ME Cancun Wonderful Experience!!
Milwaukee, WI Feb 27, 2007
My boyfriend and I traveled from Milwaukee, WI (USA) to ME Cancun on Feb 16-23 and had an incredible/romantic experience. I also read many of the reviews before I left for this trip, but found that some people may be too picky and/or have no experience traveling to Mexico. This is my third trip to Cancun, so I am familiar with the area. Here is a snapshot of the experience we had at ME Cancun.
Arrival: We booked our reservations directly online at Sol Meliá a week prior to departure. When we arrived at the hotel the front desk attendant did not have our reservation, but I had our confirmation print out in hand. Yes, I initially was frustrated and concerned about the resort. However, the hotel got us the room we requested and made every attempt to accommodate us. From my experience, the front desk is very slow in terms of service, but pleasant and accommodating. Some guests complained about waiting 30 minutes to check in. I would guess the hotel knows this as a challenge and is working on speeding up the process.
Hotel: In one sentence I describe this hotel as sleek, modern, Feng Shui design, immaculate, and relaxing. This hotel is unlike most hotels in Cancun, Mexico where the hotel design represents the Mexican culture verses up to date design. The location is situated nicely a block from Isla Mall (shops, restaurants, and markets).
Rooms: When we walked into our room on the 8th floor it was exactly like the pictures on the website and on Trip Advisor. The room was modern, bold colors and sleek design. The beds were comfortable and had duvet covers. The bathroom was updated with Kohler design type shower and sink and Aveda products. There was a well stocked mini bar and bottled water. There was a large flat panel television and Phillips CD/Radio player for your entertainment needs. The only complaint is the walls are very thin and if you have loud neighbors this could be a problem. We also left a few USD dollars and a note in Spanish for the maids every few days. The maids kept our room extra clean and we had no trouble with our belongings. I highly recommend using the in room safe for electronics (Ipods, cameras, etc.), passports, currency, and any expensive personal items.
Restaurants: There are technically only two restaurants on site, but they claim they have four. There is an internet caf that has coffee, mixed drinks, and bakery goods. Excellent coffee! You can also check your email on one of their six computers. The other restaurants are Silk and Salt. In the morning you can enjoy an average buffet breakfast for $22 USD per person. At night the restaurant serves Japanese and American (steaks) ($15-$35 USD per entre), we looked at the menu, but did not dine. We chose to venture off the resort for our meals. The Maxim beach grill is excellent and priced around $7-$12 USD for appetizers, burgers, wraps (Steak wrap is the best and can be shared with another person), chips/salsa, etc. As far as the cocktails they are good, but not too strong. The bar has rail to top shelf liquor. I had a Grey Goose and Tonic, which was $12 USD, Bacardi Mango Daiquiri $12 USD, and Corona in a can $4 USD. The drink prices range from $4-$12 USD, depending on what you order. If you order from the beach staff, keep in mind it may take awhile, service is slow paced. You may want to go up to the bar and order yourself to save time. The Rose Bar is situated by the lobby and has excellent martinis $10-$15 USD. This is a great bar to go to at night before dinner or for an after dinner drink. There is soft music playing, candles illuminate the space, the ambience is inviting and romantic.
Beach: The beach is beautiful with crisp white, soft, warm sand. The beach is well kept and the sea blue ocean is clear as turquoise. The white beds on the beach are the best to lie out on and the chairs are comfortable as well. We had no problems finding a spot every day to lie out and relax on the beach. There is also a deejay playing techno and electric style music outside by the pool and beach areas, which adds to the ambience.
Pool: The pools are well kept and I could not smell chorine. The pool area is more for the families, but still quiet. There is a swim up pool let's you cool off from tanning and being in the sun. The adult pools are a bit cold, but refreshing.
Restaurant Suggestions: La Isla Mall Try the La Madonna Italian restaurant excellent, but pricey. We had filets, side dishes and a bottle of wine ($100 USD), so worth it! Ruth Chris' Steak house is another staple restaurant to dine at and again excellent food and service. There is a Starbucks, Chili's, McDonald's, etc in the mall.
Water: I would walk to the mall and purchase your bottled water, gatorade, and snacks from the market (save you money).
Meals: We chose to grab coffee and banana bread from the internet caf ($5 USD), eat at the beach grill during the day and go out for a nice dinner at night to save on money. Since the resort is not all-inclusive it can add up quickly. We spent around $150-$200 USD per day on drinks and meals. Some mornings we did eat at the buffet, which tied us over until dinner.
Overall, I would highly recommend this hotel for couples, families, and friends who want to relax, enjoy the incredible weather, and forget about reality. This hotel does not cater to the Spring Breakers that want to party, but to a higher clientele. ME Cancun staff do their best to meet any request you have and strive to provide excellent customer service. The hotel is fairly new, so certain issues are still being worked out, but ME Cancun is a hot spot not to miss.
From: MeByMeliá.com