We stayed at the above hotel Apri 21-28 /08 and we didn't experience any problems with the food, or water and we were not ill. The resort was wonderful, and there were lots of swimming pools, but we spent most of our time at the beach. The Micheal Jackson show was wonderful. We would recommend the resort. We went to the ruins of Coba and Tulum. Apparently visitors will not be able to climb the Coba ruins after June 2008. The only down side of our trip, was 2 days after we arrived home. All our 200+ photos were lost when the local photo store was destroyed in a fire.... yes, I still use rolls of film, i have not 'gone digitial'. Some day we will return to the Mayan so I can retake my photos, but I will be unable to take pictures of the beautiful view from the top of Coba, as it will be unaccessible.

Firstly, the complex is HUGE, comprising of 3 hotels, Tulum, Akumal and Coba. We upgraded our stay to Diamond Club/Hacienda Club and were able to take advantage of our own buffet restaurant (the Tequila) for breakfast and lunch, as well as the use of the quiet pool.

Staff - we found the staff to be helpful and polite (with the exception of one, who may have been a bit "slow") and Guest Relations were brilliant.

Rooms - very tired looking and could do with maintenance and a bit of TLC. They were kept very clean - the bedding, mattress and pillows were immaculate. Our bed was massive, firm, but I found it comfortable. However, the bed cover was "worn" and had a bobbled effect so I removed it and it stayed on a chair for 2 weeks (no biggie). Our toilet blocked the first night, the bulb in the wall light flickered unless you switched it off underneath and the phone plug was hanging off the wall behind the bedside cabinet. The towells were quite rough, but great for exfoliating!

Food - Buffet - As said, we ate buffet breakfast and lunch in the Tequila, but went for lunch in the main buffet a couple of days and evenings. Plenty of choice, you will find something you like, but we discovered you had to get in quick on some foods as soon as they were put out or you could end up with cold food.

Food - A la Carte - EXQUISITE!!. We ate in each of Le Arlequin, Le Gourmet and Don Pablo twice and found the food and service second to none - No fault whatsoever. We also ate in the Gran Tortuga (steak) Restaurant, good food and in the Japanese restaurant - the Mikado, which had great food and was a fun experience. However, the food in the italian Dolce Vita was disappointing and the service was very poor.

Pools - being part of the Diamond Club we had access to our own beachfront pool, which was great. Plently of free soft towels and plent of room round the pool, but the sunbeds were tired looking and could do with replacing. We also had the last 2 days of our stay overshadowed by the extremely loud and foul-mouthed young(ish) American group that "took over" the whole pool and surrounding area.

Beach - the beach was rocky and not the best for paddling, but we just went for a walk and found a clear spot to go into the sea, which was warm and we ended up swimming with the turtles! Brilliant experience.

Bar - went to the lobby bar in Tulum every night for a fabulous Cosmopolitan or 3! I have never seen barmen or waitresses so busy, but still smiling!

Hacienda - went up to the hacienda a couple of times shopping - DONT BOTHER - go to the logo shop or Walmart in Playa del Carmen! The sports bar was ok for a few games of pool, but we were too exhausted from sunbathing to go into the nightclub!

Trips - we went to Playa del Carmen, Tulum ruins and Xel-Ha - all great days out and we travelled using the Collectivo minibus that sits outside the hotel - $2 in either direction - and just paid our entrace fee when we got there - a lot cheaper than booking trips through the rep or hotel.

Note: having travelled a lot, we found our first time in Mexico quite expensive and odd that the locals were not prepared to barter, even if it meant by $2 and losing a sale!

A Little Bit of Heaven, In A Tropical Paradise

First of all a sincere thank you to Christopher, Nicki and Sara for everything, and the rest of the Bahia Principe -Tulum staff for making our vacation one of the best of a life time. We cannot wait to return here again and enjoy the many more to come. They really do make you feel like, your home away from home and part of the Bahia Tulum family.

Also great thanks to everyone on the TA board and forums that, definitely give everyone a few good ideas and some recommendations on a variety of topics. The TA forum is no doubt all about people helping people. It was nice meeting the people that were at the TA members get together at the Swing Bar at Akumal and then at the Tulum resort. In my review that follows I will try to give everyone that is thinking of going here and returning visitors my thoughts, critique and my general overall review of the GPB - Tulum.

Living here in Wisconsin and the Midwestern United States, people really look for an excellent valued property for their hard earned money that they spend on a vacation or holiday. I looked at all of the amenities offered and cost compared to what we would spend comparably going to a property on the beach in Florida. I can honestly say that without a shadow of a doubt, that the Gran Bahia Tulum, resort along with the Akumal and Tulum area in general, offer the best resort value for the US dollar spent.

We booked our air on Northwest and booked through the BP website for our stay. We booked our travel insurance through TravelGuard.com, as we like their rates and different travel and medical coverage packages they offer, as a lot of US insurance companies will not cover you outside the US. We utilized a nonstop transfer included with our package rate from the airport to the Tulum complex with Soltour, the Bahia Resorts corporate partner. I would highly recommend this instead of sitting on a bus for a couple of hours. We always look at the cost difference of going out of Chicago, which has regular delays often, and you can never be sure when you’re getting out, even on the charters. The additional cost of driving down and over nighting on the outbound and return just makes it more attractive and affordable to fly from Green Bay, Wisconsin.

We have been traveling to the Mexico Yucatan area since 1984, when I remember there were only seven motels in Cancun. Over the years we have stayed at hotels like Fiesta Americana, Hilton, Palace Resorts, Omni, Akmual Beach Resort and others.

The Gran Bahia Principe –Tulum exceeded all of our expectations as the best resort and will be forever more. One key factor we looked at was, the Tulum complex design layout with the Club Hacienda / Diamond section offering a quieter location, closer to the beach, and with over a mile of beach to walk and enjoy. We stayed for twelve days from April 13th to the 24th and it went by way too fast. With all of the amenities to use throughout the Tulum resort complex and other two resorts, there should never be no one complaining, that one cannot find enough to do from on site activities, or to just laying around and catching a little sun.

With Tulum and all three resorts having their own little niches, and being able to use the facilities at Akumal and Coba Resorts combined, make this one fantastic tropical paradise destination in the Riveria Maya. You never would believe the resort was full for the first few days, as the resort layout and green space being Eco Friendly makes it feel like a small town. The grounds are kept to perfection and landscaping abounds through the entire complex.

We stayed in the Club Diamond /Club Hacienda section which are one and the same, on the third floor of villa 43 with a good view of the ocean. The beds are orthopedic designed to be firm and there is a card on the nightstand explaining where to call if you want additional padding. All of the buildings are relatively close together and its not too far to walk for anything nearby. The club cars and tram service can get you any where among the three resorts relatively fast.

The Club Hacienda / Diamond lounge also provided a lounge area to relax and grab a cold one. This where we went to book our dinner reservations for ala cartes and the excellent concierge service was always provided by Rodrigo and Jack. We used the internet on occasion that was provided in the Club Hacienda, to check on what was going on back home when we needed to. In regards to phone calls, purchase the cards next to the restrooms by the Tulum lobby for $20 and follow the instructions, as you get about 20 minutes of call time when using those phones calling the US. I would definitely pay the additional cost for the Club Hacienda / Diamond amenities, as we felt was definitely worth it with all of the little extras that were part of the Club Hacienda / Diamond.

Erenesta our house keeping engineer, kept our room spotless everyday and would definitely put together amazing towel art every day of the twelve days. She was able to come up with a different sculpture everyday. We usually found a few extras here and there on most evenings when we came back to our room. I know some people have said that they been walked in on, well just hang out the card (do not disturb) if your going to be around during the day, as we never had any problems. Mini bar was stocked about every other day and we did leave tips for both personnel daily about $2 each.

We loved the Club Hacienda (North Pool) area being laid back and quieter, with excellent beach and cabana access and always close to the bar for refreshments. Alberto the pool bartender would always make sure you had exactly what you ordered and made it the right way and we tipped him. A new drink we showed him was two parts Kaluha and one part orange Juice equals the flavor of a tootsie roll definitely good and different.

We use the Bubba Kegs for a number of Eco Friendly, reasons. One major factor is less plastic cups are being used, thereby keeping resort cleaner and resort operating and waste costs down. In addition we always noticed that, there was a person chasing down the empty plastic glasses by the cabañas on the beach and around the pool throughout the day. This also means fewer trips to the bar and they keep your drinks ice cold for hours. When not used as a beverage holder, they make an excellent sealed cooler to travel with your meds that need to say cool while flying on your trip.

I did hear a few people complain about waiting for a drink and my thought is (think about it, you wait more then three minutes at McDonalds for something so waiting a few minutes for a drink is no big deal) your on a holiday…..

DINING: If you like A La Carte dining, make your reservations soon after you check in to obtain you desired restaurant selections at your concierge or public relations. We dined frequently at the Tequila Restaurant, which is located in the Club Hacienda section which was open for breakfast and lunch for Club Hacienda / Diamond guests and dinner for everyone by reservations.

Our breakfast and lunch servers Abraham and Eazeanor in the Tequila provided superb service in getting anything you desired and always looking to fill your cup with your morning coffee or other drinks. Carlos on the omelet station was definitely a pro in preparing your omelet by you adding your ingredients of choice. There was always a variety of different food items like pancakes, French toast, sausage, bacon and a variety of fruit and pastries. Eazeanor and Abraham at Lunch were there and items ranged from specialty “made to order pasta”, sauces, hamburgers, hot dogs, items and of course chips and salsa.

Staying with the Tequila Restaurant for dinner, we had Beef Fajitas and Chicken Breasts that were stuffed with a variety of items. The Beef Fajitas were the best I have had anywhere from the USA to down here in the Riveria Maya hands down. The Azteca soup prior to the main course was amazing and full of true Mexican flavor that abounded.

Our main two servers Marcillino and Pedro will get you laughing, with a few surprises and provide you with a dinner and night to remember for a lifetime. They really should be part of the comedy team at the Tulum Resort. In addition Angelo and Benjamin would assist Marcillino and Pedro from time to time with the Tequila cart (not to be missed) with a variety of tequila of your choice, (tread lightly and enjoy).

We dined at the Don Pablo one evening and our hostess Gabi and servers Enrique and Daniel were amazing. They made sure that everything was just right for placement, appearance and your satisfaction while you were dining. I started with the Don Pablo salad which was excellent, with a variety of greens and dressed with variety of toppings. The main course was the surf and turf, which was an excellent filet mignon and shrimp along my wife’s choice of broiled Salmon and fettuccine complimented with a scattering of caviar. Then accompanying our dinner was a desert of choice along with flaming Mayan coffee, which finished our Don Pablo dining experience.

The Grill La Gran Tortuga was good for the steak dinner and overall service was good with a variety on the menu. Mikado’s Japanese Steak House, I thought was good overall as being familiar with Japanese steak houses. We have dined in the United States in a number of Japanese steak houses with a variety of menu options. We did like the surf and turf, and of course the chefs puts on a great show that is excellent entertainment while dining. We did also utilize the Tulum and Coba buffets frequently also, when we would come back from an excursion and did not feel like going for dinner.
Tulum and Coba buffets were somewhat similar and it was neat trying out different buffet options. Dinner had a variety of salad bar items and different food groups from chicken, beef and fish prepared in a variety of different ways with your added side dishes.

I really enjoyed the chicken done in bourbon and in wine sauce. There were also burgers, quesedeas, hot dogs and enough on the salad bar to even keep the pickiest eaters happy. The Children’s Food Station in the buffet was also there for the little ones appetite and offered variety from nuggets hot dogs etc. There also snack bars throughout the resort and some operate 24 hours if you get that late night hunger binge or after the disco.

Entertainment

In regards to entertainment and bars, there are a variety of bars for a total of twenty one bars between the three resorts, so definitely enough to keep you occupied. They are great places to have a few drinks, enjoy some live music and meet new friends. The pool bars close at six p.m. and the Tulum lobby bar closes at eleven. I would recommend that they should stay open until at least midnight, as eleven just seems way too early. Carolina the server in the Tulum Lobby Bar really keeps your glass full and she is always checking in on you, to see if you need anything else. We did not hit the disco, but heard from others if you’re into that kind of atmosphere at that time of evening, it’s a great place to check out.

We did the Michael Jackson show which is on Friday at the Tulum resort and it performs other nights at Coba and I believe Akumal. It is definitely a good show and a great way to spend some time after dinner unwinding and have a few great laughs. The crazy show is no doubt crazy and it definitely lives up to its name. You can never know what to expect during the show as it will surprise you and it contains a lot of adult humor.

They have the kid’s hour every night from eight until nine onstage, before the shows start and the activity directors on stage like Deanna does a good job with the kids for an hour of entertaining them with participation games.

In reference to shopping the resort has a variety of different boutique shops that carry a variety of items including health and beauty aids if you need them. The Hacienda Don Isabel upfront has stores and some great deals on many items, as it all depends on what a person is looking for to take back home.

Weddings galore were held at the Gran Bahia Tulum. The Gran Bahia Tulum had between two and sometimes three weddings a day during our stay and one look at the outside chapel gazebo will tell you why. We had seen numerous brides and grooms with their families throughout our stay and it was very interesting seeing the variety of wedding attire from people all over the world. I would definitely have my wedding here, if we ever would do it all over again.

SUN
The SUN is wicked strong, and when you hear everyone say use the sunscreen, trust me use it. I used SPF 70 on my face, ears, neck and feet. I still Wanted to get some tanning done, so I used SPF 50 for the first few days and then went to SPF 30 then nothing less.

We spent about 2-3 hours combined in the sun at once, with some shade under the cabanas and spent other time directly under cabañas relaxing as the waves rolled in.

If you expose yourself with too much sun, and have been drinking all day this is definitely a recipe for disaster. You could possibly end up with sunstroke, heat exhaustion and other serious medical issues and ruin your entire trip.

If you have children, get the children’s brands that you trust and make sure they are the best sunscreen with a high SPF. Words of wisdom don’t skimp on trying to save a few dollars on sunscreen, buy the best, as you do not want them to get burned, as they burn so easy down there. They have a children’s program for ages 4-12 and you would need to check it out or hear what others have to say about it.

Excursions

We used the collectivo vans for all of our area travel which is very reasonable compared to taxi service. If you want the personal service and do not mind paying the extra cash for your ride, then the taxis are for you. You can catch collectivos on the highway in front of the entrance to the Gran Bahia Resort by the Hacienda Don Isabel building. There is usually someone around there and are good about assisting you if you have any questions and will point you in the right direction. They run the routes that we seen, were from Playa Del Carmen down to Akumal, Tulum and then again returning on the route with stops along the way until they get back to Playa Del Carmen.

We decided to go on our own to Akumal Bay and had Lunch at LO Ha and it was awesome. The ocean view while dining is amazing, looking out over Akumal Bay with all of the beautiful tourqouise shades of ocean blue water out in front. At Lo Ha we had the Panchos Yucatan’s and Coconut Shrimp which were both excellent choices. I was able to get out by the web cam and left the snowman sketch behind in the sand. We utilized the snorkeling equipment from Akumal Dive Shop next door to the right of Lo Ha. It was $15 US to rent the gear and I opted for the additional vest for safety and snorkeled around the bay for quite some time. I saw several sea turtles, many tropical fish and a stingray on the bottom of the ocean floor. We took the collectivo which was $ 2 each each way per person, a very reasonable $8 round trip, compared to $20 roundtrip for a taxi.

We did the Tulum Ruins Trip by ourselves on one day and definitely would go back earlier in the morning, because the heat really kicks in by the afternoon. Doing the excursions like the Tulum Ruins, definitely take the sunscreen along and use it. A white cap or hat and light colored clothing will definitely make it cooler for you. Taking along small bottle of water or other liquids also is a good idea. Here too we took the collectivo vans and I believe it was $4 per person each way, for $16 round trip for two. The park admission was around $4.80 per person US, and if you want to use a video camera then there is approximately an additional $4-$5 US fee for the camera. They provide you with a map and the trails are well marked. There are very good guides available for hire, if you so choose a narrated and guided tour of the grounds.

“Chichen Itza the Mayan Ruins Is a definite must see” It has now been included as one of the new “Seven Wonders of the World”. Chichen Itza is a long day, but well worth the trip. There are a variety of ways to do this tour, as we did it with a tour guide on a bus tour and it included a dinner. Costs range from around $80 and up on tours and there are numerous people that also hire locals and taxis, check with your tour company or concierge to see which way you want to do this trip of a lifetime.

If your vacation time allows you, definitely space out your day trips, as we found out that a day on and a day off worked great and provides some relaxation time so you do not burn your selves out. There is a variety of water sports offered here and depending on the wind, you can really enjoy the hobbie cats and if you’re a Jet Ski fanatic they are also available to rent.

We also spent time walking the beach for some good exercise and would say that the beach is very good overall, being smoother in some sections, more then others. There are a few stones here and there, nothing really out of the ordinary considering you’re in a limestone and coral rich area. The water shoes might be good idea if you have sensitive feet or heels. In regards to the beach, different sections are laying differently with the structure of the land. The beach and the outgoing bars or live coral reefs work their way uniquely into the ocean, giving different visual affects of the actual beachfront. Yes the hurricane has changed things somewhat, but you need to remember you cannot change Mother Nature’s strength.

One other point to keep in mind is that no matter where you stay, the people down here work their butts off, for the very little money they earn compared to other countries. Go on your vacation holiday and treat people here with respect, as you would treat your friends and family with respect, and I am sure you will be treated with the same respect here. You’re in a foreign country and sometimes things move slower then one is used to in their home country, so if you’re young at heart you should adjust easily. Come to the Gran Bahia Tulum resort with no attitude, an open mind and go with the flow. If you keep that in mind, you will no doubt have a wonderful vacation or holiday and truly, truly enjoy your selves.

In closing we have seen and heard that everyone has a different opinion on this resort, or the three Gran Bahia Principe properties in general. People from all different parts of the world and different cultures, will all have different thoughts on what property ratings, service, personal needs and amenities mean for each individual when visiting here.

As I stated earlier, we have been coming to Mexico since 1984 and the Gran Bahia Tulum will be the place we return to again for the ambience, service and outgoing staff. In other words this could be our new home away from home with our extended family and friends. Feel free to e-mail me with any questions you may have and I will try to answer them for you.

Snowmaninsnowcountry

This was our 6th vacation at the Bahia Principe since 2002, and the 5th time that we stayed in the Tulum section of the resort. We are looking forward to our next trip to Bahia Tulum in November and another great 2 weeks.

Obviously, we love this resort. We always find the staff friendly and wanting to provide good service. We enjoy the opportunity to spend time twith them and "re-learning" our basic Spanish. The atmosphere that we enjoy at the Bahia reflects well on the staff who work there.

The food was excellent regardless of where we dined. We enjoyed 6 different a la carte restaurants throughout the resort and of course the buffet restaurants. We particularly appreciate the opportunity to go to restaurants in Tulum as well as Akumal and Coba. Some a la carte restaurants are booked up quickly and booking as soon as you arrive usually ensures that you will be able to eat where you want. Public Relations in the lobby takes care of this with you.

Although the resort is large with many guests, there is always lots to do and a variety of locations that can be enjoyed. We spend most of our time near the Tulum pool closest to the Tulum reception and were able to easily access the buffet, the pool bar, the Bar Akumal. Other restaurants and facilities are within easy walking distance, or by the resort's transportation system. And the beach is just a few steps away. Each year we have found the beach to be better. Our Villa was near the ocean and our room was super.

Again, all staff are helpful. Public Relations (lead by Carolina)know everything and can help with anything thing, and always with a smile. Sara and Nicki from Guest Services were both terrific even before we arrived. Sergio at the Front Desk was always there wanting to provide any help needed, including planning a possible road trip during our next vacation, and Sandra at our favourite bar, the Bar Akumal, always took the time to say hello. And finally Chris, the assistant manager, was there to make everything work extra well. The weekly forum (this is new!!)with repeat vacationers provides an opportunity to meet with Tulum's management team and to give feedback as to how services may be improved - a great forum that we were able to participate in during our most recent stay.

We enjoyed some time away from the resort and travelled by the "collectivo" (public transportation) into Playa del Carman a couple of times. The bus is fun, and available on the highway at the front of the resort. We also had the opportunity, thanks to Nicki and Chris, to participate in Earth Day in the town of Akumal where kids from 4 local schools attended a day of "eco" activities. We had a great time sharing our gifts with the children.

We highly recommend the Bahia Principe resort. The Bahia Tulum has become our favourite vacation spot. What a great time we had!!

Ron and Wendy
Ontario Canada