Royal Playa Del Carmen - Ocean View vs. Ocean Front???

[Dlanco]

This will be our first time staying at the Royal. Can you tell me what really is the difference between staying in an Ocean View vs. Ocean Front room at the hotel?

We are booked in an Ocean View room for our stay.

What's the BIG diggerence in the two?

Distance to the resturants?
Distance to the lobby?
Distance to the beach?
Distance to a bar? Pool / What?

If it's all about the view from your small balcony and price what do you really get out of the difference with the two. A one hour drive in a Mini Cooper to me is no real plus. The ability to make a reservation in one of the resturants is no real sales plus either?

So why so much more expensive and is it really worth it?

I mean the quality of the food and the higher end brand alcohol is the same correct?

If we decide to change from the OV to the OFV can we pay the difference when / after we check in? Do you get a better deal and will they negotiate with you?

Dave

[PCANNIE]

Other than having a better view of the Ocean and being able to book a reservation at the Chef's Plate restaurant, I don't think there is any real benefit to spending extra for a room. We were at the Royal in Feb 2010, stayed in the Royal Junior Suite, the lowest accomodation and we had a lovely room overlooking the courtyard area, ate at all the a la carte restaurants with the exception of the Chef's Plate. All restaurants are walkable, the property is not that big that one area is better situated than another for accessing restaurants, beach, though an ocean view would put you right by the beach Should you decide to upgrade on arrival, it can be done if they have an ocean view suite available. IMO Junior Royal Suite is the way to go, afterall, you are not planning on staying in your room all the time.

[frostiex]

We were there in Oct 2009 for our tenth anniversary. This was our first time in Mexico, WE LOVED IT!!! Stayed in room 922, one of the Ocean view master suites. The room itself was amazing! but the view...its ok
The resort itself isn't that large so walking around is not a big deal.

If I would do it again, I would love to have a ocean front room. I just love to wake up to the smell of the ocean and look at the ocean from my bed in the morning.

Other than that, there isn't much difference in the Ocean view, you really can only see the ocean from the balcony and not from your room...lol

I know I am a little off topic...but....a FYI if you are going to the Royal.
If you end up going to their high pressure time share sales, just keep saying no...lol.
We did buy in the end, but only 50 week for $1700. (paid $800 down, the rest split in to 10 monthly payments of $90 @ 0% interest) Which is a good deal for us. Plus, I knew I wanted to go back again VERY soon...as a matter of fact...I am going again next week (Aug 18-25), but with our kids this time(4 of us)...so we are staying across the street at Gran Porto Real (would have love to stay at the Royal) with the time share we bought in OCT... We end up only needing to pay $1100USD for the AI at the GPR for a Junior Family Suite Ocean Front for the 4 of us. We got a voucher for 50% off adult stay. And paid $2100CDN for airfare thru continental. So ~$3300CDN for a trip for 4 is absolutely amazing. I looked up itravel2000 for the GPR Junior suite ocean front for 4 person comes to $7997!!!! So the amount I saved already paid for what ever I spent on the Timeshare. I am not saying you should buy the TS....but don't pay for one of those crazy amount of weeks with lots of obligation.

I am happy with my purchase and I know many others aren't.

[Shammy]

Ocean view = not a direct view of the ocean. There will be distance, side view, obstructed view, etc.

Oceanfront = direct, unobstructed view of the ocean. As close to the beach as you can get.