My husband and I met our daughter and her boyfriend at The Royal for eleven days of pampered bliss. This is our fifth or sixth time (can't remember) at The Royal at PDC. We've always said we would never vaction to the someplace twice....until we came to The Royal. Everything from the rooms, which are so comfortable and well appointed, to the over all ambiance of the resort is A+. But what really has us coming back is the staff and the food. As long as we've been coming here, it is always such a welcome surprise to be served by the same people. They take their jobs very seriously and all appear to love their jobs. There is a cohesiveness that is so refreshing compared to other spaces we have been.

Our daughter had a medical emergency while we were there and I cannot say enough about how quickly, kindly and efficiently it was handled. A shout out to Rogelio the lifeguard/paramedic who tended to her with such genuine concern and is very knowledgeable, as well as a master at calming a very distraught young woman. Also the Doctor on staff was fantastic! He came to our room immediately and again, we were so impressed with his professional manner and how capable and knowledgeable he is. Such a relief when you're so far from home.

Our very attentive beach server was Francis. How anyone can maintain such a pleasant attitude while trudging all day in the sand, carrying drinks to thirsty patrons, is a mystery to me. Within a matter of days, she knew our preferences and sometimes had them before we even had the chance to ask.

Not everyone exercises when they vacation, but we do. What would we do without Regina and Edith! Regina is like a beam of light. Her genuine concern for you is obvious. She will however kick your butt in her Pilates and Spin class. No mercy! Edith is also an amazing instructor! These two woman have been teaching these classes for at least 4 years, but it feels as fresh as if it was their first month.

Food: the food at The Royal cannot be beat. There are nice restaurants from which to choose. I'll list our favorites in order for dinner: Chefs Plate, Maria Marie, Asiana, Mexican restaurant at the Gran Porto Real, Il Pescatore.

Breakfast/lunch: PELICANOS!! We never went anywhere else for breakfast or lunch. Mainly because of the staff. Felipe, Joviani, Manuel, Lucas, Geronimo, Chan, etc. All their names escapes me, but they all deserve a round of applause! Again, after a few days they knew our preferences, but didn't assume. They work so hard as a team to take of everyone. No competition. They're a jovial group and clearly love working together. We miss them. :(

Membership office: We have been club members since 2001. We were treated so well by Nancy and Marcos and the entire staff, it was great! They are valuable employees.

Our housekeeper, while we never caught her name, was ever so efficient and made our room spotless everyday. And her towel art had us giggling each time we came to our room.

I could go on and on, but if you have the opportunity to vacation to the beautiful Riveria Maya, your best bet without question, is The Royal!