We loved this hotel. The beach is one of the best in Cancun, they have a wonderful warm meandering pool divided by bridges with waterfalls, marked by three bars along its length, the rooms are comfortable and spacious, and the service is outstanding throughout. The restaurants are also excellent. We dined at Le Basilic (La Joya was closed at the end of May when we were there, unfortunately) and had the breakfast buffet (free promotion). The buffet is very good; be sure to try the Mexican specialties. My wife loved the tamales. Le Basilic is a top notch restaurant, with an intimate, elegant atmosphere, and we have rarely enjoyed such good service in a restaurant. Some people have commented on high prices for food and drink, but they are no more than you'd pay at comparable bars and restaurants in the US. Coming from Boston, I found the price of the fixed price menu at Le Basilic an excellent deal. I do agree that the hotel would win over some picky reviewers by providing a few more services gratis. For example, free wireless, in-room coffee, and use of the fitness center would be a welcome change, considering that so many mediocre hotels offer these amenities in the US. To echo a number of other reviews, though, what really makes this hotel stand out is the service. I honestly felt like all the staff I encountered genuinely wanted to please us in any way they could, whether at the front desk, in the room, at the pool or beach, etc. Maid service was impeccable (including turn-down service in the evenings), the front desk was courteous and efficient, and the restaurant staff really was exceptional. The concierge was very helpful with information, reservations, etc. The hotel doesn't offer a lot in the way of activities (unlike the AI places), but apparently there are a few offered unobtrusively (including for kids). There is an Am-Ex office that arranges tours and such hidden away off of the main lobby. There's also a water sports site right next door at the beach; I gather they are affiliated with the hotel. The prices seem reasonable, but we weren't interested. These are the only people who approach you at the beach to sell you something (aside from waiters), and they don't pressure you. But really we didn't want any hotel activities. The hotel is beautiful and serene, and I was glad to avoid the noise and hassle. We could faintly hear some guy blaring away on a megaphone at the Riu down the beach, orchestrating some activity, which I would have found extremely annoying if it had been at our hotel. In short, if you want a relaxing vacation with top-notch service, comfort, elegance, and quality, you can't go wrong with the Fiesta Grand Coral.
A few random observations:
--It can't hurt to ask for an upgrade at check-in. We asked for a club room with jacuzzi and were told $150 extra; on the other hand, we were given a very nice upper floor full ocean view room (and before asking about an upgrade), though we'd only booked a partial-view. Judging from past reviews sometimes you'll get lucky, sometimes you won't, but it's best not to expect anything.
--You don't need an all-inclusive unless you eat like a pig and drink like a fish. Booking with the free breakfast promotion means you'll only need a late dinner after getting your fill of the buffet, which you can choose without feeling tied to the hotel. But it's definitely worth eating at the restaurants on site.
--Officially you're not supposed to bring food or drinks into the hotel, but they don't enforce this. Our porter even advised us to get bottled water, snacks, etc. off site rather than pay for mini-bar items, which of course are absurdly overpriced. We even kept a bottle of tequila in the room.
--There is a "dress code," but it's quite minimal really. Just don't walk barefoot or dripping wet through the lobby and you're fine. The nice restaurants, naturally, want a little more, but only a little. Pants and something more than a tee-shirt, no sandals.
--The spa is well worth checking out according to my wife, and they are building a new one currently that is supposed to be one of the best in Mexico.
--Weather reports for this area are unreliable. From our experience you can expect sun even when the forecast says 40 percent chance of scattered thundershowers (which it did practically the whole time we were there). We had only a little rain at night and some cloudiness one afternoon. And apparently May-June is the rainy season.
--The hotel does have a sales person sometimes on site (for their 'vacation club'), who phones you near the start of your stay to come down and get a discount card. We just didn't bother and were never hassled.
--The staff deserves (and no doubt needs) good tips. Especially since tourism to the area has been so diminished recently. Hopefully now that the swine flu hysteria has faded that will change.
