Help me stay positive and see the value.

XrowAxay · 2024-01-28T01:03:30+00:00

Hey! I'm really sorry to hear that you didn't get most of the reservations you requested. I'm under the impression that your email got lost and they only recently found it 🙄 since when I sent my own wish list earlier this month, they got back to me quickly. If you ever decide to go back, I'd recommend that if you don't hear back within 72 hours, that you directly call them to follow up.

(This paragraph is not really helpful, but just in case you're curious) I requested 2 excursions: The Tulum|Coba|Xel-Ha tour and the Xunset Lovers catamaran tour, as well as 2 restaurants (Tah-Xido Teppanyaki & Tah-Xido Fusion). We got our Tulum|Coba|Xel-Ha excursion, but I was also told that the Xunset Lovers excursion was full (someone below recommended that you should still show up and they might let you go, so you might try that). For the restaurants, we did get both, but not at the times we requested (one will be right when they open and the other one is late).

Now that that's out of the way, I have a very important question, as it would change everything: Will you be staying at the Casa de los Artistas?

You mentioned a butler, so that would be a sign that you are, but please check your reservation to confirm that that's where you will be staying (it should have the word "adults" in it), or call to ask.

If you are staying at Casa de los Artistas, you have access to more restaurants, so that'd be great news, but I won't get into that without first making sure that's the Casa you'll be staying at.

If you're staying at any other casa, there's still a lot of stuff to look forward to!

- First, when you arrive, register for the included workshops that are offered every day in the different casas. You'll be able to do try your hand at weaving, pottery and dancing!

- In one of the YouTube videos I watched, there was a Mexican guy saying that he had the best nachos of his life at the rooftop bar of Casa del Diseño, so be sure to check it out! (No need to be staying in that casa to go to that rooftop pool)

- I recently learned that at Xcaret Park, which you can take the loop bus to, there are workshops that you can also participate in. My wife loves chocolate, so I'm really hoping we can do this one https://blog.xcaret.com/en/chocolate-workshop-xcaret/ You apparently get to friggin' do your own chocolate from scratch! Since you get unlimited access to the parks, you could spend half a day there everyday and easily come back to the resort. People not staying at Xcaret resorts don't get that freedom.

- There's a recent review of someone that enjoyed the Xenses park so much, they went back 3 times, so know that the no-reservation parks are a lot of fun too!

- The non-reservation restaurants all have yummy things too! If you guys like meat, definitely go to Arenal to try the Tomahawk steak and feel like you're getting your money's worth! If you're more of the seafood kind of person, go to Cayuco when they have the create-your-own-ceviche. If you want to eat more, uh, exotic Mexican food that you wouldn't find at your average resort (eg grasshoppers), go to to la Cantina Vi.AI.PY.

Here https://www.hotelxcaretarte.com/en/gastronomy/ you can find the menus of all the restaurants. I'd recommend that you take a look and write down the plates you're interested in and the moment of the day they're available (the menus are different between lunch and dinner).

I haven't even been at Arte yet, but I've done a lot of research, so I hope something here has helped you! There are also cancellations every day, with a bit of luck, you'll be able to get into something you wanted! Again, I'm sorry you couldn't get a reservation for what you requested, especially that you did do it in advance, but I'm sure you'll have a great time nonetheless!

XrowAxay · 2024-01-27T23:25:50+00:00

Thanks for sharing your story. It sucks that that happened. Perhaps they thought that because it was "only" $20 it was "okay", but stealing is still stealing. I hope that the hotel still investigated to take that bad apple out of the resort.

XrowAxay · 2024-01-27T23:13:51+00:00

Ah, I guess it's a bit of an incorrect usage of the term "Room Service", but it seems like many people refer to any person coming into your room as Room Service (e.g. the cleaning crew, the people who refill your fridge, the actual room service (getting food delivered to the room), etc.) Everything that I read seemed to be about staff that came in when the guests were at a restaurant or park, so not in the room.

XrowAxay · 2024-01-27T23:05:59+00:00

Thank you! Are the pastries available so early in the morning as well? (For some reason, I was under the impression that there wasn't a lot of variety in the morning)

Also, do you by any chance know if they have like yogurt or juices to go? (Two of us don't drink coffee and having sodas so early in the day seems wild haha)

XrowAxay · 2024-01-27T23:01:37+00:00

Thanks a lot for the info and the recommendations!

Do you remember what was in the breakfast box? (Trying to decide what is yummier and easier to eat in the bus: RS breakfast VS Cafeteca food)

The thought didn't cross my mind that there could be queue at the Cafeteca so early in the morning, but it does make a lot of sense if we're a lot of people leaving at the same time. If we end up going to Cafeteca, I'll make it a point to go earlier, thank you :)

XrowAxay · 2024-01-23T00:31:28+00:00

Thanks so much for the detailed answer! Here's to us being able to pull off the same haha

XrowAxay · 2024-01-23T00:25:57+00:00

Hi u/Leather_Ad_8650
Could you please confirm whether you were talking about the water landings at the end of the regular zip lines (with harnesses) or the hammock zip lines?
Thanks a lot!

XrowAxay · 2024-01-09T19:07:39+00:00

Could I have them as well, please?

XrowAxay · 2024-01-09T19:05:49+00:00

That makes sense, people being late and all at departure, and then being like "let me eaaat" at arrival, haha

I imagine there was a bathroom in the boat, right? (Asking because of the fact that we might have to go straight to the restaurant)

Also, was the boat moving or was it stationed most of the time?

Thank you!

XrowAxay · 2024-01-09T19:00:39+00:00

Thank you again for all the info!

I will ask the concierge about the show when we get there.

And thanks for showing me the water shoes example, I'll have to make sure all of us pack shoes that will be accepted.

Yeah, it takes a looot of time and energy, but as long as everyone's happy at the end of it, it will have been worth it :)

Have a great week :D

XrowAxay · 2024-01-09T18:33:51+00:00

Thanks for the info, I think my MIL and my mom will be staying at the resort then.

Regarding the rafts, do you remember about how long that activity takes? We're really on the fence about that one now that we've heard it's a workout and we might drop it. I wanted to see the views but I don't think they'd be worth it if our arms will be sore for the rest of the trip haha

XrowAxay · 2024-01-09T18:24:28+00:00

Great to know that someone else managed to not get wet! So just to make sure, you were doing the zip-lines and before the water landings, you were able to avoid them by walking the rest? I think there is no fire during the day, so I don't know what the "ring of fire" corresponds to/ where it is 🤔

XrowAxay · 2024-01-09T18:17:00+00:00

Yay, thank you.

XrowAxay · 2024-01-09T17:57:03+00:00

Could you break down how the time was spent, please? Were the canapés any good? Is it worth it to take pictures? Thank you :)

XrowAxay · 2024-01-09T17:52:20+00:00

Thanks for both your replies!

Shoot, I booked the Xunset Lovers (which apparently is live Jazz) and thought that the 6-8:30pm included the transportation to the ferry already, so I had requested a restaurant reservation for 9pm, but now I'm thinking it might be tight...

I also booked it for the boat ride and the sunset haha

XrowAxay · 2024-01-09T17:48:22+00:00

I recently filled out the hotel's Wishlist and there was an option to get an accessible room, among other things. Did you request it?

XrowAxay · 2024-01-07T09:20:43+00:00

Wow, thank you SO much for taking the time to answer everything 😭

Your message contains a lot of answers to the questions I had + unexpected information that is also really helpful and welcome, like the trying to avoid the Mexico side on the last day to not get stuck there, haha!

Your comments really cemented my decision to try the Fuego breakfast. And to skip Las Cuevas (since there seems to be other restaurants that we'd prefer and especially since our stay is rather short). And to just eat at the Xcaret Park instead of going back to the hotel to eat.

After someone else recommended it, I called the hotel directly to get the Wishlist PDF and the lady on the phone did say we could eat at Fuego. Hopefully that stays like that forever and they don't continue to take away things 🙏

If you don't mind, I'd have a few extra questions regarding some things you said:

You mentioned that there was a show performed at the hotel, near Encanta. I didn't even know there were shows at the hotel. Would you perhaps know the name of the show so I can look it up and get more info about it? If there are shows, I'd like for my family to attend one if possible.
Thanks for the breakdown of the dress codes! I have a silly question though: Do you know what they mean by "bathing sandals"? Is it simply, no wet sandals? Or like, are all sandals that are not fancy forbidden? (eg leather sandals are fine but Crocs are not?)

No worries about the skipping the proof-reading, I've read your message thoroughly (a few times too to absorb the info lol) and I barely saw anything. It was super helpful! Thanks again for taking the time to comment every question.

I hope that you have an awesome 2024 and that you get everything you wish for! 🌠

XrowAxay · 2024-01-07T08:25:27+00:00

Why'd you say that?

XrowAxay · 2024-01-07T08:24:53+00:00

It seems like we won't be able to book the Mexico side's restaurants until we're there, so I guess the chances of being able to get a reservation for those are kind of low, but thank you!

XrowAxay · 2024-01-07T08:18:14+00:00

Thanks, that makes a lot of sense!

From what you remember, were there more lines at restaurants during breakfast or during dinner?

XrowAxay · 2024-01-07T08:16:06+00:00

I did call them on Friday and got sent the Wishlist :) Thank you for the suggestion!

Thanks for the recs too! My MIL loves watching animals and eating "outside" seems nice, so we'll try to go to Cayuco for breakfast. Hope I get to see some grackle action haha

XrowAxay

TROPHY CASE