So my hubby and I were at TTR from 6/10-6/14 then moved over to Desire RM until 6/18. It has been 3 years since we've been to TTR (having babies and stuff) so I was not sure what to expect. The last time we went was shortly after the renovation. I was anxious to see what things were like this time. For one, because we became members prior to this trip and for two, I knew the vibe at TTR has been changing. I will start with going as a member. I liked checking in at Premier. It was quick and easy. I loved the Premier bar at the pool. The bartenders there are awesome. The members lunch on the beach was cool. The food was good (mostly seafood). Other than that, I do not feel like I benefited from our membership much in the sense of perks. Most bars ran out of "premium vodka" quickly. I was told there is a liquor shortage in Mexico, which I get they can't necessarily control, but it still sucked. Our butler was non existent. We were assigned one, but it was pointless because we never saw him. Our "free lobster" was void because apparently it is lobster mating season..? So they said we would get shrimp or a filet instead. Every time we tried to use it, we were told they were out of both. So we never benefited from that. So, overall, I was not impressed going as a member. I had better luck when I went on Referrals in previous years. We got a plush jacuzzi room. I loved the room because it was in a great location and it was very quiet (except for the super loud people throughout the night that felt the need to bang on our door for no reason..). The maids did a great job keeping our room clean. The AC did not work very well, but it worked. We ordered room service a few times and it came relatively quick. Late night room service did take a bit longer, but I wouldn't complain about that. We went to all restaurants except for She. All were just ok. The Italian restaurant was extremely slow. Granted we did have 6 people at our table, but we were there for well over 2 hours. And that did not include getting dessert. Sutra was good. Not much to choose from off of their menu. Flame was ok. Nothing exciting. I did like that they had a salad bar I could pick from before we got our meal. We are not foodies by any means and aren't hard to please, so we were fine with the food overall.. The buffet was probably our favorite. We don't really like having to make reservations and stick to a time. We never know how our day will go, so the buffet is the easiest and the quickest. There was always a good variation to choose from and the food was good. Had we not gone to Desire, I would have probably rated the food at TTR higher. The food at Desire blows TTR out of the water big time. But its not really fair to compare the two. Bash. To be honest, the bartenders were slow and miserable. We are good tippers. So even with throwing money at them all night, it changed nothing. Pretty much the same at the lobby bar as well. I ordered a drink at the lobby bar and the bartender told me he had change.. Basically his way of implying I needed to tip (which we ALWAYS do, but make my drink first please). The music sucked like usual. The same crap every night. The DJ literally does not pay attention to the vibe and the people on the dance floor. You could see the vibe change in people once the DJ actually played something popular and not Spanish EDM music. It was always very short lived, though. Bash can get very hot and stuffy in areas and it makes the cigarette/cigar smoke stagnant and overwhelming at times. The overall vibe of the hotel has changed substantially. We miss the old TTR (pre-reno) so much. I do not enjoy the Vegas like feel TTR is promoting. I would say the ratio of topless at the pool is wayyyyy lower than pre-reno. Maybe 20-30% were topless. Only about 30% participation for theme nights. You could easily point out the TTR OG's and the newbies. When we first found TTR in 2015, our first 2 trips were spent only there. 3rd trip we did 6 nights TTR and 2 Desire. Last trip was split evenly. After this trip, we have decided TTR is only good for 2 nights max, if that. We want to love it, but we just cant. The only thing I will miss is the daytime entertainment at the sexy pool. That is the only downfall I can point out at Desire. If I could have the playmakers from TTR go to Desire it would be a match made in heaven! Since this is not the Desire RM forum, I will not go into detail about our experience there. However, I will say, their food, service and treatment as a member puts TTR to shame. And just for perspective, I am 36 and my husband is 35. We feel like we aged out of TTR but were on the much younger side of Desire RM.
Very good review. We are very similar to your view. We did not age out until our 50’s. That was about the time of the Reno. Good thing is starting this fall we will have 3 Desires to choose. Miches looks to be the best of both worlds since they are side by side.
Thanks for the review. We have been 14 times. 7 pre-Reno and 7 after. We totally agree with your comments, especially the DJ at Bash. It’s almost like they don’t want people to dance.
FYI - we were at DRM twice this year already, March beginning and end-April, and they had lots of booze shortages, too. I think it may actually be "a thing." You'd think they'd come up with something to offer that's a bit more premium though, both places.
Yes, Desire did as well when we were there. It wasn't as bad because they usually had an alternative. It went from gray goose to belvedere to titos. So I was happy.
I can understand a little bit of it. But it is most of the night. Then randomly they'll throw in a cardi B song or something of the like. People start dancing, then right back to the EDM crap. I watched groups of people literally standing around looking so bored. Once an American club song came on, they got so excited. Started dancing. Then it was ripped out from under them lol. Such a bummer! The DJ at Desire is 10000x better.
See I just dont know if the wife would like Desire. Wish someone gave an honest apples to apples review of it. We aren't LS, but love a good time. Love a fun and sexy atmosphere and people watching in general. We want a party at night but will not leave a resort in cancun to find one.
The night time party at Desire is fun. It starts with a show outside at 9:30. Then around 10ish it moves to the club upstairs. It is nice because it is inside and has air conditioning. Bash can become so hot and humid and if you're not a smoker, the cigarette smoke will choke you. The club has a dance floor and it is always filled. The bartenders were so friendly and quick! There is also a play room in the club. Most of the time it was empty, though. There is tons of seating and I never had an issue finding somewhere to sit. Usually after midnight, you will find lots of couples head to the roof top hot tub. It is basically the size of a small pool. There are cabanas up there where you will, at times, find people playing. There is also a huge open shower, which is fun. We are LS and have never, not once ever felt any pressure from anyone. In my experience, most people stay to themselves (sexually speaking). Or, you will find that people may make connections with others during the day and follow through with things at night. What I like most about Desire is it is couples oriented. It is such a sexy environment. It feels upclass. It is romantic. The people there are generally attractive and look/act classy. You will not find groups of single guys eye fuc*ing you all night or being loud and anxious. There were a few nights at TTR where we were awoken at 4am to people literally banging on our door. Just drunk idiots being jerks. I guess that could happen anywhere, but I feel like it is way less likely at Desire. I truly felt closer to my husband than I ever have before there. You can make it a party vacation if you want, or you can make it low key. It can be whatever you want it to be. The pool during the day is def more low key than TTR. However, it is clothing optional, and we like that more than the party vibe. They do have a foam party once a week which was fun. The resort itself is smaller so it is more intimate. You recognize faces throughout the trip and I find it is easier to make friends. Another thing I like about Desire is the seating around the pool is open for everyone. Yes, members get priority, but you do not have to pay to get a cabana by the pool. TTR is lined with beds/ cabanas all around the pool, but you have to buy a bottle ($200+) to get it for the day. The resort itself is beautiful and feels very tropical. We felt like TTR felt like we were in Vegas. Desire felt like we were exactly where we were. In the Caribbean. The food is incredible. I know food can be subjective, but I was seriously impressed. They have a breakfast buffet, lunch buffet and for dinner there are two restaurants or the buffet. There are less restaurants than TTR, but again the place is way smaller. They are working on an expansion so things will be changing and they will be adding more in the near future. Although they currently have a seaweed problem, their beach is much nicer than TTR. I don't really care about the beach to be honest, but it is important to some people. Now, the price difference is substantial. But to us, it is totally worth it. The food alone makes it worth it. The vibe makes it worth it. I think if you are on the fence, you should split your trip. Do a couple nights at Desire to get a feel for it. I guarantee you will want to go back!