Gran Porto Real Resort & Spa Hotel

My sister and I just returned from our 2nd visit to Gran Porto Real and it was just as wonderful as the first. The resort itself is beautiful,the grounds are meticulously kept. The rooms are large and comfortable with HUGE showers. We had read reviews of overbooking nightmares so we had our spanish speaking "Papi" call and reconfirm a few days before we left and did'nt have any problems. The entire staff was very pleasant and happily answered any qustions we had.The "cruise directors" Willie and Roddy are a kick and work hard to make sure everyone has a good time. I'm hoping to return next summer,and if I do the one thing I would do differently is take the all-inclusive wrist band off when going in to town. The "Reps" from other resorts see you comming and are relentless about visiting their hotels and having a "free lunch and tour". Over all it was a wonderful relaxing break from real life. I'll probably have vacation hangover for a few more weeks.

After reading some of the reviews about overbooking, I have to admit I was a little nervous flying to another country and being told I did not have a room. So I called the hotel twice, one week before and the day before. Both times they gave me the correct information I was looking for. GPR is amazing!!! My wife, another couple, and myself spent 5 wonderful days at the resort. We are not the luxurious type, so we chose the standard room over the Jr. Suite. The standard rooms are not described in any website I found researching the place, but they are really nice. The shower was huge, the beds were a little on the hard side, had a mini refrigerator stocked up for us every morning, TV, and a small closet. The only negative thing I would have to say about the room is that it did not have much storage place. When we travel, the only time we spend in our rooms is when it is time to go to bed and to take showers, so it is just not important to us. They also had two comfortable sitting chairs right outside of the door. The best thing about the standard room is the small pool with a swim up bar and bar stools that not too many people know about. It was the perfect complement to hanging out at the main pool all day and then having a great change of scenery (May and June are the rainy season there, so this small pool is the best place to hang out…the roof covers the bar stools and you don’t miss a beat!) Mario was the best bartender in the resort!!! Tell him we said hi! There are all day activities and feel free to participate in them all. It is a great chance to meet people from all over the world and remember, “You’re in Mexico and nobody knows you”..you’ll understand when you get back. Willie and Rody are your main activity coordinators and these guys know how to have a good time! Dinner was the best meal of the day. Skip the room service and buffet and make reservations early for either of the restaurants. The menu changes nightly so don’t freak out that there are only two. We are talking 5 course meals, with interesting apt’s, great soups, ok bread, a wonderful main dish (veal, Mahi Mahi, filet mignon, pork etc.) Lunches were good. Feel free to ask for a menu from one of the waiters while you are sitting around the pool. Their sandwiches, pizza, etc are all wonderful. Breakfast was subpar (although I do not enjoy this meal much in the states). The juices and milk taste funny, coffee is so-so. The buffet is ok…not your traditional breakfast in the states. Best option is to visit the made-to-order chef that cooked up wonder omelets, eggs anyway you like them, and pancakes. The whole staff was amazing. Their main duty is to get you as much of whatever it is you drink, as fast as you can drink it. If you are not a drinker, or bringing your family, no worries. They have a kids club with activities all day long for the youngsters. I will definitely bring my two the next time we go. The crowd was very mixed ages: young, old, middle-aged, teens (with parents). Everyone I talked to loved the place. I did not hear anyone complain about moving rooms etc, so they may have got the problems in the past fixed. Have fun! If you have any questions please email me at jjmccabe62@aol.com (subject Gran Porto Real so I don’t delete it)

The stories which we had read prior to leaving for playa should have prepared me for what happened, but I showed up at the Grand Porto Real with a trusting heart. Our family of four had booked an ocean front room for 4 days, but it was not to be! The manager, after I demanded his presence, said they were over-booked and our room would be an off-water room. The acting manager explained that the people in California were responsible for this. After serious discussions and demands, he explained that he was from New York. He did offer to try to move us the next day and also offered free lobster dinners, trip vouchers, etc... in lieu of what our original reservation called for. There were four other parties in our group that had similar experiences. This being my 22nd year of coming and being in love with the Mexican Caribbean, I have witnessed a new type of "cha cha cha", and I don't like it! In Texas, their operation would be placed along with other "cattle car" operations. It saddens me that commercialization and the love of the almighty dollar is ruining the natural beauty which sparks the desire to be in the Caribbean. So if you chose to support their system, my reccomendation would be to take your lawyer with you on vacation.

My husband and I have been two times now. Both times we did have to be moved to another room. The first time we were right over the restaurant and couldn't stand the smell and noise. The second time they tried to put us on the back side overlooking the road. But we were moved both times to an acceptable room. We are going to try again next year...really want them to guarantee a roomon pool/ocean side before we come again. We did the all-inclusive the first time and it was just ok. We got tired of the food, too. The second time, we ate all of our meals away...on the beach, on 5th, etc. We found the food to be good at most places. There was live entertainment on 5th in the evenings, fun shopping, and all the way around an excellent vacation and one that we would recommend to our friends. I'm sure we would be p---ed, too, if we were put in the one across the street or even worst, the one in the middle of no-where. We always rent a car so we can explore. We are never big on tours with alot of other people. We like to do our own thing, so we always recommend a car. Well, that's my two cents worth. Hope you have as good a time as we did both times we went! We do hope it stays fairly undiscovered! Hate for it to get too crowded!

I must confess I was not expecting much from an all-inclusive hotel. Happily in this case I was wrong. While not gourmet, much better than anticipated in food department. Hotel staff tries diligently to please the many nationalities (a plus)that stay here. Area activities are too numerous for any one vacation. City still has more old Mexico charm than most beach area resort towns. Only suggestion on hotel is to KNOW WHAT YOU HAVE PAID FOR (Jr Suite, Ocean View, King bed, etc) get written confirmation - and don't accept room until you are placed in correct accomodation. Do not get hooked by hidden timeshare presentation unless you want to - it is avoidable. And ALWAYS, deal with a reputable travel agency/organization which fully and correctly represents to both client and property the desires of each.

I believe the theme here is to be a squeaky wheel early and often, and receive the benefit of the grease. It seems that at least 75% of the Gran Porto Real in Playa del Carmen is an outstanding facility. It also seems that customers that are less than demanding can get the familiar "overbooked" story, and assigned to rooms on the annexed part of the property, on the northwest corner (adjacent to the 3rd-story pool w/ the swim-up bar). (Don't fail to take advantage of this extra pool, as it's quite decent. Unshaded hamacas and a large jacuzzi are nearby on the 5th floor roof.) If you are not in this section, you will have either a "deluxe Jr. Suite" or an "ocean-view Jr. Suite", the latter requiring an upcharge. We found our deluxe jr. suite on the north side (large foyer, large bathroom and shower) to be luxurious, and not subject to noise from the main pool and dining areas. Since the hotel is on a point of the beach, even the north-facing rooms have an "ocean-view". As I said, the hotel's facility is very nice. Great pool areas, very nice beach to the north about 50 yards. Many fishing boats anchored in the main 'bay' adjacent to the hotel's main beach. The other caveat here is the "gift" the hotel will want you to claim on your arrival, or soon after. It's not a timeshare presentation, but rather a pay-in-advance arrangement for 500 nights at Real & Royal properties. They show you a $20,000 (american) price tag for the deal, and then try to make you feel like it's a bargain when they offer it to you for $7,000 (only $2,700 down). We sat through it, after they gave us vouchers for $50 to be spent in the hotel. Some people might actually save money on this arrangement, but not my family, and not the way we travel. Finally, even though we were on the European Plan (*not* all-inclusive, pay-as-you-go), we were not happy with the color-coded bracelets, which you were expected to wear from checkin to final checkout, including turning them in for ending inventory. The vendors in town were (more than usual) all over us because they could tell where we were staying. We all took ours off, and wore them only while in the pool areas. We felt like it was analogous to being escapees of a nursing home. The guy who showed us around during the orientation indicated that the 60 vacant acres to the hotels (pristine beachfront) north were to become a non-all-inclusive Royal property with 265 rooms to be available by this Christmas. This makes me think that the Porto Real will soon be *exclusively* all-inclusive. Anything else I might add, please email me @ rrenfrow@metronet.com . Viva Playa!

We just returned from a 7 day all inclusive stay at Porto Real. Loved the resort, loved the staff ( all locals )friendly, accomodating and very funny. Loved the rooms, very clean, large bathrooms and great balcony & view of ocean. Loved the torquoise water(OH MY GOD)!. Loved the beach. Service was fantastic. Definitely had the nicest resort on that whole stretch of beach. Attention to detail all thru resort,always felt safe ( safer than home even, with all the security hovering). The place was immaculate. Now the only down sides were: the food...not great, coffee was the worst I have ever had. The only meals I enjoyed were those had in the sports bar and the Italian restaurant I think it was Albatros. The best meal had was off 5th Avenue at Yaxche. Recommended in Fodors and I know why. Excellent food however not on the resort so we had to pay but worth every penny. Tour to the ruins in Chichen Itza was so worth it. Not cheap for a family of four at least not for Canadians cause our dollar sucks, 500.00 for 4.Loved it anyway. The resort "recommends" that you don't buy tours from anyone but them or you will get ripped off, learned too late that all local tour business is not shady (Odissey was mentioned as being good). When we arrived, the ocean view that we paid for way in advance (2 months) was not available. Not good and it seemed as though a lot of people checking in didn't even have rooms available at all. However our room would be ready the next day and they gave us 2- 30 min massage coupons and that was fine with us. The massages however were not worth it, seemed really inexperienced and disinterested and they were expensive I thought. The reviews I read in your column before we went, by the way were very informative. One guy said beware of girls who approach you in the lobby. Forgot until I remembered the next morning about the greeting breakfast that we were invited to was time share...remembered in the shower and decided not to go even though they had visit and would return for sure to the same resort much more educated this time. Keep up the good work, these reviews really are helpful!!!

I just got back from Gran Porto Real or shall I say Gran Sole Real. My girlfriend and I booked our trip in February but, found out when we got their that the hotel was overbooked. Before we could complain we were on our way to their sister hotel Gran Sole Real. We were told we have to stay at this hotel for 3 nights and we would stay at the hotel we paid for for 4 nights. We also talked to a couple of girls from Texas that this also happened to. The only thing with them is they had to stay at Gran Sole for 6 night and Porto Real for 1 night. Gran Sole is like 30 to 45 minutes south of Playa Del Carmen in the middle of nowhere. Gran Sole was very nice but their was nothing to do their. They gave us a free massage and free trip to Xcaret for our trouble. Two of my days were spent packing to go to a different hotel and traveling to the hotel. I don't understand how a resort can overbook so many times. If you read all the other reviews I'm not the only one this happen to. When I finally got to Gran Porto Real I was very pleased with the resort. It is right in the middle of everything in Playa del Carmen. All I wanted all vacation was somebody from the hotel to say they were sorry but they never did. When we checked out they tried to get us to sign a letter saying that we would not complain about Funjet Vacations or Gran Porto Real. I would not sign it because I am very upset at them. I might get a lawyer involved to help me get my money back for the worst vacation I have ever gone on. If you end up staying at this hotel I would make sure they have a room for you. I would not recommend this hotel just because they treat their customers with no respect. The resort is very nice if you get to stay there. The food is not the best but there are a lot of other places to eat on 5th avenue.

May 11, 2002...My wife and I just retured from a great vacation at Gran Porto Real-Playa del Carmen.....after the first day. Make sure that before you get there that your reservations are for what you paid for. In all of their advertisements and brochures they advertise "Junior Suites" or Deluxe Junior Suites with or without ocean views with two double or one king size bed(s). There is no mention of "Standard or Delux Standard Rooms. The "standard rooms" do not have king sized beds. When we arrived they tried to stick us in a "Standard Room" with two small double beads without a lot of leg room around the beds and the walls and the rooms were small... small being the key word. We had paid for a Junior Suite with a king size bed. After two hours of arguing and finally coming unglued we finally got a Junior Suite. I owe the success of this to Rocio a tour guide from Olympus Tours..Orange shirts. She went to bat for us, but the first night was a bust because of the folks at the front desk and the screwed up reservations. We talked to several folks that had the same problem with them. They have bought an older property next door and gave it a face lift to make it match the newer portion of the motel. The rooms are "Standard" and small. There is a great little pool with a swim up bar that you can order snacks, drinks, pizza that is brought to you pool side. It is less hectic that the main pool and much nicer in the afternoon. The food service, maids and pool folks papmered us and smiled a lot. We could not have been treated better. The little waiter (Alberto) brought flowers to our table at night and make sure that all was perfect. We ate several meal in the motel...make sure to get reservations in advance. The challenge seems to be in the front desk and the reservation department. After we had out heated discussion over our reservations, they were quite nice the rest of the week. If you need to call home for any reason, make sure that you buy a phone card. The phones in your rooms charge out at about $5.00 per minute. The food was great and the entertainment each night was excellent. Shopping on 5th avenue is within easy walking distant and affortable...don't be afraid to barter with them over prices. Rocio....our "Cancun Peach" We appreciate all you did for us and your help in booking some great tours.

I wish we would have seen these other reviews before we left.April 18-27-02. We also were victims of the rude management. We had no hot water for the first three days in room 429, about as far away from the Gran Porto as you can get. I luckily had my reciept and made them call our Air Canada Rep. Magically we got a new room in the original hotel. When we booked and paid there was no mention of standard rooms ,only Jr.Suites. They insisted that this is what you get from your booking agent. Un True, when I got home Air Canada Vacations and my travel agent had no idea that they had merged with another hotel. And confirmed that we had indeed paid for a Jr. Suite. Will we get re-imbursed, I doubt it, Would I stay there again, Yes, if I knew where my room would be. Sadly this was happening to alot of others ,one women was in tears,and lots of others were pissed. They do have the I'll look dumb routine down very well. Make sure you get what you paid for and don't let them send you to the sister property near Tulum, We checked it out and alot of people that we talked to there, had even worse experiances.