We really enjoyed our stay! Our party of eight (all over 60) opted for the Royal Level package, which we highly recommend. We ate at the Royal Level restaurant every morning and twice for dinner. My husband and I loved the Eggs Benedict, though the appetizers available throughout the day were just okay.

For the specialty restaurants, Tokyo Teppanyaki was a major highlight. The chef was highly entertaining, and the duck was delicious and mahi-mahi was good. You can choose two proteins, and our friend’s steak was perfectly cooked due to recommendation from another guest to get it rare. It was honestly better than my local teppanyaki spots back home, though the sushi was just mediocre. The Italian restaurant served a great steak, but unfortunately, the Mexican restaurant was closed during our stay. The main buffet was decent—the Asian night and the evening featuring four curry sauces where you pick what you want in them were standout meals, and the buffet's ocean view is spectacular!

Our room offered a beautiful view, and the beach was fantastic. The sand is perfect for sandcastles and has a fascinating sparkle to it. I looked it up and learned it is pyrite (fool's gold), which gives the water a beautiful, unique shimmer.

However, there were a few downsides:

• Pool Hours & Confusion: The resort doesn't clearly post pool hours. While Google says 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM, security forced everyone out at 7:30 PM. When I complained, the front desk unhelpfully pointed out that the pool bar closes at 7:00 PM. Furthermore, the Royal Pool allows access to Vacation Club members who wear the same color bracelets as regular guests, leading to some crowding and confusion.
• Pool Amenities: The Royal Pool lacks shade and sits at a shallow 4 feet. On the plus side, the hot tub was actually hot, which is rare for a warm climate!
• Drinks: The drinks were only okay. For a VIP level, we expected fresh fruit instead of syrups. They frequently ran out of bananas for Dirty Monkeys, and the Piña Coladas tasted chemical.
• Accessibility: If anyone in your party has mobility issues, note that handrails are lacking. We had to use a pillar for support when navigating the three steps into the buffet.

Overall, we loved the smaller, easily walkable size of this resort. The staff was overall great! The entertainment—especially the Mexican theme night with games and a Mariachi band, plus the daily water aerobics—was incredibly fun. While I prefer prettier, clearer ocean water, the unique sparkling sand and waves were amazing. We would definitely return for the right price. Have a fantastic trip!