This is an absolute top class hotel and holiday destination. From the initial welcome to the service to the food quality, everything during our stay was pretty much perfect.

At the beginning of our stay, we discovered that our toilet was not working; however it was promptly fixed with no quibble which enabled us to unpack and get on with our holiday. We were given a dolphin view room, which was a surprise as we did not realise we had booked it.

We ate in all of the restaurants, which were open for all of the trip bar the seaside grill restaurant which had to close due to the strength of the wind on one of the evenings. On Carribean night, we ate in Himitsu, as the food for Carribean night was being served outside. The only quibble with the food for me was that on the themed nights held outside, the food could be a little cold; however with the level of choice of places to eat this did not present an issue.

The staff in the restaurants were fantastic and always looked after us well - deserving of the tips they got. Juan who served omlettes at breakfast is worthy of mention here - always smiling and happy to help.

There are numerous bars/lounges that close at different times during the day or night. We had no problem getting a drink or with the quality. Yes, we tipped, and so should others - the guys do a hard job well. By the end of my stay, I was being handed my favourite tipple wiothout even having to ask for it (thanks folks)! We also found that common courtesy and decency goes a long way with the staff. You getter a better response being polite and asking for a drink as opposed to arriving at the bars demanding service as some holiday makers tended to do (perhaps they have written the last few reviews).

In terms of the overall hotel, yes it may be a little older than some; however the location and the amenites are excellent. I could not spend money in the hotel other than on tips. All meals, drinks and various watersports were in the price. I can now sail, cayak and snorkle dive - none of which I had done previously. My only concern would be the height of the balconies on the dolphin view side of the hotel - they are very low. I would suggest that some sort of rail be installed; particularly if young children are to stay in the rooms in question.

I would recommend some of the trips on offer from the hotel also. In terms of nightlife, Coco Bongos is a must - do the 'Bar Leap' and you get brought to the top floor (reserved)without queuing and all alcohol is included. Excellent show. Chichen Itza or Tulum - Mayan pyramids are fantastic. I did the former of which you are no longer allowed to climb; but a brilliant experience all the same. It is amazing what those guys knew about the calendar and time all thouse years ago! For fun, the jungle tour is a must where you take speed boats out on the lagoon and go out to sea.

All in all, a fantastic holiday, made particularly special by the hotel and the staff.

We spent two great weeks here with no problems with the staff or food, the location is superb and the dolphins are a wonderful addition. The hotel is well kept and has nice grounds, we were in a Dolphin/ocean view room number 2114 which had a nice view of the sea and dolphins and was clean and very cool. The minibar was not stocked to our liking but a call to reception soon rectified this and we found this level of service throughout our stay. The main buffet restaurant was enclosed but not that cool sometimes but the selection of food was excellent with themed nights, a good breakfast and lunch menu too. The waiters here were superb, Victor and Luis being exceptionally good and the restaurant managers arranged for a birthday cake for my wife, much to her surprise.The ala cartes are all open air but get the wonderful all day breeze the hotel constantly has and were all good, our favourite being the asian Himitsu, no reservations are required but a pager was needed a few times when busy to call you when ready. Drinks were good and stronger at night, a sensible precaution with all the water around, the bars were fine, busy on the beach and relaxed at night although the main bar got noisy when live music was played.Many little things impressed us, the video shows on the beach or bar outer wall , the coffee bar and snack bar were excellent too. Towels were available at many locations without the plastic cards being required to get one like other places, you also don't wear a wristband, security may ask for your room number when re-entering the premises or coming from the beach sometimes but were never rude.
The beaches are great, the northern one is very sheltered whereas the southern one is rougher but was our favourite with views down the seafront, the snorkel trip we booked was a disaster, old worn and ill-fitting gear and an expectation that you would swim against the current !!, avoid these amateurs, the main pool was a disappointment , it's old fashioned, tired and a haven for loud and drunk guests, a rebuild using the lagoon area would be a good move, many weddings were carried out and the hotel seemed to do a great job , we would recommend this hotel to friends.

My wife and I just returned from my friend's wedding at Dreams Resort & Spa in Cancun (More Like a Nightmare) and the wedding was really nice. The Hotel, front desk staff and rooms were all absolutely terrible. I can't begin to tell you how bad it was. When we arrived we asked for an upgrade if possible. They were able to give us a honeymoon suite for an extra $100 USD & 200 Hotel Credit. We get to our room and the toilet bowl has the prior occupants' feces in it. We came to find out that the toilet bowl was broken for 2 days prior. We complained to the front desk and they stated that they could not have the toilet fixed for another 2 days. So we asked to be moved to a different room & the proceeded to ask us for more money... ARE THEY KIDDING ME? We complained until they moved us. We spoke to director, a manager anyone who would listen. Upon moving us they gave us $500 usd "HOTEL CREDIT"....what a scam that was. You could only use $40 towards a massage that cost $200. You can only use $10 on a bottle of wine that cost $40. So no matter what way you decided to spend the credits you were always coming out of pocket...BIG TIME.
Please believe me when I tell you that my wife and I are avid vacation goers. This was by far the worse vacation hotel EVER. Please don't get suckered by this Nightmare hotel.

We really had high hopes for this resort, since it sits on the most picturesque spot you could ask for. While the views are fabulous, the resort is poorly managed and sadly lacking. In comparison to other all-inclusives we have stayed at in the area, Dreams dissapointed from the start. The rude check-in person was our first indication, and when we got to the room, the problems multipied quickly. While I don't want to be completely negative, the negatives were too numerous to just ignore. We did have a wonderful view. But the bulding suffers from a lack of maintenance, Starting with the scalding hot water from both the hot and cold faucets, and even the toilet was steaming with water hot enough to cause burns. I called the front desk, sure that this must just be a problem in our room. They said they would send someone, but never did. So, I went to the front desk and asked if I could have a different room, which was met with a blank stare, and finally, they promised again to send someone. Finally, a guy came and told me that it was fine. It was far from "fine", and was a constant problem during our stay. The only time we experience any cold water was in the morning while attempting to take a shower, the water was ice cold- with NO hot water!! This is what I call a severe plumbing issue!! And other people I talked to had the same problem. Luckily we didn't have small chidren with us that could be scalded !
Beyond this, the room was not clean,or cleaned with any regular schedule, and when we used towels, the cleaning people would take them and then not leave any new ones !! The mini bar contained drinks in such small bottles, I thought they were salt and pepper shakers. And the only time it was refilled was if you called room service to request it, and even then, they only gave you what they wanted to give you, not what was requested. The air conditioning ran day and night and while I am certainly grateful for having it, it could never keep the temperature cool enough.Also, be advised that, unless you get their very best suite, you will not have a bathtub, just a shower stall.
Again, comparing to other resorts in the area, where we had superb service with full size drinks replenished immediately and snacks supplied to the room without asking, great food and service without having to flash 20 dollar bills to everyone all day, the difference was obvious.
The lounges and beach areas are understaffed. There may be one server for each bar or beach area, and the wait for service can be really long, especially when there is a large group commanding the servers attention. The outdoor bars also service the restaurants, so if you want a drink you have to get in line with all the waiters.
Food selection is lacking in comparison, with a modest buffet and only a couple restaurants to choose from. And the service in those were so bad that we witnessed people walking out without eating after sitting for hours waiting.
Entertainment is substandard and poorly planned. On our "Carribean Night" outdoor dinner, we found that all other dining options were closed for the night, so a huge crowd gathered to eat outdoors. The food tables were in the center with people circling around and around and lines forming in all directions with no planning at all. The "fire show" entertainment was a joke, and people left in droves.
Drink service everywhere is very slow, and used glasses are picked up dirty, then sloshed in a pitcher of brown water, then refilled before your eyes and handed to you. I witnessed one employee who attempted to wash a glass with a cloth, and he was sternly reprimanded by a fellow employee. Mixed drinks were nothing but sugary water, and watching them be mixed, you could see that only the faintest spash of liquor was ever added.
I know a lot of people enjoy this resort, and despite all of my complaints, we tried to enjoy it too. But I must be honest about the major faults at Dreams. The highlight of the resort is the Delphinus dolphin swim. It is run independantly and is managed very well, unlike the resort.
As you might guess, we will not return to this resort. I only write this because I would have liked to have known these things before I chose it.
In short, if all you want is a superb location with breathtaking views, this MAY be the place for you, but you'll be missing a far better experience elsewhere.