Re: Club Caracol Village - Playa Del Carmen Mexico-- TravelComm Warning

[Joseph]

Posted by "Joseph" (63.36.219.22) on April 07, 2002 at 15:55:54:

In Reply to: Re: Club Caracol Village - Playa Del Carmen Mexico-- TravelComm Warning posted by CICI on April 01, 2002 at 12:31:05:

: : : : : : ::: !!!!!! Buyer Beware! Personally, I think there's something suspicious and sneaky with this offer. I’ve tried to get information from their sales people and have been unsuccessful getting anything I’d call valid. I’d be very careful if I were you. Check out their Better Business Bureau listing (search under the name Travel Comm in Orlando, FL). Not good, not good at all. Not even a legally registered company in the state of FL. (which is required to do business). Report says they just opened on 02/01/01. Owner had a past, similar business, with poor bureau report. My 2-cents, if you’ve already paid money, I hope it was on a credit card where you may be able to stop payment or recoup. My best advice is to call the hotel you believe you’re booked at and see if they have a confirmed reservation for you on your arrival date, at what rate, how many days, and what class of room. I was contacted via Fax by these people. I responded back to the 877#. I pursued questions as to their legitimacy and was left wanting. Viewed their homepage: http://travelcomm.net/ The site was suspiciously lacking of content and contact information. I inquired if they were members of Better Business Bureau and was told yes. (When I followed up on this later via email I was told they were not, then: well maybe they were, but BBB was founded by Al Capone so it was an unreliable source of information) My email alias is designed to protect me. My information is valid -I urge you to look up this Company on: http://www.betterbusinessbureau.org/. Good luck to you!

: : : : : : : : We have booked club caracol 3/23. Also can't find much info. Did anyone book their trip through a company called Travelcomm?

: : : : : : : I have purchased a package through Travelcomm. I have not yet received any information in the mail yet, but I know Club Caracol is one of the resorts to choose from. I am a skeptic at heart, so I hope I have not bought something I will be sorry for. If anyone has any info on TravelComm I would be interested in hearing about it.

: : :
: : : I bought a trip through them and they suck. They completly screwed me. They never got my trip and i didn't find out intil it was time for me to go and i have yet to get a refund. Don't ever do anything with them

: :
: : I did buy a package from travelcomm. at first i was very affraid and did not believe it just because it seem to good to be true, but i took a chance and I must admit i had a great great vacation. My husband and I stayed at the mandarin resort and it was incredible. all the food all the ALCOHOL is free. My family had a great time and for sure we will return and buy again through travelcomm. They even gave me a free vacation in orlando for free, well at least the stay.
: : I really do think people should try it before they go out and promote information that is not true. If you do have any question email me at my aol address.
: : Thank you and have a good trip

Look we all already know you work for TravelComm. Why don't you try a new line to scam us?

[Christine Columbus]

Posted by christine columbus (209.226.117.128) on April 03, 2002 at 20:42:41:

In Reply to: Re: The Caracol Village Ultimate Review posted by Christopher Columbus on April 02, 2002 at 20:21:52:

My husband & I just returned last friday. We concur with all of Mike's comments, and thanks Mike, you did a great job with the review. The only thing I can add...DO NOT MISS having diner in the Mexican restaurant. It was absolutely faboulous. And, a trip to Playa Del Carmen is a must. We took a catamaran trip to snorkel off Cozumel. It was incredible! Most important...don't believe any negative stuff! Go and have fun. Our room was in building 26, overlooking the relax pool. About a 3 minute walk to restaurant, beach etc...but definetely worth it if you enjoy privacy, not to mention that the rooms are brand new. Enjoy, and look for "Margarita" in the snack bar. She made the best drinks, especially margaritas!
Have a great time!!!

: Good review, Thanks.

: Wife and I are going there April 6th for the week and have printed this as a "survivors guide"!

:
: : Going to Caracol Village in the Mayan Riviera?

: : You want a review?????

: : HERE IS THE ULTIMATE REVIEW!!!!

: : I went to this resort with my wife and two kids aged 11 and 8 for a week
: : starting on Feb 28th, 2002. We had a good time and would recommend it. I
: : would rate it 7 out of 10 which is decent considering the cost involved. The
: : resort was rated at 3 1/2 stars which was lower than alot of resorts on the
: : Mayan Riviera. The price was cheaper than alot of them as well. We paid $1402
: : Canadian each for a week for adults and the kids were almost free except for
: : the airfare of $800 each which was from Winnipeg, Canada.

: : We rode from the airport on a very new luxury motor coach. The guy checking
: : the luggage told me there was free beer on ice available inside but we were
: : among the last to board so no beer for us! First thing that I noticed on
: : arrival at the resort was they didn't spend alot of money on their road. It
: : is a rather long and winding gravel road that runs through much jungle and is
: : just loaded full of potholes. It was a very fancy bus to be forced into off
: : road driving in my opinion. The driveway was decorated with various Mayan
: : styled rock sculptures and also had some hanging wicker baskets which
: : contained small fluorescent lights for night time. I told my kids those
: : baskets were used to keep the bad children in.

: : Once we arrived at the lobby we all piled off the bus and got our luggage. We
: : checked in and eventually got our wristbands. It was only 1:00 pm and the
: : check in time wasn't until 3 so we had to kill some time before we got a room.
: : We left our luggage in the lobby and went and ate at the buffet. Quite a few
: : people were tired from travelling and were not impressed that they had to wait
: : a couple hours before they could unwind in their rooms. I chose to unwind in
: : the buffet restaurant, eating a great lunch and drinking lots of free beer!

: : Very pretty bridge over the lagoon to the beach and buffet area. I feel like
: : Gilligan with all the thatched roofs. There is a similar bridge that runs
: : from behind the large covered deck attached to the side of the lobby bar
: : (which looks out over the lagoon) right down to the Italian restaurant as
: : well.

: : When we were there the place was chocked full of Canadians. I'd say 80%-90%
: : of the guests. A large number of them were of the French speaking variety.

: :
: : (((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( ((((((())))))))))))))))))))))
: : ))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

: : Rooms

: : The rooms are fairly plain but adequate and clean. The beds are comfortable
: : enough and the air conditioning is central and working and comes with our own
: : thermostat. The TV had satellite but only gets 5 or 6 stations. MTV of some
: : kind, ESPN, Disney Channel, HBO and a couple Spanish ones. The bathroom is a
: : good size and the walls are finished in a roughly glazed ceramic tile. The
: : shower is a huge 4 man size that can wash a family of 4 all at once. No
: : towels were in the room so I called and they brought some right away. We had
: : a mini fridge that we had to stock ourselves with the bottled water that is
: : available at the Lobby bar. There was a big closet and it had a mini safe in
: : the closet that was for rent. There were also lots of shelves. Our room had
: : a balcony that backed onto a lovely little swamp/lagoon surrounded by rich
: : vegetation. It truly is a jungle setting! The garden view rooms stretch
: : quite a ways into the jungle. Units 10-30 stretch into the jungle. 10 - 13
: : are near the pool. 14-20 were about a 5 minute walk from the lobby into the
: : jungle, and you had to pack a lunch to walk to units 20-30 as it's a close to
: : a 10 minute march from the lobby. It's a long walk with luggage and kids.
: : Along this path is a bamboo hut which houses a sewage pumping station. It
: : smells nasty as you walk by. This was a big problem for some people. The
: : long walk was also a big problem for some people. Our 2nd floor room did not
: : smell at all musty. We did have some tiny ants show up when we left out
: : residual Pina Colada glasses overnight. There was one other bug we saw in the
: : bathroom and it was some kind of little sow bug. You are in the jungle after
: : all and you need to expect some wildlife. We tipped the maid $2 U.S. daily.
: : In return they left our room very clean and decorated with towel creatures on
: : the bed to surprise us. (elephant, swan and snake) I have no idea what
: : happens if you don't tip....

: : There is a long bridge that connects the Italian restaurant to the back door
: : of the Lobby bar. It goes through the lagoon as well and has a very tropical
: : feel. There is the occasional gust of a rotting vegetation jungle-like smell
: : as you traverse these bridges and paths through the jungle. The smell is not
: : everywhere but if you absolutely don't like that smell then you might not want
: : a jungle setting for your vacation. We didn't have a problem with it. There
: : is no smell in the rooms/restaurants/or on the beach! Just the nasty smell at
: : the septic house near villa #16 and the rotting vegetation jungle like smell
: : as you walk through some wetter well jungled areas.

: :
: : Pros
: : *******

: : Towel sculpture by the maid
: : Disney channel for the kids
: : Huge shower
: : Little fridge to keep the bottled water cold
: : Shower had a retractable clothes line that you could dry stuff on.
: : Nice little balcony
: : Clean
: : Safe was handy
: : Lots of water pressure and hot water
: : Air conditioning worked well
: : Had a ceiling fan
: : Big closets

: :
: : Cons
: : ********

: : Some units a very deep walk into the jungle
: : Odor of sewage and rotting jungle hits you, particularly at one spot on the
: : path
: : Water was a bit salty in the shower
: : Toilet seat was mounted loosely and sat crooked on the bowl
: : 20-30 tiny booze drinking ants and one sow bug.
: : They should stock the mini fridges with free canned soft drinks
: : No pillowcases on pillows

[Christine Columbus]

: : Beach

: : Pros
: : ********

: : Sand and beach was perfect
: : Lots of hut like shelters built for shade
: : Water was beautiful
: : Kayaking was fun
: : Volleyball court
: : BBQ set up on beach was good
: : Beach bar is a short walk away
: : Nice coconut trees
: : Washrooms were well tended
: : No topless bathing (if it offends you)

: :
: : Cons
: : **********

: : Not enough chairs for everyone so you had to get up before 8 to reserve a
: : chair on sunny days
: : The water had lots of rocks close to shore. Bad beach for swimming. The pool
: : was better for that
: : I suck at volleyball.
: : Beer is served in too small, tiny plastic glasses. Bring your own Jumbo
: : travel mug!
: : No topless bathing (If you like the full tan or if you're a guy wearing
: : mirrored sunglasses)

: :
: : (((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( ((((((())))))))))))))))))))))
: : ))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

: : Buffet Pro's and Con's
: : ******************
: : Very large thatched hut dining hall. Large selection. One big island of a
: : buffet with 2 grills and 2 other cooking stations. They had a bread bar, an
: : ice cream bar, a salad bar, a row of fruits. Cold cuts and cheese. Yogurt
: : and cereal. There is a row of beverages to choose from that has soft drinks,
: : purified water, juice, milk, coffee, tea. The best part is red and white wine
: : and beer all on tap and help yourself!!! Lots of seating. The resort was
: : full when we were there and we could always find a seat. The Buffet is
: : available to anyone without reservations. All 3 of the others, namely the
: : Italian, Mexican, and Mediterranean require reservations 24 hours in advance.

: :
: : Pro's
: : *****

: : Omelets - very tasty
: : Fruit Shakes - awesome
: : Lot's of choices
: : Beer and Wine both on tap and self serve!!!
: : Good desserts
: : Ice Cream is great and very creamy
: : Mexican food was great
: : Good fruit
: : Wide variety of bread
: : Pizza good in buffet
: : Kid's liked the Fries
: : Sausages are very good
: : Waiter's are usually quick to haul away used plates from your table
: : Lunch Sandwich bar makes excellent sandwiches made to order for you on a
: : variety of bread products
: : Staff was friendly and helpful
: : I never had a problem finding something I liked to eat
: : Huge thatched roof restaurant, open on 2 sides to the jungle
: : Cigarette smoke was not much of an issue as it was kind of like being outside
: : and they had good ventilation with ceiling fans.
: : Cloth napkins at lunch and dinner

: : Con's
: : ******

: : Grilled pork chops served very often and rather plain tasting
: : Some stewed looking mystery meat in a few dishes
: : Sometimes the staff got behind on plate supply
: : Lineup for omelets can sometimes be awhile.
: : Not alot of high end seafood, particularly shell fish
: : Hash browns in buffet heat lamped too long and taste like damp cardboard.
: : Coffee not the best. Much better at the lobby bar!
: : Had bacon only one day of the 7 for breakie and alot of it was overcooked
: : Who eats sliced up wieners for breakfast meat? (one day they had no bacon OR
: : sausage)
: : Only have homogenized milk which is way too thick for us skim and 1% milk
: : drinkers.

[Christine Columbus]

: : Italian Restaurant

: : The Italian restaurant is a buffet restaurant as well but it is much more of a
: : relaxing atmosphere than the normal buffet. The tables are spaced further
: : apart. The tables have both a bottle of red and a bottle of white on them.
: : There is waiter service to bring drinks, open wine, and bring bread, and
: : finally bring coffee. The food is presented better overall. Wide variety of
: : Italian favorites like Veal Scallopini, Chicken Cacciatore, Lasagna, and lots
: : of others as well. There is a salad bar which had a Chef Salad which had beef
: : and olives and egg and tomato served on top of lettuce. They had a tomato
: : salad with cheese and capers and a tuna salad of some kind. They had two
: : kinds of soup as well. They also had a chef that freshly warmed your choice
: : of pasta with your choice of 4 different pasta sauces. There is a piano bar
: : set up outside the restaurant on a large covered deck next to a bar. There
: : were quite a few tables in a romantic jungle setting. Good place to sit and
: : listen or slow dance if you wanted to. I had kids with me so there was no
: : time for romantic jibber jabber. I think the piano guy played from 7-10 at
: : night.

: : Pros
: : ****

: : More relaxing and intimate than the buffet
: : You can have a relaxing romantic dinner here
: : Waiter brought first drink right away.
: : Chef Salad looked great and tasted great
: : Good variety of bread
: : Wife liked bottled wine on the table.
: : Piano player on covered deck outside.
: : Bar on deck outside.

: :
: : Cons
: : ****

: : Self serve
: : Minestrone soup was lacking flavor.
: : I didn't like the bolognese sauce on the pasta
: : Waiter was too slow to bring second drink so I had to get it myself.

: : (((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( ((((((())))))))))))))))))))))
: : ))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

: : Mexican restaurant

: : The snack bar doubles as the Mexican restaurant. It has quite a few tables
: : and is on the edge of the beach so you can enjoy the view of the water and
: : hear the crashing of the surf as you dine. The setting is like a typical
: : Mexican restaurant. I unfortunately didn't get a chance to make it to this
: : one so I can't review. I would have liked to tried it but got stuck shopping
: : with the family in Playa and didn't make it back in time for our reservation.

[Christine Columbus]

: : Mediterranean Restaurant

: : This is the gem of the resort. You are only allowed this place once per week.
: : WARNING!!! - You have to line up early in the morning to book this one. They
: : probably don't serve much more than 80 tables a night and there are around
: : 700-800 people there when full. My wife got there at 8:00 a.m. , an hour
: : before the booth opened at 9:00, and got a chair to sit in line with. She
: : relaxed and read her book until the booth opened. If you don't do this you
: : won't eat there. It is situated on the beach in the more secluded part of the
: : resort. It is a thatched roof building open on two sides. One to the nearby
: : beach and the other to jungle and villas. It is both romantic and peaceful.
: : The tables are set far apart. There is waiter service for everything except
: : for the Appetizer bar where you go help yourself. You order off a menu from a
: : selection of pasta, beef, chicken etc....... You can special order expensive
: : bottles of wine which you have to pay for or have free wine by the glass from
: : the bar. Not a tough choice for us. The meal started with a selection of
: : very different breads. One bun stuffed with cheese, some crispy bread
: : sticks, a brown coloured bun, they were all unusual and great. We then did
: : the appetizer bar. My wife thought the mussels tasted pretty bad. I had
: : artichoke hearts and a few calamari rings. I thought the appetizer bar to be
: : just "okay". They had soup available too. My wife and I ordered Pepper
: : Sirloin Steak which was cooked perfectly medium rare. It came with a pepper
: : sauce. We could easily cut it with a butter knife. It was a large serving of
: : 8-10 ounces which is twice the size of my normal meat portions but it was so
: : good I ate it all anyway. Terrific!!!! Served with half a stuffed baked
: : potato and penne noodles in a red sauce of some kind and vegetables. My kid
: : Rose, ordered the Chicken breast stuffed with cheese. It was good, but not as
: : good as the steak. My other girl Jackie ordered Pasta con Burro. (Pasta with
: : just butter). They didn't have it on the menu but they were quick to
: : accommodate us. I also asked for a alfredo sauce instead of red sauce on my
: : penne noodles which they did for me as well without a problem. Dessert was
: : Black Jungle cake for 3 of us. Rose, my 11 year old was too full. It was a
: : Black Forest Cake with a wonderfully gourmet style decorated plate. The cake
: : was good but nothing too unusual. The best part was the presentation. The
: : girls had delicate flowers drawn on their plates with multi-colored icing. I
: : had an intricate swirl pattern. We were stuffed by the time we were done. We
: : all thought it was wonderful.

: : Pros
: : ****

: : Beautifully intimate setting
: : Exceptionally friendly attentive waiter.
: : Waiter was particularly terrific with my 8 year old girl Jackie.
: : Lightning quick with drink service
: : Steak was terrific and plentiful.
: : All food was well prepared.
: : Dessert was very pretty

: : Cons
: : *****

: : Appetizer bar wasn't great.
: : Could only eat here once.
: : Long line up to get reservation.

[Christine Columbus]

: : Kid's Club

: : The Kid's club is run by a wonderful, pretty young woman named Melina. She is
: : from Venezuela and speaks Spanish and English well and can get by in French.
: : She leads the kid's in activities such as swimming, art, volleyball, archery,
: : kick ball, etc........ The club has fairly limited hours, I believe from
: : 10:00-0130 and from 3:00 to 5:30. Melina lives at the resort as she is also a
: : performer in the evening shows. My kids fell in love with her and had a great
: : time playing with her. I found this resort to be somewhat lacking in kids
: : when we were there. There was only maybe 20 or so and too many unilingual
: : French speaking ones for my 11 year old's liking as its tough to make friends
: : with someone you can't communicate well with. Melina took great interest in
: : my girls and invited them to have lunch with her in the buffet even though it
: : was her own time. She also paid some special attention to my kids at the
: : nightly disco. Melina runs the kid's mini disco which is a fun event with
: : games and such for kids that start's off each night's entertainment. I got a
: : laugh out of watching her trying to deal with this one little idiot kid named
: : "Timmy the Terrible" He was a 7 year old French Canadian boy with terrible
: : manners and wouldn't listen to anyone including his parents. She did alot
: : better than I would have. Most of the kids were great.

: : Pros
: : ****

: : Melina (she is the best!)
: : Melina (did I say she was great?)

: : Cons
: : ****

: : "Timmy the Terrible"

: : (((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( ((((((())))))))))))))))))))))
: : ))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

: : Bars

: : There are 2 main bars, the Lobby bar which is near the front desk, and the
: : Beach bar which is right next to the beach. The Lobby bar is the main bar
: : where you would can get assorted drinks as well as espresso, cappuccino, and
: : such. You also pick up your bottled water there. The beach bar is the same
: : idea except for it has no coffee machine and has purified water in a large
: : container, (no bottles). Both bars serve the same types of liquor. They use
: : domestic brands which means it's generally bottom shelf, local rot gut. The
: : rum, tequila, and kahlua and vodka are all non-international brands. One
: : bright glimmer of light for me was that behind the bar they had Bacardi Anejo,
: : which is an amber rum and it is Bacardi so it tastes very good. It went great
: : with coke. They also have Jack Daniels behind the bar as well as a Canadian
: : Rye Whiskey called LTD which was just NASTY rotgut whiskey, and I have drank a
: : fair bit of rye, so I would know. Fortunately for me, I drank alot of Pina
: : Coladas, and the coconut milk in the drink destroys the harsh flavor of the
: : cheap rum so it was not a problem. I am a beer drinker by nature and I was
: : disappointed to find they had no bottled beer. Just "Dos Equos" on tap. It
: : was an okay beer, but I find draft beer does a number on my guts. I much
: : prefer bottled beer. There were also bars next to the Italian restaurant, and
: : in the Theatre when the show was on at night which were open only when they
: : were in operation at night. I found the drinks to generally be poured too
: : weak. I like to taste the booze in my drinks and found that they don't pour
: : enough rum in them to taste it. I always was asking for "mucho rum" which
: : helped. My favorite moment at the bar was when I went to the bar in the
: : morning with my 20 ounce thermal travel mug and had him pour in about 4 or 5
: : ounces of vodka and 3 or 4 ounces of kahlua filed the rest with coffee and
: : milk. The bartender was surprised with the quantity of liquor in it. He said
: : "What do you call that?" I said "Coffee with lots of booze in it!" It was a
: : great eye opener that day! So good I had to have two of them. As far as
: : tipping goes, very few people tipped the bartenders. I did 3 or 4 times, but
: : I rarely carried money with me on the resort, but I suppose it was not
: : required but certainly was appreciated.

: : Pros
: : ****

: : Unlimited booze
: : Friendly English speaking bartenders
: : Coffee machines for tasty specialty coffees
: : Ice is store bought and made with purified water.

: : Cons
: : *****

: : Mostly bottom shelf rotgut hard liquor (except for the Bacardi Anejo)
: : Draft beer
: : Serving draft beer in tiny plastic glasses at the beach
: : They use purified water for their ice to make drinks but they rinse out their
: : blenders with tap water. (but I had no ill effects that I could not blame on
: : the 7 days of drinking I did)

[Christine Columbus]

: : Night Life

: : The nightly entertainment was staged in a large indoor amphitheater setting
: : with a giant thatched roof. The entertainment starts with the "Kid's Mini
: : Disco" which wasn't really a disco but a time where the kid's played games or
: : competed with each other. This was hosted by Melina from the Kid's club
: : except for her day off on Friday when Pedro did it. The kid's have fun and
: : are the center of attention for 30-45 minutes. Activities included: busting
: : a Pinata, freeze dancing competition, and other kid's games. The big show
: : followed the kid disco. It was entertainment provided by the Activity staff.
: : There was usually comedy skits, (some with audience participation) and
: : dancing. They imported a Mexican Michael Jackson for a tribute show one
: : night. This guy had all the moves The staff was the background dancers and
: : were both well costumed and well choreographed. The best show was one called
: : "Viva Chicago" which was a long skit that included many dances and songs (via
: : lip synching) as well as some decent acting. It reminded me of a broadway
: : type production. The show usually lasted about an hour and was followed by 3
: : hours of disco dancing to electronic dance music. I didn't notice very many
: : single people there so if you are going there trying to meet someone you may
: : be out of luck.

: : Pros
: : ****
: : On site bar
: : Ceiling fans to cool it
: : Kid's loved the kid show
: : Shows ranged from just just okay to excellent
: : Good lighting in the place

: : Cons
: : ****
: : No Bathrooms, you have to go to lobby bar across the street
: : Gets hot if they don't turn on the fans (happened one night)
: : Too much bass. The bass bins they had just boomed and hurt my ears. It
: : reminded me of those idiots who drive down the street with cars that boom with
: : subwoofer action as they drive down the street rattling everyone's windows and
: : shaking their bones.
: : I just don't like electronic dance music and drum machines.
: : I hated that dumb lengthy Caracol Village theme song they played before each
: : Big Show.

: : (((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( ((((((())))))))))))))))))))))
: : ))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

: : Complaints

: : I over heard a few people going off the deep end with complaints.

: : On the first day at the orientation their was a guy that was ripping up the
: : Signature Rep by saying "No God damn way was he staying in a bloody swamp for
: : his holiday." The Signature rep said she would try to get him in a different
: : resort the next day if possible.

: : Another time I heard a French biker type guy from Canada bitch about the "2
: : mile" walk to his room deep in the jungle. He was also pissed off about the
: : sewage smell coming from that pumping station in the little bamboo hut that is
: : right adjacent to the path. The Front desk Clerk was polite but said they
: : were full and he could only move him to another garden view room. This was
: : not good enough for this guy as he wanted an ocean front room. To be honest,
: : the picture in the Canada 3000 and Air Canada brochures are both slightly
: : misleading as the picture ends on the right hand side just before you would be
: : able to see the huge development of 3 storey villas that trail deep into the
: : jungle. It gives the false impression that the garden view rooms are the
: : one's just behind the ocean view rooms where in reality it seems 75% of the
: : garden view rooms are quite far from there. He was also mad about the
: : currency exchange that was supposed to be available at the front desk that was
: : often out of pesos. He was right, but it's not a big deal though as there are
: : many money exchange places on the strip in Playa which offer a better rate
: : anyway! The taxi drivers will take any kind of money you may have but they
: : prefer U.S. or pesos.

: : One other time, (and this guy was the biggest jerk in the world), some 50ish
: : imbecile who had lined up for reservations at 10:00 even though the line up
: : starts at 8:00 and the desk opens at 9:00 could only get reservations to the
: : Italian restaurant at that time and was extremely agitated. He stayed in the
: : line up and argued with the girl for 15 minutes making us all wait, and then
: : gets his less than desirable reservation, then he started walking away but
: : then turned around ripped his reservation slip into pieces and threw them in
: : the girl's face and angrily swore at her some more. 2 or 3 Canadian guys
: : jumped out of the line to tell him to back off as it wasn't the girls's fault
: : the reservation system was both flawed and very limited. He stormed away
: : angrily dragging his wife behind. The poor girl was so shook up she burst
: : into tears and could hardly keep from crying the next half hour. She didn't
: : work that job the next day. She told the Kid's Club leader Melina about it
: : and I guess she told Orlando (the beach stud), who is another one of the
: : Activity staff, who came and got the room number. I would liked to have seen
: : him kick that guy's ass but I imagine he was more diplomatic about it.

: :
: : Note: The free shuttle to Playa Del Carmen that is suppposed to be available
: : is actually only a 12 seater van that takes a mere 11 people every half hour
: : from 9 to 6pm. You have to sign up for it starting at 7 in the morning for
: : both leaving the resort and for pick up times in Playa. If you are not early
: : you could get nothing......... but it's not too big a deal as taxi rtides to
: : Playa are just 65 pesos each (appx 7 bucks U.S.) Just like beach chairs and
: : restaurant reservations, you have to be the early bird to get any worm action.
: : Also there was a shortage of beach towels at times which I found
: : unfathomable. Get your towels before Noon on the hot days.

: : My family's view on the resort was it was not a 5 star or Gold Crown rated
: : resort. It's a moderately priced resort that offers moderate accommodations
: : and good food and decent booze and other services. Vacation is a more a state
: : of mind than a place to go. If you want a high end, styling kind of place
: : then go elsewhere. If you want an affordable, comfortable place to go (IN A
: : JUNGLE SETTING) then this place is just fine.

[Christopher Columbus]

Posted by Christopher Columbus (24.156.43.70) on April 02, 2002 at 20:21:52:

In Reply to: The Caracol Village Ultimate Review posted by Mike from Winnipeg on March 27, 2002 at 20:08:41:


Good review, Thanks.

Wife and I are going there April 6th for the week and have printed this as a "survivors guide"!

[Marc]

Posted by "Marc" (65.93.178.135) on March 21, 2002 at 23:33:11:

In Reply to: Club Caracol Village - Playa Del Carmen Mexico posted by Jeff on December 05, 2001 at 09:46:46:

My family and I just returned yesterday from Caracol Village (stayed 7 nights). Check out their web site "http://www.clubcaracol.com".

We had a great time!!! and we booked through "Fallingbrook Travel" in Ottawa (Orleans) and through Signature Vacations. Signature really took care of us from Cancun airport to the resort and on our return, as well as a good briefing and vacation planning for tours etc.

The resort and accomodations were modest and clean - we had a lagoon view with a standard room (no smell as others had mentioned - afterall it is at the edge of the jungle as advertised on the home page of their web site) and we had about a 2 minute walk from the lobby (good exercise).

Food was great at the buffet restaurant "La Laguna" (each night has a different theme and some food changes) and the beach restaurant "El Bandido" (day time burgers, hotdogs and fries etc. - night time mexican sit down). Note that it is difficult to reserve for the "La Riviera" and the "El Bandido" for dinner and note that "Las Iquanas" was not opened.

Bar service was super.

The staff were friendly, abundant, and really understand what service means!!!


Tips:

1. Get your bottled water from the lobby bar.

2. Go to the activity centre on the first morning 9am to reserve for the other restaurants (other than the buffet) for decent times.

3. Participate in the activities - they are fun and you will meet great people.

4. If you have kids - Marlena at the kids club was excellent - our kids really enjoyed it.

5. The beach is super, but there is a lot of coral/rocks in the water - tricky for swimming - BUT if you want to swim in the ocean, walk 5 minutes south (to the right), with a few friends (don't go alone) and you will find a great beach with great swimming - sand for quite a ways out. There are usually a dozen or so people there. If you find this unsafe, since it is not advertised nor supervised from the resort (at your own risk), hop on the shuttle (sign up first thing in the morning - or cab for $6.50 to $7.50 USD one way) and go to Playa Del Carmen - great beach there.

6. If you want some shade for the day, grab some chairs under an umbrella at the beach (leave a towel or something) before you go for breakfast.

7. If you want to shop - go to Playa Del Carmen - only 2 souvenir boutiques on site at Caracol.

8. Fair skin - use lots of sun block throughout the day - it was hot and I saw a lot of really red patches on many people (ouch!). It is so easy to miss spots (under arms and fingers - yes, fingers - my kids got blisters on their fingers from their first day in the sun!)

9. Relax.

10. Have FUN.

[Joe Malinowski]

Posted by "Joe Malinowski" (24.247.238.33) on March 19, 2002 at 15:48:31:

In Reply to: Club Caracol Village - Playa Del Carmen Mexico posted by Jeff on December 05, 2001 at 09:46:46:


My girlfriend and I, both in our mid-30's, just spent the last 5 days at Club Caracol Village (March14-18). We had read others reports and were scared to death that the place would be terrible. Now I understand that some people are just too spoiled. I am happy to report that we thought the place was just fine. Definitely not 5-star, but for those who love the natural environment, this may be your place. I'll be as brief as possible:

Location: The village is about a 3 mile by beach travel from Playa De carmen, but beach travel is not suggested. A worker who had walked to Playa told us on his 4th and "final" walk, four men approached him and robbed him. The village offers a free 11-person shuttle bus to and from Playa nearly every hour of the day, seven days a week. On somedays the shuttle is busy, so sign up early. We would sign up at around 7:30-8:00am.
Rooms: Our room (1704) was rustic and simplistic, but more than comfortable. The shower was great. A few bugs in the room (and one baby lizard), but keeping the windows shut (and the AC on) and quickly closing the door behind us helped eliminate the problem. There are mosquitos, but strangely enough, neither one of us was ever bitten.

Events: Great evening shows in the theater (many with crowd participation). Morning water arobics, occasional archery, bocche ball, and always a water volley ball game. The resort has three pools total. Kind of not a whole lot to do though, but that is why Playa is a must visit for those staying for more than a couple of days.

The Village:

Very nice in our opinion. The village has won more than one international environmental award for building "around and with" the environment. There many birds and reptiles to enjoy viewing. The atomosphere is laid back near the club house, and party time at the pool. The staff were actually quite good at keeping things jump'in. Service was good to excellent. The food was hit and miss, and guests may only eat in the La Riviera and the El Bandido restuarants once per visit.

Things to keep in mind:
The beach is fine for laying out, but the ocean is almost to rocky to wade in.
The staff was very friendly and hard working. Although we were "all inclusive," we tipped when we thought their service was exceptional.
We got what we pay for in accomadations, but we were satisfied with most everything else

[B]

Posted by B (152.163.195.193) on March 18, 2002 at 21:42:23:

In Reply to: My Trip posted by Em on March 18, 2002 at 18:08:01:

For anyone who just returned from Club Caracol...how did you get there from the airport? I don't think they have a shuttle Thanks

[Em]

Posted by Em (216.43.28.123) on March 18, 2002 at 18:08:01:

In Reply to: Club Caracol Village - Playa Del Carmen Mexico posted by Jeff on December 05, 2001 at 09:46:46:

We just returned from there. We had an excellent time. The food was not bad, it could have been better, but it was not bad. The pools were great. The staff was very helpful and friendly. From all of the comments on this page, we expected something awful and were very pleasantly surprised when we got there. For any of you who are still waiting to go, I definitely recommend it. P.S. The nightly shows were a lot of fun!!

[AB]

Posted by "AB" (65.35.4.255) on March 12, 2002 at 19:49:38:

In Reply to: Re: Club Caracol Village - Playa Del Carmen Mexico posted by Barb on January 14, 2002 at 21:31:40:

If I took the advice of many friends to not go where I have gone on vacations, I would not have had the best vacations at all. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, which is just that, their opinion. I would never discourage anyone from going somewhere I didn't like myself because someone may like what I didn't. Yes there are many scams out there but as far as I can see, this resort is just trying to get people to visit their 'new' or 'fairly new' resort, and in return, they are willing to offer it at a very low price. I go on many vacations, and I have found that not everyone is perfect, I have learned patience in dealing with travel agents, so keep on top of them but be patient. All you can ask of anyone is to do their best. SO - if its, not your cup of tea, DON'T GO BACK!

So, just go on your vacation and make it the best one you've ever had!

AB

[Alice]

Posted by "Alice" (206.186.52.212) on March 09, 2002 at 19:27:30:

In Reply to: Re: Club Caracol Village - Playa Del Carmen Mexico posted by Caroline on February 21, 2002 at 15:56:11:

: : : I am a travel agent...and I went to look at the rooms when I was in Playa del Carmen last week. The rooms were good sized and the resort was fabulous, new, on the beach. You'll get a good deal now in high season, because it's brand new and in competition with other places as well!

: : Noticed your statement about the Caracol Village and wondered if you could provide me with any further info. btmiller@shaw.ca

:
: I also stayed at this hotel the 2-9 Feb 02 and have no idea what you are talking about. The hotel is run down and staffless. The beach is a pile of rock and seaweed. The rooms are small, in the middle of the jungle or/and infested by insects. If you only walked onto the property and left I feel that you are not directing people very well. A quick tour would not disclose the poor service, horrible state of most rooms and the poor state of distrepair .I would not go back if they gave it to me free.

[alice]

Posted by alice (206.186.52.212) on March 09, 2002 at 19:55:05:

In Reply to: Re: Club Caracol Village - Playa Del Carmen Mexico posted by Alice on March 09, 2002 at 19:27:30:

Previous message was in error. Not a travel agent. This resort is not NEW repeat not NEW. It is no 4 or 5. We just returned from there and although we had a good time-it was because we made our good time - there was 10 of us. Food was not bad - better than some we went to. Arrived ar noon - got our room at 4:00 had to line up again for safe. Rooms were not assigned before time. Some of us were at back forty. Gardenview is swampview. Some parts the sewage smell was out of this world. Bar and restaurant understaffed. Staff was very pleasant but scarce. Some people had a space underdoor where anything could crawl in. One man said there were scorpions in his room although staff said they weren't. Our room was decent. One lady had no shower and hole under her door. I believe they fixed it right away but it was days before they moved her and she's there until the 14. Pool was fair. Some people are going back next year. Would not recommend it.The person who stayed at this hotel the 2-9 Feb 02 was pretty accurate and I dont't think I could word it any better. The travel agent must have been at another resort for no one would think it new. I believe there will be a lot more of my types of comments on here soon from other tourists. Check it out before you pay anything.

[Caroline]

Posted by Caroline (131.137.245.199) on February 21, 2002 at 15:56:11:

In Reply to: Re: Club Caracol Village - Playa Del Carmen Mexico posted by Tracy on January 11, 2002 at 18:23:41:

I also stayed at this hotel the 2-9 Feb 02 and have no idea what you are talking about. The hotel is run down and staffless. The beach is a pile of rock and seaweed. The rooms are small, in the middle of the jungle or/and infested by insects. If you only walked onto the property and left I feel that you are not directing people very well. A quick tour would not disclose the poor service, horrible state of most rooms and the poor state of distrepair .I would not go back if they gave it to me free.

[micki]

Posted by "micki" (198.182.163.113) on February 22, 2002 at 16:22:02:

In Reply to: Re: Club Caracol Village - Playa Del Carmen Mexico posted by Gwenn on January 25, 2002 at 19:14:14:


We also have booked and paid for an all inclusive vacation, supposedly at club caracol. Have yet to receive any information about our reservations, or any precise confirmation. Please someone tell me this is for real, and all will go through as planned?

[Megan]

Posted by "Megan " (207.89.241.189) on February 22, 2002 at 20:21:58:

In Reply to: Re: Club Caracol Village - Playa Del Carmen Mexico posted by micki on February 22, 2002 at 16:22:02:

Yes, Me and my mom just booked through travelcomm. It took us forever to get our information too. We just kept calling and we recieved conformation today finally. We will be staying at the Club Caracol Village. I hope this travelcomm thing isn't a rip off.

[N. MacDonald]

Posted by "N. MacDonald" (63.36.220.172) on February 23, 2002 at 14:54:48:

In Reply to: Re: Club Caracol Village - Playa Del Carmen Mexico posted by Gwenn on January 25, 2002 at 19:14:14:

::: !!!!!! Buyer Beware! Personally, I think there's something suspicious and sneaky with this offer. I’ve tried to get information from their sales people and have been unsuccessful getting anything I’d call valid. I’d be very careful if I were you. Check out their Better Business Bureau listing (search under the name Travel Comm in Orlando, FL). Not good, not good at all. Not even a legally registered company in the state of FL. (which is required to do business). Report says they just opened on 02/01/01. Owner had a past, similar business, with poor bureau report. My 2-cents, if you’ve already paid money, I hope it was on a credit card where you may be able to stop payment or recoup. My best advice is to call the hotel you believe you’re booked at and see if they have a confirmed reservation for you on your arrival date, at what rate, how many days, and what class of room. I was contacted via Fax by these people. I responded back to the 877#. I pursued questions as to their legitimacy and was left wanting. Viewed their homepage: http://travelcomm.net/ The site was suspiciously lacking of content and contact information. I inquired if they were members of Better Business Bureau and was told yes. (When I followed up on this later via email I was told they were not, then: well maybe they were, but BBB was founded by Al Capone so it was an unreliable source of information) My email alias is designed to protect me. My information is valid -I urge you to look up this Company on: http://www.betterbusinessbureau.org/. Good luck to you!

: : We have booked club caracol 3/23. Also can't find much info. Did anyone book their trip through a company called Travelcomm?

: I have purchased a package through Travelcomm. I have not yet received any information in the mail yet, but I know Club Caracol is one of the resorts to choose from. I am a skeptic at heart, so I hope I have not bought something I will be sorry for. If anyone has any info on TravelComm I would be interested in hearing about it.

[CICI]

Posted by CICI (63.193.244.82) on April 01, 2002 at 13:04:51:

In Reply to: Re: Club Caracol Village - Playa Del Carmen Mexico-- TravelComm Warning posted by fiona sophia on March 27, 2002 at 17:09:13:


NEVER AGAIN, My daughter planned a trip to cancun for the spring break. Reached TRAVELCOMM by phone after receiveing a fax about Cancun hotel at $349. No problem, they said, we have Cancun hotel in the hotel zone available. So we called and to arrange the great break. She only wanted to stay in the hotel zone where all the teens stay, we were given names of hotel in the zone to research. After many days searching for resorts calling back to get the correct spelling the circles and run around began. So big thanks to Keith, Steve, Kevin, Dave and the many others who helped give us the run around out at Travelcomm, anyways they can't find a spot for the daughter in Cancun after the funds are paid. Booked out they told us. Our Plane money spent with dates. So they sent her to Paraiso Maya in Porto Morales, nine and one half miles just to reach the main road to this resort which they claim is a close 15 minutes from the airport 20 minutes to the zone, by bird I guess...upon arrival they only have available a one bed room. So they have to share the bed..Not the correct location not the correct number of beds. This is what they call close to Cancun, not. It costs my daughter and girl friend $85.00 taxi ride round trip to party in the hotel district of Cancun. The car rental runs about $69. This is not the bargin we wanted. We wanted the hotel district or something close what we got was the run around and a so called resort in the outskirts great for cozy couples and what she calls old people. My daughter dropped by the other hotel in the zone yesterday, the place promised to her originally by TRAVELCOMM, but TRAVELCOMM says no room available at the Grand Royal Lagoon. She finds out rooms are available, so TRAVELCOMM lies again. What she will do is cancel the remainder of her stay at the Paraiso Maya and book her self into the Royal. I called TRAVELCOMM to help arrange the move, NO HELP AVAILABLE.....so sorry. STAY AWAY FROM THIS PLACE

[Jesse]

Posted by "Jesse" (168.216.240.174) on March 11, 2002 at 08:30:37:

In Reply to: Re: Club Caracol Village - Playa Del Carmen Mexico-- TravelComm Warning posted by concern on February 25, 2002 at 21:37:58:

I had a friend who gave me part of her Travelcomm package. She is giving it to me as a wedding gift so I have been trying to check up on it. I found the website to be unhelpful. They had an email and 877 number. I have a lot of questions before I book anything so if you know anymore or if you go and eveything went well please let me know. I have received a packett in the mail. There are three hotels on the website but I don't know which the package is for. Your help would be greatly appreciated.

[concern]

Posted by concern (63.26.63.9) on March 07, 2002 at 16:27:42:

In Reply to: Re: Club Caracol Village - Playa Del Carmen Mexico-- TravelComm Warning posted by Emily on March 05, 2002 at 11:39:51:


: We booked through Travelcomm also, it took awhile to receive all of our information, but we finally received it and everything seems to be in order. It is supposed to be the newest resort on the Mayan Riviera and it is a 4 or 5 star hotel. I'm excited about going.

Good Luck! I hope you post after you come back so we'll all know what your experience was. Did you call the resort yet to confirm they got your reservation? --I mean, just in case?

[barry]

Posted by "barry" (24.162.235.157) on February 28, 2002 at 00:46:29:

In Reply to: Re: Club Caracol Village - Playa Del Carmen Mexico-- TravelComm Warning posted by concern on February 25, 2002 at 21:37:58:


I bought a trip through them and they suck. They completly screwed me. They never got my trip and i didn't find out intil it was time for me to go and i have yet to get a refund. Don't ever do anything with them

[fiona sophia]

Posted by "fiona sophia" (216.199.45.66) on March 27, 2002 at 17:09:13:

In Reply to: Re: Club Caracol Village - Playa Del Carmen Mexico-- TravelComm Warning posted by barry on February 28, 2002 at 00:46:29:


I did buy a package from travelcomm. at first i was very affraid and did not believe it just because it seem to good to be true, but i took a chance and I must admit i had a great great vacation. My husband and I stayed at the mandarin resort and it was incredible. all the food all the ALCOHOL is free. My family had a great time and for sure we will return and buy again through travelcomm. They even gave me a free vacation in orlando for free, well at least the stay.
I really do think people should try it before they go out and promote information that is not true. If you do have any question email me at my aol address.
Thank you and have a good trip

[Caroline]

Posted by Caroline (131.137.245.197) on February 26, 2002 at 17:23:59:

In Reply to: Club Caracol Village - Playa Del Carmen Mexico posted by Jeff on December 05, 2001 at 09:46:46:

Like I said earlier. It was not a pleasant trip. I realize you have already paid and theres nothing you can do about it know. Maybe they have picked up in the last month. If they put you in a far (and I do mean far ) back room, just be persistant and talk to your holiday representative and get a room by the pool...just watch for bugs in the bathroom and closet shelves. Drink lots and go on the Fury catamaran trip in cozumel....that will make it all worth it.

[Emily]

Posted by Emily (139.67.10.145) on March 05, 2002 at 11:39:51:

In Reply to: Re: Club Caracol Village - Playa Del Carmen Mexico-- TravelComm Warning posted by N. MacDonald on February 23, 2002 at 15:09:25:

We booked through Travelcomm also, it took awhile to receive all of our information, but we finally received it and everything seems to be in order. It is supposed to be the newest resort on the Mayan Riviera and it is a 4 or 5 star hotel. I'm excited about going.

[Evelyne]

Posted by "Evelyne" (205.188.200.27) on March 09, 2002 at 00:12:07:

In Reply to: Club Caracol Village - Playa Del Carmen Mexico posted by Jeff on December 05, 2001 at 09:46:46:

Hi,
I'm from quebec city,
I went to Caracol last year and it was really fun.IT's a 31/2stars because the beach is really not great. But the foods, staf, pool shows are very well.
Have a nice trip!
(sorry for my bad english!)