there was that one big "con". So I will begin with the "pros". (trip was May 1-7, with 2 boys - ages 10 & 7)
Check-in: Welcome champagne and fruit punch for the kids. We had requested double beds with our plunge pool room, but were
more +given a king. Since we are used to a king at home, we figured we would like this better anyway if we could make it work. Requested a roll-away, and was told "no problem". All in all, very simple and quick.
Room: VERY nice room. Our room was ready, and the roll-away arrived the same time that we did - luggage about 10 minutes later. A lot has been made about a lack of privacy, but we simply made a family rule and stuck with it. Whenever someone was behind the wall (bathroom area) everyone else was in front of the wall or on the patio, problem fixed! Our 7 year old was able to still fit nicely on the love seat, and the 10 year old took the cot. That left a very comfortable king sized bed for my wife and I - nice!
Maid service: No issues, very personable when we saw them and if we were in the room, they would always ask us what time we would like them to return. The rose petals and candles were also a nice touch for our anniversary. Mini bar always seemed to be restocked on schedule.
Plunge pool: I can't say enough about how much we all enjoyed our plunge pool. Perhaps because it was May, but the water temp was perfect no matter what time of the day. Just a great, great feature especially if you are traveling with young kids. We packed some cheap inflatables which worked out well, as you are asked not to use the resort pool floats in the plunge pools. (which, of course, some inconsiderate people did anyway)
Resort pools: Enjoyed both the infinity pool and the activity pool. Absolutely no issues with the "chair game". We were able to get prime real estate even as late as 8:30 - 9:00.
Beach: Nice, although we are more "pool people" so we didn't spend a lot of time there. Kids enjoyed the trampoline one day and the water temp was nice. Yes, there is sea grass but they worked hard to keep it raked up. Again, just don't see the reason for all of the complaints............
Beach bar and swim up bar: For the most part, no issues. Bartenders weren't too engaging, and I didn't notice much difference between tipping and not. Love the Mexican Iceberg! Poolside wait staff, however, were outstanding. I had daily service right to my plunge pool - I didn't even have to get out of the water! Please tip them well.........
Hot tub: Another myth? Our room was about 20 feet from the hot tub, and I never saw 20 screaming kids obstructing adults from entering. In fact, I didn't see a single person using it until day 5 of our stay.
Explorer's Club: Big, big plus here. Both of our kids enjoyed visiting the club, usually from about 4 - 9. They met many new friends from Canada and England, and they enjoyed the daily activities. We (parents) enjoyed the fact that it is secure and they provide you with a pager should something happen. Our boys preferred to eat dinner at the club, instead of with us which allowed us to enjoy the lobby bands and dinner.
Adventure Photo Team: Another pleasant surprise! We had decided prior that we wanted to have some family pictures taken, and the photo team did an excellent job. The sitting is free, and they will email you a slide show link to share with others upon your return. You then pick and choose the shots that you want to purchase. We ended up buying 8 out of about 50 taken, and it very hard to decide because they all came out so nice. Do yourself a favor and visit the photo crew!
Entertainment: Although low key, they did have several nice bands / singers that performed in the lobby each night. Also, we enjoyed a good outdoor show on Cinco De Mayo and there were a couple of comedian / magic shows that were held in the disco while we were there. Most importantly, I was able to watch my Red Wings in the disco / sports bar!
Lobby Bar: By far, the best bartenders at the resort in my opinion. Special mention to goes out to Jovartti for keeping the Bombay Sapphire flowing!! Just a hard working, personable crew that made the lobby a fun place to be in the evenings.
Spa: They were offering a special, so my wife signed up for a massage which she enjoyed.
Medical doctor: Nice, very helpful to have one on location. Quick with delivery of prescriptions. Which is a nice transition to............
the "cons"...................................................
Food: Unfortunately my wife contracted Gastroenteritis (no, not due to alcohol, sun, coconut milk, etc) diagnosed by the resort doctor which severely limited her during our last three days (including a high temp). Although she can't pin point what caused it, it was a result of something she ate along the way. No issues with the other 3 of us however. We had a couple of excellent meals early (French and Italian), although we thought overall it was kind of hit or miss - especially for lunch. Breakfast at the World Cafe was good each day. My wife was on a very restricted diet the last three days, so we spent much more time at the buffet then we normally would have.
Noise: Hallways can be very noisy at night, however I choose to blame that on the drunk people running down the hallway at 1:30 am and pounding on the wrong door (mine) instead of the marble floors....
In summary, except for the "big con", my whole family really loved this resort and we would return. I think that it is safe to say that most of the issues that are brought up in reviews are directly related to when you decide to plan your vacation. We prefer to travel during off-peak times specifically to avoid crowds, lines, and chair games and for the most part, it has worked. The same thing was true at Dreams, but I'm sure things would be entirely different during spring break. I could see how this resort could get quite cramped at capacity.
Now, off to master that Mexican Iceberg.........................!!
Date of Stay: 05/01/2010
Children in Party: 2
Kids (7-9) Tweens (10-12) Accommodations 
Dining Kids Play Area Money Value Pool & Water Fun Staff
See what Family Vacation Critic has to say about the
Dreams Riviera Cancun Resort & Spa
