On December 20th, we arrived at Garza Blanca with our daughters to celebrate Christmas. Prior to our trip, we made several calls requesting that our rooms be located together, but since two-bedroom accommodations weren’t available, we were promised rooms on the same floor.
However, upon check-in, the front desk staff was exceedingly rude, placing us in two separate towers. When we expressed our concerns, they merely shrugged and claimed the hotel was fully booked, offering no assistance. Frustrated, we asked for a refund and mentioned we would seek another hotel that could accommodate our family. Our request was outright denied, with the staff insisting that we would have to remain in separate towers. We spoke to the manager, but she dismissed our issues. After a lengthy two-hour struggle, they mentioned that perhaps we could be moved to the same tower the following day. To add insult to injury, no welcome drinks were offered, and nobody at the front desk seemed interested in addressing our concerns.
Our children were in Tower 4, while my husband and I were placed in Tower 5, which wasted our first day. No one offered to give us a property tour, and when we asked the concierge for directions to Tower 4, we were told to ask the bellman. The hotel’s operations were quite perplexing. The concierge was also unhelpful when we tried to make a reservation at their restaurant, Boca Dose, claiming there was no availability. Yet when we arrived at the restaurant, we were seated right away. Our entire day was consumed with negotiating for a room in the same tower, followed by the exhausting task of unpacking our children’s luggage in one tower and then dragging our own suitcases to another.
On the morning of our second day, we received a call instructing us to pack our bags within 30 minutes as they would move us to Tower 4. We were thrilled, but the catch was that we had to first attend a 75-minute timeshare presentation. Despite our terrible first day, we agreed, eager to be closer to our daughters. Upon reaching the timeshare location, we were asked to call our girls to join the tour, which could last several hours. I flatly refused, as my daughters had no interest in this. I was only participating in the tour to be reunited with my kids, as it was a condition for the room switch.
At the timeshare, we met Katie, who was the first person to truly listen to our concerns and express a desire to help. She understood our disappointment with the resort. Later, a gentleman at the timeshare candidly said, “We’re not a hotel; our rooms on Expedia are rented out through our members or residents.” So, travelers, beware: this place is great for residents or members, but for everyone else, it comes with a hefty price tag of $150,000 if you want to stay as a family. Had we known this earlier, we would have never booked this resort. We politely declined the timeshare offer due to our dreadful experience with the front desk, who seemed indifferent, and the concierge, whose primary goal appeared to be getting guests to attend the timeshare presentation. The only exception was a staff member named Modesta, who genuinely tried to help. Our rooms were finally switched at 4:00 PM after a long and frustrating day.
After spending five hours at the timeshare presentation, where we were shown the luxurious offerings of places like Hotel Mousai, we were left feeling incredibly frustrated. Two out of our six vacation days were wasted, which dampened our spirits significantly. They were trying to make a sales pitch where we were having the most dreadful time separated from our family.
The property itself is beautiful and lush, but our initial room in Tower 5 had a moldy bathroom, and the shower door wouldn’t close properly. We chose not to escalate the issue since our priority was simply to be closer to our daughters. Eventually, we were moved to Tower 4, with our girls on the 7th floor and my husband and I on the 10th—thankfully, still in the same tower.
The restaurants were pleasant, and the staff there made up for the lackluster service at the front desk and concierge. However, families should be aware that four out of the eight restaurants are adults-only, including Karuma, which is not included in the all-inclusive package. We were relieved that we opted out of the all-inclusive option. While there are family-friendly dining options like Blanca Blue, Karuma, Boca Dose, and beachside restaurant, the choices can become repetitive by day three. It would have been nice if the Chinese and Italian restaurants allowed kids until 8 PM before switching to adults-only.
During our stay, we were disappointed by the lack of festive activities for Christmas, especially when compared to other five-star resorts like Four Seasons or One&Only, which typically offer more celebratory events.
Additionally, be warned that a highway runs between the property, creating a constant noise that can disrupt the peace and quiet in the rooms, particularly during the early mornings and late evenings.
The beach was enjoyable, though it was marred by the sound of excavators moving rocks while guests were trying to relax. Our server on the beach, Roberto Gallerdo, was a standout and provided exceptional service.
I do want to give a shout out to Laura our housekeeper, Isabella in the spa, Roberto at Blana Blue, Katie at their time share for helping us find moments of joy and peace.
Ultimately, if this property operated more like a traditional hotel, it could vastly improve the guest experience. Unfortunately, their primary focus seems to be selling timeshares, which can be frustrating for those simply looking to unwind and spend quality time with family. It would also be beneficial if the front desk and concierge staff were a bit more welcoming and hospitable. We had high hopes for this vacation but returned with a sense of disappointment.
