Submission date: 2007-01-10 - Date of Stay: January 2007
Submitted by: Nikki - From: United States
Type of Traveller: Family Traveller - Age Group: 41 - 50
Beautiful Property
The hotel grounds are beautiful. Our room was nice as well. Everything is kept very clean and manicured. The food however was basically the same every day with a few variations here and there. Go into Playa del Carmen for dinner at least once. The Japanese Restaurant on the property was very good but make your reservation early! The drinks are soooo watered down, plan to take money to purchase the name brand drinks. Most are about $3.50. Also there is NO beer available except Cornona on tap. The beach is nice and there are daily activities poolside that were fun. All in all it was very nice for the money we spent.
Submission date: 2006-11-06 - Date of Stay: December 2005
Submitted by: Mike - From: Canada
Type of Traveller: Mature Couple - Age Group: 60 +
Great place - would go back
We had a great time. Particularly liked the configutration of hotel, accommodation in fourplexes accessed by walkways through beautiful gardens to the pool area with a bar and outdoor restuarant. Noise from the hotel could not be heard in the accommodation areas. Desk staff were excellent, very helpful and spoke good english. Rooms were well appointed , clean and comfortable. Food was certainly adequate and varied. Excellent deserts. Bar staff were friendly and courteous. Beach was kept clean with plenty of chairs. Sea was clean and OK for swimming. Trips on the Cat were excellent. Good transport from hotel to playa del Carmen. A good band for dancing after supper. A good first experience of Mexico.
Submission date: 2006-08-15 - Date of Stay: August 2006
Submitted by: A Travel Library User - From: United States
Type of Traveller: Family Traveller - Age Group: 31 - 40
Let Down
I just returned from El Mandarin with my famiy. We stayed five days. I will not go back. Most of the staff did not speak or understand English, I would try to speak what little Spanish I knew and this seemed to annoy them. The second night that we were there the air conditioning broke in our whole building and we asked six times for someone to come check. All that was wrong was that a breaker had thrown from all of the guests trying to cool thier rooms so they told us to turn it up. I traveled with my kids and had hoped they would enjoy the kid's club but they only spoke Spanish so none of the English speaking kids participated. The beach was full of seaweed and some brown looking stuff and smelled. There were rocks and it was not clear and blue. I finally got some snorkeling gear (they say it is complimentary, but it is the gear used for the dive shop they operate, so if they are on a dive, which by the way you have to pay for, then you are out of luck) and I was in about two...Read more
Submission date: 2005-11-16 - Date of Stay: October 2005
Submitted by: Kate S - From: Canada
Type of Traveller: Honeymooners - Age Group: 18 - 25
An amazing time!
We arrived there during a tropical storm, and the staff did everything they could to make us as comfortable as possible. The staff was very friendly, and very helpful. The entertainment was great; there was a show every night with a different theme and even a band that played on the patio. (Who were amazing!)The pool area was great, the food, well that is the only thing I can find fault with. But then again I am very fussy when it comes to food. The games in the pool was great, it got people there knowing each other. The front desk was great, any request that we had it was taken care of quickly. They are definitely generous with their alcohol! The hut near the pool had very good food. And please take my advice, and go on the trips. We went to Xel Ha - swimming with the dolphins, we went to Chichen Itza and Playa Del Carmen, which the hotel provided the transportation to. I loved it, and am bugging my husband to take me back. It was the best honeymoon I could ask for. The h...Read more
Submission date: 2005-11-16 - Date of Stay: October 2005
Submitted by: Peter & Kate - From: Canada
Type of Traveller: Honeymooners - Age Group: 31 - 40
The Staff made the Honeymoon
We stayed at the Club El Mandarin for our honeymoon for 2 weeks in October of 2005 and had a fabulous time. The staff there was absolutely amazing and it made our honeymoon so enjoyable we would go back in a heartbeat. Thanks Kuko, Said, Manaolo, Andrea, Yasimani, Norah, Jose and Reyes. You all made our stay a total joy. It was both our first time in Mexico and we thought the Mayans were amazing people.
