Trip Report - Shangri La Caribe - September 06 - 13, 2006

[Buns]

<o:p></o:p>I would like to thank everyone on this forum for all of the information you’ve provided me with. I got a lot of useful tips and I’ve enjoyed reading many of your trip reports. This is my contribution back to you. Enjoy!<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p>
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I will start off by giving you some background on us. My name is Michelle and my husband is Chuck. We are 28/29 respectively. This trip was to celebrate our 10-year anniversary. Yes, I know. We WERE young when we got married! We were high school sweethearts that still love each other! Our goal in live is to visit all of the <st1:place>Caribbean</st1:place> islands before we are 50. We’re slowly getting there. <o:p></o:p>
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This is our 3^rd Beach Vacation in as many years. Our first vacation was to Playa del Carmen, in August 2004, where we stayed at the Grand Flemenco Xcaret. While the resort was great, the beach was way too small for me. We did fall in love with this area of <st1:country-region><st1:place>Mexico</st1:place></st1:country-region>. I have a funny story to tell you how I found out about the Shangri La Caribe, but I’ll share that with you later. For our 2005 vacation, we decided not to travel during hurricane season, instead we decided on early December. We booked the Shangri La Caribe for December 2005. Then, along came Hurricane Wilma and our plans were ruined. We waited as long as we could, but eventually had to cancel our stay because the hotel was just not ready, as well as the airport was still not accepting flights. So we changed our plans at the last minute and instead went to <st1:place>Aruba</st1:place>. We stayed at <st1:place><st1:placename>Manchebo</st1:placename><st1:placetype>Beach</st1:placetype></st1:place> Resort. Let’s just say, <st1:place>Aruba</st1:place> is not our cup of tea. I know that many people love it and only travel there, but we didn’t care for it. We wished we were back in Playa. So, when the time came to pick a travel destination for 2006, after considering many other <st1:place>Caribbean</st1:place> options, we settled on Playa…one more time. We also decided that we’d risk Hurricane season so that we can vacation over our 10-year anniversary. So, I again booked the Shangri La Caribe and crossed my fingers. I reserved an Oceanfront Individual Bungalow. We traveled <st1:date month="9" day="6" year="2006">September 06-13, 2006</st1:date>. This is my trip report.<o:p></o:p>

[Buns]

Wednesday, September 06<o:p></o:p>
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We decided that since this is a special trip – to celebrate 10 years of marriage – we would spoil ourselves and upgrade our plane tickets to First Class on the way to <st1:place>Cancun</st1:place>. We used our Frequent Flyer miles with US Air to do so. We arrive at the <st1:place><st1:placename>Phoenix</st1:placename><st1:placetype>Airport</st1:placetype></st1:place> around <st1:time hour="6" minute="30">6:30AM</st1:time> for our <st1:time hour="9" minute="15">9:15AM</st1:time> flight. Plenty of time. Since we are flying First Class, we get to go in the First Class Check In Lane. SWEET! Well, not so sweet. It’s not such a great “extra” when there is only 2 other couples in the regular check in lane! Oh well. Check In, and head upstairs to wait…and wait…and wait. We really did get there too early! Another perk to flying First Class is that you get to go into the <st1:country-region><st1:place>US</st1:place></st1:country-region> Airways Club. We decided that we are not going to though, because here we are in T-Shirts, shorts and flip flops. We thought we might be a bit out of place. So, we found somewhere else, a little more our style. THE BAR! And yes, they do serve alcohol that early in the morning! We ended up sitting next to an off-duty <st1:country-region><st1:place>US</st1:place></st1:country-region> Airways employee, and we talked a bit about the <st1:country-region><st1:place>America</st1:place></st1:country-region> West/US Airways merger, we got to vent to her about some of the problems we’ve encountered over the past several months. It was all in good fun. Finally, it’s time to head to our gate to board.<o:p></o:p>
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We get to the gate, and because we are First Class, we get to board first. YEAH! Well, not really. We get to board first, but so do the elderly in wheelchairs, and families that are traveling with their young, screaming kids. Now just imagine walking down that LOOOOOOOONG runway with this group of people! Not such a privilege! Oh Well. Find our seats – row 2 – very nice. Comfy. Lots of room. Nice big armrest – we can BOTH put our arms on the armrest together, and STILL have room left over. WOO HOO! Our flight ends up being delayed close to an hour – AFTER we are boarded – because of some problems with the documentation of some customers on board? Now…why wouldn’t they fix this before hand? Oh, well. Finally, we take off. Free booze…another bonus! Hot cooked meal…yeah! Well, that wasn’t so good. We both had the lasagna…in a shrimp sauce…it was OK, nothing great. But free booze. WOO HOO! Time for the movie…<st1:city><st1:place>Mission</st1:place></st1:city> Impossible 3. Not Interested. Oh well, I get free headseats in First Class. Guess I’ll watch for a while. 5 minutes later, I got out my iPod. I just can’t watch MI3. I have no interest in that movie. Hubby liked it though. So, overall, our feeling on flying First Class is unless we are going somewhere VERY far away…<st1:place>Europe</st1:place> or <st1:country-region><st1:place>China</st1:place></st1:country-region>…it’s not really worth it. We spent 15,000 miles each for a one-way upgrade. That would’ve been one free roundtrip ticket. I’d of rather gotten the free ticket. Oh well, now we know.<o:p></o:p>
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OK…so we arrive at <st1:place>Cancun</st1:place> airport, ½ hour late. Go through Immigration. Because we traveled on a Wednesday, it wasn’t too busy at all! YEAH! Only wait about 2 minutes for immigration, got our barely-visible stamps in our passports, and on our way to luggage. Only wait about 5 minutes for the luggage to come out. Grab ours, and head towards customs. 2 couples ahead of us…Green Light, Green Light…our turn…Red Light. WHAT!! Red Light! This sucks! Oh well, open all of our bags…3 big suitcases, 1 laptop bag and my carryon beach bag. Open up the first suitcase…HEE HEE…there’s all my bras and underware! How nice! Oh, well, I’m sure they see this stuff all the time. No problems, go through all belongings quickly, and we’re off.<o:p></o:p>
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We rented a car for the week through Thrifty, $125USD for the week. Great price, couldn’t pass it up! Find the Thrifty window, the boy…yes, BOY…there takes us and our luggage outside to a waiting Thrifty van. Load up our stuff and drive across the airport to the Thrifty building. Go inside to do our paperwork. I brought my printout for my reservation…$125USD for the week, plus taxes (10%). No problem. Nissan Sentra. Then they ask THE question…do you want insurance? Not really, but I guess we’d better. One option - $24USD/day covers pretty much everything. OK, we’ll take that one. OH…$1,000USD deposit on my credit card incase we total the car. Huh? OK, NOT that insurance. The other option is $30USD/day, same coverage pretty much, but no deposit on the credit card. OK. We take that one. Bottom line…when we turned the car in after a week, the total charge for my $125USD/week reservation was $384USD. Go figure.<o:p></o:p>
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So, we get our car, point out the 101 scratches, dents, and other damages to the car, and head on our merry way to PDC. Since we’ve been here before, we know where we are going. Except that we forgot to turn right and we headed into the Cancun Hotel Zone. Oopsie Daisy. Find a returno and turn around…and NOW we are headed on our merry way to PDC.<o:p></o:p>
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I had emailed the resort a few days before to request a room on the Caribe side (thanks to advice on this board…thank you very much). And also to get driving directions. I printed out those directions and brought them with. We drive into PDC and realize that many streets don’t have street signs. Uh Oh. Keep driving. Then, like a neon sign in Vegas, we see <st1:street><st1:address>Constituyentes Avenue</st1:address></st1:street>! Allelujah! We turn, finish following the directions and find the hotel no problem. Except, at first, I wasn’t sure that WAS the resort, since there was no Shangri La Caribe sign (that I saw).











So I walked in very timidly and asked in my very best broken Spanish if this was Shangri La Caribe Resort. “Si, Senora.” Perfecto!<o:p></o:p>
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Check In, leave a credit card so we can charge stuff to our room, and we are off. We have a bellboy help us with our luggage to our room…a glorious Ocean Front Individual Bungalow on the Caribe Side…just what I asked for!







There is a huge semi-circular patio with a table and two chairs and the most incredible view of the <st1:place>Caribbean</st1:place>!







Oh…my God! I’ve died and gone to heaven!! Inside, the bungalow is HUGE! Two beds, a very large dresser, another table and two chairs, three sets of windows with wonderful <st1:place>Caribbean</st1:place> views, and a large bathroom. What I really loved about this room is the feeling of being in <st1:country-region><st1:place>Mexico</st1:place></st1:country-region>. It wasn’t a Marble bath, instead it was tile…Mexican green glass tile with outlines of Sunflower tiles. A green glass tiled countertop with a gorgeous Sunflower tiled sink. It was just gorgeous!















The whole décor of the room reminded me of being in <st1:country-region><st1:place>Mexico</st1:place></st1:country-region>…NOT in a Hilton or Marriot, but a true Mexican resort. So, our bellhop brings in our luggage, shows us the safe, gives us keys, and then pulls out two hammocks and brings them outside and hangs them up on my patio! OH MY GOD! I thought I was in heaven before, but if there is a heaven above heaven, this was it! Swinging in those hammocks each morning and each evening…with those gorgeous views…a drink in my hand…heaven. Pure Heaven! OK…back to the room. What I also REALLY liked…and appreciated…even though there were two beds, with two pillows each, there were also 7 – yes, 7 – extra pillows in the dresser! I had brought 2 from home. At home, we have a total of 7 pillows on our bed (4 for me, 3 for Chuck) and we use each one every night! I was so happy to have all of those extra pillows, and believe me, I used them! Sure, the bed was hard, but aren’t all beds in <st1:country-region><st1:place>Mexico</st1:place></st1:country-region> hard? So, tip the bellboy, quickly change into our swim suits and run and jump into the <st1:place>Caribbean</st1:place>. AHH! So Warm! Swim for a bit, then come back inside, shower and change for dinner. Head over to the Adventuras Restaurant. GREAT views here! We sat at the same table each and every time we went to this restaurant…3 in, right in front of the front windows, overlooking the pool with the beach and the <st1:place>Caribbean</st1:place> in the background, and <st1:place>Cozumel</st1:place> off in the distance! We have a choice of two entrees…tonight’s choices are Chicken with Mango Salsa (I’ll have that) and some sort of Pork (Chuck will have that one). Both were OK…nothing great. Hipilito and Ivan, our two waiters most of the week, we both very friendly and funny and gave us great service. <o:p></o:p>
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After dinner, we went back to our rooms, hung out on our hammocks for a while, then went to bed early. Afterall, we’d been up since 4AM Arizona time…we were tired!<o:p></o:p>
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Stay Tuned for Thursday’s Adventures!<o:p></o:p>

[cuffedlinks]

Doing a great job!
Thanks!
Loved the pics too!

[summer05]

Wonderful report and photos! Keep it coming! We styaed right behind Shangri La in July at Natz ti Ha condos, so I walked by the Shangri La bungalows all the time. Would love to see more of what the insides look like.
Summer

[janied]

Excellent start!

waiting for more!

[Buns]

Thursday, September 07<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p>
Oh, what a glorious day! Our first day in paradise, and today is our 10-year anniversary! I wouldn’t want to spend this day anywhere else but here! We get up and head to breakfast. The La Loma Restaurant (where they normally serve breakfast and lunch) is closed for renovations during our stay. Instead, all three meals are served in the Adventuras Restaurant. This is fine by me, since it has much better views, anyways! Breakfast is great…lots of fresh fruits to choose from, along with cereal, breads, pastries. There is also an a-la-carte menu to order off of. There are several different egg choices, and even pancakes and French toast. Whose are servers…none else then Hipilito and Ivan! These guys were just here last night! We chat with them for a while, and find out that they work a little differently then we are used to in the <st1:country-region><st1:place>US</st1:place></st1:country-region>. They work 24 days straight, 12 hours a day. Then, they get 5 days off. Then they start another 24-day work schedule. They live behind the kitchen in very small apartments. <o:p></o:p>
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So, after breakfast, we decide to head out and find a store to stock up on stuff for our room. I had brought along a cooler – I would recommend this for everyone! We asked for directions to Mega. We stocked up on water, beer, soda and some snacks. I looked to see if they sold any rafts, but only the round tube and arm floaties, no rafts. I KNEW I should have brought them from home! Oh well. Head back to SLC, fill up our cooler…oops! We forgot ice! No problem…head down to the bar and buy a bag of ice for $3USD. Very convenient. OK, twist my arm, I’ll have a Mai Tai por favor! So what if it’s only 11AM? I’m on vacation!<o:p></o:p>
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So, we get some good quality beach time in today.

Here's our beach chairs, a beach photo and a photo of the beach from SLC looking north, towards Grand Coco Bay Resort:













The beach is not very crowded at all…how nice! We stay out until about <st1:time minute="0" hour="17">5PM</st1:time>, then head in, shower and change.

We decide to walk into town. We’ll take a taxi back. We walk down the beach. We pass Las Palapas, which looks nice, but not as nice as ours. Then <st1:place><st1:placename>Mamacitas</st1:placename><st1:placetype>Beach</st1:placetype></st1:place> Club. WAY too crowded for us! Loud music, cramped lounges, no thank you.

We get down to around the Royal <st1:place>Porto</st1:place> Real, more cramped and crowded lounges and beds…no thank you. We’re sure we do have the best beach in the area.

Here's a couple of photos of the Grand Porto Real and Royal Porto Royal Resorts:






Here's a picture of the beach chairs at the Royal Porto Real...definitely NOT the Shangri La Caribe beach:



<o:p></o:p>Oh, I won a $10 bet, too. When standing on the beach at the SLC and looking south, the pier you see is NOT the ferry peir.



It is a pier between the Royal <st1:place>Porto</st1:place> Real and Grand <st1:place>Porto</st1:place> Real resorts. Chuck was convinced it was the ferry pier, I said no it wasn’t, so I won. I’m still waiting to collect my $10, by the way.<o:p></o:p>
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So, we get to the pier and walk up to <st1:street><st1:address>5^th Ave.</st1:address></st1:street> At least, we think it is <st1:street><st1:address>5^th Ave.</st1:address></st1:street> We walk several blocks before consulting one of the handy posted maps. We then realize we are on the wrong street! It’s about this time that I realize I am “Muy Estupido!” I now realize that I forgot my 3 mapchick maps that I purchase! I had one for <st1:place>Cancun</st1:place>, one for Playa del Carmen and one for <st1:state><st1:place>Riviera</st1:place></st1:state> Maya. I paid $24 for those damn things, and I left them all at home! I’M AN IDIOT!!
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Oh, well. We finally get up to the REAL <st1:street><st1:address>5^th Ave.</st1:address></st1:street> It’s like we never left! AHHH!! We do a little shopping, get the “Hey, Honeymooners” and the “Hey Meeester, come look at my yunk! It’s good quality yunk!” We bought some T&Ts and then caught a cab ride back to the hotel. *Cab ride from Carlos N Charlies area to SLC was $5USD*<o:p></o:p>
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We want to go out for a nice steak dinner tonight for our anniversary. We asked at the Front Desk for a great Steakhouse, and the gentleman starting scratching his head, deep in thought, when another gentleman standing at the desk, recommend one for us. He said that he was friends with the owners of Shangri La and they say the best in all of <st1:state><st1:place>Riviera</st1:place></st1:state> Maya is an Argentinean Steakhouse, but he doesn’t remember the name of it. And it is on the highway (307). We tell him that’s ok, we have a rental car, where is it? Take Calle 38 all the way to the highway, turn right, and it is about 1 KM down, on the left, but sorry, can’t remember the name of it. OK, we’ll find it. We head out. Turn right onto the highway. 1 KM, nada. 2 KM, nada. OK, we turn around at the next returno. OH! Is that it? Slow down for a look, that’s gotta be it! It’s called La Parrilla del Camino. It’s about 3 KM past Calle 38 on the left (west) side.<o:p></o:p>
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We pull in, not sure where to park, in the back? Start driving back there, and nope, that’s not a parking lot! Back up, and there is a girl standing in the doorway, pointing for us to park right up front next to the steps. OK! We’re the only ones here…it’s <st1:time minute="0" hour="20">8PM</st1:time>! Cool, we get the place to ourselves! We sit down and quickly realize that neither waitress speaks a lick of English, and our Spanish is so broken you could cut yourself with it. This is going to be interesting! At least the menu is in English (sort of). We just point to what we want. I want the Rib Eye Steak. OK. Our waitress says something in really slow Spanish, but I have no idea what she says, so I just nod my head and say “Si”. She looks at me funny, then looks at Chuck. He’s giggling and I smack him. He says “medio” to her, and she smiles. I guess she asked me how I wanted my steak cooked! Then, she looks at me, says something again in really slow Spanish, so I nod my head and say “Si”. Of course, Chuck is giggling again, so I wack him hard this time, and he winces, then asks me what I want for my side. I smile and say “Papas con todo”. The waitress looks at me funny, Chuck’s laughing again, and I smile big and say “Si”. Chuck says something, and I hope I ordered a baked potato with everything! Guess I’ll find out later! Chuck orders his Filet in very broken Spanish. After our waitress leaves, I ask Chuck how he knows all of this Spanish all of a sudden. He’s picked up a little bit from the guys he works with, many Hispanics work there and he’s learned a few words and phrases that have come in handy.<o:p></o:p>
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Our waitress brings out a “On Da Hooose” appetizer. We asked what it was, but we never really got an answer we understood. So, we just try it. It looked like maybe a beet that was covered in sauce and deep fried? Or maybe a tomato? I’m not sure. We both ate about half and that was it. Then, our food came out. Thank goodness, I got a rib eye steak cooked to medium perfectly, and a baked potato with everything on it. The sour cream here is a little different then what I’m used to…it was very watery. It had a different flavor to it, but it was still good. We ate our dinner, and enjoyed it very much! It was a very nice way for us to spend our anniversary night. Good food, good drinks, not a crowded place (only one other couple came in for dinner while we were there). It is certainly not a tourist hot-spot. It was just perfecto!

Here are some photos of our dinner:








<o:p></o:p>We finish our meal, pay for it, and leave a VERY nice tip, then head back to SLC. We grab a couple drinks from the bar and hang out on our patio in the hammocks for a while. A beautiful end to a beautiful day in paradise.<o:p></o:p>
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Stay tuned for Friday’s adventures: Photographer and <st1:place>Cancun</st1:place>!<o:p></o:p>

[Thor Henning]

I am thinking of staying at Shangri La Caribe next time we go to Playa. This report is making me want to go tomorrow.

[Buns]

Originally Posted by Thor Henning

I am thinking of staying at Shangri La Caribe next time we go to Playa. This report is making me want to go tomorrow.

I KNOW! I want to be back there right now!

We will DEFINTELY without a doubt stay here again.

[corona6218]

You have that Stewart style of writing. Just makes you want to read on. Keep it up!

[Loree]

Great report and nice photos.
Keep it coming!

[Don not Juan]

Love the report and pics. You'll probably never see the $10.00! Bribery might be in order.

[Eileencc]

Originally Posted by Thor Henning

I am thinking of staying at Shangri La Caribe next time we go to Playa. This report is making me want to go tomorrow.

Me too Thor, me too...

[Tesla 573]

Shangri la is just beautiful.....love your trip report!

[rizan22]

Really enjoying your trip report!

[Buns]

Originally Posted by Don not Juan

Love the report and pics. You'll probably never see the $10.00! Bribery might be in order.

Not to worry. I got my $10 back in another way . Know what I mean... !