FYI that weird freeze frame while I'm speaking about the AC was meant to be a (blurred) photo of the engineer in the room playing with the thermostat. Not sure what happened to it while UA-cam processed the video!
Well well well….From 🤢 at the sight of the beach loungers, to 😂 at the absurd lighting in your room, to 🤯 at your experience with the AC…and then the segment where you captured that sunrise and the shot of the small waves breaking on the beach…. just stunning 🤩 This is what makes your videos so special and interesting, it’s a feast for all senses 🥳
I live in Mayakoba City, and every weekend at dawn, I walk 5km to reach the beach near these four resorts. With the drone flight, I see how beautiful it is. I've been saving up to stay there, but thanks to your honest video, I've regretted it, and I don't plan on wasting my money. Unfortunately, at RIU, a more mass experience would make me feel like I'd be throwing my money away. Thanks, friend, you've saved me from a big mistake. Keep it up.
I cannot wait to watch this one! 25/100. Scandalous 😂 I do very much enjoy it when you expose supposedly luxury resorts for taking the piss out of customers who have the good faith to trust in the brand name the operate under.
We happened to stay there a few years ago when it first open at mayakoba…. And even then we were NOT impressed. We have not gone back and never will specifically now looking at this very honest and straightforward video review. Shame on Hyatt for misleading people on this property.
Yeah, the scale of it... I can imagine it wouldn't be impressive even during the best of times- a real shame becuase it's taking up some spectacular real estate.
You're a hero helping people to avoid places like this. Especially with tight schedules (and budgets these days), we don't have time for ripoffs like this!
I think the short stay is a good call out. In some parts of the world weeks long vacations are the norm, but especially for Americans, sometimes they're lucky to get 3 days off in a row! Time is money!
Thanks for sharing this review. It's what hipped me to your channel, which I've been enjoying. I watched your video a week or two before visiting Andaz Mayakoba. I'm happy to report that my experience was quite different (and the air conditioning was fully functional). I enjoyed the vacation there but am very curious to know how it's different from when it first opened.
Thanks for the review! Can I suggest a tip - for capsule coffee machines in the room (like the Nespresso one in the room in this video), you can test their cleanliness by running the machine as you would normally but without a pod inside it. If the machine hasn't been cleaned since its last use, dirty water should come out.
Yes, but only if they cleaned it with actual Cafiza, which they shouldn’t be doing in between every guest on a consumer machine. I’m happy as long as it’s drained properly with no visible scale buildup.
Just did 5 nights at the Andaz end of January 2024. I didn't have any of the experiences you had however the resort didn't wow me and is rather spread out for my liking. It seemed a little tired. Food & beverage is a bit of a shake down but that seems to be the norm these days at these luxury resorts. The bicycle tires are half flat which makes for a great workout. At the end of the day I enjoyed myself but doubt I would go back.
That Andaz was a one & done for me. Same room, which seemed a lot better than the lagoon rooms. The Fairmont is heads & tails better, at around the same cost. Food is expensive at Fairmont, so all inclusive can be worth it, except it didn’t include room service. Andaz Mayakoba, and the Andaz in Maui, well, they are just so blah and feel cheap. Can’t wait to see where you headed next. The grand Hyatt Playa is nice 👍🏽 Conrad Tulum looks intriguing
Conrad Tulum I want to want to try... but after my Waldorf experience, I'm a little hesitant... Frankly, the scale of the St. Regis is making all of it's competitors look like child's play at the moment.
There are very very few brands out there who are consistently great. Andaz is one of my favorite brands- conceptually- but they suffer from their owner/operator structure just like most other brands.
The AC issue seems like a common practice or scam to conserve electricity. It happened to us at the Cabo Hard Rock, Andaz Mayakoba, Hyatt Zilara Puuero Vallarta. I carry a small Vornado fan on every trip i take to every hotel, because thhis AC Issue is in most hotels now.
Quite shocking, I always think it's a con when such bad service/accommodation is compensated with miles and / or points, in my view, a full refund should have been given, or better still, the entire hotel should have been closed during this renovation period.
I would go for the latter, yah. And also since I booked directly with them, I was surprised they compensated with points. Costs them less in the end and that’s all that matters too often!
You are putting me off from going to Yucatan Kevin hehe. Looks like the quality of building is not great so it is not ageing well. While the seaweed net seems to work marvels, it takes from the perfect beach scene.
The nets don't always work though- I'd note the Hilton I reviewed also had the same seaweed nets, but was inundated. That said, there are plenty of seaweed free, well built options in the area.
Just pick the Fairmont Mayakoba instead …much more charming it’s just this Andaz that is lame, even when everything is open. Sparse and lacking and that urban beach look isn’t luxurious in any way.
I’ve spent probably 10 nights here and over a month living at the nearby banyan tree and I mostly agree - the Andaz is the weakest resort on property. I would suggest if staying here taking the boat or a shuttle to the other resorts. They have a cross billing practice that works pretty well.
Consistency and transparency is the key. If this was my two-week-long annual vacation, I'd be rather pee'd off. I think you handled it well. I really don't get why Hyatt and, they aren't alone (Hilton), manage to lock their aircon, it is so obvious that they do it on purpose. I've had it in properties in Korea, Japan and Vietnam. Their solution..... bringing electric fans to the room at 3am which just waft the humid air around. While I've stayed in motels where you can basically set the airon to 19c 24/7.
My typical response when they don't unlock it is, "oh ok, so I'm going to search how to unlock it on UA-cam, I'll be pressing every button until it relents- if you prefer that instead of coming to unlock it, no worries!"
What hotel would you pick for a family of three? Originally we were thinking st Regis or Waldorf but seems like they nickel and dime folks. Andaz looks cool but seems like they have issues.
Yikes 😢. They absolutely 💯 should have given you the option to cancel or rebook at another property, totally unacceptable. Otherwise it looks like a pretty sweet property(except for those prices 😬). Thanks for sharing 😊
Totally agree, but I’d say the Andaz Maui (at least when it first opened) was worth the price (to an extent). Mayakoba always seemed kind of cheap. Still doesn’t explain how/why they’re running it into the ground.
Andaz Maui is so overpriced for the product. They have these glass shower walls which are covered in soap scum, for one thing. If you see a good rate at the Fairmont Kea Lani in Maui, take it. That place is fantastic!
Sorry, but all of Hawaii is overpriced. I genuinely believe it's the most overpriced market on earth. My floating example is: I used to goto Hawaii yearly, always stayed at the Kea Lani (then Fairmont Kea Lani) plus one other property on another island. 1998-2004 the base room averaged $320-350 per night during peak season. An inflation calculator puts that at $580-600 in today's dollars. The actual price these days is near $1300. It's just Looney Tunes over there.
Really great review. Even with the resort fully open, the thing that would really drive me nuts is the A/C. I've had that experience and it's really brutal...A/C going on and off and waking up in the middle of the night to a warm room. It absolutely sucks. So disappointing given the gorgeous beach. The gross negligence of the property management and that A/C make this property a non-starter for this Globalist.
When I finally saw the property layout, after I was there and realized it was just pieces of a puzzle far away from each other, it became apparent this is just one of those cash churning resorts. Small enough to just continuously maintain bit by bit, premium enough to walk away with bags of money lol
The penalty system feels extremely fair - remodelling isn't going to take place all the time, nor are places always going to be closed for functions (although there was the one that was basically a wedding venue that non-guests were permitted to stay at). As you always say, it's about your own personal experience, so if your time there was crappy, you absolutely should say it's crappy - if anything, it's a little charitable of you to give them a score for what it should have been!
I’ve always had a strong suspicion that something very weird was going on with the Andaz Mayakoba. When they opened it looked very nice, and given its neighbors in Mayakoba, I had high expectations. And yet, the rates were always dubiously low (way lower than the Andaz Maui) and reviews were decidedly mixed, plus, the photos just made it look oddly worn out. Furthermore, as you point out, I always thought the layout of the whole Mayakoba complex was just weird and artificial. Ultimately I’m now convinced there’s some kind of an intentional bait and switch going on. They opened as a full five star resort and then gradually began running it down in quality.
I agree with everything except the comaprision to Maui. Hawaii pricing operates in its own alternative monopoly money universe where even the sky isn't the limit lol. Most over priced market on earth, in my opinion.
@@tfft great stuff. I think you should go to more ordinary. Places. Like Cancun like Jamaica most people don’t go to Asia. I know your based there but just saying
The beach does look gorgeous... However.. all this situation is unacceptable for all the reasons you rightly pointed!! And the AC fiasco killed it for me!! I doubt that even when all the renovations are finished that the AC problem can be fixed. Personally I won't stay there or recommend it to anyone from now on... I would like to see a review from you of the nearby renovated Fairmont Mayakoba😅
Yes, I always get a chuckle when I complain about something like the AC and someone will eventually defend the hotel along the lines of “it’s just AC, you don’t need to be so critical, a hotel room is just for sleeping”… to which I normally reply, ”EXACTLY!… if I can’t sleep, what’s the purpose of paying?” 😅
Sending you the warning email after the cancellation period. That's a major red flag regarding property management's thoughts about and concern for guests, no?
Completely agree, especially since this is one of those ‘special’ Hyatts where the standard cancellation period is 7 days, which means it applies even to Globalists. I know it can be turned to apply to any industry, but the amount of stuff they *think* they can get away with is unbelievable.
I'd say it would have to be better than that though. I'm used to booking and cancelling hotels, I presume most travellers to Cancun would be up in arms if they were told to cancel. Hyatt (the parent company) should have handled this and sent out a list of other resort options which all represented good value for the price they already paid.
I stayed at Banyan Tree Mayakoba just a few weeks ago and had a great stay. I toured the other three resorts there during my visit as well (i.e., Andaz, Fairmont and Rosewood). Clearly Andaz is the weakest of the four Mayakoba properties (even when the full resort is open) and I would never stay there.
wow this hotel scores even lower than the Intercontinental Phu Quoc - the worst five star hotel in my travel experience. I totally agreed with you a bad hotel experience is much worse than a bad flight experience . This was how we felt after checking out the intercontinental Phu Quoc and we had not heard from the Intercontinental Phu Quoc management
@@tfft yes angry more than bitter as the staff and the management at IC Phu Quoc treated their paying guests as a little child who has never been experienced a 5 star hotel ever .
These loungers were so disgusting... but at 9:45 my eyes almost popped out when I saw these prices. I'm in CDMX right now and for the price of nachos at this resort you get a very good steak here. And the menu at 17:18 has no prices at all... obviously because $92 would be shocking for most people. Are these prices normal in Cancun? I was thinking about going there but now... not so much.
For a premium resort, yes they are normal- actually on the lower side of normal. My upcoming Waldorf Astoria Cancun video will show you the higher end of premium resort pricing. Cancun is one location where I highly recommend all inclusives- there are loads of really nice options.
In fact, you can be "very disappointed" with such a stay at this price, they should have reduced it significantly to compensate the guests for the inconvenience and lack of access to most of the resort, and in my opinion it doesn't matter whether we intend to use something or not, if you pay the full price then yes that for the choice of services and places, availability and, of course, service, which is simply a typical example of an inadequate price for the offer, fortunately, I will not go to this hotel, but my husband and I intend to go to Apurwa Kempiński in Bali and I will definitely check if it is still there as DUSTY as it was during your stay.
I fully agree and that's why I score the way that I do. It doesn't matter if I was GOING TO use all four pools, what matters is that I already paid for the option to do so.
For the price per night, the hotel really isn't up to standard. The air-conditioning thing turning off once reaching the temperature is something you see far too often. Especially when you are paying over 300 usd a night so sad
The renovations for such a big resorts would need at least a few months of preparation, so i think that this is completely unacceptable service from the hotel in itself. The customer had paid thousands of dollars from their own pocket so, at least if they were being informed at least 2 weeks in advance, they have a chance to consult with the cs department first.
I stayed there 2 years ago and it felt quite the same as watching this video. The service was terrible! We ate at one of the restaurants and the food was good not great, at the end of our dinner we signed the bill and tipped the waiter. We left for a late night swim at the pool near by and the waited decided we didn’t tip enough and proceeded to find us to ask for more tip. I know we tipped generously for the service we received but to go and seek someone because you think it’s not enough is unacceptable! I would not recommend this hotel to anyone!
I know it is in your standard opener that you "...did not receive any compensation for creating this video", but I reckon you would not expect one anyway, after the, legitimate nontheless, rating you gave them... haha. As a side note, the proper way to go about major renovations is to plan in advance in blocking a 2-3 month period that the hotel will be closed and complete the whole thing, instead of this ridiculous stunt. It basically meant that guests that chose to visit during a low occupancy period are of lesser importance to the hotel than others.
Agree with the second part- the first part is much more for viewers who have never seen one of my videos (and also as a bit of a legal disclaimer lol).
This is shocking. I’ve stayed there several times myself, and as a Travel Advisor have booked a ton of clients here through Privé. I’ve met the GM and FOH manager several times, and this experience is not typical. I think much of this seems to stem from the construction closure, which is too bad, as the best restaurants are on the lagoon side. Also, being a guest there, you can use the facilities at Banyan Tree, Rosewood, and Fairmont. Also, the water taxi services through the canals are a great way to get around normally.
I'm curious when the last time you went was- I'm the first to admit that all of my reviews are based on single experiences and might not be indicative of a bigger problem, but my experience aside, I've been reading review after review, comment after comment about this place and how it's gone way down hill in the past year. I think your comment is the first on the video from someone who stayed there with something nice to say about the place lol.
@ I looked up reviews on FlyerTalk and Google, and they do seem mixed lately. It's odd to see the last 10 reviews have 5 terrible reviews and 5 outstanding reviews. It's like Banyan Tree Phuket all over again lol. I've always stayed lagoon side, and will typically be in a suite with private pool, and I usually book clients on the lagoon side as well. The beach side just never looked as nice... And your video confirmed that. The whole Mayakoba complex is beautiful too, with all the winding paths and canals in between the resorts, with different designs. The food is expensive, but usually very good, especially at the two lagoon side venues. I have been booking the Rosewood there a lot more lately, so there does seem to be a shift in interest. But I book privé clients at Andaz fairly often, and they always comment they get treated like royalty. I'm hoping that your experience was not a sign of things to come, but just a massive service and facilities failure on their end, that can be rectified!
Man... After spilling my drink on my laptop once destroying my microphone and speakers.... I have never put food or drink near my electronics ever again. I know ur pain
Yah, ‘usually’ being the key word. Some time ago someone said I was ‘always picking on Hyatt’ or something like that. I replied truthfully, “I expect more from Hyatt so I visit more Hyatts and when they fail, they fail hard!”
Why not just temporary close the resort to avoid this? It can't be to keep staff working because more than half the resort was already closed down. Pay the staff to stay home and get it down all together. This cannot be profitable if your customers are complaining in droves.
Or just pay the staff to support the week long mini renovation efforts- either way- I don't think staff were an issue, unless it was in fact shut down due to a lack of them.
I feel like u overpaid for a resort that had so many things closed at once. Also, that in itself is really strange. Wouldn't it have been better to stagger the upgrades / renovations? O.o
Your experience was definitely horrible. I've been to this resort twice (once during the very deep days of the pandemic) and once just at the end of November. I've also stayed at the Fairmont Mayakoba 3 times and have eaten at all of the resorts in Mayakoba. Let me start my thoughts by saying I really enjoy the Mayakoba complex. Riding the bikes around the resorts, ability to eat at all of the resorts (Banyan Tree, Fairmont, Andaz, and the Rosewood), the great beach, the on-site cenote, the Disney-esque Mexican village, and the eco boat tour through the resort all make for a much more diverse experience than if there was only the Andaz. The first time we went was during the deep days of the pandemic when travel had nearly collapsed. The Andaz was only at 5% occupancy and they were very clear before we arrived that only the beachfront area was open. They has also set up the gym where the small shop is next to the vegan bar and moved the spa to a couple of the rooms in the beach area. We found the staff really on point on this first visit, had an upgrade to a great suite with a plunge pool. Because of the state of the travel industry, this is probably a poor point of comparison other than to say we liked this experience much more than our one in November. All of the closures and changes were made very clear to us well before arrival on this visit. I do like the rooms at the Andaz (yeah, a bit sparse) and enjoy the overall feel of the resort. We've found the AC to be some of the strongest at any resort, though we were able to control it fine. In November, we found the service lacking across the resort (they were at full occupancy), the food to be good except at the main breakfast buffet (just was ok) and at Casa Amate. Casa Amate was both underwhelming for the food and the service. Servers just sat around at the front of the restaurant chatting while drinks went unfilled and orders went untaken. It was also way overpriced. We went Itzam at the Etereo (love it, been twice) and our waiter previously worked at Casa Amate and said he thought both the food, service, and management had gone down hill at Casa Amate. The food at the Banyan Tree and Rosewood are much better, but the restaurant prices at Banyan Tree in particular are ridiculous. I'm going to avoid commenting on the Fairmont as I've been there on an industry rate which clouds objectivity. I also stayed at the new St Regis (you can see it from the beach at the Andaz) in October on a paid rate. The rooms there are fantastic, especially the plunge pool rooms. I found the layout here creates a lack of privacy and it can be noisy. The food, drinks, and service are superior to the Andaz though the prices seem similar. I know we will be back to Mayakoba due to the ability to take advantage of all of the amenities of the full resort complex. We will probably pick the resort here that has a rate that seems to offer the most value and dine around all of the resorts and in Playa del Carmen, which is a 20 minute ride away. Andaz certainly needed to do better in your case, Kevin.
Yeah and for the record, only the beach area being open during COVID is fully to be expected- 80% of the first reviews on this channel dealt with similar closures, but there was of course a good reason for it. These days, it's hard to justify. As for Mayakoba, I do see the allure, but I've also read quite a few anecdotal examples about guests at Andaz not being able to get reservations at other resorts' restaurants for dinner- so I probably won't be returning to Mayakoba... the St Regis on the other hand is at the very top of my list next time I'm in the area.
Omg 21 USD for three tacos isn't even American prices, that's just extortion. Somehow I doubt that that price is passed down to the hardworking kitchen staff.
Careful, fair thoughtful, appropriately brutal. Just one note - I care as much about the dreadful American “momentarily “ (IN a moment) vs the correct/british/world/good and right and holy usage (FOR a moment) as you care about freezing AC. Hearing “the plane will take off momentarily” in an American accent freaks me out every time. As a global channel - make the right choice, the correct choice. Not just momentarily, but every time! 😉
What an awful experience. A bad hotel experience is like Kamp Krusty where nobody can hear you scream. The nightly rate looks below average when you compare it to other comparable resorts, including their nearby Hyatt and Inclusive brands. I wonder if mgmt thought “Well you get what you pay for.” I stayed at a Dreams in South America which was analogous.
Mind you my rate seems to be cheap for the property. When I originally booked my Cancun hotels I didn’t book here bc it was around $550. Then 1-2 months prior the price dropped (come to think of it maybe that’s when they knew the closure would happen!). My same room goes for near $900 much of the year.
@@tfft It’s surprising because your video is like a Covid era review. You kind of half expect lower service levels and disrepair in 2020 but not today!
I am in dismay. Hummmm looks like a Cuban 3 star resort Wait ? 1200 a night ? What ? Kevin : I know how serious you are about your reviews but there are limits of what is acceptable. Especially that you paid with your own money ! Well kudos for and thanks for surviving that night. I cannot believe it. If it wasnt about the video you could have tell your story. And no one would believe you 3 letters to describe it : W - T - F
If what happened to you happened to me, believe me, I would not be as generous with my review as you. I would also petition for a full refund and would not stop until I got it. I do not allow anyone or anything to take advantage of me.
Well, my job is to present things as they are- that's why I never seek out compensation specifically. I think it's more valuable for the video to show what they offered. I know if I pushed I could have gotten a full cash refund, but the burden is on them to make things right.
even if the problems have been rectified now i still would never go there given that they felt it ok to treat people they way they did............they must have planned the closing and could have let you know in time to cancel.......they didnt........they took your money knowing it was all closed.
FYI that weird freeze frame while I'm speaking about the AC was meant to be a (blurred) photo of the engineer in the room playing with the thermostat. Not sure what happened to it while UA-cam processed the video!
I was wondering! Lol!
Well well well….From 🤢 at the sight of the beach loungers, to 😂 at the absurd lighting in your room, to 🤯 at your experience with the AC…and then the segment where you captured that sunrise and the shot of the small waves breaking on the beach…. just stunning 🤩 This is what makes your videos so special and interesting, it’s a feast for all senses 🥳
I just wish this one was a bigger feast! Haha. Thanks as always for watching 🙏🏻
We just visited Andaz Mayakoba a few days ago and all facilities were opened; both lagoons and beach areas. We had a great time there.
Glad to hear! Am a bit surprised though- that places has been getting ripped to shreds on Flyertalk the past few weeks.
I live in Mayakoba City, and every weekend at dawn, I walk 5km to reach the beach near these four resorts. With the drone flight, I see how beautiful it is. I've been saving up to stay there, but thanks to your honest video, I've regretted it, and I don't plan on wasting my money. Unfortunately, at RIU, a more mass experience would make me feel like I'd be throwing my money away. Thanks, friend, you've saved me from a big mistake. Keep it up.
I have heard the Fairmont may be worth a shot though! Thanks for watching 🩴
The beach looks stunning. The sunset was probably the best thing which offered the most bang for your buck.
Certainly is a beautiful beach!
In Mayakoba, you face east not west. The sunrises though were indeed beautiful.
I cannot wait to watch this one! 25/100. Scandalous 😂
I do very much enjoy it when you expose supposedly luxury resorts for taking the piss out of customers who have the good faith to trust in the brand name the operate under.
I just tell it like I see it!
We happened to stay there a few years ago when it first open at mayakoba…. And even then we were NOT impressed. We have not gone back and never will specifically now looking at this very honest and straightforward video review. Shame on Hyatt for misleading people on this property.
Yeah, the scale of it... I can imagine it wouldn't be impressive even during the best of times- a real shame becuase it's taking up some spectacular real estate.
You're a hero helping people to avoid places like this. Especially with tight schedules (and budgets these days), we don't have time for ripoffs like this!
I think the short stay is a good call out. In some parts of the world weeks long vacations are the norm, but especially for Americans, sometimes they're lucky to get 3 days off in a row! Time is money!
Thanks for sharing this review. It's what hipped me to your channel, which I've been enjoying. I watched your video a week or two before visiting Andaz Mayakoba. I'm happy to report that my experience was quite different (and the air conditioning was fully functional). I enjoyed the vacation there but am very curious to know how it's different from when it first opened.
I’m glad it has improved, but I think we are on the same page- wondering what the full ‘Andaz’ experience was actually meant to be.
@@tfft I'm still in awe of how you weren't informed about all the closures. You stayed at a totally different resort!
Thanks for the review! Can I suggest a tip - for capsule coffee machines in the room (like the Nespresso one in the room in this video), you can test their cleanliness by running the machine as you would normally but without a pod inside it. If the machine hasn't been cleaned since its last use, dirty water should come out.
Yes, but only if they cleaned it with actual Cafiza, which they shouldn’t be doing in between every guest on a consumer machine. I’m happy as long as it’s drained properly with no visible scale buildup.
Thanks for the info + video!
Thanks for watching 🩴
Oh dear. That was an abysmal stay. The sunrise segment was beautiful and the music was great.
Thanks very much 🙏🏻
Heading to Cancun next week. Thanks for the review! Glad we chose the St. Regis. It’s always fun to see you review a turd in the sea of gold.
Ah I just wrote about the St. Regis today in one of my scripts- I didn’t go (but I wish I did haha). Enjoy your trip 🗺️
Just did 5 nights at the Andaz end of January 2024. I didn't have any of the experiences you had however the resort didn't wow me and is rather spread out for my liking. It seemed a little tired. Food & beverage is a bit of a shake down but that seems to be the norm these days at these luxury resorts. The bicycle tires are half flat which makes for a great workout. At the end of the day I enjoyed myself but doubt I would go back.
Funny how I thought it was a shake down as well- until I went to the Walford haha. Thanks for watching 🩴
A mile? Cripes.
Your graphics really are very good.
Best line: 'Whoops!'
Haha thank you. Every week I begin with “this week I’m going to make less graphics…” but then… they just help lol
That Andaz was a one & done for me. Same room, which seemed a lot better than the lagoon rooms. The Fairmont is heads & tails better, at around the same cost. Food is expensive at Fairmont, so all inclusive can be worth it, except it didn’t include room service. Andaz Mayakoba, and the Andaz in Maui, well, they are just so blah and feel cheap. Can’t wait to see where you headed next. The grand Hyatt Playa is nice 👍🏽 Conrad Tulum looks intriguing
Conrad Tulum I want to want to try... but after my Waldorf experience, I'm a little hesitant... Frankly, the scale of the St. Regis is making all of it's competitors look like child's play at the moment.
@@tfft the Waldorf made a huge mistake putting it on that subpar beach
Fully agree, just exported that video and that’s 50% of what I speak of in it.
That sun beds .... I'm still in shock .
They don't inspire thoughts of laying on the beach sipping a margarita? 😅
After their great property in Bali but not so great in Cancun, Seoul and Delhi, what are your thoughts on Andaz?
There are very very few brands out there who are consistently great. Andaz is one of my favorite brands- conceptually- but they suffer from their owner/operator structure just like most other brands.
when will you release the waldorf astoria video?
When the exact date is decided, it'll be in the video descriptions leading up to it. Within a month, likely.
From what I saw in the 'closed area, the resort has tonnes of potential both the pool area and the green area.
Agreed, and that's why it was so hard to wrap my brain around the scoring.
Can’t wait Dubai hotels reviews! That’s would be great
Thanks for watching 🩴
The AC issue seems like a common practice or scam to conserve electricity. It happened to us at the Cabo Hard Rock, Andaz Mayakoba, Hyatt Zilara Puuero Vallarta. I carry a small Vornado fan on every trip i take to every hotel, because thhis AC Issue is in most hotels now.
The savings bit, I usually know how to get around- but this was a different level it seemed. Thanks for watching 🩴
Quite shocking, I always think it's a con when such bad service/accommodation is compensated with miles and / or points, in my view, a full refund should have been given, or better still, the entire hotel should have been closed during this renovation period.
I would go for the latter, yah. And also since I booked directly with them, I was surprised they compensated with points. Costs them less in the end and that’s all that matters too often!
You are putting me off from going to Yucatan Kevin hehe. Looks like the quality of building is not great so it is not ageing well. While the seaweed net seems to work marvels, it takes from the perfect beach scene.
The nets don't always work though- I'd note the Hilton I reviewed also had the same seaweed nets, but was inundated. That said, there are plenty of seaweed free, well built options in the area.
Just pick the Fairmont Mayakoba instead …much more charming it’s just this Andaz that is lame, even when everything is open. Sparse and lacking and that urban beach look isn’t luxurious in any way.
I’ve spent probably 10 nights here and over a month living at the nearby banyan tree and I mostly agree - the Andaz is the weakest resort on property. I would suggest if staying here taking the boat or a shuttle to the other resorts. They have a cross billing practice that works pretty well.
Good to know!
Gosh, a horrendous establishment! I will never dare to visit it. Thanks for your detailed report
Thanks as always for watching 🙏
Consistency and transparency is the key. If this was my two-week-long annual vacation, I'd be rather pee'd off.
I think you handled it well.
I really don't get why Hyatt and, they aren't alone (Hilton), manage to lock their aircon, it is so obvious that they do it on purpose. I've had it in properties in Korea, Japan and Vietnam. Their solution..... bringing electric fans to the room at 3am which just waft the humid air around. While I've stayed in motels where you can basically set the airon to 19c 24/7.
My typical response when they don't unlock it is, "oh ok, so I'm going to search how to unlock it on UA-cam, I'll be pressing every button until it relents- if you prefer that instead of coming to unlock it, no worries!"
@@tfft LOL
What hotel would you pick for a family of three? Originally we were thinking st Regis or Waldorf but seems like they nickel and dime folks. Andaz looks cool but seems like they have issues.
Haven’t been to the St. Regis, but wouldn’t recommend the other two.
Yikes 😢. They absolutely 💯 should have given you the option to cancel or rebook at another property, totally unacceptable. Otherwise it looks like a pretty sweet property(except for those prices 😬).
Thanks for sharing 😊
Yah those prices for a small stark room are 🍌🍌🍌
Totally agree, but I’d say the Andaz Maui (at least when it first opened) was worth the price (to an extent). Mayakoba always seemed kind of cheap.
Still doesn’t explain how/why they’re running it into the ground.
Andaz Maui is so overpriced for the product. They have these glass shower walls which are covered in soap scum, for one thing. If you see a good rate at the Fairmont Kea Lani in Maui, take it. That place is fantastic!
Sorry, but all of Hawaii is overpriced. I genuinely believe it's the most overpriced market on earth. My floating example is: I used to goto Hawaii yearly, always stayed at the Kea Lani (then Fairmont Kea Lani) plus one other property on another island. 1998-2004 the base room averaged $320-350 per night during peak season. An inflation calculator puts that at $580-600 in today's dollars. The actual price these days is near $1300. It's just Looney Tunes over there.
No denying any of that. At this point it’s not inflation so much as it’s just gauging.
Really great review. Even with the resort fully open, the thing that would really drive me nuts is the A/C. I've had that experience and it's really brutal...A/C going on and off and waking up in the middle of the night to a warm room. It absolutely sucks. So disappointing given the gorgeous beach. The gross negligence of the property management and that A/C make this property a non-starter for this Globalist.
When I finally saw the property layout, after I was there and realized it was just pieces of a puzzle far away from each other, it became apparent this is just one of those cash churning resorts. Small enough to just continuously maintain bit by bit, premium enough to walk away with bags of money lol
The penalty system feels extremely fair - remodelling isn't going to take place all the time, nor are places always going to be closed for functions (although there was the one that was basically a wedding venue that non-guests were permitted to stay at). As you always say, it's about your own personal experience, so if your time there was crappy, you absolutely should say it's crappy - if anything, it's a little charitable of you to give them a score for what it should have been!
Appreciate that!
I’ve always had a strong suspicion that something very weird was going on with the Andaz Mayakoba. When they opened it looked very nice, and given its neighbors in Mayakoba, I had high expectations. And yet, the rates were always dubiously low (way lower than the Andaz Maui) and reviews were decidedly mixed, plus, the photos just made it look oddly worn out. Furthermore, as you point out, I always thought the layout of the whole Mayakoba complex was just weird and artificial.
Ultimately I’m now convinced there’s some kind of an intentional bait and switch going on. They opened as a full five star resort and then gradually began running it down in quality.
I agree with everything except the comaprision to Maui. Hawaii pricing operates in its own alternative monopoly money universe where even the sky isn't the limit lol. Most over priced market on earth, in my opinion.
You are killing them on this video lol 😂 exposing the truth!
Just doing my job lol
incredible,, such a nice looking place people hopefully will take these reviews seriously
Thanks for watching 🩴
@@tfft great stuff. I think you should go to more ordinary. Places. Like Cancun like Jamaica most people don’t go to Asia. I know your based there but just saying
The beach does look gorgeous... However.. all this situation is unacceptable for all the reasons you rightly pointed!! And the AC fiasco killed it for me!! I doubt that even when all the renovations are finished that the AC problem can be fixed. Personally I won't stay there or recommend it to anyone from now on... I would like to see a review from you of the nearby renovated Fairmont Mayakoba😅
Agree. If the engineer doesn’t even understand the AC system, conceptually… I have little hope lol.
@tfft and if one cannot have a proper night sleep than all the stars fall to an hostel level.. what's the point right?!
Yes, I always get a chuckle when I complain about something like the AC and someone will eventually defend the hotel along the lines of “it’s just AC, you don’t need to be so critical, a hotel room is just for sleeping”… to which I normally reply, ”EXACTLY!… if I can’t sleep, what’s the purpose of paying?” 😅
Why was so much of the resort closed off?
I explained everything I knew about it in the video lol
Thank You ✈️
Thanks for watching 🩴
Amm, DMM or GDM to dxb on emirates in business?
If you zoom in, the clue is there :)
You went to some Andaz and I see that not much experience were good
This is what can happen when a hotel is just a brand and not owned by the brand. Thanks for watching 🩴
Sending you the warning email after the cancellation period. That's a major red flag regarding property management's thoughts about and concern for guests, no?
Completely agree, especially since this is one of those ‘special’ Hyatts where the standard cancellation period is 7 days, which means it applies even to Globalists. I know it can be turned to apply to any industry, but the amount of stuff they *think* they can get away with is unbelievable.
Incredible and unacceptable that Hyatt would not give guests the option to cancel in a situation like this.
I'd say it would have to be better than that though. I'm used to booking and cancelling hotels, I presume most travellers to Cancun would be up in arms if they were told to cancel. Hyatt (the parent company) should have handled this and sent out a list of other resort options which all represented good value for the price they already paid.
If that other one was Upscale Greek Tragedy, I missed what this one was but maybe Mayan Sacrifice Gone Wrong.
The only thing killed here was my spirit 😂
@@tfft "This time, it's personal!"
Love the „weird video“
Thanks for watching 🩴
I stayed at Banyan Tree Mayakoba just a few weeks ago and had a great stay. I toured the other three resorts there during my visit as well (i.e., Andaz, Fairmont and Rosewood). Clearly Andaz is the weakest of the four Mayakoba properties (even when the full resort is open) and I would never stay there.
Yup, seems like the odd man out in the development. Thanks for watching 🩴
wow this hotel scores even lower than the Intercontinental Phu Quoc - the worst five star hotel in my travel experience. I totally agreed with you a bad hotel experience is much worse than a bad flight experience . This was how we felt after checking out the intercontinental Phu Quoc and we had not heard from the Intercontinental Phu Quoc management
It seems you're still a little bitter about the IC in Phu Quoc 😅
@@tfft yes angry more than bitter as the staff and the management at IC Phu Quoc treated their paying guests as a little child who has never been experienced a 5 star hotel ever .
Those beach loungers! The covers have zippers, so why not wash them every now and then? Yikes.
You'd think it would be a reasonable question to ask haha.
These loungers were so disgusting... but at 9:45 my eyes almost popped out when I saw these prices. I'm in CDMX right now and for the price of nachos at this resort you get a very good steak here. And the menu at 17:18 has no prices at all... obviously because $92 would be shocking for most people. Are these prices normal in Cancun? I was thinking about going there but now... not so much.
For a premium resort, yes they are normal- actually on the lower side of normal. My upcoming Waldorf Astoria Cancun video will show you the higher end of premium resort pricing. Cancun is one location where I highly recommend all inclusives- there are loads of really nice options.
In fact, you can be "very disappointed" with such a stay at this price, they should have reduced it significantly to compensate the guests for the inconvenience and lack of access to most of the resort, and in my opinion it doesn't matter whether we intend to use something or not, if you pay the full price then yes that for the choice of services and places, availability and, of course, service, which is simply a typical example of an inadequate price for the offer, fortunately, I will not go to this hotel, but my husband and I intend to go to Apurwa Kempiński in Bali and I will definitely check if it is still there as DUSTY as it was during your stay.
I fully agree and that's why I score the way that I do. It doesn't matter if I was GOING TO use all four pools, what matters is that I already paid for the option to do so.
❤❤❤❤
Thanks for watching 🩴
For the price per night, the hotel really isn't up to standard.
The air-conditioning thing turning off once reaching the temperature is something you see far too often.
Especially when you are paying over 300 usd a night so sad
Thanks for watching 🩴
The renovations for such a big resorts would need at least a few months of preparation, so i think that this is completely unacceptable service from the hotel in itself. The customer had paid thousands of dollars from their own pocket so, at least if they were being informed at least 2 weeks in advance, they have a chance to consult with the cs department first.
Agreed!
We are staying at this resort for 5 nights in November 2024 for a wedding, I am now slightly concerned.
I'm sure it'll all be open by then lol
They don't have a business concept
Seems it.
How was your stay?
I stayed there 2 years ago and it felt quite the same as watching this video. The service was terrible! We ate at one of the restaurants and the food was good not great, at the end of our dinner we signed the bill and tipped the waiter. We left for a late night swim at the pool near by and the waited decided we didn’t tip enough and proceeded to find us to ask for more tip. I know we tipped generously for the service we received but to go and seek someone because you think it’s not enough is unacceptable! I would not recommend this hotel to anyone!
Sounds about right!
I know it is in your standard opener that you "...did not receive any compensation for creating this video", but I reckon you would not expect one anyway, after the, legitimate nontheless, rating you gave them... haha. As a side note, the proper way to go about major renovations is to plan in advance in blocking a 2-3 month period that the hotel will be closed and complete the whole thing, instead of this ridiculous stunt. It basically meant that guests that chose to visit during a low occupancy period are of lesser importance to the hotel than others.
Agree with the second part- the first part is much more for viewers who have never seen one of my videos (and also as a bit of a legal disclaimer lol).
This is shocking. I’ve stayed there several times myself, and as a Travel Advisor have booked a ton of clients here through Privé. I’ve met the GM and FOH manager several times, and this experience is not typical.
I think much of this seems to stem from the construction closure, which is too bad, as the best restaurants are on the lagoon side. Also, being a guest there, you can use the facilities at Banyan Tree, Rosewood, and Fairmont. Also, the water taxi services through the canals are a great way to get around normally.
I'm curious when the last time you went was- I'm the first to admit that all of my reviews are based on single experiences and might not be indicative of a bigger problem, but my experience aside, I've been reading review after review, comment after comment about this place and how it's gone way down hill in the past year. I think your comment is the first on the video from someone who stayed there with something nice to say about the place lol.
@ I looked up reviews on FlyerTalk and Google, and they do seem mixed lately. It's odd to see the last 10 reviews have 5 terrible reviews and 5 outstanding reviews. It's like Banyan Tree Phuket all over again lol. I've always stayed lagoon side, and will typically be in a suite with private pool, and I usually book clients on the lagoon side as well. The beach side just never looked as nice... And your video confirmed that. The whole Mayakoba complex is beautiful too, with all the winding paths and canals in between the resorts, with different designs. The food is expensive, but usually very good, especially at the two lagoon side venues. I have been booking the Rosewood there a lot more lately, so there does seem to be a shift in interest. But I book privé clients at Andaz fairly often, and they always comment they get treated like royalty. I'm hoping that your experience was not a sign of things to come, but just a massive service and facilities failure on their end, that can be rectified!
If any of your clients think the Mayakoba food prices are high, just tell them to have dinner at the Waldorf once haha.
Flip flop traveller is every hotels nightmare.
Nah… only for the ones that don’t know how to run a hotel lol.
Well good brand doesn’t always means best service 🤭🤭🤭🤭
True!
Man... After spilling my drink on my laptop once destroying my microphone and speakers.... I have never put food or drink near my electronics ever again. I know ur pain
Ironically... I've only ever 'killed' off two devices with iced coffee... magic track pads in both cases haha.
@@tfft doing it once was enough for me, Ive always been very protective and careful with my devices. So i could never bring myself to risk it again 😅
Gotta wonder where the GM is and how he/she is blind to the poor state of the resort. Usually Hyatt has top GM talent but perhaps not at this one.
Yah, ‘usually’ being the key word. Some time ago someone said I was ‘always picking on Hyatt’ or something like that. I replied truthfully, “I expect more from Hyatt so I visit more Hyatts and when they fail, they fail hard!”
Why not just temporary close the resort to avoid this? It can't be to keep staff working because more than half the resort was already closed down. Pay the staff to stay home and get it down all together. This cannot be profitable if your customers are complaining in droves.
Or just pay the staff to support the week long mini renovation efforts- either way- I don't think staff were an issue, unless it was in fact shut down due to a lack of them.
I feel like u overpaid for a resort that had so many things closed at once.
Also, that in itself is really strange. Wouldn't it have been better to stagger the upgrades / renovations? O.o
Or perhaps just take care of things propertly so that such a closure wasn't needed until the next big renovation lol. Thanks for watching 🩴
Your experience was definitely horrible. I've been to this resort twice (once during the very deep days of the pandemic) and once just at the end of November. I've also stayed at the Fairmont Mayakoba 3 times and have eaten at all of the resorts in Mayakoba.
Let me start my thoughts by saying I really enjoy the Mayakoba complex. Riding the bikes around the resorts, ability to eat at all of the resorts (Banyan Tree, Fairmont, Andaz, and the Rosewood), the great beach, the on-site cenote, the Disney-esque Mexican village, and the eco boat tour through the resort all make for a much more diverse experience than if there was only the Andaz.
The first time we went was during the deep days of the pandemic when travel had nearly collapsed. The Andaz was only at 5% occupancy and they were very clear before we arrived that only the beachfront area was open. They has also set up the gym where the small shop is next to the vegan bar and moved the spa to a couple of the rooms in the beach area. We found the staff really on point on this first visit, had an upgrade to a great suite with a plunge pool. Because of the state of the travel industry, this is probably a poor point of comparison other than to say we liked this experience much more than our one in November. All of the closures and changes were made very clear to us well before arrival on this visit.
I do like the rooms at the Andaz (yeah, a bit sparse) and enjoy the overall feel of the resort. We've found the AC to be some of the strongest at any resort, though we were able to control it fine.
In November, we found the service lacking across the resort (they were at full occupancy), the food to be good except at the main breakfast buffet (just was ok) and at Casa Amate. Casa Amate was both underwhelming for the food and the service. Servers just sat around at the front of the restaurant chatting while drinks went unfilled and orders went untaken. It was also way overpriced. We went Itzam at the Etereo (love it, been twice) and our waiter previously worked at Casa Amate and said he thought both the food, service, and management had gone down hill at Casa Amate.
The food at the Banyan Tree and Rosewood are much better, but the restaurant prices at Banyan Tree in particular are ridiculous.
I'm going to avoid commenting on the Fairmont as I've been there on an industry rate which clouds objectivity.
I also stayed at the new St Regis (you can see it from the beach at the Andaz) in October on a paid rate. The rooms there are fantastic, especially the plunge pool rooms. I found the layout here creates a lack of privacy and it can be noisy. The food, drinks, and service are superior to the Andaz though the prices seem similar.
I know we will be back to Mayakoba due to the ability to take advantage of all of the amenities of the full resort complex. We will probably pick the resort here that has a rate that seems to offer the most value and dine around all of the resorts and in Playa del Carmen, which is a 20 minute ride away.
Andaz certainly needed to do better in your case, Kevin.
Yeah and for the record, only the beach area being open during COVID is fully to be expected- 80% of the first reviews on this channel dealt with similar closures, but there was of course a good reason for it. These days, it's hard to justify.
As for Mayakoba, I do see the allure, but I've also read quite a few anecdotal examples about guests at Andaz not being able to get reservations at other resorts' restaurants for dinner- so I probably won't be returning to Mayakoba... the St Regis on the other hand is at the very top of my list next time I'm in the area.
What a weird hotel. An entire section of the resort closed… Feels like they shouldn’t open the resort at all.
Agreed, for that time at least. Especially with so many other Hyatts in the area.
OMG! For those prices this place is a huge disappointment!! Too bad, really, because the beach looks amazing!
Agree!
Those sun loungers? They look like a health hazard. Disgusting.
Agreed
Omg 21 USD for three tacos isn't even American prices, that's just extortion. Somehow I doubt that that price is passed down to the hardworking kitchen staff.
I encourage you to watch my upcoming Waldorf Astoria Cancun video for some true taco shock haha.
Careful, fair thoughtful, appropriately brutal.
Just one note - I care as much about the dreadful American “momentarily “ (IN a moment) vs the correct/british/world/good and right and holy usage (FOR a moment) as you care about freezing AC.
Hearing “the plane will take off momentarily” in an American accent freaks me out every time. As a global channel - make the right choice, the correct choice. Not just momentarily, but every time! 😉
Please hold, a satisfactory reply will be coming momentarily…
😉
For 312US/night you could have rented a luxury Airbnb. Honestly this is why I use Airbnb and do not book hotels.
AirBNB will never be a train I'm willing to board lol
What an awful experience. A bad hotel experience is like Kamp Krusty where nobody can hear you scream. The nightly rate looks below average when you compare it to other comparable resorts, including their nearby Hyatt and Inclusive brands. I wonder if mgmt thought “Well you get what you pay for.” I stayed at a Dreams in South America which was analogous.
Mind you my rate seems to be cheap for the property. When I originally booked my Cancun hotels I didn’t book here bc it was around $550. Then 1-2 months prior the price dropped (come to think of it maybe that’s when they knew the closure would happen!).
My same room goes for near $900 much of the year.
@@tfft It’s surprising because your video is like a Covid era review. You kind of half expect lower service levels and disrepair in 2020 but not today!
I am in dismay. Hummmm looks like a Cuban 3 star resort Wait ? 1200 a night ? What ? Kevin : I know how serious you are about your reviews but there are limits of what is acceptable. Especially that you paid with your own money ! Well kudos for and thanks for surviving that night.
I cannot believe it. If it wasnt about the video you could have tell your story. And no one would believe you
3 letters to describe it : W - T - F
That is precisely why I don't tell stories without supporting evidence haha.
The food was pricey
Wait until you see the Waldorf haha.
@@tfft Conrad Tulum AND aré other hoteles in the mayacoba área there aré very pricey
If what happened to you happened to me, believe me, I would not be as generous with my review as you. I would also petition for a full refund and would not stop until I got it. I do not allow anyone or anything to take advantage of me.
Well, my job is to present things as they are- that's why I never seek out compensation specifically. I think it's more valuable for the video to show what they offered. I know if I pushed I could have gotten a full cash refund, but the burden is on them to make things right.
even if the problems have been rectified now i still would never go there given that they felt it ok to treat people they way they did............they must have planned the closing and could have let you know in time to cancel.......they didnt........they took your money knowing it was all closed.
Exactly. Even if it was an emergency closure, there were much better ways to handle it.
Sounds like you just had bad timing
Hopefully!
Wow, you need to get a girlfriend man...
Pretty weak trolling there- ngl.