To celebrate our parents 50th wedding anniversary, our immediate family took a trip to Cancun, Mexico. We stayed at the Live Aqua (all-inclusive) resort, which was the best all-inclusive that we've ever been to - very classy and high-end. We particularly loved our suites, the reserved palapa beds on the beach, and our daily foot massages. Food and drinks were good, too.
Hotel: Live Aqua Link to my review
Showing posts with label Latin America. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Latin America. Show all posts
Mexico: Live Aqua Cancun (November 2013 )
BACKGROUND: My spouse and I and four other family members
stayed at Live Aqua Cancun for 5 nights in late November 2013. In 2012,
Live Aqua was rated the number one Mexican resort by Travel &
Leisure magazine, an accolade with which we agree! The name of the hotel
is pronounced as you would say in “Live and Let Live”, not as you would
say in “Live from New York ... it’s Saturday night”, although we heard
guests pronounce it both ways. This
member of the Grupos
Posadas conglomerate participates in the Fiesta Rewards frequent stay
program (for Fiesta Americana, Live Aqua, and One properties). Live Aqua
Cancun (there is another Live Aqua in Mexico City) is an adults-only
all-inclusive resort. (When Live Aqua Cancun first opened, it was NOT
all-inclusive and allowed children.) Live Aqua is an all-inclusive for
those who do not want the typical all-inclusive experience: nightly
shows, kitchy entertainment on the pool deck, and party-hearty drinkers
are replaced with quality cuisine, elegant restaurants, hip decor, and
good service. One thing that does resemble other all-inclusives:
throughout your stay, you are required to wear a plastic bracelet to
indicate that you are a hotel guest.
LOCATION: The hotel is located about 20 minutes from the airport, and it seems like an easy drive if you try it yourself. You can also hire a taxi (approximately $130 round-trip) or a transfer service (approximately $55 round-trip for 1 to 3 passengers) if you want someone else to drive. Some of our group used USA Transfers (highly recommended, everything arranged online ahead of time, $55 round-trip, payable upon pickup at the airport), and others used Olympus Tours (more expensive, necessary to arrange return transfer at tour desk after you are on-site at the hotel). The Las Isla Mall is located right across the street (you must cross a four-lane road, but it is not too difficult), and the Plaza Kulkulcan is a short distance away. La Isla contains both high-end (Gucci, Louis Vuitton) and moderate shopping, an aquarium (where you can swim with the dolphins), and a movie theatre (Cinemark); a canal with gondolas runs through some of this semi-outdoor mall. One day, two of us walked from the hotel (at km 12.5 to the closest “town” area at km 8), which felt safe and was enjoyable because there were sidewalks the entire way and much of the walk was in the shade. We saw lots of well-marked public buses driving on the street in front of the hotel, so it seems like it would be easy to investigate further if you so desire.
ROOMS: The semi-circular white building with green glass has 371 units (including 335 rooms [35 of which are deluxe on the Aqua Club floor] and 36 suites) spread over 9 floors. Our group of 6 people was celebrating a special occasion, so we upgraded from the Aqua Club to two Tierra Suites and one Aqua Suite. (Other suite types include the Fuego Suite, Viento Suite, and the two Presidential Suites.) Viento (Wind) Suite has a living room area, bedroom area, jacuzzi tub and jetted shower, and two balconies (not connected). The living room and bedroom are separated by a full floor-to-ceiling partition, with open doorways/walkways on both ends, so it is not possible to close off the areas from one another. Fuego (Fire) Suite has a living room area, bedroom area, jacuzzi tub, and a terrace with views of both the lagoon and the sea (because the Fuegos are located on the four corners of the hotel). The living room and bedroom are separated by a full floor-to-ceiling partition, with open doorways/walkways on both ends, so it is not possible to close off the areas from one another. The Fuego has only one full bathroom, but it has a fancy oval jacuzzi bathtub that is more a part of the whole bedroom/bathroom area (it is not in the small bathroom). Aqua (Water) Suite has two rooms, although they cannot be closed off from each other (however, you can draw a filmy curtain between the two), one full bath (although it is open to the bedroom area and can only be separated by another filmy curtain) and a half bathroom (toilet and sink only). A big draw to this room is the large oval jacuzzi bathtub that sits between the bedroom and bathroom areas of this room. The toilet and shower are exposed to the rest of the bedroom/bathroom, although both have frosted doors. Only the half bathroom near the entrance to the room (and off the main living area) has a door that can be closed for complete privacy. The large terrace is the real attraction of this room, with a dining table for four people, two reclining lounge chairs (and excellent sunny views all day); two sets of sliding glass doors access the terrace: one from the living room area, and the other from the bedroom area. The only drawback to the terrace is that is completely exposed, and does not contain an umbrella or covered area where you could sit when it is either too sunny or perhaps rainy. The Aqua Suites are located on the ends of the building (which look like steps), and provide perfect ocean views. Aqua Suites are positioned farthest from the elevators, because they are positioned at both ends of the semi-circular building. Sol (Sun) and Luna (Moon) Presidential Suites are the epitome of luxury, from the photos that we have seen, with two bedrooms, two full bathrooms, dining area, bar area, dressing rooms, and a terrace that includes a small lap/plunge pool, outdoor jacuzzi/spa, and terrace space partially covered by a wooden pergola. Tierra (Earth) Suite features two large completely independent (self-contained) rooms, so this suite has two full bathrooms, which we loved because I could use one, and my spouse could use the other, and we did not need to coordinate our schedules. This also means that the suite has two entry doors, two balconies (although they are not connected), two full closets, two minibars, two TVs, two beach bags, four pairs of flip-flops, four pairs of slippers, and four bathrobes. One room is set up as the bedroom, with a king-size bed, chair/ottoman, and square table and two chairs, and the other room is set up as a living area, with a two-piece sectional sofa and a round table with two chairs. The bedding was plush, with crisply starched sheets (replaced daily unless you left a card on the bed), a fluffy duvet, and several different kinds of pillows (two foam, two feather, one long body pillow, decorative bolster/neckroll pillow). We did not see a pillow menu, nor an aromatherapy menu, but the drawer beneath the telephone housed the room-service menu. (Perhaps the rooms should also contain a spa menu to encourage guests to make appointments for treatments?) Each room contained an aromatherapy kit - a little plug-in burner that when warm/heated, produced a great scent. The rooms had flat-screen TVs (not very many English channels other than CNN and about 5 versions of HBO), DVD players (you can borrow movies from the front desk), and iPod docking stations/clocks. A coffee maker and supplies is available, along with a large 2-liter bottle of water. The mini-bars are restocked daily (by the morning maid service) and contain 2 bottled waters (sometimes they were tiny bottles, and other times they were small bottles), 2 Diet Cokes, 2 regular Cokes, 1 Sprite, 1 orange soda, 2 club sodas (or perhaps they were tonic water?), and about 6 beers (2 each of 3 different kinds), as well as snacks including Oreos, potato chips, peanut M&Ms, and granola bars. A 2-line telephone (not cordless), electronic scale, electronic safe (fairly large, could fit an iPad but not a larger laptop), iron and ironing board, and flip-flops and beach bag. The flip-flops did not fit anyone in our group - not only lengthwise, but also width wise (maybe our feet are too chubby?), but the beach bag was large, well-shaped, and very useful. We saw nearly every guest using their beach bag. If you want to take the beach bag home, you can purchase one. Bathrobes are also provided (again, there is a charge if you want to take a bathrobe home). The bathroom contained a separate soaking tub (but it was not a jetted tub), glass-walled shower (which might fit two people but is really comfortably designed for one person; note that the shower door swings both out and in so that you can open it either way), toilet, and sink/vanity. A tiny but powerful and hot hairdryer (not affixed to the wall) is provided, and a lighted makeup magnifying mirror is attached to the wall. The bathroom mirror contains a built-in light in its frame, which is useful as a night light. Closet space is plentiful (including room to hang items (and enough hangers!) as well as drawer space. Although we did not have a do-not-disturb sign in our room, we saw a cute one hanging on someone else’s door (we imagine that unique these signs “disappear” quite easily). We were permitted to check in early (approximately 1:00 pm), but that surely varies based on occupancy the evening prior to your arrival. The air conditioning in our room worked very well, and we often found it to be a bit chilly (admittedly, the weather itself did not top 28 degrees Celsius [81 degrees Farenheit] during the heat of the day, though). The Tierra Suites are located closest to the two elevator banks, although we were not at all bothered by the noise (they were rather silent). Our room was also located directly across from the ice machine, but very few people used it.
EVENING TURNDOWN: Turndown was fairly complete - the only thing missing was a small bottle of water and a drinking glass placed on each beside table/nightstand. The duvet was turned down, trash emptied, towels and toiletries replaced, ice bucket filled, TV/music/lights turned on, and slippers set out. Each night, the turndown service placed some zen object on our nightstand - an incense burner, a tiny musical instrument, or a sand garden with a tiny rake. We never received a rice design on our bed, although the couple who was celebrating the special occasion (in the Aqua Suite) received several. STAYING CONNECTED: Wi-Fi was complimentary in the hotel itself (rooms, lobby, restaurants), but did not work well near the pool or on the beach. At certain times of day, the connectivity was faster than others. Newspapers (both English and Spanish) are available in the lobby near the concierge desk, and in Siete restaurant (although these seem to disappear early in the day at Siete). There is a business center on the Lobby level that contains about four computers and a printer, and secretarial service is available from 7:00 am to 10:00 pm.
DINING: The hotel has 14 food and beverage options: 9 restaurants and 5 bars. Restaurants include Azur, Siete, mb, Sea Corner, Sushi Station, Inlaa'kech Lobster & Grill, Hidden Garden, Varenna, and the Café Deli Boutique. Bars include AKA Bar, Egos Bar, Pool Club, and the Beach Bar. The hotel also offers 24-hour in-room dining (IRD)/room service, and there is a room service menu in one of the nightstands. (We did not use room service, but another couple in our group did several times, and they felt that it generally arrived quickly and correctly and in plentiful amounts.) None of the restaurants (except for Inlaa’kech) accepts reservations. If there is not space for you to dine when you arrive, the hostess will place your name on a waiting list. Azur is located in the pool area and features sea views during the daytime. Azur serves lunch (12:00 noon to 5:00 pm) and dinner (6:30 pm to 11:00 pm). The restaurant has an open-air feeling because it features high vaulted ceilings beneath a thatched palapa roof and surrounded by glass windows on three sides. The open kitchen on the main/pool/entry level, and tables on two subsequent lower levels (the first level has a ramp and is handicap-accessible), as well as outdoor dining overlooking the beach. (The lower level and the deck are not handicap-accessible.) Azur also has a comfortable and trendy-looking lounge area directly on the pool deck that is open from 10:00 am to 11:00 pm. We ate dinner one evening at Azur, and the restaurant went out of its way to show us a special time, personalizing a menu for us from their usual offerings. Siete is the main restaurant for the hotel, offering buffet-style dining for breakfast (6:30 am to 12:00 noon), lunch (1:00 pm to 4:00 pm), and dinner (6:00 pm to 11:00 pm). This restaurant is large, with lots of windows that look out onto the foliage and some of the pools. Most of the restaurant is on the ground/floor level, with some tables just one step up from the main floor (but therefore, not handicap-accessible on that upper level). There is a long communal high-top table near the entrance, but most of the restaurant features individual tables and separate tables that share a banquette wall. The decor features Mexican art and Pop art. We ate breakfast every day at Siete, as well as a few lunches. mb is the fanciest of the restaurants at Live Aqua, open only for dinner (6:00 pm to 11:00 pm). This is the only restaurant with a dress code: men must wear long pants and a shirt with a collar (although that can be a short-sleeved Polo-type shirt). We read that close-toes shoes were also mandatory for men, but we did not see anyone turned away for footwear as we saw them turned away for wearing shorts. This restaurant is elegant, with a partially open kitchen, indoor dining on two levels (the upper level is up about 4 steps from the main floor, and therefore, that level is not handicap-accessible), and some tables outdoors on a covered deck (but without any view). We dined at mb twice - the first time we thought it was excellent, with menu offerings, presentation, and service that is equitable to that of any big city, but our second experience was different (same menu, but the service was lacking, the food cold, and the presentation rushed). On the first night that we dined at mb, we were standing in line to request a table 15 minutes before they opened at 6:00 pm, and we were seated immediately. The second time that we dined, we placed our name on the waiting list at 7:15 pm, and were still waiting 1.5 hours later, when we finally told the hostess to split up our table for 6 people into two smaller tables (at which point we were seated immediately, and very close to one another); one of our only criticisms of the hotel is that they should accept dinner reservations for mb, even if just the morning of. There is a surcharge for certain items such as lobster and premium cuts of meat at mb, but the standard menu is great without needing to pay extra. (Note that initials for the restaurant, mb, represent the name of the Miami-based celebrity chef who set up the restaurant back when it was NOT an all-inclusive, but she no longer has any association with it.) Sea Corner is a completely outdoor restaurant (although it is shaded by a kind of canopy) that is open for lunch only (12:00 noon to 5:00 pm). This restaurant is almost hidden a few steps down from the swim-up pool bar at the far corner of the property. This restaurant is not handicap-accessible. It serves various ceviches, tacos, and other seafood entrees. Sushi Station is located on the Pool level near the AKA Bar and mb restaurant. Sushi Station is a takeout self-service option only open at night (5:00 pm to 11:00 pm); there is no formal seating for Sushi Station, nor is there any table service. (The photograph that we saw on the Live Aqua website that corresponded to the Sushi Station is a bit misleading; it is really a photo of mb.) Inlaa'kech Lobster & Grill is the only restaurant that requires additional cost to dine ($60 per person). The restaurant is outdoors, located between the hotel building and the pool, but does have some open-air roof coverings that provides protection in a drizzle (but not in heavy rain); other tables are completely uncovered. The restaurant is surrounded by foliage, so it is nearly impossible to see in or out. The menu includes steaks, lobster, and kebobs, accented by house-made sauces and marinades. Reservations are requested, and there are three seatings (6:00 pm, 7:30 pm, and 9:30 pm). We ate here one evening, and the food and service were good, but we are not sure that it was worth paying approximately $120 USD extra per couple. (Each couple had a $60 USD resort credit to use towards dining, so in the end, we paid $60 USD per COUPLE, which was more palatable.) This restaurant is mostly handicap-accessible, although some of the seats beneath the roof require a step up, and some of the tables on the ground level have less-than-stable flooring. Hidden Garden is a semi-outdoor restaurant that is located across from Inlaa’kech (between the main hotel building the pools). This restaurant is open for dinner only (6:00 pm to 11:00 pm) and features Asian cuisine. We think that at one time (when Live Aqua was NOT an all-inclusive resort) that this space was used as the outdoor relaxation area for the spa. This restaurant is handicap-accessible, and even has its own restroom (although that requires a step up), which is again probably left over from its days as part of the spa. This is an attractive space, Balinese-looking, with a small waterfall on one wall and another wall with niches that hold glowing candles. Varenna is the new Italian restaurant that opened in mid-November 2013. Open for lunch only (12:00 noon to 5:00 pm), it is an attractive, completely outdoor restaurant. The restaurant was too new when we visited to present menus, but the restaurant offers pasta dishes (several different noodle options paired with several different sauce choices), as well as flatbread pizzas. We are not sure what the final format will be, but when we dined, the servers walked around with different pizzas, and you either requested a slice or passed. Pasta entrees were plated and presented per person. We tried 6 to 8 different pizzas, with ingredients like pulled pork, chicken, vegetables, margarita, brie and apple, and so on. Café Deli Boutique is open from 6:00 am to 10:00 pm. In the morning, the cafe offers coffee, tea, and pastries (if you just want a light breakfast snack, this is the place, rather than going to the buffet at Siete). For breakfast, the staff prepare coffees and other beverages for you, but you serve yourself pastries. The cafe offers sandwiches, desserts, and other snacks during lunch and dinner time. The cafe/boutique sells reading material, sunscreen, clothing, and souvenirs at an additional charge. AKA Bar is located on the Pool level, between Siete and mb. AKA offers bar seating as well as some lounge-type seating, and also has a pool/billiards table and two televisions (the TVs are not large - perhaps 20” - and primarily broadcast sports [moderated in Spanish, of course, even if it is an American game, which is kind of fun to listed to!]). This bar prominently features premium liquors. At night, there is flaming coffee service available, which is a worthwhile sight even if you do not personally drink it. AKA Bar is open all day from 10:00 am to 11:00 pm, but really only gets busy in the evenings. Egos Bar, located on the Lobby level, has a trendy nightclub atmosphere, with a large bar, comfy seating areas, and plenty of space to dance. Egos Bar is open only in the evenings from 7:00 pm to 1:00 am. The Pool Bar (sometimes called Pool Club) is the area surrounding the swim-up bar, and features the most intimate and lively outdoor atmosphere of any of the pools or the beach. Music plays around this bar area, unlike the other pools and beach on the property which are more quiet and restful. This bar is open from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm. One evening we saw a private event (a wedding for about 20+ people) held in this area. The Beach Bar (sometimes called the Shore Club) is located on the sand, open from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm, and features some cute swings where you can sit and have a drink - if you can manage to haul yourself onto one of the high swings, that is! Another dining option is to plan a romantic private dinner on the beach. We did not see anyone doing this, but reportedly, the cost runs between $200 and $300, presumably depending on the menu items chosen. POOLS and
BEACH: The hotel has 8 pools that overlook the wide, white-sand beach. Each pool is a different temperature, based on the color of the pool, with the lightest being the warmest and the darkest being the coldest. The hot tub/jacuzzi spa was a good temperature, although we would have preferred that it was even a bit hotter. One pool contains a swim-up bar with several barstools, so that you can sit down and enjoy a drink while you are in the water. The swim-up pool was generally the busiest and liveliest of all the pools. Note that there is no pool that is reserved solely for Aqua Club members; we had read this information somewhere, but it is not true (perhaps it was accurate when the hotel was NOT an all-inclusive?). Each afternoon, near the hot tub, a cart was set up that served hot dogs, and alongside of the cart was a table with some sort of food/snacks (such as fajitas or paella). We also saw people ordering food right to their beach chairs. The beach fronting Live Aqua is wide and long, with soft white sand and gorgeous aquamarine water. Most of the chairs, umbrellas, and cabanas are set up in close proximity of each other, but the beach has lots of empty space available; if you do not want to meet your neighbors, ask the pool valets to move your chairs elsewhere (the cabanas are stationary). A lifeguard is on duty on the beach during daytime hours.
CABANAS: There are approximately 36 cabanas at the hotel. Each SUITE includes complimentary access to a cabana, so if all the suites are occupied, there is little chance that someone in a regular room (or even in an Aqua Club ROOM) could reserve a cabana. (The cost is $90 per day for those not staying in a suite.) Staying in an Aqua Club ROOM does not entitle you to a cabana (only the Aqua SUITES, Viento Suites, Fuego Suites, Tierra Suites, and Presidential Suites come with a cabana). The cabanas are a bit different than what we have seen at other hotels - they are really just large canopy beds with a comfy mattress, curtains surrounding all four sides that you can open or close, and some type of roof covering. (Some cabanas had a sort-of solid see-through sunshade/sunbrella material, other cabana tops had some wooden dowels that were woven with the sunshade fabric, some had an additional sunshade piece on the front that blocked more sun.) Being sun-lovers, we were concerned that using the cabana bed would not give us enough exposure, but we need not have worried. The cabanas are reserved at the same little hut/desk by the pool where you get your towels (you must provide your room number when you request towels, but you are not given a card and are not held responsible for returning them). You can reserve cabanas one day prior, or you can call down to the pool area to reserve one beginning at 7:00 am. The towel/cabana desk has a small lending library of books that you can borrow. You can book your 20-minute foot massage when you reserve your cabana; foot massages are given from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm (although some staff gave conflicting hours), and one guest can take the full 20 minutes, or you can split the time into two 10-minute massages guests. There are seven cabanas directly on the beach (numbered 1 through 7). There are more than a dozen cabanas located a few steps up from the beach but also a few steps down from the pool deck; these cabanas are on their own “level” and they all face the sea (these MIGHT be numbered 8 through 24). There are another six cabanas near the main pool area (near Varenna restaurant), four other cabanas near the steps down to the Beach Bar (those might be numbers 25-26 and 27-28), and three cabanas near the swim-up pool (might be numbers 30-33). [DO NOT QUOTE US ON THE CABANA NUMBERS; this is just our best guess from what we remember; most of the cabanas are not numbered in any clear way.] We preferred the cabanas on the beach (1 through 7) because they afforded the most space and privacy around them; it was easy to pull two regular lounge chairs between them (actually, you could have fit four chairs between them), whereas the cabanas near the pools were right next to each other (which might be preferable for groups traveling together if you plan to talk all day, but those pool cabanas left little room to pull a regular chair nearby if you wanted full sun). The benefit to sitting at the pool is that they come around with appetizers and shots, which did not happen for the cabanas on the beach. There are several (10+) mattresses on wooden platforms (similar to the cabana beds, just not as high, and not surrounded by the canopy curtain) that are first-come, first-serve, and there are another three raised round beds near the hot tub that are also not reservable. The umbrellas and chairs that used to be set up in front of Azur on the “cabana” level are no longer there - it is just an empty space right now. We are not sure whether they might add more cabanas there, or if something else is planned for that space. In front of this empty Azur area is the outdoor spa where you can get a massage looking right at the ocean. There are plenty of umbrellas available both at the pool and on the beach.
AQUA CLUB: The Aqua Club lounge is located on the fifth floor and has great views of the beach and water. There is also a balcony/outdoor space with a view of the lagoon that has some small tables and where smoking is permitted (it is very windy, though). You can check-in and check-out at the club lounge; they also offer a concierge service if you want to plan any activities or ask for advice. The lounge features a serve-yourself breakfast (with both cold and hot options), afternoon tea, and evening canapes (both hot and cold). Most drinks are served by a staff member; premium liquor bottles are out for display, but the staff prefers to mix drinks for you. (Cans of beer are available self-serve.) Complimentary short 5-minute chair massages are sometimes available. The lounge is nicely decorated with seating arranged in different groupings. There is a good selection of coffee table books for reading while you are there. There is no computer available for guests to use in the lounge; however, there are computers on the Lobby level that are set up as a business center. SPA: The Aqua Spa is open from 9:00 am to 9:00 pm and is located on the Pool level. The surcharge to use the relaxation areas is $20 per day, and also includes the jacuzzi, steam room, sauna, hydrotherapy, and cold bath. Most 50-minute treatments cost approximately $120 USD, including massages, baths, and facials. Other hotel amenities include a fitness center (this large facility, located on the Pool level, overlooks the gardens, and is open from 7:00 am to 9:00 pm), beauty salon (seemed to be open daily from approximately 9:00 am to 5:00 pm), aromatherapy boutique, gift shop/cafe, and conference/meeting rooms. Laundry services are available at an additional fee (shoe shine service is also available, but we are not sure whether there is a charge).
TIMESHARES: Two rooms in our party were not bothered by requests to attend timeshare presentations, however, the third room (the Aqua Suite) received relentless requests (the staff must have thought that is who has the money!). The timeshare proposition happens like this: On arrival (or at various other times during your stay, depending on how aggressive the agents are), you may be approached and asked to take part in a 90-minute timeshare sales pitch for the Fiesta Americana’s Vacation club. For attending, you are given a gift such as free massages or private dinner credits. The salesman tries to build rapport and learn things about you (your income, where and how you vacation) so that they can tailor their sales pitch to you. Then they explain how their vacation club works. Then they ask you to buy it. Each year you own points that you can use to purchase hotel rooms, plane tickets, and so on. They request 20% to 30% as a down payment that day by credit card, and you to pay the balance over 5 years (at 15% interest). There are also yearly fees on top of that price that total approximately $1K.
ACTIVITES/ENTERTAINMENT: This resort does not offer complimentary non-motorized water sports such as sea kayaking, snorkeling, boogie boards, or paddle surfing; however, there is an independent vendor offering jet skiing and parasailing on the beach at the edge of the property, but the representative is not part of the hotel. This resort has no traditional all-inclusive nightly entertainment, although there are two evenings when the hotel offers something special: one evening (Thursday), an outdoor dance club (“Dancing Under the Stars”) was set up near the hot tub/Azur, and another night (a Tuesday, which was not a night that we were there), there was a fire show. From 8:00 pm to 10:00 pm on other nights of the week, live music (piano, violin) is presented at varying indoor locations. The hotel offers many daytime activities, but they are low-key and subtle, such as a Top Chef competition, sushi-making, guacamole lessons, wine-and-cheese-tasting, tequila tasting. For sports activities, the hotel offers yoga (hatha, vinyasa, and couples), volleyball, bocce, ping-pong, billiards, horseshoes, and beach soccer. Catholic Mass (in Spanish, of course!) occurs on Sunday afternoons in the lobby. The resort has resident parrots that fly around the resort from 11:00 am to 12:00 noon each day; you can hold and feed them. The hotel has 2 Rolls Royces with license plates AQUA1 and AQUA2, although these seem to be for display purposes only and are not used to chauffeur guests. The hotel runs a shuttle to different clubs in town in the evenings. We just missed the turtle season, but if you visit the hotel during the early fall, you can help release baby turtles into the ocean when they hatch from their eggs at night! On the Pool level, Lomas Travel and some other tour desks are on-site to help plan your off-site activities and excursions.
ACCESSIBILITY: We traveled with someone who has limited mobility and uses a wheelchair and power scooter. Handicapped access is fairly good. The hotel has six elevators (in two different elevator banks) that are somewhat slow, particularly if you are on the ninth (top) floor, like two of our rooms were. Some rooms can be quite far from the elevator banks. You cannot roll the scooter or wheelchair out on the balconies/terraces easily because of the threshold from the sliding glass door frame. The beach is completely inaccessible (unless someone carries you down), and the restrooms closest to the beach (near the Pool Bar and near Azur) both require a step to enter, making them inaccessible for someone who cannot walk up a step. (Oddly, right next to the Pool Bar (swim-up bar) restrooms is a ramp that leads back to the parrot cages; it would be great if the hotel had some way to connect that “parrot ramp” to the restrooms right next door. Having arrived with only a manual wheelchair, the hotel was able to rent a motorized scooter for us, and was also able to obtain a plastic shower chair. All restaurants (except Sea Corner) are accessible.
EVENT PLANNING: We held a small event at the hotel (for just six guests), and the staff went out of their way to make it truly special. Both our event planner (Gabriella) and our photographer (from Daniel Gastaldi Photography) did a great job! We set up the event via email in the months preceding our arrival, and all communication was prompt and courteous. Originally, we had planned to hold the event on the beach, but after scouting the location, we realized that our handicapped family member would have difficulty reaching that area. Instead, we held the event on the balcony adjacent to the lobby and Egos Bar, which we felt was even more picturesque (and more private) than if we had held it on the beach. There were potted palm trees, a white billowy canopy, pretty chairs with white covers, and appropriate music. The non-denominational officiant led a very touching ceremony, including a sand ritual, and when the event ended, the planner surprised our group when perhaps 15+ staff members surrounded us on the balcony and blew bubbles. How thoughtful!
TIPPING: We brought lots of small bills for tipping. Over the course of 5 days, each couple probably spent about $200: $100 in 1s and $100 in 5s. In general, each couple gave $3 for morning maid service, $3 for evening turndown, $2 for breakfast (buffet), $5 for lunch, $10 for dinner, $5 for foot massage, $3 for cabana set-up, and $2 to $5 for each round of drinks (depending on the number of drinks and degree of difficulty).
SERVICE: Service was great. Prior to arriving at Live Aqua Cancun, we read many reviews online, and most of the reviews mentioned staff by name. After staying at the hotel, we can see why past guests want to specifically mention staff - because they are caring, courteous, and willing to help. We want to compliment Lorena and Fernanda (concierges in the Aqua Club), Gabriella (the event planner), Angie (at the towel/cabana hut), and Luis (who provided great drink service at the beach/pool).
We had a great time at Live Aqua Cancun, and give it a thumbs up!
LOCATION: The hotel is located about 20 minutes from the airport, and it seems like an easy drive if you try it yourself. You can also hire a taxi (approximately $130 round-trip) or a transfer service (approximately $55 round-trip for 1 to 3 passengers) if you want someone else to drive. Some of our group used USA Transfers (highly recommended, everything arranged online ahead of time, $55 round-trip, payable upon pickup at the airport), and others used Olympus Tours (more expensive, necessary to arrange return transfer at tour desk after you are on-site at the hotel). The Las Isla Mall is located right across the street (you must cross a four-lane road, but it is not too difficult), and the Plaza Kulkulcan is a short distance away. La Isla contains both high-end (Gucci, Louis Vuitton) and moderate shopping, an aquarium (where you can swim with the dolphins), and a movie theatre (Cinemark); a canal with gondolas runs through some of this semi-outdoor mall. One day, two of us walked from the hotel (at km 12.5 to the closest “town” area at km 8), which felt safe and was enjoyable because there were sidewalks the entire way and much of the walk was in the shade. We saw lots of well-marked public buses driving on the street in front of the hotel, so it seems like it would be easy to investigate further if you so desire.
ROOMS: The semi-circular white building with green glass has 371 units (including 335 rooms [35 of which are deluxe on the Aqua Club floor] and 36 suites) spread over 9 floors. Our group of 6 people was celebrating a special occasion, so we upgraded from the Aqua Club to two Tierra Suites and one Aqua Suite. (Other suite types include the Fuego Suite, Viento Suite, and the two Presidential Suites.) Viento (Wind) Suite has a living room area, bedroom area, jacuzzi tub and jetted shower, and two balconies (not connected). The living room and bedroom are separated by a full floor-to-ceiling partition, with open doorways/walkways on both ends, so it is not possible to close off the areas from one another. Fuego (Fire) Suite has a living room area, bedroom area, jacuzzi tub, and a terrace with views of both the lagoon and the sea (because the Fuegos are located on the four corners of the hotel). The living room and bedroom are separated by a full floor-to-ceiling partition, with open doorways/walkways on both ends, so it is not possible to close off the areas from one another. The Fuego has only one full bathroom, but it has a fancy oval jacuzzi bathtub that is more a part of the whole bedroom/bathroom area (it is not in the small bathroom). Aqua (Water) Suite has two rooms, although they cannot be closed off from each other (however, you can draw a filmy curtain between the two), one full bath (although it is open to the bedroom area and can only be separated by another filmy curtain) and a half bathroom (toilet and sink only). A big draw to this room is the large oval jacuzzi bathtub that sits between the bedroom and bathroom areas of this room. The toilet and shower are exposed to the rest of the bedroom/bathroom, although both have frosted doors. Only the half bathroom near the entrance to the room (and off the main living area) has a door that can be closed for complete privacy. The large terrace is the real attraction of this room, with a dining table for four people, two reclining lounge chairs (and excellent sunny views all day); two sets of sliding glass doors access the terrace: one from the living room area, and the other from the bedroom area. The only drawback to the terrace is that is completely exposed, and does not contain an umbrella or covered area where you could sit when it is either too sunny or perhaps rainy. The Aqua Suites are located on the ends of the building (which look like steps), and provide perfect ocean views. Aqua Suites are positioned farthest from the elevators, because they are positioned at both ends of the semi-circular building. Sol (Sun) and Luna (Moon) Presidential Suites are the epitome of luxury, from the photos that we have seen, with two bedrooms, two full bathrooms, dining area, bar area, dressing rooms, and a terrace that includes a small lap/plunge pool, outdoor jacuzzi/spa, and terrace space partially covered by a wooden pergola. Tierra (Earth) Suite features two large completely independent (self-contained) rooms, so this suite has two full bathrooms, which we loved because I could use one, and my spouse could use the other, and we did not need to coordinate our schedules. This also means that the suite has two entry doors, two balconies (although they are not connected), two full closets, two minibars, two TVs, two beach bags, four pairs of flip-flops, four pairs of slippers, and four bathrobes. One room is set up as the bedroom, with a king-size bed, chair/ottoman, and square table and two chairs, and the other room is set up as a living area, with a two-piece sectional sofa and a round table with two chairs. The bedding was plush, with crisply starched sheets (replaced daily unless you left a card on the bed), a fluffy duvet, and several different kinds of pillows (two foam, two feather, one long body pillow, decorative bolster/neckroll pillow). We did not see a pillow menu, nor an aromatherapy menu, but the drawer beneath the telephone housed the room-service menu. (Perhaps the rooms should also contain a spa menu to encourage guests to make appointments for treatments?) Each room contained an aromatherapy kit - a little plug-in burner that when warm/heated, produced a great scent. The rooms had flat-screen TVs (not very many English channels other than CNN and about 5 versions of HBO), DVD players (you can borrow movies from the front desk), and iPod docking stations/clocks. A coffee maker and supplies is available, along with a large 2-liter bottle of water. The mini-bars are restocked daily (by the morning maid service) and contain 2 bottled waters (sometimes they were tiny bottles, and other times they were small bottles), 2 Diet Cokes, 2 regular Cokes, 1 Sprite, 1 orange soda, 2 club sodas (or perhaps they were tonic water?), and about 6 beers (2 each of 3 different kinds), as well as snacks including Oreos, potato chips, peanut M&Ms, and granola bars. A 2-line telephone (not cordless), electronic scale, electronic safe (fairly large, could fit an iPad but not a larger laptop), iron and ironing board, and flip-flops and beach bag. The flip-flops did not fit anyone in our group - not only lengthwise, but also width wise (maybe our feet are too chubby?), but the beach bag was large, well-shaped, and very useful. We saw nearly every guest using their beach bag. If you want to take the beach bag home, you can purchase one. Bathrobes are also provided (again, there is a charge if you want to take a bathrobe home). The bathroom contained a separate soaking tub (but it was not a jetted tub), glass-walled shower (which might fit two people but is really comfortably designed for one person; note that the shower door swings both out and in so that you can open it either way), toilet, and sink/vanity. A tiny but powerful and hot hairdryer (not affixed to the wall) is provided, and a lighted makeup magnifying mirror is attached to the wall. The bathroom mirror contains a built-in light in its frame, which is useful as a night light. Closet space is plentiful (including room to hang items (and enough hangers!) as well as drawer space. Although we did not have a do-not-disturb sign in our room, we saw a cute one hanging on someone else’s door (we imagine that unique these signs “disappear” quite easily). We were permitted to check in early (approximately 1:00 pm), but that surely varies based on occupancy the evening prior to your arrival. The air conditioning in our room worked very well, and we often found it to be a bit chilly (admittedly, the weather itself did not top 28 degrees Celsius [81 degrees Farenheit] during the heat of the day, though). The Tierra Suites are located closest to the two elevator banks, although we were not at all bothered by the noise (they were rather silent). Our room was also located directly across from the ice machine, but very few people used it.
EVENING TURNDOWN: Turndown was fairly complete - the only thing missing was a small bottle of water and a drinking glass placed on each beside table/nightstand. The duvet was turned down, trash emptied, towels and toiletries replaced, ice bucket filled, TV/music/lights turned on, and slippers set out. Each night, the turndown service placed some zen object on our nightstand - an incense burner, a tiny musical instrument, or a sand garden with a tiny rake. We never received a rice design on our bed, although the couple who was celebrating the special occasion (in the Aqua Suite) received several. STAYING CONNECTED: Wi-Fi was complimentary in the hotel itself (rooms, lobby, restaurants), but did not work well near the pool or on the beach. At certain times of day, the connectivity was faster than others. Newspapers (both English and Spanish) are available in the lobby near the concierge desk, and in Siete restaurant (although these seem to disappear early in the day at Siete). There is a business center on the Lobby level that contains about four computers and a printer, and secretarial service is available from 7:00 am to 10:00 pm.
DINING: The hotel has 14 food and beverage options: 9 restaurants and 5 bars. Restaurants include Azur, Siete, mb, Sea Corner, Sushi Station, Inlaa'kech Lobster & Grill, Hidden Garden, Varenna, and the Café Deli Boutique. Bars include AKA Bar, Egos Bar, Pool Club, and the Beach Bar. The hotel also offers 24-hour in-room dining (IRD)/room service, and there is a room service menu in one of the nightstands. (We did not use room service, but another couple in our group did several times, and they felt that it generally arrived quickly and correctly and in plentiful amounts.) None of the restaurants (except for Inlaa’kech) accepts reservations. If there is not space for you to dine when you arrive, the hostess will place your name on a waiting list. Azur is located in the pool area and features sea views during the daytime. Azur serves lunch (12:00 noon to 5:00 pm) and dinner (6:30 pm to 11:00 pm). The restaurant has an open-air feeling because it features high vaulted ceilings beneath a thatched palapa roof and surrounded by glass windows on three sides. The open kitchen on the main/pool/entry level, and tables on two subsequent lower levels (the first level has a ramp and is handicap-accessible), as well as outdoor dining overlooking the beach. (The lower level and the deck are not handicap-accessible.) Azur also has a comfortable and trendy-looking lounge area directly on the pool deck that is open from 10:00 am to 11:00 pm. We ate dinner one evening at Azur, and the restaurant went out of its way to show us a special time, personalizing a menu for us from their usual offerings. Siete is the main restaurant for the hotel, offering buffet-style dining for breakfast (6:30 am to 12:00 noon), lunch (1:00 pm to 4:00 pm), and dinner (6:00 pm to 11:00 pm). This restaurant is large, with lots of windows that look out onto the foliage and some of the pools. Most of the restaurant is on the ground/floor level, with some tables just one step up from the main floor (but therefore, not handicap-accessible on that upper level). There is a long communal high-top table near the entrance, but most of the restaurant features individual tables and separate tables that share a banquette wall. The decor features Mexican art and Pop art. We ate breakfast every day at Siete, as well as a few lunches. mb is the fanciest of the restaurants at Live Aqua, open only for dinner (6:00 pm to 11:00 pm). This is the only restaurant with a dress code: men must wear long pants and a shirt with a collar (although that can be a short-sleeved Polo-type shirt). We read that close-toes shoes were also mandatory for men, but we did not see anyone turned away for footwear as we saw them turned away for wearing shorts. This restaurant is elegant, with a partially open kitchen, indoor dining on two levels (the upper level is up about 4 steps from the main floor, and therefore, that level is not handicap-accessible), and some tables outdoors on a covered deck (but without any view). We dined at mb twice - the first time we thought it was excellent, with menu offerings, presentation, and service that is equitable to that of any big city, but our second experience was different (same menu, but the service was lacking, the food cold, and the presentation rushed). On the first night that we dined at mb, we were standing in line to request a table 15 minutes before they opened at 6:00 pm, and we were seated immediately. The second time that we dined, we placed our name on the waiting list at 7:15 pm, and were still waiting 1.5 hours later, when we finally told the hostess to split up our table for 6 people into two smaller tables (at which point we were seated immediately, and very close to one another); one of our only criticisms of the hotel is that they should accept dinner reservations for mb, even if just the morning of. There is a surcharge for certain items such as lobster and premium cuts of meat at mb, but the standard menu is great without needing to pay extra. (Note that initials for the restaurant, mb, represent the name of the Miami-based celebrity chef who set up the restaurant back when it was NOT an all-inclusive, but she no longer has any association with it.) Sea Corner is a completely outdoor restaurant (although it is shaded by a kind of canopy) that is open for lunch only (12:00 noon to 5:00 pm). This restaurant is almost hidden a few steps down from the swim-up pool bar at the far corner of the property. This restaurant is not handicap-accessible. It serves various ceviches, tacos, and other seafood entrees. Sushi Station is located on the Pool level near the AKA Bar and mb restaurant. Sushi Station is a takeout self-service option only open at night (5:00 pm to 11:00 pm); there is no formal seating for Sushi Station, nor is there any table service. (The photograph that we saw on the Live Aqua website that corresponded to the Sushi Station is a bit misleading; it is really a photo of mb.) Inlaa'kech Lobster & Grill is the only restaurant that requires additional cost to dine ($60 per person). The restaurant is outdoors, located between the hotel building and the pool, but does have some open-air roof coverings that provides protection in a drizzle (but not in heavy rain); other tables are completely uncovered. The restaurant is surrounded by foliage, so it is nearly impossible to see in or out. The menu includes steaks, lobster, and kebobs, accented by house-made sauces and marinades. Reservations are requested, and there are three seatings (6:00 pm, 7:30 pm, and 9:30 pm). We ate here one evening, and the food and service were good, but we are not sure that it was worth paying approximately $120 USD extra per couple. (Each couple had a $60 USD resort credit to use towards dining, so in the end, we paid $60 USD per COUPLE, which was more palatable.) This restaurant is mostly handicap-accessible, although some of the seats beneath the roof require a step up, and some of the tables on the ground level have less-than-stable flooring. Hidden Garden is a semi-outdoor restaurant that is located across from Inlaa’kech (between the main hotel building the pools). This restaurant is open for dinner only (6:00 pm to 11:00 pm) and features Asian cuisine. We think that at one time (when Live Aqua was NOT an all-inclusive resort) that this space was used as the outdoor relaxation area for the spa. This restaurant is handicap-accessible, and even has its own restroom (although that requires a step up), which is again probably left over from its days as part of the spa. This is an attractive space, Balinese-looking, with a small waterfall on one wall and another wall with niches that hold glowing candles. Varenna is the new Italian restaurant that opened in mid-November 2013. Open for lunch only (12:00 noon to 5:00 pm), it is an attractive, completely outdoor restaurant. The restaurant was too new when we visited to present menus, but the restaurant offers pasta dishes (several different noodle options paired with several different sauce choices), as well as flatbread pizzas. We are not sure what the final format will be, but when we dined, the servers walked around with different pizzas, and you either requested a slice or passed. Pasta entrees were plated and presented per person. We tried 6 to 8 different pizzas, with ingredients like pulled pork, chicken, vegetables, margarita, brie and apple, and so on. Café Deli Boutique is open from 6:00 am to 10:00 pm. In the morning, the cafe offers coffee, tea, and pastries (if you just want a light breakfast snack, this is the place, rather than going to the buffet at Siete). For breakfast, the staff prepare coffees and other beverages for you, but you serve yourself pastries. The cafe offers sandwiches, desserts, and other snacks during lunch and dinner time. The cafe/boutique sells reading material, sunscreen, clothing, and souvenirs at an additional charge. AKA Bar is located on the Pool level, between Siete and mb. AKA offers bar seating as well as some lounge-type seating, and also has a pool/billiards table and two televisions (the TVs are not large - perhaps 20” - and primarily broadcast sports [moderated in Spanish, of course, even if it is an American game, which is kind of fun to listed to!]). This bar prominently features premium liquors. At night, there is flaming coffee service available, which is a worthwhile sight even if you do not personally drink it. AKA Bar is open all day from 10:00 am to 11:00 pm, but really only gets busy in the evenings. Egos Bar, located on the Lobby level, has a trendy nightclub atmosphere, with a large bar, comfy seating areas, and plenty of space to dance. Egos Bar is open only in the evenings from 7:00 pm to 1:00 am. The Pool Bar (sometimes called Pool Club) is the area surrounding the swim-up bar, and features the most intimate and lively outdoor atmosphere of any of the pools or the beach. Music plays around this bar area, unlike the other pools and beach on the property which are more quiet and restful. This bar is open from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm. One evening we saw a private event (a wedding for about 20+ people) held in this area. The Beach Bar (sometimes called the Shore Club) is located on the sand, open from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm, and features some cute swings where you can sit and have a drink - if you can manage to haul yourself onto one of the high swings, that is! Another dining option is to plan a romantic private dinner on the beach. We did not see anyone doing this, but reportedly, the cost runs between $200 and $300, presumably depending on the menu items chosen. POOLS and
BEACH: The hotel has 8 pools that overlook the wide, white-sand beach. Each pool is a different temperature, based on the color of the pool, with the lightest being the warmest and the darkest being the coldest. The hot tub/jacuzzi spa was a good temperature, although we would have preferred that it was even a bit hotter. One pool contains a swim-up bar with several barstools, so that you can sit down and enjoy a drink while you are in the water. The swim-up pool was generally the busiest and liveliest of all the pools. Note that there is no pool that is reserved solely for Aqua Club members; we had read this information somewhere, but it is not true (perhaps it was accurate when the hotel was NOT an all-inclusive?). Each afternoon, near the hot tub, a cart was set up that served hot dogs, and alongside of the cart was a table with some sort of food/snacks (such as fajitas or paella). We also saw people ordering food right to their beach chairs. The beach fronting Live Aqua is wide and long, with soft white sand and gorgeous aquamarine water. Most of the chairs, umbrellas, and cabanas are set up in close proximity of each other, but the beach has lots of empty space available; if you do not want to meet your neighbors, ask the pool valets to move your chairs elsewhere (the cabanas are stationary). A lifeguard is on duty on the beach during daytime hours.
CABANAS: There are approximately 36 cabanas at the hotel. Each SUITE includes complimentary access to a cabana, so if all the suites are occupied, there is little chance that someone in a regular room (or even in an Aqua Club ROOM) could reserve a cabana. (The cost is $90 per day for those not staying in a suite.) Staying in an Aqua Club ROOM does not entitle you to a cabana (only the Aqua SUITES, Viento Suites, Fuego Suites, Tierra Suites, and Presidential Suites come with a cabana). The cabanas are a bit different than what we have seen at other hotels - they are really just large canopy beds with a comfy mattress, curtains surrounding all four sides that you can open or close, and some type of roof covering. (Some cabanas had a sort-of solid see-through sunshade/sunbrella material, other cabana tops had some wooden dowels that were woven with the sunshade fabric, some had an additional sunshade piece on the front that blocked more sun.) Being sun-lovers, we were concerned that using the cabana bed would not give us enough exposure, but we need not have worried. The cabanas are reserved at the same little hut/desk by the pool where you get your towels (you must provide your room number when you request towels, but you are not given a card and are not held responsible for returning them). You can reserve cabanas one day prior, or you can call down to the pool area to reserve one beginning at 7:00 am. The towel/cabana desk has a small lending library of books that you can borrow. You can book your 20-minute foot massage when you reserve your cabana; foot massages are given from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm (although some staff gave conflicting hours), and one guest can take the full 20 minutes, or you can split the time into two 10-minute massages guests. There are seven cabanas directly on the beach (numbered 1 through 7). There are more than a dozen cabanas located a few steps up from the beach but also a few steps down from the pool deck; these cabanas are on their own “level” and they all face the sea (these MIGHT be numbered 8 through 24). There are another six cabanas near the main pool area (near Varenna restaurant), four other cabanas near the steps down to the Beach Bar (those might be numbers 25-26 and 27-28), and three cabanas near the swim-up pool (might be numbers 30-33). [DO NOT QUOTE US ON THE CABANA NUMBERS; this is just our best guess from what we remember; most of the cabanas are not numbered in any clear way.] We preferred the cabanas on the beach (1 through 7) because they afforded the most space and privacy around them; it was easy to pull two regular lounge chairs between them (actually, you could have fit four chairs between them), whereas the cabanas near the pools were right next to each other (which might be preferable for groups traveling together if you plan to talk all day, but those pool cabanas left little room to pull a regular chair nearby if you wanted full sun). The benefit to sitting at the pool is that they come around with appetizers and shots, which did not happen for the cabanas on the beach. There are several (10+) mattresses on wooden platforms (similar to the cabana beds, just not as high, and not surrounded by the canopy curtain) that are first-come, first-serve, and there are another three raised round beds near the hot tub that are also not reservable. The umbrellas and chairs that used to be set up in front of Azur on the “cabana” level are no longer there - it is just an empty space right now. We are not sure whether they might add more cabanas there, or if something else is planned for that space. In front of this empty Azur area is the outdoor spa where you can get a massage looking right at the ocean. There are plenty of umbrellas available both at the pool and on the beach.
AQUA CLUB: The Aqua Club lounge is located on the fifth floor and has great views of the beach and water. There is also a balcony/outdoor space with a view of the lagoon that has some small tables and where smoking is permitted (it is very windy, though). You can check-in and check-out at the club lounge; they also offer a concierge service if you want to plan any activities or ask for advice. The lounge features a serve-yourself breakfast (with both cold and hot options), afternoon tea, and evening canapes (both hot and cold). Most drinks are served by a staff member; premium liquor bottles are out for display, but the staff prefers to mix drinks for you. (Cans of beer are available self-serve.) Complimentary short 5-minute chair massages are sometimes available. The lounge is nicely decorated with seating arranged in different groupings. There is a good selection of coffee table books for reading while you are there. There is no computer available for guests to use in the lounge; however, there are computers on the Lobby level that are set up as a business center. SPA: The Aqua Spa is open from 9:00 am to 9:00 pm and is located on the Pool level. The surcharge to use the relaxation areas is $20 per day, and also includes the jacuzzi, steam room, sauna, hydrotherapy, and cold bath. Most 50-minute treatments cost approximately $120 USD, including massages, baths, and facials. Other hotel amenities include a fitness center (this large facility, located on the Pool level, overlooks the gardens, and is open from 7:00 am to 9:00 pm), beauty salon (seemed to be open daily from approximately 9:00 am to 5:00 pm), aromatherapy boutique, gift shop/cafe, and conference/meeting rooms. Laundry services are available at an additional fee (shoe shine service is also available, but we are not sure whether there is a charge).
TIMESHARES: Two rooms in our party were not bothered by requests to attend timeshare presentations, however, the third room (the Aqua Suite) received relentless requests (the staff must have thought that is who has the money!). The timeshare proposition happens like this: On arrival (or at various other times during your stay, depending on how aggressive the agents are), you may be approached and asked to take part in a 90-minute timeshare sales pitch for the Fiesta Americana’s Vacation club. For attending, you are given a gift such as free massages or private dinner credits. The salesman tries to build rapport and learn things about you (your income, where and how you vacation) so that they can tailor their sales pitch to you. Then they explain how their vacation club works. Then they ask you to buy it. Each year you own points that you can use to purchase hotel rooms, plane tickets, and so on. They request 20% to 30% as a down payment that day by credit card, and you to pay the balance over 5 years (at 15% interest). There are also yearly fees on top of that price that total approximately $1K.
ACTIVITES/ENTERTAINMENT: This resort does not offer complimentary non-motorized water sports such as sea kayaking, snorkeling, boogie boards, or paddle surfing; however, there is an independent vendor offering jet skiing and parasailing on the beach at the edge of the property, but the representative is not part of the hotel. This resort has no traditional all-inclusive nightly entertainment, although there are two evenings when the hotel offers something special: one evening (Thursday), an outdoor dance club (“Dancing Under the Stars”) was set up near the hot tub/Azur, and another night (a Tuesday, which was not a night that we were there), there was a fire show. From 8:00 pm to 10:00 pm on other nights of the week, live music (piano, violin) is presented at varying indoor locations. The hotel offers many daytime activities, but they are low-key and subtle, such as a Top Chef competition, sushi-making, guacamole lessons, wine-and-cheese-tasting, tequila tasting. For sports activities, the hotel offers yoga (hatha, vinyasa, and couples), volleyball, bocce, ping-pong, billiards, horseshoes, and beach soccer. Catholic Mass (in Spanish, of course!) occurs on Sunday afternoons in the lobby. The resort has resident parrots that fly around the resort from 11:00 am to 12:00 noon each day; you can hold and feed them. The hotel has 2 Rolls Royces with license plates AQUA1 and AQUA2, although these seem to be for display purposes only and are not used to chauffeur guests. The hotel runs a shuttle to different clubs in town in the evenings. We just missed the turtle season, but if you visit the hotel during the early fall, you can help release baby turtles into the ocean when they hatch from their eggs at night! On the Pool level, Lomas Travel and some other tour desks are on-site to help plan your off-site activities and excursions.
ACCESSIBILITY: We traveled with someone who has limited mobility and uses a wheelchair and power scooter. Handicapped access is fairly good. The hotel has six elevators (in two different elevator banks) that are somewhat slow, particularly if you are on the ninth (top) floor, like two of our rooms were. Some rooms can be quite far from the elevator banks. You cannot roll the scooter or wheelchair out on the balconies/terraces easily because of the threshold from the sliding glass door frame. The beach is completely inaccessible (unless someone carries you down), and the restrooms closest to the beach (near the Pool Bar and near Azur) both require a step to enter, making them inaccessible for someone who cannot walk up a step. (Oddly, right next to the Pool Bar (swim-up bar) restrooms is a ramp that leads back to the parrot cages; it would be great if the hotel had some way to connect that “parrot ramp” to the restrooms right next door. Having arrived with only a manual wheelchair, the hotel was able to rent a motorized scooter for us, and was also able to obtain a plastic shower chair. All restaurants (except Sea Corner) are accessible.
EVENT PLANNING: We held a small event at the hotel (for just six guests), and the staff went out of their way to make it truly special. Both our event planner (Gabriella) and our photographer (from Daniel Gastaldi Photography) did a great job! We set up the event via email in the months preceding our arrival, and all communication was prompt and courteous. Originally, we had planned to hold the event on the beach, but after scouting the location, we realized that our handicapped family member would have difficulty reaching that area. Instead, we held the event on the balcony adjacent to the lobby and Egos Bar, which we felt was even more picturesque (and more private) than if we had held it on the beach. There were potted palm trees, a white billowy canopy, pretty chairs with white covers, and appropriate music. The non-denominational officiant led a very touching ceremony, including a sand ritual, and when the event ended, the planner surprised our group when perhaps 15+ staff members surrounded us on the balcony and blew bubbles. How thoughtful!
TIPPING: We brought lots of small bills for tipping. Over the course of 5 days, each couple probably spent about $200: $100 in 1s and $100 in 5s. In general, each couple gave $3 for morning maid service, $3 for evening turndown, $2 for breakfast (buffet), $5 for lunch, $10 for dinner, $5 for foot massage, $3 for cabana set-up, and $2 to $5 for each round of drinks (depending on the number of drinks and degree of difficulty).
SERVICE: Service was great. Prior to arriving at Live Aqua Cancun, we read many reviews online, and most of the reviews mentioned staff by name. After staying at the hotel, we can see why past guests want to specifically mention staff - because they are caring, courteous, and willing to help. We want to compliment Lorena and Fernanda (concierges in the Aqua Club), Gabriella (the event planner), Angie (at the towel/cabana hut), and Luis (who provided great drink service at the beach/pool).
We had a great time at Live Aqua Cancun, and give it a thumbs up!
Pittsburgh: Nine on Nine (October 2010, September 2009, December 2008)
Located in the heart of downtown Pittsburgh’s Cultural District, Nine on Nine provides an intimate, European-scale setting in which to enjoy their elegant cuisine. The menu showcases an artful blend of regionally inspired Contemporary American dishes with an emphasis on simplicity and flavor. Their wine list includes a number of old and new world wines from boutique vintners. From the thoughtfully selected wine to the warm hospitality, Nine on Nine continues to set the standard for dining in Pittsburgh. We once saw Russell Crowe dining here when he was filming "The Next Three Days".
Panama (February 2007)
(includes Panama City and San Blas Islands)
- Day 1: Newark to Panama City (via Atlanta) Delta
http://www.delta.com/
Radisson Decapolis
http://www.radisson.com/panamacitypan
Link to my review on TripAdvisor http://tinyurl.com/2nqhea - Day 2: Panama City (Panama Canal Cruise)
Radisson Decapolis
Link to Canal Transit through Panama Pete Adventures
http://tinyurl.com/2n89ku - Day 3: Panama City (Canyoning/Jungle Challenge)
Radisson Decapolis
Link to Canyoning through Panama Pete Adventures
http://tinyurl.com/2t782c - Day 4: Panama City (free day)
Radisson Decapolis - Day 5: Panama City to San Blas Islands (El Porvenir)
Coral Lodge
http://www.corallodge.com/
Link to my review on TripAdvisor http://tinyurl.com/2sv45m - Day 6: San Blas Coral Lodge
- Day 7: San Blas Coral Lodge
- Day 8: San Blas to Panama City
Bristol Hotel
http://www.thebristol.com/
Link to my review on TripAdvisor
http://tinyurl.com/2wue4a - Day 9: Panama City to Newark (via Atlanta) Delta Airlines
Link to My Review of the Radisson Decapolis
Link to My Review of the Coral Lodge
Link to My Review of Restaurant Casa Blanca
Panama Pete Adventures (previously called Adventures in Panama): We
used Panama Pete Adventures to coordinate our day trips from Panama City. We
paid about $10 more per person per day in order to keep our trips private
rather than trying to add on with another couple or group. We were very pleased
with the agency, and with Pete Garcia, the director (his wife is the owner) who
acted as our guide. He is an America (Florida-born), so his English, as well as
his Spanish, are perfect. We took his "Panama Canal Adventure", which
can be taken on any day of the week, versus the partial and full transits that
take place on Saturdays only. Pete and his driver picked us up at our hotel in Panama
City in a nice air-conditioned van, and we drove along the promenade (Balboa
Avenue) to Flamenco Island/Amador Causeway (which we later went back to for
dinner because it seemed so nice), past the bridges, to the Miraflores Visitors
Center (where we had about 2 hours on our own), then to Gamboa, where we got in
a small boat with Pete, the driver, and someone piloting the boat, and spent a
few hours on the Canal. We also took Pete’s "Jungle Adventure" which
was amazing! Again, we were picked up at our Panama City hotel and driven about
an hour to a place on the Chagres River where we were met by an Embrera Indian
in a dugout canoe. He transfered us by canoe to his village called Parara Puru,
where we suited up in rappelling gear. We took another dugout canoe farther
into the jungle, where we hiked for about an hour uphill to the place where we
started rappelling down four different waterfalls. It's actually called canyoning/canyoneering,
which involves hiking, climbing, rappelling, scrambling, swimming through pools
in the river, walking in/on the riverbed. Going up was harder and scarier than
coming down. We then went back to the Indian village to change and have lunch tilapia
(which they were catching from the river when we arrived, accompanied by plantains
served in banana leaves and fruit--no plates or silverware involved), and we
had some time to look around, shop for handicrafts, etc. You could just take a
trip to the Indian village, which was worth it, but the trip that focuses on
the village only. The Embrera are a beautiful culture, and completely different
than the Kuna we saw later in our trip. Our third full day in Panama City we
spent in Colonial Panama, just walking around. We then flew to the San Blas
(Coral Lodge) for three nights for some rest and relaxation.
Islands: The island where we had breakfast was very small
and very crowded (it was not called Yandup). There were two couples staying
there, but it meant using outdoor bathrooms and traveling to the other islands
to find something to do. There were no stores, school, church or anything on
that island that I could see. It was very small with very little open space to
roam. The island of Nalunega seemed much nicer and bigger. There was a decent
hotel that had traditional bathrooms and running water, as well as a small
beach. Nalunega had a nice school, some small shops (although they were in
hut-type structures), a small Kuna museum (again in a hut), a large basketball
court, etc. It was possible to walk around there, and that island was really
cute and very Gilligan's Island-like. I could have spent the night there if
necessary (not like on the first island), although the accommodations were
still a bit rustic for my taste. The private island where we snorkeled and had
lunch was called Wailydup. There was nowhere to stay on that island. There were
two houses for the people who lived there and run the snack-bar (they also had
decent restrooms). It was absolutely beautiful with white sand, palm trees,
really blue water, and plenty of place to walk around, although the island
wasn't huge.
Panama City: Bristol (February 2007)
Rooms: The first thing I appreciated was the carpeting, after having spent 7 nights with tile floors. We had a standard room (we were not upgraded as we had hoped due to our Leading Hotels of the World club membership), but it was a nice size, with a king-size bed, chair and ottoman, desk and chair, large armoire with TV, DVD player, CD player, valet stand, closet (with safe), and bar area (including a nicely-stocked minibar). There was a plate of several pieces of fruit there when we arrived (banana, pear, apple), and the lighting and music was set in welcome. Imagine our surprise, when another more extensive fruit plate was delivered later (tons of strawberries, two more pears, half a fresh coconut, two kiwi halves, and some yummy meringue cookies) and decorated with orchids. I’m not sure if everyone receives the larger plate, or if it was because we are members of the Leading Hotels of the World club. Our bed was also turned down, with robes and slippers laid out, as well as bedside mats and caramel candies. The bathroom was huge, with separate bathtub and glass-enclosed shower. Toiletries were slightly above-average, with soaps, shampoo, conditioner, lotion. There was a hair dryer in one of the bathroom drawers, and fluffy towels were plentiful. The lighting in the room was excellent, so atypical for most hotels. The rooms were very soundproof.
Restaurant/Food: Barandas was a great meal, and after feeling a little food-deprived over the past three days, we indulged in a four-course meal. Everything was presented perfectly using unique ingredients. The meal cost about $100, including a few drinks, similar or a little below the cost we would have paid for an equivalent meal in the US. There is a dress code in the restaurant—men cannot wear “slippers”, meaning flip flops or sandals of any kind (though, gratefully, the maitre ‘d seated us anyway in the back, because it would have been a shame to miss that meal). The “cigar” bar (where you can’t smoke cigars any longer) was really hopping, with live music and excellent service (but it is tiny and clubby-feeling).
Taxi: A taxi to the airport arranged by the Bristol was $35, which could be added directly to the hotel bill. If you went outside and arranged the taxi on your own, you could expect to pay $25.
Other info: We didn’t use the health club. There was a doorman, but we didn’t see a bellman. The lobby registration desk is somewhat non-traditional, meaning no “counter” is provided just two small desks/tables with chairs. The wakeup call comes accompanied by a coffee service—a nice touch! The hotel was sold out on the Friday evening that we stayed there, so be sure to make a reservation. There was a gas station/convenience store about a block away to buy drinks and snacks, if necessary. E-mail communication was sporadic: sometimes I received a response, and other times it was not acknowledged.
Overall: We spent only one night at the Bristol earlier this month before flying out of Panama City en route back to the US. It was like an oasis in the desert! I would highly recommend this hotel and would definitely stay there again. If they had a swimming pool or even an outdoor lounging area, we would have stayed at the beginning of our trip as well. It’s definitely an elegant, first-class Panama hotel.
Restaurant/Food: Barandas was a great meal, and after feeling a little food-deprived over the past three days, we indulged in a four-course meal. Everything was presented perfectly using unique ingredients. The meal cost about $100, including a few drinks, similar or a little below the cost we would have paid for an equivalent meal in the US. There is a dress code in the restaurant—men cannot wear “slippers”, meaning flip flops or sandals of any kind (though, gratefully, the maitre ‘d seated us anyway in the back, because it would have been a shame to miss that meal). The “cigar” bar (where you can’t smoke cigars any longer) was really hopping, with live music and excellent service (but it is tiny and clubby-feeling).
Taxi: A taxi to the airport arranged by the Bristol was $35, which could be added directly to the hotel bill. If you went outside and arranged the taxi on your own, you could expect to pay $25.
Other info: We didn’t use the health club. There was a doorman, but we didn’t see a bellman. The lobby registration desk is somewhat non-traditional, meaning no “counter” is provided just two small desks/tables with chairs. The wakeup call comes accompanied by a coffee service—a nice touch! The hotel was sold out on the Friday evening that we stayed there, so be sure to make a reservation. There was a gas station/convenience store about a block away to buy drinks and snacks, if necessary. E-mail communication was sporadic: sometimes I received a response, and other times it was not acknowledged.
Overall: We spent only one night at the Bristol earlier this month before flying out of Panama City en route back to the US. It was like an oasis in the desert! I would highly recommend this hotel and would definitely stay there again. If they had a swimming pool or even an outdoor lounging area, we would have stayed at the beginning of our trip as well. It’s definitely an elegant, first-class Panama hotel.
Panama City: Coral Lodge (February 2007)
Summary: We stayed at the Coral Lodge for 3 nights earlier this month, and were, on the whole, satisfied. I think the hotel has real potential, but still has a long way to go in several areas. Our main issue began the afternoon prior to arrival, when we received two frantic messages on our hotel voice mail asking us to call due to a problem with our reservation. Of course, no one answered the phone in the Panama City office that we were asked to call, so after speculating for some time over what the problem could be (Was the Lodge closed? Did they not have our reservation? Was our flight to the San Blas oversold or cancelled?), we were forced to call the Lodge directly on our own dime. I believe that Rob, one of the managers answered the telephone, but he had no idea why Ursula was contacting us. To his credit, he said he would find out, and that someone would try to call us back within the hour. (We only realized after arrival how lucky we were that someone was in the main Lodge at the time that we called.) We did receive a call back from Ursula in Panama City, who told us that Bungalow/Villa #6, which we were promised for the PAST TEN MONTHS, would not be available to us during our stay. When we asked what Bungalow number we were assigned, she said she would find out and call us back. We were assigned #5, the second-best one, and she offered some other amends for our troubles. Everyone at the lodge tried to blame the bungalow mixup on one of their previous employees, Lisabeth, but I have copies of every letter and e-mail that I sent to the Coral Lodge over the past ten month, and in EACH and EVERY letter, it stated the villa number that I was promised. I even have several e-mail directly from the OWNER stating “Not to worry, you are set for number 6”. When we asked him directly, he too blamed the previous employee for the mixup. Obviously, that was essentially lying to my face. I would have been happier had he or anyone else there accepted responsibility. When I returned home, there was an e-mail from Laurie and Rob, the managers, stating the problem, and telling me that another couple was promised that same bungalow before me. Again, another lie, since after speaking to that couple, they had booked their room months after I did. To their credit, they had to move halfway during their stay, because the bungalow problem had affected them in the same way earlier in the week. Enough about that--my point is--don’t request a specific bungalow and think that you’ll get it, even if you receive written confirmation from the Lodge, the managers, or the owner. Had this been my honeymoon or some other extra-special vacation, I would have been seriously dissapointed. In actuality, the bungalows are all the same, just differ in their distance from shore (and they are all pretty far from shore).
Rooms: The bungalows were attractive. I think each had a king-size bed, which was the more common two twin beds pushed together. There was a dresser and hanging closet area for clothes storage. There were two chairs and a small coffee table for sitting. The bathtub is part of the bedroom area, though I don’t know how on earth one could fill it and actually use it. It looks nice and romantic, but with the water pressure and water temperature being what they were, it would have taken hours to fill and days to heat. The toilet was in its own enclosed closet, and the sink was just off that but more a part of the whole bungalow.
Sheets/Towels/Toiletries: Upon arrival, Laurie told us that we should let them know if we wanted our sheets laundered, otherwise they would not be changed. Knowing that we were staying in an eco-hotel, we had planned prior to arrival that we would just use the same sheets for our three night stay. We had also planned to use the same towels in trying to help the ecosystem. Also at check-in (which isn’t done in any formal way at any desk or anything, you are just shown to your room), Laurie said that if any towels were left lying on the flloor, that would be a sign they we would like them changed for new ones. When we returned from dinner our first night there, our toilet had leaked, and we used most of the hand towels to soak up the mess. Since it was late at night, and there was no way to communicate with anyone short of trekking back down the boardwalk, we cleaned it up ourselves and used a bottle to catch the dripping. Unfortunately, those wet, sopping towels were NEVER replaced during our remaining stay. As someone who stayed at Thanksgiving reviewed, had I know that, I would have let the water flood the floor and saved my towels for myself. But to be fair, we never requested the new towels, we just hoped that someone would notice. Since you couldn’t call down to anyone to ask for new ones, we would have needed to remember what we wanted and then ask down at the main Lodge when we encountered someone (which wasn’t always a sure thing). As the guest of a $420 per night hotel, I would have HOPED that I could have at least received replacement towels for those clearly unusable ones. We also received two beach towels to use during our stay. (Upon leaving on our boat departure, we heard Laurie call out to Rob to remember to purchase laundry detergent in Santa Isabel, which made us wonder if perhaps they didn’t have the supplies that they needed to do the laundry and thus replace the towels.) As with all hotel rooms, there wasn’t enough light. Not a big deal, though. The air conditioning worked fine, and there were many windows for cross-ventilation if you wanted the breeze to blow through (the breezes are very strong and are very welcomed). There are three lounge chairs on the deck, as well as a hanging swing chair (only villa #1 was missing that) anda stepladder that can be lowered down to the water (although it does rest on the coral, which didn’t seem very ecologically friendly to us). The toiletries were made by ProTerra: peach soap for your face and coconut for your body, with two tubes of conditioning shampoo (which I normally don’t like but did here) and a shower cap. No body lotion or other amenities. There are no bathrobes or slippers, and there is no hairdryer (although Laurie did lend hers to me for my stay). Obviously no television or radio, and no actual clock (although the air conditioning control had some sort of a clock on it). The overhead fan works pretty well, and our room was always cool and comfortably temperature-wise. We brought along a portable DVD player with movies and music and were glad that we did--it really came in handy and would have been a godsend had we had poor weather where we were confined to our bungalow. There did seem to be a TV and VCR in the Lodge, but I think it was for staff use (although they might have let you watch along).
Water: We encountered some water pressure problems on arrival, which made me fearful that they would continue for the entire trip, which, that goodness, they didn’t. Just an anomaly where there water tank emptied and hadn’t been refilled. While the water pressure in the bungalows (e.g. sink and shower) was not like being in a five star hotel, I’ve actually had worse pressure and temperature IN some five star hotels. I would say it was as expected. Note that due to the low lighting in the bungalows, it is rather dark taking a shower after sunset. There is an odd window in the shower that leads to the sink area, where there is light, but it’s still rather dark in the enclosed space. The could have used some shelving/racking in the shower to hold shampoo, razors, etc. As it was, I had to set those items on the floor, which was less convenient. Each bungalow seems to have its own heating on-demand system, and while the water was never superhot (in our room at least, we heard others were scalding), it was certainly comfortable for showering. While the water pressure in the rooms was fine, the water pressure in the bathroom at the main Lodge (near the pool) was awful. The toilets often did not flush at all, and it was IMPOSSIBLE to wash ones hands in the bathroom sinks with the mere trickle of water that was there. I tried them at various times of the day, and it was always the same--PITIFUL! It made me glad that I had my hepatitis A and B boosters before arriving, since they had to wash the food, etc using that same pitiful dribble of water. There were NO signs anywhere telling you NOT to drink the water. We heard that they had their own water treatment/purification plant nearby, but I don’t know that for a fact. Also please note that due to the sensitive plumbing, you canNOT flush any toilet paper. Everything must go into a nearby wastecan, which is emptied twice per day (while you are at breakfast and again while you are at dinner). It’s not the first time I have had to do that, but reminders are usually posted everywhere since it’s so AGAINST the norm where most people live.
Food: The food was great. Myra the chef is just 21 years old, brought to Panama by the owner from Peru. Breakfast consisteted of a fruit plate starter drizzled with honey (e.g., mango, papaya, pineapple, watermelon, canteloupe combination), followed by your choice of hot entree (e.g., French toast, banana or pineapple pancakes, any type of eggs, scrambled eggs mixed with cheese and/or ham and/or veggies, toast with butter and preserves, bacon, sausage). Breakfast was the most filling meal of the day. Lunch and dinner were pre-set menus, and there were no choices. As expected, fish was featured prominently. We had some excellent white fish dishes, always covered with some type of sauce or cheese (I’m not a huge fish eater, so I loved that they had sauces, but if you are a purist, it might affect your review). One evening we had linguine with crab sauce. Carbohydrates were prominent as well, and potatoes and white coconut rice were often accompaniments. There were very little vegetables served, and almost no salads. The portions were on the small side, and I never left the table feeling full or bloated, which was a good thing but unexpected after the enormous portions that we receive in the states. It almost made me think of spa cuisine: fresh and healthy-looking, but nothing in overabundance. I don’t know how a healthy-sized man wouldn’t be hungry, though. I’m certain that they would have provided more food if asked, but no one made any comment to that effect and we would have felt badly doing so. But I’m sure they don’t want their guests to go hungry, so if you need more, speak up. An easy solution and a way to add filling bulk would have been to offer bread or rolls with lunch or dinner, but we did not receive any (but there was the toast at breakfast, which you had to specifically request). Lunch and dinner were three course affairs. As I said, Myra has some real talent, and we appreciated her innovativeness in using unique ingredients and thoughtful presentation. (No, they weren’t New York five star meals, but I didn’t expect them to be. Relatively speaking, they were 4.5 star meals, when compared with the meals that I ate in Panama City before/after the Coral Lodge (Barandas Restaurant at the Bristol Hotel and Ten Bistro at the Hotel DeVille being only slightly better, and still not NY-style five star (but if you want that, why even leave the states?) Breakfast is served from 7:30 to 9:30, lunch from 1:30 to 2:30, and dinner is at 8:00. You can eat breakfast and lunch anytime during those hours, and there are separate tables for each room (or you can join together if you like). Everyone seemed to gather at the Lodge just prior to 8:00, and then there was an announcement made that the food was ready and everyone could be seated (again at separate tables unless you wanted to join a larger group). We (as well as some other guests) would have liked to see the menu for each meal written on a small chalkboard so we would really know what we were eating. It was a guessing-game at times, albeit not a totally unpleasant one, I would have like to know more about the food/ingredients. There are NO menus, and everyone eats the same food for every meal (there are NO choices between entrees except for breakfast).
Drinks: The guests are reliant on the staff to serve them any type of beverage. There was a large bottle of water in our room on arrival, but that was the extent of beverages being freely available. It would have been impossible to run up the $500 bar bill that we had envisioned because there was no one to serve you the drinks. Ladies, if you are imagining sipping pina coladas by the poolside, I’m not even sure that they have a blender. To be fair, whenever we asked for a drink, we were given one, but it was necessary to first find a staff member to help you. I would have liked to be able to access bottled water and/or something else non-alcoholic (since that was included with the room rate) freely whenever I wanted. There was almost a feeling of guilt when requesting more drinks. I know that I drink more water than the average person due to some medical issues, but I didn’t like feeling trapped by having to find someone when I was thirsty. There were clear signs on both kitchen doors that those areas were off limits to guest. There was a selection of wines for purchase (maybe 10 different bottle, varying in price from $16 to $26 to $36 dollars per bottle or $5 per glass). I NEVER saw anyone drink a mixed drink or fruity drink the entire time I was there. It was either wine or beer. Many people seemed to order the natural coconuts to drink, which required someone to hack off the end of the coconut so that a straw could be inserted for sipping. I tried one, but wouldn’t have ordered a second. Very odd tasting, in my opinion, but others clearly loved them.
Staff: Myra the chef was great. Sophia the waitress was excellent. She was the one person on staff who we felt truly made an effort to interact and please/serve us. Her English was very good, having been a Spanish/English teacher previously, although she was clearly very young. Laurie and Rob, the managers, seemed to spend as much time “playing” as managing: often swimming in the pool, etc., which was a little too familiar for my tastes.
Activites: Defnitely do the “booze cruise”, but please ask them to rename it! They are doing themselves an injustice by calling it that. I’ve been on many a booze cruise, and this isn’t one. Its more of a leisurely ride on the water accompanied by a cooler full of drinks. Not the raucous, rowdy booze cruises I’ve been on in the past. Fortunately, we looked past the name, because it was a great way to spend two hours prior to sunset. The cost was $20 per person for the boat and the drinks. We had planned to take one of the kayak tours (either the guided one or the glass-bottom one) but that was not to be. When we mentioned it to one of the managers, she seemed uninterested in taking us out, although she certainly recommended us going out on our own. We just weren’t comfortable doing that, and we didn’t ask again. I have NO idea where the glass-bottom kayak was! The moral is be sure to ask for what you want and be assertive.
Boat Transfer (Outgoing): The transfer FROM the Coral Lodge to Miramar is incredibly WET and BUMPY. BE SURE to put on the RAINCOAT that they provide, and use the life jacket as a backrest. One of my vertebrae is really swollen from bumping against the boat. We took the open boat on departure, while we used the enclosed boat on arrival as well as for the booze cruise. I could tell that I would be in pain during the ride out, but I couldn’t let go of the rainjacket covering me for an instant, or I would have been soaked. Some of the men didn’t use the jackets, and they absolutely had to change clothes upon arrival because they were COMPLETELY SOAKED. We would have dressed differently had we known, but when we asked Rob, the manager, if the ride out was more or less rocky (and we also meant wet, I think) that on the way in, and he said that OUT was BETTER. NOTSO!! The boat ride to Miramar is about 40 minutes, then it’s another 30 minutes by road to Portobello (they used big SUVs that were quite comfortable) where you can walk around the forts and the church. We visited right after Carnival, so one of the forts was still decked out with black and red banners, which looked quite pretty. We then went to Las Anclas at the Cocoplum Dive Resort for lunch, which was an enjoyable meal (and very plentiful). There was a set menu of plantain chip appetizer, fish, octopus, rice, plantain chips, and carrots for the main meal, followed by ice cream. One drink was included, either alcoholic on non. The restaurant seemed pretty clean, and I had no hesitation about eating there. Then another 40 minutes to Colon, where you either branched off and took the road south to Panama City, or you could catch the Trans-Isthmus Canal Railway back to Panama City. The train took an hour, probably as long as the drive, except that it didn’t leave Colon until 5:15, so we had about 40 minutes to look around there before boarding. We enjoyed the train and were glad that we had another view of the Canal. The Coral Lodge also coordinated a transfer from the train station in PC to our hotel, which we weren’t expecting. That was a nice surprise, and now the charges for the train excursion seem to make more sense (we valued the transfer at $20, and our lunch at Las Anclas, which was also included with the train “fee”, was probably worth $20; the train itself was $22 for a one-way ticket).
Boat Transfer (Incoming): The tour of the Kuna village and the island of Wailydup was very enjoyable. We were met at El Porvenir airport (we flew Aeroperlas, and Porvenir was our first stop) and transfered by a type of dugout canoe to one of the Kuna Islands for breakfast. Be sure to use the restroom--you have to see it to believe it. We then went to the island of Nalunega, where were walked around the village and saw a Kuna museum and school. (We had seem the Embrera Puru indians earlier in our trip, and that culture was much more majestic and classy that they Kuna. We compared it to the Amish versus the Mennonites, where the Amish--in this case the Embrera--live the pure lifestyle that they always have, while the Mennonites--in this case the Kuna--take advantage of some modern conveniences). The island of Waily dup where were snorkeled was one of the prettiest islands I have been too, and the lobster lunch was such a treat in such a remote location. It reminded us of a Corona commercial. But be warned, on the hotel website, it mentions a private island, so we had the impression that no one else but Lodge guests would be there. Imagine our surprise when a full motor boatload of cruise passengers pulled up and disembarked. They didn’t get in our way at all, we just didn’t expect there to be so many people on our own private island. Still, it was one of the most pleasant parts of our trip to the San Blas. The island had bathrooms and a small restaurant/snack bar, which would have been nice to know beforehand. I thought it was a totally remote without any modern conveniences, and I was glad that it wasn’t.
Flight (Incoming): We used Aeroperlas. The flight had three of 20 seats empty, so it wasn’t oversold. A typical “puddle-jumper” plane; nothing unexpected or surprising. It was a bit dark, since we landed at 6:30 am, so there wasn’t any opportunity for picture taking on the flight. We arrived at the airport an hour early, which was necessary. The check-in agents opened at 5:00, but anyone there prior to that simply lined up their bags, then sat down to wait. Very neat and orderly. All luggage was hand-inspected in front of us. It moved much more quickly than anticipated. The Albrook airport has two small cafes and one small store selling sundry items.
Bugs/Sun: Be sure to bring along enough sunscreen and bug spray. The sun is really unforgiving, and you don’t really realize it because of the strong breeze. The no-see-ums are as bad as everyone says (although they seemed to like my husband a lot more than they liked me) and you don’t want to be bitten any more than possible. You might also want some water shoes if you are planning to swim from your bungalow, since you’ll have to step on the coral in order to reach your ladder.
Library/Games: There is a small lending library in the main Lodge. We left a book and took one with us. They might have 20 to 30 books in all on all subjects. They also have a few games, including Rummycube and Scrabble (both Spanish and English versions).
Gift Shop: There is no formal gift shop, although Laurie mentioned that they had sunscreen and toothhpaste and the like for sale if needed. They did have some polo shirts with their logo for sale, and I heard that either Myra or Sophia had some paitings and/or molas for sale.
Tips: On the hotel website, they recommend tipping $20 per day for each day of your stay, and they give you an evelope at the end for that purpose. You could indicate on the envelope if you wanted specific amounts to go to specific people; otherwise, they were evenly split among the 11 employees.
Darkness: While it is dark at night, it is not as dark as some places we have been that also have no ambient light. You are provided a flashlight to walk to/from dinner, but we never needed it. We did visit close to a full moon, though, so it may have been brighter than at other times.
Internet: There was internet available at the cost of $10 per half-hour. We did not use it, but someone always seemed to be on the computer.
Walkie-Talkie/Communication: We were offered a walkie-talkie when shown to our room, but we were made to feel that we shouldn’t have accepted, because, as the manager stated, “Okay, then I guess we’ll try to keep ours on in case you need something.” I had NO illusions that I wouldn’t have EVER had any response had I tried to raise someone in hopes of communication. NO one was going to be manning the other end of that thing.
Helicopter: If you have an extra $1100 to spend, you can arrange for a helicopter transfer from Panama City (that’s EACH WAY).
My Suggestions for the Coral Lodge: Even though they didn’t ask (and usually there’s SOME type of questionnaire to fill out asking for helpful advice), here’s what I think:
Rooms: The bungalows were attractive. I think each had a king-size bed, which was the more common two twin beds pushed together. There was a dresser and hanging closet area for clothes storage. There were two chairs and a small coffee table for sitting. The bathtub is part of the bedroom area, though I don’t know how on earth one could fill it and actually use it. It looks nice and romantic, but with the water pressure and water temperature being what they were, it would have taken hours to fill and days to heat. The toilet was in its own enclosed closet, and the sink was just off that but more a part of the whole bungalow.
Sheets/Towels/Toiletries: Upon arrival, Laurie told us that we should let them know if we wanted our sheets laundered, otherwise they would not be changed. Knowing that we were staying in an eco-hotel, we had planned prior to arrival that we would just use the same sheets for our three night stay. We had also planned to use the same towels in trying to help the ecosystem. Also at check-in (which isn’t done in any formal way at any desk or anything, you are just shown to your room), Laurie said that if any towels were left lying on the flloor, that would be a sign they we would like them changed for new ones. When we returned from dinner our first night there, our toilet had leaked, and we used most of the hand towels to soak up the mess. Since it was late at night, and there was no way to communicate with anyone short of trekking back down the boardwalk, we cleaned it up ourselves and used a bottle to catch the dripping. Unfortunately, those wet, sopping towels were NEVER replaced during our remaining stay. As someone who stayed at Thanksgiving reviewed, had I know that, I would have let the water flood the floor and saved my towels for myself. But to be fair, we never requested the new towels, we just hoped that someone would notice. Since you couldn’t call down to anyone to ask for new ones, we would have needed to remember what we wanted and then ask down at the main Lodge when we encountered someone (which wasn’t always a sure thing). As the guest of a $420 per night hotel, I would have HOPED that I could have at least received replacement towels for those clearly unusable ones. We also received two beach towels to use during our stay. (Upon leaving on our boat departure, we heard Laurie call out to Rob to remember to purchase laundry detergent in Santa Isabel, which made us wonder if perhaps they didn’t have the supplies that they needed to do the laundry and thus replace the towels.) As with all hotel rooms, there wasn’t enough light. Not a big deal, though. The air conditioning worked fine, and there were many windows for cross-ventilation if you wanted the breeze to blow through (the breezes are very strong and are very welcomed). There are three lounge chairs on the deck, as well as a hanging swing chair (only villa #1 was missing that) anda stepladder that can be lowered down to the water (although it does rest on the coral, which didn’t seem very ecologically friendly to us). The toiletries were made by ProTerra: peach soap for your face and coconut for your body, with two tubes of conditioning shampoo (which I normally don’t like but did here) and a shower cap. No body lotion or other amenities. There are no bathrobes or slippers, and there is no hairdryer (although Laurie did lend hers to me for my stay). Obviously no television or radio, and no actual clock (although the air conditioning control had some sort of a clock on it). The overhead fan works pretty well, and our room was always cool and comfortably temperature-wise. We brought along a portable DVD player with movies and music and were glad that we did--it really came in handy and would have been a godsend had we had poor weather where we were confined to our bungalow. There did seem to be a TV and VCR in the Lodge, but I think it was for staff use (although they might have let you watch along).
Water: We encountered some water pressure problems on arrival, which made me fearful that they would continue for the entire trip, which, that goodness, they didn’t. Just an anomaly where there water tank emptied and hadn’t been refilled. While the water pressure in the bungalows (e.g. sink and shower) was not like being in a five star hotel, I’ve actually had worse pressure and temperature IN some five star hotels. I would say it was as expected. Note that due to the low lighting in the bungalows, it is rather dark taking a shower after sunset. There is an odd window in the shower that leads to the sink area, where there is light, but it’s still rather dark in the enclosed space. The could have used some shelving/racking in the shower to hold shampoo, razors, etc. As it was, I had to set those items on the floor, which was less convenient. Each bungalow seems to have its own heating on-demand system, and while the water was never superhot (in our room at least, we heard others were scalding), it was certainly comfortable for showering. While the water pressure in the rooms was fine, the water pressure in the bathroom at the main Lodge (near the pool) was awful. The toilets often did not flush at all, and it was IMPOSSIBLE to wash ones hands in the bathroom sinks with the mere trickle of water that was there. I tried them at various times of the day, and it was always the same--PITIFUL! It made me glad that I had my hepatitis A and B boosters before arriving, since they had to wash the food, etc using that same pitiful dribble of water. There were NO signs anywhere telling you NOT to drink the water. We heard that they had their own water treatment/purification plant nearby, but I don’t know that for a fact. Also please note that due to the sensitive plumbing, you canNOT flush any toilet paper. Everything must go into a nearby wastecan, which is emptied twice per day (while you are at breakfast and again while you are at dinner). It’s not the first time I have had to do that, but reminders are usually posted everywhere since it’s so AGAINST the norm where most people live.
Food: The food was great. Myra the chef is just 21 years old, brought to Panama by the owner from Peru. Breakfast consisteted of a fruit plate starter drizzled with honey (e.g., mango, papaya, pineapple, watermelon, canteloupe combination), followed by your choice of hot entree (e.g., French toast, banana or pineapple pancakes, any type of eggs, scrambled eggs mixed with cheese and/or ham and/or veggies, toast with butter and preserves, bacon, sausage). Breakfast was the most filling meal of the day. Lunch and dinner were pre-set menus, and there were no choices. As expected, fish was featured prominently. We had some excellent white fish dishes, always covered with some type of sauce or cheese (I’m not a huge fish eater, so I loved that they had sauces, but if you are a purist, it might affect your review). One evening we had linguine with crab sauce. Carbohydrates were prominent as well, and potatoes and white coconut rice were often accompaniments. There were very little vegetables served, and almost no salads. The portions were on the small side, and I never left the table feeling full or bloated, which was a good thing but unexpected after the enormous portions that we receive in the states. It almost made me think of spa cuisine: fresh and healthy-looking, but nothing in overabundance. I don’t know how a healthy-sized man wouldn’t be hungry, though. I’m certain that they would have provided more food if asked, but no one made any comment to that effect and we would have felt badly doing so. But I’m sure they don’t want their guests to go hungry, so if you need more, speak up. An easy solution and a way to add filling bulk would have been to offer bread or rolls with lunch or dinner, but we did not receive any (but there was the toast at breakfast, which you had to specifically request). Lunch and dinner were three course affairs. As I said, Myra has some real talent, and we appreciated her innovativeness in using unique ingredients and thoughtful presentation. (No, they weren’t New York five star meals, but I didn’t expect them to be. Relatively speaking, they were 4.5 star meals, when compared with the meals that I ate in Panama City before/after the Coral Lodge (Barandas Restaurant at the Bristol Hotel and Ten Bistro at the Hotel DeVille being only slightly better, and still not NY-style five star (but if you want that, why even leave the states?) Breakfast is served from 7:30 to 9:30, lunch from 1:30 to 2:30, and dinner is at 8:00. You can eat breakfast and lunch anytime during those hours, and there are separate tables for each room (or you can join together if you like). Everyone seemed to gather at the Lodge just prior to 8:00, and then there was an announcement made that the food was ready and everyone could be seated (again at separate tables unless you wanted to join a larger group). We (as well as some other guests) would have liked to see the menu for each meal written on a small chalkboard so we would really know what we were eating. It was a guessing-game at times, albeit not a totally unpleasant one, I would have like to know more about the food/ingredients. There are NO menus, and everyone eats the same food for every meal (there are NO choices between entrees except for breakfast).
Drinks: The guests are reliant on the staff to serve them any type of beverage. There was a large bottle of water in our room on arrival, but that was the extent of beverages being freely available. It would have been impossible to run up the $500 bar bill that we had envisioned because there was no one to serve you the drinks. Ladies, if you are imagining sipping pina coladas by the poolside, I’m not even sure that they have a blender. To be fair, whenever we asked for a drink, we were given one, but it was necessary to first find a staff member to help you. I would have liked to be able to access bottled water and/or something else non-alcoholic (since that was included with the room rate) freely whenever I wanted. There was almost a feeling of guilt when requesting more drinks. I know that I drink more water than the average person due to some medical issues, but I didn’t like feeling trapped by having to find someone when I was thirsty. There were clear signs on both kitchen doors that those areas were off limits to guest. There was a selection of wines for purchase (maybe 10 different bottle, varying in price from $16 to $26 to $36 dollars per bottle or $5 per glass). I NEVER saw anyone drink a mixed drink or fruity drink the entire time I was there. It was either wine or beer. Many people seemed to order the natural coconuts to drink, which required someone to hack off the end of the coconut so that a straw could be inserted for sipping. I tried one, but wouldn’t have ordered a second. Very odd tasting, in my opinion, but others clearly loved them.
Staff: Myra the chef was great. Sophia the waitress was excellent. She was the one person on staff who we felt truly made an effort to interact and please/serve us. Her English was very good, having been a Spanish/English teacher previously, although she was clearly very young. Laurie and Rob, the managers, seemed to spend as much time “playing” as managing: often swimming in the pool, etc., which was a little too familiar for my tastes.
Activites: Defnitely do the “booze cruise”, but please ask them to rename it! They are doing themselves an injustice by calling it that. I’ve been on many a booze cruise, and this isn’t one. Its more of a leisurely ride on the water accompanied by a cooler full of drinks. Not the raucous, rowdy booze cruises I’ve been on in the past. Fortunately, we looked past the name, because it was a great way to spend two hours prior to sunset. The cost was $20 per person for the boat and the drinks. We had planned to take one of the kayak tours (either the guided one or the glass-bottom one) but that was not to be. When we mentioned it to one of the managers, she seemed uninterested in taking us out, although she certainly recommended us going out on our own. We just weren’t comfortable doing that, and we didn’t ask again. I have NO idea where the glass-bottom kayak was! The moral is be sure to ask for what you want and be assertive.
Boat Transfer (Outgoing): The transfer FROM the Coral Lodge to Miramar is incredibly WET and BUMPY. BE SURE to put on the RAINCOAT that they provide, and use the life jacket as a backrest. One of my vertebrae is really swollen from bumping against the boat. We took the open boat on departure, while we used the enclosed boat on arrival as well as for the booze cruise. I could tell that I would be in pain during the ride out, but I couldn’t let go of the rainjacket covering me for an instant, or I would have been soaked. Some of the men didn’t use the jackets, and they absolutely had to change clothes upon arrival because they were COMPLETELY SOAKED. We would have dressed differently had we known, but when we asked Rob, the manager, if the ride out was more or less rocky (and we also meant wet, I think) that on the way in, and he said that OUT was BETTER. NOTSO!! The boat ride to Miramar is about 40 minutes, then it’s another 30 minutes by road to Portobello (they used big SUVs that were quite comfortable) where you can walk around the forts and the church. We visited right after Carnival, so one of the forts was still decked out with black and red banners, which looked quite pretty. We then went to Las Anclas at the Cocoplum Dive Resort for lunch, which was an enjoyable meal (and very plentiful). There was a set menu of plantain chip appetizer, fish, octopus, rice, plantain chips, and carrots for the main meal, followed by ice cream. One drink was included, either alcoholic on non. The restaurant seemed pretty clean, and I had no hesitation about eating there. Then another 40 minutes to Colon, where you either branched off and took the road south to Panama City, or you could catch the Trans-Isthmus Canal Railway back to Panama City. The train took an hour, probably as long as the drive, except that it didn’t leave Colon until 5:15, so we had about 40 minutes to look around there before boarding. We enjoyed the train and were glad that we had another view of the Canal. The Coral Lodge also coordinated a transfer from the train station in PC to our hotel, which we weren’t expecting. That was a nice surprise, and now the charges for the train excursion seem to make more sense (we valued the transfer at $20, and our lunch at Las Anclas, which was also included with the train “fee”, was probably worth $20; the train itself was $22 for a one-way ticket).
Boat Transfer (Incoming): The tour of the Kuna village and the island of Wailydup was very enjoyable. We were met at El Porvenir airport (we flew Aeroperlas, and Porvenir was our first stop) and transfered by a type of dugout canoe to one of the Kuna Islands for breakfast. Be sure to use the restroom--you have to see it to believe it. We then went to the island of Nalunega, where were walked around the village and saw a Kuna museum and school. (We had seem the Embrera Puru indians earlier in our trip, and that culture was much more majestic and classy that they Kuna. We compared it to the Amish versus the Mennonites, where the Amish--in this case the Embrera--live the pure lifestyle that they always have, while the Mennonites--in this case the Kuna--take advantage of some modern conveniences). The island of Waily dup where were snorkeled was one of the prettiest islands I have been too, and the lobster lunch was such a treat in such a remote location. It reminded us of a Corona commercial. But be warned, on the hotel website, it mentions a private island, so we had the impression that no one else but Lodge guests would be there. Imagine our surprise when a full motor boatload of cruise passengers pulled up and disembarked. They didn’t get in our way at all, we just didn’t expect there to be so many people on our own private island. Still, it was one of the most pleasant parts of our trip to the San Blas. The island had bathrooms and a small restaurant/snack bar, which would have been nice to know beforehand. I thought it was a totally remote without any modern conveniences, and I was glad that it wasn’t.
Flight (Incoming): We used Aeroperlas. The flight had three of 20 seats empty, so it wasn’t oversold. A typical “puddle-jumper” plane; nothing unexpected or surprising. It was a bit dark, since we landed at 6:30 am, so there wasn’t any opportunity for picture taking on the flight. We arrived at the airport an hour early, which was necessary. The check-in agents opened at 5:00, but anyone there prior to that simply lined up their bags, then sat down to wait. Very neat and orderly. All luggage was hand-inspected in front of us. It moved much more quickly than anticipated. The Albrook airport has two small cafes and one small store selling sundry items.
Bugs/Sun: Be sure to bring along enough sunscreen and bug spray. The sun is really unforgiving, and you don’t really realize it because of the strong breeze. The no-see-ums are as bad as everyone says (although they seemed to like my husband a lot more than they liked me) and you don’t want to be bitten any more than possible. You might also want some water shoes if you are planning to swim from your bungalow, since you’ll have to step on the coral in order to reach your ladder.
Library/Games: There is a small lending library in the main Lodge. We left a book and took one with us. They might have 20 to 30 books in all on all subjects. They also have a few games, including Rummycube and Scrabble (both Spanish and English versions).
Gift Shop: There is no formal gift shop, although Laurie mentioned that they had sunscreen and toothhpaste and the like for sale if needed. They did have some polo shirts with their logo for sale, and I heard that either Myra or Sophia had some paitings and/or molas for sale.
Tips: On the hotel website, they recommend tipping $20 per day for each day of your stay, and they give you an evelope at the end for that purpose. You could indicate on the envelope if you wanted specific amounts to go to specific people; otherwise, they were evenly split among the 11 employees.
Darkness: While it is dark at night, it is not as dark as some places we have been that also have no ambient light. You are provided a flashlight to walk to/from dinner, but we never needed it. We did visit close to a full moon, though, so it may have been brighter than at other times.
Internet: There was internet available at the cost of $10 per half-hour. We did not use it, but someone always seemed to be on the computer.
Walkie-Talkie/Communication: We were offered a walkie-talkie when shown to our room, but we were made to feel that we shouldn’t have accepted, because, as the manager stated, “Okay, then I guess we’ll try to keep ours on in case you need something.” I had NO illusions that I wouldn’t have EVER had any response had I tried to raise someone in hopes of communication. NO one was going to be manning the other end of that thing.
Helicopter: If you have an extra $1100 to spend, you can arrange for a helicopter transfer from Panama City (that’s EACH WAY).
My Suggestions for the Coral Lodge: Even though they didn’t ask (and usually there’s SOME type of questionnaire to fill out asking for helpful advice), here’s what I think:
- Menu/chalk board for meals (even if there is no choice, it’s nice to know what to expect)
- Bread served at meals
- Bottled water (in a cooler or something, available for our own taking)
- Towel replacement (when they are on the floor--especially if they are sopping wet--please replace them)
- Minibar with drinks and snacks (although it would be a lot of work keeping this stocked, it would be a real money-maker, I think)
- Post signs reminding people NOT to flush toilet paper
- Fix the water pressure in the sinks in the main Lodge (dining room)
Panama City: Radisson Decapolis (February 2007)
Overall: The hotel is totally modern and futuristic looking. The pictures online are good representations.
Lobby: We arrived at the Radisson Decapolis in Panama City at approximately midnight on a Friday evening. The lobby bar was in full swing; it appeared to be the “hot spot” for the pretty young people of Panama to begin their weekends. Every seat and standing space was taken, but we did manage to find two chairs on which to enjoy our $20 of complimentary drinks per night of our stay. Drink prices were as expected: approximately $5 per fruity drink (e.g., pina colada, strawberry daquiri) and about $4 per local beer (e.g., Atlas, Panama, Soberna). There was a DJ playing music in the bar, but there was no space for dancing. This incredible activity was present only on Friday night. We also spent Saturday, Sunday, and Monday nights there, and while there was a healthy crowd, it was nothing like Friday night. Check in (and out) was very easy and quick.
Pool: The pool area is a nice respite to relax on a hot afternoon. While not large, we never had difficulty finding somewhere to sit (e.g., lounge chairs, futon-type beds for two, or small seats).
Restaurants/Food: We ate in both the Luxor and the Fusion restaurants for breakfast, which was included with our room rate. The breakfast in Fusion was much better than the Luxor, not so much for the food itself but for the more relaxing and more classy atmosphere.
Rooms: The rooms are completely UN-soundproof, as other reviewers have noted. We had a suite, and fortunately the bedroom area did not border the room next to us in which young children, including a crying infant, were awake and loudly running around all night. Fortunately, we were able to leave the sitting room and close the bedroom door, thus blocking out some of the noise; otherwise, we would have gotten no sleep that evening. We were on the 26th floor, which was comprised of about six suites and four regular rooms. As a previous poster had said, the ODD numbered room overlook the ocean, while the EVEN numbered rooms overlook the city. Although we requested an ocean view, and we are GoldPoints members, we were not granted our request. There was nothing wrong with the city view, but the ocean view would have been preferable after viewing it from the elevator lobby area on our floor. There are hairdryers, clocks, telephones, televisions in the rooms, and cell phones can be rented. There are NO bathrobes or slippers. The toiletries consist of shampoo, conditioner, body lotion, body wash, shower cap, facial and body soap, shoe-shine cloth. There is one complimentary bottle of local water provided for teeth brushing. There is a mini bar, and the prices seemed fairly reasonable. There are NO carpets anywhere in the rooms. We had a suite, which consisted of a separate bedroom, walk-in closet, and bathroom with tub/shower. The living room had a sofa, two chairs, a small table and two chairs, second television, wet bar area, additional closet (with iron and ironing board) and powder room. I was glad that we “sprang” for the suite; at only $50 more per night, it seemed a good value for the extra space that it afforded.
Multicentro Mall: A huge disappointment. One of the reasons that we chose the Radisson was because they had listed on their website all the restaurants available at the mall. Unfortunately, all but three of the “better” restaurants were closed permanently. The San Diego Steakhouse was open, which was a fine meal (approximately $60 total for a meal of three courses and drinks for two people). There was also a turkish restaurant that was open, although we did not eat there, and the Hard Rock Cafe (again, did not eat there). It seems that the idea of the “finer” restaurants at the mall was to place them on the ground floor, so that they could be accessed from the outside of the mall even when it was closed (there was no access from the inside). Only the Hard Rock was located on the second level, and had to be reached from inside the mall (the hours were good, though--I think they stayed open until 12:00 midnight or 1:00 am on the weekends). There were food court/American chain-type restaurants on the top floor (I think it had four floors). It seemed that half of the stores in the mall were closed permanently, with many of the storefronts covered in paper. There was a drugstore inside that sold drinks and snacks, as well as the usual pharmacy items (e.g., sunscreen, cosmetics, prescriptions).
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