Just back from the ROYAL PORTO REAL

[shari95330]

Hey Everyone! First off....Whoever is having any doubts about traveling to Playa Del Carmen because of the hurricaine is off their rocker!!! We just got back from the Royal Porto Real. We stayed Dec. 10 - Dec. 17th. This is the best place I have ever stayed in my life. We have stayed many places in both Cancun and Cozumel. This beats them all hands down. The beach was excellent! Plenty of chairs at both the pool and beach! The sand is plentiful! We took a long walk and did see some devastation but they are rebuilding so fast it is unbelieveable! We walked by LAS PALPAS (I think that is what it is called). It is very cute with rooms (I think that is what they were) right on the beach. The first day we walked by we could see they had taken a beating bad by the storm. There were many guys working on them. The last day we walked by they had completed about 3 out of around 6 up front. They work fast!

The People of Playa....They have the biggest hearts I have ever had the fortune of hanging out with. The week we went...GREAT! It was busy not near what I hear it should be. The food at the Royal and the service...unmatched! From Fabian the Crepe guy to Oskar the Omlette guy to Juan the great POOL SERVER!!! They were all great!

We went out one night to an excellent LOBSTER DINNER for the four of us! The restaraunt was called the BIG LOBSTER! AWESOME!!! I am going to try and attach some photos.....but let me just say, if you have any doubts and you cancel.....you are missing out!

Also...We did bring down a suitcase of toys to donate. I worked with the Hotel Manager/Concierge and they gave them to some employee families who worked in Housekeeping there who were in need. My kids were the ones who got to give them! It was great to see them in the true spirit of giving!

Thank you to this board! Without this board I would never have rescheduled our trip that got cancelled to Cozumel. I read this board for quite a while and decided we had to experience Playa for ourselves! Thank you!

[synestere]

What a nice "sandflea " you are Shari ..... nice informed report , well done .

[Tommygurl]

Thanks for the trip report. We are staying at the Royal Porto Real from Feb 6-13th. I can't wait to get there.

Melissa

[xqqzme]

Thanks for the report...we are at the Gran Porto Real Feb 21. Nice to hear a first hand report.

[baked]

My experience there was completly different. We checked in and were told we had a garden room. Not. We were sold their bill of goods. (timeshare) I asked if we could see the resort first,No sign up now. they said they would change our room the next morning but they didn't. We had 18 days in Playa so we moved.

[shari95330]

Garden Room? I did not know there were garden rooms. At the Royal or the Grand? I will say that towards the end of the week it did start to get busier. Also...We flew home from the Cancun Airport on Saturday (big mistake) December 17th! The Airport was a zoo!!! I have never never never seen the airport like that before. They definetely had more people than they could handle. I looked at the monitor and almost every flight (about 90%) was delayed. I am not sure what was going on but, if you travel on a Saturday, be prepared for CHOAS!!!!! YIKES! That was the only downer of the trip and to tell you the truth.....I didn't care!!! Una mas Techillia por va vor!!!

Originally Posted by baked

My experience there was completly different. We checked in and were told we had a garden room. Not. We were sold their bill of goods. (timeshare) I asked if we could see the resort first,No sign up now. they said they would change our room the next morning but they didn't. We had 18 days in Playa so we moved.

[baked]

Thats why we are going down on a thursday and coming home on a monday. I am not putting down the resort, But I felt that vacation is to special to deal with the little problems. They had alot of perks that I liked. Ended up at the RIU Palace.

[Tommygurl]

Hi,

I have a couple questions if you have time to answer that woud be fabulous. Did you use/go to the 24hr self serve bar? Did the mini bar actually have full size bottles restocked daily? We were told that lobster dinner is included in the AI--Do you know if this is true? Also I've read some complaints of people not getting the rooms they requested ie King size bed, oceanview. What was your experience?

I cannot wait to go & even if they stick me in a tent as soon as I start drinking the Te-kill-ya I'm sure I won't care.

Thanks in advance,

Melissa

[DaveTravelGuy]

Welcome home!!! We visited the Royal Porto Real resort briefly on December 12th 2005. We have some good friends and clients going in January and they were a little worried about the condition of the resort as well. We rented a scooter ($44.00 usd 24hours @ the Riu Tequila) and drove there from the Riu Palace Mexico in a few short minutes. A few extra pictures of Playa Del Carmen, as you can see, she is doing just fine. We had a wonderful time.

I've uploaded some photos at my Flickr site, take a look.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/soky/sets/1618002/



59 photos
Photos are from
12 Dec 05.

View as slide show... http://www.flickr.com/photos/soky/sets/1618002/show/

[shari95330]

Hey Melissa....

I had no bad experience with the rooms. I asked for by the pool and got by the pool. When we first got there they offered us OCEAN FRONT for the first night if we were ok with moving to our requested room the second night. Otherwise...The room the offered us without having to move was fine too just not as close to the pool. Of course I wanted to check out the OCEAN FRONT rooms so we did not mind the move!

Room number 522 OCEAN FRONT second floor.....MAGNIFICENT!!!! Room number 197 (first floor)....Ocean view from the balcony...The best part of that room was to step right off your balcony and you are at the pool lounges. Juan the pool guy even came to my hammock on my balcony to offer me drinks when I was done at the pool!

Mini bar...YES stocked stocked sotcked with beer, water, soda, chocolate milk, and FULL BOTTLES OF LIQUOR!!!!!

There is also a 24 hr game room always stocked with snacks like mini cheesecakes, cookies, fruit and meats. They also have beer, soda, juice, wine (red and white) and CHAMPAIGN, also full bottles of liquor stocked always.

Funny you should mention tents....They have actual beds in tents at the beach in case you want something more than a lounge chair!!

The only thing I can say is that I did notice when they got busier, the service was not as fast. It was still great but sometimes slower. Just have patience! I know we spend a lot of money on vacation but just relax. They really do take good care of you!

Also...We went on two excursions...my husband and son - deep sea fishing and my daughter and I went snorkeling. We both went through MAROMA (not the one at the pool). Maroma had great prices, a great beach for relaxing and they had transportation for you both ways to and from their Marina. The other one at the pool did not offer transportation both ways included in the price. They seemed to make you have to jump through alot more hoops. MAROMA was great and their little restaraunt had great SHRIMP CERVICHE!!

I want to go back now........waaaaa

Originally Posted by Tommygurl

Hi,

I have a couple questions if you have time to answer that woud be fabulous. Did you use/go to the 24hr self serve bar? Did the mini bar actually have full size bottles restocked daily? We were told that lobster dinner is included in the AI--Do you know if this is true? Also I've read some complaints of people not getting the rooms they requested ie King size bed, oceanview. What was your experience?

I cannot wait to go & even if they stick me in a tent as soon as I start drinking the Te-kill-ya I'm sure I won't care.

Thanks in advance,

Melissa

[baked]

Originally Posted by Tommygurl

Hi,

I have a couple questions if you have time to answer that woud be fabulous. Did you use/go to the 24hr self serve bar? Did the mini bar actually have full size bottles restocked daily? We were told that lobster dinner is included in the AI--Do you know if this is true? Also I've read some complaints of people not getting the rooms they requested ie King size bed, oceanview. What was your experience?

I cannot wait to go & even if they stick me in a tent as soon as I start drinking the Te-kill-ya I'm sure I won't care.

Thanks in advance,

Melissa

I can tell you that there is a mini bar room with good booze (I liked the Don Julio) As far as the room booze goes, they had bottles of top shelf liquor,But we were wondering about the open bottles You will have a blast there,Don't worry, be happy. BTW my typing sucks, but I try

[Tommygurl]

Thanks so much. 49 more days.......

I am planning on bringing some toys down as well. What a great thing to do.

Have a good night,

Melissa

[baked]

Originally Posted by baked

I can tell you that there is a mini bar room with good booze (I liked the Don Julio) As far as the room booze goes, they had bottles of top shelf liquor,But we were wondering about the open bottles You will have a blast there,Don't worry, be happy. BTW my typing sucks, but I try

I think they charge for Lobster & fine cuts.(not sure though)

[Tommygurl]

Maybe they fill up the top shelf bottles with the cheap stuff? I've heard that before.

Our ai package says it inludes Lobster Dinner but even if I have to pay...I'll be on vacation & we all know that money doesn't matter when your on vac.......Until the visa bill arrives a month later that is...

Melissa

[shari95330]

We asked and Lobster is an extra charge! That is when we decided if we were going to pay we might as well go down town! Go to the BIG LOBSTER!!! It is great! You pick them right out of the tank!

Originally Posted by baked

I think they charge for Lobster & fine cuts.(not sure though)