The Sens Riviera By Oasis

We had a great week at the beautiful Sens Oasis resort in Tulum, where the focus on ecology is easy to see. There was plenty of variety in the food hall, and the restaurants were great. The activity directors kept kids and adults busy with wild games for children, yoga and Zumba, painting and crafts, karaoke, and dancing into the night. Gabby and Julio went above and beyond all week. The beach was beautiful. The water was rated red all week, but lots of people snorkelled without any problems. There were no foam parties or wild stories from our trip, but if you're after a week away in luxury, this is a great option.

We liked how quiet the resort was. It's in a gorgeous spot, away from the usual party scene down south, and the food was mostly great. Staff were friendly and helpful, and most of the time there was no trouble finding chairs. There's also a larger pool behind the main hotel with louder music and more fun for people who like that sort of thing. They did a pretty good job keeping kids out of the private pool area. The construction next door was a big problem. On our second to last day, they were breaking up tile flooring in the room beside us. A simple note the day before would have let us plan for the noise, especially since we'd paid a premium for that room level. The machine grinding all day was head-splitting. Management should have told guests. We also regret paying an extra $400 each for the Sian Ka'an rooms. We never got the promised jacuzzi or plunge pool because they said those weren't available. We checked in over an hour later than the regular check-in and didn't get late checkout. The private area that's supposed to be for Sian Ka'an guests could also be bought day to day by any hotel guest, leaving those who had paid in advance out of luck. The ocean view was the only good part. It felt a little scammy, and we think you can get a view without paying extra for the other things we didn't receive.

We chose The Sans Riviera for our honeymoon and told them ahead of time, but there was no acknowledgment, no extras, and not even basic courtesy. For a resort presenting itself as luxury and romantic, that was embarrassing. The staff seemed indifferent, the service lazy, and the attitude was basically that they'd already taken our money and didn't care. They treated a once-in-a-lifetime honeymoon like an ordinary overnight stay. It was frustrating and upsetting, and I regret choosing this place. The price didn't match the value, and what they advertise felt misleading. If you're celebrating something special, avoid this resort. There are much better places that actually care.

The staff were phenomenal. They were courteous, helpful, and seemed to care about their work. Esau at the bar remembered our drink orders, Nelson at Mirabar welcomed us and remembered us each morning, and the front desk staff were energetic and seemed to know how to help. The restaurant food was great too, and activities ran throughout the day. The resort is beautiful and compact, so it was easy to get around. I came with my girlfriend for a peaceful week and was pretty happy with the stay. That said, they seemed understaffed. When the bartender ran out of ice, he had to leave the bar unattended to get more, which led to long lines. The alcohol bars stopped around midnight and didn't reopen until 11 AM. In the restaurants, one or two servers were rushing between 12-13 tables, which added to long waits despite everyone working hard. We paid for the Sian Kan Junior experience, which included exclusive access to two pool areas and bars, plus a room with a jacuzzi. Overall, we were generally satisfied with that. But our first room was a letdown: the mirror looked oxidized, lights were coming out of the ceiling, the jacuzzi dripped all night, and worst of all the toilet didn't work. After back and forth with reception and maintenance, they kindly moved us to another room the next day. That room seemed well cared for, but we shouldn't have had to go through the first one. Another night, housekeeping made the bed with dirty sheets marked by yellow and brown stains. Reception fixed it quickly, but it should have been checked more carefully. The beach is rocky and designated for snorkeling, so bring water shoes and a snorkel. There aren't any available to rent. Next time, I'd spend a bit more for the Sian Kan master suite. Thanks for making my Mexico experience special.