside our doors along with a personal patio and set of lounge chairs. The doors to the patio locked so I was never concerned about pool safety with a young child. Although the resort was busy, we never felt crouded and the way the villas were set up, you get a lot of privacy from the other guests which is nice. If you want to be around a lot of people, then you just have a short walk to the ocean and large pool by the beach. One thing to mention is that we were in Villa 2, which i believe is in the older part of the resort (although everything is fairly new anyway). There are new villas 15,16 and 17 which are brand new and furthest from the beach. They look very nice and have their own pools but they do seem more crouded and have less space/trees/privacy. If you want quiet and privacy I would try to book in Villas 1 to 8 2. Dining All the food at this resort was great. No stomach issues whatsoever. My opinion is somewhat limited because we did dine early and at the child friendly restaurants. The room service was fast and good for breakfasts. Flavours and La Brasserie were great buffet options for speed adn variety. The ocean-side grill by the pool was excellent and the cevice and fish tacos were amazing. Meso Tapas was also excellent. There is a mexican restaurant by the newer villas that was also awesome with great atmosphere. I would suggest using your personal concierge every day to book your dinner reservation. We didn't because we thought we'd just do the buffet, but found that it was confusing to know which restaurants were open each day because there were closures for private events etc. 3. grounds/atmosphere The lanscaping and pools were always pristine and really added to the feel of the resort. It made walking the resort to get to restaurants/beach very enjoyable. The main plaza was breathtaking with coy ponds, twinkle lights at night, and these amazing bamboo pods that you can sit in/eat in. Gorgeous! One unique feature was a wooden walkway through a jungle with a cenote beside the resort. Really great photography opportunity...lots of lizards, birds, trees. To walk the whole thing is about 15 minutes and it is really a unique experience. At night this area was back lit with green and blue lights and was magical. You also had a view of it from Flavours restaurant through floor-to-cieling windows. Restaurant decor was also on point. 4. staff Friendly, polite, really enjoyed talking to my young son. Remembered our names days later. Very gracious when tipped. The one thing I noticed about this resort was that there were very few people walking around trying to sell us stuff which I really liked. 5. special accommodation If you are travelling with a baby...this place has EVERYTHING!!!! We did bring supplies from home but they supplied a crib, bottle warmer, bottle sterilizer, baby monitor, high chair and stroller. It was incredible. They were also very accommodating with high-chairs in restaurants and offering special food for the baby (milk, juice etc.)

Occidental at Xcaret Destination: Can't beat it!

We had an amazing time! Everything was perfect. We highly recommend the week pass to Xcaret park next door. We went snorkeling everyday in the park and then explored the park for an hour or two longer. We returned to Occidental for lunch and enjoyed the pool and the beach for the afternoon. The staff at Occidental were very helpful and friendly. We would definitely return.

El Dorado Seaside Suites: New Building Not the Same

Have been to El Dorado Seaside Suites in the past and when booked for Dec 2016 saw the new building with the ocean front infinity suites. Just got back and wish we had booked Sensimar Seaside Suites which is the old El Dorado Seasides. The good news is we had access to Sensimar and the beach/beach beds as well as all of the restaurants. The view from the new building is spectacular and I did enjoy having a dip in the infinity "river" off the suite, The downside of the new building is you can h [... read more]ear everything in the suites. For some reason they built the rooms with adjoining doors (not sure why in an adults only resort) and you can hear everything. On one evening our neighbours had the TV blaring at 2am and it felt like it was in my room, and on another night they ordered room service and I could hear the cutlery on the plates. If you have stayed at the old Seaside Suites and enjoyed the small buildings and resort I would suggest staying there as it's less expensive and a little more quiet. As always with Karisma resorts the staff and food at both resorts was excellent!

Riu Palace Riviera Maya: This is a great resort

This hotel, grounds and beach area are all well maintained. The service beats any resort that I been in the last 5 years. Staff are friendly and always ready to help out in any way. The buffet has great selection and the restaurants all have good selections.

Barcelo Gran Faro Los Cabos: Barcelo gran faro los cabos

This is a great resort if your thinking mexico san jose los cabos..I had booked all inclusive.We had arrived before check in and recieved an upgrade but had to wait for the room which was ok as we were able to go eat at the buffet for lunch and get a firsthand look at the resort.There are 3 big pools and 2 hot tub pools...one hottub adult only. The resort was fairly quiet during the week of dec 11-17..which was good if your looking for quiet without music blasting..and very quiet at night..most  [... read more]nightly entertainment was under an hr and not loud. The pools were all warm and one is a saltwater infinity pool overlooking the beach which was groomed everymorning and very fine sand.The food at the buffets changed daily and was all very good.I found the room to be clean and comfortable..fridge wasnt working on arrival but changed out within the hour only to quit 3 days later..but i never asked to have it replaced..They had wash sponges in the bathroom but washcloths were only seen twice in 7 days.Other than that the service was good by all the staff. I found it odd when the entertainment team was going around asking to write a review for trip advisor in exchange for hotel services.. i wrote a review and they wouldnt honor their deal with me because i never gave it 5 stars.Regardless of that i thought it was a great resort..very quiet and laid back during my stay and food was allways great as was the staff..the grounds and pools are highly maintained and i really had no major complaints. They do have wifi but at a cost and only works closer to main building.I would highly recomend this resort and do have friends going in febuary based on my stay

Grand Palladium Kantenah: Great time!

Beautiful, huge resort. Room was clean and spacious. Only complaint is the food at the buffet tended to be cold most of the time. However, any of the made to order food was great. Highly recommend ordering at the Sports Bar. The Chang Thai restaurant had really good food with quick service. Alejandro and Alfredo at the swim up bar were awesome. They were friendly and funny. We loved hanging out there in the afternoons. Staff is very friendly and the resort is very well kept.

Blue Bay Grand Esmeralda: Beautiful!

Grounds were immaculate. The staff were cleaning steady. Food was good. The beef at the steakhouse and French restaurant were impeccable. Staff was always nice. Armando at the beach bar is awesome! Beach is beautiful. Some parts a little murky but still fine for swimming. Just say no to the time share they try and sell you when you arrive. Other then that we had a wonderful time

Catalonia Playa Maroma: Fantastic place

The hotel was great, the grounds look relaxing and were well kept. The beaches great. The Food and Restraunts were fantastic. The hotel staff were nice and cheerful. The pool was good too. The rooms could of been clean and stocked better, I had to go and get my own stock. But other wise beautiful place I would be back.

Paradisus Playa del Carmen: Great Family Trip

We travelled with a 3 and 5 year old and they just want to go back! They never tired of watching the fish and the turtles each morning in the beautiful courtyard, while mom 'n dad relaxed on lounge chairs or lounge bed and had an Americano and fresh pastries from the Illy café (included). The pirate ship pool was warm and fantastic and right next to the adult pool with swimup bar for margaritas and pinatas for the kid. I have never seen such sincerely friendly and helpful staff. Tanya Smith  [... read more]with Tripcentral was fantastic with helping us find the perfect spot, and with all the details when we had to change our dates (she even got us an upgrade!) The beach was lovely, some days with a lot of seaweed and some days not so much, but it just took a short walk own the beach to get clear of the seaweed. The food was amazing, even the buffet (check out the theme nights early so you know when to go - we even cancelled a dinner reservation one evening to go to the buffet) The lunches by the pool were mediocre American fair, but with such decadent breakfast and dinner, I didn't need lunch and it was fine for the kids. The biggest thing missing is a place to get lunch/snacks on the beach for families - you have to go back into the resort to get food, and my favourite thing on a sun vacation is to dine al fresca by the ocean, so that was the only disappointment. Absolutely gor

Grand Sirenis Riviera Maya: Sirenis Regular

I love this resort, this was my 3rd time there. They have a lot of different choices for a la cartes as well as great buffet with theme nights to vary the selections. The staff there is amazing and always willing to help as best they can. Lazy river is great and the grounds crew work tirelessly to keep up with the pool cleaning and the gardens. Lots of wildlife, great snorkeling and swimming. Easy access to Tulum or Akumal by collective. Rooms are starting to need a bit of a refresh, but all  [... read more]in all they are super clean. Pillows are TERRIBLE! My only complaint was the Sirenis management staff. I travelled with 5 girls, 3 of us were on our 3rd visit there in less then 2 years. One of us is actually a Sirenis Member. We tried to book through her membership but website was down and no one was available by phone for 2 days and we didn't want to lose out on Air Canada deal. I booked and then requested a few very easy to accommodate upgrades. We were given the run around for the 1st three days there and then just gave up. I would never recommend the hotel again just for the principle alone. As for Air Canada vacations..I was disappointed to find out that they do not offer inflight movies (unless you rent an ipad for $10) and they don't give you any food at all, not even a mint! I have never been on a flight that didn't at least give you a snack.

Bahia Principe Explore Tulum: Really nice resort

We found this to be quite a nice resort. The buffet food was better than the average resort. We really liked the kid's water park at the Coba side of the property. The quality fo the cocktails was a bit less than expected though. We also found the a la cart restaurant reservation system to be hard to deal with. The beach is pretty nice but has really rocky areas, but there are also some nicer areas. Loved that they have Sea Doo and other water sports on the property.

Grand Palladium Kantenah: Amazing resort

We really enjoyed staying at Grand Palladium Kantenah in Kantenah Beach near Playa del Carmen Is one of my best trip I had in Mexico. The minute we walked in the front lobby we felt we are in paradise everything feel so beautiful the view the people were amazing nice, the services was amazing the view was so wonderful we really enjoy the long walk along the beach every day We also enjoy the walk to our room it felt like we were camping with all the bushes and tropical plant and the walkway in b [... read more]etween. We also loved when we check in and out it was so quick we did not have to wait long to check in or out. We also enjoy the walkway between the restaurants it was so nice. We also loved going with the train to other part of the resort so it was never a boring time. We loved the services and the people were really nice. We also felt so private as there was no once at the beach trying to sell you things. We enjoy it all, I have told all my friends already about this amazing place so if they going for a trip to Mexico they can try it out. For me I would probably go back again to this place.

Iberostar Selection Paraiso Lindo: Fantastic destination

Once again my husband and I were not disappointed....third stay at Iberostar and second at the Lindo....service and property still upheld to the highest level..Rosario, kept our room immaculate and well stocked, all waiters, bartenders, ground keepers, kitchen staff, and Star friends entertainment go above and beyond....thank you also to those who work behind the scenes who help the resort run so smoothly....thank you for a memorable birthday

Hotel Marina El Cid Spa and Beach Resort: First Family Vacation!

We stayed here for 2 weeks in December with our 3, 6 and 8 year old boys and were very impressed with this resort. We upgraded to a 2 bedroom suite ocean view which was nice. Rooms were nice and cleaned very well. Fridge was always stocked with water, pop, and beer. Resort grounds were extremely clean and very well maintained. Food at the resort was excellent. Always something different each day. The a la carts were very good, especially the Mediterranean and the Italian. Pool activities  [... read more]were great for the kids and they also enjoyed the kids club a couple of times. There was no outdoor snack bar which almost all other places I've stayed at have, which at first I thought that would have been a down side but soon after I really liked that aspect as there are no bugs and birds trying to eat food around the pool area, etc. The cliff and water slide were excellent for the kids and adults alike. Absolutely bring water shoes for the ocean, fun to play in but very rocky. Great service from everyone working at the resort. We will definitely be returning with our kids!

Fiesta Americana Puerto Vallarta: Bitter/Sweet

Bitter...Loud music starts at 8 a.m. & goes until 5 p.m. Take earplugs if u like sleeping in. Desserts at Buffet were pretty much the same everyday..everything cut into squares..no pies or cheesecakes or Icecream. As well, bar drinks, even wine was sometimes served in water glasses, even at the Lobby Bar. Sweet...Rooms were great with Ocean view..Quite modern & Super clean Italian a la Carter was Awesome. No dress code or reservations req'd. Burger & fries at snack bar were really good [... read more].

Barcelo Ixtapa: Awesome Family resort

This trip was a last minute brain child of my brother and sister. And one that we will always remember. With nineteen family members in total on this trip, there was something for everyone. Para sailing right on the resort beach, swimming with dolphins, snorkelling,shopping,aqua fitness, and of course lots of pool time and wave jumping on the beach. Friendly staff that surprised my mother and father with towel animals daily. Considerate front desk staff always willing to help with a spare key or [... read more] any reasonable request. The only thing I wished was that they had a day lounge that had air conditioning, so we could have gathered as a group during the hottest part of the day. Instead we retired to our rooms and played cards and talked. All in all a fun vacation. Thank you for the Memories.

Riu Palace Riviera Maya: Truly a 5 Star Resort !

This is truly a 5 STAR RIU PALACE ! We travel extensively to Mexico and the Caribean and we know what the Star ***** rating system means and this is a 5 STAR. Each Riu team member goes the xtra mile to make sure you are happy, enjoying the resort and that if there is anything they can do they will. Food is really good, tasty and excellent choice. Lobster served twice in main buffet and always at the Chilis restaurant in the evening and the Lobster is truly delicious. Located on a beautiful long  [... read more]soft white sandy beach you can enjoy a beautiful walk right into Playa Del Carmen which you can also walk to by sidewalk in this community. Rooms and hotel is a palace and all is very clean, palacial and good. Entertainment staff is very good and you can either participate or be a fly on the wall people watcher. We enjoyed every minute of our stay and yes we would go back in a minute.

Iberostar Selection Playa Mita: Very Nice Resort

This hotel was well worth the money. Very clean and tidy. Food was good and had no problem getting dinner reservations. Ate one night at the dinner buffet and that was good. This is a family resort but you didn't see a lot of children at the restaurants. There is a great section of the Hotel especially for children with a mini waterpark and childrens activities. Drink service was available at the pool with no wait time. The beach was very easy for walking and you were invited to purcha [... read more]se silver, blankets and massages..but it was not harassing at all. The crew running activities and entertainment worked very hard and did a fantastic job. The room cleaning staff performed their jobs consistently and we always had an abundance of towels, hair products, body lotions available. The room bar fridge was full with pop, beer and water. All bars throughout the resort had high end alcohol and cans of beer if you asked for them. WE left the resort to go to Sayulita on a half day trip arranged through the Resort. WE participated in some of the activities at the resort including the 10 am bike tour. It would have been nice to be able to sign the bikes out on our own but wasn't available. One day we went on a walk through the golf course; a nice change of scenery. I was able to exchange dollars for pesos at the resort. Trip to and from the airport was uneventful. The drive was about 45 minutes.