Mayan Palace trip report

[Katrina G]

Okay, all, after much heartache, tears, and a few curses, I seem to have made an accessible online photo album of my trip to Mayan Palace Cancun (aka Mayan Palace Riviera Maya). They can be found at:

http://www.picturetrail.com/katrinag/618025

The thumbnails will be scrolling down the left-hand side. Please let me know if downloads are slow (I have a cable modem so no prob here). If so, I will delete some of the pictures.

Katrina

[beachbreezes]

Your photographs turned out beautifully! I had no problems download them. Thanks for showing us the progress of the Mayan Palace-it really is appreciated!

[joetiii]

Directions????
We will be arriving late PM by Auto and need to know if the Mayan Palace is well marked out front? Does anybody know what milemarker the resort is at?

Thanx

Sounds like things are coming along well at this new resort. If its anything like Acapulco, we're in for a good time.

j

[Katrina G]

I don't know what mile marker the resort is at, but it is very shortly after Puerto Morelos. Plus there will be signs on the highway telling you that entrance to Mayan Palace at 400 meters (not sure exactly how many meters out it tells you). Plus the entrance is always well-lighted.

Katrina

[joetiii]

Wondering if anyone has ordered a fridge or microwave for their room?

Last year, MP Acapulco didn't have enough of these, and were charging $ for them. This year, they are giving them upon request...No Fee.

Anybody at MP Cancun experience this?

j

[Munichchick]

Katrina! Your photo album turned out fantastic. You take great pix. Thank you so much for sharing. Only 3 weeks and 3 days until we get to go. You have been most helpful. THANK YOU!!!!!!

[durangov8]

I am back ! Was at the MP Jan 26th to Feb 2nd. I switched internet providers and was not able to get online until today (Feb 14th)

Will post some info tomorrow or saturday.

Let me know if you have any unanswered questions.

FYI We had a great time for the most part.

[shamalama]

Just give us everything you got!! Can't wait to hear how your experience was at Mayan Palace!

Thanks

[Dagen]

durangov8,
Glad to hear you had a good time. Are you having "playa withdrawls" yet? I know we did. lol.

[Munichchick]

Welcome Back Durango! Can't wait to read your report.

[ajp]

Thanks verybody for graet info and photos.

How much is Mayan Palace shuttle to Cancun ?

[beth]

On 2002-02-03 13:17, Katrina G wrote:
Just got back from the Mayan Palace last night. Stayed Jan 26-Feb 2. Had a great time...very relaxing.

There is still a lot of construction going on, mostly seemed to be around a big building right off the pool area. Except when they were jack-hammering, I didn't really notice the sounds at all. And even the jack-hammering was easy to tune out, partly because the music at the pool was kept very loud. I always sat at the north end of the pool area (near the activities/towel palapa and outside restaurant), so I don't know if the construction sounds were more prevalant at the south end, where the music wouldn't be so loud.

The pool area was really wonderful. There are three levels, which spill over into one another. Each level is actually several pools all tied together. But you can't walk straight through because there are ledges. My favorite was the second level. It had the jacuzzi area (cold water), which was very comfy to sit in to read a book. The big middle area of the top two levels have a large disc a couple inches under the water, where you can lay out. There are areas with islands; a water volleyball area; and children's pool area. The deepest the pool ever gets, though, is about 4 feet deep. Get down to the pool early to claim a palapa, though, because they go fast (usually before 9am).

There are lots of activities going on all day, mostly at the pool. Every night, they slip a piece of paper under your door telling the times. For example, water aerobics is every day from 1-2pm. Some others are: volleyball (beach and water); water balloon fights; jungle tours (there is an entrance into the jungle with a trail right behind the restaurant); salsa dancing lessons; etc etc. During the day, they play music at the pool, and in the afternoon, will have live music.

The beach is very pretty. And it's not at all crowded. It's always easy to find a palapa to sit under there. The rocks in the water are a big barrier formation. It's very hard to get to the deep water to swim because the barrier has holes that are very easy to slip in and twist an ankle. There is a tidal pool area that is nice to sit in. And you can see live sponges, anenomes, starfish, etc etc.

The hotel area consists of eight buildings in a row, each two connected by the elevator area. The elevator in my building worked just fine. (But when they let me use the hospitality suite the last day to clean up...check-out is at 10am and I didn't leave til 3pm....it was on the 3rd floor in a building with a nonfunctioning elevator. I cleaned up in the bathroom next to the reception desk). Try to get a room that ends with 1-26 (i.e. 3001-3026). Those are the two building closest to the pool. Even side rooms (I had 3018) look out over a big construction parking lot/the big building next to the pool (think it's going to be the new lobby)/and a part of the pool area (if you are in the first building....I was in the second....you can see the ocean beyond the pool). Odd-numbered rooms look out over a road running parallel to the hotel and the jungle. They told us there is a functioning laundry area for guests, but I never checked it out.

It was quite a walk from my building to the reception desk...about a quarter mile. From there they have a shuttle that will take you to the front gates, at any time and even if it just one person. At the gates, you have to run across 6 lanes of highway to catch the bus to Playa del Carmen. Don't stand in that last lane, because that is where the bus pulls over to pick you up. There is no streetlight there and the shoulder of the road is very soft and treacherous to stand on. Be careful in the dark. The Mayab bus costs 6 pesos each and the Playa Express costs 10 pesos each. The Riviera won't stop. You can also catch a cab as it returns to Playa. Don't let them charge you more than 20 pesos...they have to return anyway. A bunch of us took the Riviera back from Playa one night (for 12 pesos each) but, after that, they always said it was direct to Cancun only.

Well, I've gone on and on. If you have any questions, let me know.

Katrina, thank you so much for your photos. I have been searching all over the web for updated info about the mayan palace. Your pics are fantastic. My trip in April cannot come fast enough. I found this forum and I am so happy I did. There is no better site on the web about the mayan palace. Your photos will be in hot demand. I have clued in my friends that will be going with me in April and they are thrilled for an update on all the construction. The shell collecting that I have heard about really interests me. How about any hiking the jungle surrounding the resort? How close is the next resort? Thanks a million!!!!!!

[Katrina G]

ajb, I'm sorry I don't know how much the shuttle the Mayan Palace provides to La Isla shopping center in Cancun costs. I'm sure I heard while I was there, but didn't pay enough attention to remember.

Beth, The next resort is the Iberostar Paraiso south of MP. I hear it takes about 10 minutes to walk there on the beach (but you have to cross a construction drainage ditch). As for walking in the jungle, there is a trail behind the beachside restaurant (north of the resort), which is accessed by an opening in the fence. There were organized walks 2 or 3 of the days....watch the daily activity calendar which gets put under your door each night.

Katrina

[kfike73]

I will be staying there starting Saturday (for a week) & was wondering if the water was OK there. My friend that's going with wanted to know if brushing her teeth & drinking it was OK, or not... Thanks for all the info everyone!

Kris10

[Katrina G]

Kris,

I had no problem with the water. I started off by hauling bottles of water frozen solid with me (so they could melt slowly). By the end of the week, I was filling the ice bucket and letting it melt down for cold drinking water. I used the tap water for brushing my teeth with no problems either.

When you arrive, there is a liter bottle of water available. I never did ask how much it cost, but I figured it was a lot so I left it alone. Don't buy bottles of water at the restaurant....they are around $3 US!! Small bottles of cold water are around $0.80 US in the gift shop, versus $0.50 in Playa del Carmen. The ice machine is definitely the way to go. And if you take an insulated cup with you, you can fill it with water and ice and be good to go at the beach/pool.

Katrina