Barcelo - accommodation in Malpais

My family just returned from beautiful Costa Rica. Our stay at Playa Carmen was perfect. The check in/out process was flawless. Carlyn answered all questions in record time. Ginny the housekeeper was such a gift. She met us the day we arrived and showed us everything we need. She comes every day, cleans and does your laundry. We seen an abundance of birds and two species of moneys just sitting in the back porch looking at the pacific right In Your back yard. The pool was great to come back and cool off from a day of touring. There is mango trees and bananas right on the property. It’s gated and felt very safe. Resteraunts were phenomenal. We went on a fishing charter with Jason Tours, Migel was our captain and put us on a ton of fish. Thank you Carlyn and Ginny!!

Beautiful resort, HOWEVER, if you aren't an entomologist you might not like your stay here. The doors don't seal, the windows don't seal, the outdoor shower doesn't seal, and that results in every bug and small animal in your villa. That is unacceptable for a "4 star" resort. While it wasn't the end of the world for us, having a June bug fly in your hair while in bed can be very unnerving or the squawk of a lizard on the ceiling at 3am can be annoying. We're not talking about a little gecko either - a 12" long lizard in the room with us for four days. And don't leave the lights on before you head to dinner, the ceiling will be covered in bugs upon your return. The beautiful infinity pool had lots of small tiles missing. Four star resorts maintain their properties better than this. And there's no TV either. It's nice to watch a little something before bed. A TV was in the three other places we stayed while in CR. Four star resorts have TV's. The staff was great. Oh, and you can't mind steps either. Our villa was down 124 steps from the parking area. That means you're going up 124 steps whenever you leave....don't forget something! So much potential, however they fail in execution.

Place was spotless. But most importantly, Roger and his staff were excellent and created a tremendously friendly environment. Then, you talk about the view and the food. All top notch. Don’t miss this place.