Tips
Transport/Airport Tips
- Gather luggage, get through customs, and walk straight outside. Do not let one of the timeshare/excursion salesmen stop you because you'll be there all day. - Taxis to/from airport are ~$15-$20 if your trip didn't include transportation. Taxis are cash only. - We took a cab from the front desk to the airport and arrived at our gate within an hour - Apparently, Uber is very cheap but we have not tried
General Resort Tips
- Bring cash for tips and taxis (it's not easy to find ones and fives) - Bring a pool bag, sunscreen (the resort shops are expensive), and a Yeti for bartenders to fill - Pool chairs are reserved early, we try to find open chairs before going to breakfast - Some beach activities are included (paddleboards, snorkeling, sand volleyball) - Other activities are not included (private cabanas, jet skis, parasailing, fishing, and the tequila cart) - Pool activities (aerobics, cycling, volleyball, golf) are included and posted daily - Dinner reservations are not required (except for Hibachi and Wine Rooms) - Wine Rooms require you to buy an over-priced bottle of wine - Some restaurants have dress codes for guys that require pants (jeans acceptable) and collars UPDATE: the beach typically has a lot of big rocks in the sand/surf so you might want to pack water shoes if you plan to spend time on the beach or in the ocean
Resort Restaurants
CAPERS (Italian - Dinner): dress code, Wine Room. Mike's favorite, we had mahi mahi and seafood risotto. Portions are smaller than everywhere else HIMITSU (Japanese - Dinner): Kenz's favorite, especially the fried banana dessert. The Hibachi requires reservation and has limited menu. Sushi was good, but rolls are only 4 pieces BORDEAUX (French - Dinner - Secrets): dress code, Wine Room. Top 3 restaurant for dinner. OCEANA (Seafood - Lunch/Dinner - Secrets): we only ate lunch here, but it was good. And it's right off the beach so good view CASTAWAYS (Mediterranean - Lunch/Dinner): connected to OCEANA so similar location for views, but food was just okay TAMARINDO (Mexican - Dinner): worst dinner in our opinion MARKET CAFE & CARNIVAL (Buffets - Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner): besides room service or preferred bar, the buffets are the only options for breakfast. PREFERRED BAR: small bites all day, changes throughout the day COCO CAFE (Dreams): coffee shop that we didn't get to try
Malecón Boardwalk
If you want to get out of the resort for a while, we hear the Malecón Boardwalk is a cool area for restaurants and shops. We didn't get a chance to check it out, but everyone we talked to recommended it. And it's a short cab ride down the beach.