Dreams Riviera Cancun - Brides post here (new thread)

[coloradobridesmom]

Hi Everyone,

We just got back from my daughters wedding at the resort. It was beautiful. You should be really pleased when all is said and done. They do so many weddings it is unreal. Anna said she has 336 weddings this year not to mention all the other parties she has to do. She is great to work with and you can negotiate when you get there. I know she is hard to contact but she works nonstop. I've seen her working in the morning till late at night. We made an appointment while checking into the resort. We chose not to have the cocktail hour and mariachi band and used the band for the sound system at the reception (brought an ipod and someone works it for you) applied the cocktail hour to our other guests(9 extra) dinners. Had to pay for more flowers though for the beach set up and bouquets for 4 bridesmaids, 6 boutineres for the guys and dads. flower for the moms. Then the moms and bridesmaids had their hair done and we paid for that. Not too bad. The kids came in under budget and everyone had a fantastic time. Alot of people just went to freshen up and some went to bar during the time pictures were being done before the reception. We had the microphone with the sound system and everyone gave their speeches and we were able to announce the bride and groom and do the traditional dances. they choose the chicken for dinner and it was a roll up which was awesome. They thought it might have been the same one they serve in the Italian restaurant. Not sure though. the weddings in the gazebo everyone watches and everyone claps and you are front and center pretty much. We were set up on the left side of the beach and even though people were there and watching it wasn't quite as out in the open. Just something to think about. One night there were 3 wedding reception and a dinner going on so it can be quite lively. We chose not to have a dj as there were only 30 of us. But I saw a wedding with a dj and not too much dancing going on and then down the beach another wedding with a large young crowd with a dj and everyone was dancing. I would chose whether to have one based on the kind of crowd you have with you.

you will need to pack imodium and pepto as everyone seemed to have had something going on while there. anti-itch cream is a must along with some off. We had the off lotion and rubbed it on our feet and legs at night if we were going down to the beach but everyone else we were with got bit up a bit. Really good sunscreen is a must. Even though I went tanning before arriving my forehead and nose got burnt pretty good. I was using sunscreen too. My sister brought the banana boat 70 sunscreen and they didn't get burnt. Mine was cheap walmart equate 30. Guess that was my mistake.

 

The food at the resort is awesome and the employees do work their tails off. They are very friendly and at your service as they like to say. The girls that do hair also do massages. I had Rosy do an 80 minute swedish message and it was the best ever. She is amazing. You really need to have the spa experience. It is worth every penny.

 

We walked down the beach (45 min) to the closet town to try some shopping but there wasn't too much there. Better off hanging out on the beach as people come by selling stuff. Also there is a cart on the premises with some stuff and they had vendors come in a couple of times while we were there.

 

The ocean is seaweedy and churned up a bit so not clear and turquoise like some beaches. They spend alot of time grooming it though. My son and his girlfriend went scrub diving through american express and they said it was their worst dive ever. It wasn't clear at all for seeing fish. They were disappointed. Not sure if its better on some days than others. I would check around and see what others who have gone have to say before booking. We pretty much chose to just hang at the resort since everything was included and it was very nice right there.

 

Guys must have long pants, sleeved shirts and nice shoes to get in most of the restaurants so be prepared. It can be blue jeans. It is more strict than their website says. Most of the women wore dresses at night. People dress up every evening so make sure all your people know so they can pack accordingly. We had a few not pack long pants and they missed out on the nice French and Italian. Although they pick one restaurant each evening that you can wear shorts at. Never the French or Italian. Just be forewarned.

 

If you have any questions let me know and I can try and answer them.

[tsgnatko]

jstock311 - who did you go through that gave you these rates?

[JD Hall Wedding]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jstock311 These are the group rates we got: Inclusions Hotel accommodations, all-inclusive meal plan, hotel taxes and round trip airport-hotel transfers. •One (1) Complimentary VIP room upgrade for every 10 rooms booked •One (1) Complimentary room for every 15 rooms paid, based on double occupancy, in the lead category (up to 4 rooms free) •$100.00 in resort coupons per person (Resort coupons are applicable at the Spa (up to $40.00 per every 50 minute treatment, not applicable to Beauty Salon and Kids menu on Dreams) •Private Check In for the group •Welcome drink and cool towel upon arrival for the group •Romantic dinners (up to $60.00 per every romantic dinner scheduled with the Concierge) •$10.00 for every bottle of wine purchased Prices: The prices listed below are based on a minimum of 10 ROOMS and the above-mentioned inclusions. A group cannot drop below a minimum of 10 rooms and still be considered a group, regardless of hotel reduction policy. January 20-23, 2011 – 6 Premium Deluxe Tropical/Garden View Rooms $561.00 per person based on double occupancy $699.00 per person based on single occupancy $560.00 per person based on triple occupancy $143.00 per child age 3-12 $29.00 per child under 2 Additional nights are subject to availability at the following per person per night rates: Double = $177.00 per person per night Single = $223.00 per person per night Triple = $177.00 per person per night Child age 3-12 = $38.00 per child per night January 20-23, 2011 – 2 Premium Deluxe Ocean View Rooms $592.00 per person based on double occupancy $728.00 per person based on single occupancy $589.00 per person based on triple occupancy $143.00 per child age 3-12 $29.00 per child under 2 Additional nights are subject to availability at the following per person per night rates: Double = $188.00 per person per night Single = $233.00 per person per night Triple = $187.00 per person per night Child age 3-12 = $38.00 per child per night January 20-23, 2011 – 2 Premium Deluxe Plunge Pool Rooms $620.00 per person based on double occupancy $750.00 per person based on single occupancy $613.00 per person based on triple occupancy $143.00 per child age 3-12 $29.00 per child under 2 Additional nights are subject to availability at the following per person per night rates: Double = $197.00 per person per night Single = $240.00 per person per night Triple = $194.00 per person per night Child age 3-12 = $38.00 per child per night Any changes in the Group specifications, whether due to reduction/additions of persons to the Group, date changes, etc. may result in a change in the rate per person, and hence overall price. Additions will be based on availability. Check In/Check Out: Check-in time is 3:00 p.m. Check-out time is 12:00 p.m. Payments/Due dates: Initial Deposit: $50.00 per adultDue: June 7, 2010 with the submission of this signed contract Rooming ListDue: Sixty days prior to departure Final Bill (based on rooming list)Due: upon receipt of bill

How many nights is the initial rate for?

[FutureMrsRobart]

Quote:

Originally Posted by coloradobridesmom Hi Everyone, We just got back from my daughters wedding at the resort. It was beautiful. You should be really pleased when all is said and done. They do so many weddings it is unreal. Anna said she has 336 weddings this year not to mention all the other parties she has to do. She is great to work with and you can negotiate when you get there. I know she is hard to contact but she works nonstop. I've seen her working in the morning till late at night. We made an appointment while checking into the resort. We chose not to have the cocktail hour and mariachi band and used the band for the sound system at the reception (brought an ipod and someone works it for you) applied the cocktail hour to our other guests(9 extra) dinners. Had to pay for more flowers though for the beach set up and bouquets for 4 bridesmaids, 6 boutineres for the guys and dads. flower for the moms. Then the moms and bridesmaids had their hair done and we paid for that. Not too bad. The kids came in under budget and everyone had a fantastic time. Alot of people just went to freshen up and some went to bar during the time pictures were being done before the reception. We had the microphone with the sound system and everyone gave their speeches and we were able to announce the bride and groom and do the traditional dances. they choose the chicken for dinner and it was a roll up which was awesome. They thought it might have been the same one they serve in the Italian restaurant. Not sure though. the weddings in the gazebo everyone watches and everyone claps and you are front and center pretty much. We were set up on the left side of the beach and even though people were there and watching it wasn't quite as out in the open. Just something to think about. One night there were 3 wedding reception and a dinner going on so it can be quite lively. We chose not to have a dj as there were only 30 of us. But I saw a wedding with a dj and not too much dancing going on and then down the beach another wedding with a large young crowd with a dj and everyone was dancing. I would chose whether to have one based on the kind of crowd you have with you. you will need to pack imodium and pepto as everyone seemed to have had something going on while there. anti-itch cream is a must along with some off. We had the off lotion and rubbed it on our feet and legs at night if we were going down to the beach but everyone else we were with got bit up a bit. Really good sunscreen is a must. Even though I went tanning before arriving my forehead and nose got burnt pretty good. I was using sunscreen too. My sister brought the banana boat 70 sunscreen and they didn't get burnt. Mine was cheap walmart equate 30. Guess that was my mistake. The food at the resort is awesome and the employees do work their tails off. They are very friendly and at your service as they like to say. The girls that do hair also do massages. I had Rosy do an 80 minute swedish message and it was the best ever. She is amazing. You really need to have the spa experience. It is worth every penny. We walked down the beach (45 min) to the closet town to try some shopping but there wasn't too much there. Better off hanging out on the beach as people come by selling stuff. Also there is a cart on the premises with some stuff and they had vendors come in a couple of times while we were there. The ocean is seaweedy and churned up a bit so not clear and turquoise like some beaches. They spend alot of time grooming it though. My son and his girlfriend went scrub diving through american express and they said it was their worst dive ever. It wasn't clear at all for seeing fish. They were disappointed. Not sure if its better on some days than others. I would check around and see what others who have gone have to say before booking. We pretty much chose to just hang at the resort since everything was included and it was very nice right there. Guys must have long pants, sleeved shirts and nice shoes to get in most of the restaurants so be prepared. It can be blue jeans. It is more strict than their website says. Most of the women wore dresses at night. People dress up every evening so make sure all your people know so they can pack accordingly. We had a few not pack long pants and they missed out on the nice French and Italian. Although they pick one restaurant each evening that you can wear shorts at. Never the French or Italian. Just be forewarned. If you have any questions let me know and I can try and answer them.

Thanks for the mini review - good stuff to know :-)

[ebernard4985]

FYI... this is what I was told by the resort:

 

Pools are open from 9am to 6pm

Sugar Reef Bar - 10am to 11pm

Manatees - 9am to 5pm

Rendezvous - 9am to 1am

Barracuda Bar - 10am to 9:30pm

Desires - 6pm to 1am

[alisonpaige]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ebernard4985 For those of you who have already stayed at the resort.... is it true that the beach bar closes pretty early? I was hoping to have my guests hang out here while we take pictures instead of paying the extra money for the cocktail hour. Also, I read on trip advisor ( i know, i need to stay off that site ) that there are armed military patrolling the beach at night, and you are not allowed to walk around the resort after dark.... how accurate is this? I know my family members were hoping to swim at night... is this not allowed

I just got back last Friday and It was amazing. My friends did see an armed military one time during the day quite a ways down the beach. The resort does have security out all night checking the beaches. You can be on the beach my husband and his friends were out at around 2 am they don't care they just don't want people in the ocean. The pools closed at around 8. We had a plunge pool however so we could swim whenever. The jacuzzi's are open until around 10 or 10:30 I think though, depending on the weather for the day they could be chilly or super hot since they are not really hot tubs. It was raining the whole first week we were there so they were pretty cold, but when it was sunny out they where almost unbearably hot. Its fun because around 5 or 6 they put out a bottle of champagne and 2 flutes for whoever is there. Hope this helps!

[wisconsinbride2010]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SDbeachgirl I believe it was around $1250 for the 50 person catamaran for 3 hours and transportation to and from the resort. We had originally thought about going with the 40 person boat. There was only 35 of us, but we wanted to make sure everyone was comfortable and there was room for everyone to sit and/or walk around. I'm happy with our choice, though I'm sure the smaller one would have been just fine. You might be able to find something different for transportation but I felt more comfortable going with the same company...this way if anything happened, I was not held responsible. The price of the catamaran also included all you can drink and some dry snacks. I would remind your guests to grab something to eat prior to the cruise as the snacks don't go far. The sandwhiches at the coffee shop worked perfect for this! You could even have people bring a sandwhich with them, if they wanted. The person that I had been emailing regarding my reservations was VERY helpful and responsive to my emails. His name is Jose and his contact info is: [email protected] I highly recommend contacting him if you are interested in this.

Thanks so much for the info. We wanted to do something like this for our guests, so this is very helpful!

[reaganlane]

Quote:

Originally Posted by coloradobridesmom Hi Everyone, We just got back from my daughters wedding at the resort. It was beautiful. You should be really pleased when all is said and done. They do so many weddings it is unreal. Anna said she has 336 weddings this year not to mention all the other parties she has to do. She is great to work with and you can negotiate when you get there. I know she is hard to contact but she works nonstop. I've seen her working in the morning till late at night. We made an appointment while checking into the resort. We chose not to have the cocktail hour and mariachi band and used the band for the sound system at the reception (brought an ipod and someone works it for you) applied the cocktail hour to our other guests(9 extra) dinners. Had to pay for more flowers though for the beach set up and bouquets for 4 bridesmaids, 6 boutineres for the guys and dads. flower for the moms. Then the moms and bridesmaids had their hair done and we paid for that. Not too bad. The kids came in under budget and everyone had a fantastic time. Alot of people just went to freshen up and some went to bar during the time pictures were being done before the reception. We had the microphone with the sound system and everyone gave their speeches and we were able to announce the bride and groom and do the traditional dances. they choose the chicken for dinner and it was a roll up which was awesome. They thought it might have been the same one they serve in the Italian restaurant. Not sure though. the weddings in the gazebo everyone watches and everyone claps and you are front and center pretty much. We were set up on the left side of the beach and even though people were there and watching it wasn't quite as out in the open. Just something to think about. One night there were 3 wedding reception and a dinner going on so it can be quite lively. We chose not to have a dj as there were only 30 of us. But I saw a wedding with a dj and not too much dancing going on and then down the beach another wedding with a large young crowd with a dj and everyone was dancing. I would chose whether to have one based on the kind of crowd you have with you. you will need to pack imodium and pepto as everyone seemed to have had something going on while there. anti-itch cream is a must along with some off. We had the off lotion and rubbed it on our feet and legs at night if we were going down to the beach but everyone else we were with got bit up a bit. Really good sunscreen is a must. Even though I went tanning before arriving my forehead and nose got burnt pretty good. I was using sunscreen too. My sister brought the banana boat 70 sunscreen and they didn't get burnt. Mine was cheap walmart equate 30. Guess that was my mistake. The food at the resort is awesome and the employees do work their tails off. They are very friendly and at your service as they like to say. The girls that do hair also do massages. I had Rosy do an 80 minute swedish message and it was the best ever. She is amazing. You really need to have the spa experience. It is worth every penny. We walked down the beach (45 min) to the closet town to try some shopping but there wasn't too much there. Better off hanging out on the beach as people come by selling stuff. Also there is a cart on the premises with some stuff and they had vendors come in a couple of times while we were there. The ocean is seaweedy and churned up a bit so not clear and turquoise like some beaches. They spend alot of time grooming it though. My son and his girlfriend went scrub diving through american express and they said it was their worst dive ever. It wasn't clear at all for seeing fish. They were disappointed. Not sure if its better on some days than others. I would check around and see what others who have gone have to say before booking. We pretty much chose to just hang at the resort since everything was included and it was very nice right there. Guys must have long pants, sleeved shirts and nice shoes to get in most of the restaurants so be prepared. It can be blue jeans. It is more strict than their website says. Most of the women wore dresses at night. People dress up every evening so make sure all your people know so they can pack accordingly. We had a few not pack long pants and they missed out on the nice French and Italian. Although they pick one restaurant each evening that you can wear shorts at. Never the French or Italian. Just be forewarned. If you have any questions let me know and I can try and answer them.

Thanks so much for the review! Glad ur daughters wedding was awesome!

[jstock311]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pbjwed arent kids 12 and under free?

No, kids aren't free unfortunately.

[jstock311]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tsgnatko jstock311 - who did you go through that gave you these rates?

These rates are through American Express Group Travel.