El Tukan condotel

[Bobby D]

Hey guys & gals
I have been looking at this hotel and noticed that the bookings end in octobre,does this mean that it becomes non AI after these dates, also has anyone been there and how would you rate this hotel, the location seems incredible.
I have been to the Royal Porto but i would rather go twice at a cheaper hotel than once at a fancy hotel
Thanks for your time

[Rissask]

Originally Posted by Bobby D

Hey guys & gals
I have been looking at this hotel and noticed that the bookings end in octobre,does this mean that it becomes non AI after these dates, also has anyone been there and how would you rate this hotel, the location seems incredible.
I have been to the Royal Porto but i would rather go twice at a cheaper hotel than once at a fancy hotel
Thanks for your time

We stayed there two times, it is fairly basic and an older hotel, but the location is great (north end of Fifth), it's clean, and the staff are friendly. The pool is small but it's usually not crowded around it and the inner courtyard is a garden oasis.

You also get passes for a beach club- when we stayed there it was the Club Tukan, not sure what it is now. It's about a ten minute walk to the beach.

The only drawback we found was make sure you booked a standard room and NOT a studio; if you rented a 'studio room' they sometimes would put you in their sister hotel the Moongate across the street, or some rooms they have in another different building.
Specify you want a room with a kitchette and pay the upgrade, or even better- book a one bedroom, they have separate kitchen/dining area and are nice and roomy. (They have 2 and 3 bedroom units too.)

They actually used to sell this hotel only as part of a non-AI package, now I see they are selling it as All Inclusive (here in Canada anyway). I wouldn't do AI here, there are just way too many great places to eat in the vicinity.

[Bobby D]

Thank you very much for your reply, always great to here from a fellow Canadian, We were in playa november 2005 just after wilma and there was quite a bit of destruction. Always wanted to go back, this hotel sounds like a good deal
Thanks again

[Rissask]

Originally Posted by Bobby D

Thank you very much for your reply, always great to here from a fellow Canadian, We were in playa november 2005 just after wilma and there was quite a bit of destruction. Always wanted to go back, this hotel sounds like a good deal
Thanks again

It is a good deal for we Cancucks, I get so angry they don't offer more packages with Non-AI hotels for us up here!
Last trip to PDC for us was actually March 2005, pre Wilma.....at that time the El Tukan was covered in vines still, I heard they were all ripped away by the winds but they have likely somewhat recovered *stay away Hurricane Dean!*

Is it Signature that is offering it? Where are you flying out of? I would just call the tour operator and ask them what is up with it being missing after October. (sorry I won't be able to reply again 'til Monday )

[Bobby D]

It's offered by sunwing out of MTL until the end of octobre as AI for $825 all in...at that price it's worth taking and eating out a couple of times..when we were at the royal porto ( $2300pps ) we wound up spending about $1000usd on 5av because of the cool restaurants & bars but my wife & i travel 3 times a year so thats to much for our budget, specially since we are looking to buy some property with some friends ( thanks to Michele for sending me great listings) we would love to go see here in january.
Best of luck to everyone in playa

[Rissask]

For a week with airfare? Yes, that is a good deal, and you're exactly right, for that price you can still eat away from the hotel so it's not a big deal. Have fun!

[john99501]

Is Hotel Nina part of their complex....I was supposed to arrive there on Sunday but delayed by hurricane. Like to show up Tues, if they are taking in guests??

[Rissask]

Originally Posted by john99501

Is Hotel Nina part of their complex....I was supposed to arrive there on Sunday but delayed by hurricane. Like to show up Tues, if they are taking in guests??

No, they aren't affiliated- the Moongate on Fifth is the 'sister hotel' of the Tukan.

Just a curious question- but if you aren't there yet already, why go at all?

Can you cancel your flight or reschedule?

I'd hate to get there and not be able to get accomodation, and/or end up being more of a drain on area resources if there IS some damage.

[Bobby D]

We were there 5 weeks after wilma and a lot of hotels were closed and the beach was in very bad shap, forget cozumel you could see right through the hotels
I did not realize the extente of the damage until we took the bus back to the airport in the daytime and see how hard the locals were hit, there must have been 300 guys working on the grand porto real
Best of luck to all in playa & the yucatan

[john99501]

Well I did reschedule from Sun but I have paid for hotel in advance so want to go unless there is damage, power outage etc. It seems to me that luckily so far, really there has been no reason not to have gone in Sun, except I would have been a burden I suppose. They seem to be making sure that they reduce the tourists in the area since that was a problem last time. I'm hoping for a complete miss though and enjoy at least part of the vacation. I suppose thats a longshot....hard to give it up when you been planning for so long. I guess tonight will tell the story, good luck to those who have to go thru it.

[Bobby D]

Well this is the place to get the best information, you will know what to expect before you leave for the beach. there should be reports from people in playa
Wilma hit for 30 hours but hopefully dean wont stick around too long, hope things work out for you

Do all the girls look like that in Arizona ???

[john99501]

Ha ha....not all of em, or I'd be happy to stay here! Maybe I should just eat the hotel costs & beg American Airlines to fly me somewhere else where there is a beach. Next time I book in non-hurrican season!!

[Seakony]

Originally Posted by Bobby D

We were there 5 weeks after wilma and a lot of hotels were closed and the beach was in very bad shap, forget cozumel you could see right through the hotels
I did not realize the extente of the damage until we took the bus back to the airport in the daytime and see how hard the locals were hit, there must have been 300 guys working on the grand porto real
Best of luck to all in playa & the yucatan

Big difference.. Wilma came ashore near Playa and sat there for 3 days before moving on.. Dean will just be like a big thunderstorm in Playa and will move on out after a few hours.... Playa will be open for business that evening...depends how fast it moves thru....

[Bobby D]

That's good to hear, hopefuly it wont cause to much damage in other parts of the Yucatan. We were in Merida in january, a beautiful city with over a million in population. So i guess the province of Campeche down to Belize will get hit the hardest, i hope it dies down over the gulf, i think the people in the US can use a break also. The Mexican president is here in Canada and will cut short his visit with Harper & Bush to return to Mexico