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A wonderful mother/daughter vacation
My daughter & I don’t see each other often and chose the Grand Palladium Royal Suites Yucatan once again for our Christmas reunion as we are always made to feel as though we are”coming home”. We have stayed many times in other locations on the resort complex but after the experiencing the extra pampering, peaceful environment and amazing attention to detail in the adults only Royal Suites last year it was an easy decision to make.
We booked fights from our 2 locations and were happy that AGI was at the airport to greet us with a spacious 17 passenger van. We were whisked away and were at the P before we knew it!
The resort remembered my daughter’s birthday and greeted us with an amazing birthday display in addition to a number of amenities to make us feel welcome ,ie champagne, flowers, rose petals and more. Wow!
As I was starving when I arrived I took advantage of the very extensive room service
menu and had cerviche, salmon and a bottle of house wine by the time I had changed to go to the pool. Yummy.Daily routine
We developed a routine.I usually got up early and went down to the Royal lobby for cappuccino. We’d meet for breakfast in El Jardin on the RSY property then split our days between the beach and the Royal pool. We usually had lunch at one of the buffets (see below).
My daughter enjoyed the jacuzzi on the deck before dinner. We ate dinner around 8, listened to music in Riviera, Hemingway’s or Colonial then my daughter went her own way to meet friends and Mom went to visit Filiburto & Valencia in the Royal lobby . I felt very comfortable letting her roam as staff looked out for her. She attended the White Party at the salt water pool on Monday and the Royal cart picked her up when the party ended. One night she and a friend went to the beach bar after the disco closed and a cart picked her up there when she called
FoodThe subject of food is subjective. As the resort is preparing food for various cultures and thousands of meals a day, nobody will like everything but there is certainly plenty to choose from for even the most discerning diner.
We usually ate breakfast at El Jardin which we liked as it wasn’t crowded. They have a buffet there, an egg grille, and a menu. We usually had freshly made omelets and a selection from the buffet.There is inside and outside seating. They have a nice selection of fresh juice and all the mixings for Bloody Marys.
For lunch we tried El Gran Azul over the main pool on the first day. They still offer freshly grilled items which is what I have for lunch every day. They didn’t have any signage indicating that thus the confusion. Abby had a chicken burger (they have a selection of burgers,ie beef, chicken,turkey,veggie) and I had grilled chicken with a selection of salads. After that day we ate in either La Hacienda on Colonial or Kabah on Riviera. These are much larger and IMHO food quality has greatly improved. They had three kinds of paella, large paella type pans with shrimp and mussels as well as the standard pasta station, variety of pizza, salads, cold cuts, hamburgers, hot dogs for the kids, freshly made bread & rolls There were two grilling stations offering a total of 6 items to choose to have grilled including chicken,steak, pork ,salmon and more.
One day Abby ate at Punta Emilia beach bar as she enjoys the Mexican food there. They also now offer fried fish filet and whole fried fish which I enjoyed.
For dinner we mostly ate at El Jardin choosing lobster with steak or lamb chops. We also went to LaAdelita where the food was very good and Punta Emilia. I enjoyed the seafood platter (and they kindly substituted for a fish I can’t eat). Abby had the pepper veal steak (which is beef) and it was extremely tender.
On Christmas Eve we attended the Gala dinner which was wonderful.Nothing was spared. When entering we were given a Kir Royale (champagne with cherry liquor). The ladies were given roses. Decorations were tastefully done including ice sculptures, Christmas trees, and a live Santa. Food included unlimited lobsters, shrimp, fish, roast beef (prime rib), beef filets,turkey, roast pork, chicken, many veggies, salads, fruits and deserts. Beautifully done.
We did not eat dinner in the buffet but we visited and I thought it looked to be a good variety and a high standard for a buffet. In addition they have the grilling stations for those who can’t find anything to their liking.
Overall I found the quality and variety of food very good to excellent. I rarely found something I didn’t like but considering the vast number of guests and the various cultures they are serving I wouldn’t expect to like everything. I honestly can’t understand people who complain that they can’t find anything to eat. I can’t imagine what their expectations are.
Wi Fi
Being in the Royal, we had the premium wi fi which worked extremely well both in the room and all over the Royal area. I used a lap top and my daughter used her I Phone. My daughter had an App that enabled her to text her friends when on the wi fi so she was happy. The Premium wi fi didn’t work on the other areas of the resort without a password which Jessica and Roxanna kindly supplied. Once I had the password I could access wi fi all over the resort. Only used it in the lobbies outside of the Royal.
Currency
I used both US dollars and pesos. Both are widely accepted. I brought a bunch of US ones with me for tipping then got pesos from the ATM on the resort (There is more than one bank affiliated ATM on the resort that dispense both pesos and US.) It is best to use an ATM card with a chip in it. I have an older card and had a bit of trouble but eventually got it to work. I sometimes was challenged getting smaller denominations. The front desk sometimes had smaller bills, sometimes not so I would go to the bell buys or bartenders. They were happy to help if they had small bills. Note if you want to change foreign currency at the front desk you must have your passport. Exchange for US was 15 pesos to the dollar at the front desk. It was closer to 17 in town.
Entertainment,
There is a variety of entertainment at the resort complex. Check both the bulletin boards and the schedule you are given at check-in.
Schedules are posted in theaters. There are 2 evening shows. One earlier for families in the
Colonial Theater; one late in the Riviera Theater.Band schedule (changes) but usually there is live music in Riviera lobby and/or Colonial, sometimes in Kantenah.There is a piano player in Hemingways.
Special parties such as Paella party (Sunday at noon) with live music,Foam party (Thursday at noon with live music), White Party & Fire Show (Mondays at 10:45 pm at salt water pool), Disco – early events for younger kids, later events for those over 18.
On saturday night they have a “Fiesta”on the Riviera side before the show. That was quite fun.
Argentinian /international performe
Circus party
Teen dinner Wednesdays through Teen Club.
Breakfast with Raggs: Wednesday mornings. Sign up at Guest Services.
During the day you can be as busy or as lazy as you like. During the evenings we usually ate dinner around 7:30 or 8 and then went to look for music. We often found it in the Riviera lobby. One night we ate at La Adelita and found music in the Colonial lobby. We also went by Hemingways to look for books and there was a nice piano player that evening. On Saturday evening there was a fun Fiesta party on the Riviera Terrace followed by the Argentinian show.
My daughter usually left me around 10:30 isn to wander around and meet friends her own age. She met a group of Canadians and American at the White Party and met an Argentinian gentleman at the disco They enjoyed conversation at the beach bar after the disco closed. Two beach bars are open 24/7.
Something for everyone IMHO.
New stuff
There is never a day when the staff are not primping, trimming, painting, sweeping, scrubbing. The resort is immaculate. I love the rest rooms there!!
Two years ago I requested the styrofoam coffee cups at the beach bars be replaced with cardboard. It took two years but they did it! Also added cardboard holders like Starbucks!!
They replaced the styrofoam plates at the beach bars with heavy duty plastic. No more flying plates (fish)!!
New loungers at White Sand.
Great ice cream everywhere. (carts)
Waitservice at 2 main pools
Nespresso machines in Royal.
Daily snack platters in Royal rooms.
Improved quality of food in buffets.
L’Occitane products in Royal
New Royal carts.
Floats at Royal pool
New lobby furniture.
Colonial, Kantenah & Royal have been updated and have new beds, linens and more.
Colonial reception and bar renovated
Sports bar renovated
Some new bridges
Some a la cartes have been renovated; new LoLa Tapas restaurant, O’Pavao (replaced Rodizio)
Per guests’ request men’s dress code relaxed to allow nice shorts in a la cartes.
Room service for all for no charge.
More American beers and Gluten free for room fridge upon request
And more. The resort is always looking to improve and does listen to guests’ requests!
Off site trip to PDCWe decided to go to PDC one morning. My daughter was hesitant about using a colectivo as the last time she used one it was very old and she had to literally hold the door shut! I assured her they are all newish and very safe. We walked out the front gate from the Colonial lobby and there was a colectivo parked waiting for passengers. We sat there for a little while until it was almost full then whisked away to PDC. As we were all hotel guests the majority got off at the last stop at the corner of 2nd & 15th streets. This is also where they park to return to the P. Cost was $3 pp per trip.
We both had specific items we wanted. I stopped first at Playa Mart on 5th Ave where I do most of my shopping.Prices are clearly marked, employees are helpful and there is no haggling. I priced the tequila and vanilla there and then we went comparison shopping. Abby likes the international shops at the south end of 5th Ave where she found a reasonably priced dress. We then made the mistake of going into a locally owned shop where the shopkeeper was extremely aggressive. She had items wrapped and was grabbing for my credit card before we had agreed to anything. Eventually she made us uncomfortable enough that we left and went back to Playa Mart. On the way back to the colectivo my daughter saw a shop that was of interest. The shopkeeper was very polite and low key and we eventually bought an item from him without feeing stressed as we did with the aggressive lady. We left PDC feeling happy. There was a line for the colectivos which moved quickly. When coming back be sure and use the employee tunnel to cross the highway or vice versa if you are traveling south to Akumal or Tulum.
After that we had a nice lunch at Kabah and got too lazy to leave the resort again!
Conclusion
My daughter and I chose the Palladium for our mother/daughter Christmas trip as we feel like we are “going home”. We discussed going to P Punta Cana or Jamaica but we always end up back at the P in Riviera Maya as there are so many great staff that make us feel like family. While I love the Kantenah Mayan Suites when I travel solo, I love the Royal Suites Yucatan when with my daughter. We both enjoy the extra pampering. My daughter took advantage of the new pool floats, the yummy ice cream selection at the bar and the double jacuzzi on our deck. I used the excellent room service both upon my arrival and departure. A very extensive menu is offered as is service with a smile! I was also able to order a bottle of house wine for no charge (not on menu).
The staff both at the Royal Suites Yucatan and throughout the resort are wonderful and go beyond the call of duty to make one’s stay perfect. I have come to know many staff over the years and hesitate to name those who stand out as I would fear leaving someone out. I had the pleasure of a visit with LuLu who has been at the P since the beginning and has assisted me and others with reservations over the years. She also introduced me to Andrea whom I have come to know over the years and who is always there to address guests’ issues. I also went by to visit with Paula in Guest Services and to thank her for the outstanding attention to detail in helping me to celebrate my daughter’s birthday 2 years in a row. The resort lavished my daughter with balloons, a cake, more. Wow!!
I would be remiss if I did not mention Pedro who has also been at the resort since the beginning. He is now at the Royal and I felt like he was always quietly looking out for me and my daughter. On my last morning he tapped on my door saying, “Miss Annie are you awake?” Oh how I appreciated that rather than a shrill wakeup call. He then drove me to the lobby, led me to coffee which was appreciated at 6:30am and tracked down my transfer. It is staff like this who make the Palladium feel like our “home away from home”.
The resort is meticulous. The beach has been impacted by the widespread sargassum problems and the staff work non-stop to keep the beach clean. The entire resort is immaculate. My daughter and I always compare public restrooms to those at the P. I love the restrooms at the P! The resort has added many improvements since we were last there including replacing the styrofoam coffee cups at the beach bars with cardboard. Hooray! The resort management does listen to guest’s suggestions.
The food has been upgraded, especially at the buffets which I went to daily for lunch. I felt that the buffet offerings had been streamlined and quality was improved. The food at the Punta Emilia beach bar is improved and they now offer grilled fish. Dinner was always excellent wherever we ate. The staff are also very attentive to any food allergies one might have so mention this at check-in and to your server.
Despite being two generations, we always found entertainment we enjoyed after dinner before my daunter went of to meet friends her own age. I felt very comfortable letting her wander around the resort. The night she went to the White Party at the salt water pool she called a cart after the party and the Royal chariot was there to carry her safely home.
The weather was a mix of sun/rain/wind We spent our days between the beach and the Royal pool. There is so much to do on resort that we only left for a 1/2 day to PDC and yet we still didn’t find the time to visit the spa, take a pontoon boat ride or check out the new Spanish restaurant.
This trip was truly a perfect week of relaxing, making memories, being pampered and sharing quality time together. We have talked about returning next Christmas either at the Royal Suites Yucatan or to Punta Cana or Jamaica and can’t wait to visit the new Palladium being planned in Puerto Mujeres. Sentimental me …missing the P……I hesitated to take off my bracelet hoping it would transport me back to Paradise……..back to real life & living vicariously.
Room Tip: Don’t sweat the small stuff.Sit back and enjoy.
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