We were a group of nine people ranging in ages from 15 to grandmother (I don't dare include her age!) We all agree that this was by far one of the best vacations we ever took. The check in process was very smooth; everything about the resort was explained to us by Henry, who went out of his way to answer our questions and give us suggestions. We got there about 12:00, and since one of our rooms was available immediately, we all changed and went down to the pool. The entertainment staff at the activities pool was absolutely superb; there are games all day long. I have to mention Alian, Ayesha, Sara, Jonathan, and Christian, and I apologize for forgetting the others' names. They really went out of their way to include everyone and to make our vacation memorable. The facilites are spotlessly clean. Our rooms were done early in the morning and the mini fridge in the room was restocked daily. The food was very good. I was a little nervous when I read the reviews, but everything was delicious. Since I'm a Spanish teacher, I was excited about trying a number of native dishes that turned out to be quite good. The staff at breakfast was wonderful; I got up early every day and sat outside to read and have coffee while I waited for the rest of my group, and my coffee cup was never empty. You can get a hamburger and fries at the little shack next to the pool, or you can cover up a little and go to the restaurant that overlooks the ocean. The food there was great; there was something for everyone. We made reservations at Marco Polo twice, and the food and the service were fantastic. The other nights we ate at the theater so we could see the shows, all of which were just great. The dancers were amazing, and the magic show was a lot of fun. We made friends with a couple who was seated at our table the first night, and the only negative thing I can say was that during our final night, a contest between the guys and the girls was to take place. Our friend was chosen to compete, which she was reluctant to do, but we all encouraged her. It turned out to be a drinking contest, but that wasn't announced until all the competitors were up on the stage already. Our friend does not drink at all, but she was too shy to say so and withdraw, so she stuck it out and ended up getting quite sick. The staff should really make it clear what the contestants are expected to do before they agree to compete. The younger members of our group went out with the entertainment staff to two different clubs and really enjoyed themselves. The hotel furnishes transportation to the clubs, and the girls found it very easy to catch the bus and return when they were ready. There is parasailing right off the beach behind the hotel. I was a little nervous, but it was a fantastic experience. We saw a lot of sea turtles from the air, and the view was amazing. We also rented motor boats through the hotel agency and took them on a 45 minute excursion to a place where we could snorkel by coral reefs. Everyone really enjoyed that. The bus to town is very convenient; just make sure to tell the bus driver where you need to get off as soon as you get on. We ended up a mile past the hotel and had to walk back. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this hotel to anyone, couples or families. We all had a fantastic time and would love to return in the future.

We just returned from our first trip to Cancun and before I forgot anything, I wanted to submit a review. I carried out considerable research for this trip and making a choice was difficult. My wife and I were looking for a resort that had it all and my research paid off. At poolside, I learned from guests that have stayed at multiple other resorts in Cancun over the years that among them all, the GR Solaris was the best overall. We found the GR Solaris (not to be confused with their other properties in Cancun, Royal Solaris or Solaris) was an excellent choice. We decided that the best way to control/insure costs was to book at an “all inclusive resort”. There were many choices and choosing was difficult because one review would say the food at a resort was good while another said it was terrible. I have always found that it depends on what “you” consider good food. I am originally from the New York metropolitan area where some of the best restaurants in the world can be found. Therefore, I believe that I have a tendency to be more critical the most.. The all inclusive food offering at GR Solaris was “good”. I don’t believe you can expect much more than “good” food from any all inclusive resort. On a scale of 1 (Lowest) to 10 (Highest), I would rate the meals as follows: Breakfast = 7, Lunch = 6 and Dinner = 8*. With regard to dinner, I highly recommend choosing the Marco Polo Restaurant for your meals, I can’t understand why anyone (unless you have noisy, antsy, children who are picky eaters) would go to any of the other dinner restaurant choices. The food in the other two restaurants is “hit and miss” (* 5 rating overall, while Marco Polo is an 8). Each evening, all menu choices change from restaurant to restaurant. The great thing about the GR Solaris Restaurant choices (other than Marco Polo’s limited menu each evening) is that anyone could find something that they like. The property/grounds are well kept, clean and very attractive. The rooms are “fair to good” however, they can be very noisy. I don’t know if this is because the rooms all have tile floors or because the walls are paper thin. We were lucky and did not have noisy neighbors; however from conversations with other vacationers’ poolside, some were not so lucky. They had to call down to the front desk, however to the hotel’s credit; they were very prompt in addressing the issue. There are three pools, however only “two pool areas”. Two of the pools are connected and comprise the “family area”. As expected, these pools are more crowded (however, I would not necessarily say too crowded) while the third pool, which is designated for “Adults Only” was really very nice. Towards the end of our stay, I did notice that the pool was not looking as clean as it was in the earlier days of our stay and I wondered if the filtration system stopped working properly. There is also a Jacuzzi in the “Adults Only Area”; however I found that the jets on the far side of the Jacuzzi were not working the entire time we were there. The “Family Pool Area” had activities going on almost throughout the day, both for adults and children. Interestingly enough and I thought this was very strange, the only “swim-up bar” on the grounds was located in the “family pool”. You would think it would be in the “Adult Only Pool”. Nevertheless, the drinks were easy to get at anytime (both by walking up to the bar(s) or from the waiter/waitresses), so the bar not being in the pool was not that big of an issue. If you are going to Cancun for the “beach”… this is NOT the resort for you. Their beach was very small. Other properties (though not near the GR Solaris) appeared to have larger beaches. However, I believe many of the beaches have been washed away by storms. The entertainment was ok from evening to evening; again it all depends on what you are looking for. Going into the “entertainment area” of Cancun is not difficult, the buses run all the time and it only costs 6 pesos per person to ride. Speaking for pesos, tips are supposedly included in the all inclusive fees, however, most people appeared to be tipping (a dollar or two for food and/or drinks) so although it is not necessary, you may want to bring 30 to 50 singles depending on the length of your stay. The staff never hesitated to accept a tip, in fact, even though tips are supposedly included; the maid left a “tip envelope” in our room. From what I saw (we did not bring children), children appeared to enjoy the GR Solaris and I can probably recommend the resort for families (especially since it IS all inclusive). There are both free and extra charge activities that can be enjoyed for all. We did take the Chichen Itza tour and all I can say is the day is very long and very hot. The tour bus we took was great, but it still left the hotel at 7:10AM and we did not get back until 7PM. I have to say it was worth it only because Chichen Itza is one of the 7 Wonders of the World. But, if you are not into archeological sites, then by all means don’t bother. By the way, if you do go on the tour, bring your own toilet paper and sanitary wipes. Now, with GR Solaris and from what I understand other properties in Cancun (but not all), there is a hitch. If you are strong willed, there is not a problem, however, if you can be talked into buying, it could be a problem. They have some sort of “Vacation Club” that they pitch to you while you are there. The minute you check in, they ask you to schedule 90 minutes for a presentation that they would like to make. They offer upgrades and some additional perks if you agree to attended their 90 minute (which is actually 2 hours) presentation. They are not pushy during the presentation; however they do take three shots at you before it is finally all over. If you are interested, and it really does not sound like a horrible program, just don’t say “yes” until the third pitch. The best deals can be had at the end when you are about to walk away. Overall, I would definitely recommend the GR Solaris and from what I heard from other guests who have been to other properties, they agree.