We will never stay at the Fiesta Americana Condesa again. Even though we had a pre-paid and confirmed hotel reservation, made three months in advance, we were told upon arrival that the hotel was overbooked and there wasn't a room available for us. We were quickly shipped off to the Hyatt, a nearby hotel of far lesser quality, for two days before there was a room for us.

Upon arriving at the Hyatt, they tried to put us in one of their worst rooms. Only after an hour of back-and-forth phone calls between the Hyatt and the F. A. Condesa did the F.A. Condesa reservations manager finally give approval for us to stay at one of the regular rooms in the main section of the hotel. (Please remember - even the regular rooms at the Hyatt are not nearly as nice as the rooms at the F.A. Condesa)

Two days later were we allowed to return to the F.A. Condesa. Since the hotel van was being used, the F.A. Condesa told us to take a taxi - the hotel would pay for it (They never did reimburse us for the cab fare.) I could go on and on about the problems we experienced, but you get the picture.

Despite all of this aggravation, we never received a personal apology from any of the executives at the F.A. Condesa. We did find a plate of fresh fruit waiting for us in the room, along with a pathetic little note that said "Welcome home."

We loved Cancun, but we will never stay at another Fiesta Americana hotel again. There are so many other great hotels in Cancun to choose from, so do yourselves a favor and check them out.

We returned from the Fiesta Americana Condesa on April 9, 2004 and had a very enjoyable visit. We traveled as a family with one pre-teen and did not book all-inclusive, as we enjoy exploring the local area and trying different restaurants. The view from our room was fantastic, overlooking the vast multi-level pools, courtyard and beach. Maid service was very clean and efficient, although the turndown service was sporatic (2 nights of 7). The room was very modern and comfortable and included a balcony, TV (HBO, Cinemax) and in-room safe. During our visit, the clientele was a mix: some families, some convention-goers, some couples and a handful of "Spring Breakers" - definitely one of the quieter beaches. The beach itself was beautiful, although the surf was turbulent during the our entire one-week stay.

The Front Dest was very friendly and efficient. We booked through Expedia and did not have any "extras" added to the bill at all. Also, the exchange rate at the hotel was very competitive. We frequently exchanged $20 - $50 at a time for shopping money and busses.

(One complaint: the alleged "concierges" on the lower level are timeshare folks. After a LONG traveling day to arrive at Cancun, and having already experienced the RCI timeshare folks disguised as information desk helpers at the Cancun airport, I really wasn't in the mood for another pitch. In my opinion, sponsoring the deception of your guests is not good hospitality.)

The Spa is very nice. We used the gym which has cardio, cybex and free weights ($5 per visit). Although we didn't use the other Spa services, they seemed to be reasonably priced.

Prior to our arrival, we booked our airport transportation and two side trips through Best Day Tours. Best Day has a representative on-site at the Condesa and their Chichen Itza tour was exceptional. Also, the Best Day reps were a terrific source for local restaurant, shopping and entertainment recommendations. They had helpful tips, like how to navigate the bus system & taxis, or how to get the most advantageous currency exchange. Best of all, they did this without the timeshare hype of the lobby "concierge".

We did not eat at the hotel except for some evening drinks at the lobby bar, where there was live music each evening. The food was quite expensive, so we sought other options. ($20 breakfast buffet). Rather, we sought out local restaurants which were easily reached via walking or bus. Some of our favorites: (1) "OK Maguey", at Plaza Kulkulcan, for breakfast. Great rolls, hotcakes and omelets, or "all you can eat" for $8.99; (2) "Las Casas de las Margaritas", at La Isle. This place has great Mexican cuisine and lots of live entertainment after 7 PM, as well as exceptional service. If you have time, enjoy the beautiful art placed around the perimeter; (3) "La Dolce Vita" - located on the lagoon near the 14.5 Km mark. Nice Italian food and fantastic view; (4) "Come'n Eat", located in La Isle, offers multiple food choices including Mexican fare, pizza and more. They also have a patio overlooking the lagoon, which is a great place for drinks at sunset

In summary, we all enjoyed the Condesa and would stay here again. It is a beautiful, well-appointed hotel.

We just returned from our fifth stay at the Condessa. One of the most enchanting aspects of the hotel is that you truly feel that you are in Mexico with hanging vines and flowers flowing down over several floors in the inner courtyard. They have two very large swimming pools including one that cascades down into a lower swimming pool, where there is a swim-up bar-how lovely! There is also a separate, large pool for smaller children. There is a palapa style open restaurant on the beach where the food is excellent-try the lobster salad! The waiters on the beach and pool areas are terrific in bringing food and drinks to you. The beach is pure white corral and as such never gets hot. The water is crystal clear with no rocks. The resort is fairly quiet, which is OK as a 50 cent bus ride or $8 cab can bring you to all the restaurants, clubs, etc. that you might want. Aquaworld is across the street for those looking for water oriented activities. Lastly, the rooms are well appointed with very comfortable mattresses for good sleeping.

I sent my 4 boys and 1 nephew, ages 20-29 to Cancun to celebrate my sons 21st birthday. His request was to be in Cancun for Spring Break with his brothers and cousin, any hotel that was in the "party district" was preferred. Searched for all-inclusives with a reputation for spring break parties and crowds.. Almost all were booked and the ones that were available were very expensive like $1500-1800 per person for 5days not including airfare. We shopped on the internet and used Expedia. We found the FIESTA AMERICANA CONDESA european plan (you pay for all food and beverages) for 988USS including airfare for 6days/5nites. My boys went, they partied. They came home and could not quit GUSHING (Rare for men) about how beautiful, clean, first rate, fabulous pool, decent food, 4 STAR SERVICE, the Fiesta Americana Condesa was. EVERYTHING was as described on the internet. PLUS, room service was fast, maid service was impeccable. The bar staff was great and the bars and furnishings were first rate. The food in most of the restaurants was VERY expensive and they had most meals in the grill and ate out several times. The thing that they liked BEST was that the hotel was not CONSIDERED a SPRING BREAK DESTINATION in Cancun. The hotels that they visited that were, were "dirty, stank of urine and vomit", overcrowded, and seemed to be in unkempt condition. They loved going back to the Fiesta Americana and feeling that they were in a resort. The staff was very watchful of them at first to see that they were going to conduct themselves appropriately in a 4 star resort and they were very picky about spring breakers in general but my boys say it didn't bother them a bit because by the second nite the hotel staff and managment knew them and treated them as special guests. The Condesa was in the heart of the Spring Break Party zone, next door to the Oasis, and close to everything. The beach was also very beautiful and the Condesa has a large open expanse with plenty of seating and shade. They spent about 1200.00USD in food and "beverages" between the 5 of them. This was a savings of more than 2 thousand dollars from the all-inclusives and had a "PARADISE" hotel to go with it. My boys have not stopped talking about the Condesa and say they are glad that I am a big fan of 4+ Star hotels. All I can say is that I got an amazing vacation package with Expedia, a fabulous 4 Star hotel the week of Spring Break and 5 very happy men. I must confess that I have stayed at the Fiesta Americana Coral Beach in Cancun so I had the advantage when I picked the Fiesta America Condesa package from Expedia. My boys say they would recommend the "Condesa" to anyone who wants a first rate place to stay and that the hotel has an amazing, huge, two-tiered pool that is not to be missed. Also, their bill was exactly what it should have been when they checked out. Good review for Spring Break!!