Gran Bahia Principe Akumal/Tulum/Coba - POST HERE!

[melady24]

Hi, Julie!  There are tons of fun stuff to do.  Frankly, some of our guests said that the resort is soo much fun that they did not want to get off the resort.  It has water sports, snorkling, volleyball, etc.... we did not get a chance to do any of the stuff they offered, but many of our guest did and they loved it.

 

As for the excursions - we did Rio Secreto, FANTASTIC!!!  It's a system of underground rivers where you can walk and swim.  They give you PFD, helmet, flash light, watershoes, and wet suite.  We did 1.5 hour tour.  We walked the most part and swam for the last 15 minutes.  If we could do it over again, I would do 5 hour tour - you get a lot more swimming/floating and snorkling....

 

Some of our guest went to Coba - resort has two tours one is more history oriented and one sports oriented.  Our guests loved both, but it's what they like more.  In the sport one you get to do zip lining, kayaking, I think snorkling, but not sure and Coba ruins tour.  

 

Some of our guests did catamaran snorkling (also booked through the resort).  They take you towards your snorkling location, you get to see turtles and fishes and then they feed you lunch of lobster (I believe) and serve drinks.

 

I would suggest planning for tours on your first or second day of vacation since popular tours get booked very quickly.

 

We, however, did some taxiing around...  We got a taxi to Tulum ruins and walked around on our own.  You can get a tour guide in different languages right on the spot.  There is an awesome view from the ruins.  I believe Tulum ruins are the only once right on the ocean.  The view is breathtaking.  There is a beach right on there, but I would suggest getting yourself to the public beach right beside ruins.  There are two entrances to the ruins.  One is where most of people get dripped off (you have to walk about 750 meters to the ruins) and then there is another entrance which are known mostly by locals.  If you stay with your back to the ocean, walk left on the walking path and you would be able to get to that entrance.  You will get out to the road and keep left.  Taxi guys will ask if you need any ride and that public beach is very far.  But if you are not afraid of walking, the beach is located about 700 meters away (they say 1.2 km, but I think it is less then that).  Walk right on the road (there is nowhere to turn anyway) and you will see on your left a huge sign saying public beach.  Walk all the way to the bottom of the hill, you will see houses and beach to your left.  It is very long and very nice and you can see ruins in the background.   We spend their about 2 hours with not a lot of people on it.  Where on Tulum ruins beach, there is no place to put your stuff since the beach is very small and there are tons of tourists.  NOTE:  you can only walk to that beach if you are on your own. You would not be able to skip from the tour.

Originally Posted by Julie2011 

Great Review...Makes me so excited...only 8 more day till we leave...ahhh

 

Any suggestions from past brides on excursions or any fun stuff I should tell my guests to do off the resort?

Can you buy excursion packages at the resort, are they good ones?

 

Did anybody go to Walmart in Playa?? I know random question- but Im trying to find out if they sell baby food and the Quality of it

 

 

 

[Danibunny]

Thanks for your comments girls :0)

 

I can confirm i have had my date set and confirmed since last year! and i emailed Paloma after it came to my attention that Karla had left,

I have also forwarded Paloma the email from Karla confirming everything once i was passed on to Maria to 'cover' any thing like this happening!

 

Andree- Thank you for confirming both Akumal and coba are gorgeous- we are still confirmed for wedding location at Akumal Hammock area this has not changed ,only the hotel in which we are all staying-I know it's not a big problem -but you know what it's like when you have things set in your head :0)

just was disappointing especially on the back of losing Karla -And to perfectly honest I have had to wait weeks on end for replies from Maria so feel even more upset to have lost Karla,  she was so helpful- but i totally understand how hard they all work in resort and 'm sure Maria will be fantastic -it's just nice to hear back sooner especially when the clock is ticking and big changes like this are happening!.

 

we are having our reception meal at the Italian and yes there are 3 spas one in each hotel Paloma informed of this -I have since emailed Paloma to see how i go about changing my wedding day appointments from Coba spa to Akumal spa but perhaps this wont be a problem??

 

 

Sposa- thank you for your comments-I have already had my Travel agents send a request a few months ago as after Karla left Paloma mentioned we maybe located in Akumal- to which i forwarded the emails from Karla confirming we were at Coba- it's my understanding that 'first choice' as of May 2011 are contracted to Akumal only- however we have had this wedding and holiday booked since MAY 2010 so should not apply- Paloma was sent the request from my tour operator and i was cc'd in on all correspondence- then yesterday Maria informed me we are in Akumal??!! when i was sure this had all be sorted

 

Gonna try not to let it worry me if we are in Akumal we are in Akumal  i know the whole resort is gorgeous from our previous stay a few years ago but we tended to stay in Coba as that's where we were -just feared we were losing out and maybe being off loaded lol :0)

 

Melady24- thanks for confirming the distance for me i do remember Coba and Akumal being close from last time we were there,

 

Perhaps I'll get something chucked in after all this lol :0) maybe free hair styling or a head massage god knows i could do with one of them lol ha ha ha xx

 

 

I honestly dont mind but just felt i bit deflated after all the ringing and emailing around i had to do previously to get this sorted like us bride to be's aren't busy enough lol :0)

[cdlillad]

Sunshine - You may want to try airbrush makeup in Calgary first to see how you like it.  My mom got her makeup airbrushed recently in Houston and she didn't like it.  She ended up wiping some of it off, she said it seemed too caked on. But it could depend on where you have it done.  I think if you find a makeup artist that you like and you view other brides that have used them, you will be good with regular makeup.  The only thing you would need is some blotting papers, as I think Sposa recommended.  Where I live in Houston it gets very humid at times and my makeup doesn't come off, I just get really shiny/oily looking.  So I think blotting papers would do the trick.

 

I looked at a lot of pictures of brides that had their makeup done by Sara Tamargo and at the end of the night their makeup still looks beautiful.  That's how I decided to have Sara do my makeup for me.

[crystalz]

melady24- thanks for answering how long the walk is!! thats beautiful amount of time. i got the blissful package that comes with 10 free photos, will he only do the ceremony for that package as well? because i only want him to shoot the ceremony and thats it lol
 

Originally Posted by melady24 

Hi, girls!  We just got back!  Congratulations to those that just got married!  I saw same beautiful weddings!!!  We got married at the Akumal Beach location.  The walk is about 1 min 30 sec to 2 min depends how you walk.  My song was 2 minutes long and I had some time left in it. The guy who regulates music sits just right next to the location and he can see when to turn music off or on.  His timing is excellent.  I will do my review a bit later (had to go to work today... grrr..)

 

Photos:  We had Nestor.  He is AWESOME!!!!  He can do different types of photographs (classic, candid, journalistic type, you  name it).  We budgeted for the cheapest (Basic package), but ended up buying 140 photos as out of all photos we did not like only 10-15 photographs.  So if you are going with the resort photographer - Nestor is your guy.  I am sure the other photographers there are as great.  

 

For those of you who think of brining your photographer to the resort, this is how their photography session works.  If you book Remember package you get 10 photographs free.  This photos are ceremony only!  So basically saying, resort photographer will be there only during your 15-20 minute ceremony and you can choose your free photographs.  That is it.  No photographs of bride getting ready, no photos after the ceremony.  He/She will leave after your ceremony is done.  Maria (is the person who you are meeting with at the resort to sign your contract for photography) is VERY pushy.  She does not know how photography works, what photographers do, etc.  She is there only to sign you up for the contract.  He favourite answer to any question is "sign this contract and I will answer your questions".  Anyway.  You have an option not to sign that contract and photographer will only show up for the ceremony.  That way, you photographer who is coming with you (make sure he/she is a guest at the resort) will have not problems taking your photos after the ceremony and definitely not a problem for pics before the ceremony.  (It was not said to me directly, but we asked Maria and Nestor all questions indirectly and got our answers).  But seriously, in my opinion their photographers know what they are doing and you pay fairly the same amount as if you would pay your photographer.  

 

Good luck to those who are still in the planning process!  I will put pictures on the web soon so you can see location and pics, etc.

 

[melady24]

yeah, I just quoted as an example, because I think other packages have other number of free prints.  Whatever free prints you have in your package, it will be for ceremony only.  Meet with that Maria person anyway to confirm that you want only ceremony photographed and that's it.  They have a schedule of the day down there in the office, make sure that they have you down for ceremony only.  Just so you understand.  Ceremony is you walking down to the beach and the minute you hear "I pronounce you husband and wife" I think he will not take any pictures after that.  So no group pics, family pics, etc.  If that is what you want, then your free pics will cover it.
 

Originally Posted by crystalz 

melady24- thanks for answering how long the walk is!! thats beautiful amount of time. i got the blissful package that comes with 10 free photos, will he only do the ceremony for that package as well? because i only want him to shoot the ceremony and thats it lol
 

 

 

[crystalz]

Yes, that is exactly what I want because I'm bringing down the photographer that did our engagement photos here in BC with us. Just paying her way and she is doing 400 photos for us so that's perfect!!
 

Originally Posted by melady24 

yeah, I just quoted as an example, because I think other packages have other number of free prints.  Whatever free prints you have in your package, it will be for ceremony only.  Meet with that Maria person anyway to confirm that you want only ceremony photographed and that's it.  They have a schedule of the day down there in the office, make sure that they have you down for ceremony only.  Just so you understand.  Ceremony is you walking down to the beach and the minute you hear "I pronounce you husband and wife" I think he will not take any pictures after that.  So no group pics, family pics, etc.  If that is what you want, then your free pics will cover it.
 

 

 

[crystalz]

abbie32

 

what kind of fabric did you bring down??

[jody11]

 

 

Originally Posted by cdlillad 

 

Tara - Your pictures are just gorgeous.  Did you have to pay extra for the photographer to take pictures at your reception?  Also, where did you get those cute starfish necklaces for the bridesmaids?

 

jody11 and Jemma - What is your email address? I can send you the catalog of flowers.  But honestly it's not very helpful.  You are better off showing your wedding coordinator a picture of what you want and they can replicate it.

 

Jemma - Have you set a date and location with Paloma yet?  Once you set the date and location, she will assign you a wedding coordinator.  Which email address are you sending to?

[email protected]

 

 

 

[Sunshine2680]

Hi cdlillad - ya - trying it in Calgary wouldn't do much - as its very dry here

However- I was just in Vegas last week and had it done for our engagement pictures and I actually thought it was nice - didn't feel caked on at all
I think i will check out Sara Tamargo - does she have a website? Or on FB?
the blotting papers is a good idea also -  i dont have too many issues sweating - even have botox done for my underarms - i just know how humid it is down in Mexico and was worried

about makeup running
Im just glad its possible to bring in someone from the outside for makeup and hair - the resort seems such a stickler for outside photographers

Originally Posted by cdlillad 

Sunshine - You may want to try airbrush makeup in Calgary first to see how you like it.  My mom got her makeup airbrushed recently in Houston and she didn't like it.  She ended up wiping some of it off, she said it seemed too caked on. But it could depend on where you have it done.  I think if you find a makeup artist that you like and you view other brides that have used them, you will be good with regular makeup.  The only thing you would need is some blotting papers, as I think Sposa recommended.  Where I live in Houston it gets very humid at times and my makeup doesn't come off, I just get really shiny/oily looking.  So I think blotting papers would do the trick.

 

I looked at a lot of pictures of brides that had their makeup done by Sara Tamargo and at the end of the night their makeup still looks beautiful.  That's how I decided to have Sara do my makeup for me.

 

[crystalz]

i wondered about the humidity too, my face gets oily fast with makeup on in the first place :S my friend/BM is doing our makeup
 

Originally Posted by Sunshine2680 

Hi cdlillad - ya - trying it in Calgary wouldn't do much - as its very dry here

However- I was just in Vegas last week and had it done for our engagement pictures and I actually thought it was nice - didn't feel caked on at all
I think i will check out Sara Tamargo - does she have a website? Or on FB?
the blotting papers is a good idea also -  i dont have too many issues sweating - even have botox done for my underarms - i just know how humid it is down in Mexico and was worried

about makeup running
Im just glad its possible to bring in someone from the outside for makeup and hair - the resort seems such a stickler for outside photographers