BlueBay Grand Esmeralda - All Inclusive

Customer Ratings & Reviews

TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

17631 reviews

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  French restaurant experience

  The French restaurant experience was enhanced and made amazing by Alberto and the rest of the team including Juan the chef. Very attentive, the passion for the job clearly shows. Would highly recommend asking for Alberto when you visit. He is amazing.

  Jan 16, 2025
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  Wilfredo

  Wilfredo was absolutely amazing. This resort was not to my expectations. It is not all inclusive. Wifredo revived my experience. He is absolutely great. He did an amazing job. Im glad I came here tonight. We needed this. He was attentive he knew exactly what to do to make us happy.

  Jan 14, 2025
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  Staff Doing the Best with what Ownership Gives Them

  Staff were A+++++. Waiters/Waitresses were fantastic, personable, great english. The Entertainment Team around the pool and resort were fun, energetic and kept everyone engaged throughout the day. Kids Club had lots of activities for all children throughout the week in a relaxed environment where they can jump in and out of activities as you please. Food was B-. There was plenty of selection, enough staples that everyone in the family was able to eat throughout the week. Flavours were pretty bland, our kids survived off of hot dogs, hamburgers, fries and pizza all week, they thought is was awesome. Parents struggled a bit more to find things we enjoyed. Al a Carte restaurants required bookings ahead of time. If you book through the concierge there was pretty much nothing left. Rooms C. Rooms were dated, we had some issues, but we weren't alone. It is what you make it, our bathroom door never closed shut properly and there was some dirt. We did not fly to Mexico to sit in a hotel room, the staff were very good about cleaning it daily, making the beds, and the rooms were plenty big. They weren't special, but who cares. Beach/Pool B+ - Main pool was fantastic. it was 3.93 feet deep the entire length of the pool with exception of a little splash area on one end that was 1.5 feet deep. Beach was much nicer than reviews or social media would lead you to believe. Seaweed is an issue everywhere in Playa Del Carmen. But the "issue" is overblown, its extremely healthy for the environment, beaches longevity and ecosystem, and it really wasn't an issue. BlueBay was out every morning cleaning off the beach. Beach Chairs were limited, we would head out around 7:30 every morning and had no problem getting a spot for the day. by 9:00 the chairs were full and by 10:00 the concrete chairs in pool were also full. This resort has al the bones to be a fantastic resort in Playa Del Carmen and you can tell it was in its hayday. My guess is ownership is waiting for new buyers to swoop in and invest into this place because it could be so good.

  Jan 14, 2025
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  Not enough loungers on the beach! Dirty water.

  On vacation, I like reading on the beach under an umbrella. There might be 5-6 umbrellas only on the beach. To get a lounger, you must go to the beach at 6h am with a flashlight and then put your towel and wait till 7 because the security will pick it up before 7. I like to get up later. So my vacation consists of no reading on the beach. The water on the beach has black stuff floating everywhere. I never saw that before. So no swimming there. On the positive side, the food is good, the grounds are clean. However, they have swamps all over the grounds, and they smell fowl. Our room has its terasse in front of one and on hot days it smells. Choose this hotel if you are an early 6h am riser and prefer the pool. But if you like reading on the beach and sleeping past 6, don't. This lounger situation is unacceptable.

  Jan 13, 2025
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  I *wish* I could score this higher.

  One week stay with a group of family and friends spanning multiple rooms. Half of the rooms were clean, modern, and bright, and the other half were dingy, in need of repair, and reeking of mould and sewage. I have many good things to say about this resort, so take it in stride that I am not exaggerating here -- that our biggest regret was having to spend half a day trying to negotiate a room change (in a huge lineup of people trying to do the same) over a living space smelling so foul that it was not fit for human habitation. We found the food highly satisfactory, with a good variety especially on days when we were able to book into the a-la-cartes. The grounds were well maintained. The pool and beach were kept very clean. The employees were wonderful, and supported the "family & fun" vibe that we experienced through the trip. Bar service was efficient, knowledgeable, and nothing was ever watered down or stingy in its portions. Wifi was weak but present through almost the entire resort. Local wildlife was ever-present, and travellers who do not wish to see adorable capybaras, coati, and various lizards and birds should consider not travelling. If not for the random room roulette that placed us in an unliveable space -- and perhaps the serious need of doubling or tripling the anemic number of beach chairs available -- the rest of our experience was definitely in the 5* range for this kind of trip.

  Jan 13, 2025