Ocean Spa Hotel, Cancun

Please do not stay at this hotel. The rooms are in horrible shape. The staff is very rude. And to top that off, when you get there they may not even have your room. After traveling from Pittsburgh PA to Cancun, I was left sitting in the lobby for 4 hours because they had no room for me. I wasn't told this until I sat through a sales pitch and had to give my credit card to the desk thinking I was checking in. This was a horrible experience and I would hate to see anyone spend there hard dollars for a bad time when they can go to a real resort and enjoy thier Cancun experience. I did eventually get a room and all I can say is that it went down hill from there.

My girlfriend and I stayed at Ocean Spa Hotel during the second week in August. We were given the trip as a gift, a Sam's Club promotion that many other people also bought. To start, the beach in front of Ocean Spa is just awful. Stay away. Management makes a big to do about being able to visit the other two resorts; on this point we agree. Take their free shuttle to their more expensive hotel deeper in the hotel zone. At least there you'll find a better beach. Because this was our first trip to Cancun I was unsure of what to expect cost wise. If you listen to the jokers who work for Ocean Spa you'd think Cancun is only for rich rich rich people and that their resort is the best thing going. Lies! Do not, I repeat DO NOT, buy the all inclusive package (assuming you have one of those Sam Club promotion cards)!! That will be $800 (more if your group is larger than 2 people) down the drain. Why no all inclusive? Because Cancun is CHEAP AND CHEERFUL! Want delicious, clean, cheap local food? Leave the hotel zone and head to Market 28! Want the very same alcohol you'd buy in the States for a fraction of the cost? Go to the grocery store! Seriously, we couldn't get our heads around how badly these Ocean Spa salespeople try to rip customers off. We were told bottled water costs 3 to 4 dollars accross the street. Sure, that's true. But if you take a bus (for .75 USD per person) into town you can buy massive multi-gallon jugs of bottled water from the grocery store for HALF the cost of that 3 dollar bottle. And while you are at it why not pick up your favorite wine, beer or alcohol of choice for a couple of dollars a bottle? In summary, the all inclusive is a joke. Our total food and booze tab turned out to be a fraction of what we budgeted, which was in turn a fraction of the $800 all inclusive package. Luckily we dodged the massive sales promotion they throw at most people. We talked to some of the other guests who sat threw it though. They all made it sound like an acid enema, but less fulfilling. However since we were smart enough to kindly decline I can't write from experience on this point. But the reason that I'm writing this huge novel? To warn all of you: DO NOT TRUST OCEAN SPA EMPLOYEES. At least, do not trust them with your bags. They have this "service" they offer you, a baggage room in which they take "responsibility" for your bags while you wait for your airport shuttle. Unfortunately, this "secure room" is nothing more than an area where people can go through your bags while you aren't looking. I had a $400 USD Blackberry tucked away at the top of my backpack. Moments before I gave the baggage guy my bag I looked at my phone (for the last time). The next time I reached for my phone (30min before the airplane departed, far too late to file a police report) the phone was gone. We went back and forth with management, and eventually corporate management, on this issue. The phone was definitely stolen. During our entire trip it was securely locked in our safe deposit box. Just before we left the room for the last time I played Suduku on it. Besides the lack of actual phone service my Blackberry was working perfectly. So what did management do about my stolen phone? Nothing. No replacement, no meaningful compensation of any kind. They called us liars and gave some song and dance about background checks and security cameras. We were even offered coupons for some other ridiculous cruise or something, as a way to shut us up. Too bad their coupons won't get back the pictures, notes, texts, and all the other private stuff that was on my phone. In summary, if you care about your valuables DO NOT TRUST OCEAN SPA EMPLOYEES. In fact, with so many beautiful, amazing resorts up and down the hotel zone, there is very little to recommend this place. Go somewhere else, and if you are already locked in leave your valuables at home and do not let anyone touch your bags!!!