Just came back from a week at Barcelo Tucancun with my 21 year old son and 15 year old daughter. We had a few misgivings, after reading all these reviews, but found out we had nothing to worry about! We had a standard room, not luxurious but ample space, even with the rollaway bed they provided at once. The reservation restaurants were, without exception, wonderful experiences for us. The buffet was--well, it's a buffet. It was good, but it did get tedious after awhile, and I can't imagine dining there for a whole week.
The staff was inevitably friendly, if very busy during that holiday week. The bartenders were courteous and willing to make what you wanted, as strong as you wanted--and even stronger sometimes! :-)
We enjoyed the beach--it isn't ample, and those used to great expanses of sand could be disappointed, but there's room enough for all the people who wanted to lounge there, and the water was beyond compare, even when red-flagged.
The location of the Tucancun was excellent--a short bus ride away from anything we wanted, and near enough to the airport that it was an easy trip.
If I had any complaints at all, it might be that the pools were cold--clean, but how nice it would have been to have one a little warmer! A hot tub would be a great addition. Also, a little more variety in the buffet--but that's nothing I didn't expect.
All in all, we had a terrific stay, and if I could, I'd be back on the plane tomorrow!