Catalonia Riviera Maya

i need to make some corrections on my travel letter. i'll post that too.

i thought of a couple more things. There was a laundry service. You put your stuff in a bag that was in the room & filled out a form. it was about $1.50 per item to be ironed. Washing was about that much too. There was a washer & dryer below the lobby you could pay per load. My dad & some other guests had their wedding clothes ironed.

I'll scan some stuff later. it has the laundry prices, etc.

also, some of the restaurant times were wrong on my welcome letter. i brought all that info home so I can scan it.

Telephone

The Country code for Mexico is 52The area code for*Riviera Maya*is 984

To call Mexico from the US dial 011-52-984 + the number

To call the US from Mexico dial 001-area code + the number

US consulate in Playa del Carmen

[52] (984) 873-0303

 

The front desk will tell you anyone's room number. You can call other rooms for no charge.

 

Anytime you travel, there is a risk of becoming sick from drinking water.

 

The water served at the hotel is purified & safe.* Here are some tips about staying healthy in Mexico:-Drink water served at the hotel & bottled water only.* Do not drink from the tap.-Avoid salads or any uncooked fruits or vegetables that could have been washed in contaminated water.* Fruits with a peel are fine.* -When off property, you are safer to drink bottled beer, bottled water, or bottled coke.* If the place does not use clean water, their ice and glasses can be contaminated.-Eat plenty of yogurt during the trip. You can brush your teeth with the tap water, just don't swallow it. The hotel provides two large bottles of water. You can refill them with clean water at the buffets.

 

*Tip* make your reservations for the `a la carte restaurants right away. You can make a reservation one day in advance*

 

Restaurant Alebrijes Mexican dishes, `a la carte only for dinner with reservations.

Times: 6:30pm to 9:30pm *

Bellavista Italian dishes, `a la carte only for dinner with reservations.

Times: 6:30pm to 9:30pm *

Bamboleo Grill Steakhouse, `a la carte with reservations for dinner.

Times: 7:30pm to 9:30pm *

Bamboleo Snack Bar Times: 11:00am to 5:30pm *

La Creperie Crepes & Ice Creams Times: 5:00pm to 11:00pm *

La Brisa International Buffet, breakfast, lunch and dinner. With no need to reserve. Times: 7:00am-11am breakfast, 12:30-3:30 lunch, 6:30-10:30 dinner *

El Mercado International Buffet, breakfast, lunch and dinner. With no need to reserve. Times: 07:00am to 9:30pm (Staggered times). The El Mercado buffet is only open when the hotel is over 75% occupancy, typically on weekends*

Bamboleo Snackbar, Times: 10:00am to 02:00am *

 

El Abuelo Lobby Bar Times: 5:00pm to midnight

La Terraza Bar Times 5:00pm to midnight*

Disco Times 11pm to 02:00am *

Tequila Pool Bar 10:00am to midnight *

Margarita Pool Bar Times: 10:00am to 6:00pm

Looky bar Times: 10:00am to 10pm *

Sport Bar Bar with board games, pool, table football, electronic games and golf simulator Times: 4:00pm to 11pm

 

 

Paamul is a great place for snorkeling just 2 miles north of our hotel. Tell the bellhop you want a cab. It should be $8 each way. There is an office where the cab drops you off in Paamul that will call you a cab when you are ready to return to the hotel. There is a shop at the lagoon that rents snorkeling equipment for about $12. Our hotel also has equipment you can borrow.

 

There is a marina within walking distance of the hotel. The marina has many shops, restaurants and an internet café. You can also watch manatees, sea lions & dolphins swimming in the marina.

 

There are kayaks, sailboats, snorkeling gear, bike rentals, and catermaran rides at the hotel for no cost.

 

The hotel puts on nightly shows. There is also a sport bar that has pool tables & a golf simulator. The disco opens at 11.

 

 

The hotel provides a shuttle to Playa del Carmen (20 minutes north of our hotel). PDC’s 5th avenue (Avenida Quinta) is a pedestrian street full of shops and cafés. If you do not want to travel to PDC during the scheduled times, you can get your own cab for about $16 each way.

 

If you would like to see the sun rise

or set, be on the beach at 6am or 7:30pm. (*****adjust this for the time you will be there.)

not sure why all the *'s showed up. i just copied this off my welcome letter & made a few corrections

 

this little bridge was gone so you couldn't walk over the the island from the catalonia side. there were private villas & condos on the other side of the lagoon. People from that side were walking out on the island.

Morgan, Since these are two hotel, do they diff. restaurants and pools and beaches and stuff? Can guests from one take advantage of the other's facilities?

Also, not sure if missed this part, but would you have the WC's e-mail?

Thanks!

they share everything. it's just a different lobby for checking in. most people don't realize there are two hotels. it feels like 1 place.

[email protected]

It looks like everyone is having trouble setting a date. I had a hard time with that part. once the date was set it was all easy. I think they just don't make an effort to help you set a date that is about a year out. But, I'm not comfortable booking a flight & sending out save the dates until I have it booked. so you really have to hound them on that.

So the WC just answered me. I am trying to book for Jan 30/09....she tells me to write her in a month!!!! What?! Hells no! I need to send out the invites! What are they thinking? They're going to loose a group here!

Should I write back and hassle her?

are you doing legal or symbolic? if you are doing symbolic you have to wait until they can book the judge. i have no idea why they make it so hard to reserve a date.

We're doing symbolic, symbolic means no judge.

 

Morgan, was the beach really rocky? Do you really need water shoes everywhere?

 

I'm sort of stuck between two hotels, the Grand Oasis Marien in Puerto Plata and Cat.

 

Trying to do the pro's and con's thing

 

Thanks!

 

BTW, I love your photos! I am totally thinking of stealing your steamy night pictures idea

I think you should definitely write back and hassle her!! When I told her I needed to know to send out the invites to everyone, that is when she finally let me book the date!

 

Don't give up!