AI's and the dress code!!!

chocoligato · 06-27-2004

I don't usually stay at AI's, but this year we decided to bring the kids--AAAHH!! I know I may be crazy but so be it! Anyway, we thought it would be easier to have food at hand at all times for the little ones. My husband is a serious t-shirt and jeans guy. With jean shorts in the summer. And I do mean only denim material. How strict are the dress codes in the AI's around Playa. Every AI comes with dress codes for a la carte restaurants. Or do you think we will be fine just going to the buffets? That is the kind of food my kids like anyway--they will be 4 and 6yo. Any suggestions for good kids AI's? Looking at barcelo, gala, xcaret, palladium--any good? Hope to be there early next year-- I love Playa!

**Shammy** · 06-27-2004

Quote:

Originally Posted by chocoligato

I don't usually stay at AI's, but this year we decided to bring the kids--AAAHH!! I know I may be crazy but so be it! Anyway, we thought it would be easier to have food at hand at all times for the little ones. My husband is a serious t-shirt and jeans guy. With jean shorts in the summer. And I do mean only denim material. How strict are the dress codes in the AI's around Playa. Every AI comes with dress codes for a la carte restaurants. Or do you think we will be fine just going to the buffets? That is the kind of food my kids like anyway--they will be 4 and 6yo. Any suggestions for good kids AI's? Looking at barcelo, gala, xcaret, palladium--any good? Hope to be there early next year-- I love Playa!

Hello from Joisey!

Anyway, to get into the ala carte restaurants at any of the resorts, pants for men are a must. No way around this, if you want to skip the buffet one night and eat ala carte, you have to bring a pair of pantalones.

If you want to stick to only the buffets, then shorts are no problemo.

Good AI's for kids include the Gala, Barcelo, Palladium, IB* Tucan, IB* Lindo, Catalonia Riviera Maya.

highdark · 06-27-2004

Do women need to wear pants or skirts at the ala carte restaurants or are shorts ok?

TAPPY · 06-27-2004

Went to the Barcelo in June, and one of the A La Cartes (Capt Morgans) - is open air, so the men can wear shorts !!! The buffett at Barcelo was really really good- so even if you just do the buffet here you would be ok !!!

**Shammy** · 06-27-2004

Women can wear whatever. Sundresses, skirts, capri's and yes, shorts if they are put together with a nice outfit.

You should dress the same way that you would if you were going out to a nice restaurant in your own town.

highdark · 06-27-2004

Thanks for your answer - is it worth it to go to the ala cartes or is the buffet fine? I heard you had to make reservations immediately to get into an ala carte, and we have no idea what our schedule (or not) will be!

chocoligato · 06-28-2004

Thanks for your advice! Looks like my hubby will be going to get some pants! Because for one meal at least I will go to an a la carte---Or I could just go with the kids sans hubby!! Anyway I appreciate your comments. Seriously looking at the IB Lindo--all the reviews sound great! Hope to be there soon!

JanChris · 06-28-2004

Is it that way for all AI's we are staying at ASP?

**Shammy** · 06-28-2004

Yes, men have to wear pants at the ala carte restaurants at all the AI resorts.
The ASP has so many ala cartes though, maybe not ALL of them have the pants rule. Not sure, probably depends on how fancy schmancy each one is.
You'll get that info when you arrive but bring at least one pair to wear to dinner and then simply change back into shorts when you're done!

JanChris · 06-28-2004

thanks shammy & thanks Cathy for asking that I would never have thought.
Jan
34 days and counting

JeffB · 06-29-2004

Only one restaurant at ASP requires long pants. That's the Mexican restaurant, La Hacienda.

Nerak936 · 06-29-2004

At the Iberostar Quetzal/Tucan, only the Mexican and Italian ala cartes (with A/C) require long pants on the guys. The seafood and steakhouse ala cartes are "outside" restaurants and guys can wear "nice" shorts (Bermudas).

This was a change from last June when we stayed there the first time.

BigDog2081 · 06-29-2004

IB* del Mar (which also applies to del Playa and del Lindo) has 5 ala cartes (Lindo has additional ones). All ala cartes at del Mar are inside and AC'd except for the steakhouse. I wore slacks and a polo at all the ala cartes and felt underdressed. If I did it again I would bring light button down shirts.

Also, atleast at the IB* del Mar you may feel underdressed at night if you are in the lobby area and not wearing atleast nice (golf-type) shorts and a nice shirt. 90% of the people wear dressed above average even if they were just sitting at the bar at night.

Oh yeah, if you go with the Lindo - try the Japanese resturante on the del Mar side. Lots of fun to watch the food cooked in front of you and tasted very good also.

chocoligato · 07-01-2004

I don't get it! When I am on vacation, especially in a nice warm locale, I live in tanks, shorts and my suit. There is no dressing up! That is why I call it a vacation. Don'y get me wrong, I always like to look nice just not all jazzed up when I am drinking by the beach!! Anyone who's in playa now raise them up for me!!

BigDog2081 · 07-01-2004

I hate dressing up also and so I only brought down one pair of slacks and some polos. I wished I would have brought atleast a second pair of slacks and some button down shirts. Again, people didn't really dress like this at the pool or beach, but more so in the resturantes and the lobby bars. Our baby got sick for two days and we walked up to the lobby at night just to get out of the room for a few minutes at one point when the baby started feeling better. We went up their in sleavless shirts and undressy shorts and we felt pretty out of place and got a few stares.

It actually wasn't that hot at night for wearing dressy type of cloths.

06-27-2004	#1 (permalink)
chocoligato way into it Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Marlton, New Jersey Posts: 151	AI's and the dress code!!! I don't usually stay at AI's, but this year we decided to bring the kids--AAAHH!! I know I may be crazy but so be it! Anyway, we thought it would be easier to have food at hand at all times for the little ones. My husband is a serious t-shirt and jeans guy. With jean shorts in the summer. And I do mean only denim material. How strict are the dress codes in the AI's around Playa. Every AI comes with dress codes for a la carte restaurants. Or do you think we will be fine just going to the buffets? That is the kind of food my kids like anyway--they will be 4 and 6yo. Any suggestions for good kids AI's? Looking at barcelo, gala, xcaret, palladium--any good? Hope to be there early next year-- I love Playa!

06-27-2004	#3 (permalink)
highdark into ruins Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 63	Do women need to wear pants or skirts at the ala carte restaurants or are shorts ok?

06-27-2004	#4 (permalink)
TAPPY añejo Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Louisiana Posts: 15,065	Went to the Barcelo in June, and one of the A La Cartes (Capt Morgans) - is open air, so the men can wear shorts !!! The buffett at Barcelo was really really good- so even if you just do the buffet here you would be ok !!!

06-27-2004	#5 (permalink)
Shammy Moderator Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: The Joisey Shore Posts: 10,455	Women can wear whatever. Sundresses, skirts, capri's and yes, shorts if they are put together with a nice outfit. You should dress the same way that you would if you were going out to a nice restaurant in your own town.

06-27-2004	#6 (permalink)
highdark into ruins Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 63	Thanks for your answer - is it worth it to go to the ala cartes or is the buffet fine? I heard you had to make reservations immediately to get into an ala carte, and we have no idea what our schedule (or not) will be!

06-28-2004	#7 (permalink)
chocoligato way into it Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Marlton, New Jersey Posts: 151	Thanks for your advice! Looks like my hubby will be going to get some pants! Because for one meal at least I will go to an a la carte---Or I could just go with the kids sans hubby!! Anyway I appreciate your comments. Seriously looking at the IB Lindo--all the reviews sound great! Hope to be there soon!

06-28-2004	#8 (permalink)
JanChris very sparkly Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 30	Is it that way for all AI's we are staying at ASP?

06-28-2004	#9 (permalink)
Shammy Moderator Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: The Joisey Shore Posts: 10,455	Yes, men have to wear pants at the ala carte restaurants at all the AI resorts. The ASP has so many ala cartes though, maybe not ALL of them have the pants rule. Not sure, probably depends on how fancy schmancy each one is. You'll get that info when you arrive but bring at least one pair to wear to dinner and then simply change back into shorts when you're done!

06-28-2004	#10 (permalink)
JanChris very sparkly Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 30	thanks shammy & thanks Cathy for asking that I would never have thought. Jan 34 days and counting

06-29-2004	#11 (permalink)
JeffB sandflea Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Allen, TX Posts: 5	Only one restaurant at ASP requires long pants. That's the Mexican restaurant, La Hacienda.

06-29-2004	#12 (permalink)
Nerak936 Cat-Lovin Nerak Bead Lady Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 18,615	At the Iberostar Quetzal/Tucan, only the Mexican and Italian ala cartes (with A/C) require long pants on the guys. The seafood and steakhouse ala cartes are "outside" restaurants and guys can wear "nice" shorts (Bermudas). This was a change from last June when we stayed there the first time.

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06-29-2004	#13 (permalink)
BigDog2081 toe in water Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 40	IB* del Mar (which also applies to del Playa and del Lindo) has 5 ala cartes (Lindo has additional ones). All ala cartes at del Mar are inside and AC'd except for the steakhouse. I wore slacks and a polo at all the ala cartes and felt underdressed. If I did it again I would bring light button down shirts. Also, atleast at the IB* del Mar you may feel underdressed at night if you are in the lobby area and not wearing atleast nice (golf-type) shorts and a nice shirt. 90% of the people wear dressed above average even if they were just sitting at the bar at night. Oh yeah, if you go with the Lindo - try the Japanese resturante on the del Mar side. Lots of fun to watch the food cooked in front of you and tasted very good also.

07-01-2004	#14 (permalink)
chocoligato way into it Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Marlton, New Jersey Posts: 151	I don't get it! When I am on vacation, especially in a nice warm locale, I live in tanks, shorts and my suit. There is no dressing up! That is why I call it a vacation. Don'y get me wrong, I always like to look nice just not all jazzed up when I am drinking by the beach!! Anyone who's in playa now raise them up for me!!

07-01-2004	#15 (permalink)
BigDog2081 toe in water Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 40	I hate dressing up also and so I only brought down one pair of slacks and some polos. I wished I would have brought atleast a second pair of slacks and some button down shirts. Again, people didn't really dress like this at the pool or beach, but more so in the resturantes and the lobby bars. Our baby got sick for two days and we walked up to the lobby at night just to get out of the room for a few minutes at one point when the baby started feeling better. We went up their in sleavless shirts and undressy shorts and we felt pretty out of place and got a few stares. It actually wasn't that hot at night for wearing dressy type of cloths.