The Golden Crown Paradise Spa (GCPS) is a small, adults only, all inclusive hotel situated on the beach about 3 miles south of the club zone between the Ritz Carlton and the Meridian on the longest, softest, cleanest beach in Cancun. There is a sister hotel about 2 miles further south called the Crown Paradise which is also all inclusive but caters for families. A free shuttle bus runs between the two hotels and guest at both hotels can enjoy the facilities of either except children under 18 cannot visit the GCPS from the Crown.
As you enter the hotel you will be greeted by a receptionist who will offer you a welcome drink while she registers you and attaches your wristband so that the staff can identify you as an all inclusive guest. The Bell Boy will take you to your room when it is ready the latest should be 3pm.
Directly opposite the hotel entrance, through the lobby and beyond the central water feature, is the door to the pool area and the beach. The colours there are breathtaking. There are two pools. On the left is a very shallow (ankle deep) sunbathing pool and on the right is the main pool with a bridge crossing it. This pool is about waste deep and is where the water activities take place. Be careful if walking under the bridge as many people crack their head. Steps lead down to the public beach where there are beach umbrellas and sun loungers. A life guard overlooks that section of the beach.
There are three restaurants and no reservations are needed (a fourth, Japanese style Sushi restaurant is planned in the near future). Pier 12 is to the left of the small pool and has a sea food and pasta menu. Shangri La is to the right of the main pool and is the gourmet restaurant. The Old Barn is opposite the main entrance and is the steakhouse. Try the filet mignon it is superb. In addition there is the Breeze Bar next to main pool and this serves salads and fast foods 24 hours and there is the buffet restaurant which serves breakfast and lunches. The buffet has a wide choice and hot food is cooked to order while salads etc. are stored in ice trays. Inside the buffet bar is air conditions but you can also sit on the terrace overlooking the pool area. This is not air conditioned and has large, sliding windows to create a breeze. Coffee, tea and cookies are served at 4.30pm in the reception bar near the waterfall.
During the days there are lots of activities which generally follow the routine: 8am cycling; 9am yoga; 10am meet and greet the guests; 11am beach volleyball; 12noon aquarobics; 1pm lunch; 2pm poolside games; 3pm water games; 4pm relax with bingo or some such activity; 5pm the entertainment staff go off to prepare for the evening shows. About 8pm you will see the staff again as they meet and greet and encourage you to attend the evening entertainment in the Galaxy Theatre. That is opposite the main entrance next to the Old Barn. There are a variety of shows ranging from Karaoke to professional dancers who are extremely good. Often Kati plays her saxophone about hour before the main show to set the atmosphere. She is excellent I know cause she is my daughter and those lessons and instrument cost me a small fortune. After the shows, the staff will offer to take you to one of the many clubs in Cancun. The price is the same from them or if you go alone but they provide transport and will take you to a reserved area and get you settled with a waiter and drinks etc. Transport back is up to you.
Other features of the hotel include an indoor mini golf to the left of the lobby area, an indoor bear garden with a small disco area and a couple of pool tables; a spa with male (or mixed) and female (not mixed) areas; an outdoor spa overlooking the beach; a fitness room with decent equipment; a tennis court, an internet office and 24 hour room service plus the usual hotel shops sticking everything from gifts and hotel memorabilia to clothes, basic medicines etc.
The rooms are clean, fairly large and more than adequate for a beach vacation. You will have either two large beds or a California King. The club rooms on the top floors have a jacuzzi but no balcony. There are plenty of drawer space, a wardrobe with hangers and space for your suitcases. All have a TV and coffee making equipment and a safe but you may have to ask for a key. A sea view room is exactly that but you will not see much of the beach as the side of the Ritz Carlton or the Meridian hotels block your view along the long beach. A lagoon side room has spectacular views of the lagoon and Cancun if you are on a high enough floor. Towels are provided but they are getting worn and are quite hard. The hotel needs to re-invest in some soft, new towels.
There are five bar areas outside of the restaurants. One is in the galaxy theatre and only serves during the shows, one is the Breeze bar next to the main pool where 24 hour snacks are available, one is opposite the reception area, one is in the Beer Garden and one is between the small pool and the beach. Many guests congregate around this bar in the evening and late into the night.
The above is a description of the fabric of the hotel, but the major appeals are these:
1.It is a small hotel so you will soon get to know the other guests and feel part of the family.
2.The staff are extra-ordinarily friendly and helpful. Get to know them by name, give them a tip (wages are pitifully small), greet them with a smile and you will be made to feel like a long lost relative.
3.The food is excellent with a wide choice considering the size of the hotel.
4.The hotel is kept meticulously clean and repairs are carried out as quickly as possible with the minimum of fuss.
5.You are encouraged to join in with the various activities but never forced or humiliated. The more you join in, the greater will be your enjoyment.
The drawbacks of the hotel are:
1.It is a small hotel so the type of guests there is hit and miss and can vary from relatively elderly and quiet to younger and more outgoing. Being small, a bad guest stands out like a sore thumb.
2.The hotel is not on the main road, but is on a spur that joins the main road at either end. You will have about a 3 to 5 minute gentle walk to the nearest bus stop.
3.The hotel is not suitable for disabled people having steps to get into the lobby area and steps down to the pools with more steps down to the beach.
4.The building itself is relatively old (it used to be the Jack Tar Village and was refurbished about 3 years ago) and so there is a constant maintenance.
5.The hotel is shaped like a pyramid with the centre being hollow and the rooms either side. This means that noise in the reception bar travels up through the centre to the rooms above. If you like to take an afternoon siesta, this is a problem.

The GCPS is not for everybody you will either love it and become a repeater (like myself and many others) or you will think it is too quiet in which case I would strongly recommend BBG. The GCPS certainly has much better food and amenities but BBG has a much lively atmosphere.

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