I just came back from this hotel yesterday. I do agree with the previous reviewer that, yes, this hotel can be a potential disappointment. However, I stayed 3 nights. 1st night: close to being horrible, 2nd and 3rd night: close being excellent.
Here is why: When you get there, the chance is that they will tell you that they are booked solid and that you will not get an ocean view room, unless you're trully lucky. So, I got the "street view" room the first night, to be exact room 524. The bed is broken, and the sheets are awful, very scratchy...
You will hear the constant sound of the waves, not from the ocean, but from the BUS. Once in a while, an over-excited, drunk, spring-breaker screams for no reason that would make you jump off from your sleep if you can get any from the BUS-wave sound to begin with.
Here is my advice: once you got your ugly room, come back to the front desk, and NICELY ask them if you could get an ocean view room. I did book a regular room, but I asked for the OV room anyway.
Likely they will tell you: "come back first thing tomorrow morning 9 am, and we'll see what we can do". Make sure next morning 8:45 show up at the desk and tell them that you requested an OV room yesterday. They'll make you wait for another 3 hours, before you finally get your OV room. Don't worry about it, spend the morning at the beach....
There is a heaven and earth difference between the Ocean side and the stret side in terms of quiteness and the view obviously. In the OV room, you'll hear the real wave sound. I loved it. Especially if you can get room 501. I trully recommend that room.
It is the top floor and it is the closest point of the hotel to the ocean, and the angle is as such that you can have your privacy from your balcony compared to the other OV rooms balconies. I imagine that room 401 will be similar. So, you can use your imagination on how to use the balcony.
I slept like a baby in that room with the gentle lull from the ocean's wave. The shower in that room is a bit funky, but hey....can't beat the view. The bed sheet is still a bit scratchy, but the matress is nice and firm. Loved it.
Food: Mediocre to my taste bud, then again, honestly in my life I never tasted mexican food that taste trully different from one place to another. The again, I am not a Mexican, so I cannot hold that opinion strongly.
I think the keys to enjoy this hotel are:
1. Get them cheap - so you don't have any high expectation from it.
2. NICELY ask the front desk to give you the OV room. If you can push for room # 501, the better for you. Use your charm, smiles, and a bit of appreciation in pesos when dealing with them. I've seen many american tourists acting like they own the place and TELL the hotel staff that they are not happy. Well, what kind of result should one expect from that?
3. If you're not happy with your room then spend most of your time on the beach. it is very beautiful. The sand on the beach is exceptional.
All in all, don't ruin your vacation because you expect to be treated like a king in this hotel. If you do, then stay at the Ritz Carlton.
Be thankful, some of the hotel like the NH Krystal does not even have a beach.
If you have any question on how to be frugal and how to get around in Cancun inexpensively, you can email me. When I was going there there wasnot much information from other travelers on how to be frugal. I even have pictures of this hotel's view if you are interested in.
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