IB Quetzal or Barcelo Maya?

ma-warman · 07-27-2006

I with the guidance of Shammy narrowed our vacation down to the IB Quetzal or the Barcelo Maya. There is five in our family..my husband and I, 17yr, 16yr and 12yr. I would love some more opinions I want to book by tommorow.Thank you! The IB comes in at $500 more!

NorthMinnesota · 07-27-2006

Both are GREAT suggestions.

The Barcelo was fabulous when we stayed there. Quetzel is next on our list of places to visit. Depends on whether you want to be closer to town or further away. We have teens who wanted to go in to town many times so we spent alot of $$$ on Taxis...Quetzel is only a few $$ to get in to town.

abuelo · 07-27-2006

The IB Tucan/ Quetzal is a great place, family oriented. We stay there every year for a week. I don't have any information on the other resort.

vickivan · 07-28-2006

We've stayed at the sister resort IB Tucan and at the Barcelo. Both are very nice. I can't say that we found one better than the other. The Barcelo's beach was bigger and less crowded. The Tucan and Quetzal's beach is much thinner, although you can walk pretty much as far as you want there past the neighboring resorts. Chairs at the beach were 4-5 deep and very close to each other which I really didn't like. Also the Iberostar's Pool bar was set separately in a little cove by itself in a really small pool. We thought it odd and rarely used it. The IB location to town is nice if you want to visit, but it would be a somewhat long walk, so we choose to get a taxi when we did. One nice thing is we hopped on a bus in PDC (supplied by IB) to the IB hotels north and were able to spend the day at one of the IB there. It gave us the opportunity to experience another hotel. We actually found those to have a nicer setup and more daily activities and entertainment than the Tucan/Quetzal. Those hotels are 2- minutes north and offer free shuttle to PDC. The Barcelo is right across from a bunch of Cenotes that you can walk across the street to spend part of the day. We really liked dancing at night at the Barcelo's Captian Morgan's night spot too. Earlier in the evenings teens would be there too. We tried the disco at the IB, but after dinner there were few people there.

Hope this helps.

ma-warman · 07-28-2006

Thanks vickivan, I was hoping to find someone that has been at both! I know our 12yr old will love anything but the 16yr boy and 17yr almost 18 yr old girl I am concerned about. The oldest keeps talking about going to the discos. Me and my husband just want to soak up the sun!

**Shammy** · 07-28-2006

Just an FYI........

Capt. Morgan's disco is no longer open as a disco. The Barcelo has built a brand new, state of the art dance club/disco that is up near the new Tropical / Colonial lobby. You must be at least 18 to enter this disco, teens are no longer allowed. However, they have just started doing a few teen nights, currently just two nights per week, from 7:30 - 10:30. Maybe when the winter high season gets in full swing they'll add more nights? Don't know that yet.

ma-warman · 07-28-2006

Hey does any one know if the disco and teen club can be used if you are at the older side! Thanks!

**Shammy** · 07-28-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by ma-warman

Hey does any one know if the disco and teen club can be used if you are at the older side! Thanks!

The disco can be used by EVERYONE staying at the Barcelo Maya - doesn't matter which section you're staying at. The new disco is quite large indeed!

ma-warman · 07-28-2006

Does it just boil down to more restaurant choices and newer rooms? Any other perks? Also is there a bus to go to downtown Playa?

Jillian · 07-28-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by ma-warman

I with the guidance of Shammy narrowed our vacation down to the IB Quetzal or the Barcelo Maya. There is five in our family..my husband and I, 17yr, 16yr and 12yr. I would love some more opinions I want to book by tommorow.Thank you! The IB comes in at $500 more!

I have stayed at both, the IB in August 05 and the Barcelo in Feb 06. I enjoyed the IB better. It is big, but not as big as the Barcelo. I thought the food was better. The beaches were about the same, with the IB being a little better, only because of the palaps for shade. When we bring our son in another year or two, we will be going to the IB..

There were quite a few teens at both places and they all seemed to be enjoying themselves.

Tlyn · 07-31-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by PlayaHereWeCome

I have stayed at both, the IB in August 05 and the Barcelo in Feb 06. I enjoyed the IB better. It is big, but not as big as the Barcelo. I thought the food was better. The beaches were about the same, with the IB being a little better, only because of the palaps for shade. When we bring our son in another year or two, we will be going to the IB..

There were quite a few teens at both places and they all seemed to be enjoying themselves.

I have also stayed at both - although the Barcelo was in Nov. 01, I was at the IB*Quetzal just last April. The beach at the Barcelo was nicer - bigger and less crowded, although we never had a problem getting a beach chair at the IB*. The Barcelo is farther away from town than the Quetzal and we like to get to town as much as possible. Also, the Barcelo is HUGE - we didn't mind this because it was just us and another couple. The IB* is big, too, but seemed easier to get from place to place.

07-27-2006	#1 (permalink)
ma-warman very sparkly Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: St. Cloud, MN Posts: 35	IB Quetzal or Barcelo Maya? I with the guidance of Shammy narrowed our vacation down to the IB Quetzal or the Barcelo Maya. There is five in our family..my husband and I, 17yr, 16yr and 12yr. I would love some more opinions I want to book by tommorow.Thank you! The IB comes in at $500 more!

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07-27-2006	#2 (permalink)
NorthMinnesota añejo Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Minnesota Posts: 5,599	Both are GREAT suggestions. The Barcelo was fabulous when we stayed there. Quetzel is next on our list of places to visit. Depends on whether you want to be closer to town or further away. We have teens who wanted to go in to town many times so we spent alot of $$$ on Taxis...Quetzel is only a few $$ to get in to town.

07-27-2006	#3 (permalink)
abuelo beachaholic Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Shreveport La Posts: 268	The IB Tucan/ Quetzal is a great place, family oriented. We stay there every year for a week. I don't have any information on the other resort.

07-28-2006	#4 (permalink)
vickivan sandflea Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 3	We've stayed at the sister resort IB Tucan and at the Barcelo. Both are very nice. I can't say that we found one better than the other. The Barcelo's beach was bigger and less crowded. The Tucan and Quetzal's beach is much thinner, although you can walk pretty much as far as you want there past the neighboring resorts. Chairs at the beach were 4-5 deep and very close to each other which I really didn't like. Also the Iberostar's Pool bar was set separately in a little cove by itself in a really small pool. We thought it odd and rarely used it. The IB location to town is nice if you want to visit, but it would be a somewhat long walk, so we choose to get a taxi when we did. One nice thing is we hopped on a bus in PDC (supplied by IB) to the IB hotels north and were able to spend the day at one of the IB there. It gave us the opportunity to experience another hotel. We actually found those to have a nicer setup and more daily activities and entertainment than the Tucan/Quetzal. Those hotels are 2- minutes north and offer free shuttle to PDC. The Barcelo is right across from a bunch of Cenotes that you can walk across the street to spend part of the day. We really liked dancing at night at the Barcelo's Captian Morgan's night spot too. Earlier in the evenings teens would be there too. We tried the disco at the IB, but after dinner there were few people there. Hope this helps.

07-28-2006	#5 (permalink)
ma-warman very sparkly Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: St. Cloud, MN Posts: 35	Thanks vickivan, I was hoping to find someone that has been at both! I know our 12yr old will love anything but the 16yr boy and 17yr almost 18 yr old girl I am concerned about. The oldest keeps talking about going to the discos. Me and my husband just want to soak up the sun!

07-28-2006	#6 (permalink)
Shammy Moderator Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: The Joisey Shore Posts: 10,240	Just an FYI........ Capt. Morgan's disco is no longer open as a disco. The Barcelo has built a brand new, state of the art dance club/disco that is up near the new Tropical / Colonial lobby. You must be at least 18 to enter this disco, teens are no longer allowed. However, they have just started doing a few teen nights, currently just two nights per week, from 7:30 - 10:30. Maybe when the winter high season gets in full swing they'll add more nights? Don't know that yet.

07-28-2006	#7 (permalink)
ma-warman very sparkly Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: St. Cloud, MN Posts: 35	Hey does any one know if the disco and teen club can be used if you are at the older side! Thanks!

07-28-2006	#9 (permalink)
ma-warman very sparkly Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: St. Cloud, MN Posts: 35	Does it just boil down to more restaurant choices and newer rooms? Any other perks? Also is there a bus to go to downtown Playa?

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