Julie

My fiance and I just returned from our trip. Overall the vacation was a good one. Our hotel choice could have been better, though it was OK.<BR><BR>I was a bit disappointed in our hotel choice mainly for 2 reasons.<BR><BR>1. My main disappointent was, after reading the posts on this forum, I was under the impression this was a first class hotel. I don't mean to sound snobbish, but I have stayed at several resort hotels, and the posts I read must have come from people that are used to budget hotels or second class accomodations. <BR><BR>2. The place is in a very bad location. Playa Del Carmen (a very nice little town) that you wind up wanting to spend time in and has the only semblance of civilization in the area is @25 minutes from the Copa, which results in a 140 peso cab ride each way. (@$31 round trip.)Do not take the "Collectivo" for $1 per person, this van drops off you off 3 blocks away from the main tourist area and the driver picks up to 20 mexicans or odorous Europeans on a van that seats @9-10.<BR><BR>FOOD:<BR>The food was typical all inclusive buffet style fare. (Read..for the most part cold and bland.) It's not much better or worse than most all inclusive food. The drinks are made from the cheapest possible liquor with the least possible amount. The hotel has 2 full service restaurants 1-Italian and 1-Mexican. You only get to visit each one 1 time during your stay (which is pretty chincy). The Italian was pretty good.<BR><BR>WATER SPORTS:<BR>The hotel provides Kayaks and Snorkeling Gear. The equipment they provide is second rate and they have a shortage of snorkeling gear, so go early if you want the right equipment. <BR><BR>BEACH:<BR>The beach is very nice. It's narrower than the pictures show, but it is a good swimming beach with few rocks and no seaweed or smell. <BR><BR>POOL:<BR>The pool is nice as well surrounded by a buffet restaurant and a bar. The lounge chairs are plentiful and compfortable. (Most everything was plentiful during late May, the Hotel was 16% full.)The biggest drawback is the amount of walking. It's a good 1/2 mile or more from the pool/beach to your room.<BR><BR>ROOM:<BR>The rooms are clean and spacious with a very nice bathroom/shower. The rooms come with a balcony. None of the balconies have an ocean view. The rooms are VERY far from the ocean. The rooms also provide a safe and a color TV (The channel selection is pretty pathetic, so if it rains you have nothing to do, unless you want to spend money on a cab ride to PDC.) The picture on the various web sites is NOT a regular room, they are junior suites, (a bit misleading). Request a room on the upper floors so you are above all the trees that would otherwise block your view.<BR><BR>STAFF/SERVICE<BR>For the most part the staff tried to be as helpful as they can. There is more of a language barrier than you would expect. The staff does put a good faith effort to keep the guests involved and entertained, although most are pretty cheesy and definitely second class.<BR><BR>Overall, the hotel isn't bad if, AND ONLY IF, you get a really good price. Don't go in with high expectations or you will be disappointed. The area is nice and you should have a good time.<BR><BR>Sorry this post is so long, I will be happy to answer any other questions about this hotel or the area.<BR><BR>

andrea

Hey Julie, thanks for the report. We are going first week of July and are really looking forward to it. Since we were aware of the location ahead of time, and we got a great deal, I think are expectations should be in line with what we are getting. Did you do any side trips such as Cozumel or Akumal? Also, do you reccomend the rooms closer to the lobby or to the beach? I don't want to much noise at night and I think the disco is down near the lobby, right? Thanks for any info.<BR>Andrea

Julie

The side trips we took were Tulum and the Coba ruins, Cozumel, and Cancun.<BR><BR>Tulum is a definite don't miss. The place is incredible.<BR><BR>Coba is a lesser known ruin than ChichenItza but talking with people that have been to both, it's on par. Yet it is much closer and less expensive. The downside to C'Itza and Coba is that it is HOT inland.<BR><BR>Cozumel is nice especially if you want to do water sports there.<BR><BR>DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME WITH CANCUN!!!<BR>I can't stress this enough. The Hotel Zone is an overpriced tourist trap, and the city is not charming at all. It is more like a dumpish ghetto.<BR><BR>The hotel has 6 buildings. The lobby (that includes the disco bar) is just off the road. Buildings 1,3,5 are on one side, 2,4,6 on the other. Then after buildings 5/6 there is a 1/4 mile wale to the pool. If you'd rather be closer to the pool-choose building 6, if you'd rather be closer to the lobby/restaurants/bar choose building 2. Choose 4 if you want to be in the middle. (1,3,5 are closed because they are only 15-20% full.) Either way get a room on the top floor. If you can get a free upgrade to the Junior suites which are at the end of each floors halls. If you can't just stay in the regular rooms, which aren't that much smaller than the suites.

cdt

Wow, Julie, sounds pretty bad. You went to Mexico and the buses had lots of Mexicans on them. The selection of TV channels was poor. I think this was all a big mistake on your part. I strongly recommend spending your next vacation in the US at a truly first-class hotel.<BR><BR>

RITA

Julie: I hope you read this. Because of the nature of this forum, you're always going to get some "DICK" like "cdt", your last responder,who'll be happy to tell you to "GO SOMEWHERE ELSE"! You can be sure "cdt" wouldn't dare admit it if he suggested something that didn't work out!Hopefully, he doesn't suggest anything other than his smug attitude!<BR>If you didn't like Playa del Carmen, then you "DIDN'T LIKE IT, BECAUSE IT WASN'T WHAT SOMEONE HERE OFFERED"!<BR>Nothing wrong with the truth!<BR>I made several decisions from this forum and made my plans clear and low and behold,I get,"there's no excuse for bad taste"! When I finally found a condo at an incredible rate, some guy wanted to know how the Capuccino's were and if the food was any good?<BR>At a Condo?<BR>Anyway,If you don't mind "clean" tourists and haven't been to Acapulco, There are plenty of super places with or without the food. stay in the Condado or Playa Condesa, Condos Torre Acapulco- 1-bd.- $50.00/N-summer rates near the Fiesta Americana condesa.There are plenty of hotels with All Inclusives at $60.00 to $70.00 P/P. and the night life is a "good" taxi away from the nightclubs so there's no noise. The hotels are FAB! REALLY!Go to www. rentals/acapulco or hotels aca.!<BR>Or, Try Ibiza or Grand Canaria. Really terrific too.<BR>I'll watch so see if you read this.