Written Review
"Fabulous"
This was our honeymoon resort. We experience the best service, food, cleanliness and advice on tours etc. The staff work incredibely hard to maintain the best service for the people! I gladly appreciate their efforts to make us feel comfortable. The room we have was a deluxe garden view. It was maintained by the maids very well everyday without fail. The pools were great for relaxing in and also quick swims. The beach wasn clean and relaxing. We recommended this resort to all family members and friends, as we had the most amazing experience here and have decided to come again soon!
Highly recommended
"Second time and just as great"
Just back after wonderful week at blue bay, second time and loved it just as much as the last. The staff without exception were so kind, friendly and always making sure everything was ok. Even in the heat which was intense, they never stop smiling. We have to mention Samuel the VIP beach bar waiter who was a prolific cocktail maker! Luis also made sure everything was perfect including extra towels when we had a downpour. Also Senyana from the sports bar for who nothing was too much. Danni in the restaurant always greeted us and made us feel welcome.
We found the food excellent, freshly cooked and very wide variety to suit all tastes. Several a la carte restaurants, Mexican, steak, seafood, Italian, oriental and French.
The room we had was in block 5 and looked out on the ocean, the sunrise and sunsets were amazing.
We came without our teenagers this time and felt at this time of year it was much quieter and less for them to do. Last time we came in July and they were involved in non stop activities.
We are well traveled and would hardly come again if we weren't happy.
"One of the best holidays we've ever had!"
Ok, i need to start by saying that this is the second time we go to Playa del Carmen, and we really can't wait to go back again!
Here you have the main reasons for this to be the case:
1: the BB Grand Esmeralda. This resort was GREAT! It is true that the resort doesn't have the best beach in the area, but it does have a beach and we found it to be nice enough. That said, if you are the kind of person that cannot live without a beach of at least 1km of length, this is not the place for you. That is the only warning. Everything else is TRIPLE AWESOME! The service is great! From the first day till the last one (we stayed 7 nights), people were always super nice and helpful! Please tip them generously, they do deserve it! The shows at night are fun and quite good. Don't miss the Mexican night, the tribute to MJ, and the latin night. The food is really good! The buffet and the specialty restaurants are all great! Do not miss the steakhouse and the french ones. Finally, the events are fun and the guys in charge are really the heart and soul of this place. Special thx to Felix, Vicky, and Eren at the front desk. You guys ROCK!
2. The eco-parks. 3 years ago we went to xcaret, and this time we wanted to go back, but decided instead for xplor. What a great decision! If you can do them both!
3. Playa del Carmen. We spent one day at Playa and we wish we could have had more time there. We did some shopping, ate some delicious food (seriously, what's not delicious there?), and enjoyed the charm of that little town.
4. Perfect weather. We went there on oct. 12th. The entire week was PERFECT!
5. If it's your first time there you also have to go to Chichen Itza. The trip is a bot long but it's worth it.
"Wonderful Place!"
I visited Blue Bay july 19th-23rd and I must say it was a wonderful place. The grounds are big and beautiful and are kept amazingly clean. Although walking around the resort can get a bit tiring due to the size of the resort they have shuttles that you can hop on and off. The service was awesome, everyone was smiling and always eager to help. The food was fresh and delicious and the drinks were strong! This is the cleanest hotel I've ever been to and I travel very often. But the pool is big and clean so I just hung out there.
"Fantastic hotel"
Stayed at the blue bay for 2 weeks from 10th of June, and could not have asked for a better holiday. The hotel room was very clean and lovely modern bathroom and decor. The swimming pool and grounds are kept absolutely immaculate and the grounds are gorgeous.. The staff went out of their way to make us feel comfortable.Rhe bar service was excellent, we were served almost right away or within a couple of mins if the bar was busy, which you would expect. The restaurant staff, cleaners, bar staff and entertainment team were all great. The food was delicious, massive choice at the buffet and the al a carte restaurants all really tasty, definitely the Mexican. The beach is nice and to the left for 5 mins you'll find even better sand. To me, this place was just brilliant and I'd definitely return. I learned a big lesson to stop relying on trip advisor, I'm glad I didn't pay too much attention as this truly a lovely place!
"We are coming back again!!"
We stayed for 14 days December 1 - 14 and had a great time. The staff were excellent, if we can single out a few; Jonathan the bar tender at the VIP bar, can't say enough good about him, excellent service, great source of information and very well spoken. The buffet staff were all great especially Ruperta, what a nice lady! The grounds were in excellent shape in spite of the rain they've had recently. The room was excellent, cleaned spotless every day and very comfortable. We had to deal with some minor issues at home while we were there and all of the concierge staff went out of their way to help us out- thanks again!! Eren managed to get us the room we had requested - Thanks Erin. The staff on the beach were good and then there are the bar tenders at the swing bar - can't believe you guys can remember what I like to drink!! Nothing to complain about!!
"Excellent Resort"
I traveled by myself to this all inclusive resort I felt safe and secure. The staff ensure that as a single traveler they make you feel involved with the rest of the resort. The rooms were extremely clean and the food was fantastic. I would recommend that if you are looking for a get away that will not hit you too hard in the pocket book this is the resort for you.
"Excellent resort"
We have been to this resort in April.
Beautiful and amazing service.
Beautiful grounds.
We were far away from the beach, but close to the pool.
Long way to walk or you can take a golf cart shuttle.
The SPA was awesome. Spent a lot of time in there.
The food was great.
Staff friendly.
The resort is too big, I like smaller ones.
Rooms clean, excellent maid service.
"Great Holiday"
Stayed 10 days at this hotel. This being our first time to Mexico, we thought that everything was great. Food & service at the buffets ( breakfast , lunch and dinner ) was all excellent! The food at the various restaurants was amazing. Danny, the waiter at the Jaal-ha buffet, was fantastic! Saw only one show, Grease, which was very entertaining.Special Thanks to Jonathan at the beach bar, great bartender .Yes there were sandbags along the beach, but if you went for a walk, every resort has them. Overall, we loved the resort, and we will definitely return!
"Please, Ignore the bad reviews"
I have been to the Blue Bay twice now, and each time it was excellent ! Everything was great the food, service, rooms, beach, everything! Out of all the vacations I've been on this was, by far the best resort.
"Excellent all-inclusive value for the price!"
Beautiful pools, wonderful a la carte restaurants.
Be sure to make reservations ahead of time to get in. It's well worth it! Out favorites were the Italian and French!
The drinks are great and they offer top shelf if you ask.
Our room was in block 5 in the 3rd floor and had a nice view and excellent maid service.
The price that we paid for the week was well worth everything we got!
"Outstanding Service and Hotel"
Firstly I would like to say, ignore all the bad reviews on here about this resort as the expectations are ridiculous and no hotel is perfect but this one comes pretty close!
From the moment we arrived until the second we left the service was next to none!
Rooms - These were cleaned daily and to a very high standard, mini bar was stocked daily with 8 cans of coca cola, diet coke, fanta, sparkling water and also 2 x 1L bottles of water. 3 bath towels and many hand towels and flannels changed daily. Bed linen also changed daily along with a fantastic towel sculpture on the bed.
Pools - 2 humungous pools, both with bars and restaurants very close by, the maintenance of the pools was incredible, even tiles being changed as soon as damaged and cleaners scrubbing the pool every morning!
Overall experience was phenomenal and would return here in a shot!
"Outstanding Service and Hotel"
Firstly I would like to say, ignore all the bad reviews on here about this resort as the expectations are ridiculous and no hotel is perfect but this one comes pretty close!
From the moment we arrived until the second we left the service was next to none!
Rooms - These were cleaned daily and to a very high standard, mini bar was stocked daily with 8 cans of coca cola, diet coke, fanta, sparkling water and also 2 x 1L bottles of water. 3 bath towels and many hand towels and flannels changed daily. Bed linen also changed daily along with a fantastic towel sculpture on the bed.
Pools - 2 humungous pools, both with bars and restaurants very close by, the maintenance of the pools was incredible, even tiles being changed as soon as damaged and cleaners scrubbing the pool every morning!
Overall experience was phenomenal and would return here in a shot!
"Huge Complex"
Spent two weeks at Bluebay Grand from the 12th November. We were in block 5 which is close to the beach, pool & restaurant and was very quiet. Plenty of sunbeds around. The buffet food we enjoyed for breakfast & lunch, in the evenings we ate at the speciality restaurants and had no complaints. The staff work very hard and make sure everything is ok. Rooms were very clean & towels and bedding changed everyday. Went to Playa Del Carmen twice on the shuttle bus, the beach there is lovely but it was very busy, also visited Tulum which was good. I would say the balcony could be more inviting, new table & chairs are needed but that is a small issue. A big thank you to all the staff & making our holiday so enjoyable.
"Awsome service"
The first week of October I spent a week at the Bluebay as always ( I stayed last year same time) the service was incredible. Cesar was training on the the food and beverages area was outstanding the personal was one step ahead. I will be back next year.
"Exceptional- One of the best we have stayed at"
I had to write a review as it is upsetting to see that a few people who don't travel much have so much to say. Someone recently wrote that it rained the whole time there-Of course, October-November is rainy season-what do you expect? As for the hotel rooms being far from the lobby, there is an ecological forest with monkeys, deers and cute little type raccoon who do not bite or disturb you. They have plenty of golf carts and the service they provide is wonderful. Now for the good parts. We stayed there ten days and have to say the best, best part is the staff. They went out of their way to make your stay wonderful. Next the food-6 restaurants all better than the next. and if you didn't care for Mexican, Oriental, Seafood, Italian, French, they had a buffet that had all of the above and then some. Bars were open late (Sports Bar open 24 hours), the pools were plentiful, the breakfast buffet and lunch buffet had everything you could want. Name brand drinks and plenty of champagne. The beach had some seaweed from the previous storms just before we got there, but all the hotels in that area (and we walked the beach everyday 5-7k)-they all had the seaweed. Blue Bay had one of the largest sand beaches and plenty or chairs for everyone. Activities for the children. Security has been increased since our last visit in February 2013 with armed police on the roads at roadblocks and very tight security to get into hotel complex. Our hotel was so far from the main road that the hotel didn't even require us to wear the All Inclusive bracelets. Also means not too many pedlars on the beach. This hotel is listed as a 5 Star but it is just shy of a 6 star hotel. Couldn't ask for anything more. Discovered the Spa on the last day and this is truly a hidden gem at this resort where they have water circuit (stations you attend for spa treatment) Best Maitre D is Angel and best morning breakfast guy is Victor
"Great Honeymoon Vacation!!!"
My new husband and i went to the BBGE for our honeymoon this past may 2013. Overall we had an excellent time.
Food: Excellent! If you like mexican food you will love there food. My hubby and i couldn't get over the freshly made chips and delicious ceviche (we had it every time we ate at the buffets). The a la carte restaurants were very good as well.
Room: Our room was lovely, working air conditioner that kept our room ice cold , just the way we like it. The double walk in shower was an added bonus. Mini fridge was always stocked and we always had fresh towels and a towel animal waiting for us after the maid came. Our balcony looked over the pool which was an added bonus as well.
Staff: Friendly. All around the staff were very eager to help, but as some others have already stated , sometimes it was faster to get drinks and other things for yourself.
Grounds: Gorgeous and well maintained. Every day i could see staff members cleaning the walk way or spraying around the tree line. What we did see was lovely wildlife which included and iguana, lizards, a native mammal that was adorable but have no idea what it was, and to my surprise one afternoon we saw a deer! Yes, this was a large resort, but everything was in a ten minute walking distance (as long as you haven't had a little too much to drink :P ) We tried to walk as much as possible just to stay active but whenever we wanted a trolly there was one scooting along somewhere. And if you didn't see a trolly you could wait at one of the bus stops easily. The beach was quite lack lustre unfortunately , and being fair skinned it was almost impossible to find a lounge chair that had shade even by the pools ( which resulted in quite the sun burn).
Entertainment: There was always something going on by the main pool and they had a big board showing what time things were happening. The evening sports bar entertainment . well it was laugh worthy but not how they wanted it to be. BUT they were really trying and there were a couple good performances.
All in all, we had a great stay at the BBGE, and would recommend it :)
"Great food, clean and fun! No complaints here!"
We stayed a few years ago, not last December but I still want to give this place a good review! The food was excellent especially the peel n eat monster shrimp -at the buffet and once in a while at grilled at the beach/pool grill they set up.
Rooms were excellent! Very clean, tidy, AC was powerful. Bathrooms and showers are up to date and work perfectly. We didn't have a swimup room but they looked very nice and were closer to the action if you wanted it is worth the money. Not much privacy though as they are joined with all the other rooms and near the walkways.
The Michael Jackson show is a must see! The others were decent too and the performers work very hard to ensure a fun time!
"First time in Mexico - We Loved it Here!!!!!"
Was so hesitant when reading some of the reviews before we left, but don't understand what these people would be looking for. We had an amazing week. The room was very comfortable and clean. The mini bar stocked with all kinds of canned drinks and beer and refilled everyday. Great water pressure in the shower. We really enjoyed the food lots of choices and if you didn't feel like leaving the amazing pool and bar area you could always grab a burger or dog at the pool side bbq. You do have to make reservations everyday for the a la carte restaurants and they are all very good, but the buffets were great as well and everyone was very friendly and attentive. There is a conceirge outside of every one of the 8 buildings who is more than happy to make your reservations for you so its not like you have to keep going to the main lobby area, it is very convenient. If you are traveling as a couple the main buffet has a raised seating area in the middle of the restaurant you can request that just gets you a bit away from the family dining.
We did have a great room close to the pool, but walked or took the tram up to the sports bar and restaurants. It really isn't that far of a walk. If you are a tipper as we are you may want to bring down lots of american 1's and 5's or 20 and 50 pesos because it is hard to get change from the front desk. If you charge anything to your room ie. spa treatments you cannot check out with the concierge at your building and will have to go into the long line in the main lobby when leaving, so keep that in mind when you are timing your departure.
We so much enjoyed our Christmas vacation here and would do it all again preferrabley tomorrow:)
"Great time!!!"
I read quite a few reviews of BB before we arrived there (Dec. 12-22). We had a great time. Check in was super quick. We were in building 4 by the breakfast buffet and pool. The walk to the main lobby isn't long at all. Other than at the airport when we got there, we didn't see or hear from ANY timeshare people. Not one. For $20, we took a quick cab to Playas 5th avenue. We booked all excursions through Best Day (Jesus) at the resort. He was great and quite knowledgeable of all there was to do their. The food was good too. Something for everyone. The steak house was the best a la carte for sure. We ate there twice. Even if you had an early pick up for an excursion (which we did a few times), you could still grab fruit, pastry, coffee and juice at the sports bar daily. During the evening, there was entertainment. Some was a bit cheesy, but a few performances were great. Their salute to Hollywood movies was good, especially Mask. They also did Grease. Fabulous and funny. The place was packed for these two shows. And Michael Jackson was good too. Almost forgot about the beach. We're from Canada and with our lakes here, we don't find a piece or two of seaweed to be a problem. And the sand was quite nice. Hardly rocky at all. We'd stay there again.
"Absolutely fantastic!!!!!"
We have just got back from a 2 week holiday at the blue bay grand Esmeralda. On arrival we were treated by the bell boy who happily took our cases while we checked in. We were then taken to our room on a shuttle service and was given a tour of the complex. Our cases were brought to our room which was spotless, huge bathroom and fully stocked mini bar. The hotel staff could not do enough for you they were always happy and friendly. The entertainment guys were brilliant and so much fun. The food was outstanding plenty if choice for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The al a carte restaurants were lovely and there's 6 theme nights to chose from. The pool is huge and very clean. The service round the pool is brilliant someone is always there to take your order and always happy. Please ignore all other bad reviews there is absolutely nothing to moan about on this holiday some people just have nothing else to moan about. It was great and we are definitely going back we can't wait!!!
"My long haul trip"
just returned 4th oct having spent two weeks at this great hotel nice food most of staff very helpfull if booking pick blocks 1 to 5 which are nearer to pool area. The room number 5412 was great massive bed and spotless my wife and i are pensioners but still had a great time all inclusive really means just that free beer in room fridge every day plus free safety deposit safe in room not a lot of variation for children entertainment in sports bar really depressing needs geeing up quite a lot but staff tried their best. Pools are fantasticaly warm we had sun every day except on two occasions my honest opinion is to discount any bad reviews about this hotel. We had a 5hr delay flight with ThomasCook but were not given any reason until we got onto the plane, we were given a free drink as compensation for the delay i think. I do not think that i will fly with them ever again Through this forum i would like to thank all persons who took the time to make this a great holliday JOHN&Natalie and all the gang, and all the staff.