This was our 6th trip to Cancun and we also have been to Riviera Maya twice, but this was the best vacation we have ever had. The hotel is immaculate, cuisine is superb and the service is extraordinary. We booked our vacation with Apple Vacations from Chicago O’Hare left on 1/31/05 and returned to Chicago on 1/7/05. First of all, it appears that they have a new slogan, Welcome to Mexico, Welcome Home! Very warm and welcoming and we believe that they really meant it, especially the staff at the Dreams Resort. Upon arrival at the hotel around 1 p.m. or so, we were met in the lobby by a pristinely attired sentry holding a silver tray with cool towels for us to freshen up and another sentry holding a tray with Champagne and Chocolate Chip cookies, talk about starting things off on the right foot! Check in was very fast and we got our non-smoking king room a short time later, early check in is no problem. Check in is normally 3 p.m. but if they have your requested room available when you check in they immediately take you to your room. We unfortunately just missed getting our room upon arrival, but we were told that it would be ready within the next hour and so we went for lunch, had a drink and when we were finished, our room was ready.
Rooms:
When our room was ready, a bellman who spoke perfect English took our bags and gave us an overview of the hotel on our way to the room. He showed us around our room and even hung up our coats in the closet for us. Showed us how to operate the electronic thermostat and safe in the room. The view was spectacular from our room. There is every possible amenity in the room including full size shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, body lotion and sunscreen. Satellite TV including ABC, CBS, ESPN, NBC, HBO and Cinnemax. We were there for the Super Bowl and were able to view it in our room in English, the hotel also had a big Super Bowl Party on Huge Screen on their inside lagoon beach, which we could also see from our room. There is mini-refrigerator in your room with beer, pop, juice and water and is replenished every day. Maid service comes two times a day to replenish towels and turndown with chocolates in the evening. Regular hangers in the closet, hairdryer, ironing board and iron and golf umbrella. You can even request a special kind of pillow if you wish, down/feather, cervical etc.
Beach:
Also, there are none of those unattractive and uncomfortable wristbands that you usually have to wear at the all-inclusive resorts. All you have to do is give your room number to the hostesses, barmen or other waitstaff and that’s it. Security is very tight at this hotel and no one is allowed on property unless they are a guest of the hotel. The one exception is that they allow guests from the Hyatt Regency next door to use part of their beach (the Hyatt does not have a beach, only rocks). However, they are not allowed to use the beach chairs on the beach, only allowed to sit on the sand or the rocks on the sides of the beach. There is a full time lifeguard and a guard posted on the Hyatt side of the hotel who immediately remove Hyatt guests who occupy any of the Dreams beach chairs, within minutes of they occupying them. There are two beaches one on either side of the hotel, shady spots are minimal so you still have to get out there before 7:30 a.m. to get a shady spot if you want one and if you want 1 on the calmer side of the hotel where the water activities take place, you have to get out there before 7:00 a.m. The beach chairs are very nice, have thick pads on them and the towels are already placed upon the chairs when you get there and there are baskets with additional towels if you so desire. There are restaurants on both beaches and get this, the waistaff come around on the beach all day long to ask you if you wish to have a drink and they bring it to you. All the waitstaff are pristinely attired and very professional.
Restaurants:
There are 3 restaurants and a buffet. All of the food is superbly prepared, constantly replenished and wide variety. They have champagne and bloody marys everyday at breakfast. Any kind of beverage that you could possibly want, lovely pastries and breads, fresh squeezed orange juice etc. Espresso, capaccino etc. Top shelf everything, there was nothing we did not like, much to our waistlines’ dismay. There is also a separate breakfast buffet and bar service in the lobby of the highrise building, breakfast buffet is more limited but still very nice. The dining room was never crowded, never a wait, excellent service. You can eat whenever you want, early, late etc. We saw people just going to dinner at 9:30 p.m. a couple of times. 24 hour room service included. There was dinner served on their lagoon beach one evening and several times during the week they bring in local artisans to display and sell their wares.
Entertainment:
There is live entertainment in the lobby bar area almost every night in addition to the daily evening show that is put on around 8:30 p.m.
Concierges:
There are concierges to help you 2 in the main lobby and 1 in the lobby of the highrise building too.
Spa atmosphere:
This is definitely a Spa atmosphere, everything is white and pristine and tastefully decorated. Up until a conference for an HSBC group came to the hotel on Thursday and Friday, it was very quiet. Spa services were a little pricey, minimum $110.00 for a 50 minute facial, I’m sure it would be worth it, but I am too cheap to splurge like that so we did not take advantage of any of those services.
Atmosphere:
The hotel is pretty quiet, not a party atmosphere like many of the other hotels, which I liked, I read 3 novels in the week we were there. Since we have been there so many times, we have been on most of the tours and just like to relax, walk on the beach etc. and this was the perfect atmosphere for that. No vendors or timeshare people on the property bothering you whatsoever.
Conclusion: The location of the hotel is great, walking distance to Senor Frogs and Plaza Caracol and a host of other places you can walk to. Definitely 5 Star Rating, everything was wonderful, only complaint is that the bed was very hard, like sleeping on a table and the convention people were a little obtrusive but not that bad.
I would be happy to answer any questions. Please direct questions to jmendel2@comcast.net