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Brandon from Laguna Niguel, Ca
"The most challenging part is to understand the perspective of the reviewer. With that said, a bit of my previous similiar vacations that I can compare to. I went to Barcelo All inclusive a couple of years ago in SJD and Dreams by far blew that resort away. I have also stayed at Palace resorts in Vallarta and Moon Palace in Cancun. Dreams was comparable but had some noticable differences which I will get into:
Family Fun: By far this was one of the most kid friendly resort we have stayed in. The Explorers club was fantastic and would return just for their activities alone. My 5 year old daughter had a blast and was entertained the entire time. The staff was very friendly, was constantly keeping them involved with various kinds of activites. They had a set schedule daily printed out so you knew what was happening and what part of the resort they would be in. They opened I believe at 9AM and it went on till 10PM, leaving plenty of time to have mom and dad getaway or share their fun together.
Food: Restaurants were good in quality. MUCH better than Barcelo and again comparable to the Moon Palace resorts. No reservations required. If there was a little wait, they would take care of with a very courteous and pleasant way. We tried all 5 restaurants and were not dissappointed by any of them. Sushi place was amazing. The Sashimi special was excellent and fresh (though I had my doubts about having sushi in Mexico) figured we at the world capital of fishing, so it was worth the try and it was amazing. Nice presentation, fresh, fun... and again kid friendly even for a sushi place. The seafood restaurant was beautiful. Definitely go for the Sea Bass... Portofino was good. The steak was well prepared. Food presentation was maginificant. Mexican food and other venues were all good.
Cocktails: Ask for what you want. Are the drinks watered down? I think some were and were they top notch quality like Don Julio or Patron Tequila... NO... Palace resort had better quality drinks.. but it didn't bother me that much.. El Jimador tequila did job for us and when mixing with a margarita.. it was just fine.
Pool: Easy to find beds anytime. Though the front row on the pool would be taken by aroun 10am, but worse case you end up on the second row of chairs... We checked out the tranquility pool side and it was beautiful but boring. Didn't last long there and wanted to hang out back were the music and fun was. Water temperature of the pool was refreshing. A tiny bit warmer would be nice, but they had a jacuzi to make up for it if needed. As for the service around the pool... you don't have to hunt down the cocktail waitress or waiter when ordering food. They come around. (be sure to tip them)
Beach: Unswimable, however, if you walk about a mile to the left you can go in this cove next to the hilton, Rent Jet Ski's, swim a bit and even snorkle. Its worth an hour of your day if you stay long enough, but CABO is not a Beach friendly place.. you have been warned... We did go horse riding which was fun.. about $25 per person to go on the beach.. The guide will take some decent pictures of you so have your camera ready for him.
Activities: The Entertainment Team at the resort does an excellent job with gathering people to do water aerobics, Dreams Olympics, Riflle shooting, Ping Pong, Tequila Tasting, putting green, bean bag, etc, etc.. Their schedule is listed on the daily activities. Try to get involved and you will have fun. Its a big part of the experience at this resort. (as is just vegging on the beach or poolside of course)
Hotel Rooms: They were pleasant. nothing spectacular. The bathrooms were OK. This is something I would have the hotel change in time. Perhaps a bit more modern bathrooms and furniture may be needed. The shampoo and other little goodies were a bit dissappointing. A jacuzi tub would be a nice feature. Barcelo and Palace resorts had nicer rooms, but again, nothing that was too big of a deal. Pillows were not great and could be of better quality. They made up for this little aspect by the service and upkeep and friendliness of the staff.
Spa: I did get a 50 min. massage. It was OK. nothing to write home about. I prefer Vegas style spa's and this was an attempt to be like such, but didn't do it for me.
Overall, I would definitely recommend this hotel especially for families. Kids age 5 and up will just have a blast and leave mom and dad with plenty of time to have some free time together. Hotel was the perfect size. Not huge where going back to the room because you forgot sunblock was a pain. Just the right size resort to make it easy to walk from one end to the other without it being a drag.Service was excellent in all aspects. Food was great... Not a 5 star like a ritz or four seasons, but it was delicious and fun and customized as ordered. Pool and activities all Great 5 stars in that aspect. Room was 4 star. I would love to go back to this resort. HAVE FUN.
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Posted: Mon, Jul 09, 2012
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