Family stay there for 6 days. Overall, good memories from there, but several hipcups.
The good:
- Well maintained property. Still looks new and seems to have a decent maintenance plan. Kudos for that.
- Kind and lovely personnel: as usual in Mexico, all the employees with a smile and nice attitude to solve problems and deal with questions and requests.
- Arrival: despite this hotel is famous for long check-in process, the lady that helped us was efficient enabled all of us in less than 20 minutes.
- Upgrade to Enclave: Seems there were wide available for Enclave upgrade to a decent price so, we really appreciated the upgrade. The private pool was a nice addition, and being close to the main building was something great as we had people with mobility issues.
- Diamond recognition: They even upgraded us before arrival b/c of the status, something very appreciated.
- The Enclave Lounge: it's in the lobby, behind the Front Desk areas. May be a little lackluster as it is somehow spartan on the decor and the location, but the drinks were pretty decent, great service, they have a pool table and we use the area for drinks before all the dinners. In the end, was a very good option. Small bites pretty average, nothing great.
- Azulinda, the 24-hour cafeteria, was a solid option for coffee and beverages. Not great sandwitches but, for coffee, it worked.
- Clean resort and clean rooms: Everything looked clean in the rooms and in the resort in general.
The so-so:
- The food @ Enclave: Even on Cocomar, the excusive restaurant for Enclave, the food was typical of an AI. It's nice to have an additional option, and the people there tried to do their best with the budget the had. Just keep your expectations set properly. Chef's special was disappointing.
- The rooms @ Enclave: just the same as regular ones; nothing special to highlight. The beach bag for you, cute, but something that won't last.
- The speciality restaurants: nothing spectacular, but we didn't have any horrible dinner there. The best were Auma and Noriku. La Luce and Maxal worked ok.
- Entertainment: Basic. If you're here to disconnect and relax, it's enough. If you're looking for party... this is NOT the place. Worked for us.
- Room service: We ordered some guacamole one night; feel a little refrigerated but... worked by midnight cravings.
- Very big property: it's a very wide property; not a bad thing by itself, just plan accordingly.
- Average All-Inclusive food: Don't expect great food experiences. If you need some pampering here, consider jump to the Conrad hotel next door.
The downsides and areas for improvement: To be honest, writing this section was something that held me back from publishing my review, but I think it’s important for people to know.
- Vela Restaurant: The one in the main building used for breakfast. Oh boy. The food seemed decent for an "all-inclusive" setup. But after returning to my table with my made-to-order omelet (which was actually tasty), my eyes started to itch. Ten minutes later, it was clear something had triggered an allergic reaction—something that had never happened to me before. What caused it? We never found out. Maybe a chemical near the omelet station? What happened next is what made me angry. I went to speak with the Concierge to get help from the on-site doctor. Did this person ask what had happened? No. But they made it clear right from the start that seeing a doctor would incur a $400 USD fee, plus the cost of any necessary medication, and that there would be an extra charge if I wanted to be treated in my room. I was about to agree when I noticed another guest had arrived with the same problem I had—and they had also come from the restaurant. I realized then that the issue wasn't me, but something in the environment. That snapped me back to reality, and I remembered I had health insurance through my job. I went back to my room and called my insurance company. Since there were no doctors available in Tulum, they sent someone from Playa del Carmen, so I had to be patient. Second setback: security staff were intentionally slowing down the entry process for "security reasons." I had to go to the lobby and speak with the Head of Security to speed things up. Since they wouldn't allow the doctor up to my room, I didn't mind and had the consultation in the lobby. I didn't pay anything for the consultation, and someone in my group happened to have the necessary over-the-counter medication on hand. I felt abandoned by the hotel, tbh.
- Breakfast at Cocomar: the next day, to avoid repeating the Vela experience, we had breakfast here. To sum it up: the bread used for the French toast... was moldy. YES, green mold. That ruined the whole experience and made us realize the challenges these workers face when it comes to sourcing food. The chef apologized profusely, but that was it. I’m not cheap enough to use this to demand financial compensation, but... a personal apology from the Manager would have been appreciated. NOTHING.
I'm more than aware errors and issues happened. But Hilton should invest a little more on customer service. Of course I'm clear this is an all-inclusive and you can't expect Waldorf Astoria quality levels. But lack of empaty and mold in your food... not great.
