From 26 May to 03 June 2011
This period – We all went for holidays to Mexico – as Sitara said “we are going on v_a_c_a_t_i_o_n” .
The vacation was booked earlier in April.
While the kids and their parents already were thinking of going on holidays during winter – that got delayed for one reason or another – then they decided to go during the week of 26 May to 03 June as this fitted well with Nina”s work schedule . Grandparents were asked previously whether they would want to join in – so they can enjoy the kids as well as the kids would also have an opportunity to spend quality time with their nana/nani. Besides nana/nani can also have an experience of a different type (from their normal visiting urban centers and family members and friends) of holidays at a beach resort . Also the kids’ nani would get a chance to refresh her university days when she was learning world history and was interested at the time in Maya and Aztec culture and history. So the holidays at Barcelo Maya Beach – near Cancun, Mexico fitted the bill.
This area has a very well developed beach resorts and also places for some Maya ruins to visit.
So the trip started on Thursday 26 May – when all travelled to Ottawa in the evening and stayed one night at Days Inn near Ottawa airport (on Hunts Road) before embarking the Air Canada flight (AC 441) early Friday morning (27 May 2011) to travel to Toronto. We then tranferred to Air Canada flight AC1254 in Toronto for Cancun, Mexico. Flight to Toronto from Ottawa was 1 hour long and from there to Cancun the flight time was about 4 hours.
The group arrived at Cancun at 12.25 – just after noon (local time). Cancun time is one hour behind Toronto time. The Airline does not provide complimentary food anymore – one needs to buy it (payment by credit card only) . We did not buy any as we had enough snacks with us.
Cancun arrival lobby was small but friendly. The Immigration and Customs were processed quite efficiently with no problem. . On the flight over, each one of us ( as every visitor to Mexico) was required to fill out a ‘tourist’ card that has to be kept safe and was to be handed back when leaving the country.
Once we left the airport (a bit chaotic as we were at a destination which we were not quite familiar with and also we had 2 kids, 2 strollers and 5 suitcasess to tug around – and we did not hire a porter – though there were many who offered this type of service) – however finally we got greeted by our Air Canada travel representative (who was standing outside with an Air Canada placard) – who then led us to our waiting area and after about few minutes to our shuttle bus. It was well organized and very friendly but nevertheless it can be improved.
The trip to the resort from the Cancun airport is about 1 hour…no problems at all, good driver and nice double laned highway, we were amazed at seeing so much greenery and palm trees after coming from Canada a few hours earlier! We arrived at Barcelo resort and checked in at the Maya Beach complex, check in went absolutely fine…check in time is 3 pm and we arrived just about that so our room was ready. We had reserved / booked our rooms (adjoining for both families) from Canada by phone to Barcelo Maya Beach front desk – a day earlier prior to departing for Barcelo.
Tthis is a huge complex..there are five actual seperate ‘resorts’ but all part of one big system..we stayed at the Maya Beach (mirror image of each other, each with it’s own lobby, buffet, restaurant, bars, etc..and same price point) the buildings are all 3 stories high which is nice….you don’t get that tall hotel building feeling here. Then there is the Colonial/Tropical buildings, there are the next step up, also very nice and each with their own character and finally the top end resort, the Palace…which is much fancier…and pricier.
They give you a towel card when you check in and you use this for your beach towels, you are required to hand it back in at the end of your stay.
We had Club Premium tickets .
The Premium Club is the new, exclusive concept of services and facilities being implemented in the Barceló Premium hotels, providing customers with a superior and exclusive level of quality. It includes the following services, among others(*):
· Preferential area at the reception desk
· Exclusive Check-in and Check-out
· Early Check-in and Late Check-out
· Private caretaker service
· Free Internet
· Pillow Menu
· Superior Amenities Kit
· Access to the Club Premium Lounge
· Menu of free international drinks (Club Premium Lounge)
· Unlimited reservations in all the à la carte restaurants
· 24-hour, personalised service
Our rooms (2204 for Nina/Sunjay & Kids and 2205 for nana/nani at Maya Beach Hotel) had a pool view and a distant beach view. We had a Club Premiun tickets ( a notch above the Standard package)
Our Room was nice and big, 2 double beds, very clean and we were on the 2nd floor, nice balcony overlooking the beautiful lush grounds ..palm trees right in front of us….WOW…
Nina/Sunjay & Kids had a silmilar room but with an added crib for Sachin.
Air conditioning was not super powerful at first, but it worked and there is a large ceiling fan that kept us cool as well…no problems
Restuarants that we patronised while at the Beach resort
Sunday 29 May 2011 – Italian at 6.00 p.m.
Monday 30 may 2011 – Santa Fe (Mexican Restaurant) at 6.30 pm
Monday 30 may 2011 – Shahs at Spanish Restuarant (Don Quisote) at 7.30 p.m (after a visit to Cozumel island)
Tuesday 31 May 2011 – Sunjay/Nina alone – a private time for the couple – at Kyoto (Japanese Restaurant) at 6.30 pm – kids were entertained by nana/nani at Buffet Dinner
Wednesday 1 June 2011 – All at Kyoto (Japanese Restaurant) at 6.30 pm (after viist to Kumul ruins by Shahs)
Thursday 2 June 2011 -All at the Mexican restuarant (El Agave) located at Maya Beach Resort at 6.30 p.m
All food areas were immaculate, foods properly handled from a sanitation perspective. Staff were clearly well trained in food safety and sanitation as well as presentation and service. Very impressive!
Beach
The beach in front of the Maya Beach/Caribe resorts is the nicest one of the complex, it has less rocks close to shore and you can walk out on nice sandy bottom up to your waist only for quite a while…until you hit some corral. We all wore beach shoes when getting inti the sea as the corral can hurt feet! Though the beach at Maya Beach/Caribe was better we spent all all time after the first day at The Colonial – as it has Water slides and fountains for the kids to frolic around. Also the beach was tolerable. The swimming pools were excellent.
Palm trees dot the beach, so you can find a place to sit in sun or shade. Thousands of loungers available. Beaches are raked in the early morning and pathways swept. Ongoing discreet cleanup of beach, gardens and walkways.
Drinks – we drank different types of alchoholic and non-alcoholic drinks including bottled (Crystal Brand) water . Pina Colada with real rum, Margaritas, taquilla, sake , CORONA beer , etc. Some Liquor too. We had access tpo private Lounge (as we had Club tickes) – where you can drink any kinds of foreign drinks-with food provided and computers to read about news etc.
The nightly entertainment at the two theaters in this resort. Different shows nightly, so one can choose between the two theaters. Singers and dancers and musicians were very, very good! Shows were very colourful and lively. Excellent . Camera was useful ! We saw Circus, Fanatsia and Michael Jackson as well as Mexican Fiesta.
Trips
On Monday 30 may 2011 – Nana/nani made a day trip to Cozumel Island ( via Playa del Carmen) and went in the submarine diving to see the correls. Lots of fun.
Also on Wednesday 1 June 2011 – again Nana/nani made a day trip to Kumul ruins ( by Kumul Express a ;luxury bus)