Riviera Maya Vacations & Riviera Maya Beach Resort Reviews

Gran Bahia Principe Tulum Review Top All Inclusive Mayan Riviera

Playa Aventuras Akumal., Crtra. Xetumal - Cancun, Km. 251,

Cancun, Mexico

http://www.bahiaprincipeusa.com/bp/usa/en/bahia/principe/hotels/caribbean/mexico/riviera/maya/gran-bahia-principe-tulum/hotel-information.html

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• 774 rooms, 36 junior suites
• Located on the beach
• All Inclusive
• 30 minutes from Carmen Beach
• 20 minutes from Tulum
• 70 minutes from Cancun International Airport

The Gran Bahía Principe Tulum is part of the Bahia Principe Clubs & Resorts, and sits adjacent to its sister resorts the Gran Bahía Principe Akumal and Gran Bahía Príncipe Coba.  There are over 1,400 rooms between the resorts.  The architecture is reminiscent of the early Mayan culture, and features marble, stone, and talavera pottery throughout.  The resort itself sits on a kilometre of private beach, and the waters feature a coral reef.

Editorial Review

The resort is all-inclusive designed to meet the needs of a perfect vacation for the whole family.  The Gran Bahia Principe Tulum has 774 double rooms spaced in 3-storied villas.  Almost all the rooms have a scenic sea view.  The 36 junior suites have a seafront and come with a hydro-massage bath.  The hotel is surrounded with coconut palms which add to the cool factor of the hotel.

Being a family resort, you will find every possible recreational activity at Gran Bahia Principe Tulum.  You have wind surfing, kayaking and tennis courts with floodlights, giving you the ability of having a night game.  Children can partake of the swimming lessons with advanced courses and guidance from professional divers.  They can also play football, volleyball and partake of aerobics lessons.  If you still find the need to have a day or night of quality entertainment, you can head for the daytime or evening entertainment programs that are fit for every child and the child at heart. If you want to move around the resort the hotel will readily provide you with bikes.

The hotel has a lake-shaped main swimming-pool with a giant, open-air Jacuzzi and a special children's area.  You need not worry about giving up on the beautiful golden sun, as the hotel has an enormous sun deck with sunshades and sun beds.  You can take spend your afternoon siestas here.  Gran Bahia Principe Tulum hotel also has a private beach, with a Jacuzzi nearby.  The hotel is apt for family as well as business trips that vie for natural settings and a peaceful time away from all the hullabaloo of the city life.

Gran Bahia Principe Tulum offers comfortable and spacious rooms that have superior-quality finishes like fine wood and marble.  Each one of these rooms has one king-sized bed or two double beds.  With 774 double rooms, you will have very few problems getting a room.  The bathrooms have a Jacuzzi tub and a large counter with hair dryer.  Guests can opt for room safes that come at a nominal price of per day.

Gran Bahia Principe Tulum has 3 a la carte restaurants and 7 specialty restaurants.  The Riviera Main restaurant serves international buffet breakfast, lunch and dinner.  Frutos Del Mar Seafood restaurant is a dinner only restaurant.  You will have to contact the front desk or concierge for reservation inquiries.  All the a la carte restaurants have a dress code for men: dinner long pants and t-shirts with short sleeves.  The El Acuario Beach restaurant serves American food and snacks round the clock.  The Lobby Bar Tulum Meeting point is just the place where you can enjoy a variety of cocktails with live music that have the most melodious rendition.  You can also enjoy the show bar Hollywood in the amphitheater which has a different show every night.

Guests at Gran Bahia Principe Tulum have full access to the neighboring Bahia Principe Akumal and Bahia Principe Coba, which have a Marine Spa facility and a Spa.  For those you like to pamper yourself they offer various massages, relaxing therapies and facials at both.  The all-inclusive system is a treat for those who like to indulge in snacks at any hour of the day or night.  Tulum, Akumal, & Coba have 24 hour restaurants.  Party animals are not to be disappointed as they can have a great night out at the “La Rancherita" disco which has free entry and serves local drinks.  In addition, numerous bars in Hacienda Doña Isabel also have premium wines and liquor.

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Reviews 

Carol

Edmonton, Canada

Late 30’s early 40’s, Married

Gran Bahia Principe Tulum, March of 2006

Our Rating: 5/5 Stars

My husband and I and our 8-year-old son stayed at the Gran Bahia Tulum from Feb 25th to March 11. The complex is made up of three hotels – Tulum, Akumal and the new Coba. My husband and I had stayed at Bahia Akumal three years ago, so we were familiar with the resort.

Arrival and first impressions: The main lobby is impressive and the grounds are immaculate – resort staff does an unbelievable amount of work to maintain the grounds. The drive from the airport was 1.5 hours – there were only 7 of us in a small van and we went straight to the resort. Check in was quick and we were thrilled to find out we were on the third floor in Building 14 – which overlooked the pool and beach – what a great view! The room had two double beds pushed together, and though we had stayed in a Jr. Suite on the Akumal side, there was plenty of room in a standard room at Tulum. In the bathroom, there was a blow-dryer, toiletries and face cloths, so you can leave those things at home. The mini-bar is stocked with 2 bags of chips, 2 chocolate bars, 2 tetra packs of juice about 4-5 pops and 4 beers. There are also large containers of bottled water in the room. We tipped the fellow who cleaned our room $2 US a day and had amazing towel art that impressed our son who wanted daily pictures taken with the creations. $1.00 US went into the fridge for the fellow who stocked the mini-bar. If we wanted anything special (i.e. more chocolate bars, more juice, less pop etc) – we left $2.00 with a note (in Spanish) and he always gave more than we asked for. We did opt for the safe – which cost $4.50 US per day. We also made sure we booked our a la carte restaurants as soon as we arrived with Public Relations as some of the restaurants are small and they book up quickly given the size of the complex.

Food& Drinks: The main buffet was fabulous, different food each night – at dinner, there would be a sushi section, oriental section, Mexican section, pasta section, pizza section, grill section, - just a ton of choice. If you don’t want to get sick of the buffet meals, I suggest sticking to a theme rather than always trying a bunch of different things every time you go. There are lots of different options, plus a healthy choice bar for those that are looking to watch their food intake, great desserts and treats – and a kid’s section that included fries, nuggets, pasta, chicken – and even peanut butter sandwiches one time at lunch! Each time we would walk around and look at everything before making up our minds, so that we didn’t overload our plate by adding a little of each great dish as we discovered it. The ice cream was really great – they had both soft serve and hard ice cream, and you could make your own sundae.

The 24-hour snack bar has a menu that was always available – it has nuggets and fries, tacos, ribs and burgers on it, plus it had small buffets set out during the day. The fresh made nacho chips, salsa and guacamole was excellent. They also had serve yourself pop machines, slushy machines, and juice machine, plus ice-cream.

We found some drinks to be lighter on the alcohol than others, but when we stopped to consider how MANY drinks we would consume per day because of the heat that was fine. If you want more alcohol, just ask – they will pour. We brought one insulated mug for our drinks but didn’t use it. Many people did. I don’t mind getting up to get more to drink (need the exercise after so much food!) At the large Tulum pool bar there are about 6 kinds of self -serve slushie drinks – pina colada, strawberry daiquiri, coco banana etc. with a bottle of rum beside the machines – you can pour your own as strong or as weak as you want!

Excursions: Cenote Tour - We went on the cenote snorkelling tour with Bahia Divers. $130 US total for the three of us. We had to be at the dive shop at 8:45 – we left about 9:20 after being fitted for wet suits. The cenotes were beautiful- clean cold and clear water (thank goodness for wet suits!). You have to be careful not to touch the stalagmites and stalactites – it takes 100 years for them to grow an inch! There were some fish but the coolest sights were the underwater formations. Sometimes it was like a maze – one area in a cave was very tight and Connor and Jason held back – good thing as I scraped my head! It’s not a good tour if you are claustrophobic!

Xcaret: Rather than take a tour, we decided to go on our own via collectivo. Collectivos were waiting out front in both directions and we arrived at Xcaret at 9:45 after two stops to pick up or drop off people. Cost was $2 per person. At Xcaret, a bus was waiting at the entrance, and though we were the only ones on it, it took us in after waiting only 3-4 minutes. It looked like there was along line up at the ticket booth, but it went fast. We enjoyed the Paradise River boat tour and the underground river. The system they have of bags/locks was really neat – you put your stuff in a large bag and they locked it and gave you a key. The bag would be waiting for you at the other end of the river! The river is quite long at 1800 meters. After a snack and some more walking around, and snorkelling in the bay, we had a drink and then it was starting to rain. We began making our way back to the entrance via the turtle tanks and aquarium, and were back at the entrance around 3. The bus was waiting to take us back to the road, and as soon as we got to the top of the road, a collectivo came by – it was all very smooth!

Xel-Ha: We took the collectivo and it was only an 8-10 min drive from the resort. We walked in from the road – it’s about a 10-minute walk along a nice cement pathway on the right side of the road, in the trees. It is cheaper to go on a weekend - $22 a person to get in. We went basic rather than all inclusive as we had our own snorkelling gear and our experience at Xcaret showed we wouldn’t eat much. We snorkelled, walked around through the jungle on the paths, snorkelled in the Mayan caves, and jumped off the Cliff of Courage. After a snack, we snorkelled some more( we saw a huge parrotfish while snorkelling near the snack area), then we walked back to the exit and the road where it took about 2 minutes for a collectivo to come by. Those collectivo’s are the greatest!

Tulum: We went to Tulum ruins in the morning. The "gates" open at 8am, if you are there at 8 am the tour groups / buses don't start arriving until 9:30ish. We took a collectivo from the Bahia, and arrived about 10 - they drop you off at the intersection to the ruins so you cross the street and then it’s about a block to the area with the pay shuttle to the ruins (tractor pulling a trolley), then a further walk to the entrance to the ruins. We didn't pay so walked about 7-10 minutes from the parking lot area to the entrance.

After walking around the ruins, we went down the stairs to the beach for a swim, then to finish our tour of the ruins. We walked to the shopping area near the main road to grab a pop and watched the Mayan pole ceremony. We checked out the prices listed on the taxi stand - $15 to the Bahia - compared to $6 for the three of us on a collectivo. There were collectivos parked at the street, just waiting for people so we didn't even have to wave one down. Collectivos are the way to go.

Entertainment: We didn’t get to our first nightly show (they began at 10 pm) until we were there for a week, but our son loved it so much we had to go back for another three nights!.. The lip-sync show was the best – they did a great job of the Village People and Michael Jackson! The band in the Lobby Bar was also pretty good – we’d often go to the lobby bar for a drink at 9 so we’d be awake to see the evening show in the theatre at 10. Though the entertainers do not sing, they are very good dancers.

Shopping: The resort has the Hacienda located at the entrance to the property; we found the prices reasonable. Even people who had visited Playa del Carmen agreed; I guess that individual experiences vary. I found the duty free shop at the airport was very good – I paid $3.00 US for hot sauce at the Hacienda and $2.00 at the duty free shop.

Other resort tips:

1.Watershoes for the beach – a good idea

2. Bring a sweater for the evenings – we needed one on windy nights.

3. In the am there are mimosas and Bloody Marys at the entrance to the buffet – help yourself.

4. On the way in right at the entrance to the buffet there is a variety of flavored tequila – it looks like a display but they are meant to be tried! We didn’t but I’ve heard there are some great flavors!

5. It’s best to get a seat and order drinks at the buffet before getting up to get your food. - that way you are not frustrated waiting for service when you begin to eat, and you know your waiter has seen you. If there are no clean tables when you enter, just stand by a dirty one and the staff will quickly come and clean it – or better yet, stand by one that they’ve just started cleaning, as they work hard and can be really fast! Its faster and better that wandering around looking for a clean one that hasn’t been taken!

6. Spanish coffee – at the a la cartes they will make a Spanish coffee for you at your table – at the buffet at Tulum, they make them at the entrance to the food area, on the right by the main entrance– just watch when there’s only a small line up and then get up to get one.

7. Packing – I packed too much – with my son I found it easiest to wear a bathing suit and cover-up for breakfast rather than wear shorts and a tank and change into beach clothes later. You do not want to be over the baggage weight limit on the way back – for Canadians it costs $5 per kilo CAD on the way down and $15 US or 170 pesos (cash only) on the way back!

8. The staff appreciate it if you try to speak Spanish, and even if you don’t want to learn, I think it’s only polite to at least say hello, thank you and please in their language. "Dos cerveza, por favor" was the first phrase I learned!

We have recommended this resort to several friends as so far we haven’t had a negative review. Have a positive attitude and enjoy Mexico, try to talk Spanish to the resort staff, and recognize that they are working very hard – often the gal greeting us at breakfast was the same person in the evening, 12 hours later!

Blair & Cindy

Edmonton, Canada

Married, Ages 36 & 33.

Gran Bahia Principe, January 2006

Our Rating: 4/5 Stars

Our travel adventure started with us arriving at the "old" Cancun airport, we were bussed to the new airport to clear customs and pick up our luggage. As we left the airport and looked for our tour coach we experienced the warmth and humidity of the outside air. Signature vacations arranged transportation to the hotel and provided us with a tour guide who gave us tips over the hour and half bus ride to the resort. The drive from the airport to the resort provides the Canadian traveler with a picture of a typical Mexican lifestyle. Along the Mayan coast the many resorts are located off the main highway and are secluded.

The entrance to The Bahia Principe is impressive. The lobby at Tulum was breath taking, upon arrival we were greeted with smiles and a cocktail while we checked in. We stayed in a Junior Suite with an Ocean view. I recommend both as you will appreciate the extra room and love the unforgettable view. The room was clean, with a large bathroom, closet space and king size bed! We found that tipping the maid $2.00 U.S. a day left us a clean room, amazing towel art and flowers. For our piece of mind we rented a room safe for our valuables.

After briefly unpacking and trying out the beach bar we went to the public relations desk and booked our a la carte restaurants for the week. Prior to the trip, we had read several e-mails which suggested booking your restaurants early as they fill up. We made reservations at the new Seafood restaurant at Coba, Don Pablo at Tulum, the Oriental at Tulum, and the Tequila at Tulum. The seafood restaurant is good if you like seafood. Don Pablo’s was excellent however the portions are small. The Oriental restaurant is a must, but is very difficult to get into. We requested a fourth a la carte at the mid point of our stay as we did get tired of the buffet. The Mexican restaurant was so-so in service and food, nonetheless an experience when in Mexico. However, there was a Mexican band which was entertaining. On the flight home I did hear the Japanese restaurant was very impressive. The remainder of our meals were eaten at the buffet. We tried out a few different buffet restaurants on the resort. We usually went for whatever was made fresh ie. the omelet’s, pasta, sandwiches, or evening specials. The buffet has plenty of variety and a different theme each evening. In the morning you can have mimosas and at lunch and supper there is a drink special. Be prepared for slow service at the buffet.

The resort has many amenities. From the pools, bars, shopping complex, spa, gym and beach there is something for everyone. We spent most of our time on the beach enjoying the beautiful blue water and white sand. The resort has many different pools and bars with activities and entertainment. We tried as many bars as we could and enjoyed them all! The spa and gym looked nice, we never used these facilities. No holiday would be complete without the shopping. Within waking distance is Doña Isabel Hacienda which is a beautiful building that re-creates a 16th-century Mexican hacienda and features a wide variety of shops and offers the perfect complement for days spent sunbathing on the beach. There is a boutique, silversmith, jeweler, music, beach clothes, souvenir shops, photo shop, car rental, medical services, beauty salon plus a variety of restaurants and bars. The silver jewelry is beautiful!

At night after indulging too much at the buffet or la a carte, you can enjoy the beautiful Caribbean evenings and have a drink or two at one of the many bars. Our favorite was Bar Alkumal at Tulum. In an outdoors bar setting you can enjoy live entertainment and some Mexican spirits. I recommend you try the different flavors of tequila and a Mexican sombrero. Another drink you must have is a Spanish coffee made at your tableside. For the late night vacationers the "La Rancherita" disco is open til 2 a.m.

Off the resort we ventured into Playa de Carmen the nearest major center to the resort. On 5th Ave. you will find numerous shops and restaurants. Shopper beware, the Mexican shop owners in Playa are pushy to tourists. I did not enjoy this shopping experience. Most of my treasures were found at the resort. We did see a cruise ship on a day port at Playa.

We also visited the Tulum ruins and the village of Tulum. Tulum has some neat shops and you see the culture of the area. The ruins are interesting to see and the view of the Caribbean Sea is a sight to be seen. There are a few neat shops before you enter the ruins. Xcaret is another popular sight in the Mayan. This outdoor zoo, aquarium, and snorkelling attraction appeals to the water lover. Here you can swim with the dolphins, snorkel, see a variety of fish and sea turtles, as well as experience the chapel of St. Francis Assisi. We chose to use the Mexican public transportation "collectivos" to get to our excursions. For $2.00 U.S. /person you can travel to your destination. We enjoyed the freedom of selecting our arrival and departure time as opposed to being part of a tour. Personally we enjoyed being on the beach, the sun, sand, water, drinks and opportunity to relax. Walking along the beach was priceless!

The Cancun airport does have a few neat shops to look at prior to leaving Mexico!

Mexico was an amazing experience. The resort is beautiful. The rooms, beach, food and service are five star and I would highly recommend the Bahia Principe Tulum when traveling to the Mayan Riviera. We are definitely going to go back; however, I have not traveled a lot so we want to see a few new places 1st. I would recommend this resort to a friend, overall it is great and we had an excellent time.

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