Just returned from an 8 night stay at the Barcelo Tucancun Beach. Overall it was a great stay and well worth the price paid. This is not a five star resort, however I was pleasantly surprised with the resort and found it to be much nicer than expected considering it was the least expensive all-inclusive deal in Cancun. Here is a breakdown of the check-in, rooms, food/drink, shows, pools, beach, spa and staff.
Price
2 adults. Paid $870 pp for 8 nights and flight from Providence RI. (Note if you book through Expedia, coupon code Entertain200 will give you $200 off a vacation of 6 or more nights)
Check-In
Arrived about 3 pm and there were a few people in line. The staff was great. I was helped by Paola, a trainee. I had booked a standard room (lagoon view). I tipped her $20 USD and requested a room with a balcony. I was upgraded to a 4th corner room in the South Tower with a balcony on two sides. It took them about an hour to prepare the room however we were immediately given bracelets to begin using the resort amenities.
Room
South tower rooms have the largest balconies, most are two sided (this is where I stayed). The center tower have very few balconies, ever for the ocean view rooms. Overall the room was nice. Two queen beds with pillow tops, 3 closets, an armoire with tv, desk, minifridge, iron, hairdryer, and modern bathroom with glass enclosed shower. Great sunset view of the lagoon over kulkukan plaza. Maid service was consistent and the minibar was always full. We requested that they fill with water, beer (modelo) and coke light. It was well stocked the entire trip. We did tip a few dollars each day for the maid and minibar.
Food
The food was ok. The buffet was pretty good the first night (Saturday), it was Italian themed and there were plenty of options. Every night there was a salad bar, vegetables, and several entrees from which to choose. Other nights such as chinese and seafood were a little sketchy although there was usually something that you could eat. Lunch was hot dogs, hamburgers, pizza, fries, chicken, salad, etc. Breakfast was the best option with plenty of fresh fruits, cereal, sausages, omlettes, fresh juices, croissants, etc. There are also 3 a la carte restaurants on site. La Claraboya (Seafood), Mexico Lindo (Mexican) and Don Quixote (Spanish). I tried La Claraboya and Don Quixote. Ordered a steak filet at Claraboya (not impressed) and a T-bone at Don Quixote (pretty good although service was slow). I did get sick (turista) one day however, I'm not sure if it was from eating/drinking at the Barcelo or something else (swallowing sea water, excursion to Xcaret the previous day).
Drink
The only beer on tap at the Barcelo is Corona which was ok with me. The well drinks were not bad although I pretty much stayed with beer and tequila shots. Try the Maya Riveria cocktail, a three colored mixed drink that has the colors of the mexican flag. You can upgrade to top shelf for a couple of dollars per drink. There are 3 pool bars and a lobby bar which is open late (says 7 am). It was easy to get drinks and we were able to get a table every night with quick service at the lobby bar. The crowd was young to mid aged with Canadians, Mid-westerners, Brits and Americans. People were generally friendly although there were a few obnoxious drunks. There are few slot machines in the lobby but for a better selection go across the street to the second floor of kulkukan plaza.
Shows
Only saw the Mayan show and tail-end of the 80's show. Both were very good. The Micheal Jackson impersonator was spot on and very entertaining.
Pools
There are 3 pools, all very clean but pretty cold. For most of our stay the pools were nearly empty. The ocean was definitely warmer than the pools. We found that if you went in the ocean first, the pool temp wasn't too bad. The swim up bar in the activity pool is mostly in the shade ans usually attracts the party people.
Beach
It was red flagged the entire week with big waves, there was a lifeguard who would let you go in a small section as long as you didn't go out too far. We went in everyday, the water was warm, beautiful and amazingly blue. The waves were fun for us however not good swimming or younger children. The beach itself is significantly eroded with 10-30ft from the wall to the water (at night, the waves were hitting the wall). We did go to Isla Mujeres and spent the day at Playa Norte. The water was very calm and better for swimming (take the bus to Playa Tortuga and it costs $15 r/t to the island via high speed catamaran).
Spa
Paid $70 for a "relaxation massage". Was supposed to be an hour but ended up being more like 45 minutes. It was ok, but you may want to try out the spa at a nicer resort (the Ritz is a short walk down the beach)
Staff
Everyone was extremely friendly and attentive during our entire stay. We did tip our servers, maid and mini-bar, and received great service. However, I believe that the staff was sincerely friendly and did not provide better service when tipped.
Summary
The hotel was in great condition, the staff was friendly and it was well located (across from mall, 5 min bus ride to the restaurants/clubs). The food was fair and drinks were plenty. Easy to book excursions (in the lobby, by Mexico Lindo, or by the pool). Shows were excellent. Considering the price we paid, I consider the Barcelo an excellent value and would go back. Enjoy your trip!
