Emmeline W.
Yelp
$580~ for a week's stay is AMAZING. So many amenities, truly not enough time. I stayed with a group of 20+ friends and acquaintances that booked rooms in bulk, which might have contributed to the incredible price.
For COVID safety purposes, staff wear masks and hand sanitizer is provided throughout the resort. Masks are encouraged but not required. I split a suite with three friends-- the suite consisted of: two rooms (2 pulldown beds, 1 master bed), a kitchenette, a walk-in closet, 1 cramped bathroom w/shower, and a balcony view to the ocean.
PROS:
- Easy to book shuttle to/from airport (with Thomas More Travel)
- 24/7 staff available + room service, staff are incredibly friendly though I'm sure that they face 100 million Karens a day
- Impeccably clean rooms and amenities, including spa, tourist center, multiple pools with swim up bars and hot tubs
- Literally bars everywhere (all inclusive!), including beachside service
- AYCE buffet for every meal, with different themes each night (LOL @ "Oriental Night")
- Daily recreational activities at the pool and community area
- Close to (or a short bus ride away) from shopping centers and restaurants
- Free airport-approved COVID testing at the time we were there (I believe they now charge $100+ for quick turnaround testing)
CONS:
- Room service will take hours to arrive
- Definitely an older building (apparently used to be a timeshare) with the occasional cracks and rusting
- Low water pressure, at least in our shower and toilet
- Beaches can have a lot of scratchy seaweed close to shore, but depends on the time of day
Still, not much to complain about while we were here. Perfect weather in April, with just enough sea breeze to cool you down. The food was great (a lot of healthy options!) and the facilities were lovely. My only regret is not bringing enough cash to tip throughout the entire trip. So many of our kind and attentive local staff members worked so hard to keep us tourists happy, I wish I could've had more cash to express my appreciation.
NOTE: Everything is on paper receipts (and in Spanish), and additional costs (like specialty drinks during meals) will be charged on the card presented at check-in. Not much is digitized, so hang into those sheets and take notes when it comes to Venmo requesting your friends.