Trip Report - July 18-24 - First Visit To Remodel, 9th Visit Overall

Just returned from what was our 9th trip to TTR - we started going in 2007 - and from what was our first trip to the "New! Improved!" TTR. So, here's a review:

Overall: Overall, honestly this was our best trip ever, but I have to say it has absolutely nothing to do with the newly remodeled resort and everything to do with the people we traveled with, met up with and met while we were there. We shared a plane ride with two dear friend couples we know from the Chicago area, and we met up with 7 couples that we coordinated our travel dates and plans with, and then found at least four other couples we knew from previous years, and met dozens more with whom we'd love to spend more time! Let's face it, we all go because of the people we meet and we know. If you're a first timer and you're reading this trip report, please understand that this resort is about the people you meet. Example: the very first couple we met in Cancun in 2007 at the resort (when it was called the Blue Bay Getaway) we are absolutely best friends with today even though they are in Alabama and we are in Chicago.

As usual, the atmosphere around the resort - at the sexy pool, at the bars, at Bash at night, etc., is all one big very social cocktail party where everyone meets everyone else. I love the diversity of the place - people from all over, all races, all shapes and sizes - mixing it up and having fun. If you're worried that you don't have the body to be here, that you're now "in shape" (hey, I'm in shape! Round is a shape, right???), you're truly worried about the wrong things. If you're a woman and you're worried about not having good enough boobs to be here, you're wrong. If you're worried about going topless, there's no pressure, other than you might realize that honestly other than your traveling companion, no one will really notice. If you're a guy and you're worried about your beer gut, well, you'll have plenty of company. Worried you're too old? I'm 56 and my wife is 54 - does that help? And we're not at all on the older upside of the range. Met numerous couples in their 60s.

The staff at this property is fantastic - we really enjoyed the entertainment staff (although they will never ever achieve the Chinos pinnacle of performance) - all of them were terrific - the girls were all cute and fun, the guys studly and fun, and JJ does a great job leading the pack. And of course, the man, the myth, the legend, Mini Cooper. All the bartenders, all the wait staff, everyone, terrific. It was great to see so many of the same faces we've seen for years and even get recognized by a few after a two-year hiatus (last visit was July of 2016).

We did the Boobs Cruise - a little smaller group (about 60) on the boat and no Chinos but Sara69 and Omar did great at keeping the party crazy and fun. If you're a first timer reading this, do NOT skip the Boobs Cruise. It is a requirement!!!

So again, it was a fantastic time! I'm ready to go back tomorrow. Let's get into some details.

About the Remodel:

I posted on the Temptation Cancun Community group on FB (and this is being cross-posted there) that I feel like the resort spent all their money on design and none on engineering. I continue to back that stance. It is highly designed, but it is very poorly executed. To be honest, I'm not a fan of the design - to me it echoes too much like Miami Vice and such - it feels very 80s in many ways. But hey, it's up, it's done, they aren't changing it.

Execution-wise, though, it's a mess. They are in a continual effort fix things, it's obvious, but they missed so many little touches that make places work. The place is completely non-ADA friendly - sorry to say if you're in a wheelchair, this place won't work for you at all - you can't even get down to the sexy pool on your own - the ramp is too steep. Stairs all over are of different heights and depths, some are made of slick material. In the lobby, there are two step downs to the lobby bar, but damned if I didn't see at least 20 people trip up or down them - the materials change and are hard to see the steps. I tripped off them at least twice, thankfully not turning an ankle or anything. And the build quality seems very slapped together. I was talking to a guy who is in the construction trades and he was picking apart the exterior work and the arched pool canopy, etc. Just a zillion visible flaws that you wouldn't find in a higher end resort that this is trying to emulate.

I do have to say though that the indoor public spaces of the lobby and adjacent areas are very nice - and the AC works great.

I have specifics below on a variety of topics.

Food:

Great as always - although we didn't make it to She, Sea Flirt, or Flame, we had two great meals in Sutra (pan-Asian), one great meal at the Hibachi in Sutra, and two great meals in the Italian place - can't remember the name. The Italian has been and continues to be our favorite. The Chicken Florentine isn't to be missed! And the wait staff is always outstanding at all of these. Tip those folks! I normally tip $5 per couple at these meals.

And Lincy the Omelette Lady continues on in her starring role at the breakfast bar! Interesting change to breakfast - they now have two buffet lines - left and right as you approach them - Lincy is on the left. Ask her to make you some Huevos Rancheros! Best thing ever. The left side is the Mexican breakfast buffet (and most familiar from the old TTR) and the right side is the "American" side - and was nothing special.

A very nice addition is the new coffee bar in the lobby - the baristas are good, they have pastries and croissants, and they serve ice cream as well - great stuff!

A fantastic addition is the rooftop - if I'm not mistaken, all guests can eat at the rooftop bar but if you want to hang out there, go to the pool, etc., it's a $20 per person fee if you're not Premier or Premier referral. They have outstanding food at the rooftop bar - get the shrimp tacos and the curly cheese fries! The service isn't very fast (I suspect there's no kitchen up there) but it's worth waiting for. The pool was very, very warm but also very nice to hang out in - and the right depth, as opposed to the Sexy Pool. And lots of nice lounging areas. I'd choose this over the Quiet Pool anytime.

Security, Pool Hours, Cameras, etc.:

So it seems like they are relaxing a bit on the rules. On our first two days, at 7:00 PM they kicked everyone out of the pool. Then Friday came along (we arrived Weds) and they seemed to be relaxing the rules - we were in a sexy pool hot tub until nearly 8:00. The head security guy that day, Ismael, was nice guy and gave us extra time - we were all pretty rowdy in there. Then Saturday night - we went even later and Sunday and Monday there was no hurry to shove us out. They did close the swim up at 7:00 and the Premier bar then too but the pool deck side of the bar remained open until 8:30 or later. Security was prevalent but for the most part was reasonable and courteous. They do still have that view that if something happens, it's you that's the problem, and not seemingly worried about your safety. Case in point, we saw several people slip and fall in the pool over steps, the hot tubs, etc. (see below) and security would swoop in and sit them down on a chair and interrogate them to sort out if they were drunk. One of our new friends fell up the stairs and got sent to his room even though he wasn't hammered. You'd think their first question would be "Are you OK" - doesn't seem to be that way.

In terms of cameras, the rule seem a bit more relaxed as long as you're just taking pictures of you and your friends. In fact, I saw security guard take a picture of one group in the sexy pool. Our group of drunken idiots was playing the "switch swimsuits" game with the girls all switched into the guys trunks and the guys all in the girls teeny-weeney bikini bottoms. Of course we had to take a picture and when all the guys stood up, Ismael came over laughing and said "I'll let you take this picture if you guys promise to sit down after. You're scaring everyone." So, again, your results may vary but it felt like things were lightening up a lot.

Rooms:

Rooms are ... fine ... I'm not a fan of the cheap-feeling plastic and laminate furniture and the non-descript piano-black "pop to open" cabinetry, where you play a daily game of "is this the right door?" Our room had only two drawers. That said, we had enough room to unpack once we did some arranging of things. The beds, however, are OUTSTANDING. They replaced all the old beds with nice new firm memory foam beds that are supremely comfortable for sleeping and just right for that other way we use the bed. There is a new electronic bedside panel to control lighting and the new motorized/automatic window shade (our window shade died midweek - we came back to the room and it had rolled it self up on a 45 degree angle - ooops!). Next to the lighting panel is a set of outlets that include two USB outlets for phone/etc. charging. The bathroom was fine - yes there is no shower curtain and you'll get splashes out on the floor - we just asked for extra towels and "carpeted" the bathroom with them when we took showers. The toilets are new "low water use" toilets - be sure to hold the handle down for a second or so to fully flush. And finally, the AC bloody rocks - first time I've been to TTR that I can say that. We were sleeping under blankets!

And finally, the Sexy Pool. Oh boy ...

So, let's start with the positives - it's still the sexy pool. At least with the crowd at the resort that we had, the vibe was still the same old sexy pool. It's nice that there are many more bar stools, that it is all nice and shiny and not crumbling like the old one, etc. I know people were concerned about the size of the pool sort of watering down the fun, spreading out the crowd, but no - not the case - interestingly, the crowd pretty much concentrated into the area by the pool bar which occupies the same amount of space as the entire old sexy pool. And there are more hot tubs - a lot more and at both ends of the pool.

The bartenders are first rate, but there aren't enough of them - the sexy pool bar is like 75 feet long and has two complete bartender stations but we only ever saw one of them manned, even when the pool was jammed on Saturday with a sold-out resort. So that kind of sucked - why have that second station if you're not going to man it?

And now the negatives - first, the depth. I will say it's not 5 feet deep as the rumors like to say because my wife, who is 5' 4" tall could stand flat footed and the water came up to just above her breasts. But, it is a solid 4' 2" or so deep - one woman in our group who is just 5' 1" could only stand on her tiptoes if she wanted to keep the water out of her mouth - and couldn't really function in the pool. In fact she thinks she's done coming because of that. And hey, it's a topless resort - why make the pool deeper than the boobies?

The next issue with the pool is the design - instead of steps all around the areas with the hot tubs, it is a bench - there are only 3 sets of stairs going into the pool. That bench is a long 18" step down from the shallow area around the tubs (which is now 6" deep instead of 2") and then it's another long 2 1/2" foot drop into the pool - there is no graceful way to do that and we saw many people bite it trying it - myself included. Additionally, they put more hot tubs in by spacing them tighter - on the end of the pool towards the marina (versus the end towards the quiet pool), they are only 18" apart versus 4 feet or more in the old pool. I fell very hard when I misjudged that distance and stepped into a hot tub - face planted into the shallow water, badly banging up my right knee and left elbow. Thankfully the security didn't see me because I'm sure I'd have been hassled about it.

The pool steps are a mess - they vary in both height and depth and are covered with the mosaic tile that is incorporated into the bottom design of the pool (with the naked lady you can only see at night from the rooftop) and so it is impossible to see where the steps begin and end and you can miss judge your steps because they vary in height. No engineering whatsoever of this. People falling up and down these all day every day.

So my pool advice - short people bring floaties, buy a mug that floats and carefully watch your step! And have fun. It's still a blast once you're in it.

Channel 12: In one big negative: You have to pay for porn. WTF?

In wrap up:

It's still the same fun TTR experience and on net the remodeling is very positive - it's visually impressive (although in detail is a bit of a mess). I do feel like the management is starting to listen a bit, but they still seem to have the place designed so you can go off by yourself all over, when that's the exact opposite of what people at this resort do. Repeaters, don't hesitate to repeat, and first timers, don't hesitate to go!

I'm ready to go back!

 

Brilliant review!
My favourite bit was your question 'why make the pool deeper than the boobies'?
Why indeed??
It's still the coolest place tho, with the coolest people!

 

I will be honest, there are so many things where it just doesn't feel like the designers considered how the regulars use the place? Everyone wants to mix together so why have these special separated areas for Premier people - the only thing people ever use that area for is just to put their shit - then into the pool they go. The rooftop, which is supposed to be Premier only was totally empty other than the bar area where people were having lunch. It's a topless pool, why make the pool deeper than the average height of women's breasts? Why build a giant swim up pool bar when you never open the second station? Etc. etc. etc.

And yes, it still is the coolest place, MADE THAT WAY by the coolest people!

Thanks for the comment!

 

Great review thanks for taking the time to post it. Hopefully in 90 ish days when HnH crew lands security will keep up the easing off practice and let everyone have fun.

T

 

Great review and spot on with all your design assessment. We love the place, or more accurately the people, but they really needed to rethink the designers abstract concept and include the engineers practical experience and safety concerns. Form without practical function creates problems, some of which can be hazardous to the user.

 

Thanks Steve - sorry we missed seeing you - hope you're feeling better now - was great to say hello to Jannet on Friday when we checked in for the cruise.

 

Awesome review. Thanks for all of the details. I'm slightly worried about the water depth covering up the view of my wife, she is 5'4" tall.

 

Awesome review! Even though I'm in my mid 30s, I seem to get on with people in their 40s, 50s and 60s way better than those my own age. Maybe I'm an old soul lol. I'm glad they're relaxing the picture policy a bit, will test that out in November. Last year I took a picture of my friend (consensual) during the foam party and security were straight over telling me to delete it and not to take pictures. She was backed up against the side of the pool so it definitely wasn't a case of someone being in the background, I'm careful about that.

Can't wait to do the Boobs Cruise this year. Been too long, about 3 years, since my last one.