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Our Second Trip to the ABR 10/17/12 - 11/8/2012 11:43:51 AM
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sandinmypants
Posts: 4401
Joined: 2/17/2007
From: Iowa
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Okay, so my trip report is way overdue, but it just seems like it’s all been said before. This was our second trip to the ABR. (Oct. 17-25) I emailed ahead as usual and asked for a room with a king bed and a roll-away for our 11yo son; or a room with two beds, anything but two doubles as my husband and I can’t share a double. Got the standard answer re: trying to accommodate but no guarantees, etc. We arrived at the ABR around 2pm and our room wasn’t ready so we just went and hung out in the main bar, grabbed a bit to eat at the buffet, and went back at 3pm to get the keys. The room they gave us was in bldg. 6, I think #662 (third floor, last room on the south end). It was a huge room, but it had two double beds. So, I went back to the front desk and proceeded to tell her that unless she wanted to see my husband and I divorced by the end of our week there, we needed a different room because there is no way we can sleep in a double bed without killing each other. Of course she gave me the usual “the resort is completely book but we can move you tomorrow” speech. Once she saw I wasn’t going to fall for it, she coughed up the keys to another room in bldg. 6, with a king bed (#636, on the second floor). We changed into swimwear and went to the beach, by the time we got back to get ready for dinner they had moved in a roll-away as well. I think they don’t like using the roll-away beds but the rooms that already have a king bed and additional bed must have already been taken – honestly, the room they showed us on the top floor/end was HUGE, they could easily have used one double and one queen or king in that room, like they have in the end rooms in bldg. 5.
Anyway – that was really the only hiccup we had on our whole trip. As usual, the wifi wasn’t that great if you moved more than a couple of steps away from the front desk. And the buffet was definitely lacking compared to what it was in the spring – about half to two-thirds the number of choices I would say, but the main thing we noticed was that they didn’t have the carving station or fresh-grilled offerings that they had in the spring. It made the lunches and dinners seem much more monotonous. The resort was very quiet during the week, and our son had a problem finding other kids to play with for several days. As others mentioned, and like in the spring, the weekend really picked up with what we believed were Mexican families; the pool and snack bar area were very busy but as the resort wasn’t as packed otherwise it wasn’t quite as bad as it was in the spring.
We enjoyed watching the turtle people checking the nests each day (Bill & Betsy? Not sure if that’s who we saw but they were very nice!) and we watched turtle releases twice at dusk.
We ate dinner at Turtle Bay once with rucruizin and KRBNBob (Janet & Bob), and another evening they showed us a place in the Tulum pueblo that had great tacos el pastor.
It was an interesting night, we also scored some fantastic ice cream (some of us had ice cream twice that night, you know who you are!)
One day for lunch my husband, the 11yo and I walked over to the Akumal pueblo for flat chicken at Naty’s. To be honest, we weren’t all that impressed, not sure what all the fuss is about. We stopped at the silver shop and I bargained for a really nice bracelet (happy birthday to me!), then we dropped of some soccer gear at the Akumal library for the kids, and by the time we got over to Naty’s we were pretty hot & tired. The cold soda hit the spot, but I think it was a case of over-hype on the chicken.... I was just expecting it to be super-duper-fantastic and honestly it tasted like chicken I grill up at home! Although, I wasn’t cooking and cleaning so that was all good! We also went over to Turtle Bay for dessert on our last evening – we just love that place, but it was closed one of the other times we tried to go – one of the downsides to going in the fall.
Hubby & 11yo built a sandcastle & a sand tortuga.
A lot of time was spent playing water polo and volleyball, and just chilling.
I imagine we’ll head back to the ABR again, but not sure when that will be. Airfare has gone up so much, to the point that unless we can get a really great deal on the resort in spring and we can catch a great sale; we may end up skipping our usual spring trip.
We really do enjoy the ABR – love the smaller size. The superior rooms are fine for us (not sure if I could stay in a standard, haven’t tried) and even though the food choices were less extensive, it wasn’t that big of a deal. I would like a better house wine, but it isn’t a deal-breaker for me. The biggest downfall we see at the ABR is the evening lounging-around time – we just don’t know what to do with ourselves at night. The main bar area is SO not conducive to sitting around and enjoying a drink or two (or three). At other resorts we would enjoy a game of cards or a board game with our son, or listening to music and dancing in the evenings (and I’m not talking about what goes on at 9:30 or 10pm, but earlier – 8pm-ish) At the ABR the chairs and tables make me feel like I’m sitting in my mom’s kitchen. Straight wooden chairs with no arms, and a table like what you would eat off of. It would be so nice to have some curved club-style wicker or rattan chairs with padding, and lower coffee-table type set-ups, more of a loungy feel. And from 8-10pm have an acoustic guitar guy, or a duo or something, playing music up on the stage. Even music every other night would be nice. They could start by just putting that kind of table/chair set-up in a row or two by the stage, and leaving the kitchen table/chairs closer to the bar, see how people like it.
Just my two cents, for what it’s worth. Hope to see some of you again in the spring, keeping our fingers crossed!
< Message edited by sandinmypants -- 11/8/2012 11:46:57 AM >
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RE: Our Second Trip to the ABR 10/17/12 - 11/8/2012 2:34:58 PM
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Jamie
Posts: 2548
Joined: 3/10/2005
From: Southern California
Status: offline
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Nice report, I am also hoping for a late spring sale, they had a good one this year. Your son is really cute, what a nice looking family you have. I think Badger (or maybe Sundog) said they are going to order cushions soon, that will help. Thanks again for your report
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RE: Our Second Trip to the ABR 10/17/12 - 11/8/2012 2:46:07 PM
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sandinmypants
Posts: 4401
Joined: 2/17/2007
From: Iowa
Status: offline
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quote:
ORIGINAL: crunch
You look fabulous by the way and i am very impressed with the tortuga sand sculpting skills displayed by your guys!
The guys like playing in the sand - we have a few sand toys that we've been bringing along with us for quite a few years. As for the "you look fabulous" thing, I could use So-So's photoshopping skills on my picture again, she did an awesome job with the last one! If I'd had a photo of the turtle with just my 11yo in it I would have posted it, but unfortunately I was in the picture too - I wanted one with people in it to show the size.
You wouldn't believe the number of people that stopped to take a picture of the turtle, or posed beside it and snapped a shot!
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RE: Our Second Trip to the ABR 10/17/12 - 11/8/2012 4:13:00 PM
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Seagoat
Posts: 4258
Joined: 11/13/2007
From: Sunny Alberta
Status: offline
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quote:
ORIGINAL: sandinmypants
. The biggest downfall we see at the ABR is the evening lounging-around time – we just don’t know what to do with ourselves at night. The main bar area is SO not conducive to sitting around and enjoying a drink or two (or three). At other resorts we would enjoy a game of cards or a board game with our son, or listening to music and dancing in the evenings (and I’m not talking about what goes on at 9:30 or 10pm, but earlier – 8pm-ish) At the ABR the chairs and tables make me feel like I’m sitting in my mom’s kitchen. Straight wooden chairs with no arms, and a table like what you would eat off of. It would be so nice to have some curved club-style wicker or rattan chairs with padding, and lower coffee-table type set-ups, more of a loungy feel. And from 8-10pm have an acoustic guitar guy, or a duo or something, playing music up on the stage. Even music every other night would be nice. They could start by just putting that kind of table/chair set-up in a row or two by the stage, and leaving the kitchen table/chairs closer to the bar, see how people like it.
Just my two cents, for what it’s worth. Hope to see some of you again in the spring, keeping our fingers crossed!
I have to agree...those chairs are as uncomfortable as church pews! Also find the evenings can be dead and would enjoy music and dancing EVERY night. 
Thanks for the update. BTW - did you ever buy a saress? I've yet to find one here, but I have my 10 sarongs packed and ready to go!
Seagoat
_____________________________
"Tell me what you brag about and I'll tell you what you lack."
-- Spanish Proverb
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RE: Our Second Trip to the ABR 10/17/12 - 11/8/2012 4:53:54 PM
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gerberhubby
Posts: 23
Joined: 1/6/2010
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Just a quick question. For your room request, did you use the ABR "Contact Us" section of the ABR website, or did you send an e-mail to booking@............ directly?
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Keith B
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RE: Our Second Trip to the ABR 10/17/12 - 11/8/2012 5:26:30 PM
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sandinmypants
Posts: 4401
Joined: 2/17/2007
From: Iowa
Status: offline
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I used the booking @ email.
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RE: Our Second Trip to the ABR 10/17/12 - 11/9/2012 9:31:22 AM
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ulle trautvag
Posts: 378
Joined: 3/28/2008
From: Manhattan/nyc
Status: offline
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Thanks for the on-point report and wonderful pictures. Agree with everything you described. My schedule there is to have cocktails by the pool after snorkeling which I do about three times a day, the last pretty late to shorten my non-snorkel time; then off to shower and change after which it's time for a pre-dinner drink at the main bar. After dinner another round of drinks and then to bed. Dull, yes but by that time I'm wiped from all the exercise and imbibing.
You have a very nice-looking family but I guess it's difficult to keep an eleven-year old entertained in a very quiet resort. Some music and audience participation games would help a lot but it seems they only have these during high season. Oh, well...
< Message edited by ulle trautvag -- 11/9/2012 9:35:41 AM >
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RE: Our Second Trip to the ABR 10/17/12 - 11/9/2012 6:46:56 PM
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murphytaters
Posts: 252
Joined: 7/17/2009
From: Iowa
Status: offline
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So that's who made the cool sand turtle on the beach! We saw it. Nice work!
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RE: Our Second Trip to the ABR 10/17/12 - 11/9/2012 10:47:55 PM
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Vancouver Sundog
Posts: 5921
Joined: 10/1/2006
From: North Vancouver
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quote:
And from 8-10pm have an acoustic guitar guy, or a duo or something, playing music up on the stage. Even music every other night would be nice
You said Hubby was bringing the guitar - hes great
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AASB 13 Done it - AAFB in the planning
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