I had heard good things about the Hard Rock Cancun, so I was excited to give it a try with my 3 kids. Overall, the experience was fair, and had it not been for the poor managers there that either are paid not to think or have no concept of working to satisfy customers, it would have been a far better experience.
It was a disappointment from the moment of check in, and continued until we left for the airport to head home.
I was promised an ocean view room, but because they were overbooked upon my arrival, I was stuck with a view of the road. I wasn't the only one -- I spoke to at least a half dozen other guests who had the same problem. Management made little to no apparent effort to make up for the mishap, even when given multiple opportunities. Even if they couldn't get us the room we had been promised because the place was significantly overbooked (or at least that's what I was told), there were ample tools in their toolbox to attempt to make it up to us. They didn't even make that attempt. The best we got was a shrug of the shoulders.
The front desk management staff is about as inflexible as could be. Heck, they could just put robots in these jobs. In an industry where finding a way to "yes" is the service level expectation at higher end resorts, the default at the Hard Rock Cancun is "no". "We can't this", "we can't that", "it's not possible", "no, we are unable". They really need to have their team read Raving Fans by Ken Blanchard. They'd become a much more successful property and would have drastically less reviews like this one. The worst part is that they seemingly just don't care if you're dissatisfied. Unfortunate.
The pool and beach area are great -- that is if you get out early enough to grab a spot. If you don't get out and squat on your spot by 6am, all the good slots are gone -- mostly because the staff gets out there at the start of their morning shift (6am) and marks as reserved all the good chairs to give to those guests that tip them for those chairs. So much for all inclusive (and tips included). You basically have to bribe the pool staff to get you good seats if you don't get out there early enough.
They don't provide towels until 8am (unless, again, you tip the guy to grab you some early), so if you want to have some towels when you squat on chairs in the early morning (again, if you want your pick, get out before 6am), grab some at the end of the day before and take them to your room for the next morning. You might also want to bring some of those beach chair towel clips from home to help mark your spot.
It's a hassle to get dinner reservations. You have to show up at 10am at the "reservation desk", wait in a line for 45 minutes (of our vacation time), to then be told that you can't get anything before 9pm each night. I was traveling with 3 kids, so that didn't work. And be prepared to just eat at the buffet your first night, because by the time you get there, get checked in, etc, the reservation desk is closed (so no reservations for you).
And at the restaurants, to get the really good stuff, they require an up charge. Similar to the alcohol -- if you want the good stuff (and for us craft beer drinkers, the good beer), you have to pay more. Otherwise, you're stuck with Corona or Modelo. Two beers. That's it. Again, so much for all-inclusive.
Of course, if you agree to give them an hour and a half of your vacation time to listen to them give you a sales pitch on buying a membership to their resort, they'll provide you credits to not pay for many of these things. I think that's kinda their plan: listen to their sales pitch and they'll take care of you. If not, they don't make anything easy for you. On your vacation. At an all-inclusive (and one of the more expensive all-inclusives in Cancun).
It was fitting that our last poor experience with this hotel was our airport transportation, which was bundled in with the all-inclusive fees. We were at the front of the hotel at the required time for ride to the airport. The driver apparently didn't see us, didn't call out our names, and just left a few minutes after our designated time - and then went so far as to say to the bell staff that they left 10 minutes AFTER the we asked the bell staff what was going on. Luckily, the bell staff knew it was a lie (well, the clock doesn't lie), so after quite a bit of additional hassle and the bell guy going to bat for us, they were able to get us another ride (an hour later) after they first told us that was impossible. Everything is a battle at this place.
There are good employees there who want to help and give you a good experience. The bell guy I mentioned above. Isabel and Tacho at the pool bar are excellent. But their managers don't make their jobs easy by tying their hands when they want to fix things that go wrong.
We had a planned extra night in Cancun, but did that at a Hilton. The contrast between service levels at the Hilton and the Hard Rock were stunning. read more