Park Royal Tips and suggestions

[jbjclj]

We have been going to Cozumel for 30 years and have stayed all over the island. We got a great deal on Park Royal for 2 weeks so decided to try it. $2600 for 2 weeks for 2 including air from LAX. The fact that it is close to town, makes it easy to go in for dinner even though it is AI.

I have heard varying reports on Trip Advisor from "Fabulous to Horrible". I have seen some trip reports here and they seem to be positive. Any specific suggestions on the hotel itself????

How to get a room with a view or best floor to be on?
Reservations for dinner or best restaurants in the hotel (we will probably do breakfast and lunch and a few dinners)?
Pier negotiation? Pier fee?
Any other things you think important

We'll be there 4/7-4/21 diving with Christi.

Thanks

Cheryl

 

[PARADISE HUNTER]

I have heard varying reports on Trip Advisor from "Fabulous to Horrible". I have seen some trip reports here and they seem to be positive. Any specific suggestions on the hotel itself????
I've stayed there three times and would recommend it to others. It was rebuilt after Wilma hit and is beautiful. I think it's the best value for an AI on Cozumel.

How to get a room with a view or best floor to be on?
Ask for a room on the 5th floor or higher. Does your reservation say "Ocean View"? If so getting the room should be no problem. If not, just ask nicely for one and be patient. All three times, I was upgraded at no cost. The last time I had to wait a few hours (we got in at 9:30 a.m.) but got a top floor room. Awesome views..

Reservations for dinner or best restaurants in the hotel (we will probably do breakfast and lunch and a few dinners)? We only ate at the Italian restaurant and the food was pretty good. The breakfeasts and lunches were great at the buffet and the Caribbean night was also great! All other nights we went into town, short cab ride away.

Pier negotiation? Pier fee?
$2 per person. Two days no one was around and I didn't have to pay it, so I wouldn't pay it all at once if your bothered by it. The amount of money is small in comparison to the rest of the trip, but it bothers me on principle. Aqua World owns the pier and charge PR customers a fee to use it. Yet AW is advertising their activities in several areas of the PR resort. Seems like the pier service should have been negotiated by PR for their guests.

Any other things you think important
I know Blue XT will keep your gear, but I'm not sure about your wet suits. Aldora did not. We just rinsed them at the beach showers and hung them over one of the walls by the beach for the rest of the day. No one bothered them and you don't have to drag a dripping wet suit back to your room.

Be smart about the time share guys. If you think your going to get a free snorkel trip or a jeep rental for 20 minutes of talk, your wrong. Just say hello and no thanks. That's all it takes. I've never had a problem with a time share salesman in Mexico.

Have fun and I hope you enjoy the hotel.

PH

 

[firstdive2005]

2600$ for 2weeks and air-wow what a smoking deal. Man I own a holiday share and have to pay 160day for 2. Maybe April they drop the day rate a bit. But youve got a sweet deal.
All the info you just got from PH is right on the money.
If you take a laptop the only place for wireless is in the lobby under the palapa not in your room.
One thing, they now dont make men where long pants to the reservation restaurants at least they didnt in February.
Your gonna like the place. kev

 

[Sue Sue]

Hi Cheryl, Michael and I stayed at the Park Royal for our "run away from home trip" in June 2007 after our eldest son was married. We to found ourselves there due to a very good deal. We have also stayed in several lodgings over the island and although we prefer a B & B in town place, we did enjoy the Park Royal. Our findings were:

1-It was clean, well kept and service was good. Overall nice.

2-Decent AI buffet meals. Not over the top, but not poor ie: Wyndham a few years ago. My oh my that was not good...but that is another story. The Park Royal buffet was set up very similar to a cruise ship Lido deck fare if you have ever had that pleasure. Otherwise , it is very similar to a good Buffet style restaurant.

3-The rooms are a bit of a walk from your room. You will need to walk past the hotel main pool, down a path, under a tunnel then out to the pier. Blue XT Sea picked us up at the pier and I believe there was a nominal fee. No worries overall, the morning walk was very nice and all you are carrying is your wetsuit and personal items you keep. ie: dive computers, mask, etc.

4-Park Royal does have timeshare opportunities. If you are not interested, then be prepared to be approached often. The very first exposure is when we checked in. We were given and adorned with a colored bracelet at the check in desk. We, and our luggage, were then escorted to a desk at the top of the stairs by a porter. This was the first timeshare opportunity disguised as an activity/orientation desk. I just kept walking down the stairs and motioned to the bellman to come on along. BTW, you will need to go down a flight of stairs to go the elevators that will take you up to your room.

The second opportunity for a timeshare intro is as you pass through the tunnel to the pier and waterfront pool area. Every time we passed there we were called to come over for some "information". It was the third day of our stay that I realized that other people had different colored bracelets on. Michael and I wonder if had agreed to a timeshare meeting that perhaps our bracelet color would have changed and then we would have no longer been bothered. Maybe not...regardless, we just kept on walking and said "No Thanks". The reps were not overbearing as some can be.

Overall, we enjoyed Park Royal and I hope you do too. We may not stay there again, but only because we really like smaller lodgings. However, then again, if the right deal comes along, maybe we will.

Have a great time !

Sue