All-inclusive vacation
A travel package where the price covers lodging, meals and many on-site activities.
Our journey to El-Cid at Ventus Marina El Cid Spa and Beach Resort, Cancun Riviera Maya.
My wonderful wife last year purchased a 5-day vacation at a charity event in the wine country and then surprised me when I arrived home from a business trip to Chicago.
Day1: Our wonderful flight from SFO was delayed an hour due to the high traffic in/out of Cancun. We arrived, airport very busy, and it took an hour to get through customs and retrieving our luggage. Met our driver and it took another 25 minutes of paperwork between the driver and the company to check off who they were taking. Puerto Morelos is 25 minutes south of Cancun. El-Cid has 3 properties in the area. We showed up at 8:30 to the front desk and the clerk pointed out what type of room we would have, and it was with two double beds looking at trees. They moved us again as we complained this time it was ground floor looking at kiddie pool. Back to front desk, pay for an upgrade to an ocean front room with two rooms and a wonderful view. We had dinner at 9 at an Italian restaurant we did not choose as the one we did was closed. Before dinner we were told to see Adania tomorrow as she would show us what was available for us during our stay. At check-in they gave us wristbands to wear, felt like we were in camp and cut them off as soon as we got into our room and no one asked about them.
Day 2: The word of the day was “we did not meet a minimum requirement.” We went down to have breakfast, then to meet our concierge, who would give important information. When Leah sat down, she had her first F-1 moment, 0 to 200 in 1 second, having never seen her so mad so quickly. She left to look a look at the jewelry store, and I sat down with him. We were told that if we sat for a 90-minute presentation, not a time share but selling you points to enjoy the resort, they would give us free Wi-Fi, guarantee reservations at the restaurants and spa credits. We passed. I then went over to the person who took care of the reservations, and she told us the on Sunday-Monday-Tuesday the only time was at 9:30 at night. We did get on Wednesday at 7:30. Next was the wi-fi issue. We went to front desk, and they told me 1 phone is $10.00 a day so if I want to use iPad, iPhone, and laptop would be $30.00 a day times 4 = $120.00 for our remaining time here. I chose only my phone. It was a rip-off city it was. That night we took a 20-minute walk to the other resort for the no reservation restaurant. Long lines, 25 minutes to get in, its sea food night, food ok. My F-1 girl again went from 0-200. We did get a ride back to our hotel via golf cart. So, day 2 of our vacation ended. We requested robes and slippers and their comment “you did not meet the minimum requirements.”
Day 3: Weather was cloudy and cold, walked to breakfast, which was good and then back to our room, where we stayed most of the day on our balcony looking out at the sea, and reading. We are still not happy with how we are not treated, which is no fault of the hotel but at the company that the school used to sell us this all-inclusive package that was touted as a MBZ but was really a stripped-down VW. We decided that we would have dinner in our room that night instead of the no reservation restaurant. We ordered it, 20 minutes later it arrived, and it was not bad. I wanted to go back and tell them yes, we will go to the presentation, but F-1 said no. Our rooms are cleaned every day, and the staff is very nice, but the underlining bad points leave us with never again.
Day 4: The day started out cloudy, then the wonderful sun came out for the rest of the day that we spent at the pool shaded by two palm trees. I am calm with the whole trip, it is what it is, Leah was sold a defective productive and we did best with what we were dealt with. We had dinner in our room again, rare burger well done and good chips. I have lost my appetite for the fatty food being served here. Nothing they serve is healthy for you.
Day 5: Watched DT give a state of the union address turned it off at 15 minutes and went to sleep and read in the WSJ a quick breakdown of what was a 2-hour speech. This morning on our way to breakfast, we picked up our towels, and all the chaises had towels on them, they have a 1-hour rule, not one to enforce it. Then we walked over to the beach in front of our room and since we are not black but brown on our wrist bands, we are not allowed to be there. We do have a reservation at the French restaurant for our farewell dinner. Hope it is good. At breakfast today, F-1 told me that she really wants to leave on Sunday as she was so frustrated with the resort.
In conclusion: blame the company “Privileges Redemption Center” for not spelling out to the school who purchase the item what and what it did not include. I would never purchase at any auction anything that had the name of Privileges Redemption Center on the logo. This was the worst trip of many years, if you go a property and know ahead of time what to expect that is your problem, this was again a trip that the buzz word was “We did not meet minimum requirements.”
The staff at the El Cid Resorts were great and very helpful, the food was too full of calories, lines were too long and not enough chairs or attendants to enforce they’re policy of 1 hour of towels put on the chaise and if no person is sitting on it, they remove them so the next guest has a chance to sit there.
My advice, even if it is not purchased through an auction, avoid the El Cid Resorts at all costs as there are hundreds of places in the Cancun area where you can get a better deal than what is offered here. 90 Minute presentation that people had posted was very high pressure to purchase to package of points to get what should have offered at any other resort and no cost. Also, the beach and water are unsuitable to swim in as the color is brown and the beach is full of dead seaweed.
