I haven't done a trip report from our last few trips. This trip we did quite a few things different, so I thought I would share. I certainly enjoy everyone else's report's, and find them useful. A little bit about us. We are a pretty average couple. Fairly vanilla. We are high school sweethearts, have been married for 27 years, and been together for 34 years of our 49 on the blue marble. We have a son who is a college freshman, and 24 year old daughter who is extremely special needs, and needs constant care. That makes it difficult for us to really get away much at all, except for following our son around to his sporting events. We are also pretty much on 24 years of no sleep, so we wanted to blend a little relaxation in with this trip, and didn't go out every night. Pre-trip: This trip we had free travel miles to use for our flight from a credit card. That gave us a little extra money to spend so we went with 6 nights instead of the usual 5, and we also booked a Tower room. In three previous trips we had always booked a Jacuzzi room around the quiet pool, and liked them very much. Not so much for the Jacuzzi (only used once), but for the fact that we knew exactly where we would be, and also liked the ground floor. It's just a small upgrade from a Garden Room, and some of those have less than desirable locations. We have used Orbitz, and Funjet to book in the past, and never had any problems, and were happy with the prices. This time we found Snap Travel to have the best deal. I have read others email the hotel to confirm reservations. We never have, and had no problems once again. By using our miles we found that we couldn't bundle the hotel/air ticket, and that made our air fare much more than previous years. We live in Northwest Illinois in a very small farming town, but have a good regional airport about :30 away. It is usually around $400 extra for us to use that, but worth it for us to not have to travel 2.5 hours to Chicago, and have to spend an extra night doing a park and fly, and the extra sitter expense that goes along with it. This year, however it was $800 cheaper to fly out of Chicago, so we went that route. We almost cancelled this trip three times before we left. Our daughter needs a personal assistant, and we have a wonderful one. However she broke her foot about 4 weeks before the trip, and wasn't going to be able to take care of our daughter. At literally the last day before we were able to still get a full refund if we cancelled, we found someone to take her place. Meri started getting migraines this year, and they got bad enough that we thought they might ruin the trip. She went off the pill, and they went away, or so we thought... I own a small construction business, and was having a terrible time getting work done, and employee issues. On the day we were leaving for the Park and Fly, I nearly cancelled the trip at 2:00, because of work issues. They came up again during the trip, and we nearly went back early, but realized it would cost quite a bit to switch tickets around, so we stuck it out, and fortunately the work issues didn't come up again. We got to the Park and Fly that was about :15 minutes form O'Hare at 11:00 Wednesday night, and set the alarm for 2:00 am for our shuttle over to the airport. First thing in the morning I got a text saying the 7:15 flight was on time. During the shuttle ride I got three more texts with changing times, ranging from 11:45-4:00 departures. Not a great start. We get inside and talk to an agent, and she gets us on a 9:00 flight on a different airline. Not a huge deal, but we did lose 2 hours of sleep that would have been nice, and had to sit in the airport for about 5.5 hours. I won't do a day by day, because for the most part it's like taking a two minute dump at 11:59 at night... same shit, different day. Here is more of a breakdown of different parts of the trip. Arrival: It was great they were able to switch our flight, but the seats we got were the last row of the plane. Those seats actually feel like you are leaning forward. Pretty uncomfortable 3.5 hour flight, but we managed. We did use a flexible neck pillow thing that we put between us, and it did help for getting a little nap. We used the online forms in advance, but when we got there we decided to use the kiosk machines instead. Last year, when we got to the bottom of the escalator, that is where the line started, and nobody was using the machines. It took close to an hour to get thru that room. This year the line was only about a third of the room we skipped that anyway, and pretty much walked right up to a kiosk, then had a short wait for the stampy, stamp-stamp guy. We always do carry on only, which actually impressed quite a few people that we talked to, so we headed for the light, hit green for the 6th year in a row and headed for the vans. :45 minutes in total time from taxi into gate, to green light. Not bad. Some trips the USA Transfer guy is pretty talkative, and asks about the trip, and points out some things along the way. This guy, not so much. He drove like a maniac, and was eating, and on his phone much of the time. It really feels like the shuttle trip is part of the whole vacation experience. Zipping around cars, and traffic like a video game kind of gets the heart racing before you get to the resort. It was funny when we got back to Chicago, because our shuttle driver there was like an old lady compared to Cancun. We arrived a little before 2:00, and the room was ready. We hadn't made any previous request, but I did ask, when we got there, if we could get one as high as possible, and towards the pool end. This room, he said was the only one ready at the time, and it was on the first floor, and it was on the far end, and on the right side of the tower if back to the ocean. There is a "swag bag" that you get if you are a Tower guest. At least I'm pretty sure I read that somewhere. When we checked in they one of the ladies out front said to make sure we ask about it, if we don't get it. We didn't get one, so a couple of days later we did ask. I think it's just a way for them to get you to try and set up a membership presentation. We politely said a firm no, and walked away. We have never been pressured at all in 4 trips to do the presentation. Maybe we look like we couldn't afford it anyway...? I did talk to a few members while there, and each one said it was a waste of money, and wish they didn't. I know quite a few members booked on a third party site for this trip, as it was a better price. Don't matter to us, whatever works for you is great. The lobby: I remember someone asking once about the fragrance they use in the lobby. I never really thought about it, but I do really like the smell when you get there. Can't really explain it, but somehow it sets the tone. One other thing we noticed is there are bathrooms on the left side of the lobby near the front doors. Had never seen them before, and they are actually extremely large. Not sure why, because I can't imagine how often they would get used. Rooms: 2202 was the room. I liked the wallpaper design from the remodel, and was prepared to not like the newly painted walls, and remember someone complain about it enough that they got switched to a different room. I never even gave it a thought until day two, so I guess the color is fine with me. The Tower room is a little larger than the Jacuzzi, but the biggest difference is the size of the bathroom, and the toilet is a little more private. And why they make it so dark in there is beyond me. There are three light switches, and it feels like you would need about 6 more to get it bright enough. Put in some lights.. small complaint. The location wasn't bad at first. Instead of walking all the way down the hall to the elevator we just went down one flight, and we would come out right at the entrance of Sutra. Or go down another flight, and enter the Sexy Pool area from right around the ramp. First thought on the room was it was nice to be able to see the ocean. We never got that from the Jacuzzi rooms, and was something we missed that we had at the Golden Parnassus. The one downside to our location was the sun literately was in that room first thing in the morning. After leaving the shade up we were blinded by the sunlight. It also made it much warmer being out on the balcony. Meri got a migraine on day one of the trip last year. At that time it was her first one, and we didn't really know what it was at the time. Well, after being migraine free for quite a while, she got one day one again this year. We had even turned in very early the first night just to make sure. Well it didn't help. So, I used the time to walk around a lot, and enjoyed the view from the top of the Tower. I also went to the desk and requested another room. They didn't have one that day, but they did the next. I've always thought it would be a pain to switch room after already unpacking, but we did it was nothing at all. We do travel light, so that helps. We were up around 8:00'ish. Packed everything up, and took it downstairs. They watched the bags until the room was ready. We went back to the desk around 5:00 or so, after the hot tub, and they re-programmed out wrist bands, grabbed our stuff, and the at was it. Really glad we did it. We were able to move to the other side, and up to the fourth floor in from 4222. Very happy with the switch, and we had room service breakfast on the balcony three time. Would not have been as enjoyable from the other side, that felt like it was on the sun itself. Room service guys get to see plenty I'm sure, as Meri was usually just in a thong when they would arrive. The Tower: We really like the location of the Jacuzzi room, and I wasn't really expecting to be that excited about having to walk thru the lobby every time to get to our room. Going thru the lobby was no big deal at all. A couple of days we were laying out on the reserved deck for Tower guest, and I realized that I had forgotten to take one of my pills. Even heading back to the room from there was no big deal. We found the Tower had many benefits. In no particular order: The view was really nice. The Skybar was awesome. We don't really care for the 2:00 pool side games, so we would head up there for lunch, and use the pool, or the nice "pod beds" that are located on one side. They "kind of" have four of them, but one was pretty much missing a cushion, and the lid wouldn't stay open, so it doesn't really count. They have five more down by the Sexy pool that are Champagne ones, that you have to pay quite a bit to use, and really they never are. Should take a few more of those upstairs, and make some more space around the Sexy pool, just a thought. The food up there was as good as advertised by many on here. I realize the Chicken Fingers are just mozzarella sticks you get at any bar. But honestly these are the best we have ever had in our life, and served with Sweet and Sour sauce. Not sure what kind of cheese they use, best it really is the best. Chicken wings were average. Meri got a burger a couple times, and I got Shrimp Taco's. They were outstanding as well. It had been reported many times, that it is dead up there. Well it certainly wasn't this trip. I would say it averaged between 40-60 people up there during our times. No real craziness, but still plenty of toplessness. One big downside is speed of service. We had food as quick as :20 minutes after sitting down, and as long as two hours. The day it was two hours we got up there at 12:45. It was already packed, and they only had one bartender, and one waitress. Someone asked why there was only one waitress that day, and they said the other one was on lunch break. Seriously, how do you schedule someone to work the lunch shift, and then let them take a lunch break during it?!! That day a lady stood next to me at the bar for :25 minutes trying to get a drink order, and eventually went down stairs to get one quicker. Diego was not up there that day. The sexurity guy up there is nice as well, and would hand out towels. You pretty much need one to sit on, as those stools are very uncomfortable. They didn't leave marks on the legs, but I could feel where they hit on you the whole trip. Tower guest get their own deck near the sexy pool, and it has actual pool loungers that recline, you know, the only way you can really comfortably lay on your stomach . (Kyle's attempt not withstanding) We used that every day. Balcony shows. In three previous trips, we had never witnessed one of these. They seemed to be an urban legend. Well, no more. There wasn't a lot of it, but it happened. We never closed our blinds the whole trip, so may have put on a few from the bed, and did start some on the balcony, but we were pretty far down the hall, and not many rooms could see inside of ours. If you have a room nearer the middle of the Tower, people can look way into the room. It's been asked how loud the Tower rooms are, and quite a few people asked us while we were there. It really wasn't that much different than the Jacuzzi rooms really. We were on the Bash side of the Jacuzzi rooms in the past, and the Bash noise would come right down the halls, and under the doors. At the Tower, with the sliding doors shut it really wasn't that much louder. Mainly it was the bass that you couldn't keep out. Pools: We usually made it down to the pool area by 10:00'ish. Earlier than that I would normally go down, and get a couple of towels, and reserve some deck chairs. You have to give them your room number to get towels, but honestly we didn't return them every day, and never got charged for them, or had anything said to us. Before the Playmakers would get started at 11:00 they would have some lighter music going on. It was fine except for one day it was all love ballads from the 80's. I really, hate most of them, and really-really hate them while at Temptation on what I hope to be a lively fun vacation. "Open Arms" by Journey, and the countless other songs they played that morning were just not what I liked. I know music is a complaining topic mostly, so this is my rant. <sorry, not sorry> It was during this dead time in the pool that Meri would float around on her back, and I have to say it is quite a site. The rest of the Sexy pool time is the same as everyone else's experience. A slow build up to really loud music and good times in the afternoon. A couple of the days the Playmakers dance on the stage, and the energy they show is impressive. Especially if you consider they are staring directly into a hot sun. We couldn't even lay out in the sun that long without needing the pool to cool off, and they were up there dancing for over an hour. Quiet pool was just that, but did always have a couple dozen people around and in it. We went there a few times during the games as well. Also a good place for Meri to back-float. There is always "that one guy" at the pools. In the Sexy pool is was a guy with the biggest worst smelling cigar you could possibly imagine, and it took great effort to stay away. We found that quite rude. At the quiet pool, there was this guy that felt that was the best place for "lap swim", and he did it for quite a long time. It's one thing if you want to do that, it's another to splash so much while you're doing it. <small rant> The roof top pool was actually closed the day we got there, and they said it would be fixed in hours or days. Well, it ended up being one day, and when we got in it the next day we were surprised how warm it was. The hot tubs on the outside of that pool are quite warm. I would say around 100 degrees. It would have been cool to make that more of an infinity pool facing the ocean, or have it with a glass edge, but I don't want to complain about it too much. Cool view for sure. I've complained about the water temp and depth enough on here, and I guess I've learned to live with it. Meri (5'1") pretty much has to ride on my hip when in the pool, but we dealt with it. But really, it's a topless pool, it would nice for more of the boobs out. Temp wasn't an issue at all. We did our first foam party ever.. probably last too. It's ok, pretty fun, but there were a few times when we thought, this it is, we're going to die here... It went on for probably 2-3 hours. I heard them say they were extending the time as we headed up to the hot tub. Hot tub was fun as always. We don't get into much of the shenanigans, and there was only whip cream out one day there on our trip, but do always find some fun people to talk to and hang out with. Servers were decent around the hot tub, at least it seemed more so than other years. Water temp there was fine. Not to cool to make you want to get out, and not to hot to make you want to leave. We have never really spent any time on the beach, and never got in the water past our feet, as it was always very full of seaweed. This trip the water was great. Very clear, and we got in a few times, and went pretty far out. Many other people did as well. It's amazing what a lack of seaweed will do for the beach area. Not totally clear on pool and hot tub hours. Our first day, there were still people in both well after dark, and around 7:00. It wasn't that way most of the other days. Massage: I did the massage from the lady in the hut down the beach to the left. As did many other people during our trip. Everyone says it's great, and they are correct. It is $40 for an hour, and I tipped it up to $50. Seemed worth it. One thing I really like about the massage is she did a few back and neck adjustments as well. I don't thing any State side massage places would try that. At least not the one that I go to. Funny thing about the one I use back home. She has incredibly strong hands, and she told me the first time that she could hurt me if she wanted, and that maybe I should have a "safe" word. She suggested "pineapple" which of course made me laugh, because of the meaning of it at TTR. So I shared that with her, and things about vacation, and she said our conversation may be crossing the massage protocol... so that was kind of fun, and she might be looking at going there some time. Anyway, highly recommend, and I will definitely do it day one next time if I get a back row airplane seat again. Weather: Like I said before I have a small construction business, so I am a bit of a weather watcher. I find for Cancun that Acuweather is the most accurate. I don't use it at home near as much, but it seems to be right on for Cancun. The main thing is to check the percentages, hours of rain, and amounts to get a real feel of how the days are going to be. Our long range forecast changed many times, and even though it showed a lot of rain days, it was never more that 60%, 1-2 hour, and not more than a quarter of an inch. A 60% chance of rain in Cancun is really like a 20% chance of rain where I come from. Basically we had the best weather we have ever had in six Cancun trips. We had a couple of those :15 pop ups, and the rest was hot and sunny. One day after lunch it looked black as night with a storm coming in, and I was making plans in my head for what to do with the rest of the day, as it was only 2:00. Rain came down pretty hard, not enough to stop the pool game, and was quickly over. Couldn't have asked for better weather. Food/Alcohol: We aren't foodies at all. Meri is a very basic eater, doesn't like much, and won't try anything new. I tend to find something I like anywhere. She's never been real happy with the food, and I've always enjoyed the buffet, Romanza, and Sea Flirt. We also have had good meals at Amores. This year we pretty much didn't like any of our food anywhere except for room service and Skybar. There had been reports of large number of people getting sick the week before we got there, so that did have me on edge a little, and I stayed away from basically anything that wasn't cooked, so that eliminated a lot of the salads, fruits and veggies from the buffet that I normally like. Some had said they felt the bad food was coming from Sea Flirt. It was closed quite a few of the nights we were there, and I think at least one breakfast. It was open the last night, and so we went. I got the jambalaya. I definitely wasn't right the next day or two after, and needed some Imodium when we got home. Could be anything, I know, and Meri never has had an issue. Which is odd, because back home it happens plenty of times. I thought I had read that you needed long pants everywhere but the buffet. That definitely wasn't the case at Amores. We're not a fan of the pants rule, as it is possible to be on a hot tropical vacation, and look nice in dress shorts. Amores was incredibly loud inside. The acoustics are really bad. There was a large party at one end, and they were pretty loud, but nothing crazy, but really it was difficult to have a normal conversation with the person at your table in there. They gave Meri the wrong food, even though they said what she ordered when they handed it to her. I got the Chicken Enmoladas, and they were very dry. Just wasn't that good. We really like the desserts they had last year, and pretty sure they changed them. They weren't the same, nor very good. We didn't go back. It was pretty much our problem with all of the food. Very dry and bland. We did however, really like the room service food. I couldn't find any French Toast, at the breakfast buffet, but what they served for room service was great. We would normally get that, and a couple of omelettes. We had dinner room service a couple of nights too, and that food was really good. We didn't have free room service in Jacuzzi room, so that is definitely a plus for the Tower. One down side to room service, is they don't offer pop on the menu. One day we were out of diet coke in the fridge, and after they brought up the food, we asked for some more. It took a while, but they brought up a couple more, and they weren't even cold. Not sure why pop couldn't be on the menu? We tipped $5 for room service, and gave them a couple more if they had to get something else. Not sure if that was enough? Normally $5 for breakfast and lunch and $10 for dinner. Pretty much $1 per drink, except for up at Skybar were we gave Diego quite a bit extra, because he was really good, and makes a great "mini beer." It was interesting to see quite a few people not tip at all, but maybe they make it up before or after? Some people had said the alcohol is watered down. I never felt that at all. I pretty much drank Vodka and Club Soda. I did switch to to Vanilla vodka later, and like that as well. Meri sticks with Malibu and Pineapple, and has always like that. No problems with the alcohol. Except for a couple of times at the Sky Bar, we found the service to be just fine. I never really had to wait that long for a drink, even at Bash at night. We used the servers a couple of time, and they were pretty quick with the order. I think the trick at the pool is to just use the quiet pool bar after going to the bathroom, or the bar on the dry side of the pool. Service there is much quicker than the swim up. I don't know what this says about our food taste, but definitely the best food we had all trip was the Bash burgers. We just really like them, and look forward to the nights that we stayed out late to bringing them up to the room. They are a great way to end the night, especially when preceded by great vacation sex. Atmosphere: We've been four times, and likely will again. When people are asked, and a lady sitting next to me in the hot tub, was asked by another person why they return, and she said "the people." Which is pretty much what everyone else says. I think that is mostly true, but really sells the resort short. Many of the fun people at TTR go to other resorts too, so there is a chance you can actually find fun people at other places. It is nice we go during Halloween week, as that is one of the busiest times of the year. We talked to repeaters, who said it can be pretty quiet at low vacancy times of the year. What the resort does, it bring all these people together, and give them a format, and place to have a great time. It can be as wild as you want, or as tame as you want. There really seems to be something for everyone, except for just plain old open sex, but that can be found on balconies, or a number of rooms if you are looking. We like it. Our first trip was the last year before reno, and we haven't really experience any difference from old to new. We actually saw some crazier things at Golden Parnassus the year before. Basically if you can't have a good time at Temptation then you probably aren't coming in a great mood to start with. We thought toplessness was at least 75%, and interestingly enough also seems to be the same number for guys with no hair at all on their body. Lots of shaving and/or waxing going on there. I trim it up a bit on the back and chest, but to have no hair anywhere just seems like a lot of work, and Meri doesn't care for it, so I got that going for me. I have no problem with the Boobs Cruise, and we have done it, and may again some time. My only complaint is you can definitely tell a difference around the pool on Boobs Cruise day, and there were 3 during our trip. When you take 100, and sometimes more party people out of the equation, it has an effect. As we were leaving on the 30th, they were having a very large cruise. Looking out at the pool at 11:00, as I was getting Meri to take off her dress for one last picture by the hot tub, I counted less than 12 people in the water, and not many around the edges. Definitely different than Tuesday, the day before. Cameras weren't an issue. In fact I hardly ever saw any out. There were many times I wanted to take some pictures, particularly of Meri floating in the pool, or wearing something very sheer clothing at Bash, but nobody else was, so it really hardly ever came to mind. One night at Bash a lady took a video of people on the stage, and security happened to be right near us. He watched her for a bit, and then pulled her aside, and they were looking at her phone together. I assume to delete, or at least check what she had on there. That was really the only camera I remember seeing the whole trip anywhere. Music/Bash: Touchy subject for many, but there have been reports recently that people felt it had improved. No problem from us with the music around the pools, except for that one morning. At Bash many nights they would introduce a guest DJ. Music didn't really seem to repeat that much, but in reality there is only so many songs that you can play that everyone is going to like, and can work for the group that's there. It seemed like the first few nights, and then the last night, it was more of a Snoop Dog/ Dr. Dre sort of feel, and the other nights it was more of at 70's and 80's. One thing that is constant about the music at the Pool, and Bash is it is really loud. I assuming their volume knob turns up to 11. They announced they were keeeping the pool open late a couple of the days, and they kept the music thumping. On our last full day we were in the hot tub around 4:30, and the sexy pool music turned to real slow almost dance 80's music. Meri thought, maybe they were trying to clear the place out...? Would definitely be a shock if that was you first day, and an afternoon arrival and you heard that going on This was the first time in our trips that I can remember that Spicy wasn't there. She's kind of famous. I don't know if it was a coincidence or she has that kind of power, but we never heard the song "Timber" one time the entire trip. Hmmmmm? Wrap up: Overall we had a great time. We have gone enough now at the same time, that we know a lot of people, so we have plenty of people to converse with, but not necessarily hang out with all day. Lots of great people, and it's always fun to catch up with them. Meri is a big introvert, so meeting people just isn't her thing. That being said, on two different vacations we friended people enough that we planned trips with them the next year to TTR, and hung out with them the whole time. That didn't work out this year unfortunately, and we missed having vacation friends with us. One day we were talking to "Fake News Team" in the hot tub, and we talked about just that. He said, it always happens you meet someone on the last day, and then wonder, why didn't I see you earlier. Well that is exactly what happened. No complaints, but we were pretty much loners much of the time. On the last night after dinner we headed to Scores, before Bash, to check out game 6 of the World Series. There were just a few couples in there, and I recognized one from Facebook, but we had never met, but I knew we were both Dodger fans. We went up and introduced ourselves. and ended up spending the whole rest of the night together. I had a bit of Jack Daniels Fire left over, and Meri went up and got that and we took it to Bash. We did a few shots of that, some others, and drank plenty more. He even got Meri up on the dance stage twice, and she had never been up there in previous trips, and had said she never would. It was just a great night, too bad it was short, and the last one. I think it's the "hotel gods" way of making you come back. One thing we thought about that would be nice would be a clock somewhere. I realize it's vacation, and time doesn't seem to matter, but it's still nice to know. Just put up a small clock somewhere. There used to be a tv above the swim up bar, they could put a small one there to cover up the exposed wires that are left now. That's about it. Great time, hope we come back, and do it all over again.
The HnH group is a great. They are a very large group and have good leadership. There is always something going on. What’s nice about them is everyone in the group is easy to get along with is there to have a good time and will allow you to come and go within the group as your vacation allows. it’s a great time of the year to go.
Enjoyed reading the report. Thanks for the time it takes to write something so detailed. I am sure many people will find it useful. Glad you had another nice trip!
Great report...of many words! Sorry to hear that Meri missed a bit of the fun because of migraines. True how we meet really nice people either on their last night or on our last. So many new friends yet we want more. We really hope all this food issue is gone for next month! Can’t wait to go back and hope we’ll be able to party with you sometime. Cheers
