Blue Bay Grand Esmeralda - All Inclusive

Weather was great!! Hotel was ok but the beach was not great! Had to walk down a bit to find clear water :( Getting a reservation at the a la carte was not easy and the restaurants were not full?? The Asian restaurant was not very good but we had a blast at the Italian restaurant.

After reading all the reviews I was a little nervous since we have been to several resorts in Mexico and never had a bad experience, we just wanted to try yet another new place. The weather in December was beautiful as was the resort. We ended up ugrading to an oceanfront room since there was one available, well worth it. Enjoyed every moment out on the balcony in the am and pm. The resort is smaller than ones that we have been to in the past but that was great. We never even bothered with the specialty restaurants since we found the buffet to be great. Very intimate seating and great service. The beach sand is beautiful. The water is a little cloudy this time of year probably because of the rougher water but don't let it keep you out of it, when you walk in you can see that it is just a little cloudy but it is smooth sand below. My husband and I loved and it would definitly return. The staff was GREAT!!!

Hotel, staff, and food were all good and typical of Mexico all inclusive resorts of this rating. Reservations were required for restaurants other than the buffet. Reservations were hard to get and restaurants usually had 5 - 10 tables filled when we went to them. There seems to be a need for improvements to staffing and booking to make this area better. Food and service at restaurants however was excellent. Just the booking availability is my complaint. Not a big issue but an area for improvement. Kids club was fantastic. Our 4 yr old daughter loved it. Beach and pool are pretty nice at this location.

overall this is good resort, beach is fine but ocean isnt, better for older people. jetski onsite very slow limited power its not fun,

Arrival: Had to wait 20 minutes until our luggage was delivered to the room. We did not want to wait so we walked. We were not offered a ride, etc. Room: Good, expect for the bathroom-Shower had mold, cracked tile. Mirror- was worn from all the moisture. Pool: Probably the best part apart from the sports bar Beach: Looks bad with the sand bags. Walked along the beach it was all the same at other hotels

My husband and I have gone to Blue Bay twice and always at the same time . We have enjoyed it immensely from the staff to our room and of course the food. The moment we enter the lobby we our welcomed by concierge, Yadina, from the VIP check-in. We had arranged to secure the same suite as last year. Which was no problem with the head of the concierges, Jose Luis. Who is not only very professional but friendly and could not do enough for us. Wagner, who is the pool-bar service waiter knew exactly what we drank and always made sure we had a full glass while we were at the pool or beach. Karla, our waitress for breakfast and lunch always greeted us with a smile. I can not say enough for the staff. Please remember even though everything is included, the staff does appreciate tips which is well deserved. Our suite was an ocean view on the third floor of the Coba building. With a separate living room and bedroom plus two bathrooms it was very convenient for us. It was cleaned every day before 10:A.M. per our request . Every night after dinner we would come back to our room to find a snack at the bar and a bottle of wine , champagne or premium liquor. By the end of our stay we had accumulated 10 full bottles as neither of us drink liquor. We have been to secrets and Capri,which is right next door to Blue Bay resort and a few other resorts but none compare to Blue Bay Esmeralda. We will be returning next year for the third time.

Awesome Hotel, very clean, all facilities were as expected. The staff couldn't be any friendlier. Food was OK, all inclusive style, nothing Gourmet unless you reserve for a VIP dinner which was Great. Rent a car and and travel on your time to all the Mayan destinations. Simply Great.

I really dont know where to begin. The staff at Blue Bay Grand Esmeralda were wonderful! Very family friendly. Lots of families with kids, but not over run with children. Everyone went out of their way to make our stay a 5 Star experience. The room was beautiful, the food was plentiful and seemingly endless. The pools were clean and huge, and overall, I couldn't imagine a better experience. All our waiters and concierge spoke good - excellent English, which helped me alot, and I even picked up some common Spanish expressions. The beaches were beautiful, but were not as clean as I expected, not trash but small natural twigs and such from all the palm trees. Would not recommend staying on the first floor, as the wildlife will make themselves at home (as it is their home!) The rooms are very close to tropical vegetation. Our last night, I called the front desk and said "Is it possible to have some help with our luggage in the morning, at 2AM for our crazy early departure?" and their reply was "Sir, Everything is possible!" Muy bueno!

Upon our arrival I noticed how manicured the grounds were. Perfect. The hotel was picture perfect upon arrival. When we arrived in our room there was mold in the bathroom and ants all over the counter. I called and they changed our room within the hours to a much nicer room with a better location for us. The staff couldnt be nicer or more concerned with our satisfaction. My biggest complaint is that the supervisors pushing the purchace plans were rude. We went for vacation, not to be bombarded with sales we wernt interested in. This was our first vacation in 24 years so it was special to us. We almost wouldnt come back just because of the pushing of the resort sales. If people are interested, they will ask. The food was just OK. Nothing special and not much variety. One night we didnt even eat dinner because there wasnt anything on the buffet that we liked. And, cant get reservations most of the time at the other resturants. But over all, not bad. Hats off to the staff. We did notice however that one resturant was closed at night and it was supposed to be open, and, that the resort had two building closed along with the snack bar and pool in that area.

I stayed at BB Esmeralda Oct. 31 to Nov. 05. The Staff were friendly and accomodating at all times. The Buffet food was varied but was rather toned-down for tourists- even the "Mexican" food. The grounds and rooms were admirably clean and cared for. The A La Carte restaurants where I ate served food that was wonderfully presented but fairly ordinary. The Buffet was about as good. The architect who designed the buildings should be blacklisted. My bathroom tub had a wall on the side which was at least 1 1/2 feet tall. It was very difficult to get into the tub/shower and I am fit. Anyone not fit could not use it. Also the Sports Bar/ Show venue was disigned with low ceilings and is very unwelcoming and claustrophobic. BB Esmeralda is isolated from Playa del Carmen by 6 miles. It is a spot to stay and relax on site. Oher comments about the beach are true but exagerated in that the beach erosion did cause the staff to install some sand bags, but the sandy area is still nice. The waters are sometimes a little murkey due to the currents, but the pool area is large and very nice. BB Esmeralda is a good bargain for what one pays.