This was our honeymoon trip and we stayed for seven days 12/22 - 12/30/07.
The trip started out a nightmare as we got a call from American airlines stating our flight was cancelled from DFW to Cabo. We quickly called american and found out the airport was closed in cabo for some reason. We had to call expedia to get us on another flight and extend our already paid for vacation. Expedia assured us that our stay was extended so we extended our flight another day as well.
We got into Cabo airport around 11 at night. Thankfully there was no one in the airport to try and bombard us with sales pitches. We got into our Grey Line shuttle and we were on our way. Grey Line is by far the best shuttle to take from the airport!!
This was my first Sunset visit but my wife had been here before. We got to our room around 12:30 a.m and just hit the bed. The bed was great and our junior one room suite was very nice. Had a great patio with a nice view of the ocean and main pool. We were in #2821.
First morning we awoke to the sunrise and the sound of the ocean coming in thru the balcony. We left the sliding door open and the screen was shut. I walked out on the balcony and all I could smell was the irrigation or sewage outside of the room. I looked to the right of the bldg and there was this green metal piece that looked like it was covering some type of sewage area. Seemed like every five minutes that smell would come from that area. Well we found that same smell coming from a lot of places along the paths. It was like raw sewage..
Well I quickly got past the sewage smell, shut the door and we were on our way to the deli for our breakfast buffet. I had always been a little leary of the food across the border and was very suprised to find the buffet was very nice. We sat outside and watched the ocean and main pool and had our breakfast.
I had an omlete made to order and just about every other item on that buffet. The papaya was excellent, pastries were not the best, orange juice was a bit tangy as well. Overall, I was happy with the breakfast, think it cost $16 a person but it includes juice, milk and cereal and all the fixings.
We took a walking tour of the main pool, this was around 9:30 in the morning. I saw people claiming their pool chairs and cabanas as I was just finishing up my breakfast. We just kept on walking,, we should have claimed our loungers as well because by 11:00 all that were left were loungers by the kids section of the main pool. We took two and were comforted by a nice pina colada and margarita from our poolside waiter. Very nice guy btw.
We had enough of the kiddy section and decided to walk along the beach area. Chairs were open down there. We really enjoyed the quiet and also had waiter service down there. You do have to sign your check before you leave the main pool area. Dont be in rush because they certainly arent. I learned the difference in mexican time and the rest of the world. Seems it takes forever to get a check there.
The first day was great needless to say. We had dinner at the Italian place there... think it was bistro. I had a great sea bass and my wifes steak was nice as well.
Got back to our room, slept with the sliding door closed this time. Sure would have been nice to leave it open but it had that smell in the morning. We slept great. Got up and went to the little store and bought a coffee, juice and yogurt. Nice little store and not too bad on the prices. I will say I am a nutritionist and still a bit leary of the food. I was really hoping to find some white or chocolate milk there with a u.s label on it. I did find borden milk but it was just strawberry and banana flavored or something. I bought apple juice. Please next time have some u.s 1 or 2% white and choc. milk.
We went to the front desk to make sure our trip was extended with no problems. It turns out that the trip was not extended or at least our stay with sunset was not. We were assured by expedia that this had been taken care of. Turns out our original check in date with sunset was kept the same. Expedia wanted proof that we did not check in that day (the airport was shut and we did not arrive until a day later). The proof was exactly that,, the airport was shut down, expedia called sunset and we were told our stay was extended. We even extended our flight match our stay.
Well Sunset showed the original day of check in even though we checked in almost 30 hours later. We had no option as sunset would not honor our extended gaurantee that we got from expedia. I was beyond pissed at this time. Here we were on our honeymoon, our flight was cancelled. We were told things were ok with american airlines and our stay was extended at sunset. Sunset did not honor their part. They showed us checking in at the original date and our check out was also the same.
After spending almost two hours in the lobby and on the phone with expedia... We were left with no choice but to pay for another night at sunset.... $340 later we had our room extended. I told the front desk clerk that this would be the very last time I ever come here again (I was wrong as the next day I had the most expensive free breakfast in the world!).
Yes, we got suckered into our free tour of the property and free breakfast. We knew it was a timeshare sale. Actually the property sold itself. Forget about all the expedia and sunset reservations mess,,, this place is very nice. Minus the smell of irrigation and sewage. Somehow we decided to put up around $40,000 for a 1 bdr timeshare for two weeks. Be very aware that the timeshare folks to not take american express, only visa or mastercard and want about $10,000 as a down payment.
Talk about an expensive free breakfast... but I am now an owner. I own a piece of property that 24 hours earlier I swore I would never return too. I am really not sure whos fault it was on the mess up with our reservations.. expedia or sunset. I did find a great relatively new resort and found it a great investment.
The property and location sold me on the timeshare. It certainly was not the way our reservation was handled. We ended up paying an extra night for something we already paid for. Regardless I am an owner now. Go figure.
Well this place is gorgeous but we needed a break for all the timeshare talk. We took the shuttle to the Pacifia. What a world of difference that place is. Talk about relaxation at its finest. We went to the bar there, had a nice glass of wine and just enjoyed the live music. We also walked around the grounds and sat at the clay fire pits on the couches for awhile. Too bad that place is not a timeshare, its amazing.
Our trip flew by actually once I got over my fear of the food and the frustrations in our reservations. We swam with the dolphins in the marina, took a sunset tour on the tropicat (take this cruise,, its great,, entire crew were fantastic!) and also went to the shrimp factory restaurant. I even found a bowling alley in the mall, its on the third floor of that mall. Ok, why would I seek out a bowling alley on a vacation..? I am also a professional bowler. We did not bowl and nor would I there... its like a chuckie cheese type place but I just had to see it.
We had plans on going to Ruth Chris' but just could not resist the offer for dinner we got from The Galleria Restaurant on the way to Ruths. This was just one of those marina walk restaurants but we were pleasantly suprised by the hospitality and food. I also had a couple gentlemen seranade my new bride at our table. What a great evening and we will be back to this restaurant many times to come.
We did take a shuttle from sunset to the rose. I wanted to see the rose hotel,,, but when I will say we were there for about ten minutes and left. It reminded me of an old vegas style casino/resort. All pink and full of greek statues, pool was crowded and just seemed like a motel 6 resort to me. We took a taxi to the marina and never looked back at the rose.
The marina is fun. We have a nice little collection of bobble head turtles. Seriously, we have about ten of them. They are a dollar each. Its hard not to buy from those kids. Cabo is great, it was my first trip and I cant wait to go back. I will pack some more food items, mainly breakfast bars and such. I am a nutritionist and breakfast is important to me and so is 1% white milk. I just cant get myself to drink milk there yet. My wife says I am nuts, maybe so but thats me.
We took a cab back to sunset. Its a $10 ride, we got taken once by a driver. He charged us about $18 and I reported him to the bellhops at sunset. Be careful with those cabbies. I learned quickly.
I do wish sunset had more dinner options. It is true that you need a reservation for the most restaurants. We never made one but we got into the bistro twice. Do not order pizza there,, its horrible.
We were there at xmas. We wished we had some other dinner options besides the xmas dinner that was served. It was either that xmas special dinner or chicken. That was by far our worst dining experience, but the bottle of wine made up for it.
I do look forward to going back. I know there will be no more reservation trouble now that I am an owner. No more expedia for me either. The concierge staff is far beyond excellent and everyone I came into contact with was super nice.
I will say on our last day we got upgraded to a 1 bdr suite. Turns out our room was booked to an owner and he was due a day before we were to leave. They upgraded us but we had to pack up all our things, and move to the other side of the property. It was a great room but what a hassle it was. They should have moved us early on in our stay, not on the last night. It was our honeymoon but had its share of nightmares along the way.
I would tell you all to check out Pueblo Pacifia, we spent one day at their pools and spas. Its a nice break from the kids (pacifica does not allow kids) and the peace and quiet was very welcome after all we had been through.
We are coming back late june and I am bringing my son. I cant wait to come back. Surely the problems we had are over and we can get on to enjoying our timeshare.
Lastly,, the fitness room should be free. It costs $15 a day for the small gym facilities. I also read that wireless is coming property wide; I do hope so.
I know some of this review sounds negative,, the trouble we went thru was far worse than I could write about here. I will say the trouble was not enough to stop me from investing in this place. I do believe they should work on the reservations systems and the communications in that department are in dire need of some training.
See you in June...