beaang
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« on: January 31, 2005, 08:10:51 AM » |
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My husband and I visited the Iberostar Tucan 22-29 February 2004. In a word, it was SPECTACULAR. Here is my detailed, and hopefully informative, review.
CHECK-IN: Upon our arrival we checked in and were immediately served a tasty daiquiri and were issued bracelets, towel cards, and an information kit. As we were early and check-in wasn't until 3:00 PM, we were told to leave our bags in the lobby with the bell boys and enjoy the resort amenities. I believe there were hospitality rooms but we did not use them. The lobby bathroom was rather large, however, so we went there to change into our beach clothes. From there we headed out to the poolside grill for lunch. When we returned at 4:00 PM we were told that we could head out to our room immediately and they sent a bell boy to our room to deliver our bags.
OUR ROOM: As per our e-mail request (sent in Spanish and English), we were given a room in building 11 on the third floor close to the beach (room #1151). From our balcony we had a view of the tropical jungle and limited view of the ocean. As we were up so high, we didn't hear a thing (including the roosters) once we closed our patio doors for the night. Our first day there, we had a monkey visit us. He stayed for around five minutes, munching on the leaves in the planters surrounding our balcony. Another day two ducks came by to perch. The room itself was very clean with tiled floors and a LARGE marble shower in the bathroom. There are no bathtubs in this resort. The toilet water stank every other day, but we got used to the smell after awhile. Other guests we spoke to didn't have this problem. We were told that the water was safe to brush our teeth, but not to swallow. We had two double beds and a daybed in our room. The mattresses are hard, but we are used to that so we slept extremely well. There are no drawers in the room, but there are plenty of shelves and hangers in the closet for organizing clothing. There is also a safe in the closet, free of charge, which is easy to use. There is a television in the room but we never had time to watch it. Please be advised that there is NO CLOCK in the room, so unless you pack one you had better request a wake-up call if you have an excursion planned or have to get to the airport on time. There is a table and chairs in the room and a long counter with a mirror overhead. There is also a small bench for those ladies who want to do their makeup while the bathroom is occupied. Beneath the counter is a minibar, refilled every day, stocked with bottled water, soft drinks and beer. We left a little gift bag for our chambermaid filled with small gifts and $2 USD each day with a little thank-you note written in Spanish. In return we had impeccable service and towel art sprinkled with fresh red flowers.
THE HOTEL: The lobby is incredible, with marbled floors and high ceiling, Mayan art, and even live parrots. There are plenty of padded benches to sit on, boutiques, and a spacious lobby bar with tables and chairs. There is also a desk for travel agents where you can speak to and verify information posted by your travel representative. We traveled with Signature Vacations and were taken care of by Nathalie Pinet. Quick tip - make sure you attend the information session hosted by your representative. This is a great way to plan your vacation. There are two Internet terminals, open from 10 AM to 11 PM - 20 pesos gets you around 15 minutes of computer time (HOTMAIL and AOL are not available). Past the reception area are the restaurants. On each side of the marbled path are waterways with large fish. There are beautiful tropical plants everywhere - a real treat for the eyes. Behind the restaurants is the animation area, La Plaza. This is where Star Friends perform every evening. The stage is quite large and the hall itself is huge with plenty of coffee tables and chairs. A large bar stands opposite the stage at the back of the hall. If you cross through this area, you will see two pool tables. Should you wish to play, you must cross over to the Quetzal side for balls and cues. Toward the Quetzal side of the resort where the restaurants are, you will walk along wooden paths and take in breathtaking landscaping complete with lush greenery, waterfalls and flamingos. The path through the tropical jungle, lit at night, will convince you that you've chosen the ideal resort. Surrounded by trees, tropical plants and flowers, you cannot begin to describe the beauty of this area. There are peacocks, roosters, iguanas, ducks, birds, and creatures resembling rats without tails wandering around. There is even a toucan, which unfortunately is fenced in and alone.
THE POOL: This pool is HUGE and absolutely beautiful. There are two zero-entry areas at each end, with an unheated hot tub in the middle. The water was very warm, contrary to what I have heard and there were many people using it, especially children. The Star Friends give an Aqua Gym course at 11:30 AM every morning in one end of the pool and diving lessons in the same place twice per day. A second pool is used for Aqua Volleyball and Aqua Basketball. There is also a kiddie pool and pool bar (my favorite). The pools are closed for chemical treatments every night at 8:00 PM, so if you prefer to swim at night you're out of luck. Towels can be exchanged daily from 8 AM to 6 PM.
THE BEACH: The Playacar area is renowned for its beach and I saw for myself what all the hoopla was about. You can walk for miles in bare feet in either direction - towards the undeveloped area you will only walk past one resort, Gala. After that, it is a deserted expanse of water, sand, and litter washed up by the waves. As long as you stay in the water, you can walk a long way. I suggest taking water shoes if you plan to go very far. If you walk the other way, you will pass through a line of other resorts, including the Riu resorts, Viva Maya, Royal Hideaway, Allegro Resort, Viva Azteca and Reef Club. You might make it into Playa del Carmen, depending on the surf and the coral. When we were there the wind had picked up quite a bit, making the water hard to wade through. Most found the waves too rough and opted to remain ashore. When the water was too rough the dive shop did not lend out the non-motorized watersport gear, included in the all-inclusive package. On the beach we didn't have trouble finding a spot in the shade, even when we arrived at 10:00 AM. Many people chose to sit by the pool instead, where there are also ample shaded areas. WARNING: I didn't see any lifeguards on the beach, nor at the pool.
THE FOOD: Restaurant and bar hours are indicated in the information kit given to you at check-in. Breakfast is from 7-10 AM in the buffet restaurants near the lobby and from 10-12 AM in the poolside grills. Lunch is from 1-3 PM in the buffet on the Quetzal side and from 12-5 PM in the poolside grills. Snacks are from 5-6 pm in the palapa (hotdogs and hamburgers) on the beach. Dinner is in the buffet restaurants from 6:30-10 PM, unless you have a reservation in an a-la-carte restaurant. You can reserve two a-la-carte restaurants per week for either a 6:30 or 8:30 PM sitting. Reservations are made in the lobby at Public Relations from 9-11 AM and 5-6:30 PM daily. Be sure to reserve as soon as possible, as the restaurants fill up early. We ended up getting three reservations, as the man in front of us cancelled his Steakhouse at the last minute. The Italian was my husband's favorite and mine was the Steakhouse. We also went to the Mexican and found that to be good, also. There is also a seafood one, but we weren't interested. At each a-la-carte there was an entree buffet where you could easily fill up before the main meal arrived. If you are hungry after 11 PM, head over to the buffet on the Quetzal side for late snacks. Overall, the food was excellent in all the restaurants, including the buffets. There is something here for everyone, including the fussiest eater. My only complaint is that the fajita flatbreads are way too small.
FITNESS/SPA: There are a lot of things here to do for any fitness enthusiast - tennis, gymnastics, dance lessons, cycling, soccer, volleyball, basketball, watersports, diving, jogging, etc. We took a peek at the spa and fitness center and were impressed by the number and quality of weight and cardio machines available. You can use their lockers, towels, steam bath and Jacuzzi. My husband and I went on the bike tour with one of the Star Friends. This was a great way to see the Playacar area. Once in Playa del Carmen, we were given an hour to shop and visit, then took the long way back around the Playacar Golf Club. Note that if you want to take a bike out on your own, you have to pay. The beauty salon, open from 8 AM to 7 PM offers facial and body treatments, hairdressing services, coloring and manicures. They also offer massages in the spa or at the beach (near the pool).
ENTERTAINMENT: I was impressed with most of the shows put on by Star Friends, except for Miss Iberostar, which I found a waste of quality sleep time. One of the performers did an incredible impersonation of Michael Jackson. They have a movie for kids at 8 PM every evening, but the projection quality is horrible. Waitresses come around serving drinks throughout the evening entertainment, which is much appreciated. If you can stay up late enough, there is a nightclub on the Quetzal side open from 10:30 PM to 3 AM.
KIDS: There are organized activities for kids 4-12 years old in Lucy's Mini Club from 10:15 AM to 5 PM, including games, movies, soccer, bingo, sand castle building, dancing and treasure hunts. The kids we saw seemed to be having a great time. There is a playground next to the kiddie pool with lots of sand all around.
QUICK TIDBITS: We brought our insulated plastic Disney mugs with covers for our drinks at the bar. The drinks stayed colder longer, the sand didn't get into them, and the bartenders got a kick out of them. If your on-site travel agent invites you on a drinking tour, take it. We did Mayan Madness with our Signature rep and had a blast cruising to three bars over three hours where we made new friends and danced the night away. Also, be sure to purchase a calling card should you wish to phone home. We got one from our Signature representative. You have to walk 10 minutes to the Plaza or go into Playa del Carmen to use it. If you use the phones at the hotel, you will pay a fortune.That about sums up our experience at the Iberostar Tucan. We did two excursions, Coba Ruins and Xel-Ha, but we'll be posting those reviews separately on Tripadvisor.com. We met people from around the world, all very friendly. We'd like to send a special hello out there to Denise and Ron from Edmonton. These two took advantage of all the fitness facilities available and thoroughly enjoyed their stay. We will definitely be back but will probably return with the kids. Feel free to write if you have any questions. Have a great vacation!
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