Barcelo Maya trip report

jakk · 09-08-2004

I know you all have been holding your breath waiting for MY report!! I have been told I type like I talk so i'm sure this will be a pretty long, drawn out report!
We are a couple in our late 30's, (OK, i turned 39 in Mexico) who have not traveled much before. This was a trip that we had to save for, and did without so we could afford it. We are far from the "normal" traveler. Budget was a major concern and was the deciding factor of where to stay.

After an absolutely beautiful wedding on Sunday 8/29, we headed to the BM for our honeymoon!

We departed out of Philadelphia international with no problems. We were told by the TA to get there 3 hours ahead of time which we did and wound up with a lot of time sitting in the airport as there were no check in lines to speak of. You would be amazed at how facinating it is to sit and watch Security strip people and search their bags!

Our flight arrived half hour ahead of time and customs was no problem in Cancun either. We got the green light and flew past all the timeshare people to find our waiting Olympus tours van. Our driver Speedy Gonzalez got us to the BM in record time with a facinating ride that gives need definition to the phrase "riding on the shoulder".

We got to the check in desk with no lines but was told our room was not ready yet, come back in an hour. We were also met with a frosty cold Pina Colada drink. I think the BEST tip I got from this board was to pack a swim suit in our carry on bags. We decided to hit the buffet first (more on the food later..) and then went to cool off in the pool.

We returned about 2 hours later and was told our room was ready. I had emailed them about a week before and requested a room on the first floor, any building, but would prefer room # 1, 7, or 12. Again, from this board I knew to ask for rooms 1 or 12 with the larger patio and hammock. Knowing 7 was a Master Suite I thought I would throw that in just for the heck of it. Well... we got room 1107! This room is just steps from the pool and beach. It was absolutely perfect!!! Although the resort is HUGE, it is very well laid out and easy to navigate. We opened the door and found rose petals on the bed in a shape of a heart. (They looked pretty funny stuck to my husbands butt when he got up the next morning!) A few minutes later there was a knock on the door and there was a fruit basket and bottle of champagne for us! The rooms were cleaned everyday and one day we had a swan towel on the bed. I have heard of these from reading the boards but never realized how complicated they were! I was like a kid on christmas morning trying to figure out how they did it. I finally put it carefully in a plastic bag and hid it in my suitcase to bring home.. i know, i know, me bad!

I cant tell you how impressed I was with all of the employees. From the first day to the last day they were all extremely helpful and cordial. The only rude people that I encountered were the other guests. I understand that many languages are spoken at this resort, but a simple SMILE crosses all languages and is not very hard to manage. I also didnt like the way four people would walk side by side, making us have to step off the walkway just to pass. I felt like I was walking into a clothesline! My other complaint was about the smokers who left butts all over the beach in the sand. VERY DISGUSTING!

I also want to mention that who ever stayed in that room before us must be a member of this board. In the bathroom was the orange adapter that I forgot! THANK YOU! I wouldnt have been able to plug in my phone charger if this person hadnt left it there! Another helpful tip was to bring bug spray. The mosquitoes were out and hungry! We had dinner at Captain Morgans and my bug spray got passed around to three other tables!

I know there have been many comments on the food, here is my take on it... I am a very picky eater, I will eat nothing with sauces, seasoning or as my husband puts it, with flavor. I do not eat seafood of any kind, and very little red meat. My husband (sounds so funny to say HUSBAND!) is the kind of guy who has an iron stomach and will eat a variety of foods. I found plenty to eat and had no problems with my stomach. HE did. On his behalf I must say he still hadnt recovered from getting totally smashed the night before our wedding. On our second day there he drank about 5 drinks and that was it the entire week. His stomach bothered him and "montezumas revenge" kicked in by the third day. The food is not overly seasoned and I actually got adventurous and had the Mexican rice and some of the seasoned potatoes. This is something I would never do at home. The prime rib, chicken kabobs and spaghetti bar were wonderful! The fruit was the tastiest I have ever had, as were the breads. There was a big variety of foods but by the end of our trip the buffet was getting old. My husband said he wanted real mexican food from Taco Bell! I think the quality of the food was hit or miss and did see some things sitting out *like the lunch meats, that I wouldnt touch. We went to the Spanish restaurant and I had the best Rib eye steak (in wine sauce) I have ever had. The flaming coffee was amazing but undrinkable! We actually felt guilty not drinking it after all that preparation! We also went to Captain Morgans and the food was excellent there too. We never had a problem with service in any of the restaurants or buffets.

I had a blast watching the birds that are lurking everywhere just waiting to steal something off your plate. Some of them are pretty brazen! I got a picture of a bird stealing a piece of french toast off MY plate. I know some didnt like this aspect but I found it almost as entertaining as watching security stip search people in the airport.

I found the floors in the buffets to be slightly slippery but no where near what I was expecting. But then again I wore sandals or sneakers, not heels! I was amazed at how many women wore heels with their bikinis in the buffets. I just dont get it... but who knows, maybe if i could get my butt into a bikini i would! On this topic, I would like to comment that I am a plus size woman and my main worry was that I would be sitting amongst all thin women. I wear a womans 18 and was sooo nervous about being in a bathing suit. WELL.. was I mistaken! I realize now how silly I was thinking that. There are women of all sizes stuffed into bikinis and what we have named bikiNOs. (Kinda like the Speedos and Speedonts for men) By day 2 I had no qualms about being seen in my old lady skirted bathing suit. Size really doesnt matter *on the beach that is! .

The first day we went into the gift shop and I saw the most beautiful hand painted sink! My husband looked at me like I was nuts when I asked if I could get it in my carryon! We are buying a house that needs two new bathrooms and I thought it would be a wonderful reminder of our honeymoon that I could see everyday. We have to re-do the bathroom anyway right?? BUT, But, honey, its only $107 USD! He said there was no way to get it home and they wouldnt ship it. I realized he was probably right so I put the sink back, and moved on to the blankets. Three days later we took a trip into Playa del Carmen by Collectivo and guess what I saw there.. SINKS! I picked one up and the guy says $880 pesos... BUT HONEY, thats $20 less than at the hotel! NOPE.. $600 pesos.. still no... ok ok, man is getting desparate to unload the sink so he goes $40 american dollars, and hubby looks at me, defeated, and says OK. So here we are in the middle of 1000 degree heat walking down 5th ave carrying a sink. It took us another hour to figure out where to get the collectivo back to the hotel. The collectivo finally comes and we pile into the 15 passenger van as passenger #30 and 31. What a trooper my husband was, sitting with half a butt cheek on the seat guarding my sink from the world. I did get it in my carryon, and it went in the overhead storage and made it safely home. After inspecting it closer my husband doesnt think it will fit in the counter top for the bathroom! Oh well, if he cant MAKE it fit then I will have the best looking bird bath in town!

The shows at the hotel were amazing! The guy who does the male lead in the Beauty and the beast part of the Cabaret show was phenomenal! I was sooo impressed with his voice. The women were all very good too. The Michael Jackson show was good too, they guy really has his mannerisms down! I couldnt tell if he was singing or lip syncing but his performance was great. The Miss Barcelo show was hysterical, dont miss it. As many have said before me, the smoke in the theater is unreal. We were there the first day and got up to leave after 15 mins. There was a nice breeze blowing up across from the bar, under the fans and it was actually bareable. This is where we sat for the rest of the shows. If you are allergic to smoke or dont like it dont even attempt to sit close to the stage.

The beach is the best I have ever seen. We stayed down by building #1 and it was breathtaking. We walked down to the pier to snorkle one day and noticed that the North end of the beach had a lot of rocks. We didnt find any on the South end by our building. Yes, there are topless women all over the beach. We didnt see any at the pools though. My husband kept bugging me to take my top off, i kept telling him he was crazy! Like I mentioned before, i wear a womans size 18 and come complete with a pair of D's. On the third day when we were on the beach he was looking down towards the pier so i took my top off and just sat there. He turned to say something to me and almost fell off his lounger!

He yells GIVE ME THE CAMERA!!! It was pretty funny! Needless to say, we had to edit the pack of pictures before bringing them home!

The one thing that happened that put a damper on our stay was our trip to Tulum. I have waited for years to get there! It was sooo hot that I passed out cold on the sidewalk. Since we opted for the half day short tour the tour operator said we wouldnt have time to swim so we didnt bring our suits. It was sooo incredibly hot with no relief. As we were walking back to the tour bus I felt myself getting dizzy and wound up laying on the concrete sidewalk having water poured on my head!. I screwed up my left ankle and right knee. I The tour bus was no where to be found and we had to wait almost 45 minutes for it! We got back to the hotel around 1pm and I slept the rest of the day. From that day on I had nausea and dizziness. I dont know if it is from the heat exhaustion or if my stomach finally said enough is enough. My stomach still isnt feeling well.

The weather was beautiful although very hot and humid. The first day we were there the humidity didnt let up at all. The rest of the week it was humid all day but by 4pm it cooled off enough to be bareable. The only rain we saw was on the tour bus back to the hotel on Saturday. It could have rained the rest of the day but i was sound asleep in the hotel room! The one day when we were snorkeling the clouds got real dark, there was LOUD thunder and lightening but no rain. No one else got out of the water so we didnt either. I figured if it I was gonna get struck by lightening it might as well be in paradise with a snorkel in my mouth.

Our trip back was uneventful. We got to the airport and every piece of checked luggage was hand searched. I cringed as I saw them open the suitcases of people ahead of us and saw how neatly theirs was packed. My clothes were thrown in rolled up in balls with souveniers stuffed inside. I noticed at that moment that the belt to the bathrobe from the hotel was in my suitcase! I was so worried they would take the swan towel out of the bag and unroll it. I would never get it back to that way myself!
Another good tip was to not overpack. I packed for each of us three shirts, three shorts, 4 pr of underwear and a pair of long pants for my husband. by the third day i sent them to the hotel laundry service and they came back the next day clean, dry and on hangers. it took going to the lobby to track them down, but they did eventually show up!

On the subject of tipping, here is my thought. All inclusive should be just that. The people that work at the resorts make a good living according to Mexican standards. No, they do not make what we make in the US or Canada, but you cant begin to compare. They live much better than most of their neighbors. I personally did not see anyone tip any of the bartenders or waiters at anytime anywhere in the resort. The only time I tipped was when my husband brought about 4 lbs of sand back in his shoes and the room floor was a mess. I left 50 pesos on the dresser for the maid because that was more than what was expected of her/him. We just happened to come back from lunch to find the maid just leaving and he did not take the tip. We had to call him back and personally hand it to him. The issue with tipping reminds me of christmas with my ex inlaws. We all had gotten married at the same time and started having kids. We ALL decided that xmas was going to be for the kids, no adult presents. Well of course, on xmas day the one sister in law had bought gifts for all the adults too. I sat there feeling horrible that I didnt give her one, but then realized that SHE was the one who should feel bad, not me. We had agreed it was going to be only the kids who rec'd gifts. Anyway, I did not feel obligated to tip anyone for this reason, AI is just that.. ALL INCLUSIVE.

One thing I havent really seen in many trip reports is what people paid for their vacations. I think its important and can effect the expectations you have for your trip. I know if I paid three times more than the person grabbing a chicken nugget off the buffet next to me I would be pissed! We paid $995 a person with round trip airfare from Philadelpia. Transfers to and from the hotel were included. I think the price we paid was definitely worth it. If given the chance I would go back to the Barcelo in a heart beat!

jakk · 09-08-2004

my report was too long and it wouldnt let me post this part... !
I didnt see or hear any of the construction on the north end of the beach by the pier. There was construction along the main road bringing you to the resort but it wasnt "in the way" or causing any delays. Not very pretty to look it, but by no means a problem. The road construction downtown Playa Del Carmen continues. 5th ave looks mainly completed but the side streets heading down to it are still a work in progress.
The noise we heard was from the disco. Even in Bld 1 we heard the beat of it. I brought ear plugs and used them so it wasnt an issue. I am an easy going person and I didnt let things bother me at all. We did have a few issues I forgot to mention. Our safe worked great the first day, then wouldnt open! after a call to the desk and waiting an hour we decided to go to lunch and worry about it later. After lunch and another call and another hour of no show, we went to the beach. After dinner we went to the desk and asked for an "appointment" to get our money out of the safe since we wanted to hit up the gift shop. She immediately sent someone to check it! Turned out the batteries were dead and few fresh Duracells later we had our cash in hand.
Our fridge wasnt very cold, but I expected that from reading other posts and it wasnt an issue. There was enough to drink at arms reach anywhere you go. We brought our infamous bladder buster wallmart mugs and used them only the first day. Water, soda and beer is endless and available everywhere. We didnt feel a need to have the mug. If anything i would have liked to have bought an insulated bottle instead. The kind with the pop top to seal it. I could have thrown it in my backpack and not worried about it spillng like the mugs. We also didnt bring any dish soap to wash them out with so they sat in the room the entire week.

tdev · 09-08-2004

thanks for the report. I'm considering the Barcelo for my next trip. I'm interested in everything about the new construction so I'm glad you mentioned it.

KevKaos · 09-09-2004

I am also considering the Barcelo for our next trip and I was interested in your comments on the cost. I see that you paid $995 (I think you said), was that for a week? 6 nights, 7 nights? Makes a big difference when talking about AI's. Of course by the time I am ready to book my trip, the cost will likely sky-rocket due to rampant towel art theft. Speaking of towel art, if you only got towel art one time other than when you arrived, it was probably because there was no tip. I have never seen towel art advertised as an amenity at any of the AI's in Riveria Maya, so that means it is an extra. If you don't want things such as towel art and other extras, by all means don't tip. I for one spent about $100 US dollars in tips alone on our trip to the Lindo, and that was after $3000 for the two of us for 7 nights. It was a small price to pay to make our trip complete. Just my opinion, for what its worth.

jakk · 09-09-2004

we were there for 7 nights. one couple we were talking to at the beach was ticked off because they tipped the maid $3.00 each day and didnt receive ANY towel art! I think it has to do with how much time the maids have, there doesnt seem to be any set way to get towell art. We did have rose petals on the bed in the shape of a heart the first day and our comforter was pleated into a design but the only towel art was the swan. AND.. the day we did get the towel art wasnt the day we left the $50 pesos tip due to all the sand brought in from the beach!
BTW.. i wish i could figure out this towel art thing, my dog is petrified of it and it has been keeping him off the couch!!

Ken_in_Mass · 09-10-2004

We've been to the Barcelo twice, tipped every day and never received towel art. I think it is a skill than not all of the houseworking staff have.

Perhaps we erred in tipping right away, so no extra effort was deemed necessary?

Oh well... in the scale of things, its pretty small.

Ken

KevKaos · 09-10-2004

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ken_in_Mass

We've been to the Barcelo twice, tipped every day and never received towel art. I think it is a skill than not all of the houseworking staff have.

Perhaps we erred in tipping right away, so no extra effort was deemed necessary?

Oh well... in the scale of things, its pretty small.

Ken

That may in fact be true. At the Lindo, we tipped every day and got towel art every day except one. Maybe it was the regular maids day off. hehehe

TAPPY · 09-10-2004

Was the the Barcelo in June, tipped every day, got no towel art, but got a really clean room and lots of extra towels (and wash clothes) in the bathrooms. I love having extra towels - so this was a big plus to me.

Arcaneind · 09-11-2004

15 days till we get to Barcelo!

Thanks for the report. Two questions:
- What do you mean about the orange adapter? I (mis)understood that you didn't need any adapter at Barcelo.
- What e-mail did you use to make your room request?

jakk · 09-11-2004

The electrical outlets are recessed into the wall and you cannot fit a charger plug in them. The little three prong orange adapter plugs that you can find in a hardware store for about $1.00 is what I forgot to bring and someone left! Here is a picture of what they look like.

http://www.davesdomain.ca/mexicodave...omaya/plug.JPG

I sent my request to reservas@barcelomaya.com and got exactly what i asked for... a master suite on the first floor.

Cowgirl68 · 09-11-2004

You can thank the resort for that adaptor, as they have one in every room for the coffee maker. It wasn't left by a previous guest.

Just a little tidbit of info......

Arcaneind · 09-12-2004

Hmmm...I think I might just start hunting in my garage. I've got one those somewhere. Better safe than sorry.

Thanks for the e-mail link.

K and P · 09-13-2004

We just got back 2 days ago from Barcelo. My 3rd trip and had a blast. So if you are thinking of going do it its a great resort. Pam

09-08-2004	#1 (permalink)
jakk sandflea Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 4	Barcelo Maya trip report I know you all have been holding your breath waiting for MY report!! I have been told I type like I talk so i'm sure this will be a pretty long, drawn out report! We are a couple in our late 30's, (OK, i turned 39 in Mexico) who have not traveled much before. This was a trip that we had to save for, and did without so we could afford it. We are far from the "normal" traveler. Budget was a major concern and was the deciding factor of where to stay. After an absolutely beautiful wedding on Sunday 8/29, we headed to the BM for our honeymoon! We departed out of Philadelphia international with no problems. We were told by the TA to get there 3 hours ahead of time which we did and wound up with a lot of time sitting in the airport as there were no check in lines to speak of. You would be amazed at how facinating it is to sit and watch Security strip people and search their bags! Our flight arrived half hour ahead of time and customs was no problem in Cancun either. We got the green light and flew past all the timeshare people to find our waiting Olympus tours van. Our driver Speedy Gonzalez got us to the BM in record time with a facinating ride that gives need definition to the phrase "riding on the shoulder". We got to the check in desk with no lines but was told our room was not ready yet, come back in an hour. We were also met with a frosty cold Pina Colada drink. I think the BEST tip I got from this board was to pack a swim suit in our carry on bags. We decided to hit the buffet first (more on the food later..) and then went to cool off in the pool. We returned about 2 hours later and was told our room was ready. I had emailed them about a week before and requested a room on the first floor, any building, but would prefer room # 1, 7, or 12. Again, from this board I knew to ask for rooms 1 or 12 with the larger patio and hammock. Knowing 7 was a Master Suite I thought I would throw that in just for the heck of it. Well... we got room 1107! This room is just steps from the pool and beach. It was absolutely perfect!!! Although the resort is HUGE, it is very well laid out and easy to navigate. We opened the door and found rose petals on the bed in a shape of a heart. (They looked pretty funny stuck to my husbands butt when he got up the next morning!) A few minutes later there was a knock on the door and there was a fruit basket and bottle of champagne for us! The rooms were cleaned everyday and one day we had a swan towel on the bed. I have heard of these from reading the boards but never realized how complicated they were! I was like a kid on christmas morning trying to figure out how they did it. I finally put it carefully in a plastic bag and hid it in my suitcase to bring home.. i know, i know, me bad! I cant tell you how impressed I was with all of the employees. From the first day to the last day they were all extremely helpful and cordial. The only rude people that I encountered were the other guests. I understand that many languages are spoken at this resort, but a simple SMILE crosses all languages and is not very hard to manage. I also didnt like the way four people would walk side by side, making us have to step off the walkway just to pass. I felt like I was walking into a clothesline! My other complaint was about the smokers who left butts all over the beach in the sand. VERY DISGUSTING! I also want to mention that who ever stayed in that room before us must be a member of this board. In the bathroom was the orange adapter that I forgot! THANK YOU! I wouldnt have been able to plug in my phone charger if this person hadnt left it there! Another helpful tip was to bring bug spray. The mosquitoes were out and hungry! We had dinner at Captain Morgans and my bug spray got passed around to three other tables! I know there have been many comments on the food, here is my take on it... I am a very picky eater, I will eat nothing with sauces, seasoning or as my husband puts it, with flavor. I do not eat seafood of any kind, and very little red meat. My husband (sounds so funny to say HUSBAND!) is the kind of guy who has an iron stomach and will eat a variety of foods. I found plenty to eat and had no problems with my stomach. HE did. On his behalf I must say he still hadnt recovered from getting totally smashed the night before our wedding. On our second day there he drank about 5 drinks and that was it the entire week. His stomach bothered him and "montezumas revenge" kicked in by the third day. The food is not overly seasoned and I actually got adventurous and had the Mexican rice and some of the seasoned potatoes. This is something I would never do at home. The prime rib, chicken kabobs and spaghetti bar were wonderful! The fruit was the tastiest I have ever had, as were the breads. There was a big variety of foods but by the end of our trip the buffet was getting old. My husband said he wanted real mexican food from Taco Bell! I think the quality of the food was hit or miss and did see some things sitting out like the lunch meats, that I wouldnt touch. We went to the Spanish restaurant and I had the best Rib eye steak (in wine sauce) I have ever had. The flaming coffee was amazing but undrinkable! We actually felt guilty not drinking it after all that preparation! We also went to Captain Morgans and the food was excellent there too. We never had a problem with service in any of the restaurants or buffets. I had a blast watching the birds that are lurking everywhere just waiting to steal something off your plate. Some of them are pretty brazen! I got a picture of a bird stealing a piece of french toast off MY plate. I know some didnt like this aspect but I found it almost as entertaining as watching security stip search people in the airport. I found the floors in the buffets to be slightly slippery but no where near what I was expecting. But then again I wore sandals or sneakers, not heels! I was amazed at how many women wore heels with their bikinis in the buffets. I just dont get it... but who knows, maybe if i could get my butt into a bikini i would! On this topic, I would like to comment that I am a plus size woman and my main worry was that I would be sitting amongst all thin women. I wear a womans 18 and was sooo nervous about being in a bathing suit. WELL.. was I mistaken! I realize now how silly I was thinking that. There are women of all sizes stuffed into bikinis and what we have named bikiNOs. (Kinda like the Speedos and Speedonts for men) By day 2 I had no qualms about being seen in my old lady skirted bathing suit. Size really doesnt matter on the beach that is! . The first day we went into the gift shop and I saw the most beautiful hand painted sink! My husband looked at me like I was nuts when I asked if I could get it in my carryon! We are buying a house that needs two new bathrooms and I thought it would be a wonderful reminder of our honeymoon that I could see everyday. We have to re-do the bathroom anyway right?? BUT, But, honey, its only $107 USD! He said there was no way to get it home and they wouldnt ship it. I realized he was probably right so I put the sink back, and moved on to the blankets. Three days later we took a trip into Playa del Carmen by Collectivo and guess what I saw there.. SINKS! I picked one up and the guy says $880 pesos... BUT HONEY, thats $20 less than at the hotel! NOPE.. $600 pesos.. still no... ok ok, man is getting desparate to unload the sink so he goes $40 american dollars, and hubby looks at me, defeated, and says OK. So here we are in the middle of 1000 degree heat walking down 5th ave carrying a sink. It took us another hour to figure out where to get the collectivo back to the hotel. The collectivo finally comes and we pile into the 15 passenger van as passenger #30 and 31. What a trooper my husband was, sitting with half a butt cheek on the seat guarding my sink from the world. I did get it in my carryon, and it went in the overhead storage and made it safely home. After inspecting it closer my husband doesnt think it will fit in the counter top for the bathroom! Oh well, if he cant MAKE it fit then I will have the best looking bird bath in town! The shows at the hotel were amazing! The guy who does the male lead in the Beauty and the beast part of the Cabaret show was phenomenal! I was sooo impressed with his voice. The women were all very good too. The Michael Jackson show was good too, they guy really has his mannerisms down! I couldnt tell if he was singing or lip syncing but his performance was great. The Miss Barcelo show was hysterical, dont miss it. As many have said before me, the smoke in the theater is unreal. We were there the first day and got up to leave after 15 mins. There was a nice breeze blowing up across from the bar, under the fans and it was actually bareable. This is where we sat for the rest of the shows. If you are allergic to smoke or dont like it dont even attempt to sit close to the stage. The beach is the best I have ever seen. We stayed down by building #1 and it was breathtaking. We walked down to the pier to snorkle one day and noticed that the North end of the beach had a lot of rocks. We didnt find any on the South end by our building. Yes, there are topless women all over the beach. We didnt see any at the pools though. My husband kept bugging me to take my top off, i kept telling him he was crazy! Like I mentioned before, i wear a womans size 18 and come complete with a pair of D's. On the third day when we were on the beach he was looking down towards the pier so i took my top off and just sat there. He turned to say something to me and almost fell off his lounger! He yells GIVE ME THE CAMERA!!! It was pretty funny! Needless to say, we had to edit the pack of pictures before bringing them home! The one thing that happened that put a damper on our stay was our trip to Tulum. I have waited for years to get there! It was sooo hot that I passed out cold on the sidewalk. Since we opted for the half day short tour the tour operator said we wouldnt have time to swim so we didnt bring our suits. It was sooo incredibly hot with no relief. As we were walking back to the tour bus I felt myself getting dizzy and wound up laying on the concrete sidewalk having water poured on my head!. I screwed up my left ankle and right knee. I The tour bus was no where to be found and we had to wait almost 45 minutes for it! We got back to the hotel around 1pm and I slept the rest of the day. From that day on I had nausea and dizziness. I dont know if it is from the heat exhaustion or if my stomach finally said enough is enough. My stomach still isnt feeling well. The weather was beautiful although very hot and humid. The first day we were there the humidity didnt let up at all. The rest of the week it was humid all day but by 4pm it cooled off enough to be bareable. The only rain we saw was on the tour bus back to the hotel on Saturday. It could have rained the rest of the day but i was sound asleep in the hotel room! The one day when we were snorkeling the clouds got real dark, there was LOUD thunder and lightening but no rain. No one else got out of the water so we didnt either. I figured if it I was gonna get struck by lightening it might as well be in paradise with a snorkel in my mouth. Our trip back was uneventful. We got to the airport and every piece of checked luggage was hand searched. I cringed as I saw them open the suitcases of people ahead of us and saw how neatly theirs was packed. My clothes were thrown in rolled up in balls with souveniers stuffed inside. I noticed at that moment that the belt to the bathrobe from the hotel was in my suitcase! I was so worried they would take the swan towel out of the bag and unroll it. I would never get it back to that way myself! Another good tip was to not overpack. I packed for each of us three shirts, three shorts, 4 pr of underwear and a pair of long pants for my husband. by the third day i sent them to the hotel laundry service and they came back the next day clean, dry and on hangers. it took going to the lobby to track them down, but they did eventually show up! On the subject of tipping, here is my thought. All inclusive should be just that. The people that work at the resorts make a good living according to Mexican standards. No, they do not make what we make in the US or Canada, but you cant begin to compare. They live much better than most of their neighbors. I personally did not see anyone tip any of the bartenders or waiters at anytime anywhere in the resort. The only time I tipped was when my husband brought about 4 lbs of sand back in his shoes and the room floor was a mess. I left 50 pesos on the dresser for the maid because that was more than what was expected of her/him. We just happened to come back from lunch to find the maid just leaving and he did not take the tip. We had to call him back and personally hand it to him. The issue with tipping reminds me of christmas with my ex inlaws. We all had gotten married at the same time and started having kids. We ALL decided that xmas was going to be for the kids, no adult presents. Well of course, on xmas day the one sister in law had bought gifts for all the adults too. I sat there feeling horrible that I didnt give her one, but then realized that SHE was the one who should feel bad, not me. We had agreed it was going to be only the kids who rec'd gifts. Anyway, I did not feel obligated to tip anyone for this reason, AI is just that.. ALL INCLUSIVE. One thing I havent really seen in many trip reports is what people paid for their vacations. I think its important and can effect the expectations you have for your trip. I know if I paid three times more than the person grabbing a chicken nugget off the buffet next to me I would be pissed! We paid $995 a person with round trip airfare from Philadelpia. Transfers to and from the hotel were included. I think the price we paid was definitely worth it. If given the chance I would go back to the Barcelo in a heart beat!

09-11-2004	#11 (permalink)
Cowgirl68 very sparkly Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: ontario Posts: 29	re: adaptor You can thank the resort for that adaptor, as they have one in every room for the coffee maker. It wasn't left by a previous guest. Just a little tidbit of info......

09-12-2004	#12 (permalink)
Arcaneind way into it Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Orangeville, Ontario Posts: 100	The amazing orange adapter... Hmmm...I think I might just start hunting in my garage. I've got one those somewhere. Better safe than sorry. Thanks for the e-mail link. Last edited by Arcaneind; 09-12-2004 at 01:49 PM. Reason: Forgot my manners...

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:

09-08-2004	#2 (permalink)
jakk sandflea Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 4	my report was too long and it wouldnt let me post this part... ! I didnt see or hear any of the construction on the north end of the beach by the pier. There was construction along the main road bringing you to the resort but it wasnt "in the way" or causing any delays. Not very pretty to look it, but by no means a problem. The road construction downtown Playa Del Carmen continues. 5th ave looks mainly completed but the side streets heading down to it are still a work in progress. The noise we heard was from the disco. Even in Bld 1 we heard the beat of it. I brought ear plugs and used them so it wasnt an issue. I am an easy going person and I didnt let things bother me at all. We did have a few issues I forgot to mention. Our safe worked great the first day, then wouldnt open! after a call to the desk and waiting an hour we decided to go to lunch and worry about it later. After lunch and another call and another hour of no show, we went to the beach. After dinner we went to the desk and asked for an "appointment" to get our money out of the safe since we wanted to hit up the gift shop. She immediately sent someone to check it! Turned out the batteries were dead and few fresh Duracells later we had our cash in hand. Our fridge wasnt very cold, but I expected that from reading other posts and it wasnt an issue. There was enough to drink at arms reach anywhere you go. We brought our infamous bladder buster wallmart mugs and used them only the first day. Water, soda and beer is endless and available everywhere. We didnt feel a need to have the mug. If anything i would have liked to have bought an insulated bottle instead. The kind with the pop top to seal it. I could have thrown it in my backpack and not worried about it spillng like the mugs. We also didnt bring any dish soap to wash them out with so they sat in the room the entire week.

09-08-2004	#3 (permalink)
tdev toe in water Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 48	thanks for the report. I'm considering the Barcelo for my next trip. I'm interested in everything about the new construction so I'm glad you mentioned it.

09-09-2004	#4 (permalink)
KevKaos Registered User Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Mi hogar está en Baltimore Maryland Posts: 1,523	I am also considering the Barcelo for our next trip and I was interested in your comments on the cost. I see that you paid $995 (I think you said), was that for a week? 6 nights, 7 nights? Makes a big difference when talking about AI's. Of course by the time I am ready to book my trip, the cost will likely sky-rocket due to rampant towel art theft. Speaking of towel art, if you only got towel art one time other than when you arrived, it was probably because there was no tip. I have never seen towel art advertised as an amenity at any of the AI's in Riveria Maya, so that means it is an extra. If you don't want things such as towel art and other extras, by all means don't tip. I for one spent about $100 US dollars in tips alone on our trip to the Lindo, and that was after $3000 for the two of us for 7 nights. It was a small price to pay to make our trip complete. Just my opinion, for what its worth.

09-09-2004	#5 (permalink)
jakk sandflea Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 4	we were there for 7 nights. one couple we were talking to at the beach was ticked off because they tipped the maid $3.00 each day and didnt receive ANY towel art! I think it has to do with how much time the maids have, there doesnt seem to be any set way to get towell art. We did have rose petals on the bed in the shape of a heart the first day and our comforter was pleated into a design but the only towel art was the swan. AND.. the day we did get the towel art wasnt the day we left the $50 pesos tip due to all the sand brought in from the beach! BTW.. i wish i could figure out this towel art thing, my dog is petrified of it and it has been keeping him off the couch!!

09-10-2004	#6 (permalink)
Ken_in_Mass sandflea Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 2	We've been to the Barcelo twice, tipped every day and never received towel art. I think it is a skill than not all of the houseworking staff have. Perhaps we erred in tipping right away, so no extra effort was deemed necessary? Oh well... in the scale of things, its pretty small. Ken

09-10-2004	#8 (permalink)
TAPPY añejo Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Louisiana Posts: 15,130	Was the the Barcelo in June, tipped every day, got no towel art, but got a really clean room and lots of extra towels (and wash clothes) in the bathrooms. I love having extra towels - so this was a big plus to me.

09-11-2004	#9 (permalink)
Arcaneind way into it Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Orangeville, Ontario Posts: 100	15 days till we get to Barcelo! Thanks for the report. Two questions: - What do you mean about the orange adapter? I (mis)understood that you didn't need any adapter at Barcelo. - What e-mail did you use to make your room request?

09-11-2004	#10 (permalink)
jakk sandflea Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 4	The electrical outlets are recessed into the wall and you cannot fit a charger plug in them. The little three prong orange adapter plugs that you can find in a hardware store for about $1.00 is what I forgot to bring and someone left! Here is a picture of what they look like. http://www.davesdomain.ca/mexicodave...omaya/plug.JPG I sent my request to reservas@barcelomaya.com and got exactly what i asked for... a master suite on the first floor.

09-13-2004	#13 (permalink)
K and P beachaholic Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Ont, Canada Posts: 343	We just got back 2 days ago from Barcelo. My 3rd trip and had a blast. So if you are thinking of going do it its a great resort. Pam

register to remove these adverts