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ABR Trip Report - 5/18/2012 6:28:17 PM
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roadking
Posts: 25
Joined: 4/30/2008
From: Colorado
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First, my apologies for this very lengthy review & trip report, but I felt it necessary to be completely honest & thorough since I’ve previously given the Akumal Beach Resort (ABR) very high praise. We recently visited ABR for two weeks, just returned on May 16, 2012. This was our 10th visit to the Riviera Maya area since 2002, and our 9th time at the ABR, sometimes visiting twice a year. Our impressions of the resort were significantly different from in the past. Since the change in management (now managed by the owners and not by Venta), and even since our last visit in 2011, changes have occurred that no longer make the resort as attractive as it once was. First, the positives: still the best beach and best snorkeling on the Mayan coast; very friendly, helpful staff, esp. the bartenders, waiters/servers, housekeeping, etc.; clean (but basic) rooms in decent repair with icy cold A/C (in Bldgs 5 & 6); a variety of good, fresh food (not gourmet but tasty, plentiful & well-prepared).
Since taking over management of the resort, the owners seem to have marketed it to a client demographic much different than past management (Venta) did. While previously guests were predominantly North American and European longer-term vacationers (10-14 days+), the resort now seems to have more short-term local (Mexican) families and day-trippers who visit the resort to snorkel and/or hang out on the beach. The past year has presented challenges to the owners, and I can’t blame them for looking to a wider source of revenue for the operation. However, the ultimate result has been an obvious decline in the quality of the vacationing experience for those of us who consider the ABR as a second “home.” I wonder if the owners, in seeking a ready flow of revenue in the short term haven’t hurt themselves in the long run. Several long-time, loyal ABR visitors told me they intend to go elsewhere in the future. Maybe I’m wrong, but it is exactly those guests who the owners would want to keep coming back to ensure the resort’s continuing success.
Now for the cons: Weekends the resort is literally over-run by large local families with multiple children who run rampant and unsupervised in the pool & snack bar areas. The pool deck was dirty with discarded food, plates, and ketchup wrappers (the kids were having wrapper stomping contests on the concrete pool deck). From 7:30a-8:00p, the pool was literally overflowing with screaming, yelling kids and adults. One morning, I observed the pool attendant scooping defecation out of the round whirlpool, a favorite spot for little kids to congregate. At the snack bar, the kids take huge amounts of chips and fries, sometimes resulting in shortages and outages. The adults of these large groups/families clustered in the shade of the bar, making access difficult while their children ran amok unsupervised. Mothers used the sink in the ladies room at the snack bar to bathe their infants, sometimes standing two-deep and making it impossible to use the facilities. The beach area was much more crowded than in years past, and because of the crowds was not as well kept and clean as previously, although the staff did their best. Some of the local guests seem to be unfamiliar with trash cans, simply throwing refuse onto the beach. Some of the palapa huts are in dire need of repair, and the beach chairs look like they haven’t been cleaned or hosed down for quite some time. The main bar was congested on weekend evenings, and sometimes full of yelling and screaming (local) adults who, on one occasion were heard urging their 6-8 year old daughters to “dance sexy” in the bar. The dining room staff was clearly overworked due to the large groups who came in together, but they did try hard to keep up. The entertainment staff (Animacion) has been reduced to 2 from as many as 6-10 in previous years. Equipment (archery, bocce ball, etc.) is either missing or in disrepair. Towel and palapa “games” are prevalent, with palapa huts being unavailable if you don’t get up at 6:00a to grab one. On occasion, it was obvious that some guests deposited their towels or other items on chairs in palapas on previous nights to “hold “ them for the next day (something that was not acceptable in past years). Twice I had to intervene when an adult or child had moved my belongings from a chair while I was standing nearby speaking with someone. On two other occasions, local guests simply invited themselves into the palapa my wife & I were using. I was told this was “culturally acceptable” in Mexico. I must point out that these negative experiences were primarily limited to long weekends when the resort seemed to cater to large groups of local families.
There’s still much good to be said about the ABR: it’s a casual, non-pretentious place with a staff that treats guests like family, and it definitely has the best off-beach snorkeling on the Riviera Maya. However, we were sadly disappointed about the negative changes since the owners took over on-site management, and can’t in good conscience recommend the ABR as highly as we have previously. We do, however, intend to return and hope our experience next time is better. We’d hate to have to look for an alternative for future vacations.
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RE: ABR Trip Report - 5/18/2012 6:57:00 PM
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TheSnoopy
Posts: 1991
Joined: 4/28/2007
From: Northern VA
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I echo the weekend issues, though since we were mainly in the Moonrise area, didn't notice it as much. But it is very obvious that there are many, many locals coming to the resort on weekends. I had many more issues with noise in the rooms next to mine this time, especially on the weekends. My first weekend there, I actually went to the front desk to inquire when my neighbors were leaving, as when I came up to the room at 10:30 pm, they had their door open and their kids were running up and down the hallway screaming. I told them if the neighbors weren't leaving soon, I was requesting to be moved. They were leaving the next day Also more people not being as considerate with door slamming and chair moving at 6 am in the morning, or late at night, but I can't remember if that was on weekends or at other times..I didn't notice the crowds at the dining hall probably because I tended to eat earlier, and not always stay in the bar area after 8:30 or 9 at night. I tend to turn in early and read before bed.
Many of us had conversations about this while we were there, and definitely noticed a difference on the weekends. I would not even attempt to try to use the pool on a weekend, but my last 4 weekday's there, the pool was a very nice quiet area to sit and read during the day. I can't remember anyone saying they would go elsewhere due to this, but it was definitely something that caught the attention of many of the AASB crowd.
And I'm not sure it is just a "high season" issue. My daughter and I noticed this as well when we were down end of November/beginning of December as well.
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RE: ABR Trip Report - 5/19/2012 8:51:55 AM
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Jamie
Posts: 2548
Joined: 3/10/2005
From: Southern California
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Thanks for the report and glad to managed to have a mostly good time and that the food and staff are good. This is the first I heard of lots of locals coming in on the weekends, and they do need to learn how to control the children. Had a somewhat similar experience last year in Puerto Vallarta when a large group of locals came for a 3 day weekend, but have to say they were pretty well behaved and did not have too many small children, think the management cut them a special deal and they even had their own mariachi band one evening (which was great) and one nice lady bought me a smoothie when I was lying by the pool.
ABR management often reads these reports so hopefully they will take note and perhaps lay down some basic ground rules so people's experiences are not so negative.
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RE: ABR Trip Report - 5/19/2012 9:08:05 AM
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Cyndylm
Posts: 10
Joined: 1/30/2005
From: 5280
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Wow! Not what I want to hear either. Headed down next weekend and have been bragging about this place to my husband. Our trip last year to St. Thomas was ruined by unsupervised kids running around......
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RE: ABR Trip Report - 5/19/2012 12:03:19 PM
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kitty
Posts: 52
Joined: 1/11/2007
From: Chicago, IL
Status: offline
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Some of these issues are so not new. They were cleaning child feces out of the "adult' whirpool five years ago. Ping Pong, pool table, bocci, scheduled archery, exercise room-all B.S. The palapa's were all taken by 7am, the food was just OK., no promised entertainment, and many local families on the weekends where they get discounted rates. At least they have international booze now, but you have to pay for it extra?
It is on the best stretch of beach-for snorkeling, not too hang out. Too darn crowded after 10.
Oh, and by the way I saw alot of non-local, unsupervised kids at ABR. It is their counrtry, you know, they are entitled to kick it out locally on a weekend. Granted the kids should be monitired, but, like I said, it's nothing new. I got reamed by LG members years ago for just about the same gripes. Lucky you!
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RE: ABR Trip Report - 5/19/2012 5:57:17 PM
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PammieJean
Posts: 155
Joined: 2/13/2012
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quote:
ORIGINAL: LegendOnTheLoose
Personally, I'd like to see ABR "adults only"
I second that!
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PammieJean
(No ticker but planning on Akumal in September)
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RE: ABR Trip Report - 5/19/2012 7:13:19 PM
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frances68
Posts: 3
Joined: 2/14/2012
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And if we all leave our children at home while we go on holiday, how will they ever learn to appreciate other cultures and countries? We brought our 2 children to ABR last year, they were 9 and 11. They are well behaved children, inquisitive to new things, they loved snorkelling with the turtles much the same as we all do. Just because a few badly behaved children run amok doesn't mean that all children are the same. It is not the behaviour of the children that is to blame, it is the attitude of the parents to such behaviour.
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RE: ABR Trip Report - 5/20/2012 10:47:07 AM
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Vancouver Sundog
Posts: 5908
Joined: 10/1/2006
From: North Vancouver
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Was there the same time as Roadking - I though you were pointing the finger at our LG AASB group (smile) - sorry we didn't get to meet you - or perhaps I did
We found the families gathered at the pool during their Labour day weekend so we moved to the Moonrise Bar (which is the Adult only section of ABR)
Snorkel groups - a pain I agree
Snackbar food ( I also found it lacking sometimes but usually because Beachey cleaned out the Guac or Sandinmypants constantly raiding the fr fries and pizza)
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AASB 13 Done it - AAFB in the planning
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RE: ABR Trip Report - 5/20/2012 11:50:05 AM
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roadking
Posts: 25
Joined: 4/30/2008
From: Colorado
Status: offline
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It's a shame you were criticized for being honest. As to the locals having the right to kick it in their coutnry, I absolutely agree. However, when I kick it here in the US, I don't treat the place like a trash bin, nor do I think it's cool to let kids run amok. One of the weekends we spent at ABR was a holiday weekend in Mexico, probably bringing much larger crowds than normal to the ABR. I hope our experience wasn't what's become normal. Still, it's the best snorkeling beach in Mexico! This would be a great adults only resort.
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RE: ABR Trip Report - 5/20/2012 11:51:18 AM
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roadking
Posts: 25
Joined: 4/30/2008
From: Colorado
Status: offline
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Absolutely agree!!!
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RE: ABR Trip Report - 5/20/2012 11:55:29 AM
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roadking
Posts: 25
Joined: 4/30/2008
From: Colorado
Status: offline
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Couldn't agree more. There were many well-behaved (and curious) children there, with parents who had some appreciation for treating other guests courteously. Those kids were a joy to watch as they explored and had fun.
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RE: ABR Trip Report - 5/20/2012 11:59:08 AM
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Myrn
Posts: 63
Joined: 2/14/2012
From: Canada
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PamF we were there the same time as you(you were above us In building 7) There were a lot of families from Mexico there but we enjoyed the whole experience Never had any problems and if someone had too much tequila they could have been any nationality There was some trash but the winds were also strong that week and some times things got blown away We have been at the large resorts during spring break believe me I would take ABR over those any day. We were there with our grandchildren so maybe I see the kid thing differently We love to travel with them and although they have the odd meltdown are so much fun. We went to the library was a very positive experience loved to watch them snorkel for the first time. although all children are not well behaved there are a lot of adults who also misbehave We enjoyed every minute of are holiday even though the hotel was full never had to wait long for anything. Hope to go back next April
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RE: ABR Trip Report - 5/20/2012 2:01:07 PM
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Bonnie
Posts: 2071
Joined: 11/15/2005
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quote:
ORIGINAL: Vancouver Sundog
Was there the same time as Roadking - I though you were pointing the finger at our LG AASB group (smile) - sorry we didn't get to meet you - or perhaps I did
We found the families gathered at the pool during their Labour day weekend so we moved to the Moonrise Bar (which is the Adult only section of ABR)
Snorkel groups - a pain I agree
Snackbar food ( I also found it lacking sometimes but usually because Beachey cleaned out the Guac or Sandinmypants constantly raiding the fr fries and pizza)
Is it a new thing that the Moonrise Bar is the adult only section of ABR? I didn't realize that but we haven't been there in awhile.
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RE: ABR Trip Report - 
and the two year old urinating on the floor in the main bar one evening, and his (very) young mom just shrugging... But once Tuesday came the resort quieted down and was nice again.