Golden Parnassus

When we arrived we wondered where we were going, as the Golden Parnassus is just off the main road and the smallest hotel on the block. But the saying about small is beautiful is true of the Golden Parnassus. The staff are friendly and welcoming. The decor is a little tired but the place is clean and the guys work extremely hard to keep I that way. Our room looked out over the ocean and the balcony was a great place to sit after a day by the pool. The food is fine although after 2 weeks it was a little repetitive but we just went out a couple of times for a change. The drinks were good and plentiful. Sometimes the guys had very bad wrist that were a little late in turning the bottle upright again!!!! On more than one occasion I don't remember getting back to the room!!! The entertainment crew were really hard working and tried hard to get people involved, yet the afternoon water volley ball was always popular!!!Might have something to do with Tequila! Overall the holiday was great, we met great people from all over the world and made good friends. Would recommend to anyone who wants a chilled out, relaxed, friendly holiday in a small hotel.

This was our first trip to the Golden Parnassus. we arrived 4hours before the scheduled check in time of 3PM, the doorman took us to the lobby bar,seated us and proceeded to get us a drink from the bar. Eric, from guest services greeted us and took our information for check in, and explained to us about what the resort has to offer. Let me tell you Eric was right on point with his information, was not one time when there was not something going on at the pool area, the bars, or the beach. The entire hotel staff was fantastic, very friendly and helpful. the waiters at all the restaurants greeted you at the door, by the second day knew what you drank, and where you wanted to be seated.The pool area had plenty of seating as well as on the beach, more shade areas on the beach than by the pool, umbrellas were hard to come by at the pool. There is no swim up bar in the pool, but there is a bar waitress working the pool area. The bar at the pool was hopping all day and all night long. The food was more than above average for all-inclusives in this price range, with 4 sit down restaurants, a buffet, and a snack bar by the pool, the food choices were great. the rooms were clean, the air conditioner worked awesome, no odd odor could be detected as I have read in other reviews.I agree with other reviewers, bathroom lighting is dim at best, but I really don't want to see myself in the bathroom anyways. Overall room experience was great. Now some info for my Interline friends. nightly rates are excellent for this small adults only resort. ask for an upgrade at check in, we did and got deluxe ocean-view room for deluxe lagoon price. They do have some higher end liquor but you must ask for it. JB Scotch,Johnny Walker Red, Beefeater Gin, Absolute Vodka, Jose Cuervo and others i wont go into. Bring your own drinking vessel (cup, mug, glasses) as the drinks are served in small glasses, they will fill your larger vessels, just throw them a couple of bucks daily. We used USA Transfer for airport transportation 55 bucks RT. They were right on time for both pick up and drop off. So check out the rates for this resort you wont be disappointed. My wife and I are planing a return trip in the very near future.

Got got back this week from our second stay, loved it once again! The food was better this time,very enjoyable. The service in the buffet was great,Pasquale and his brother from another mother Oscar are amazing waiters! As for drinks, they are amazing, Karman the poolside waitress was on top of things! Highly recommend GP to anyone!

This small adult only resort was one of the best all inclusive resorts I have stayed at. The food was AMAZING, the rooms clean, and the staff was super friendly. The atmosphere was fun but relaxed. The beach was so beautiful that you felt blessed every time you walked outside. The pictures do not do it justice. The only complaint I have is the Wi-Fi. $15 a day per device...that is not acceptable. It's 2014 and most hotels all over the world offer free Wi-Fi. If you go to the beach and near the Sandos hotel you can use their free Wi-Fi. I would go back to this hotel in a heartbeat.

just spent three nights and we were pleasantly surprised ,the check in was fast and easy ,the staff was always pleasant . the rooms were very clean a little dated .not a big deal .get a ocean view room well worth the upgrade . the food was very good for an all inclusive ,wait staff great . the beach was awesome ,pool ok , all in all great valve and we will return ,had alot of fun at the beachfront bar , the only thing missing is a fridge in the rooms

We have just returned from cancun today and wanted to let everyone know how lovely this hotel is. It may not be the largest or the most swankiest hotel in cancun but it has wonderful staff and a great vibe which makes it a great place to stay. The rooms are spacious and clean, all the communal.areas are clean and tidy and the beach is spotless. All of the bars and restaurants are great with a good variety of food for veggies and meateaters and lots of nice cocktails. You can also use the bars and restaurants at the sister hotel the great parnassus which is 2km up the road in a free shuttle bus. The staff really make this hotel a success, nothing is too muchtrouble. We want to mention janette, denise, israel, elias, carlos, alejandro, mexican burrito who are the main entertainment staff. They are all great people who work hard making sure everyone has a good time. They are a great team and an asset to the hotel, they made everyone feel welcome and nothing was too much trouble. Also Ramos our waiter for breakfast was excellent and remembered our drinks and orders every day. Great bar staff continually keep you topped up with drinks and there weredifferent activities everyday to keep you entertained along with good shows at night. There is also a modern gym with good equipment and an attractive spa offering various treatments. Overall we cannot fault this hotel, lovely location, lovelyfood and drink and great staff, great weather and you have the perfect holiday.

My husband and I wanted a quick (yet cheap/all inclusive/adults only) vacation and this place fit the bill! We have stayed at way more expensive resorts in Riviera Maya and while we love it there we wanted somewhere close to the Cancun airport since we were only staying 4 days and wanted to get to the hotel and beach asap. When we arrived at about 11:45 it was prior to check in so we were greeted with a drink, told about the hotel and told what restaurants served food at that time. We changed into our swimsuits, ate and hit the beach. They said check back at 1:30 to see if our room would be ready, so we did, and it was! We were able to check in early :) Not having paid for a guaranteed ocean view room I didn't even think to ask what side of the hotel we would be on but when we walked into our room and were smacked in the face with the gorgeous bright blue turquoise ocean view I was thrilled! We were on the 4th floor dead center of the building and the view was unbelievable. The beach is great and the hotel staff cleans up all the seaweed every morning. I can't speak for the other hotels but when walking down the beach I can say that most all other hotels had waaaaay more seaweed than the Golden. So kudos to the staff for raking, yes with a rake...by hand, and picking up the seaweed and putting it in trash bags! Uhhhm hey Golden, you think you can throw these guys a bone and invest in some shovels?! Who knows, maybe rakes are more efficient. I'm not an expert in seaweed removal. We went mid October so it may have been a slower season but we never had trouble finding a shaded beach chair. They do have merchants that walk the beach and sometimes you see the same guy twice and he'll still ask you if you want to buy something but with just a shake of the head No, he'll keep walking. They're super friendly though so if you do talk to one or if he stops to chat it's harmless and they're just trying to make a buck. Look for the blanket guy and his infamous "yoooouuuuwhhhooooo" It was hilarious!

after a false start on arrival at hotel, a booking mistake was dealt with by a team of very friendly staff and whilst we were waiting at reception we were given cold drinks by the door man. the room we were in faced the front of the hotel and was on the ground floor. The room was well kept and comfy. the restaurants were really great a true four star feel to all the restaurants, self service buffet only applied breakfast and lunch, whilst a bbq area was almost always available, and a ice cream crepe bar open all afternoon. the other restaurants were for sea food, steak house, Japanese type dinning and a international cuisine restaurant with a lovely piano self playing in a centre area and a very lovely feel. the pool area was always busy with staff always friendly but always trying to get everyone involved in pool and beach sports. as an adult only resort we loved it, beach was fantastic and very clean. with the free bus to sister resort the great Parnassus, you can use all the facility's there as well, fantastic staff fantastic all inclusive with name brand spirits as well as local and all the cocktails you could imagine and then some, try a Scooby snack you will love it

We stayed at the Golden Parnassus Resort from October 13- October 20. We had a wonderful time and the staff are incredible. Our room was on the 6th floor and we had an incredible view. The food was incredible and the staff in the restaurants were so accommadating. Thanks to all of the staff from the grounds keepers on up to the management. You were wonderful One drawback to the hotel if you have mobility issues it probably would not be a good place for you as there is a lot of stairs to the beach. We saw the turtles that the staff were desperately trying to release them safely. It was a chance of a life time for us. Met some fabulous people.

My husband and I stayed here for our honeymoon and couldn't have asked for a more relaxing getaway! This was our first time staying in an all inclusive resort so we didn't really know what to expect. Our expectations were exceeded and everything from the food to the service and beautiful ocean view room was on point. We will for sure be coming back for an anniversary or next chance we get to getaway from it all! We ate at every restaurant except for Pier. The first and last night we went to Shangri La. The first night we were blown away with the very professional and attentive fine dining experience at Shangri La. My husband and I consider ourselves foodies and not in the snobby way but we appreciate when everything from the service to food and food presentation is in harmony. And Shangri La hit every spot on the head. Old Barn is good cause there's something for everyone but laid back compared to Shangri La. The drinks were way more stiff at Old Barn then other restaurants on resort.

Stayed here for a week with my gf. From the moment we arrived the treatment we received from the staff was terrific. All staff members are fun, energetic, and hard working. They will work shifts until 4 am and will be up early in the morning for their next shift. We loved Jose, Janet, burrito, Denise, elehandro. The food is above average for an all inclusive resort. The old barn is as good of a steakhouse as you will go to on vacation, excluding top of the line restaurants like a Ruth's Chris or Morton's. Prime rib and filet mignon are both great. Pier 12 was our second favorite place. Great seafood. Coconut shrimp were great and my gf loved the grilled chicken. Shangrilla was our least favorite but this depends on personal taste. We don't prefer fancy restaurants and would rather a steak or burger over nice French food. If that's your thing though maybe you will like it. Guys have to wear dress pants also which I did not like. Much slower service at there compared to ther places. Sumo is kind of similar to mall food court chinese food. Kind of slimy, but tolerable. The grille by the pool has pretty good poolside food, but nothing special. The buffet was good every day. For breakfast the have an omelet station, as well as a station to request Mexican type dishes. I got the pork and sausage empanada every day because of how good it was. For lunch options varied from chicken wings, to pasta, pizza, tacos, and much more. Good variety overall. We were waited on by Rogelio. He was great to us everyday and remembered us by name immediately any time we came in. The people there and the activities were great. Because it is a smaller resort you get to know most of the people throughout the week through the different games at the pool and while drinking at the bars. Tequila volleyball was a great time everyday. We met some great people throughout the week. The age range of other guests varies greatly, which is something I enjoyed. My gf and I are in our mid 20's and it was a good mix of young and older couples. Also a good mix of people who like to just relax and people who like to drink and party. The rooms were very clean and modern looking. Some reviews said they felt the place looked outdated, but I didn't see this with the rooms or any other part of the hotel. The beds are a little small, so if you are 6 foot or over that could be uncomfortable.

We stayed here 6 nights for our 19th wedding anniversary. The other reviews are right about the staff being very friendly. We were always greeted with Hola, Buenas Dias, etc whenever we walked by someone. The hotel is smaller, but that's what makes it more personal. The desk offered to move us to another room, but honestly, we stayed where we were. (Just goes to show you it wasn't that bad.) We ate in all five restaurants and the food was really good everywhere we ate. On our anniversary, housekeeping created a towel animal and at dinner we were treated to a tableside bottle of champagne and dessert with HAPPY ANNIVERSARY on it. They went out of our way to help us celebrate. We even met a couple who has been here 15 times - I can see why they have returned year after year. No matter where you stay in the hotel zone, the ocean is the same so why not stay somewhere personable and reasonably priced with great food and lots of activities and an open bar. Speaking of which - A special shout out to Jose (aka Pepe) at the Tiki Bar. I believe he may be the best bartender I have ever had anywhere! He remembers you and what you drink and you will have it in front of you before you order it. We had great waiters too - Abel, Gustavo, Eduardo, Gustavo and Jose. Thank you guys!

It is a awesome place. Food delicious, staff great. The only hic is the king size bed, it is way too short. Feet out of beds. No clothing fussing except for french restaurant. Beach, pool great. Recommend highly

My husband and I spent our honeymoon here and had a really great time. The pool is awesome because you can pull your lounger in and sit comfortably in the water, and the infinity edge facing the beach is an awesome spot to relax. I enjoyed the water volleyball quite a bit, however when I was trying to relax and a water polo game was going on it kind of made it hard to do so. Don't forget to bring a big cup from home for your drinks! I had been told that before, but completely forgot for this trip. They serve their drinks in little 4oz cups most of the time. I guess one benefit to that is your drink doesn't get warm easily because it's gone before you know it! Also at least you get to try a variety of drinks! My favorites were the dirty monkey (chocolatey with banana), and if you want something less sweet/more refreshing go with the club soda, vodka, and lime. We did enjoy the adults only aspect of it, especially since the activities were all for us rather than just kids. The entertainment team did a good job, but the nightly shows were kind of cheesy... Our room was nice. We had the king room with jacuzzi that faced the lagoon. Watching the sunset from the balcony was awesome. I do wish the air conditioner worked better, but otherwise no complaints. Marcela was an awesome housekeeper!

My husband and I spent our honeymoon here and had a really great time. The pool is awesome because you can pull your lounger in and sit comfortably in the water, and the infinity edge facing the beach is an awesome spot to relax. I enjoyed the water volleyball quite a bit, however when I was trying to relax and a water polo game was going on it kind of made it hard to do so. Don't forget to bring a big cup from home for your drinks! I had been told that before, but completely forgot for this trip. They serve their drinks in little 4oz cups most of the time. I guess one benefit to that is your drink doesn't get warm easily because it's gone before you know it! Also at least you get to try a variety of drinks! My favorites were the dirty monkey (chocolatey with banana), and if you want something less sweet/more refreshing go with the club soda, vodka, and lime. We did enjoy the adults only aspect of it, especially since the activities were all for us rather than just kids. The entertainment team did a good job, but the nightly shows were kind of cheesy... Our room was nice. We had the king room with jacuzzi that faced the lagoon. Watching the sunset from the balcony was awesome. I do wish the air conditioner worked better, but otherwise no complaints. Marcela was an awesome housekeeper!

My husband and I spent our honeymoon here and had a really great time. The pool is awesome because you can pull your lounger in and sit comfortably in the water, and the infinity edge facing the beach is an awesome spot to relax. I enjoyed the water volleyball quite a bit, however when I was trying to relax and a water polo game was going on it kind of made it hard to do so. Don't forget to bring a big cup from home for your drinks! I had been told that before, but completely forgot for this trip. They serve their drinks in little 4oz cups most of the time. I guess one benefit to that is your drink doesn't get warm easily because it's gone before you know it! Also at least you get to try a variety of drinks! My favorites were the dirty monkey (chocolatey with banana), and if you want something less sweet/more refreshing go with the club soda, vodka, and lime. We did enjoy the adults only aspect of it, especially since the activities were all for us rather than just kids. The entertainment team did a good job, but the nightly shows were kind of cheesy... Our room was nice. We had the king room with jacuzzi that faced the lagoon. Watching the sunset from the balcony was awesome. I do wish the air conditioner worked better, but otherwise no complaints. Marcela was an awesome housekeeper!

My husband and I spent our honeymoon here and had a really great time. The pool is awesome because you can pull your lounger in and sit comfortably in the water, and the infinity edge facing the beach is an awesome spot to relax. I enjoyed the water volleyball quite a bit, however when I was trying to relax and a water polo game was going on it kind of made it hard to do so. Don't forget to bring a big cup from home for your drinks! I had been told that before, but completely forgot for this trip. They serve their drinks in little 4oz cups most of the time. I guess one benefit to that is your drink doesn't get warm easily because it's gone before you know it! Also at least you get to try a variety of drinks! My favorites were the dirty monkey (chocolatey with banana), and if you want something less sweet/more refreshing go with the club soda, vodka, and lime. We did enjoy the adults only aspect of it, especially since the activities were all for us rather than just kids. The entertainment team did a good job, but the nightly shows were kind of cheesy... Our room was nice. We had the king room with jacuzzi that faced the lagoon. Watching the sunset from the balcony was awesome. I do wish the air conditioner worked better, but otherwise no complaints. Marcela was an awesome housekeeper!

This is my 6th visit to the Golden Parnassus. As always, the food was excellent, the resort was CLEAN, but the staff that works here makes me return every year. The resort is perfect for us. It is not elegant but this is the friendliest staff I have ever encountered. I am very comfortable staying here. The beach is beautiful! I can't wait to return.

Loved this hotel especially the staff, everyone was welcoming, made us feel more like family than tourist. They advertise a choice of ocean view or lagoon view rooms. At first we felt slighted because we were assigned a lagoon view room. As time passed we enjoyed the pool / ocean / activity side but at the end of the day we were glad to retire to the quieter sun setting side. Overall very few negatives, wi-fi too expensive $20/day (can log onto neighboring Sandos Hotel wi-fi for free), bathroom lighting poor, in fact all guest rooms could use more lights, Sixties Lounge a fun place but music too loud and air conditioning poor. Their is a sister hotel "The Great Parnassus" more family oriented, wristband allows access to all activities/restaurants at either hotel.

Beautiful, clean, well maintained. Staff are friendly and accommodating. Beautiful stretch of beach with beautiful view. Entertainment was great and food and drinks were wonderful. Such an enjoyable, relaxing vacation.

Just returned from 12 nights at the Golden Parnassus. For a reasonably priced hotel, it way exceed expectations. Hotel staff always bubbly and charming, entertainment staff and activities were fantastic, good shows on the evenings. Fantastic cleaning and hygiene standards. For food lovers - the food at all mealtimes was unbelievable. All 5 restaurants were exceptional (particularly Shangri La - real fine dining for an all inclusive resort).

We rated this '3-star' resort among the best. It is not huge, fancy, extremely well decorated, big name brand, gourmet restaurant laden place, but you will find the hardest working, friendliest, warm, genuine staff in the hotel industry. The food, building, amenities, layout, bedding, bars and furnishings are average. But EVERYONE, from those cleaning the beach (every morning), to the cooks and servers, to managers exemplify the hospitality standard for making guests feel welcome. The price reflects the fact that you're not paying for all the fancy stuff you just look at, all the excess food specialties you won't eat, top shelf liquor you won't drink and the high end sheets you won't feel when you're asleep. What you do get is a reception based on their best effort to take care of you. As another person wrote, if you want the Ritz, go to the Ritz and don't expect it here. If you want a good time with relaxed fun guests, and to be in a warm comfortable environment made possible by a dedicated work group, come to this resort. It was our first visit, but we met many return guests. After five days there, it's easy to see why they come back.

My husband and I visited Golden Parnassus for our honeymoon from Aug 3-Aug 9. We had a PERFECT visit! As soon as we got to the resort at 10 am we were greeted with mango margaritas! The resort was suggested by my sister and brother who spent their honeymoon here the previous year. When we were able to check in to the room we absolutely loved it. We did not stay in a honeymoon suite overlooking the beach, just a regular room. Each day that we came back to the room it was completely SPOTLESS...I am extremely obsessive compulsive about cleanliess and the rooms were immaculate! The food in every restaurant was great! Drinks were not watered down..perfect amount of alcohol in all drinks! We visited the Old Barn restaraunt 2 times one of which was my birthday and I was surprised with a cute little cheese cake and a happy birthday song! All of the staff was amazing...always made sure they went above and beyond to make you feel welcome and make your stay the best! The second night we were there...the staff put champagne and fresh fruit in our room since it was our honeymoon....This trip was perfect and we plan to visit again for our anniversary !