I can't say enough good things about this resort and the people who work there. My husband and I have two kids, 2 and 6, and this was our first family vacation. We knew we had to set this trip up perfectly so we would want to travel with our kids again! We went to this resort with a large group as well and it was perfect for everyone. Since my 2 yr old still takes a nap we needed a suite style room. Marival Residences' rooms were PERFECT! The 2 bedroom suite couldn't have been better. My kids LOVED sleeping in the same room (2 queen size beds) and after swimming and playing all day, they hardly even talked at night...just fell asleep. The two bathroom set-up was great as well. Having a family of 4 stay 7 days in a regular hotel can get cramped but we ended up calling our room the "apartment" because that is what it felt like. Each night we really felt like we were coming home.

The service at the resort was the best I've ever experienced. Ricardo and Jonathan at the pool were FABULOUS! I've never felt more pampered at a hotel. Both guys took care of my kids like they were taking care of their own. Even on our last day, Ricardo helped me get a couple of hot dogs "to go" so I could feed my kids lunch at the airport even thought the kitchen wasn't open for lunch yet. All the staff at the restaurants were great too. I can't remember their names but two waiters that worked breakfast made the BEST animal and crying baby sounds that kept my 2 yr old happy while waiting for our food to arrive. The shuttle guys were awesome too. I left my camera on one of the shuttles and Gustavo told others in my group he found a camera and asked if it was one of ours. I didn't even realize I had lost it until my husband told me to look for my camera.

The hotel is very relaxed but it was perfect for us. If we wanted more excitement we would go over to the sister resort and hit the kids mini water park (3 slides) or go to the beach. It was hard for me to justify leaving the Residences though because everyone knew us there and treated us like royalty. All we had to do was catch Ricardo's eye at the pool and he was running over to see what we needed/wanted.

When it came time to leave, my son,6, almost started crying because he didn't want to leave. He kept asking if we could stay 1 more day. Deep down I was crying and hoping to stay 1 more day too! We now have been home for a week and my kids are still saying "Hola" and "Gracias". I know a lot of people have said in their reviews that very few children are at this resort so I was afraid the staff wouldn't cater to our kids. That assumption couldn't be farther from the truth. Our first family vacation was a huge hit and I honestly can't wait to go back!

Marival is hands down the best place to vacation. They accomodated all our needs and exceeded all our expectations. ALL the staff was more than friendly and super attentative to all the guests. Especially Reggie, he seemed to be there and interacting with everyone all the time! I don't know when he gets a day off or sleeps, but he sure works hard and makes you feel like he and the rest of the staff wants to be there. We traveled with 2 small children and it was more than enjoyable for us. They made it very kid friendly by having pack-n-plays and even lending us a DVD player. The housekeeping was outstanding and went above and beyond! The food and dining were amazing and each day they changed up the buffet and settings. We were there for 7 nights, and that helped the trip seem more special. Each day was something different from the day before!! I will recomment Marival to everyone I know for the perfect vacation destination!!!! Thanks to everyone at Marival and Funjet Vacations!