Mexico Hotels

Other Reviews from VirtualTourist Members

near the airport: mexico city convenient place to stay

by canica

I'm from Kansas in the US and in September 2011 I wanted to visit Mexico City for the first time. I met Adriana online and she's lives very near the Mexico City Juarez International Airport (you walk across the street and you're there). She met me when I got off the plane. And I rented a room in her house with private bath and stayed there for a week. The house is near the airport and the metro (train) station is also at the airport so i was able to get downtown to the Zocalo, Chapultepec and almost everywhere very easy, fast, and cheap on the metro. The 3 story house is in a safe and quiet area a short walk from the main Terminal. This room is on the second floor and has a private entrance, a king size bed, a private bathroom and shower with hot water. Irma's mother cleans the room and makes the bed everyday. This isn't a regular business. Since Adriana's brother moved out I was the first one who rented the room. But they are open to renting it to someone else by the day or by the week. The subway is a 10 minute walk through the airport, super convenient. There are many good restaurants in the airport. She used to live in Phoenix, Arizona, and speaks pretty good english. I paid $150 (US) per week. By the night its $40 (US). If you are interested you can contact her by email or by phone. Her email is adrianaaz@gmail.com.

very near the airport but not noisy. near metro train.

Hotel Morales Historical: Guadalajara, Mexico hotel

by Tifosiblake

I spent a week at this hotel in June of 2011 and found it to be absolutely wonderful! The architecture from the outside is a bit deceiving as it looks a bit plain.... that is until you really look at it. However, it is the interior of the Morales that is just spectacular! If you like Spanish Colonial architecture and are not excited by the modern "cookie cutter" hotels, this is the place for you.

The rooms are spacious and comfortable, while the staff was exceedingly helpful and friendly. The only "criticism" I have about the hotel is that I found the restaurant to be less than exciting, acceptable, but not up the standards of the hotel.

The outstanding characteristic of this hotel was the staff in my opinion, along with the architecture. The beautiful arches and wood work is worth the cost of the stay all by themselves.

One thing I found curious and actually quite enjoyed is that the roof top (which was always open) is not used by patrons of the hotel. I spent several nights up there and other than my traveling companion, never saw another person there. It gives you a fine view of the nearby Templo San Francisco and the small plaza in front of the church.

Lastly, the location of the hotel is just down the street from the wonderful heart of the city, complete with the government building, the cathedral, the Rotonda, and other plazas.

GRAND SIRENIS RESORT MAYAN RIVIERA: GRAND SIRENIS RESORT, MEXICO DO NOT GO!!!!

by kmcphee22

My fiance and I were injured on this resort due to a faulty railing. Not only did the resort not even call an ambulance for 15 mins until we DEMANDED one they held our luggage hostage until we paid for the railing. My fiance broke 4 ribs and bruised his lung and I have damaged the nerves in my back and they still won't do anything at all. I am including a copy of the letter we sent to the resort and AIR TRANSAT; who won't do anything either. So for your safety PEOPLE STAY AWAY FROM THIS RESORT!!!

Grand Sirenis Riviera Mayan
Ctra. Federal Cancún -Tulum, zona costera, Km. 256.3 - Akumal - Quintana
Roo Tel. +52 984 875 1700 Fax. +52 984 875 1701 CP 77710 - Riviera Maya -
MEXICO

Grand Sirenis Ibiza Spain - Corporate Office

Air Transat
5959 Côte-Vertu Blvd.
Montreal, Quebec
H4S 2E6
Canada

Re: Clayton Lagace and Kelly McPhee
April 10th - 17th (19th)

To Whom It May Concern:

My fiancé and I were "guests" at the Grand Sirenis Resort via an Air
Transat vacation package starting on April 10th to attend a wedding of a
dear friend. We have both been to Mexico many times and have enjoyed each
trip immensely. This trip however was far different and has in fact made
me wish to NEVER visit this country again nor fly Air Transat. We have
spoken to both Canadian and Mexican legal representation and we have been
advised by both parties to write this letter.

I will begin with my primary reason for this letter. The wedding of our
friends Liane Jenkins (McLeod) and James McLeod was held on Friday, April
15th at the Grand Sirenis Resort. The reception was held on one of the
palapas by the beach. That evening my fiancé and I bumped into one of the
rails around the edge of the palapa. We both fell through and landed 7-9
ft below onto the ground which was full of rocks and some trees. Not one
staff member called an ambulance for 13 minutes until the other weddings
guests questioned the whereabouts of the ambulance. Some of the guests
took pictures and video and we found that the railing was held by two
screws! Do you not think that if you are going to hold functions on a
palapa that high up you should make sure that the rails are SECURELY
attached so this does not happen? We had two small children and a baby at
this wedding. I do not even want to imagine what would have happened if it
had been them who hit the railing.

My fiancé was admitted to the Playa Del Carmen hospital with 4 fractured
ribs and a bruised lung. I was very, very badly bruised but fortunately
not hospitalized. We have pictures of the bruising and x-rays of the
injuries not to mention pictures and video of the palapa and the railing.
Now this is bad enough but it is was the way that the episode was handled
that has me completely enraged. The hotel staff was completely
uncooperative to the guests at the party who were only trying to help us.

They were given grief when we were FINALLY taken by ambulance to the
hospital and they just wanted to get our travel documents and insurance
papers that were in our room to us at the hospital. We were suppose to
check out of the hotel on Sunday, April 17th but we were not released from
the hospital until late that afternoon. They would not allow the bride and
groom to take our luggage to their room until we were released from the
hospital.

To do this they had to PAY THE 400.00US CHARGE FOR THE PALAPA!

I am outraged that they would charge us 400US to fix something that caused
this type of injury and damage when it was barely held on to begin with!!!
What type of hotel is this negligent and when someone is seriously hurt
expects them to pay for it? THEN when we were released and got back to the
hotel they charged us ANOTHER 2 days stay and the fee to change flights.
We sat in the lobby for an hour or two while they figured out what to do
with us. My fiancé was in a lot of pain and under morphine and should have
been resting; not sitting in a lobby!!!! We even lost the First Class
seats we initially paid for and had to sit for 5 1/2 hrs on the way home
squeezed into economy with bruises, fractured ribs and bruised lungs! We
talked to our Air Transat rep at the resort and the best that they could
do was we had to pay 944CAD so we could leave Tuesday because that was the
next flight they had room for us. This was an Air Transat package and they
could do nothing???

Now my fiancé has to miss for work for a few weeks at least as he works in
a extremely physical job that requires he is healthy for the safety of
himself and his co-workers. This is equivalent to 2500 a week in pay! I
was scheduled to write my Accounting final for my CMA Managerial
Accounting Degree at NAIT in Edmonton Alberta on Monday, April 18th at
5:30pm which I need as a prerequisite for my next semester starting April
25th. I am unsure if I am able to start my next semester now without this
class completed. This means I will not graduate at the end of December now
as scheduled as well as 1000CAD to retake the classes!

I say all of this so you understand what your negligence has cost us which
is WAY more that your 400US charge for an already broken palapa!
It is completely unacceptable. This hotel's corporate office needs to be
more involved in the way the management of each resort is handled as it
reflects poorly on the company as a whole. This was a family event and I
know that this is SUPPOSE to be a family run chain of hotel that has been
in the business for over 30 years so you should care more about the safety
of your guests and their families! The hotel's management themselves acted
with the WORST customer service I have ever experienced, witnessed or
heard of in my life. They should be taking responsibility for their
oversight and the shoddy construction and maintenance of this hotel. And
Air Transat; as far as I am concerned you are just as responsible for what
happens when you chose to sell packages to customers when the safety of
the hotel is seriously lacking. You should not be promoting these types of
unsafe vacations.

As I mentioned we have been to Mexico many times and were even suppose to
be going back in August with some friends, again in November for another
friend's wedding, and we had even considered having our OWN wedding in
Mexico but now I seriously doubt any of this will happen.
We may seem like "small fish" to you, but both of our consultations with
our Canadian and Mexican lawyers have assured us that we are have a
legitimate case to obtain the resolution that was denied to us and should
have been offered in the beginning as it was the right thing to do!

Shame on you for treating your guests and visitors this way!

The Grand Mayan, Nuevo Vallarta: The Grand Lyin'

by shelleyonthedell

There are tons of beautiful resorts with nice staff elsewhere, and you can stay anywhere, right? You should stay anywhere else. We will never stay at the Grand Lyin' again and will post our negative comments on the internet wherever possible. It's a shame this gorgeous, contemporary, lushly landscaped resort fails so miserably.

Reservation/concierge methods are unprofessional and deceptive. It is completely dishonest to let prospective patrons feel that there is any chance whatsoever of attaining an Ocean Front Unit at the resort when the units are completely filled with Timeshare Owners. As Ocean Front Timeshare Owners in Maui, HI, we should have a comparable unit at the resort with our trade. We also deserve to have this confirmation made to us BEFORE we make a reservation at the resort so that we might book elsewhere when our requests can't be met.

The Mayan Resorts make it seem as if such units may be available, "depending on the inventory available," when there never was the remotest possibility that there would indeed be any Ocean Front Units available at all. Even some owners there could not get an Ocean View. This is the second time this has happened to us when reserving with the Grand Mayan and we won't be giving them a third chance to ruin our week of vacation.

We were frustrated and humiliated at check -in while we were bounced as if in a pinball machine between the reservation staff and the timeshare staff, as we were trying to find a supervisor who could help us. Each claimed the other had all the power. All we were offered was a plastic bottle of water and an invitation to the timeshare presentation breakfast.

Have you ever seen the Coen Bros. film "Fargo?" Remember the scene when used car salesman Jerry Lundegaard pretends to go back to his manager when frustrated car buyers are given a Trucoat rust preventer they never ordered? Our check-in staff member went into some sort of similar act, pretending to go backstage somewhere to check on cancellations when he knew there was not a chance we could get the unit we wanted -- at any time during our week. We even offered to take a smaller unit for a chance of an Ocean Front unit. We did everything we could do to confirm an Ocean Front unit before, during, and after our arrival, short of the monetary bribe that some guests felt forced to offer. Before departure, we emailed the resort's concierges and were never told that all the Ocean Front Units were booked by owners so that we might be able to exchange elsewhere. This is deceptive and dishonest.

Moreover, daily noise from loud lawn equipment and pounding jackhammers, plus the terrible views of a parking structure and street did not allow us to enjoy our balcony unit or our plunge pool, so these features are not really applicable if you cannot use them. There was never any sun and needless to say, sunset, available from our unit. The "Marina View" in the "New Building" eventually offered to us at check -in offered no view of a Marina whatsoever. Only the bobbing tops of sailboats appeared in the distance. It all would have been funny if it weren't so humiliating, frustrating, annoying and deceptive.

This is also a very noisy resort. The Lazy River and the wave pools need big machines to run them, and they make a lot of noise all day, including a siren that sounds remarkably like our tornado warnings here in the midwest. The activity pool has a DJ with a loudspeaker that you can here all over the resort. I love some great music and fun activities, don't get me wrong, but only when I want them. Not all day long. The only quiet is on the beach.

Fellow Americans like yourself will reserve pool chaises with their towels the night before. That was a new one for us.

Pack plenty of prozac. We were frustrated and upset the entire week of our stay. I spent every night in sleepless frustration with no help or apology from any manager or supervisor. Even when we complained when timeshare calls asking if we were enjoying our vacation were ignored, no remedy or apology was offered. We remain extremely angry, frustrated and humiliated from our experience.

This is a plastic, soulless, cliche of a mega-resort. Really too bad, because it is gorgeous. The following week we stayed 750 yards down the beach at a smaller, Mexican-run resort, The Villa Varadero, which we enjoyed so much more. It felt real, with real hospitality, Mexican guests, the serenity of lying on the beach with just the waves crashing and low music wafting over from the bar area. It wasn't perfect, by any means. BUT: our unit had floor to ceiling windows right on the bay which you could slide open to see frolicking dolphins, breaching whales, glorious sunsets. While it had none of the luxury of the Grand Mayan, our best memories will be of this resort and its lovely staff, NOT of the Grand Lyin'. My advice is to ask yourself what you really want from a trip to Mexico.

Beautifully landscaped grounds with birds, turtles, iguanas. Beautifully designed rooms. Great pools. Right on the beach of Banderas Bay.
WE WILL NEVER GO BACK THERE.

White Sands Motel: Best Kept Secret in Port Isabel Texas

by browntoes

Great rates great resturant fishing guides will pick you up just outside the eatery.

Good food great tacos. Friendly staff.

Club Med: "Relax, refresh, rejuvnate"

by sheherezad

Will edit later - Or the Club Med in Cancun - at the end of the strip? The water is beautiful! Club Med always promises great food! from there you can take excursions to Chichenitza etc. I did that a long time ago before the hotel strip mushroomed!

grand riviera princess: Life as a princess

by mariah_t

This hotel is amazing, the beache is very beautiful and there is a lot of activities availables in this area.
I would recommend this hotel to everybody who want to have a relaxing vacation with friends and familly. Also, i think it could be a beautiful place for a wedding.
The only problem i found on this hotel is that there is only one disco and i never been because it didn't seems attractive. For the night life it's maybe not the best hotel.

The lobby is very beautiful.
We can rent jetsky on the beach.
It was an all-inclusive forfait.

Casa Margarita: Creel's hostel gem

by SenoraSusan

Urique. These little towns always offer budget accommodations. We enjoyed Casa Margarita in Creel which included meals and great conversation with travelers from all over the world.
These blog gives you an idea of the area. We traveled the Chepe train and got off and on at different towns.

http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/seanryan/1/1215274620/tpod.html

The Alhambra Hotel: Playa's best kept secret

by cwarner

My wife and I have been married for 6 years, and we have traveled to Playa Del Carmen every year of our marriage, twice a year. We love Playa, and think we have found the best boutique hotel experience in Playa in The Alhambra Hotel.

We like taking the Road Less Traveled, and choose boutique hotels over all inclusives, we eat where the locals eat whenever possible, and either rent a car or take public transportation rather than hotel arranged buses or vans. We like the freedom to come and go as we please that a small boutique hotel (non all inclusive) and having your own car gives you.

For the last three years we have been staying at the Alhambra which is located on the public beach in Playa Del Carmen at the end of Calle 8. The rooms are clean and simple with good air conditioners and utilitarian but adequate bed, the room rate is reasonable for an oceanfront property, and includes breakfast at their great little seaside palapa covered restaurant. Beach towels chairs and umbrellas are included, and we have found that if we tip one of the staff $5 or $10 dollars a day (we usually pay one person for every day we are going to stay in advance) that he will see to it that your favorite spot is set up on the beach every day. The staff has never failed to impress us.

We find it interesting that The Alhambra has dedicated one of its premeir oceanfront spaces for a yoga studio, which toatally impressed us. This hotel is not just about the money.

Once we are checked in, we feel we are in our own little secret oasis smack in the middle of all that Playa has to offer.

Making reservations is easy and we have never had any issues with any form of dishonesty, or shenanigans you read about. We love this hotel and recommend it for any travelers who like to take The Road Less Traveled.

The location on the beach is perfect, and the proximity to 5th is just right; far enough away to be quiet and close enough to be convenient. On weekend nights there is a little noise from the neighboring beach bar and hotel The Fusion, but we would recommend you go join the fun.The oceanfront and partial oceanfront rooms with balconies are as good as it gets. If you require a pool, do not choose The Alahmbra, the pool is out of the way, and small.

Pueblo Bonito: Great Place to Stay in Mazatlan

by laker2m

Mazatlan is one of our favorite places/cities to visit on the Pacific side of Mexico and the Pueblo Bonito Resort is our favorite place to stay there. It's located just maybe a mile north of what they call the Golden Zone. The Golden Zone is where many other hotels and resorts are located but I think they are rather cramped. It's a little more open and lovely at the Pueblo Bonito yet with many resturants nearby and local buses available to take you anywhere along with cabs and the ever famous pulmonias. We take our morning exercise by walking down to the Panama bakery cafe for breakfast and then it's it open road for some sightseeing or back to the gorgeous pools at the Pueblo Bonito.

Nice rooms, lovely pools

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Questions and Answers

Q: We Trust You - Sort It For Us "Me and my lass are up for a trip to Mexico. Right then. I love architecture are photography and my lass loves me and food..."

A: "Big country, Mexico. Love what I've seen - Oaxaca and the central valleys for colonial architecture, the ruins at Monte Alban, Mitla and other places, classic Mexican..."

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