My Cancun Site Visit (reviews)

[JennyK]

Hi ladies!!! My FH took a quick vacation to Cancun last week to do site visits before making our final FINAL decision. We had decided to do it at the Riu Palace Las Americas but before signing anything we wanted to check it out for ourselves. Can you believe that in the moment I forgot to take pics of most of these places!? I'm sorry I do have pics of the Riu's which I will upload them soon.

 

These are only my opinions, but I do offer this advice - Do site visits! Check out what you are getting yourself into! I would've booked my place just on the pics I saw on the internet and I would've been disappointed.

 

Marriott Casamagna - This is our #1 choice as of right now. The wedding coordinator was amazing, professional and well organized. She showed us many options we can go with. The grounds are absolutely beautiful with plenty of locations for pictures. There's also many different sites for the wedding. The gazebo was the most beautiful with a long walkway but 2 cons from that is that the first floor rooms are right there and the pathway to get to the area isn't that great. For smaller weddings, they have really beautiful fountains where they can set up the tables around them.

 

Riu Cancun - This hotel has a nice gazebo overlooking the water but it isn't private and many of the guests will be walking around. Also, they have a small spot on the beach for the ceremony. The reception isn't private at all and there are a lot of restrictions. You can only chose from 2 of their main restaurants to have the reception and it will be while the other guests of the hotel are eating! The don't allow any music, only 3 songs during the ceremony and your first dance has to be danced right away. If you want a private party, you'd have to rent out their night club for an extra fee ($300+). I'd definitely consider this hotel as a vacation spot but not for my wedding.

 

Riu Palace Las Americas - A little bit more luxurious than the Riu Cancun. Their gazebo is right but the pool so you'll have hotel guests in your background. They also offer a beach ceremony but in order to get there, you have to walk over sand bags and the water rushes up to your feet. Not convenient. Same goes for the reception in their restaurants and if you wanted the private reception, you'd have to go over to the other Riu's nightclub. This hotel is gorgeous but I'd only consider it as a vacation spot.

 

Aqua Cancun - Had to check this place out. Not all-inclusive and very expensive looking. The wedding coordinator was out to lunch so we didn't get to look around. Feels like being in a spa though the minute you walk in the door.

Gran Caribe Real - We really wanted to see this hotel. We asked to see their wedding coordinator but she was too busy and she told us security wouldn't let us look around.

Avalon Baccara - This is a very quaint hotel. I believe it only holds about 50 guests so if you want a small place this is perfect. It's not very luxurious but typical and very nice for pictures. The wedding coordinator does weddings in both Avalons (they are next door to each other) and was helpful. There isn't a beach or gazebo in this hotel but you would be getting married by the pool. They set the tables around the pool area for your reception as well.

 

Avalon Grand - The outside of this hotel is very nice for pictures. They have something that acts like a gazebo but really isn't. It's next to the pool. The hotel itself looks bigger that what it really is. No beach at all.. completely underwater and the waves were hitting the side of the building.

[foxytv]

Great review! It's so good you were able to do a site visit. Wish we had that ability ... but hopefully all will be well with our decisions!

 

Did you notice a difference in the resorts based on price as well (was the nicest also the most expensive, etc).

[JennyK]

Quote:

Originally Posted by foxytv Great review! It's so good you were able to do a site visit. Wish we had that ability ... but hopefully all will be well with our decisions! Did you notice a difference in the resorts based on price as well (was the nicest also the most expensive, etc).

Well, I guess you can say "expensive" for not being all-inclusive. The Marriott is reasonable to stay there, but the fact that its not all-inclusive, it'll end up expensive in the end. The Avalons are very good in price and both have all-inclusive plans. What my FH and I are thinking of doing is... if we do decide with the Marriott, just have the ceremony and reception there but stay somewhere else with the guests. The day of the wedding, I'll have a shuttle bus to take us over to the hotel.

[nic123]

Thank you so much for this. I've been wanting info on the 2 Riu hotels and there isn't much on this board. Most cancun brides are Dreams Cancun.

 

I wanted to ask about the Riu gazebos around sunset. Are there less guests walking around at that time? I realized that their gazebos were right by the pool, especially the palace. I thought the onlookers might die down w/the sun. Or, they could still be there after drinking all day! Which could be a potential disaster!

[JennyK]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nic123 Thank you so much for this. I've been wanting info on the 2 Riu hotels and there isn't much on this board. Most cancun brides are Dreams Cancun. I wanted to ask about the Riu gazebos around sunset. Are there less guests walking around at that time? I realized that their gazebos were right by the pool, especially the palace. I thought the onlookers might die down w/the sun. Or, they could still be there after drinking all day! Which could be a potential disaster!

The gazebos will look gorgeous at sunset. I can only assume that they're be less people. I was there at 1pm and if course there were many people all around. At the Las Americas, its right at the pool. At the Riu Cancun, it's away almost in a garden.

[JennyK]

Sorry the pics look a lil dark, the sun was in a weird spot when I wanted to take pics..

 

The gazebo at the Riu Palace Las Americas:

 

Gazebo at Riu Cancun:

 

The garden the gazebo is in:

[Opice34]

We did a site visit recently and visited the Casa Magna Marriott. I had the exact same opinion as you did! Josefina was great and the entire staff was wonderful and friendly. And the gazebo is beautiful! (I also didn't like the clost proximity to the rooms.)

 

We are going to a friend's wedding there this summer. I'm sure it will be beautiful! Good choice!

[lastminbride]

Thank YOU so much for this!!!! It's so hard to find basic info like where can I have the reception? How private is it? Etc.. Thank you, thank you, thank you! How was your wedding? What did you end up doing.