03-31-2008
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#1 (permalink) |
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beachaholic
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Frozentundra, MinneSnowta
Posts: 374
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Trip Report Sandos Playacar Mar 2008
Hi All! We've lived off all the rest of your pictures, dreams, advice and trip reports since we planned our own honeymoon to PDC. Thanks for all of the help answering some fairly primitive questions - this enhanced the trip greatly. So here's your payback - sincerely hope you are happy with the return!
 Best part about leaving:  Expectations Enjoy the beauty of God’s Creation Have fun together Appreciate the Mayan culture Relax! You're on vacation! Top 10 Recommendations 10) Learn Spanish! 9) ASK FIRST how much things cost and negotiate when possible. 8) Email resort/hotel ahead of time to request and confirm 7) Attempt some form of exercise, occasionally... 6) Wear the bracelet on your ankle 5) Downtown Playa at night  4) Tip for good service as you would anywhere 3) Plastic cooler cups, size L! 2) Get to a Peep meet 1) Invest in Map Chicks Maps! Can-Do Maps and travel guides Wednesday 3-19-08 The day before, this was my view driving to work:  Thursday 3-20-08 Up at 4:30 a.m. to load up for the 1.5 hour drive to the MSP airport and 9:44 am departure with arrival at Cancun at 12:42 p.m. local time. We were extremely excited as you all are or have been as this was our honeymoon and first trip alone together of any substance for years.  Can't remember the name of this river that the pilot announced but the view was great:  Landed and as luck would have it, I had to press a button and it turned red, our bags got searched. The customs officials were very polite and in a matter of minutes we were through and outside in the sweet, tropical, humid air! Our transfer arrangements were made by our travel agent through American Express tourism division. Amex employs extremely friendly and bilingual local people working to pick up tourists and van them off to their hotels. Hola Hernan!  We rode with a dad, mom, their sons and grandma from Chicago who told us about the other resorts they’d stayed at in the area, and they were dropped off at the Iberostar El Pariso complx (consisting of 4 connected resorts north of PDC) which were beautiful! We also rode with an older couple from Miami who were dropped off at the Wyndham Azteca. We were last stop and made it to the Sandos Playacar at about 3:00 p.m.  There were about 50 people in line (yikes!) and they had complimentary iced tea, orange juice, papaya juice and water to keep you well hydrated during the wait to check in. We witnessed some irritated people whose rooms were not yet ready after spending the last 6 hours on the beach while their luggage was parked in a secure room off the check in desk – guess I may be too if I had waited 6 hours and was ready for a shower in a room I had paid for. Following a glass of champagne and a 20 minute wait, we were fortunate enough to have absolutely no problem checking in. Tip: Ask for an extra key – explained below… We were soon following the bellboy to our room. Flipped open the curtains to the sliding door (no balcony, unfortunately) and we had a partial ocean view and sweet, humid smells of the sea and waves washing ashore!  And the view across the corner of the Iberostar Tucan:  No lights, fridge, TV or other electronics worked, however. The bellboy left without explaining this phenomenon, and fortunately it was still daylight so we could rummage about the room for some type of explanation. We found a little “key box” inside the room on the wall next to the bathroom door. When you put your key in, ‘viola’! Everything worked. Take it out and back to the Jungle. We got suits on and a short walk down the stairs outside our room and down the hall to check out the pool. Shortcut to the sand and back of the mini beach bar and finally got to the beach at about 4:15. It was a red flag day. First pics, looking north:  And south. Note the sandbag barely sticking out of the top of the beach. Look for that sandbag (whale?) later in this TR:  It must’ve looked like a storm or rained because the beach and palapas were nearly empty by this time. We played on the “clean” whale (hint: let the waves wash you up on the sea side rather than beat yourself up trying to get up on the beach side ;-), body surfed and enjoyed refreshments.  Eventually it got too cold and dark, so we left and took a quick dip in the pool with the two other people brave enough to submerse themselves there during the distant thunder and lightning. The main pool is smallish and cooler than the adult pool, which, during any given time, was apt to contain only adults or a mixture of kids and adults together. Tonight it was empty – even the kids must have been spooked by the weather. Posing as a pool and beach area buffet and snack bar during the day, the staff transforms the space into Ol La, the fine Mediterranean restaurant at night. Although we had no reservations we were seated nonetheless (slow night). Mamasita had the Mediterranean chicken with mashed potatoes and salad and I had the same with veggies and salad.  The meal was great and the service matched. We were very tired due to the long day of travel and turned in early at about 9 p.m. Ahhhh – vacation! Lights out! 
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 Honeymoon's over! Now it's:   2008 Riviera Maya/Sandos Playacar Trip Report~130+120~ Last edited by 130taKen120 : 04-02-2008 at 02:55 PM. Reason: Pic |
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03-31-2008
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#4 (permalink) | |
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beachaholic
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Frozentundra, MinneSnowta
Posts: 374
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Quote:
 My current one is a bit of an "Anti Food Pic" avatar |
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03-31-2008
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#5 (permalink) |
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life=playa
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 542
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Ha! That's funny Paul! I was thinking the same thing - they're so much cuter than that old avi pic!
 BTW - looks like you are next...3 days!!!Great start TaKen! Can't wait for more!!!  PS, your bride is gorgeous!!! |
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04-01-2008
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#11 (permalink) |
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toe in water
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 40
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More from Sandos
Ken...more please...we are headed to the Sandos next week and I can't leave without your complete report! I've been following your posting since you began...my husband and I are a blended family as well and are going on a belated honeymoon (we were married this August)....so the experience(s) and expectations that you and your wife had will be highly relevant to us! PLEASE post more.....so far.....awesome job!
THANK YOU |
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04-01-2008
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#12 (permalink) | |
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beachaholic
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Frozentundra, MinneSnowta
Posts: 374
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Quote:
(Now back to my chopped liver.... ) |
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04-01-2008
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#13 (permalink) | |
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beachaholic
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Frozentundra, MinneSnowta
Posts: 374
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Quote:
: joker:Ah! I'm taking an avatar bashing! Have that caving-in feeling!  |
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