So it's been a few months since the all new resort opened and we have kept on top of the gossip on CCC and fb but we ( me really) wouldn't mind a few peoples thoughts as to whether you think the new place is worth the extra lay out financially, ( over £900 per couple more than we paid for our last trip in the same garden rooms). Stories of yellow cards, over zealous security, no late pool, dress codes being hit and miss if your face fits, and the whole vibe missing at the sexy pool and Patios/Bash is concerning, We have a fantastic May gang who make our own fun and I'm sure we can do that as a group anywhere worldwide but we have booked two weeks May 16-30 to check out the new place. How have you found it compared to pre renovations?
We're told that depends................many many have told us that they prefer the old TTR............lots of the younger folks like the changes. We've moved on to RM...........but may come back to TTR on a day pass to see old friends!
For us it is easy. We stopped going to TTR for a year except for a night or two added onto Desire trips to see friends. Our opinion is the old TTR was getting too run down, same old stuff entertainment wise got boring and quality of food decreased too. Some don’t mind this stuff. For us it made us try Desire and fall in love. We returned to the new TTR for the reopening (which had numerous issues) and well we fell in love with ttr all over again. We like the entertainment shift, some music changes, drastically better rooms in the tower and food. And for us we had even a better time than before as we experienced the same great people and an amazing party. I think the extra we are paying delivered a number of benefits that matter to us so we are happy. Return for our 3rd new ttr visit in April.
Imho, it is. I can think of very few things that haven't been improved. Better: Facilities, rooms, decor, pool, food, alcohol selection, entertainment, nightly shows, more bars, more restaurants, bigger pool, more staff and just as friendly as before. The only thing that I don't like is (as others have mentioned) the number of steps and how sometimes you have to go up two flights of stairs and then a few yards later down another flight. These are all things that people have been complaining about for the last 15 years. The vibe is certainly still there, security policy hasn't changed, rules haven't changed, concept hasn't changed. As for people. I do think the guest demographic is changing a little bringing the average age down a little, and dare I say a little more class - which I think was their intention. But I'm not talking about into the twenties, you two are well within the average age range.
Oh and to add, I was checking out the reviews on Trip Advisor earlier today. Going back several weeks. Almost every review was a 5, a couple of 4's and one 3 (because of the timeshare hassle). The hotel didn't get this kind of average at the old TTR. They are climbing the hotel rankings pretty fast.
I was reading TA reviews just last night, and had exactly the same thoughts as you, Steve. TTR is going to move up to the top tier of the Cancun hotel ratings if the reviews keep coming in so strong. Not sure if that is a good thing for the regulars: better ratings = more demand = fewer deals? Have to wonder if the discounted room offers that have been available since opening are going to continue. I have seen this before with Mexican all-inclusives...hotel gets a refurb, prices are low to get people coming to the newly re-opened hotel, then prices go way up. Case in point the Barceló in Cabo San Lucas.
I think there is a vocal minority on this forum and the FB groups who just don't like change. I think what has been described as negative is over blown....except all the steps, especially the ones in the pool. I was drunk walking on steps in the sexy pool. Tripped on a step and fell in a fun hole. Someone is going to get seriously hurt with all those hidden steps in the pool. I never saw a yellow card get handed out. There was so whip cream that made an appearance at BASH. The one security guard came over and watched. After a couple minutes his supervisor (guessing) made him break it up. That was the only run in with security that I saw. I wish people would put their damn phones away and just have fun. Security and bartenders stop it if they see it....but seems to be spotty enforcement.
Market forces. Doesn't matter whether you are selling cars, real estate, takeaway chicken or sexy bikinis. Demand determines your price. I think, at the beginning, they pitched themselves too high. I can't blame them, surely you always start at a high price and work your way down, instead of a low price and work your way up. The hotel was largely untested, unreviewed, and had a lot of sceptics. Early reviews were mainly unfavourable - whether that be through real issues or just reluctance to accept change from repeaters is debatable. Every business that goes through a major change suffers from those problems. Future occupancy was looking low at the prices they were offering so they dropped prices with the every third night free offer to fill the place up, which was a huge success. I'm now seeing sold out dates for future dates that were never sold out this far ahead in past years. Seeing how many dates are sold out, the great reviews coming in on trip advisor and elsewhere, the growing acceptance of change by the old timers, the positive adoption by first timers who never knew the old place (seeing tons of first timers on the Boobs Cruise who love the hotel and the cruise), and the future high occupancy levels which will generate even more 5* reviews. Prices are only going to go one way, and that is up.... until the price gets too high that they lose occupancy and then the price will come down again I bought a premier membership on day one of the re-opening, after resisting for 15 years. Within 15 minutes I was very sure the new hotel would be successful and wanted to lock in a decent rate.
We went to the old TTR 5x and loved every trip! That said, last year during the renovation we tried DRM, Pearl, and Breathless to see what else was out there. Pearl and especially Breathless, made us realize exactly how bad the old TTR was run down. I mean, holy shit, in comparison the old TTR was a dump. Now don’t get me wrong, we never went for the amenities anyway so this never bothered us. But after seeing what other adult resorts had to offer aesthetically and otherwise, it was crystal clear to us that TTR desperately needed a facelift if it was going to compete in the future. We love the party and that’s why we go to TTR! But TBH, I don’t think we would have been happy going back to the old resort after seeing what else was out there. It’d be like driving a Tesla for a week and going back to your Honda Civic, meh.. So as long as the party doesn’t change, we welcome the upgrades. They were needed. April 4/14-4/21 will be our first time back since the renovations and we are looking forward to determining first hand for ourselves if the renovations were worth it or not!
