TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

August 2024 was our second visit to OCT. Our previous trip was in December 2018. Once again, we had a fantastic vacation and highly recommend this resort. Both times we opted for the Privilege upgrade. Check-in/Check-Out: Both processes were smooth. We arrived around 1PM. The lobby is open air so there is no AC. Of course, in August this can get quite hot but we didn’t spend very much time here. Once we were checked in, Alberto, our concierge, took us to the Privilege lounge for lunch and took this time to discuss what our plans were for the week and set up our dinner reservations. Our room was ready well before 3PM and our luggage awaited us in our room. Alberto is the best; he would text us and find us around the pool daily to make sure that we had everything we needed. He also set up the Mayan dinner and spa appointments with a quick text. Room: We were in building 2, room 2302 in the El Beso section and had one of the updated rooms. It was very comfortable for two people. Some things could use a refresh (the sink and couch had some noticeable stains) but in general, it was very comfortable. The safe worked well. There is an abundance of closet space. The balcony and bed were very comfortable. The TV and fridge worked without any issues. The fridge was restocked daily with plenty of water, sodas and alcohol. We had no issues with the AC or the fan, which was a blessing since it was very hot in August. The maid service was excellent and the room was refreshed daily and promptly. Privilege: If you have the ability, this is a great option that really makes the Ocean properties stand out. Having the convenience of a concierge, the Privilege special dinner, various discounts and top shelf liquor makes the vacation experience extra special. We needed a taxi into Puerto Morales and the Privilege desk was kind enough to arrange for a round trip service, which made getting back to the resort much less stressful and we felt safe. The lounge is wonderful, especially when it is very hot and you need AC. They also have coffee and other beverages an hour before the coffee shop opens. The service is above expectation. Freddie, Jesus, Edwardo, Jamie, Mary, Manual and the entire Privilege lounge team need to be commended for their kindness and professionalism. They went above and beyond and recalled our specific likes and requests. The Privilege bar is a great place to get drinks after dinner. It is less crowded and there is an area with couches, books and games where you can get out of the heat and enjoy the ocean views. The lounge also has coffee and snacks all day. Food: All the restaurants were very good and we had no stomach issues. We particularly enjoyed the Privilege dinner, Blue Moon (especially Francisco and Isaac), Ritatto d’Italia (especially Armando) and Hacienda (we did not get the server’s name but he was great). We had reservations so we did not have to wait at any time. The service at all restaurants was professional and everyone went out of their way to make sure each meal was special. The El Beso Bistro for breakfast and lunch was great. Yldefonso was so kind! He even ran out to say goodbye to us as we were leaving! The bartenders (whose names I did not note, unfortunately) were excellent. The Mayan dinner, led wonderfully by Abraham is also worth the extra cost. Lunch is provided while they show you how the meals are prepared and cooked. The ceremony and dinner are very informative and entertaining. It is an entire evening of entertainment.  Pool/Beach: We only used the El Beso pool. It was quiet and closest to our room. We never had any issues with getting chairs but I think that the week that we were there was less crowded than other times. Of course, Ricardo is the best and always makes certain we have drinks and water. Ricardo was even kind enough to bring us his special green tea one day! The beach was not terrible this week. There is still some seaweed but it is swimmable. Other resorts along the beach had similar issues. There was no smell on the OCT beach. The beach was groomed each morning. There was no shortage of loungers.   Entertainment: We enjoyed all the entertainment. The fire show stands out. Angel (Flash) who would circulate the El Beso pool frequently, was exceptional and made sure that everyone had a chance to get involved in daily activities. He made activities poolside fun and was so kind whenever we saw him throughout the property. Raymond, who led the pool workout was also wonderful. He made a quick workout fun and got everyone moving! The spa staff, especially Anna, were very professional and we had a great experience there. Also, thanks to Amanda who was at the kid’s club but was so kind to help us find the spa and chatted with us while waiting for a show. Cons: The room service, as compared to our previous visit, is not as good. You are only able to order one entrée per person (we wanted to share a few). We ordered a Caesar salad that had zero dressing. While it was delivered quickly and pleasantly, the selection and limitations made the experience less enjoyable.  There are areas at the El Beso pool, as others have mentioned, that do not have umbrellas. We did not have any issues; however, I can see how during a more crowded week, the lack of umbrellas would lead to more of the “chair game”. Obviously, this is an older resort so some places could use a bit more love, however, they are making strides to improve. One section of rooms was completely blocked off and being refurbished. There are major landscaping projects and painting happening as well. The toiletries were not impressive so if you are particular, I suggest you bring your own. Overall, your vacation is what you make of it. When you consider the amount of people that are being serviced throughout the day and night, the efficiency of the operations at OCT is quite impressive. Most staff we encountered spoke some English but keep in mind this is not their first language. It does not hurt to learn some Spanish phrases to accommodate.  For this resort, the price yields great value. It is not too big, nor too small and every ah Hwhere we went, employees in a variety of capacities would greet us with a friendly smile and a pleasant greeting. The staff work so hard and are so genuine, they are the reason we will return. 

Food and service is excellent at this resort. My wife and I stayed from August 10-17 and heard negative reviews from past guests which are really absurd. This resort is in the process of updating their rooms and I have to admit not one problem with my room in the privilege building (6) I was in. The steakhouse restaurant was by far my best and the mapping dinner was a great time for us. The pools were good and drink service was excellent. My wife and I had a great week here and the staff from waiter to concierge do their jobs very well. My only dislike was the beach which is typical for Puerto Morelos and Maya Riviera beaches (too much seaweed). I would give 4.7 out of 5 because it is a well run resort from top to bottom.

We stayed at Ocean Coral & Turquesa for 14 nights in early August. Me and my wife stayed in a privilege master suite with our 21 year old and 17 year old kids staying in their own privilege jnr suites.   ARRIVAL Upon arrival our cases were immediately taken by a bell boy and we were asked if we would like some drinks while we checked in. The check in process was relaxed, but did seem to take longer than you would expect at a UK hotel with several forms to sign. All in all it probably took 30 minutes, after which they called for our assigned butler to come and collect us. BUTLER SERVICE Having never had a butler service before I didn't know what to expect but our butler Carlos was absolutely fantastic. When he collected us from reception on the first day he gave us a whistle stop tour of the resort and then took us to our rooms at which our cases had already been delivered. He explained everything and offered to book our meal reservations for any of the restaurants. He kept in touch via WhatsApp even on his day off and also made sure he caught up with us every day to make sure everything was good. Anything we needed he sorted it, including fixing a problem with the room safe and changing some of my holiday money into smaller denominations so I could use it for tips. It was my wife's birthday while we were away and Carlos arranged for her to get a special desert in the restaurant and even decorated our room to help us celebrate. He really made the difference and really took all the stress out of our holiday. We definitely found it worth paying for the privilege upgrade and the butler service was part of this.   ROOMS Both of our kids rooms were newly refurbished rooms in the privilege / El Beso section and The Privilege Master Suite was in the same section but was the older style, not refurbished. All of the rooms were very clean and had everything you could need and the air conditioning worked very well. My only real complaint would be the hot water was inconsistent and sometimes you needed to run the shower for a long time before it would warm up The balconies overlooked the El Beso pool area but the sunbeds provided in the master suite were very hard and couldn’t be used for long without discomfort so would benefit from a cushion   All rooms came with a safe and a minibar that was well stocked with Beer, Water, Soft Drinks and Spirits and this was replenished daily. BEACH The beach was very well maintained and the hotel did their best to manage the seaweed with a tractor, they are however at the mercy of nature and when clearing the weed there is an unpleasant smell. A few days days the water contained a lot of weed and swimming wasn’t fun but other days it was so clear you could see all of the fish swimming around the shoreline The Privilege / El Beso section had plenty of sunbeds and shade so no problem getting a bed at any part of the day. Jose was always on hand to provide towels and regularly brought cold towels to us during the day. The standout for us was Ricardo who was the waiter for the beach and El Beso pool. He made sure we were always kept refreshed with regular drinks both alcoholic and non alcoholic, often bringing us new drinks to try or suggesting new cocktails. He worked tirelessly and nothing was ever too much trouble for him POOLS The hotel has 4 pools, a kids pool, a chill out pool, party pool (with swim up bar) and an adults only pool in the El Beso section. The Party Pool was the busiest with music, activities and a lively atmosphere. Sunbeds around the pool had plenty shade, but we’re very close to each other and most beds were reserved by about 8am. The chill out pool was less busy, still with plenty sunbeds but less shade. The beds were still reserved early, but there was a privilege section that you could usually get some beds any part of the day. The kids pool looked good, but we didn’t use it. Most of the time we used the El Beso pool which is for adults only and was never too busy with sunbeds available at any point in the day and good spaces between the beds. Very large pool and waiter service available around the pool (and in it!). Fantastic chilled atmosphere. FOOD The resort has 10 restaurants, our favourite would be the Privilege Lounge / Restaurant where on a morning the breakfast team would serve a fantastic A la carte breakfast, the service from Eduardo & Miguel who were our usual servers was fantastic. On an evening they served a good range of dinner options and again the friendly service made the difference with a special mention to Angel who helped us learn a little bit of Spanish each visit. Blue Moon (Romantic), Mexican and the Japanese were other standout dinner options and for lunch the villa marina served up some fantastic Mexican food, although service could be slow. We only used the main buffet for breakfast and lunch a couple of times, the food was of a good standard but the drinks service was very patchy. BARS / ENTERTAINMENT There are a number of bars around the resort, but we mainly used the Lobby Bar or the Privilege Lounge of an evening. The Lobby bar has a wide range of drinks and plenty seating inside and out, but it can be too hot due to the open nature of the building. Mosquitos were a problem outside also, so make sure you have plenty bug spray! The Privilege Lounge was one of our favourites as they had comfy seating, Air conditioning and lots of games. Mateo the barman needs a special mention as he was always making sure we had a drink in our hand. There is also a range of tasty snacks on offer. Evening entertainment was on from about 9pm onwards but seating is limited and Mosquitos are an ever present problem. The entertainment rotated so we never saw the same show twice in the 2 weeks we were there. We did pay an additional fee to go to the Mayan Dinner and the Mapping Dinner. Both were fantastic experiences and very different from each other and well worth the additional fee. Word of caution though, the Mayan Dinner is served outside in the evening so biting insects are a problem! The resort has a DiveIT centre located next to the party pool who can arrange all sorts of water activities and excursions. One highlight for me was the snorkelling which is a boat trip directly out to the reef from the hotel beach. The DiveIT team provided all of the equipment and Sergio our guide was brilliant, diving down and pointing out all of the interesting fish & sea life so we didn’t miss a thing.   SUMMARY Overall this is a fantastic resort which was made extra special as we had access to the privilege benefits and the El Beso area which was worth every penny of the additional charge. Loved every minute of it and didn’t want to return home even after 14 days. We don’t often return to the same place, but would make an exception for Ocean Coral & Turquesa

The perfect place to stay, friendly staff, lovely rooms and excellent facilities. We stayed with the privilege package and for us whilst normal package would have been lovely, privilege was the cherry on the cake. Privilege lounge was my favourite place to chill, stepping through the doors into the cool of the air conditioning was very welcoming after the heat of the sun, sinking into the comfy armchairs snacking on the nibbles and playing games. Thanks to Mateo for being a very attentive barman. Privilege breakfast was fabulous with a choice of outside with beautiful sea view or inside air conditioned, food cooked to order with a great range on the menu of traditional Mexican, English and American dishes. Miguel and Edwardo were our usual waiters who were amazing although Miguel would say he was the best. Privilege lunch also fabulous, as was Privilege dinner with Angel providing excellent service taking us under his wing and teaching us Spanish. Ricardo serving us drinks on the beach and poolside was so so busy all the time making sure no one was without beverages and we always had a drink in hand yet he was very skilled in making the atmosphere very relaxed and always interested in you. We booked hotel massages through Alfredo (sorry if I've got your name wrong) who kept visiting us for the duration of our holiday to chat to us.Massages were out of this world and were worth every penny. Hydro pool and sauna  attached to the spa was free for privilege people to use as long as you booked it in and made a pleasant change to the pools as they were similar temperature to the cenote s. There was always space on the beach, only one day after it had rained would I say I was unable to swim in the sea due to the seaweed in the water. Sea weed did wash up on beach but not so much as to be a problem and a tractor cleared it several times a day. Some days the sea was so clear you could see all the fish swimming really close to shore. Always space around the el beso pool which was really quiet, sun loungers in bar pool were harder to get as this was the busy pool but still available and the relax pool was not as busy and privilege sun loungers were always available. Loved all the different restaurant choices for evening meals only frequented buffet once or twice. Last but by no means least - the privilege butler service. We were unsure what this would be like before we arrived after experiencing it I would describe it as bringing a friend on holiday who can speak Spanish, is in the know, shows you the ropes, can sort any queries out in an instant, always there for you with a smiley face on and some good banter. Thank you so much Carlos it was a pleasure.

Very relaxed and family type. Everything is at short distance. There is availability in the restaurants to book. 3 swimming pools just 10 meters away from the beach and the sea. We loved the bowling lanes for after dinner. The japanese restaurant was also good