February 2005 Trip Report

Silver Starfish · 02-28-2005

Just back from the Gala resort. This was our first AI and first trip to Mexico and we loved it. If you have kids and want a resort geared towards family this is the resort for you. Thanks to this board I received a lot of great information especially a tip from Nancy to request building #2. Our room had a partial ocean view facing the undeveloped side of the beach and it was a spectacular place to view the kite boarding from our balcony. I also liked that it was quieter and away from the sports bar and nightlife area as we are morning people i.e. rising at 6am, staking out our cabana on the beach at 7am , then breakfast at 7ish, book a restaurant reservation and then off to tennis lessons from 8-9am. Then we relaxed for the rest of the day going from the pool to the beach to hammock and back again with food and drinks thrown in!! We thought the food was really good and although we didn't get into the Italian restaurant we enjoyed the Mexican one and the Mediterranean one was okay. My advice is book a restaurant each morning because by evening you will want to be served not deal with the buffet. It's hard to believe that people complain about the food at the buffets. We found there was something for everyone every day. We loved the freshly squeezed OJ and sundae bar and HUGE homemade waffles. My husband loved the huge omelets to order as well as all the beef & pork dishes.
I thought there was a nice variety for all meals although I am not a picky eater and did not expect gourmet food. My husband and I were both surprised by the service on the beach. The drinks just kept coming and we didn't tip until the last day. My favorite and my son's favorite was the Bahama Mama (coconut, strawberry and banana with no alcohol.)

The beach was spectacular although my son wanted to stay in the pool most of the time. Luckily my husband hung out with him and he made some friends at the pool and I relaxed at the beach. We did not utilize the kids club. The one thing that really surprised me was the roughness of the ocean. The waves weren't huge but the current was strong. My son went out on the trampoline ( $10 for the day) and so did I but it was a bit of a challenge just swimming out to it. I also went snorkeling via the hotel which took us to a lagoon past Xcaret. It cost $30 and it was a rough ride even though the flag was yellow. When we got to the lagoon all the adults agreed it was a lot of work to swim to the reef and the visibility was poor. One of the staff found a black starfish (looked more like a tiny octopus with less legs) and I held it and took photos with my underwater camera. Other than that we did not see a lot of fish compared to the snorkeling I've done in the past. But it was still fun.

We went on one day trip. I had plans to go on James and Anna's Tulum trip but it was cancelled because none of us prepaid. Instead we went to Xcaret which was fun but HUGE and a lot of walking. The turtle exhibit really was the highlight of the day as well as the evening show. We arrived at Xcaret at 8:30am via taxi and made dinner reservations at entry. The show was spectacular starting with a Mayan ball game (my son loved the "fire hocky") to traditional costumes, dancing, singing, parrots, horses, etc. At one point numerous white doves were released and it was beautiful. At the end parrots were released and flew around the huge stone stadium. I would recommend this show to anyone. It was 2 hours and the dinner was even better than I expected, with a choice of appetizers (I had octopus) entries and desserts. I had a wonderful shrimp dish that was presented in a corn silk hammock thingy with the shrimp and sauce inside. You also received a nice size cheese tray to start the meal which included bread and mini eggs. The lagoon was pretty and we had lunch facing the ocean with a view of the dolphin encounters. We loved the huge pineapple drinks with a face on the outside of the pineapple made of fruit pieces. Took some great pics there.

Most of the people I met during our stay were from the East Coast due to our school break and there were also a lot of Canadians. The resort was at full capacity but I never felt crowded although the availability of pool chairs was sometimes a challenge because we always staked out beach chairs. We also saw two weddings on the beach and it cracked me up that people on the beach got up and started taking pictures of a stranger's wedding.

We also got a massage one day and it was awesome!! It was $60 per hour and they did the massages in an open air hut in a corner of the royal club section of the beach. My husband and I thought the massage was a great way to start the vacation.

Like most people I overpacked. I am glad I brought a comfortable white cotton beach cover up. I wore that every day. I was also glad I brought combs and hair bands to keep my hair up because it was hot and windy. I thought the shaded part of the beach was the best or around dinner time when it cooled down a bit.

We had a yellow flag all week except for a day and a half of red flag (they switched the yellow flag to RED when I came back from snorkeling!)

From my son's perspective he loved the pool, tennis lessons, and beach soccer and baseball. He also loved the iguanas that are everywhere and some of the other local wildlife.

We didn't see any of the night shows so I can't comment on that. I really wanted to do the catamaran lessons but the last two days they were cancelled due to high winds.

We also went into Playacar one afternoon for my son to buy a souvenir. It was more modern than I thought it would be. We almost bought a hammock but decided we didn't want to lug it home. But we did bargain and got the price down to $25 for one of the big ones.

Hope this review is helpful for other first timers. If you have ?s just let me know. Again, I think this is a wonderful family resort that is very well run. If you are looking for an elaborate fancy resort this is not the resort for you. If you want a resort that caters to family and activities with an awesome beach, book Gala. I loved that everything was centrally located and I would not want to be at a hacienda although many families with large families commented that they liked them. I loved being so close to the beach so I could run up and get my camera if I wanted to. My husband liked the safe in the room and the shower was HUGE! The advice I read on this forum about keeping the bathroom door closed was good because the AC was never COLD but I thought it was just right.

I also met Suzanne at the pool only because I remembered her son's name was Nate. It was fun chatting with someone face to face from the forum.

Thanks so much to everyone on the forum. It was great learning about Mexico from you all and we plan to return next year.

And now the big debate...same AI or something new...

btodd · 02-28-2005

Great report, we were there at the same time!!! My daughter's didn't bring runners so they couldn't partake in tennis, we seemed to remember everything else though!!!

Silver Starfish · 02-28-2005

I was impressed with the lessons, the tennis pro was German and really focused on the fundamentals, things we can teach our son here in CT because we have a tennis court across the street from us. Our last lesson was Monica's last day, she had gotten a job somewhere teaching private lessons.

I forgot my favorite hairbrush and my eyeliner but nothing crucial.

Will you go back to Gala or try something new?

Kevin y Pam · 02-28-2005

I appreciate the information especially from a family point of view. As our children get older and joining us on vacations to the Riviera Maya, we will be looking for types of places to stay like this.

btodd · 02-28-2005

I think we will try something new. I loved the location, being able to walk to that little mall was great. The girls were a little disappointed that the ocean was so rough. My husband and I had stayed at the Barcelo Maya two years ago, and we found great shells to bring home and we had told them that you could see and feed fish off the dock. It's funny what they were anticipating!!! Now that I am comfotable with the whole process, being at a slightly larger resort wouldn't make me feel uncomfortable with giving the kids some freedom!!!

Silver Starfish · 02-28-2005

I was very surprised with how rough the ocean was too. We really didn't go in much although it was lovely. I had expected the water to be more like Aruba when you could just walk in and it was calm. Especially for snorkeling is there anyplace that you can relax and not have to fight the current?

btodd · 02-28-2005

That's a great question, I think that would be one of my criterias for next time......

NorthMinnesota · 02-28-2005

Did you take and use an insulated mug??!!

btodd · 02-28-2005

We took them and used them occasionally, really does help to keep the beer cold, the frozen drinks were all right in the plastic cups..........

babs31 · 02-28-2005

nice report, sounds like you had a good vacation!

Silver Starfish · 02-28-2005

We had an awesome vacation! The toughest part is going back to work and today we are suppose to get anywhere from 5-10 inches of snow in CT! eeekkk. I want to be back in that hammock!

02-28-2005

wonderful report - Thanks!!
Question - what was the condition of the beach??
Also - how far were you for the Riu Lupita? (old Caribbean Village in Playacar)

02-28-2005

Nice review , where in CT are you from, we are going down in April with my 10 yr old and 15 mo old. I'm glad your son had such a great time I hope my Nat and Owen have one to for their parent's sakes

Silver Starfish · 02-28-2005

We live in New London, a mile from Ocean Beach. Your kids will love it! My son thought the iguanas and chameleons and other wildlife were so cool and the pool were all tops on his list. Last year we went to Disney and he said this vacation was much more fun. He wants to go back to the Gala next February break.

amflyerus · 03-01-2005

Silver Starfish, I found it. Thanks for the great report.

02-28-2005	#1 (permalink)
Silver Starfish way into it Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Connecticut Posts: 179	February 2005 Trip Report Just back from the Gala resort. This was our first AI and first trip to Mexico and we loved it. If you have kids and want a resort geared towards family this is the resort for you. Thanks to this board I received a lot of great information especially a tip from Nancy to request building #2. Our room had a partial ocean view facing the undeveloped side of the beach and it was a spectacular place to view the kite boarding from our balcony. I also liked that it was quieter and away from the sports bar and nightlife area as we are morning people i.e. rising at 6am, staking out our cabana on the beach at 7am , then breakfast at 7ish, book a restaurant reservation and then off to tennis lessons from 8-9am. Then we relaxed for the rest of the day going from the pool to the beach to hammock and back again with food and drinks thrown in!! We thought the food was really good and although we didn't get into the Italian restaurant we enjoyed the Mexican one and the Mediterranean one was okay. My advice is book a restaurant each morning because by evening you will want to be served not deal with the buffet. It's hard to believe that people complain about the food at the buffets. We found there was something for everyone every day. We loved the freshly squeezed OJ and sundae bar and HUGE homemade waffles. My husband loved the huge omelets to order as well as all the beef & pork dishes. I thought there was a nice variety for all meals although I am not a picky eater and did not expect gourmet food. My husband and I were both surprised by the service on the beach. The drinks just kept coming and we didn't tip until the last day. My favorite and my son's favorite was the Bahama Mama (coconut, strawberry and banana with no alcohol.) The beach was spectacular although my son wanted to stay in the pool most of the time. Luckily my husband hung out with him and he made some friends at the pool and I relaxed at the beach. We did not utilize the kids club. The one thing that really surprised me was the roughness of the ocean. The waves weren't huge but the current was strong. My son went out on the trampoline ( $10 for the day) and so did I but it was a bit of a challenge just swimming out to it. I also went snorkeling via the hotel which took us to a lagoon past Xcaret. It cost $30 and it was a rough ride even though the flag was yellow. When we got to the lagoon all the adults agreed it was a lot of work to swim to the reef and the visibility was poor. One of the staff found a black starfish (looked more like a tiny octopus with less legs) and I held it and took photos with my underwater camera. Other than that we did not see a lot of fish compared to the snorkeling I've done in the past. But it was still fun. We went on one day trip. I had plans to go on James and Anna's Tulum trip but it was cancelled because none of us prepaid. Instead we went to Xcaret which was fun but HUGE and a lot of walking. The turtle exhibit really was the highlight of the day as well as the evening show. We arrived at Xcaret at 8:30am via taxi and made dinner reservations at entry. The show was spectacular starting with a Mayan ball game (my son loved the "fire hocky") to traditional costumes, dancing, singing, parrots, horses, etc. At one point numerous white doves were released and it was beautiful. At the end parrots were released and flew around the huge stone stadium. I would recommend this show to anyone. It was 2 hours and the dinner was even better than I expected, with a choice of appetizers (I had octopus) entries and desserts. I had a wonderful shrimp dish that was presented in a corn silk hammock thingy with the shrimp and sauce inside. You also received a nice size cheese tray to start the meal which included bread and mini eggs. The lagoon was pretty and we had lunch facing the ocean with a view of the dolphin encounters. We loved the huge pineapple drinks with a face on the outside of the pineapple made of fruit pieces. Took some great pics there. Most of the people I met during our stay were from the East Coast due to our school break and there were also a lot of Canadians. The resort was at full capacity but I never felt crowded although the availability of pool chairs was sometimes a challenge because we always staked out beach chairs. We also saw two weddings on the beach and it cracked me up that people on the beach got up and started taking pictures of a stranger's wedding. We also got a massage one day and it was awesome!! It was $60 per hour and they did the massages in an open air hut in a corner of the royal club section of the beach. My husband and I thought the massage was a great way to start the vacation. Like most people I overpacked. I am glad I brought a comfortable white cotton beach cover up. I wore that every day. I was also glad I brought combs and hair bands to keep my hair up because it was hot and windy. I thought the shaded part of the beach was the best or around dinner time when it cooled down a bit. We had a yellow flag all week except for a day and a half of red flag (they switched the yellow flag to RED when I came back from snorkeling!) From my son's perspective he loved the pool, tennis lessons, and beach soccer and baseball. He also loved the iguanas that are everywhere and some of the other local wildlife. We didn't see any of the night shows so I can't comment on that. I really wanted to do the catamaran lessons but the last two days they were cancelled due to high winds. We also went into Playacar one afternoon for my son to buy a souvenir. It was more modern than I thought it would be. We almost bought a hammock but decided we didn't want to lug it home. But we did bargain and got the price down to $25 for one of the big ones. Hope this review is helpful for other first timers. If you have ?s just let me know. Again, I think this is a wonderful family resort that is very well run. If you are looking for an elaborate fancy resort this is not the resort for you. If you want a resort that caters to family and activities with an awesome beach, book Gala. I loved that everything was centrally located and I would not want to be at a hacienda although many families with large families commented that they liked them. I loved being so close to the beach so I could run up and get my camera if I wanted to. My husband liked the safe in the room and the shower was HUGE! The advice I read on this forum about keeping the bathroom door closed was good because the AC was never COLD but I thought it was just right. I also met Suzanne at the pool only because I remembered her son's name was Nate. It was fun chatting with someone face to face from the forum. Thanks so much to everyone on the forum. It was great learning about Mexico from you all and we plan to return next year. And now the big debate...same AI or something new...

02-28-2005	#3 (permalink)
Silver Starfish way into it Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Connecticut Posts: 179	Forgetting stuff I was impressed with the lessons, the tennis pro was German and really focused on the fundamentals, things we can teach our son here in CT because we have a tennis court across the street from us. Our last lesson was Monica's last day, she had gotten a job somewhere teaching private lessons. I forgot my favorite hairbrush and my eyeliner but nothing crucial. Will you go back to Gala or try something new?

02-28-2005	#6 (permalink)
Silver Starfish way into it Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Connecticut Posts: 179	ocean I was very surprised with how rough the ocean was too. We really didn't go in much although it was lovely. I had expected the water to be more like Aruba when you could just walk in and it was calm. Especially for snorkeling is there anyplace that you can relax and not have to fight the current?

02-28-2005	#11 (permalink)
Silver Starfish way into it Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Connecticut Posts: 179	We Did! We had an awesome vacation! The toughest part is going back to work and today we are suppose to get anywhere from 5-10 inches of snow in CT! eeekkk. I want to be back in that hammock!

02-28-2005	#14 (permalink)
Silver Starfish way into it Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Connecticut Posts: 179	Ct We live in New London, a mile from Ocean Beach. Your kids will love it! My son thought the iguanas and chameleons and other wildlife were so cool and the pool were all tops on his list. Last year we went to Disney and he said this vacation was much more fun. He wants to go back to the Gala next February break. Last edited by Silver Starfish : 03-07-2005 at 10:02 AM.

02-28-2005	#2 (permalink)
btodd reposado Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada Posts: 1,309	Great report, we were there at the same time!!! My daughter's didn't bring runners so they couldn't partake in tennis, we seemed to remember everything else though!!!

02-28-2005	#4 (permalink)
Kevin y Pam beachaholic Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Cumming, Georgia Posts: 317	I appreciate the information especially from a family point of view. As our children get older and joining us on vacations to the Riviera Maya, we will be looking for types of places to stay like this.

02-28-2005	#5 (permalink)
btodd reposado Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada Posts: 1,309	I think we will try something new. I loved the location, being able to walk to that little mall was great. The girls were a little disappointed that the ocean was so rough. My husband and I had stayed at the Barcelo Maya two years ago, and we found great shells to bring home and we had told them that you could see and feed fish off the dock. It's funny what they were anticipating!!! Now that I am comfotable with the whole process, being at a slightly larger resort wouldn't make me feel uncomfortable with giving the kids some freedom!!!

02-28-2005	#7 (permalink)
btodd reposado Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada Posts: 1,309	That's a great question, I think that would be one of my criterias for next time......

02-28-2005	#8 (permalink)
NorthMinnesota añejo Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Minnesota Posts: 5,599	Did you take and use an insulated mug??!!

02-28-2005	#9 (permalink)
btodd reposado Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada Posts: 1,309	We took them and used them occasionally, really does help to keep the beer cold, the frozen drinks were all right in the plastic cups..........

02-28-2005	#10 (permalink)
babs31 life=playa Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: south of Green Bay Posts: 849	nice report, sounds like you had a good vacation!

02-28-2005	#12 (permalink)
Bayou Girl Posts: n/a	wonderful report - Thanks!! Question - what was the condition of the beach?? Also - how far were you for the Riu Lupita? (old Caribbean Village in Playacar)

02-28-2005	#13 (permalink)
dizzymom Posts: n/a	Nice review , where in CT are you from, we are going down in April with my 10 yr old and 15 mo old. I'm glad your son had such a great time I hope my Nat and Owen have one to for their parent's sakes

03-01-2005	#15 (permalink)
amflyerus into ruins Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: White Bear Lake MN Posts: 70	Silver Starfish, I found it. Thanks for the great report.

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