Cancun after the renovation

by Melissa

The new lobby is gorgeous. Looks like the reception area at Columbus Isle. Generally speaking they were going for the Columbus Isle look all the way around, without actually spending THAT much money.
They are actually delivering messages to the rooms now on real message slips. Couldn't believe it.
They've "sponge" painted all the common area buildings at the village center different colors. The buildings with all the rooms are now all white with yellow trim on the outside and all the frames around each doorway have been painted sea green. The doors to each room are new, they're semi-attractive and look like unfinished wood from a distance, but when you get up close you realize it's metal with a wood grain finish. Sort of cheesy, but oh well.
Inside the rooms are dramatically different. They've redone EVERYTHING. All the floor tile is new. It used to be the rust colored saltillo tile, now its a nice, sand colored tile and the shower is done to match. The closets have white louvered doors you can actually close. All the sink and toilet fixtures are new, along with a new vanity and shelving in the shower/sink area. The water pressure still sucks and the air conditioner stills leaks, but you can't have everything. The bedspreads and the drapes are now a sunny yellow with some (but not too many) flowers. There's a nice wood sideboard type table up against the wall where the cheesy grey faux leather chairs and small glass table used to be. There are lamps behind each bed. Sort of hammered dark, brown tin, shaped sort of like a sunflower. The lamps were so nice I wanted to take one home! I know at this very moment, you're thinking, "But what about that groovy, but stupid Mayan sculpture thing in the room that had no real purpose other than to throw wet clothes on it?" Am I right? Well, they've decided that it makes a great addition to everyone's patio. Ha ha!
The lagoon does not smell anymore. Hallelujah!
The food was OK, the usual Club Med menu, just not as great as it's been at other villages and/or other times. Although the dark chocolate bread could never be bad.
The scuba excursions to Cozumel are $127 for a two-tank dive. They bus you to Playa del Carmen and then you take the ferry over. It can be done for almost 1/2 that, though. They go on Wednesdays and Fridays.
They still have windsurfing down by La Palapa, but no more sailing.
They organize a trip at night into downtown Cancun on Thursday nights. You pay $20 to get in, then it's all you can drink ALL NIGHT LONG (the cab ride down is $8 with four people in the cab). They take you to Daddy O's. I'm not sure if you've been there or not so I'll tell you about it just in case. Think HUGE, MASSIVE club - non-stop pounding music. It was fun and I danced all night long (came back in a cab at 5:30am), but that's not someplace I would ever want to go more than 1 or 2 times a year. Incredible laser light show too.
Booze cruise (replacement for the infamous picnic) is on Tuesdays, which unfortunately is also Tequila Night. Most people are so burned out from the booze cruise so Tequila Night isn't as hapennin' as it normally would be on any other day of the week.
Here's an odd thing: The door locks in the rooms. You can't press the button on the inside of the door when you're leaving, because if you do, or if it's pressed from the inside by a person staying inside the room, it CANNOT be opened from the outside with the key. Some people say they've done this so that if one roommate has "company" the other roommate can't just walk in on them. Whatever . . .
The Hands Up song is a new version. This one is the 90's disco version. Not bad if you like all the Crazy Signs (which I do). It doesn't have all the same words in it either.
Overall, they've done a FANTASTIC job and have put a lot of money into the place. Like I've said previously, I could definitely do without the TV's and phones, but what can you do.

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