El Gran Porto Real - Comments?

BMK1951 · 08-14-2003

I haven't been to Porto Real since before they annexed the hotel next door. I'd like to hear from someone who has been there before and after all the construction.

What's new, what's missing. Now that it is bigger has it lost some of it's intimacy? 8)

Rick1 · 08-14-2003

I can only comment on "after". I was there in June, and had
a great time - with only the following negative points:

a - the jacuzzi wasn't working for some time. This was strange
given that it is supposed to be a 5 star hotel.

b - the security personnel overdoes their work. As we were
taking a small bag to a laundry place in Playa (about three
blocks away) we were approached at the reception by the
security personnel asking if we were leaving. We said "no",
we still had 3 more days at the Porto Real. They asked us
for our room number and we continued towards the car.
The same security person reached us again to the car and
said that we urgently had to see the personnel at Reception,
and that we couldn't leave since it was an urgent matter.
I got out of the car, and went back. At Reception they asked
again when were we leaving, I responded, they checked on
the computer, and asked them to go and check in our room
there was all our snorkelling gear, clothes, baggage, etc. etc.
I asked - what was the purpose of the open credit card voucher
that I had left at check-in? He just smiled and said 'that's right".
Then they said "thank you for coming", but still looked in
a suspicious way. As I walked past the bell boys, the
Security Personnel, still were staring suspiciously as if I were
a delincuent.

Every morning when we went jogging and came back through the
beach, they kept following us and asking for our room number.
In one occasion they even followed us closely (even though we
were wearing those damn sweaty plastic bracelets for the entire
stay) to our room as to make sure we gave the correct room
number.

Of course we left a complaint when we checked out.

c - We checked out the third floor swimming pool and though as
if I had built my jacuzzi at the garage. It is small, has a view
only to the street, and kills the sense of going to a 5 star
Caribbean Resort without being close to the beach.

d - Got two Nike "golf type" caps taken from our room.

Other than that, we had a great time.

BMK1951 · 08-15-2003

Wow, Rick, that is so unlike my before the annexation experience. You did tell them that it was a bag of dirty laundry and you were headed for a laundromat?

I used to walk along the beach from the Cozumel Ferry to my room at Porto Real with just a Hola! to Security. I can't believe that they actually followed you to your room. That really is tacky. :-?

08-14-2003	#1 (permalink)
BMK1951 way into it Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: New Jersey, USA Posts: 173	El Gran Porto Real - Comments? I haven't been to Porto Real since before they annexed the hotel next door. I'd like to hear from someone who has been there before and after all the construction. What's new, what's missing. Now that it is bigger has it lost some of it's intimacy? 8)

08-14-2003	#2 (permalink)
Rick1 toe in water Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 52	I can only comment on "after". I was there in June, and had a great time - with only the following negative points: a - the jacuzzi wasn't working for some time. This was strange given that it is supposed to be a 5 star hotel. b - the security personnel overdoes their work. As we were taking a small bag to a laundry place in Playa (about three blocks away) we were approached at the reception by the security personnel asking if we were leaving. We said "no", we still had 3 more days at the Porto Real. They asked us for our room number and we continued towards the car. The same security person reached us again to the car and said that we urgently had to see the personnel at Reception, and that we couldn't leave since it was an urgent matter. I got out of the car, and went back. At Reception they asked again when were we leaving, I responded, they checked on the computer, and asked them to go and check in our room there was all our snorkelling gear, clothes, baggage, etc. etc. I asked - what was the purpose of the open credit card voucher that I had left at check-in? He just smiled and said 'that's right". Then they said "thank you for coming", but still looked in a suspicious way. As I walked past the bell boys, the Security Personnel, still were staring suspiciously as if I were a delincuent. Every morning when we went jogging and came back through the beach, they kept following us and asking for our room number. In one occasion they even followed us closely (even though we were wearing those damn sweaty plastic bracelets for the entire stay) to our room as to make sure we gave the correct room number. Of course we left a complaint when we checked out. c - We checked out the third floor swimming pool and though as if I had built my jacuzzi at the garage. It is small, has a view only to the street, and kills the sense of going to a 5 star Caribbean Resort without being close to the beach. d - Got two Nike "golf type" caps taken from our room. Other than that, we had a great time.

08-15-2003	#3 (permalink)
BMK1951 way into it Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: New Jersey, USA Posts: 173	Wow, Rick, that is so unlike my before the annexation experience. You did tell them that it was a bag of dirty laundry and you were headed for a laundromat? I used to walk along the beach from the Cozumel Ferry to my room at Porto Real with just a Hola! to Security. I can't believe that they actually followed you to your room. That really is tacky. :-?

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