Barcelo Maya Caribe

[ratech]

Last minute flight, leaving tonight. Anyone been? Looking for mostly what to avoid and efficiencies (like where to get beer at 4 AM) Where to do I catch game 1 & 2?

Thanks

[Thor]

Barcelo Maya is a great resort, its located about 15 mins from the nearest town of Playa Del Carmen, there are 2 bars there that play NHL on TV, ask people at the resort I'm sure you will not be the only ones searching for them.

Oh go really early to those bars for the hockey night games, because they are always packed with Canadians.

As for the resort, I think they stop serving booze at the disco around 2am, we used to leave big tips for the cleaning ladies to get more drinks in our rooms, take the beer out of the fridge and leave a tip IN the fridge with a note "extra beer" or something like that. Its horrible beer they give you, but hey for the time you end up on the beach at 4 am and you want a cold beer. We used the plastic garbage cans in the room as coolers by filling them with ice and putting beer in those.

If you hang out at all on the beach at night, do not go in the water or even remotely close to it, there are federales who are in charge of monitoring that, you don't want to get on their bad side.

As for trips out of the resort, if you like to party, take the 3 bar party trip to Cancun which ends up at the world famous Coco Bongo's, its booked at the front desk area, you do not have to book with your own tour operator; look around there is one offering the trip for like $80 USD per person which is a steal as you get personal drive to/from (40 min drive each way) and all you can drink all night with your own personal chapperone who takes care of your group and watches over you. Tip this person WELL he/she will go out of their way to make the party awesome and get you an all important good spot in Coco Bongo's since its always packed on these crawls.

I think thats all the important stuff, its an amazing beach and a huge resort, the swim up bar near the old disco in the caribe area is a popular hangout.

Have fun!

[Thor]

Originally Posted by fotze

Good post thor, sounds like your liver must have been thore after that trip.

Anyone ever been to the Mayan Riviera and in particular either the Iberostar Paraiso, Paradisus or the Xpu-Ha Palace? That is what I am leaning toward.

It was 2 weeks of debauchery, took 2 weeks back home to recover

I had friends at Iberostar, the most memorable quote they had was "it was Vegas in Cancun, and not in a good way."

Too much of the people who are either rich and know it or those who want to pretend they are rich and better than you. It was just not a really great place to stay, and not to mention its a monster of a resort complex so personally I'd avoid it from what I've heard. If the snobbey isn't an issue, its an amazing resort, I did a walk through of it 3 yrs ago and was very impressed with the whole thing, but its not something I would want to stay at.

I've heard however great things about both Paradisus and Xpu-ha, xpu I think was near or has the nature reserve? As I recal 2 of my favorate clients stayed there and loved the resort, as its very much mixed in with the jungle and feels like a nature friendly resort with 5 star quality. I have never heard bad things about this resort.

But again both resorts tend to attract older clientèle and are very very much deserving of their 5 star status for food, service and amenities.

However being that Paradisus is in Cancun and the others are in Mayan I would tend for the Mayan ones, Cancun is fun to visit just not to stay in.

If it was me personally going down, Xpu-ha would be my choice as a couples resort, if it was for partying Paradisus since its in Cancun and maybe Iberostar if I wanted to see what all the fuss is about the rich spanish making this their number one choice. Be fun to behave badly around those people

[Buzzard]

Originally Posted by fotze

Good post thor, sounds like your liver must have been thore after that trip.

Anyone ever been to the Mayan Riviera and in particular either the Iberostar Paraiso, Paradisus or the Xpu-Ha Palace? That is what I am leaning toward.

A guy I work with was at paradisus in playa del carmen a couple months ago. It was fantastic he said, nothing bad to say at all.

[Buzzard]

Seeing how travel is kind of a hot off topic thread, especially in the colder months, it would be cool to have a sub section for it at CP. hint...hint...

[prarieboy]

Originally Posted by fotze

Good post thor, sounds like your liver must have been thore after that trip.

Anyone ever been to the Mayan Riviera and in particular either the Iberostar Paraiso, Paradisus or the Xpu-Ha Palace? That is what I am leaning toward.

I stayed next to the Paradisus at The Excellence Riviera. It was awesome. If you can afford it, it might be worth looking at as well.

[HalifaxDrunk]

Originally Posted by Thor

I've heard however great things about both Paradisus and Xpu-ha, xpu I think was near or has the nature reserve? As I recal 2 of my favorate clients stayed there and loved the resort, as its very much mixed in with the jungle and feels like a nature friendly resort with 5 star quality. I have never heard bad things about this resort.

I think you may mean the Grand Flamenco Xcaret. It's next to the Xcaret Park . We stayed there, very nice resort.

http://www.occidentalhotels.com/grand/Xcaret.asp

[dirk diggler]

we were at the Barcelo Maya the year the flames went to the finals,saw the final game against vancouver down there. at Barcelo Maya, they kept playing soccer on Tv, a friend and i took a quick cab to a place called Puerto Aventuris, i believe was the name, they had a really good sports bar there owned by a canadian or american, not sure which, who liked hockey.. was fantastic...

[Eagle Eye]

Never actually stayed at the Caribe (which I think used to be called the 'Garden') portion of the resort, I have stayed in the Beach section. Resort is really nice, really good food, rooms are very nice, but it is now a fairly large resort (which I see no problems with) with the addition of the newest section.