Dreams Riviera Cancun - A Great Family Resort - Full Resort Review

I visited Dreams Riviera Cancun for 4 nights with my son Ardan.  We were reviewing the resort for our travel agency as well as visiting other resorts in the area.  A big thank you (muchas gracias) to Juan, General Manager, and Marco, Director of Sales for being gracious hosts.  The review that follows is what my son & I  experienced.

The Resort           

The resort is in the Riviera Maya and is about 30-35 min from the airport on the road towards Tulum. 

They have an open air lobby with plenty of airflow and lush greens.  The grounds are green and well kept.  There is healthy vegetation all around the resort, so it has a clean refreshing feel.  The resort opened in last fall, so it is in very good shape. 

The resort has 486 rooms, nine dining options (one buffet, one coffee shop, and the rest are ala carte), six bars, and 3 pools.

As you know, Mexico is a Spanish speaking country.  Everyone I interacted with at this resort spoke English well and I never had any problems communicating or getting what I wanted. 

The Service

When you arrive, you are greeted with a cool towel and a glass of champagne.

Overall the service at the resort was very good.  Everyone that you saw would say “Hola!”  Everyone was pleasant.  I saw many examples of employees going out of their way to help the guests.  For example, two guests were on the patio of their room (they had a Preferred Club w/ Plunge Pool  & Jacuzzi) and an employee was serving them drinks right on their patio.  The patio itself is not directly accessible (plants & flowers), so she had to hand the drinks over to them--very good example of employees going out of their way. 

The Rooms

The rooms are nice, even the lowest level rooms.  Even the lowest category room is 523 sq ft and has either a balcony or patio.  They all have at least one Jacuzzi tub, a daily refreshed minibar, full marble bathroom, and either a King size bed or 2 double beds.  They all include 24 hour room service.  All rooms have wireless internet, however, it is not free unless you are in the Preferred Club.  In fact, since we were in the Preferred Club and it was free, I got one for my laptop and one for my iPhone.  That way, while I was at a restaurant or pool, I could send emails without the data roaming charge. 

Each room also has a 32" satellite TV, CD/DVD, phone, iron & ironing board, a hair dryer, bathrobe & slippers, laptop safe, coffee maker, and iPod player/charger/clock.  I don't think the iPod player was compatible with the iPhone for charging, however, it did play music.   All the rooms had incense, which I found at many resorts in Mexico--it adds a nice touch.

I have video of all the rooms, so contact me if you would like to see a walkthrough.

Preferred Club

The preferred club service comes with the Preferred Club level rooms.  There are a number of perks (like checking-in at the Preferred Club lounge where they offer you a drink), but the main advantage of the Preferred Club is proximity to the beach and a better view..

• VIP status and amenities
• Upgraded toiletries
• Concierge service
• Pillow menu
• Complimentary newspaper in room every day
• Free internet access in suite - I got one for my laptop and one for my iPhone.
• Upgraded mini-bar service
• Daily, continental breakfast service in the Preferred Club lounge and on the private terrace
• Afternoon snacks - Ours were mini-can of Pringles and M&Ms.
• Evening, hot and cold hors d’oeuvres and exquisite desserts in the Preferred Club

Preferred Club Premium Room with Plunge Pool and oceanview

We stayed in the Preferred Club Premium Room with Plunge Pool and oceanview, room 1110.  The room was very nice and had two double beds, but you can get it with one king size bed.  The bathroom was very nice with two sinks, a separate room for the toilet, and a separate shower.  The indoor Jacuzzi was nice--you could choose to use it as a bath or turn on the Jacuzzi jets.

Until you get to the Honeymoon Suite and above, the rooms are almost identical inside.  The difference between the categories is location, view, and whether you have an external Jacuzzi or plunge pool. 

Ours had both an external plunge pool and Jacuzzi.  There was also a Jacuzzi inside.  These Jacuzzi are ones you fill with water, but both of them had jets.  Note that these plunge pools are in no way private.  They are ground floor suites and are open on all sides, however they are fairly big, running the width of the room.  The patio was large and included a small table and 2 chairs.  They also had two lounge chairs that sit in the shallow (a couple inches deep) end of the plunge pool. 

Our suite had an oceanview, however, it wasn't unobstructed.  If you want an true oceanview, you'll want the Preferred Club Premium with Oceanview (see below) or any oceanfront. 

The plunge pool was nice because you could take a quick plunge in the morning or evening without running out t the pool.  On cooler mornings, you could fill the outside Jacuzzi and have a nice relaxing soak.

Preferred Club Premium with Oceanview

The Preferred Club Premium with Oceanview suite that we saw was on the 5th floor, room 1510.  It came with all the amenities described above and was the exact same room as ours inside.  The difference was the view and balcony.  The oceanview was great and it had an external Jacuzzi, but no plunge pool.  It was a nice size balcony and could fit a small table and two chairs as well as the external Jacuzzi.  It just depends on your preference--do you want an oceanview or a plunge pool?

By the way, the Jacuzzis are some semi-private, meaning, you can see your neighbor's Jacuzzi, but not visible for people walking by.     

Preferred Club Master Suite Oceanfront

If you are looking for a separate room for the kids to sleep, with a great oceanview and a Jacuzzi on the balcony, this is the suite for you.  It is a large suite (1264 sq ft-bigger than my first apartment).  It has a living room, dining area, a kitchette including a full size refrigerator and wet bar with microwave. 

They say the difference between an oceanview and an oceanfront is that with an oceanview, you can see the ocean from your balcony.  With an oceanfront, you can see the ocean from your bed and the view from this room was incredible.

The living room has a sofa bed with 2 chairs, a coffee table, and 32" satellite TV with CD/DVD player. 

The bedroom was large and had a king size bed, a love seat, two night stands, a desk, and a and 32" satellite TV with CD/DVD player. 

It has an internal Jacuzzi with a great pool/oceanview (although you need to stand to see it).  In addition to the incense, I did see a candle by the Jacuzzi.  The bathroom had two sinks, a separate room for the toilet, and a separate shower.

The balcony was large and included an external Jacuzzi, and a table with 4 chairs.s;">  The view from the balcony was amazing.  It had a direct, unobstructed view of the ocean and beach.  To the left, you could see all three pools. 

Tipping

Tipping is allowed at this resort, but not required.  I saw many people who did not tip and they got great service.  Of course, you'll want to tip your driver and housekeeping and if you get great service (most times) leave a tip. 

The Explorer's Club

Dreams kid's club is call the Explorer's Club.  It has an explorer's theme.  It is for kids 3-12 years old and they are fully supervised by Red Cross certified staff.  It is open from 9am to 10pm.  They give you a beeper so that you can be reached if your child wants to leave or there is a problem. 

They had a rock climbing wall, a sand box, water jets, a theatre, a game room with TV and a bunch of beanbag chairs, a playground area, and an arts and crafts area.  They do many fun activities like piñata competitions, arts & crafts, kids bungee, water balloon fights, ice cream eating contest, movies, face painting, sports, magic show, and rock climbing.  Ardan really liked the rock climbing.  The staff is really nice and the activities were fun (my 5 year old's judgment). 

Once a week they have a campout on the beach.  They don't actually stay overnight, but the activities from 6pm - 10pm are like they are camping on the beach.  They did it on Thursday night when we were there, but because it was windy on the beach, they did all the activities in the kids club.    Of course, you can drop them off later and pick them up before 10pm.  It is a great testament of how great the program is...I checked on Ardan twice and he didn't want to leave.

Another nice thing is that if a child is bad, (hitting other kids, etc), they get a time out, if they do it again, they have to leave.  So they are protective of the kids. 

Also, you can get babysitting for $10 per hour.  There is an additional $10 charge for a taxicab for babysitting after 8pm. 

The Food

The food was good at this resort.  They only have 1 buffet restaurant, the World Cafe, the rest are ala carte.  For dinner, the restaurants open at 6pm and close at 10:30 or 11:00 pm.  Reservations are not required at any of the restaurants.  Most of the restaurants required long pants for the men for dinner. 

1. The World Cafe - local and international food, buffet.  They also have breakfast (7am-11am) and lunch (12:30pm - 3pm) as well as dinner.
2. Portofino - Italian, ala carte.
3. El Patio - Mexican, ala carte.
4. Himitsu - Pan-Asian food, ala carte.  They have a hibachi grill.  If you want to sit at the hibachi, you need to make reservations.  To make reservations, you need to go to the restaurant at 5pm. 
5. Oceana - grill & seafood, ala carte.  They also serve ala carte breakfast (10am-12pm) and ala carte lunch (12pm to 6pm) as well as dinner.
6. Seaside Grill - steak ala carte. .
7. Bordeaux - French food, ala carte.  This is the only adults only (12 yr and older) restaurant.
8. CoCo Cafe - coffee, espresso drinks, and deli snacks & deserts.  Open 7am-10pm.
9. Barefoot Grill - hamburgers, hot dogs, and pizza.  10am-6pm.

The World Cafe

The World Cafe is where we had breakfast each morning (except the last day when we got room service).    I'm not really a breakfast person, but the breakfast was good.  They had everything you could think of.  They had a bread/bagel station where you could toast your bread, bagel, English muffin, and a bunch of Danishes.  They had a fruit station, including cheese and other items.  They had 3 omelet making stations, bacon, sausage, waffles, pancakes, French toast, etc.  They also had a crapes making station.  They had any fruit juice you could think of (and some I've never thought of): orange, apple, melon, strawberry, and some exotic ones I can't remember, like kiwi.

We ate lunch at the World Cafe one afternoon.  I'm not normally a buffet person, but it was actually very good.  They had a make your own pasta station, a oriental food station, and you they would even fry a steak for you, which is what Ardan and I started with.  It wasn't bad, and I finished with a pasta dish and the meat sauce wasn't bad. 

Oceana

We had lunch at Oceana the first afternoon.  The tortilla chips were good and Ardan liked the guacamole.  The salsa was a bit oniony for me, but I don't like raw onions anyway.  We ordered chicken wings and they were actually very good.  The said they were Buffalo wings, but the sauce was more of a marinara, but was very good.  The wings were crispy, as we like them.  Ardan had a hamburger and said it was very good.  He even had cheese, tomatoes, lettuce and onions on it.  He usually just has it with ketchup.  I had the flank steak and it was actually very good--tender and juicy. 

Portofino

The first night, we ate at Portofino, their Italian Restaurant.  After we got our drinks and ordered, they started us off with a small bruschetta.  It was pretty tasty. Then they brought longest bread sticks I've ever seen.  They poured olive oil and balsamic vinegar.  The bread sticks were good.  They brought my Cabernet cold.  I've found that before in Mexico--they like to serve red wine cold.  I asked for room temp and they gladly brought it.  It was house wine and was good. 

I ordered Antipasti Grissoni e Prosciutto, Serrano Ham with melon - it wasn't bad.  Insalata Rucola Con Miele e Formaggio di Capra, Arugula salad with reggiano and gorgonzola cheese and lime vinaigrette.  The dressing was interesting.  I also had the Minestrone, and for the main course, I had the Filetto di Manzo, Beef filet petals of provolone cheese garnished with mushroom fricassee.  It was pretty good. 

For dessert, I got the Panacott and Ardan got the Tiramisu.  I also had an after dinner Espresso.  It was pretty good.

El Patio

The 2nd night, Ardan went to the Camp Out at the Explorer's Club, so I decided to try El Patio, their Mexican restaurant.  It was very nice.  I had Las Gorditas Antojitos Mexicanos a elegir - Las Gorditos the Fatie tortilla to select - very interesting almost like corn cakes 3 filled with different fillings. The chicken with peppers was my favorite.  The other had corn and something and the 3rd with spinach and something.  Then I had Ensalada de pollo a la mexicana - Mexican chicken salad. Pretty good.  The chicken was tender and it had a flavorful mix of vegetables.  Gran Sopa de Tortilla Azteca - traditional Azteca Tortilla Soup - excellent. There isn't a whole lot to it (veggies, etc) but very tasty.  This is on the room service menu and I got it almost every night.  The main course was Traditional Molcajete - very good. It was like a fajita (which they also had on the menu) but without all those vegetables messing up the dish :-). It was chicken, beef, and sausage served in a stone bowl. This bowl was oven fired. You wrap the meat in a tortilla shell and eat it like a fajita.  It did come with a whole onion and it might have been a grape leaf.

Himitsu

We went to Himitsu at 5pm so that we could sign up for the hibachi grill.  We asked for 6pm, so Ardan and I went back to the room to get ready.  We had a good show.  He flipped eggs around and chopped and cooked everything in front of you.  Then he did a flaming volcano from a chopped onion as a finale.  We got steak and chicken and it always comes with a shrimp appetizer.  Ardan liked the food, he even tried the shrimp. 

CoCo Cafe

After breakfast, we usually went for an espresso at the Coco cafe.  They serve espresso, cappuccino, coffee, and many other concoctions as well as fresh pastries and muffins.  You can get hot drinks as well as frozen drinks.  Ardan got a frozen hot chocolate and he really liked it. 

Room Service

The first night, I ordered room service.  They told me it would take 40 min, it took 25 min.  I got chicken consommé and Steak Arrachera-flank steak, but very good--tender and juicy.  I didn't order dessert, but I did later on in the week.

The 2nd night we decided to order room service.  Ardan was wide awake, so he ordered a hot dog & fries & chocolate cake.  I ordered the flank steak and Tortilla Soup.  Everything was really good and showed up within 30 min. 

By the way, they don't put wine in the room, but you can order a glass of wine from room service.  I did it one night and they bring it in a wine glass with cellophane over the glass so it doesn't spill.

I ordered room service almost every night.  Each time it took less than 30 minutes.  At this resort, this is probably one of the best service I've gotten from room service at any of the resorts I've visited.  They were polite, the orders were accurate, and the food was hot.   

The Beach

The beach was wide and nice white sand.  There was some seaweed on the beach, but they tried to keep it raked up.  The ocean was beautiful.  It did have some seaweed at the water's break, but looked clear when you got out 10-15 ft.  It had a smooth drop and the water was fairly calm.  They also have an ocean trampoline that you could jump on or just sun bath.

There were plenty of beach palapas (thatched roof that provides shade) and lounge chairs.  They had beach service.  They also had a bar right on the beach, Sugar Reef.  They had cool swings as chairs and looked like a fun place to hang out--always heard people laughing when we went by. 

The Pools

They have 3 pools in one area.  The main pool is an infinity pool that overlooks the ocean.  It is a really awesome pool.  On the ocean side, there is no side to the pool (the water spills over the edge), so you have the illusion that the pool doesn't end and spills into the ocean.  The only complaint Ardan had was that the pool wasn't the exact same color of the ocean.  I'm not sure how you do that, but if he figures it out, I'm sure he can make a lot of money. 

This is the pool with a swim-up pool bar, Manatees Bar.  The service at the bar is great.  It rarely took long to get a drink and they were very friendly.  Carlos was great.  I travel quite a bit, and every drink I asked about, he knew how to make.  They even have a drink call the iceberg.  it is Pina Colada on top of a beer.  I wasn't brave enough to try it, but many people were drinking it and they said it was refreshing. 

The 2nd pool is much like the main pool, 3ft deep and about the same size.  The 3rd pool is a large kids wading pool that is split in the middle by a walkway.  There are plenty of lounge chairs around the pool to so you can sun while keeping an eye on the kids.  On the other side of a walkway was a ping pong table.  Every time  I walked by, someone was playing ping pong. 

Evening entertainment

Most nights, we just went back to the room because we were tired, but below are a list of some of the things they had going on at night.

• Casino night - They had Texas Hold 'em and Black Jack.  The winner got a spa gift certificate.
• Karaoke
• Sports games on TV - If there is a big game on while you are there, chances are they will have it at the Desires Lounge.
• Mexican Show - This included a Mexican buffet by the pool.
• Live Music (Rock, Caribbean, and other music) including a soloist in the main lobby one night.
• DJ music
• Pool side movie - Weather permitting.

Dreams Riviera Cancun - Day 5 - Going Home :-(

Today we go home.  5 days is too short of a trip.  We started with breakfast from room service and then a dip in our plunge pool.  We also took a bath in the inside Jacuzzi tub.  We didn't leave until 12pm.  We stopped at CoCos for an espresso before catching the shuttle to the airport. 

The ride to the airport was smooth and the flights home went well.  The nice thing about the Cancun airport is that they have some shops with reasonable prices for souvenirs.  You usually have time before your flight, so it is a great way to spend your time. 

In closing, I would highly recommend Dreams Riviera Cancun.  It is a well maintained, beautiful resort with great service and good food.  The rooms are nice, even the lowest levels.  We have a great relationship with this resort, so contact us to send you on a Dream Family Vacation.  

Dreams Riviera Cancun - Day 4 - Day Off...Kind of

On Saturday, we didn't have any site inspections planned.  We were just going to relax and enjoy the resort.  We started out with a quick swim in the plunge pool.  Then we went to breakfast at the World Cafe.  It was good, with so much variety, how can't it be good. 

Then we toured around the resort taking pictures and video, including walking along the beach.  The beach was in pretty good shape but there was some sea weed.  The sand on the beach was nice.  Ardan enjoyed jumping the waves in the ocean and a got a couple of action shots of him jumping. 

We went for a quick swim in the main pool before lunch.  Actually, I lied, it wasn't a totally free work day.  Before lunch, we did a site inspection of Dreams Riviera Cancun.  It was a shortened version because we've seen most of the restaurants, the pools, the beach, and of course, our suite. On the site inspection, we saw a Junior Suite and a Master Suite.  The Master Suites have two rooms that are separated by a sliding door.  We also saw the spa and workout room.  The workout room had a couple of treadmills and some weights.  They spa was nice and had a little bathing stream (not sure what else to call it, but it was pool water, not actual stream water) with different jets along it.

After the tour, we went for lunch.  We decided to try the pool grill.  They had hamburgers, hot dogs, and pizza.  Ardan had a pizza and I had a hamburger and pizza.  They weren't bad, just something quick to eat.

The rest of the afternoon, we spent swimming in the pool.  There are three pools: the main pool with a swim up pool bar, another pool about the same size and depth, and a kids pool.  The kids pool was shallow (1 ft?) and was split in two by a bridge.  They also had a ping pong table in the water of the kids pool--that seemed like a big hit because someone was always playing.  There wasn't much shade in the pool except by the pool bar.  There were beach beds around the pool area and other areas around the pool where you could get shade.

That night, we went to the Italian Restaurant.  I had lasagna and Ardan had a hamburger.  It was good.  We also ordered room service again.  It was quick and the food was good.

Dreams Riviera Cancun - Day 3 - Finally Able to Experience Dreams Riviera Cancun

Ardan and I went to the World Cafe for breakfast before getting a ride to NOW, Jade.  The food was good and I was again amazed by the variety of juices.  I tried the watermelon juice, which I thought was pretty good, but Ardan didn't want to sample it. 

I didn't mention it, but the weather didn't start out good--Wed it rained all day (the day we arrived, but Thurs was sunny and then today it started out rainy.)  So hopefully tomorrow will be great. 

When we returned from NOW we decided to try the World Cafe for lunch.  It was actually very good.  The World Cafe is the buffet restaurant you go to for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.   We decided to try lunch and it was actually pretty good.  They had a make your own pasta station, a oriental food station, and you they would even fry a steak for you, which is what Ardan and I started with.  It wasn't bad, and I finished with a pasta dish and the meat sauce wasn't bad. 

It was very humid today and Ardan really wanted to swim, so we headed back to the room to change for the pool.  We got there before the maids fixed our rooms, but we quickly changed and left before they got to us.  We hung out at the pool and met some people who, once they found out it was 2:40, realized that they had to be to a wedding on the beach in 10 min.  Well, needless to say, it wasn't 10 min and I had plenty of time to go back to the room, have Ardan change, drop him off at the Explorer's Club, and get back to the pool to see the wedding.  Speaking of the pool, it is a really neat layout.  When you are sitting in the pool, you are looking over the ocean and you don't see the edges of the pool, it spills over the edge, giving the illusion that it spills to the ocean. 

Ardan went to the Explorer's Club at 4pm for the Pyramid climbing and he really liked it.  I picked him up at 5pm so that we could sign up for the hibachi grill at the Japanese restaurant, Himitsu.  We asked for 6pm, so Ardan and I went back to the room to get ready.  We had a good show and Ardan liked the food.  When we went back to the room, we found a wonderful surprise, a bottle of premium tequila, a pair of Explorer's Club Slippers, and an Explorer's Club hat.  Ardan was thrilled!  Thank you Juan and Marco!

After dinner, Ardan and I went for a swim in the hot tub and main pool.  It was pretty fun because, while you were allowed to swim (at least I think we were), no one was swimming, so it seemed like we were sneaking.  :-)  We played around in both the pool and the hot tub and then headed back to the room.  We decided to order room service.  Ardan was wide awake, so he ordered a hot dog & fries & chocolate cake.  I ordered the flank steak and Tortilla Soup.  Everything was really good and showed up within 30 min.  

Dreams Riviera Cancun - Day 2 - Dinner

The ride back was smooth.  We took a quick shower and then Ardan wanted to do the Explorer's Club Camp Out.  They usually do this on the beach, but it was too windy, so they did it in the Explorer's Club.  They watch a movie, sit around little tends, and other camping type activities.  They do this once a week and it starts at 6pm and ends at 10pm.  Of course, you can drop them off later and pick them up before 10pm.  It is a great testament of how great the program is...I checked on Ardan twice and he didn't want to leave.

While Ardan was at the Camp Out, I went to dinner at El Patio, their Mexican Restaurant.  It was very nice.  I had:

·          Las Gorditas Antojitos Mexicanos a elegir - Las Gorditos the Fatie tortilla to select - very interesting almost like corn cakes 3 filled with different fillings. The chicken with peppers was my favorite.  The other had corn and something and the 3rd with spinach and something.

·          Ensalada de pollo a la mexicana - Mexican chicken salad. Pretty good.  The chicken was tender and it had a flavorful mix of vegetables.

·          Gran Sopa de Tortilla Azteca - traditional Azteca Tortilla Soup - excellent. There isn't a whole lot to it (veggies, etc) but very tasty.

·          The main course was Traditional Molcajete - very good. It was like a fajita (which they also had on the menu) but without all those vegetables messing up the dish. It was chicken, beef, and sausage served in a stone bowl. This bowl was oven fired. You wrap the meat in a tortilla shell and eat it  
like a fajita.  It did come with a whole onion and it might have been a grape leaf.

Tonight is casino night.  They have a couple of tables set up in the lobby for black jack and Texas Hold 'em.  It is all for fun, but the winner gets a spa credit.  They also have Texas Hold 'em every day at the pool.  

Dreams Riviera Cancun Day 2 - Dreams Cancun

Today we started out with a swim in our plunge pool.  It was cool, but Ardan liked it.  Because the water was a little chilly, we filled up the outdoor Jacuzzi and had a soak.  It was nice.  Then, we headed to breakfast.  Breakfast was at the World Cafe and was buffet.  I'm not really a breakfast person, but the breakfast was good.  They had everything you could think of.  They had a bread/bagel station where you could toast your bread, bagel, English muffin, and a bunch of Danishes.  They had a fruit station, including cheese and other items.  They had 3 omelet making stations, bacon, sausage, waffles, pancakes, French toast, etc.  They also had a crapes making station.  They had any fruit juice you could think of (and some I've never thought of): orange, apple, melon, strawberry, and some exotic ones I can't remember.

After breakfast, we went for an espresso at the Coco cafe.  They serve espresso, cappuccino, coffee, and many other concoctions as well as fresh pastries and muffins.

Then it was time to go to Dreams Cancun.  They picked us up in an Explorer.  Before we got in, they offered us a cool towel and a drink (coke, diet coke, sprite, or water).  The drive to Dreams Cancun took 45 min (30 min from the airport).  The driver was pleasant and the ride was smooth.  I noticed the drivers all drove a max of 80 km/hr (50 mph)--very safe.  When we arrived, we were met by Armando Canela, Group Sales Manager and Ricardo Bravo, General Manager.

Before the site inspection, we took Ardan to the Explorer's Club (kids camp).  The kids club is open 9am to 11 pm and accepts kids 3-12.  They have a bunch of activities during the day and put a out a schedule every day.  He was pretty apprehensive because when we got there 10:15, there were no kids there.  Right before we left, two other kids showed up.  He was still apprehensive, but looked eager to meet them.

The resort is surrounded by water on 3 sides.  The first side we visited had a very narrow beach, but the water was beautiful.  We walked around to the next side and it was a short cliff, but again, beautiful water.  While over there, we saw some large lizards.  On the 3rd side was a great location for a wedding.  They had a wedding gazebo with a view you can't imagine.  Next to it was a refurbished beach.  This beach was long and very wide with new white sand and emerald water.  You can't beat it.

The hotel was originally built in the ocean and they have a natural salt water pool--really, it is a small beach/ocean by itself.  So, you don't have to worry about waves, but the water is reticulate, so it doesn't get stagnant.  They also have the dolphin pool where you can swim with the dolphins (extra charge).  And then there is the regular pool which has a swim-up pool bar.  The beaches have drink and food service.  So you can sit and relax and not have to worry about anything.

The first room we saw was amazing.  You really can't even call it a room.  It was more of a luxury apartment.  To get to the Presidential Suite, you take an elevator to the 17th floor.  You have to have a special key because the elevator opens directly into your suite (no external doors).  As soon as you walk in, you are amazed by the spectacular view.  The living room has a sofa, love seat, and two lounge chairs that allow you to relax and take in the wonderful view.  It has a dining room that seats 8 with a neat little bar.  Each room has a window that looks out onto the ocean.  As I said, the resort is surrounded by water and from this suite, you can see all three sides.  The balcony is amazing, one of the best views I've ever seen.  It has a large plunge pool with access to the great view.  There are two more lounge chairs on the balcony.  I can't emphasize how wonderful the view is.  It has two bedrooms each with their own spectacular view.  Even the bathrooms have views.  Truly a one of a kind suite (actually they have two, so it really isn't one of a kind).

The 2nd room we saw was a Preferred Club Oceanview.  This suite had a bed and a balcony with a great view.  This one didn't have a separate living room, but it was a nice room.

I was doing the dolphin experience (Thanks to Ricardo and the manager from Delphinus).  We had to interrupt the site inspection so that I could change and get ready.  Ricardo & Armando were gracious enough to give Ardan and I a room for the day.  It was a Dolphin View suite which looked out over the dolphin pool.  It was a ground level room so we were right there.  The patio had a hammock and if you wanted to sun yourself, you could get some sun.  The room had a king sized bed and wonderful bathroom.  And, much to my surprise there were two gifts on the bed (I almost missed them).  They gave us a great golf shirt and a big stuffed dolphin.  By the way, Ardan did not come back with me to the room because when we checked in on him, he was having a great time.  They were having a water balloon battle and Ardan was having so much fun that he didn't even want to come over to talk.  By the way, he didn't have a water shirt, so the Explorer's Club gave him one--Thanks again.

The dolphin experience was very interesting.  They have 6 dolphins.  After a brief into on what to do and not do, you get in the pool.  They had a number of different activities they do.  They kiss you, you hug them, you shake hands/fins, and the coolest was them pushing you through the water.  They also dive over you.  Ardan was too scared to do it, but he watched from the edge of the pool.

After that, it was lunch with Ricardo, General Manager, Rafael, Director of Sales, and Armando, Group Sales.  The lunch was at Oceanside and it was very good.  They service was incredible.  They even replaced my beer when it sat too long.  Once Ardan was done eating Armando took him back to the kids club--great service. 

After lunch, Armando took me to a Master Suite.  This suite is great because it has a bedroom and living room, so if you have kids, you can sleep in one room and they can sleep in the living room.  It also can connect to the Master Suite next to it (6 per floor), so if you are with a group, you can get suites next to each other.  This suite also had a great view. 

I picked Ardan up at the Explorer's Club.  They were kind enough to give him an Explorer's Club backpack.  They do this for all the kids on their last day.  Besides the backpack, it includes a animal visor (Ardan's was a crocodile) and a t-shirt with Explorer's Club on it.  Then it was back to the room to change into my bathing suit and see if Ardan wanted to hang out in the pool for an hour.  Of course, he wanted to stay in the Explorer's club.  So, I hung out at the pool--swim-up pool bar and have one or two drinks before heading back.  When were ready, we headed back to the room and changed. 

We were seen off by Ricardo, Rafael, and Armando.  They really impressed me with their attentive service.  You could tell they knew what makes people happy and feel special.

Dreams Riviera Cancun - Day 1 - Dinner

We ate at Portofino, their Italian Restaurant.  None of the restaurants require reservations, however, to eat at the hibachi grill at Himtsu you put your name on a waiting list at 5pm. 

After we got our drinks and ordered, they started us off with a small bruschetta.  It was pretty tasty. Then they brought longest bread sticks I've ever seen.  They poured olive oil and balsamic vinegar.  The bread sticks were good.  They brought my Cabernet cold.  I've found that before in Mexico--they like to serve it cold.  I asked for room temp and they gladly brought it.  It was house wine and was good. 

I ordered Antipasta Grissoni e Prosciutto, Serrano Ham with melon - it wasn't bad.  Insalata Rucola Con Miele e Formaggio di Capra, Arugula salad with reggiano and gorgonzola cheese and lime vinaigrette.  The dressing was interesting.  I also had the Minestrone, and for the main course, I had the Filetto di Manzo,

Beef filet petals of provolone cheese garnished with mushroom fricassee.  It was pretty good. 

For dessert, I got the Panacott and Ardan got the Tiramisu.  I also had an after dinner Espresso.  It was pretty good.

After dinner, Ardan was tired, so we headed back to the room.  He was asleep within 15 mins. 

While writing this, I ordered room service.  They told me it would take 40 min, it took 25 min.  I got chicken consommé and Steak Arrachera-flank steak, but very good--tender and juicy.  I didn't order dessert, but I'm sure we will over the next couple of days.

Time for bed...tomorrow we visit Dreams Cancun.

Dreams Riviera Cancun - Day 1 - Arrival

Today we arrived in Mexico to visit some resorts.  My 5 year old son, Ardan, and I are staying at Dreams Riviera Cancun.  The flights here were fine.  We had a connection since I wanted to fly from Harrisburg, which is close to our house and easy to get in and out.  The line at immigration looked long, but as always, it moves quick.  The drive to the resort was easy.... about 25 min.

Once we arrived, we were greeted and taken to the Preferred Club for our private check-in.  The check-in went smooth and we were offered drinks while we went through the process.  The Preferred Club has a special bar with premium drinks, although, I'm not sure yet what the difference is.

We are in the Preferred Club Premium Room with Plunge Pool Ocean View.  It is gorgeous.  We have 2 double beds, a Jacuzzi in the room, and a large shower.  It also has a plunge pool and an outside Jacuzzi.

We had dinner at Oceana.  The tortilla chips were good and Ardan liked the guacamole.  The salsa was a bit oniony for me, but I don't like raw onions anyway.  We ordered chicken wings and they were actually very good.  The said they were Buffalo wings, but the sauce was more of a marinara, but was very good.  The wings were crispy, as we like them.  Ardan had a hamburger and said it was very good.  He even had cheese, tomatoes, lettuce and onions on it.  He usually just has it with ketchup.  I had the flank steak and it was actually very good--tender and juicy. 

Ardan is actually watching Sponge Bob in Spanish, even though they have an English Channel with Sponge Bob.  Funny.  More later...off to dinner at the Italian restaurant.

Secrets St. James Opens in Jamaica!

PHILADELPHIA, PA (April 22, 2010) – Secrets Resorts & Spas, the award-winning resort brand offering Unlimited-Luxury® vacations for adults-only, announces the opening of its newest property in Jamaica, Secrets St. James Montego Bay. The new exclusive all-suites resort joins the newly opened Secrets Wild Orchid Montego Bay on one of the most ideal beachfront locations in this popular tourist destination.

Guests of these two new Secrets Resorts & Spas will have the freedom to explore each property as they please, and enjoy eight gourmet á la carte dining options ranging from elegant to swim-up, nine chic bars and lounges, large free-form swimming pools and beachfront Jacuzzis, and world-class spa and Beach Club. The Promenade also will present guests with a host of exciting activities and entertainment options including a game room, boutiques, cafe, movies and more.

Secrets St. James, set on one of the most pristine beach areas of the Bay, is located just 15-minutes from Montego Bay International Airport.  The striking 350 all-suites resort honors Jamaica’s history by featuring stunning British Colonial-style architecture and elegant décor in warm tones with dark wood accents.  Oversized four-poster beds, extra-large showers, Jacuzzi’s for two, private balconies and Secrets’ signature discrete room service, along with access to shimmering pools and breathtaking ocean views offer guests a serene and romantic retreat.  For relaxation, the Secrets Spa by Pevonia offers beautifully-appointed indoor and outdoor facilities, the latest hydrotherapy treatments and a state-of-the-art fitness center. 

Guest of Secrets St. James can enjoy:

• Eight international gourmet á la carte dining options
• Nine chic bars and lounges including swim-up
• Large free-form swimming pools and beachfront Jacuzzis
• 15,000 square foot world-class spa featuring lush gardens, fountains and waterfalls, indoor and outdoor spa facilities and private Vichy showers
• The Promenade, a main plaza shared by the two resorts offering a host of exciting activities, boutiques, and entertainment and dining options
• Seawind Beach Club complete with couples cabanas, palapas and a gourmet restaurant
• On-site sports including tennis, beach volleyball, basketball, soccer and non-motorized water sports, and daily yoga, aerobic, and introductory SCUBA classes
• Over 16,000 square-feet of meeting space for business conventions and weddings

The resort features 350 suites with in-room amenities that include oversized four-poster beds, full entertainment systems complete with LCD flat-screen televisions and CD/DVD players, a Jacuzzi for two, private furnished balconies, luxurious bath amenities, and Secrets’ signature discreet 24-hour room service.

In addition to luxurious and spacious accommodations, the guests of Secrets St. James will be invited to enjoy many of the benefits and offerings of the Secrets Wild Orchid resort and vice versa. These benefits include access to restaurants, lounges, spa, open-air theater and more. 

Within minutes of the resorts, guests can also take pleasure in a plethora of scenic wonders such as Montego Bay’s famous Rose Hall Great House, The Hip Strip and The Doctor's Cave Beach Club; and five renowned championship golf courses including the White Witch, Half Moon, Tryall, Three Palms Ocean Course at Wyndham Rose Hall and Cinnamon Hill.

Secrets Resorts & Spas currently has three resorts in Mexico’s Riviera Maya region, one in Cap Cana, Dominican Republic, and is slated to open additional properties in Huatulco and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico by the end of 2011.  The brand's expansion will continue throughout the Caribbean including an additional property opening in Cap Cana in 2012.

About Secrets® Resorts & Spas
A member of Preferred Hotels and Resorts Worldwide, Unlimited-Luxury® Secrets Resorts & Spas offer adults an extra measure of romance and sensuality in beautiful settings where everything is included. The award-winning resorts feature elegantly-appointed rooms and suites with 24-hour concierge and room services; multiple gourmet, a la carte restaurants and lounges serving premium beverages; endless day and evening activities in spectacular settings; and more. Information about Secrets Resorts & Spas is available by calling 1-866-GO-SECRETS or visiting www.secretsresorts.com.

To plan your Dream vacation to any of the beautiful Secrets Resorts contact us at 888-449-3563 or dreams@dreammakersvaca.com  We look forward to hearing from you and appreciate your business!

Jamaica Apr 2010 Trip - Day 4 - Sandals Royal Caribbean/ Secrets Wild Orchid

Day 4 – Sandals Royal Caribbean and Secrets St James

The day started off with a walk on the beach and picture taking.  Then breakfast the Regency which serves buffet breakfast including pastries, fruit, made to order omelets, and all the normal breakfast items.  I really liked the breakfast vegetables.  They were delicious. 

Then I took a taxi to Secrets Wild Orchid for a site inspection.  This resort is the newest property in the Secrets family.  It is an adults-only all-inclusive resort with 350 suites.  Secrets St James is also part of this property and adds another 350 suites to the entire complex.  Secrets St James is scheduled to open next week.  There is a shared area, but no matter which resort you stay in, you have full exchange privileges.  The resort is very modern looking and is a brand new resort (not a refurbished resort).  The Sales Manager, Judy is wonderful and excited to have our Dream Clients visit her.  There are some wonderful views from some of the suites.  And the suites are beautiful.  I learned a lot about this resort and look forward to sharing a lot about this resort soon, including pictures. 

I came back to the resort and sadly said good bye to two of our couples.  They were sad to leave this wonderful resort.  I spent the afternoon at the River Suite meeting new friends.  I met some friends from Hershey PA.  He actually runs the trolley tours in downtown Hershey—really fun for the kids if you ever get to Hershey, PA. 

I went to dinner at the Regency.  As I showed up, they were giving Roses to everyone.  Ellis handed me a rose.  I asked him what it was about because they were handing roses to everyone.  He explained that it was Lover’s Night.  It was really romantic…too bad Mike’s not here.  They played romantic music and had a really romantic mood.  I had pea soup, chicken & couscous, and they were great.  I didn’t have dessert because I was saving my appetite for the chocolate buffet.  The Chocolate Buffet is typically on Tues nights at 9pm.  The Chocolate Buffet had numerous goodies including a fondue fountain.  A staff member painted herself in chocolate and danced around.  Pretty interesting! 

I stopped by the pub and it was happening.  It looked like everyone was having fun.  I didn’t spend much time.  Ordering room service again tonight—chocolate cake.  Can you tell I love chocolate?  Who gets chocolate cake after being at a chocolate buffet?

I’m leaving tomorrow to come home.  L  I will post more detail when I get back including pictures.

Amy