after reading some reviews i was a bit wary but no reason to be,this hotel was fantastic ,
CHECKIN/ROOM: after been given the keys to our first room 5th floor only to find someone elses suitcases in there, back to the reception, 2nd room no sheets the workmen where still there,back to reception given a room on the 8th floor facing the lagoon only we couldnt get in there either ,back to reception i decided to sit untill the actually opened a room door as we had just travelled 10 and a half hours from the uk we were shatterred ,but the rep was great she advised that we get a free upgrade toocean view, which did happen 4days later ,but too be honest we had a better view facing the lagoon,but trooms are lovely and maid woke us every morning at 8.30,spotless
food :we booked the mexican restuarant twice and the spanish twice but too be honest they werent that busy and the buffet restuarant did us fine as the food is fantastic and we had 2 teenagers who are very fussy, who were never hungry.
POOL AREA:all pools are great especially the entertainment pool which my 16yr old had a ball playing volleyball,football,and he won the flipflop contest ,the entertainment staff are all great ,FABIO,POKEMON ,VENESSA AND ANGEL, also all the american which were so funny ,but if you want to sunbathe then use one of the other two pools for more piece and qiute.you only get a little slime on them round about 5pm after everyone going in with suncream on only to be expected but the staff are cleaning them all day.
BAR STAFF:what can i say these people are so friendly ,you never see them without a smile ,and whether you tip them or not your not treated any different ,but we did as these people couldnt do enought and get paid very little for the hours they do ,and the always remember what your drinking.
TRIPS:captain hooks pirate ship is a must,well worth $66.00 entertainment from the minute you step on the boat untill you come off 3hours later and the steak and food were delicous,cant stop talking about this as specially as my husband was doing pole dancing on there ,so funny also done the dolfin swim but dont do it at wet and wild as dvd and pics are exspensive do the other one more value for money, and finally
NIGHTS OUT:went to DADDY Os then don equis fantastic these mexicans know how to enjoy thereselves alway my 16and 15yr olds were a bit embarrased being with us but i will end with saying you wont be dissapointed with cancun.

First time to visit cancun and we had a good stay at this all-inclusive hotel. The restaurants have good food, but requires a reservation. The buffet is average, but good enough for us.
It's not cheap to eat out. The location is good and there's a mall infront of it, though we didnt even go 'coz we're too busy going to
our excursions. Easy access to the bus and it's cheaper than the taxi, just get an exact change.

This hotel is recommended if you want to stay in Cancun only.
If you plan to do a lot of excursions (Chitchen Itza, Tulum, Xel-ha, Xcaret, Cozumel, etc. ) like we did, you might as well stay in Riviera Maya or Playa de Carmen, so you wont commute as
much.

Overall, I was quite impressed for a 3-night girls weekend. If you are expecting the Ritz, you will be disappointed. However, you are not paying Ritz prices either.

The food was decent and the restaurants were air conditioned (no flies all over the food). I could see the food would get a little old after 4-5 days. But hey, it's MEXICO. What do you expect? Those of us that are well versed in Mexico travel know what to expect I guess. We did not bother eating at any of the reservations only restaurants, so I can't give you an opinion.

Rooms were well appointed with a fully stocked frig. Tipping did not affect the maid service in this case. A/C was great! Word to those who are light sleepers: Bring earplugs! The doors and hallways are loud by design, but never heard our neighbors. Beds were not your typical "sleeping-on-the-floor" hard.

Spa was fantastic. I got an 80 minutes relaxing message for about $115. It was worth it.

Beach: The beach was very disapointing. Wilma took all the beach with her when she left. The ocean comes right up to the hotel retianing wall. Therefore, there will be no beach lounging at this resort. Sorry.

Overall: The food was average, service was great, rooms are comfortable and clean. The bar service was excellent (you will have to get up and get your own drinks) but bring a big mug and you make less trips to the bar. I would return again for a weekend getaway but probably not a long vacation.

We got an all inclusive package with a free upgrade to an ocean view room with balcony for 1050$ - that was a steal of a deal. We had the best vacation of our life so far. The service was excellent and staff was very warm and entertaining. The food was good and there was plenty to eat and drink thoughout the day. Hotel has three wonderful swimming pools with exciting activities conducted in the adult pool. The bartenders are energetic and wont let you stay dry. A la carte restaurants had elegant ambience and served a decent menu. The inhouse entertainment included a sports bar(open till 2am) and theatre with live shows every night. It was definitely a place where you could spend the entire vacation without the need to go out. There is a shopping mall (kukulkan plaza) right infront of the hotel where apart from shopping you could try you luck in a small casino or roll the pins in the bowling alley. You could take a ride to the party center of the city in a cab for 50 pesos(~5$) or take a ride in the bus to any part of the city for 6.5 pesos (~60 cents). Room service was punctual and very neat. Hotel staff was sincere with their routine and the quality of service was never dependant on tips(propinas). You have to pay for internet and if you are wifi savvy then u may find it a bit difficult to get the best speeds even if you are a yard away from the reception lobby, but thats manageable because you dont want to spend your vacation browsing the web. Overall it is a place that makes your vacation truly affordable and relaxing. Me and my girlfriend loved Barcelo and we are definitely gonna stay with them whereever they are in the Carribean!