My boyfriend and I stayed at the Barcelo Tucancun for a 3-day Cancun vacation in October, 2008. I booked the trip online through priceline, and chose this resort for the incredible price. I admit I was a little nervous after reading some of the questionable reviews. However, there was only one word to describe the resort: AMAZING. This was my 3rd trip to Cancun, and this was, without a doubt, my favorite of all of them.
The property is completely breathtaking. The decor, cleanliness and attention to detail were impeccable. The artwork was lovely, very colorful and pretty. They even monogrammed the sand in the ashtrays! We stayed in room 2003, which is in the South Tower (supposedly the "lesser quality" tower). Our room wasn't huge, but it was tastefully decorated and immaculately clean. The bathroom was lovely also, with an all-marble interior and enormous shower that had a complimentary shampoo and conditioner dispenser installed inside. The housekeeping during our stay was impeccable; we always had fresh towels and a spotlessly-cleaned room. We had a mini-fridge which was replenished with soft drinks, beer and bottled water daily. They even delivered a plate of fresh fruit upon our arrival. But the best part of the room was our deck. No, not a balcony--a private SUN DECK overlooking the beach, complete with lounge chairs and even a mini-sofa built into the wall of the shaded area.
The 3 pools were very clean and inviting; I never even noticed any film from sunscreen in any of the water. There is a pool and swim-up bar toward the left of the resort, which seemed to be where most of the action was..the bartenders there were great, very funny. However, my favorite pool was to the far right, where they had the CHAISE LOUNGES and side tables built right into the water, I loved lying in the pool and getting sun with a drink (or 2, or 3...). I also recommend booking any tours or excursions through the stand located on this deck (versus the one in the hotel lobby), I found the prices and value to be better there (not to mention that the departure location for the excursions through this company is MUCH easier to find, unlike the one we booked through the lobby salesman; our cab driver had trouble finding the correct port, and we nearly missed our boat).
As for the food...I enjoyed it thoroughly. It was true, as I read on some of the reviews, that a lot of items on the breakfast buffet in the lobby were leftovers from items on the dinner buffets the night before. But they refashioned them in ways that I found very appealing. There were always also plenty of options on the buffet--eggs, breakfast meats, french toast, fresh fruit, cereal, I never left hungry. The lunch buffet down by the pool deck was pretty basic fare...chicken wings, spaghetti, hamburgers, pizza, french fries, nachos (I was a HUGE fan of the nachos there!). Dinner buffet was similar, usually a couple of beef and chicken dishes, some vegetable and starch choices, fresh bread. Unfortunately, I didn't get to try out the Spanish buffet in the Don Quixote restaurant, as it wasn't open the nights that I stayed there. I did get to check out both of the a la carte restaurants, La Claraboya (seafood) and Mexico Lindo (Mexican). I enjoyed them both...I really felt that I was in a formal restaurant and spending a lot of money, rather than dining all-inclusive. The soups that I had in both restaurants (the clam chowder and the tortilla soup) were a little disappointing, they were different from what I was used to. But, after all, this is a different country and things aren't going to be exactly like back home. They also served late-night fare in the lobby bar, mostly finger foods like nachos and wings and hot dogs and mini sandwiches, I was usually rather drunk by that point so greasy food was exactly what I needed.
The entertainment there was also great; there was live entertainment every night, they had a different show for every day of the week. They did offer the "party-hopper" tour, where they take you on a guided tour of the downtown nightclubs; however, being almost 30 and having done this several times, I was content to enjoy the booze and shows at the hotels. Cabs were very easily obtainable, the doormen were always on hand to call them and they arrived within 5 minutes every time.
As for the drinks...it is true, the mixed drinks here are very sweet and not very strong. This is one problem, however, that can easily be solved. I recommend ordering additional shots of rum or tequila on the side and adding them to your drinks (unless you prefer to do them straight, which works every time). Beer is, of course, another trusty option (Dos Equis is an EXCELLENT local beer and is served on draft). Tipping the servers and bartenders will also favorably impact the speed and quality of your drinks. While tipping is not required, it will definitely guarantee you incredible service and better drinks. A few dollars here and there go a long way!
Overall, my stay at the Barcelo Tucancun Beach was HEAVENLY. For the great price that we had gotten, it exceeded my wildest expectations. We normally try out a different hotel every time we visit Cancun--however, I was so impressed by the resort that I will definitely be back a.s.a.p.! I highly recommend this place to anyone and everyone!
