Amazing trip to Kantenah FS

[Anne]

Posted with permission from Melanie MM

We returned last week from 8 nights at Kantenah Family Selection. (Fun fact: I’m long winded and can’t write a short review)

TLDR: Resort is gorgeous and we had an amazing time.

Resort: MASSIVE! I think this is the largest all inclusive we have ever been to. The 3 resorts (Kantenah, Colonial, and White Sands) are quite sprawling and all are stunning. All the resort grounds are maintained meticulously, and provide the most lush jungle vibe. We never saw monkeys, but we saw lots of coati, iguanas and agouti.

Rooms: Upon check in, we were taken to a lovely room….with a less than stellar view. Meaning it looked out onto some AC units and a utility building. I don’t think anyone should have this view, but I was quite perturbed as FS is a paid upgrade and this didn’t seem acceptable. We called, and reception was very accommodating and had us moved within 2 hours without issue. Our new room was equally as lovely, and had a much better garden view. Tip: if you have kids, take a little bit of the the shower gel, put it in the tub, fill about halfway, and run the jets. They will have the most epic bubble bath   Actually, it might be fun for a grown up too

Pools: So good!
We split our days between one of the larger pools (Colonial or WS until about 1:00 and would spend the remainder at Family Select pool.
Family Select pool was quiet, had the best service, and was so relaxing.
Colonial : yes! It’s deep. We knew this ahead of time so had floaties, but I heard lots of adults saying they wish they had brought one for this pool. It was well over my 10 year old’s head, but he’s a good swimmer, and this was his favourite pool. It is a great pool, however, I can’t swim, so I wouldn’t have been able to go in too far without my floatie.
White Sands: as first timers, we never saw this pool before the reno, but wow, this pool is stunning now, just beautiful. Also, a perfect depth for me, I’m 5’5, and could manoeuvre without issue, and it wasn’t over.my 10 year olds head either.
Fun fact: I kept reading there was no music at pools. There is music at all of them. Colonial is quite upbeat, WS is top 40, and FS is bookstore music   (I love book store music personally)

Beach: it was shockingly awesome. We didn’t spend a lot of time there – it makes me sleepy  , but it was beautiful. I had read so many complaints that we didn’t experience. Water was blue, sand was sandy.

Restaurants: Portofino was amazing! We dined there twice we enjoyed it so much. My favourite was the ravioli! Chang Thai was also excellent, my son ordered chicken wings and said they were the best he ever had. We did the hibachi at Sumptuori and it was lots of fun. Great food as well! Sometimes the meat can be a little tough at hibachi shows, but this was excellent. For breakfast, we usually enjoyed the Nest, however we tried La Hacienda one morning, and it was also excellent. We just preferred to go to the Nest as there was never a line. (For the record, the line at La Hacienda was only 10 minutes!).
Lunch time we either ordered food at Family Select pool – get the beef fajitas, they are sooooo good! We also frequented Las Olas for lunch. The tacos al pastor are to die for. Otherwise, Las Olas was ‘okay’. With that, I could eat the tacos every day!

Entertainment: low key, which is fine for us. As a family we aren’t going for crazy partying. We enjoyed the white party, rock show, silent party, and pop art party. The black and white junior club is a bit of a letdown. The staff, while kind, aren’t engaging with the kids like we have experienced at other resorts.

Spa: not something we usually do, but when they mentioned we could submit to our insurance for massages, we jumped  . The spa? Thud. Absolutely gorgeous. We didn’t take advantage of all we could have due to time constraints (ie..private pool, hydrotherapy), but if you can, goodness, do it!

Nitpicking comments (these do not break your vacation! We loved it here!):
1. The welcome was disappointing. At other resorts, we are used to a welcome drink and feeling like a big deal for 5 minutes. We didn’t have that here.   Do I need that? No. Do I like that? Shamelessly, yes. Nobody was unwelcoming, it was just ‘all business’.
2. Evening entertainment: it started/went late. This is a me issue because I’m ready for bed by 10:30. Also, we were told there was a Jersey Boys show, however, we went down to watch and it was canceled due to the Superbowl party. We aren’t football fans so this was a letdown, but I understand that resources would need to go to that party. My issue was being told there was a show, getting ready for it, and then being told it wasn’t happening (we survived)
3. Smoking. This one did bother me. The last few resorts we have been to have strictly followed the new smoking laws. Which works well for us as non-smokers. This resort doesn’t enforce it, and many guests (not all, this isn’t a blanket statement against smokers), smoked at pool loungers, walking through the hallways, jungle walkway, etc. The colonial lobby was the worst. On vacation, I prefer the smell of salt water and fresh air, not someone else’s habit. I did encounter many courteous guests who would leave their lounger and smoke at the side. At the pop party at the beach, some inconsiderate woman lit up in front of the windy beach and blew her whole cigarette all over everyone for about 10 minutes. Thanks!
4. The bathroom mirrors in the Kantenah rooms. Listen, these mirrors have like a ring light around them. They make you look SO GOOD. My issue? This is not what I look like away from this mirror, so stop tricking me. This is not what I look like! Just give me the cold hard truth
5. This isn’t a complaint, but rather a tip. BOOK PRIVATE TRANSFER. We did, and honestly, as a person who doesn’t car ride well, wouldn’t have made it otherwise.

This was our experience as guests of Family Selection at Grand Palladium Kantenah. We loved it, it exceeded our expectations, and would recommend the resort to anyone! Huge thank you to this group – the only reason I’m still on FB is for helpful groups like this. These groups can be daunting (they are often venting grounds), but I have found it so helpful! Thank-you. Well done if you made it to the end of this

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