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| Riu Caribe - Cancun | Canada |
December 2008
- We stayed at the RIU Caribe in Cancun for the X-mas week of 08. This is our 10th time or so at an all-inclusive in the caribbean.
- We booked out trip thru Red Tag Vacations with Air Canada. This was the second time we used Red Tag. I am not a fan of Air Canada simply because of the service. A bunch of crusty old biddies who know they can't get fired no matter how bad a service they provide. On the upside, their planes are definitely roomier than Sky Service or Air Transat. We flew from Halifax to Cancun via Montreal. Flight down was great. Ride to the hotel was fine. And check-in went quite smoothly. The flight back was delayed and we missed out late night connector in Montreal. Initially the A/C rep was not going to give us a room. She told us we had to sleep in the airport for the night. After some discussion, with the manager, we got a room for the night. Unfortunately, this is the type of service that makes me despise this company so.
- Our room had a view of the ocean as well as the lagoon…..very nice. The room was spacious, quite nice and very clean. Bar fridge was stocked and there was a liquor cabinet with forties in it, much too my surprise!!!
- The beach was very nice. There were plenty of chairs, although you did have to get there early to get a good one. The volleyball net/court was perfect There was an area for soccer on the beach also. The water was nice. Most people think of great snorkelling in Cancun, but not this place. Like I said the water was nice though.
- The pool area is huge. Plenty of chairs. Swim up bar. Activities all day long. There are plenty of quiet areas away from the activities, but still poolside.
- The food was amazing. There were 3 restaurants. We ate at 2 of them…..awesome. The buffet was the best buffet I've eaten at anywhere down south. I really enjoyed the pizza bar at lunch.
-The service(maids, entertainment staff, bar staff, etc….) was unbelievable. They worked really hard. Although they never expected tips, we had to tip them.
- There are many outside activities available. If you are into excursions, this is the spot…..any and all types are available.
- The resort was at about 90-95 % capacity. It was a mix of Canadians(50%), Americans(20%), UK(15%) and others(15%)……rough guess.
- This was rated as a 4.5 star when we booked. On a scale of 1-10 I'd give this a 10+ ……hands down. We will definitely go back.
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| Riu Caribe - Cancun |
Cathy |
November 2008
The resort that we stayed at on our recent trip to Cancun, Mexico was the Riu Caribe. Our party was 3 adults (Aged 28 - 38) and a 6 month old baby and we travelled the week of October 26th, 2008.
We flew in from Toronto which was painless as usual even with a 6 month old baby. The main focus of my review is the actual hotel as I feel that there is plenty to share. This may be advertised as a 4 1/2 star hotel but a 4 star would be a little bit of a stretch. We have travelled to Mexico many times over the last 8 years and this was by far the worst hotel we had stayed at.
Location - This hotel is located at the end of the strip and therefore you have to take a taxi any where you want to go. Be prepared to spend $12 - $14 U.S. each way to go to La Isla Shopping Centre. If you are going to Cancun to party at the bars and clubs every night you may want to stay much closer in town as you will spend a small fortune on taxi fares.
Rooms - Basic but perfectly fine as all you are going to do is sleep there. Every room has an ocean view which was fantastic! However, my husband did tell me after we got home that he killed a number of cockroaches in the bathroom area before I set my eyes on them as we would have been switching hotels if I had seen them.
Note: This hotel is old and could use a renovation so don't expect trendy new interiors.
Restaurants - The buffet had the best food to offer however it was only open for breakfast and dinner and you were forced to eat at the pool side restaurant for lunch. This restaurant served the same food every day for the entire week. The steakhouse restaurant was not worth the four attempts to book as there is no such thing as a la carte at this hotel. They may call them a la carte restaurants but everything was served buffet style. The food was average which is unusual for a Riu Hotel.
Bars - Swim Up (Maybe 4 stools) and a Lounge Bar. Wherever your room is in the hotel, you can hear the lounge bar entertainment in your room easily until about midnight.
Beach and Pools - Beach is excellent at this resort. Pool is a great size for the grounds that they have. Much better than most Riu Hotel pools. As for the lounge chairs and umbrellas for those of you with children, my husband had to put towels out to reserve loungers as early as 7 a.m. to secure a spot.
Activities and Entertainment - I have to give them an A+ for entertainment during the day and in the evening. The only thing lacking is something to do after about 9:45 other than lounge music.
Departure and Check Out - The hotel was basically empty all week (hence the really great deal we got when booking) so we asked to extend our check out until 5 p.m. as we were not scheduled for pick up until 6 p.m. We politely asked for this from the manager because we have a baby and were more than willing to pay for the time and were advised by the hotel manager that he was expecting "alot" of arrivals that day and would not have any rooms. When we asked him if he was sure that there were no rooms available he said that he was not sure how many people were arriving off of the flights coming in. How do you not know how many rooms you have booked for arrival. Needless to say we were not impressed.
Conclusion - Over all the hotel did not live up to the Riu name, not even close. However if you are looking for a the basics at a reasonable price this is what you will get with this hotel. We will not be staying there again and will not be recommending this hotel to any one.
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| Riu Caribe - Cancun |
Kristina |
December 2007
We arrived to Riu Caribe on December 1st, 2007. It was our honeymoon. We are 23 and 25.
We booked this vacation through vacationstogo.com Great experience
with them! Would use them again.
When we arrived at the hotel and got our room there were two full beds, not what we had requested. We called down, and they said we would have to sleep there tonight, but we could get a king tomorrow. We were ok with that. The very next day they hooked us up with what we had wanted.
Fantastic view!
the pool was nice, very big. However, if you were wanting servers to walk around the pool, you wont get that here. A bit of a downfall. They had an entertainment staff every day who had games such as volleyball, water polo and other such things. We enjoyed them very much, kept us from getting to bored.
The food was your average buffet food. The only thing that I was disappointed with was the fact that I was expecting a sit down dinner where people served you at the restaurants. That wasn't they case, even these were buffet styled.
The hotel is toward the end of the hotel strip, so if you want to shop or do anything you have to take a taxi or go by the bus. The bus is very safe and cheap. There are plenty of bus stops for you to get off at too.
We just told the driver we would want off at the next stop and he would let us. Much, Much cheaper than a taxi.
Overall the trip was a good one. I think next time we will stay in another part of Mexico, just to get the different experiences. I would give the hotel 4 stars
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| Riu Caribe - Cancun |
Janet ~ Ozone Park, NY |
June 2007
We just came back from Riu Caribe in Cancun and had the most wonderful time. I am 52 years old and I went with my husband, my son who is 26, his girlfriend and my 18 year old daughter. We all had a blast. The weather was perfect, high 80's and not a drop of rain. Everyone at the hotel was great, very friendly, and would answer any question that you had. The wait staff in the buffet restaurant were amazing. They never left a dirty dish in front of you. We especially loved Rodolfo, but they were all wonderful. The hotel was very nice. The pool was amazing, especially with the bar. The beach was great! We had so much fun just splashing around on the boogie boards. I only wish I had the nerve to jet ski. Next time I go back, I think I'll try it. We did a horseback ride excursion and rode ATV's. What fun! We also went to Isle de Mujeres and Xcaret. How beautiful they both were. On Isle of Mujeres we rented a golf cart to take us all around the island. You could also rent scooters. My only suggestion regarding the excursions is to shop around. You can get a really good deal at Walmart. It's just a 10-15 minute bus ride from the hotel. Their tours are about $25 cheaper than the hotel tours. My only regret was having to leave. Can't wait to go back again next year.
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| Riu Caribe - Cancun |
Gary ~ Guelph, Ontario, Canada |
December 2006
I travelled to Riu Caribe November 13-20 with my lady. We are in the 50's-60's age range and found this trip as a last minute sale for about $850 each, including all taxes.
The hotel if not 5-star was a generous 4-star. People and service unbeatable. The food at the buffet was wonderful and we had no difficulty with the variety offered to enjoy it fully for the entire week. The Mexican specialty restaurant that we made a reservation one morning at 730 am for, was a big disappointment. The service, ambience and food rather than exceeding that of the buffet fell short on all accounts....and we wished we hadn't gone there at all.
The pool area and immediate beach area was the hub of activity all day and was noisier than we preferred so we spent our beach time down at the other end of the beach in front of the pizza place.....lunched on great pizza and enjoyed watching the resident pelicans diving for meals.
We had massages at the spa...very good massages but very pricey. We discovered the hot tub outside the spa and one nite tried it out....but it was warm only and not really a 'hot tub'.
We took trips to Xcaret Park....wonderful, stay for the evening Mayan celebration and have the meal as you watch the festivities. Also went to Chichen Itza.......fabulous, BUT much too much time on bus getting there and back and if we knew that would have probably passed on it. My recall is leaving early am , about 8 am, and having 3 h maximum at the ruins and not getting back until about 8 or 9 in the evening. So other than a stop for a dip in an underground sink hole followed by lunch the rest of the time was on the bus.
We did jump a bus one day in front of the hotel and go into the town of Cancun to shop and pick around and we enjoyed that very much, including getting lost badly when it came time to find a bus stop to get us back to Caribe. Felt totally safe, and we went to many parts of the town 'getting lost', and also enjoyed shopping and bargaining for little gifts for home people.
One of the most enjoyable staff we met was Vincente at the reception bar......we got into a routine of spending a half hour at the bar at noon to get a drink and perhaps one to go to the beach with us.....he loves mixing drinks and explaining about them and also suggesting ones to try....he was employee of the month for August for the worldwide Riu chain and it is obvious why he was.
We flew home after a week with few regrets and wonderful memories. We would return willingly, but too many places to see too little time to repeat at one place.
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| Riu Caribe - Cancun |
Abdulla and Shanaz ~ Ohio, USA |
October 2006
We just got back from Riu Caribe, Cancun after celebrating our 25th weddding anniversary. I can't help posting this review in appreciation of Riu Caribe.
This 5 star hotel gives you a 10 star service. The staff were extremely courteous and pleasing. They became close friends during our 5 days' stay- still recall their names - Penelope, Josue, Luis, Jose, Karina, Gabriella, Rene, etc. Those kids make every effort to care and please the customers.
They are not tip oriented at all. We have never experienced this much of sincere service anywhere else.
The hotel is strategically located. Very clean, with a beautiful ocean view from every room. They have entertainment activities every night that suit all ages. The variety of food and the number of restaurants serving food and beverages is amazing. RIU CARIBE is a place to see, a place worth more than the money you spend.
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| Riu Caribe - Cancun |
Sam ~Toronto, Canada |
October 2006
I travelled to the RIU Caribe Sept. 30-Oct. 7/2006 with my family (4 adults - two of us in our 20's & 2 in their 50's). We were very happy with the hotel, the reasonable price we paid & the excellent service received from the hotel staff. We are frequent travellers, who have stayed a wide variety of hotels over the years from 2 stars up to 5 stars + . At the end of the day your vacation is what you make of it & there are some really picky, critical people who post negative reviews here - if you want the Ritz Carlton, please just stay there (I believe in Cancun it's about $599 USD per night + tax, no food/drinks included). We paid about the same for a week all inclusive at the Caribe and it was great - I would give it a 4-star + rating.
Our room was an oceanview deluxe (#435), very close to elevators & high enough up to have a great view of the pool areas & the ocean. It had 2 double beds - yes they are hard as mentioned in past reviews - I took the comforter off of my bed , folded it into 4, & laid it under my bottom sheet - problem solved! Our maid continued to make up my bed this way each day, which was nice. The A/C was cold, we also had a fan, telephone, cable tv, hot and cold shower and tub, mini refrigerator with coronas, pop & water (ask for Diet pop if you want it, they will provide it), liqour dispenser cabinet w/ vodka, rum, whiskey & tequila, safe , a balcony & marbled floor. The rooms was great although we did find the magnetic door keys were problematic at times - we had them re-programmed at least twice during our stay. Also our maid was very nice and did a great job cleaning. Tips are a good idea, they really appreciate it.< /P>
The beach was fabulous outside of this hotel, much nicer than the beaches in front of some of the other hotels we walked to. You can usually get a palapa (sun umbrella) if you are out there by 11am. This time of year there is some rain but when it hits it usually doesn't last more than 30 mins, so go grab a drink at the beach bar & wait it out - you'll be back in the pool or ocean soon.
One point, the waves can be great at this beach location especially later in the afternoon so if you want to bring a blow-up innertube or raft I'd highly recommend it. You can buy them at the mini-mart adjacent to the hotel but they are expensive ($25 approx). We used the free snorkelling equipment as well as the sea kayaks during our stay - lots of fun!
We ate at all 3 a la carte restaurants during our stay, Japanese, Mexican & the Steakhouse (which is the beachside buffet during the daytime hrs). They were all good and worth trying. There is also a pizzeria at the bar near the amphitheatre - pretty tasty for lunch! Overall we enjoyed the main buffet, Albatross the most. The buffet is extensive at all meals - I like the breakfast spread the most: smoothies/fresh juice bar, omlettes, fruit, nachos, waffles, french toast, bacon, sausage etc. There are self serve juice, pop, Corona & water dispensers as well as cappuccino/espresso machines - LOVED THAT - we like our coffees so we usually aimed to get a table near the expresso machines. The main courses at lunch & dinner always included a variety of options, fish, chicken, beef, local specialties etc. The desserts were good, & they have a good variety of ice creams.
The bar we frequented the most was the beach/pool bar. They make pretty much anything you want but there are no cocktail menus so you have to know what to order on your own. We drank a lot of Miami Vices (strawberry daquri/pina colada mixed - but asked them to add the coconut rum or it will be virgin. Also good were the mudslides, mai tais, margaritas, riu caribe, banana daquiris etc..... Tips are appreciated. Also if you want extra booze in your drink ask for it, they do not mind.
The gym/spa area opens up early in the morning. There are eliptical trainers, treadmills, stairmaster, bikes, which are all new-ish and in good condition. The weight machines are older & they are those combo machines - not very clear on the directions to adjust the equipment to do different excercises but we made do. They also had a good variety of free weights & benches. There is one mat for stretching or abs - you're better off asking for a towel & using that instead. All in all it's a pretty good hotel gym and yes there is A/C in there. Others in my party bought tennis balls at Walmart and played a few games during our stay - they said the courts were good.
Internet access is available in the Sports Bar. It's pretty smoky in there at night so be forewarned if that bothers you. It cost $3 USD for 15 minutes - if you sign up for a RIU class card (a points card) at the front desk you will get double the time on your internet time purchase. You also have the option to just pay $8 for one hr, with this purchase you get a timecode & can use your time over the week instead of all at once if you go the $3 route. The guy there at night is nice enough, pretty happy go lucky - he plays video games all night long & gets paid for it, I guess I'd be happy too :)
The nightly shows were enjoyed by everyone we spoke to although we skipped out on them all week as we were more interested in relaxing on this trip. We did head to the nearby Isla Mujeres which was a great day trip. The cheapest way to go (& so easy) is to take the bus from out front of the hotel to Puerto Juarez (the oldest port in Cancun). The bus is labelled clearly in the front window to where it goes & it costs only 65 pesos (65 cents approx). From there they have high speed ferries that only cost about $7 round-trip (it is $15 rt from other more touristy areas & the ferries are run-down - stick with Puerto Juarez ). On the island you can rent a golf cart for the day for about $40 and ride around the island stopping where you please to swim, shop & site see. Near a small ruin/carribean village site there is a walking tour you can take down near the water for about $3 pp - it is so worth it - spectatcular views of the ocean & the waves breaking against the rocks - make a point of doing this.
Buses are only 65 pesos pretty much anywhere you want to go & they run 24/7. This is the best way to go anywhere. We visited Market 28 (downtown flea market shopping), the club zone (Coco Bongo, Big Daddy O, Senoir Frogs), La Isla Shopping Mall (higher end mall, stores like Zara, Lacoste etc.) all by taking the buses that come right outside of the hotel.
If you forgot to pack anything, i.e. toiletries, sunscreen, over the counter drugs or such, take the bus that says "Walmart" on the window, downtown and it will drop you right there - at least the prices are reasonable (unlike the hotel store) and it's only a 10 min ride. This is also a good place to buy liquor to take home if you want to.
Our tour company reps from Signature Vacations were friendly & helpful - they are the guys in the lobby wearing the hot pink t-shirts :) LOL If you miss you "welcome meeting" - we did - it is not hard to find them to ask questions. We did not book any excursions however you can arrange those through them - the club hopping tour & Chichen Itza seemed to be popular ones.
One final tip, don't wear your watch when paddling a raft in the ocean....I lost mine :(
Feel free to email any questions to: curlgirl77@yahoo.ca
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| Riu Caribe - Cancun |
Marie-France ~ Miramichi, N.B., Canada |
March 2006
My niece and I decided to go on vacation this year and a great deal popped up for the Riu Caribe in Cancun, Mexico. We had not done any research about Mexico as we didn’t think it would fit in our budget but we ended up receiving a better deal for this 5 Star Hotel than we would have in our previous chosen vacation in the Dominican Republic. We might also mention that we had an excellent travel agent; Melanie; from Sell Off Vacations in Moncton, N.B. What a deal she found us with Air Canada Vacations. Our flights were all on time and uneventful. We met up with some great people from Moncton, Rogersville and Fredericton. We even met up with Nancy and Danny and exchanged photos over the weekend. Looking forward to seeing the rest of the gang at a later date.
Resort:
This was my first time staying at a 5-star; I had visited the Dominican Republic before but not in a 5 star and my niece’s first time South ever so you can just imagine how excited we were when we arrived at our resort. You can definitely see the difference. The lobby is gorgeous. The marble flooring is amazing and décor is fabulous. We were checked in early and had a beautiful Junior Suite with an ocean view on the 9th floor. Spectacular view. My favorite pictures were taken from our balcony. Our room was always very clean and tidy. Never had problems with water pressure even being on the 9th floor. Never ran out of hot water. The lobby also has a turtle pond.
Beach:
The beach was beautiful. The sand is unique in that it doesn’t heat up and is white and powdery. Hard to get off of you once it is on. Once we visited other resorts, we realized we had a beautiful beach compared to some of the more fancy resorts. This was due to the hurricane of last Fall. Took a lot of pictures.
Pool: We spent most of our time pool side as the entertainment staff was always so good and we didn’t want to miss anything. We only discovered the ocean on what was our last full day of vacation. We took the boogy boards out and had a ball. The water is very salty. The pool is just gorgeous. Upon visiting other resorts, we came to the conclusion that the Riu Caribe was the best for us. Our pool was the biggest by far and our beach was much nicer. We participated in the water aerobics mostly every day as well as some of the games.
Food: The food was very good. The buffet was always plentiful and had a wide variety at all times. We especially enjoyed the A la Carte Restaurants. We ate at the Mediterranean one twice. Our best meal was at the Restaurant near the Pool (I can’t remember the name) but the atmosphere was not as nice as in the other restaurants as it served as a buffet during the day and had a bar, etc. I ate the best Filet Mignon with shrimps there. We also ate at the Oriental one but preferred the Mediterranean one. We also tried the beach pizza place one day for lunch and it was fabulous. All in all, no complaints whatsoever about the food.
Entertainment: The animation team was awesome. We truly enjoyed them during the day and during their evening shows. I even participated in one of the evening shows. Outside entertainment was brought in on a few nights but I almost preferred our own entertainment team as we got to know them as the week wore on and realized how hard they all worked. I just wish I had half of their energy. These people work all day and into the night to keep the guests entertained. I hope nobody takes them for granted. They are relentless and always have a smile on for you.
Tours: My niece’s lifelong dream was to swim with the Dolphins and that’s exactly what we did. We booked through Carlos at our Hotel and she enjoyed a Royal Swim and I had a Dolpin encounter which was amazing. These animals are incredible. Of course, we purchased pictures and she got this awesome DVD of her swim. According to us, it was worth every penny. It was all inclusive. We walked down to take the ferry which took us across to the Island and our meal and our drinks were all included along with transportation back by 4 p.m. What a wonderful day.
I would definitely recommend this resort to anyone. The staff was friendly at all times and answered any questions we had. Our only problem was with the phone cards and we ended up getting refunded so in actuality, it was no longer a problem. We found a better way to communicate with our family back home. We used the internet in the Sport’s bar. I think it cost $3.00 for 15 minutes and let everyone know we were fine. After all, we went on vacation to get away from it all didn’t we? All in all, it was my BEST VACATION EVER.
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| Riu Caribe - Cancun |
Valerie & Linda ~ Ontario, Canada |
February 2006
Two single women, age 41 and 36, stayed for one week at the Riu Caribe. We had an awesome vacation.
Resort:
We were very impressed with the hotel. I've been to other all inclusives but this was the first time staying at a 5-star.
You can definitely see the difference. The hotel lobby is beautiful - lots of marble and vegetation. The rooms are beautiful and very clean. The hotel staff couldn't do enough for us. The only thing you should know is the shower taps are backwards. I was upset at first because we didn't have any hot water and when I asked around to other guests, they said to put the dial to "C" and you got the hot water. I tried that, and sure enough..it worked.
Beach: We were fortunate to have a very nice beach in front of our hotel. I did not realize that many resorts in Cancun no longer have a beach because of the hurricane last Fall. I was in Cancun 4 years ago and you could walk on the beach for miles. Unfortunately, this is not true any longer. The beach ended on either side of our resort which was disappointing at first, but later we realized we were lucky to have the beach that we did.
Pool: The pool is huge and very clean. It was very cold though so we never did use it. Spent most of our time at the beach.
The jacuzzi is actually heated, so that was a pleasant surprise. There was no problem getting lounge chairs on the beach or the pool area.
Food: We enjoyed the food. You do get tired of the buffet restaurant after awhile, but I think spending a week anywhere, you would get tired of the food. It was plentiful and always a good selection. The sports bar is open 24 hours for snacks & drinks. The pizzeria by the pool made good pizza. We ate at two of the speciality resaturants, the Asian (it was okay) and the Mexicana (liked it better). There was no problem getting reservations at the restaurants, you can only make them that morning and you don't have to show up at 7:00 am to do it.
Entertainment: The animation team was awesome. There was always something to do if you wanted to. The nightly entertainment was very good. It wasn't as cheesy as other shows I've seen at other resorts. They brought in outside entertainment on a few nights. They also had lounge singers every night in the lobby bar which was usually packed after the nightly show.
Tours: We purchased a tour through our Sunquest agent at the hotel. We did the Tulum/Xel-ha day trip. It was awesome and well worth the $112 U.S. we paid. We spent 4 hours in Xel-ha..excellent for snorkelling..especially for a first timer, because you are in a lagoon and there was some very shallow spots, tons of fish to see, a cool cave that you snorkel through. You then spend 2 hrs in Tulum. I've been to ChitzenItza before so you really can't compare, but Tulum is great for learning a bit of the history without having to commit a whole day to touring the ruins. I would highly recommend this day trip to anyone.
If we ever go back to Cancun, we would definitely stay at this resort again.
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| Riu Caribe - Cancun |
Kitty and PJ |
January 2006
My husband and I (ages 35, 37, didn't take the kids) spent one week there February 7 - 14/05.
First of all, let me say the Riu Caribe is definitely a 5 star hotel. It's absolutely beautiful! We almost booked at Hotel Dos Playas, so imagine how lucky we felt when we drove by and saw the difference in the two resorts! This was our first trip to Cancun but our 3rd to Mexico (Puerto Vallarta and Mazatlan)
We flew out of Winnipeg, MB and the flight took 5 hours. Uneventful trip. We arrived at the Cancun airport and were immediately flocked by tour operators to "come see their hotel" On advice of friends, we knew that these were all timeshare deals.
We took the bus to our hotel. The hotel zone is just like it says. A strip of hotels. One by one, we dropped tourists off and realized as the drive went on, the resorts were getting nicer and nicer. The Riu Caribe is so gorgeous. We got in quite early and our room wasn't ready yet, but the front desk clerk gave us our wristbands and directed us outside to the beach restaurant where we ate lunch and soaked up paradise! (The weather all week was sunny, high 20's celcius)
The Room:
Beautiful, large, overlooking the ocean. If I remember correctly, all the rooms overlook the ocean. Kingsize bed and huge balcony. We lucked out with a corner room!
The Pool:
Huge! Very clean. Even though the signs said to not reserve poolside loungers, by 8:00 they were all taken! People just get up early, throw a towel on a chair and then it's "reserved" But no big deal, there were plenty of chairs on the beach where we hung out anyway.
The Beach:
Beautiful white sand. Clean. The beach could be crowded but while we were touring all week, we saw all the resorts were the same. The water was clear, sometimes wavy but we could always swim. I don't usually like swimming in salt water, but found I loved it there!
The Service and Food:
Both were excellent. We did tip a few times, but I don't think that affected the service. We noticed lots of people didn't. There were 3 large buffet restaraunts, one pizzeria, one ice cream parlour and two sit down restarauntsthat you had to make reservations for. We went there once only, since we were lazy to make reservations each morning. We found the food just as tasty at the buffets and then we could just eat when we wanted to. The drinks were good too. The bartenders are really friendly and make awesome cocktails. I drank margaritas and pina coladas all week long! My husband over did it on the fruit, tacos and guacamole and ended up with diarrhea. Obvious advice: take it easy on that stuff. Like they say, "everything in moderation" I'll take immodium with me next time around. You're also allowed to dine at the other nearby RIUs (the Riu Palace and Riu Cancun are a short bus ride, we toured them both, but didn't eat there, they were equally as nice though)
Tours:
We did two. The first one was a ferry to Isle de Mujeres. This was great! The island is so quaint. Once there we found a cab driver to take us around. Can't remember the cost now, but it was a good deal I seem to recall. The whole island takes one hour to drive. We stopped at a turtle farm, then a gorgeous beach and lastly shopping in a quaint little village. Afterwards, we snorkelled near our ferry. Great corral reef there.
The second tour was Xcaret. We shopped around all week talking to different time share guys. Finally got a guy to take us for free if we went to "his resort" for free breakfast and a presentation. We booked for 90 minutes. Off we went the next morning and listened to the sales pitch. After saying no to the first guy, then the second guy, then the 3rd guy and finally the last guy, we were out of there within 2 hours. I finally had to get quite firm to get out of there. My husband was embarrased by how rude I became. But I think you have to with these people. (In their defense, there is a law in Mexico that prohits the time share people to talk to the same people twice in 5 years. So it increases their urgency to make the deal, five years is a long time) It amazes me how low the price was by the end! Ha! Anyway, we got our free tour, so we were happy! The only thing I'd do differently about Xcaret is go earlier in the morning. We had a choice of 8:00 or 10:00 and we went at 10:00, definitely should have gone at 8:00! There's soooo much to do there! I thought I'd swim with the dolphins, but after watching how short it was and the for expense of it, we chose to do more snorkelling which is something we fell in love with at Isle de Mujeres. This time it was off a boat, which was neat! We also swam the underground rivers (a must do!). In the evening, there's a beautiful Mexican show. I took tons of pictures which none turned out since it was too dark. I'd love to return there and spend more time. There's so much we didn't even get to see ... My advice is to definitely not book your tours right away, shop around and don't pay the prive at the hotel, you'll get a better deal as you go shopping! We thought about Chichen Itza, we heard it's fabulous, but we've seen so many Mayan Ruins before, we didn't feel like a whole day away from the beach. But if you're a history buff and haven't done this sort of thing before, we heard it's a must see!
Shopping:
Loved the shopping. I found out it's pretty easy to barter. Just say "I'm not sure...I'm just looking...I'll come back" and the sales people make all the deals for you. You don't have to say a word! Fun! Some people don't like the pushiness of the sales people. I don't mind, they're all friendly and some are very funny! We got some great jewellery and sourvenir type stuff for the kids. We weren't serious shoppers or anything though.
Well this is turning into a novel, but I wanted to make sure there was a review on this beautiful resort. We'll definitely go back!
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| Riu Caribe - Cancun |
Agnes, Donna & Elisha ~ Toronto |
January 2005
My two girl friends and I recently visited the RIU Caribe. We range in age from 23-31. It was a last minute vacation booked through Air Canada Vacations.
It was one of the most wonderful holidays we all have ever had.
The weather - We had arrived a week after a topical storm. The mornings were sunny. Not too hot, just right. It rained in the evenings
Check-in and The ROOM -
It was a short bus ride to the hotel - 20 mins. Upon arriving at the hotel at about 12:00pm check-in was quick and we were taken up to our beautiful room. It had an excellent view of the pool and beach. The three of us shared a room and was fittingly given room 341. The room was clean, comfortable, bright and beautiful. The only compliant we have is one day we did notice ants. The front desk took care of it immediately. The bar was restocked every day. The towel art was beautiful. On a few occasions we were even greeted with champagne, fruits and cheeses. Thank you Miguel and Freddy.
The hotel also had a great Gym.
The BAR -
Our first stop that day was the pool bar. All women were greeted with roses. The bar staff was amazing. The were fun, friendly and full of personality. We must have been served every drink available. The guests at the resort also seemed to be extremely friendly. We never had to wait for anything.
The FOOD -
Room service was available once a day - pretty good.
Breakfast - good, lots of variety
Lunch was fine - just okay, but not bad
Dinner buffet - just okay - lots of variety
The restaurants - good - make sure you book these before 10:30 am.
During the day - the pool seemed to be the happening place. There was always something going on. If you wanted excitement if was near the bar side. The other side was quite, for those who wanted to relax.
The beach, was always clean and serviced by a waiter. There was some seaweed but not much. The sand was white and fine. There were also lots of chairs and shade available.
At night - there was a show, we only made it to one. Every night we also had the option of going to a local night club. The cost ranged any where from $15-$35 a club US. The cover includes open bar. As we only wanted to dance we opted for entrance only. I would suggest visiting Coco Bongo.
All around this was a beautiful resort and we would all go back in a second. I would suggest going for two weeks as there is lots to do and see in Mexico.
Have fun
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January 2005
The Riu Caribe is an excellent resort, a true 5 star. The entertainment is first rate. The food is excellent.The staff is
great and the beach is really nice. I would rate this place as
a 9.5 out of 10. The only big complaint is that we couldn't stay another week.
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| Riu Caribe - Cancun |
Jean-Pierre |
September 2004
My family and I stayed at the Riu Caribe for 2 weeks at the end of June.
Here are some of our thoughts about this resort:
First, this is an excellent resort...depending how much you paid!!! It is
not at the Riu standard ...yet!!! So, if you are paying the same price, or
there is a small difference with the Riu Cancun, or even more with the
Palace Cancun, take one of the later! This is not to say the Caribe is a bad
deal. It is an average 4 stars (not bad), but it is NOT a 5 stars as
advertised in some brochures! With some renovation, the resort is a bit used
up, and minor improvement, it could become a 5 stars. Contrary to what was
written in some reviews, I think the food was good, but not great! Many
items repeated themselves, but we never doubted their freshness. As for
drinks, I am no expert, and god knows there were many of them at this resort
(see my comments about the guests), but they seemed good and varied. We had
a 6th floor deluxe room (their standard room). My personal choice would be
that floor and up. The central part is preferable (rooms in the
30-40-50-60's). However, some rooms at both ends are quite good (watch it,
some are far less attractive)! We had 2 dbl beds, more comfortable because
they added some kind of cushion foam over the mattress (a frequent complaint
seen on the reviews).
The pool was very nice. Well located and of a pretty good size (with a kiddy
pool area not too far from the kids club). It as an unusual deep of 1'2'' at
the edge (for approximately 4-5 feet's) and 4'3'' for the rest. This
arrangement as his advantages (i.e. Chairs in the water), but it can be
dangerous too!! The bathroom is average. The tub is pretty deep but they
have supplied the rooms with a moving steep. Some parts of the tub and the
ceiling showed some fungal invasion but nothing to be over concerned with.
The rooms had a minifridge filled, if you were lucky, every day with pops,
water and beer (Corona). Furthermore there was some kind of shorter
dispenser of 4 kinds of booze.
This last item brings me to the most negative aspect of this resort ...the
drinking (or the most positive for certain!). Probably because of the very
liberal access to booze or/and the tolerance to 'hooligan' type of behavior,
the resort has a serious image problem when compared to other Riu
properties. Alcohol consummation was not limited, unfortunately, to adult!
Under 18, you were, supposedly, be wearing a red bracelet to limit your
access to alcohol. Many teens wearied the adult (beige) bracelet and some
used it! Young adults consumed large amount of alcohol, which created a very
''delinquent'' atmosphere were rules and respect for other wasn't that
important. Mid-night awakening because of loud noise was, unfortunately, too
frequent. This is particularly disappointing when you read and see the
installation they have for kids (i.e. kids club, pool section), this resort
should be more oriented to a family environment!
The beach doesn't have the big wave like on the other side of Cancun (i.e.
Del Ray location), which again is a plus for kids! However, there is more
seaweed, but the beach staff cleans it every day (or try to). The sand and
water is typical of Cancun, white and clear. The beachfront is large enough
for all, but the pool gets most of the attention, so there isn't a large
crowd. If you intend to walk on the beach, bring shoes (or sandals). There
are rocks and garbage in some area. N.B. one nice thing with dealing with
the Riu resorts, is that an hour walk on the beach get you to the Riu Cancun
& you are allowed to eat & swim (breakfast & lunch only. You can use your
towel card there too). This is not valid for the Riu Palace (but the Palace
guest can obsiously!). Avaibility of beach chair is not bad, but don't
arrive past 11:00am! You get waiter service directly on the beach, which is
getting scarce in all-inclusive. No one begs for tips, but they surely
deserve one for working on these condition!
This brings me to the most positive aspect of this resort ...the service!
This resort as received some conflicting reviews (depending on the
individual), one that seems unanimous is service. This is especially true of
all the workers, but at a much lesser degree with front desk (depends on
your experience with them).
Last, watch for the exchange rate, especially Canadian. We have witness
large difference between, not the banks which would been almost normal, but
against other Riu resort in Cancun (Riu Cancun & Palace)!!! We felt was much
better to bring our Canadian currency & exchange it for pesos at the local
banks.
Would I return? Maybe depending at which price? We paid $1,678 each for 2
weeks, I would not paid more than that for it (at the actual situation).
After talking with Riviera Maya visitor at the airport, I would probably pay
a bit more for a hotel with less "partying habits"and a better beachfront!
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| Riu Caribe - Cancun |
Marlene and Mike --- Labrador, Canada |
March 2004
My husband, and two kids and I returned March 12th from this resort, and we were quite pleased with everything. In every area, service, entertainment, cleanliness and hospitality. Nothing was outragiously 'fabulous', but there was a well balance of good qualities about the resort.
Check-in - we got in after a four hour flight from Montreal, and we had a six and eight year old just wanting to unwind in a hotel room, relax, whatever. Anyway, our room was'nt ready, we had to wait two hours for our room. This is definately one thing that a resort should be on the ball with. Get those cranky travellers, whose been lacking sleep and food , in their rooms as fast as possible!
Kid's club- My kid's were six and eight. My six year old enjoyed it, but my eight year old disliked it. Most of the kid's clubs we have been to in the past have been geared towards young kids, say four to six year olds, so don't be fooled by the 4-11year age range, because chances are, that is'nt the case. How can one or two workers keep the attention span of this broad age range without boring someone?....impossible. They only went two mornings. Advice, Don't plan a romantic walk on the beach, or a parasailing trip while they are gone to the club, cause chances are, your kids will get bored, and end up joining you!!!
Food- Good, clean, and no mystery meat!!! You tend to know what it is by looking, and not even reading the cards. Not alot of variety, but it was fine. Waiters and waitresses were at your service more in the evenings.
Entertainment- Great performers, the shows were fun and well choreographed. I thought that there could have been more variety of pool-side entertainment. The places I have been to in the past has had dance lessons, Karaoke, kayaking contests just to name a few. Here it was so predictable. They had volleyball, aerobics, and I think the list stops there....Oh , I forgot that fashion show. It was just like clock work. The animation crew were nice, but there was only one or two that would always say hi. Overall, they done their jobs well.
The staff in general were great, the food and entertainment were good. Maids cleaned the room well, and fridge was always stalked. The kids were bored after a few days, the wet and wild waterpark is nearby, but we could'nt move there for the rest of our trip.....Anyway, would we go back? Probably, maybe just the two of us next time........
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| Riu Caribe - Cancun |
Bruce & Margaret - Canada |
February 2004
The Riu Caribe has some work to do.
The S.O. & I have just returned from an eight day stay at the Riu Caribe via Air Canada Vacations, 02/08/04 – 02/16/04, and I would have to say we’re somewhat disappointed considering this is now a Riu chain hotel. It is not up to the standards of the other Riu properties we have stayed at. (Riu Jallisco, Riu Palace in Mexico and the Riu Bachata in the Dominican) Here are some of the reasons.
Check in is supposed to be at 3:00pm. We arrived at the hotel right at 2:45 and there was already quite a crowd at front desk. When my turn finally came, I was told that the room would not be available till 4:00 pm or later, but they took our information and issued us the all-inclusive wristbands and pointed us in the direction of the lobby bar. The staff seemed overworked and unable to cope with the sudden influx of guests. At all the other Riu hotels, most of the check in procedure were done on the bus to the resort, so all that was left was picking up the room & safe keys. At 4:00 I went back to check again, and was told there would be a further delay. After some conversation and a $20 gratuity, a room suddenly became available, eight floor and ocean view, no less. Exactly as I had requested, and was promised, in the email I sent to the hotel several weeks earlier.
The room – I have never slept (or tried to sleep) on a harder bed in my life. Previous reviews are quite correct in this respect. The bed was as hard as the marble floor. Pillows were as flat as pancakes and offered no support to your head and neck. The bathroom featured a sunken tub, but the water pressure and temperature was so low at certain times of the day (5-7pm was the worst) that taking a bath or shower was quite an adventure. The soaps were more like soap chips and the shampoo packets barely held enough shampoo to wash your hair twice. On a positive note the air conditioning was extremely efficient, almost too much so, as it dropped the temperature of the room so quickly that it never really de-humidified the room, so it was cold and damp, instead of cool and dry. It was more like refrigeration than air conditioning. The S.O complained the first night we could have hung meat in the room.
The food – the restaurants were really hit & miss here, both the buffet and the one ala carte (there are usually two ala cartes) but one was closed for renovations. I had some reservations about the food on the buffet as hot food is supposed to be hot and cold food cold, so I tried to confine my choices to food I saw being brought out fresh from the kitchen, or eating from one of the food preparation stations. The ala carte’s food was suspiciously like the buffet food by times, but the service in the restaurant was fine and the presentation of the plates excellent.
The drinks – I found that the mixed drinks were prepared much stronger in the lobby bar than around the pool. I think the reason is that management wants you pace yourself somewhat, not pass out, or puke in the pool. Works for me. Those who want to get drunk can chase each mixed drink or beer with a tequila shot to achieve the desired effect (much to my chagrin and headache the morning after the night before!!) Also, there are bar staff taking drink orders around the pool and beach area, a service not in effect at the other Riu’s.
Entertainment – Was better than any other Riu I have stayed at. Very professional shows. Not Vegas, but what is?
The pool area & beach – I found the pool and ocean temperature a bit chilly for the time of year, I expected much warmer. The pool has a swim-up bar, but it’s in the shade, and a little cool to sit at for long. The pool also has a ledge which extends out about 6 feet all around it, with a water depth of about 1.5 feet, and then it abruptly drops off to 5 feet. There are steps on one side, but no hand rail to hang onto as you’re walking in.
There are the usual early-bird lounger hogs here, who must run down at 5:00am to reserve their all-important seats right next to the bar with their towels, a practice I find pathetic. The other Riu resorts I have stayed at do not tolerate this, and signs are prominently displayed to that effect, and it always seems everybody gets a seat and a fair shot at whatever chair they want once the towel hut opens. The beach is very nice, although the first day we got there, there was a lot of seaweed washed up, I think, due to some bad weather at sea that had the ocean all stirred up. Not the resort’s fault, and they worked endlessly to clean up the seaweed.
I must, at this point in the review, make special mention of one of the front desk staff. Lizbeth. What a sweetheart!! When she found out that it was the S.O.’s birthday, she recommended Lorenzillos’s, which is the most terrific seafood restaurant in Cancun. Beautiful place, excellent food & service, we ate right out on a dock on the water. She made the reservations for me, and made sure that the restaurant knew it was for a special occasion. She also waited till we were out for the day, and had a beautiful birthday cake sent up to our room, along with plates, cutlery, napkins and flowers. Next morning she gave us a big hug, asked us how we enjoyed ourselves, and I practically had to force a tip on her in appreciation of her efforts. Riu management – pay attention!!! This girl is a keeper and a shining example of terrific customer service.
Outside restaurants – as above, Lorenzillo’s was terrific, Tony Roma’s was just ok, and Carlos & Charlie’s was poor.
Shopping – as this was our “lazy” vacation(unlike last fall’s Las Vegas excursion), we didn’t do much in the way of day trips, so we confined ourselves to shopping at the various markets, and yes, even the Wal-Mart got a visit. We rode the bus, one of the truly great bargains in Cancun. Easy to use, cheap, and a great way to sightsee up and down the strip. Mercado 28 was lots of fun, but watch out for the Coral Negro market. The vendors are so aggressive there that two of them had me by both arms, screaming at each other in broken Spanish that “I saw him first” to get me into their shops. Not really pleasant, and probably a little scary for a first time visitor to Mexico. I haggled the vendors down to what I thought was some great bargains on silver and turquoise jewelry, leather sandals, and of course, tee-shirts. Probably still paid too much, but had fun.
Nightclubs – went to Fat Tuesday’s and Senor Frog’s. I can’t see quite what all the fuss is about, but of course, I’m not 20 anymore, and their aimed at the younger crowd. Actually, both were a bit dumpy, but I guess that once tequila is applied they look better and are lots of fun.
Topless women – got your attention? Well, the only topless women I saw was the S.O. Resort was way too family oriented for that, and the guest of European heritage seemed to be the minority there, mostly prudish Canadian and American guests.
All too soon, our vacation came to an end. We had beautiful weather 6 out of the 8 days, and ok weather for the other 2. Would we go back to the Riu Caribe? No….not until I hear some changes have been made, or until Riu fully takes over the hotel. Would I go back to Cancun? Maybe….it’s a little pricey for what you get. Would I go back to Mexico? That was our third visit, so I think it’s time to go somewhere else, but overall, I have enjoyed it every time, and my Spanish is getting better bit by bit.
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| Riu Caribe - Cancun |
Jim & Ann |
February 2004
My wife and I stayed at the Riu Caribe on the first week of Feb. We have travelled quite a bit in the last few years and always try to stay at a four or five star resort. I would say that this resort was close to a five star
We found that the hotel was well run and the staff to be very friendly and helpful. We arrived late Saturday night and when we got to our room we decided to see if we could change rooms. It was done as soon as a room was available in the area that we wanted to change to ( 6th floor right in middle of the hotel overlooking the pool.). The beach was fantastic and the pool was even better. The food was great and while we were there they had closed the pool restaurant for some kitchen upgrades. While this was taking place there service at their buffet and al a carte really picked up.
We found no problems with water temperature or water pressure in our room. The mini bar was over filled every day and our maid when she saw us always asked if we needed anything.
There was always something going on down at the pool during the day, whether it was a Fashion show or tequila volleyball or aerobics. If all you wanted to do was laze around, you were left alone with no pushing to get up to do something. Every night they had an lounge act happening in the lobby bar and also there was the entertainment at the outdoor theater.
Overall this was a great hotel and staff and we would stay here again with no second thoughts. Infact we are already preparing to return next year at this time again.
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| Riu Caribe - Cancun |
Ginger |
January 2004
I stayed at the Riu Caribe several times when it was still the Gran Caribe Real. We liked it so much, we decided to take 40 of our friends and get married there. Unfortunately since the new management has taken over, things have changed dramatically.
We came to Cancun and made all the arrangements 9 months before the wedding was to take place. Additionally we had a wedding coordinator in Cancun who met with management on a weekly basis. I found out the day before we left that my wedding and reception site had been given to someone else. I got the reception dinner menu less than a week before we left. It took months and help of several others just to get the spa services list. For those who may be planning events, I would be wary. I found the management staff to be antagonistic and downright rude. They never apologized for the problems I had. They even refused to meet with me upon arrival to find an alternate wedding site.
Lots of changes have been made to save money and it is extremely apparent. They no longer change your sheets, the fancy restaurant menu has been reduced to a few dishes, they don't restock your refrigerator, even the bottles of shampoo are gone! Other problems included all of the room keys being deactivated, no one receiving towel cards, no water except a drizzle most days and when it was more than a drizzle, it never got warm. Additionally several of my guests' room reservations were lost, many became very ill, and the maid cleaned my room while I was still in bed! The general chaos caused what should have been a wonderful trip to be disastrous. These were not isolated incidences, these things happened to all of our guests. It is no longer the Gran Caribe we knew and loved. Cancun is a fabulous place, but I highly recommend you stay somewhere else!
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| Gran Caribe Real Resort - Cancun |
Erin --- Riverview, NB |
December 2003
I stayed at the Grand Caribe Real resort in February of 2003 and it was well worth it. I was on the 5th floor and the view of the pool area and the ocean was fantastic. The bar fridge was kept stocked with bottled water, pop and beer. We had to remind them to restock the bar fridge though. All of the employees were very friendly although I found it a bit difficult to understand them. Their english is not so good, and neither is my Spanish.
When we arrived at our room, they were fixing the air conditioner, but they had it repaired and reinstalled within 15 minutes.
The hotel has an open concept, no windows in the lobby or in the hallways, but we didn't find any creepy critters in our room (insects, salamanders), which we have experienced at other resorts.
They have a very large swimming pool with a shaded swim up bar. The whole pool has a ledge going around it that is about 3-4ft. wide and 1ft. deep so that you can sit in the pool and read or drink or you can put your lounge chair in. There is a kiosk by the pool for Aquaworld so that you can purchase outings such as parasailing, jungle tour, scuba diving tours
I went on 3 outings, parasailing, which left from the Grand Caribe Real beach, The Jungle Tour. Although we purchased this tour at our resort, we had to take a city bus to Aquaworlrd to get there. and the Isla Majore Island tour, which left from a small marina by Aquamarina resort.(also required travel on a city bus)
The beach is incredible with soft white sand and clear blue water. Waitresses walk the beach and take drink orders, but it is much faster to get it yourself. I found that the vendors were no trouble at all, they are only permitted to walk down along the waters edge so that you pretty much have to go to them if you are interested in purchasing items. There is a manmade reef made out of sandbags at the edge of the resort which attracts alot of very colorful fish if you want to do a bit of snorkeling at the resort.
You can rent kayaks and snorkel gear on the beach.
We used the city buses quite often which were cheap and they run 24 hours a day. Beware of drivers in Cancun! It seems pedestrians don't have the right of way, so if you need to cross the road, run, run run! They drive very fast! and don't stop for anything.
I loved this resort and hope to return there again. I am trying to convince my parents to go. They have been going to Dominican Republic for years, but after they get a taste of this, they won't go back!
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| Gran Caribe Real Resort - Cancun |
Amanda --- Houston |
April 2003
A friend and I took off to Gran Caribe Real in Cancun, Mexico for a girls getaway weekend. Here is a rundown of the good and bad and what has changed from my first visit last year. We purchased a Funjet Package from Houston and got a really incredible deal on it. We had been to this same hotel last year in July and enjoyed it so much we decided to return again this year. Once we got through customs at the airport, we boarded a large bus to take us to the resort. There were lots of other people staying at the same resort. This was the first time that I have ever been transported to the resort in a bus-usually it is a smaller van. It took about 30-45 minutes to get everyone loaded into the bus. Then the driver took us on a VERY long scenic route of Cancun while his partner told everyone about tours they were selling. Then, we had to stop at another hotel to let some people out and let others take bathroom breaks. In any event, it took over an hour to get to the resort and we were a little aggravated that they did not just take us straight to the resort as were other people on the bus. I am not sure if this is a new way Funjet does their transfers but next time I think I will just take a cab-to me it would have been worth the extra $15.
Upon arrival at Gran Caribe Real, we were told they were at 100% occupancy. We got a first level room with a terrible view of some A/C unit or something-This is very weird since practically all of the rooms are ocean view. We were not pleased and were told we could move to a new room in the morning. Also, they were out of locks for the safe deposit boxes for the night. We decided to take off and have some food before we encountered any more problems. We went to the outdoor café dining area (Gaviotas) and had shrimp pasta. This café is open all throughout the day but does close on some days at certain times. It is always open for lunch. The food is pretty decent there-mostly burgers, pasta, sandwiches, etc. and some seafood as well as desserts. Each night the resort does a different bar trip--$25 for transportation, admission and all you can drink. The night we arrived they were going to Senor Frogs on this big open air Frog bus thing. We decided to go and had a really good time-people of all ages came along. One warning--the margaritas there were really strong so watch out. I can handle my liquor very well but after 3 or 4 of these, I was a bit tipsy. We went on one other of these trips while we were there to a rock and roll place called Bulldog which was also a fun place.
As an all inclusive guest at the hotel, you can order room service once a day and also may use club all inclusive (24 hours). We usually ate dinner late and would order the room service around 4 or 5 for some flautas, nachos or sandwiches. Club All inclusive has video games, pool tables, TVs, a bar with various liquors (make your own drinks) and self serve coolers with food to microwave-burgers, onion rings, sandwiches, etc. That changed a little from last year because there used to be buffet food in Club all inclusive. We only used it after going out in the evenings so it really did not matter.
The next morning we went to the front desk and they moved us to an oceanview room on the 3rd floor-much nicer with a great balcony right above the main pool and beach area. We also got a key to the safe so we were all set. The majority of the front desk workers were very nice, but you have to follow up with them. They are on Mexican time and sometimes forget certain guest requests. The remainder of the vacation was spent lounging by the pool and beach. As the resort was really crowded, almost all of the loungers were full. We found a spot on the beach and then eventually moved to the pool area. People reserved chairs really early in the morning which I really hate but we always seemed to be able to find a couple of stray chairs to get some sun.
Breakfast at the resort is served buffet style in Albatross Restaurant. They have very good omelettes made to order and various fresh juices. They are also open for lunch and dinner but I am not a big buffet person so we did not eat there except for breakfast and one evening meal. There is also an outdoor pizza hut-they have great personal pizzas and I would say this is some of the best food at the resort. The fancy restaurant is called Maria Margaritas. You can make reservations each morning between 7-11 for dinner that evening. Get there early or you will be eating after 9pm. The dinner there is served a la carte with a soup, salad and cheese buffet. The food there is the best at the resort; however, the menu changes daily. The night we went (Friday), there was not a great selection. I found the food definitely to be better the first time I visited.
The lobby at the resort is very beautiful and lush with open windows everywhere. There are tables and couches for relaxing, TV and some games. There is also a large bar in this area that is used a lot in the evening. There are shows-usually music and karaoke. Lots of people participate and just sit down in the lobby area and enjoy beverages. Right outside the lobby there is a shaded area with large wooden Adirondack chairs for just relaxing and watching the ocean.
The pool area is definitely the hub of the resort. There is music playing all day and activities galore. The main pool is huge with walkways over it in certain spots and there is also a kids pool. Lots of families visit this resort; however, there are also lots of younger couples and singles as well. The entertainment coordinators are great. They try to get everyone involved and really seem to enjoy their jobs. Most of them were the same ones that we met on our first trip. Also, in the evenings there is an outdoor theatre where the entertainment coordinators put on shows. The one on Saturday night is the best one. Most of them are singing and dancing, costumes and tricks, etc.
All in all, we had a great time. The only downsides were that the resort was less crowded during our first visit, the food was a little better and we did not have a problem with our room last time. Things that were better were more nightly activities, met really fun people staying at the resort and liked the places we went bar hopping better than the last time. I would definitely consider staying at this resort again; however, I will probably want to try something different next time I go to Cancun because I like to explore different places. My next trip to Mexico will probably be to Playa del Carmen since I want to do a little more relaxing and less partying :-)
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| Gran Caribe Real Resort - Cancun |
Debbie & Warren --- Rochester, New York |
March 2003
This stunning, service oriented hotel is located directly on the beach on the North section of the "7" in Cancun, Mexico. This is our 7th trip to the Caribbean and to date this resort gave us the Best Service, Best Food, and Best Accommodations yet. Check-in was smooth and professional. The bell boys were exceptional. Restaurants were interesting and up to par. There were few vendors on the beach. Most silver, etc., was sold in the lobby of the Hotel during the afternoon and evenings. Every room actually does face the Caribbean! Downtown Cancun was a bit disappointing for the repetitive number of shops that contained the same merchandise. This trip was a wonderful pause in Upstate New York winter.
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Last updated: December 31, 2008
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