STAY away from the Mayan Palace

08-27-2003

To all possible tourists contemplating the thought of staying at the Mayan Palace,

My fiancée and I recently returned from a week stay at the Mayan Palace and I can strongly conclude that this was one of the most disappointing resorts we've ever visited. The rooms are especially boring, the beds are horrible, the bathrooms not impressive, and the balconies have neither a view nor are they built to be functional.

Moving on to the rest of the resort outside of the actual room - they advertise the resort as new - it is still very much in CONSTRUCTION so picture yourself sitting sipping a VERY expensive cocktail next to a non-existent beach (it's extremely rocky and NOTHING like the photos - they will inform you that they are still in the middle of building the beach!) and a big yellow-digger drives by blowing exhaust and dust all over you.

The planned resort is HUGE and from a financial strategy they have gone for quantity over quality. We tend to enjoy finer resorts and the fact that this resort was a Gold Crown resort we expected a lot more. The only way they will be able to fill all of their blasé rooms will be to sell to the masses and you know what that means – you can forget about a high quality of service, tranquility, peaceful relaxation around the pool or beach, etc. The fact that their staff was unable to provide this when the resort is not even 50% complete makes me extremely doubtful they can when the resort is in full production.

Few other comments if you’re still not convinced to stay away – the golf course is NO WHERE near completion however they continue to advertise it as almost finished and I overheard one salesperson tell a naïve guest that it was targeted to be completed next week. If they had the entire labor force of Mexico working on this course it would not be complete! All restaurants / bars automatically include a 20% service gratuity regardless of the size of your party. This does two things – one it provides NO incentive to the staff to actually meet or exceed the needs of the guests and two it assumes that the guests are cheap or stupid enough to not know what a proper tip is which I personally find insulting. Service at resorts is key and if service is impeccable a proper guest knows to give at least 20% if not more.

Overall, I’m sorry to report that significant amounts of money and individual investment may be going to waste in this resort. The idea seemed to have been born out of the travel boom pre 9-11 and now instead of re-evaluating the strategy and scaling down to a niche market which could actually turn a profit they are hoping to sell to the masses and grossly sell time-share – I wish them all the luck and you couldn’t pay me to stay there again.

I will advise those of you already trapped into staying there to just rent a car for a week and try to spend as much time outside of the resort as possible. Xel-Ha and Xcaret are worth visiting.

SigEpMike · 08-28-2003

Quote:

Originally posted by "Dissapointed from NY"

The only way they will be able to fill all of their blasé rooms will be to sell to the masses and you know what that means

Wow, how elitist can you be?

Lizzie · 08-28-2003

Hey Mike,

How was your trip/honeymoon? I hope you are your new bride had a wonderful time at the ASP. Looking forward to reading your trip report.

Lizzie

SigEpMike · 08-28-2003

I won't be there until the 7th of September.

Lizzie · 08-29-2003

Well then Mike,you and your new wife must be counting the days. I really hope your wedding day is wonderful.

Lizzie

Liza · 08-29-2003

Hey Mike.....have a drink for me on the 9th......it's my birthday. I wish you the best on your wedding day and hope you have a great honeymoon. Be sure and let us know what you think of ASP when you get back.

Rumbo · 08-30-2003

Hi all,

My wife and I and two friends are planning a trip to Playa Del carmen in late November of this year. I have travelled quite a lot in Mexico (West Coast and Baja) but have never been to PDC. My wife and I have never done all inclusive as we like to tool around and get to know the locals but.... our friends have never been to Mexico and are really interested in ALL inclusive resorts. We are considering staying at the Copacabana Beach Resort and would like to know if anyone has an opinion on it. I would also be interested in opinions on the AI concept. Thanks in advance.

Rumbo

08-30-2003

I have done Both AI and non AI.

Both have pros and cons. Basically I would suggest sitting down with your friends and establishing what kind of a vacation you want. AI's are great for relaxing, lazing by the pool, eating and drinking all you want, and basically not having to plan a whole lot. The most relaxing and refreshing vacations I've ever had have been at AI's. I don't have to carry a lot of cash, I can eat and drink whatever and whenever I want and not worry about where I should go and do I have the cash on me or gee, the bar bill is getting a little out of control. Also, I can still leave the resort easily and visit the key things I want to see. Should you choose these priorities, make sure you choose a hotel that does not have reserved seating times. You don't want to be locked into "have to be a this restaurant at this time" or be in a position of having to choose and plan your meals at check in because of reserved seating. This totally takes away from the AI experience in my opinion.
As I get older, this is my option of choice.

Having said that, if you want to "do" and "see" all there is and experience Mexico then the AI is not for you. If you want to try different foods and places, and club most nights with authentic nightlife, then you might want to rethink the AI scene. Some of the most interesting vacations I have had have been in small hotels among the local scene. (I've been there done that, ready to sit by the pool with cabana boy delivering my drinks for the rest of my life.)

Also, something to think about, I recently sent some friends to Mexico for THEIR first time and suggested the AI experience just because it was less daunting for them. They could check things out while have the security of an AI and not having to worry about a lot of things well getting aquinted with traveling or a new country. They absolutely loved it and thought this was a great introduction to Mexico. Next time they will be discovering Mexico on their own, but the AI allowed them to get the confidence of moving around on their own and now it's not a foreign (Or "unknown" ) experience for them.

Just my opinion. Hope it gives you something to think about.

**Shammy** · 08-30-2003

Rumbo,
The Copacabana is a very nice resort. It's about 45 minutes from the airport and 15 minutes south of PDC. The Copa is what they call "ecologically friendly" resort...which means is was built around mangroves, cenotes and the jungle. Even though there's under 300 rooms, it's fairly spread out, walking will be required. The rooms are very nice and spacious. There are 4 restaurants, two are ala carte and you need reservations, one snack bar that is open for lunch as well as snacks and the main buffet.
The beach is one of the best in Riviera Maya (it's right next to the Barcelo Maya, which IMHO, has the best beach). Great pool with lots of palapas but no swim up bar.

One thing you should know is that the Copa is a very "family friendly" resort. I send quite a few clients with young children here. If you're looking to get away from the kiddies, then you might want to look at an adults only or another resort that isn't as family oriented. Having said that, I still think the Copa is a great value and I'm finding some good prices for Nov.
Any other questions or if you need some hotel recommendations, lemme know!

rlwjaw · 08-30-2003

I second the motion, the copa is an excelent choice. We were there in feb-03. There were a few kids maby 6 or 8 but that was all. I would have liked to see more. Food and service were excelent. The only thing I felt was less than perfect were the nightly shows. They seamed a little loud. I am not a party person and I like to sleep at night. The beach was superb and yes there is some walking, it is such a calming meander through the jungle.
Can anyone tell me why they block off the beach at night?

08-27-2003	#1 (permalink)
Guest Posts: n/a	STAY away from the Mayan Palace To all possible tourists contemplating the thought of staying at the Mayan Palace, My fiancée and I recently returned from a week stay at the Mayan Palace and I can strongly conclude that this was one of the most disappointing resorts we've ever visited. The rooms are especially boring, the beds are horrible, the bathrooms not impressive, and the balconies have neither a view nor are they built to be functional. Moving on to the rest of the resort outside of the actual room - they advertise the resort as new - it is still very much in CONSTRUCTION so picture yourself sitting sipping a VERY expensive cocktail next to a non-existent beach (it's extremely rocky and NOTHING like the photos - they will inform you that they are still in the middle of building the beach!) and a big yellow-digger drives by blowing exhaust and dust all over you. The planned resort is HUGE and from a financial strategy they have gone for quantity over quality. We tend to enjoy finer resorts and the fact that this resort was a Gold Crown resort we expected a lot more. The only way they will be able to fill all of their blasé rooms will be to sell to the masses and you know what that means – you can forget about a high quality of service, tranquility, peaceful relaxation around the pool or beach, etc. The fact that their staff was unable to provide this when the resort is not even 50% complete makes me extremely doubtful they can when the resort is in full production. Few other comments if you’re still not convinced to stay away – the golf course is NO WHERE near completion however they continue to advertise it as almost finished and I overheard one salesperson tell a naïve guest that it was targeted to be completed next week. If they had the entire labor force of Mexico working on this course it would not be complete! All restaurants / bars automatically include a 20% service gratuity regardless of the size of your party. This does two things – one it provides NO incentive to the staff to actually meet or exceed the needs of the guests and two it assumes that the guests are cheap or stupid enough to not know what a proper tip is which I personally find insulting. Service at resorts is key and if service is impeccable a proper guest knows to give at least 20% if not more. Overall, I’m sorry to report that significant amounts of money and individual investment may be going to waste in this resort. The idea seemed to have been born out of the travel boom pre 9-11 and now instead of re-evaluating the strategy and scaling down to a niche market which could actually turn a profit they are hoping to sell to the masses and grossly sell time-share – I wish them all the luck and you couldn’t pay me to stay there again. I will advise those of you already trapped into staying there to just rent a car for a week and try to spend as much time outside of the resort as possible. Xel-Ha and Xcaret are worth visiting.

08-30-2003	#7 (permalink)
Rumbo very sparkly Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Maple Ridge, B.C. Posts: 28	Copacabana Beach Resort Hi all, My wife and I and two friends are planning a trip to Playa Del carmen in late November of this year. I have travelled quite a lot in Mexico (West Coast and Baja) but have never been to PDC. My wife and I have never done all inclusive as we like to tool around and get to know the locals but.... our friends have never been to Mexico and are really interested in ALL inclusive resorts. We are considering staying at the Copacabana Beach Resort and would like to know if anyone has an opinion on it. I would also be interested in opinions on the AI concept. Thanks in advance. Rumbo

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08-28-2003	#3 (permalink)
Lizzie ruined Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 97	Hey Mike, How was your trip/honeymoon? I hope you are your new bride had a wonderful time at the ASP. Looking forward to reading your trip report. Lizzie

08-28-2003	#4 (permalink)
SigEpMike ruined Join Date: Jun 2003 Posts: 92	I won't be there until the 7th of September.

08-29-2003	#5 (permalink)
Lizzie ruined Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 97	Well then Mike,you and your new wife must be counting the days. I really hope your wedding day is wonderful. Lizzie

08-29-2003	#6 (permalink)
Liza very sparkly Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 28	Hey Mike.....have a drink for me on the 9th......it's my birthday. I wish you the best on your wedding day and hope you have a great honeymoon. Be sure and let us know what you think of ASP when you get back.

08-30-2003	#8 (permalink)
Guest Posts: n/a	I have done Both AI and non AI. Both have pros and cons. Basically I would suggest sitting down with your friends and establishing what kind of a vacation you want. AI's are great for relaxing, lazing by the pool, eating and drinking all you want, and basically not having to plan a whole lot. The most relaxing and refreshing vacations I've ever had have been at AI's. I don't have to carry a lot of cash, I can eat and drink whatever and whenever I want and not worry about where I should go and do I have the cash on me or gee, the bar bill is getting a little out of control. Also, I can still leave the resort easily and visit the key things I want to see. Should you choose these priorities, make sure you choose a hotel that does not have reserved seating times. You don't want to be locked into "have to be a this restaurant at this time" or be in a position of having to choose and plan your meals at check in because of reserved seating. This totally takes away from the AI experience in my opinion. As I get older, this is my option of choice. Having said that, if you want to "do" and "see" all there is and experience Mexico then the AI is not for you. If you want to try different foods and places, and club most nights with authentic nightlife, then you might want to rethink the AI scene. Some of the most interesting vacations I have had have been in small hotels among the local scene. (I've been there done that, ready to sit by the pool with cabana boy delivering my drinks for the rest of my life.) Also, something to think about, I recently sent some friends to Mexico for THEIR first time and suggested the AI experience just because it was less daunting for them. They could check things out while have the security of an AI and not having to worry about a lot of things well getting aquinted with traveling or a new country. They absolutely loved it and thought this was a great introduction to Mexico. Next time they will be discovering Mexico on their own, but the AI allowed them to get the confidence of moving around on their own and now it's not a foreign (Or "unknown" ) experience for them. Just my opinion. Hope it gives you something to think about.

08-30-2003	#9 (permalink)
Shammy Moderator Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: The Joisey Shore Posts: 10,240	Rumbo, The Copacabana is a very nice resort. It's about 45 minutes from the airport and 15 minutes south of PDC. The Copa is what they call "ecologically friendly" resort...which means is was built around mangroves, cenotes and the jungle. Even though there's under 300 rooms, it's fairly spread out, walking will be required. The rooms are very nice and spacious. There are 4 restaurants, two are ala carte and you need reservations, one snack bar that is open for lunch as well as snacks and the main buffet. The beach is one of the best in Riviera Maya (it's right next to the Barcelo Maya, which IMHO, has the best beach). Great pool with lots of palapas but no swim up bar. One thing you should know is that the Copa is a very "family friendly" resort. I send quite a few clients with young children here. If you're looking to get away from the kiddies, then you might want to look at an adults only or another resort that isn't as family oriented. Having said that, I still think the Copa is a great value and I'm finding some good prices for Nov. Any other questions or if you need some hotel recommendations, lemme know!

08-30-2003	#10 (permalink)
rlwjaw lost on fifth Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Tracy California Posts: 18	I second the motion, the copa is an excelent choice. We were there in feb-03. There were a few kids maby 6 or 8 but that was all. I would have liked to see more. Food and service were excelent. The only thing I felt was less than perfect were the nightly shows. They seamed a little loud. I am not a party person and I like to sleep at night. The beach was superb and yes there is some walking, it is such a calming meander through the jungle. Can anyone tell me why they block off the beach at night?

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