The hotel was ok, some of the rooms have balconies and others don't so you have to make sure in advance that you request that sort of thing. There are no hot tubs by the pools which kind of disappointed me, but there was Jacuzzis that you could fill up yourself and put bubbles in it. The food was decent, this was the first all-inclusive I have ever experienced so I have nothing else to compare to. The drinks are very watered down, I thought, and there are no top shelf liquors to speak of. My room was ok except there was no vent in the bathroom (that annoys me), and their luggage service is poor (you might as well just take it up yourself). Some people receive welcome drinks and others don't, I don't know how that works but, yeah.

The only restaurant that you have to make reservations for is Serape and you have to get up at 8am and go down to the front desk to make sure a spot is still available.

Oh yea, there are different wristbands that allow more or less service from the hotel. Purple is the least and black gives you access to all the restaurants (I had the black so I don't know what went on with the purple).

My shower was very unpredictable because it kept on going from scorching hot to cold =(.

By the way, I booked this hotel through bookit.com and there was no mention about different color bracelets. I guess we just lucked out with getting the better bracelets, because I had no clue.

Ok to start out the people who complained the "Grand" was not a separate resort obviously did not do their research. Several past reviews for the "Oasis Viva Beach" clearly had complaints about the noise from the construction of a new building. Add that to the two “different” hotels having the same exact address and it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out it's just a new wing in the same "old" resort.

We stayed at the “Grand” section from May 10-16th. For the amount of money we paid it was a great deal. Check-in was fine and the staff was friendly. There was a bit of a mix-up with the reservation but only because the rooms ended up being booked under individual names rather than just the one person who booked for the 5 of us. Not sure if that was the hotel’s doing or the travel site we used to book the hotel (bookit).

The food is just ok but way better than the standard college or work cafeteria stuff. For picky people the buffet is probably your best bet and generally had the best food. The Brazilian steakhouse had just opened a few nights before we arrived so it was pretty empty. The staff was great but the food and drinks were just ok. I agree with the other reviews in that the Mexican restaurant isn’t worth the reservation. The Mediterranean one (Italian) was just ok – service was incredibly slow at dinner time the day we went but the previous day for lunch it was fine. The sushi one was ok but I’m not the best person to ask about that since I don’t actually like it. They were nice enough to give me a bowl of rice instead though. Oh and the menus appeared to change daily so if there isn’t anything you like you can always try another day.

Location wise the hotel is super convenient. If you need to go to Wal-Mart you just hop on the #2 bus. It cost under a $1 and took about 20 minutes to get to downtown Cancun. I’d suggest buying the bulk of your souvenirs there since it was the cheapest place for standard stuff like shot glasses, magnets and t-shirts.

If you get tired of resort food there is a bar/restaurant across the street from the hotel that offers all you can eat Mexican fare for $7. Drinks are extra but the food was good and there was more than enough. The food there was some of the most authentic Mexican food we had all week…and it was way cheaper than the place the hotel recommended. The recommended place was a $12 taxi ride away and had really good food but didn’t really have typical Mexican stuff like tamales or enchiladas.

There is also a Caracal (or something like that) shopping center close to the area with the restaurant/bar. We didn’t go in but it looked like a mini mall. There are also a bunch of other restaurants within walking distance – but they weren’t cheap. There is also a Mexican Outlet store if you walk the inner loop about a mile away. This is definitely a tourist trap but they sell tours there (slightly cheaper than hotel ones) and tons of the standard souvenirs like hammocks, shirts, jewelry, etc. The tour sales place near the $7 all you can eat restaurant/bar also had cheaper tours advertised.

Clubs and bars are about a 10-15 minute walk away from downtown Cancun. Carlos & Charlie’s, Coco Bongo, Senior Frogs and a bunch of others are all right there. The hotel offers trips there every night at 10pm and always includes open bar, “VIP” admission and transportation for about $50. You can also just show up at the bars/clubs and buy an open bar ticket there as well. Carlos & Charlie’s and Coco Bongo have a $55 open bar that includes 3 hours at C&C and “VIP” admission to Coco Bongo with open bar after midnight. By midnight the line for CB was gone but the shows inside were still going on and were really amusing/interesting. And the open bar did include bottled water…

Oh and finally, the beach at the hotel was great. There water in front of the hotel had a huge sandbar with mid-waist high water where people could hang out or float around without worrying about needing to swim or straying too far. Our group played Frisbee in the water which I personally thought was fun. The sand on the actual beach was cleaned regularly to remove small coral pieces and debris. It really helped keep the sand nice and kept the sharp coral pieces away from my feet.

We stayed in the Grand section of the Oasis Viva from April 25th to May 9th. Our room was on the 4th floor (441) and had a balcony with a wonderful view (I called in advance and requested it). We had a plasma TV and an extremely comfortable king size bed. The alarm clocks hadn't come in yet, but we didn't care because you could request a "wake-up" call from the front desk. Other than that, everything that was promised was delivered and the room looked exactly as it does in the pictures. Our mini-fridge was stocked every day with pop, water, and beer and we left tips for the person who looked after it. We had a bit of trouble adjusting the temperature, but once we got it figured out, we were good to go.

The grounds are beautiful, with lots of greenery and tended by gardeners who were constantly at work. The beach is fabulous and you quickly learn where the rocks are and the path to take in order to avoid them. The tropical fish come right in around the rocks and they were amazing. We saw at least a dozen different kinds, and they could be viewed without a mask and snorkel. The beach hut has beach toys and floating devices available for your use. It was like being in paradise, floating around sipping on a cool drink and basking in the sun.

The restaurants and buffet have a wide variety of food and over the two week period we were there, we could have eaten something different every day. There was lots of fresh fruit and vegetables in addition to traditional American and Mexican dishes. The snack bar has excellent club sandwiches and french fries. It is important to familiarize yourself with the routine and hours of operation for each restaurant. You can get a pamphlet from the concierge. There was only one restaurant that required reservations while we were there. All restaurants and bars are open and operating, including the steak house.

The elevators seemed to be an issue according to some of the reviews, but we didn't find them bothersome at all. There were two in the Oasis and the one in the Grand section was almost finished when we left. The smell people mention is only evident periodically and it wasn't a problem either. The high lime content in the soil gives off a smell that we are not used to anyway.

We booked with Sunquest and our transfers to and from the airport went off without a hitch. Just remember to smile, say "no thanks" and walk right past all the people who offer to assist you in the airport terminal. There will be a rep waiting right outside the doors with a sign that says "Sunquest." If you allow someone to help you with your bags, they will be looking for a tip. Check-in is 3PM, but we were given our bracelets and turned loose. We had packed swimsuits, sunscreen, and our big travel mugs (compliments of our travel agent) in our carry-on luggage, so we were prepared. Once our room was ready, the bell-boy took our luggage up for us. We didn't have to worry about a thing.

Internet access is available in the Oasis lobby ($5 for 30 minutes). There are two computers set up beside the concierge desk. I would type my letter on Microsoft word and then cut and paste it once I was finished in order to keep connection time to a minimum. This worked well. You can have it billed to your room. The $2 donation that some people complained about is explained to you in your welcome package and as it says, it is optional. I thought it was a worthy cause and applaud the Oasis chain for undertaking this project.

The front desk of the Grand opened while we were there, but the staff at the Oasis desk were especially helpful and we never once went to the Grand desk. I was always up early so I would seek out Miguel, the night manager, who was very accomodating and full of useful bits of information. I would go down to the lobby at 6AM, pour myself a coffee from the urn set up on the lobby bar, use the computer and head to the beach until breakfast. Cappucino is available once the lobby bar staff arrive. The beach loungers are plentiful and there were always lots, even if you didn't reserve one with your towel. The buffet opens at 7AM.

I do not speak Spanish (wish I did), but language did not seem to be a barrier. The wait-staff are eager to understand and smiling goes a long way. We tipped a lot, not because we had to, but because the wages in Cancun are extremely low. It was never expected, but I know they appreciated it.

There are activities on the beach (volleyball, ping-pong, ceramics) and in the pool in front of the Oasis. The infinity pool is quieter, but very nice. The water temperature was both warm and refreshing. The kid's club looked like it provided lots for the children to do, although it did not apply to us. The girl who runs it was awesome and she looked like the Pied Piper, always leading a bunch of children somewhere.

We had a great vacation and I am glad we picked this resort. We decided to go there initially because of the location and the fact we would be there for two weeks, but in the end, we hardly ever left the grounds and everything we could have asked for was right there at our fingertips. There wasn't anything that we desired that was not delivered . The staff knew our faces, if not our names, and treated us extremely well. Just remember to be patient, persistent, and smile. Customer service here is a two-way street and requires an understanding of local customs , way of life, and "the Mexican minute"! I loved it and would go back in a heartbeat.

This was my first trip to Cancun, and because my friend is a travel agent, we got an excellent rate as the hotel is actively promoting the 'Grand'. So, I may be a little bias in my review.

Overall the hotel was a pleasant experience. Apparently the 'Grand' portion of the hotel is an extention of Oasis Beach, as others have mentioned. We had to go into a seperate entrance which was a difference of about 100 yards and has it's own 'check' in area. I found this comical, and a little confusing upon arrival (as did my driver).

It smelled like rotten eggs in the lobby, which was a little unpleasant considering the heat. But the room was beautiful, good air conditioning and we had a plasma -- even though I wasn't there to watch TV, there were music channel's to listen to when getting ready for the night life! (Speaking of night life, Senior Frogs, Coco Bongo and others were within walking distance and really close to the bus which cost $.70 each way).

Disappointments about the room -- no balcony (make sure to reserve one because the view rocks), fridge with complimentary beverages was hot (and contained one beer per day -- haha)and the shower was cold at night.

Pools and beach were awesome! Get up early, grab a palapa and floating device -- they go fast and are limited. Swim up bar slushhy drinks was OK -- the tequiilla and white wine was great! Bartenders were professional and sweet, as was the staff.

My friends said the food at the buffet was better than most all inclusives so I went with it. However, I thought it was average, and couldn't get use to the weird food. Sushi was good! Don't bother with the Mexican cafe, not worth the reservation.

Overall I had a great time, and goal for going ---- lazy, buzzed days, working on my tan on the white sand beach of Mexico -- was accomplished! :-)