Description: Best Things Nearby:
The resort is directly across the street from one of the more active marinas. (Various tours can be arranged.) There's a Pizza Hut just a few blocks to the south if you need it. The bus picks up in front of the resort, and for $.60, will take you just about anywhere in the Hotel Zone as well as to the Wal-mart downtown if you need groceries. (Routes 2 and 15 will get you there.)
Best Things About the Resort:
The white sandy beach and the turquoise water are the reasons people come to Cancun. We weren't disappointed. During this time of the year, the water is very warm and breezes seemed to blow all day.
The size and archtecture of the resort is very impressive.
Resort Experience:
After arrival we were escorted to the RCI reception/check-in area in one of the conference rooms. They handled the paperwork and worked to arrange any excursions and tours. We declined on all tours, including the sales tour. (As a side note, unlike many resorts we've stayed at, we were never contacted again about the sales tour. This is a big plus!) They gave us our room keys and we were off. Surprisingly, they honored the unit listed on the confirmation which, coincidentally, faced the ocean. (Rooms 3001 through 3007 have ocean views. Rooms 3008 through 3014 have golf course views.) Our room was good size for a studio unit. There were marble floors, a king-size bed, and a pullout couch. There was no kitchen, but it did have a microwave. Furniture was of a good quality. The bathroom was a good size with a separate area for the toilet and bidet. One of the things we noticed was that the bathroom fixtures were not quite as new as what you'd see at some other resorts. The patio had a good view of the pool area and the ocean beyond. One of the really quirky things we encountered was the sliding glass door. If the door was closed and the wind was blowing off the ocean, it would make a loud whistling sound. Apparently the casing was just loose enough to create the resonance sound. We ended up figuring out how to make it stop. The other rather annoying thing was that our US calling cards would not work. They offered credit and collect calling only from the room.
The resort overall appears to be very well maintained for being 25 years old. The atriums are nothing short of spectacular, and the resort offered other amenities such as a travel office, business center, spa, gift shop, conference facilities, and even a doctor's office . . . but the beach alone is worth the trip. We found that the pools and beach on the north side of the facility were much quieter than south end, which is where the activities are held. Towels can be picked up at the central beach entrance in exchange for the cards we received at check-in. When you turn in the towel, they give you the card back. It’s just that simple.
We spent most of our time on the beach, but we did venture to the four malls on the island. The La Isla mall is the newest. The Plaza Kukulcan is currently being remodeled, but half of it is still open. The Plaza Flamingo mall has the Outback steakhouse, Pat O'Brien's, and Margaritaville, but the shops are nothing special. The Plaza Caracol is far from it's heyday in the early '90s, but is beginning to make a comeback. (It's also where the US consulate is.) We did make one trip into Wal-Mart to get bottled water. (One gallon was about $1.15.) Route 2 or 15 will take you there.
Overall, we had a great time, and even with the quirky things about this resort, we would definitely stay there again.
- Unit Type: Studio
- Activities: Very Good
- Amenities: Excellent
- Unit Satisfaction: Very Good
- Family Friendliness: Very Good
- Service: Very Good
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