After reading some of the reviews I was really worried about staying in this hotel but I needn't have. It was great. The staff were friendly, the food was good and the drinks were great. The rooms were lovely and had the added bonus of having a fridge in which was re-stocked everyday. There was always plenty of sunbeds and the bathing area was great. The beer on tap was good quality and there was always plenty of choice at meal times. The entertainment staff were good and organised trips to the bars each night for those who wanted to party. I have stayed in many hotels and visited lots of countires and this is one hotel and country which I would definitely recommend.

Well, having read some previous reviews earlier in the year but after I had already booked this hotel for our holiday, it was with a little trepidation that our family (Myself and Wife plus 18 and 14 year old Daughter and Son) set off on the 10 hour flight to Cancun.
We have in recent years taken holidays accross the normal European destinations, Menorca, Algarve, Corfu, Cote D'Azure and always chosen good quality accomodation.....now it was time to spread our wings and go All Inclusive Long Haul.
When we arrived in Cancun there was quite a wait (2.5 hours) to get through Immigration but this was probably the only Blip on what turned out to be one of (if not the) best holidays we have ever taken as a family.
I travel regularly on Business and have had the pleasure of staying in some high quality hotels in Europe and the USA so my view on this particular Hotel is measured against a fairly high standard and expectation.

Now enough of my pre-amble rambling.....on to the interesting bits.
Transfer to the Hotel was fast and efficient.....thanks Thomas Cook.
The location of this hotel is perfect as it is just a short (cheap) bus ride down to the main centre (buses every 2 - 3 minutes.....24 hours service). It is also right next door to the Kuculcan Shopping Mall and a short walk to the Isla shopping precincts.....a nice walk out on a night.

Check in at the hotel was fast, clear and efficient....the rooms were ready on arrival and the bell boy delivered the cases immediately....quick service.
The hotel receptionists were always very polite and helpful.

Our holiday Rep from Thomas Cook was great (thanks Joel)...no undue pressure to book trips (we did anyway and took his advice....more later).

The rooms were large and comfortable.....very clean and the maid service was great (we only tipped at the end of the holiday so the standard was good regardless of us having "paid up front" for the privilege).....Clean towels and sheets every day.
Large comfy beds.....mini bar free and replenished daily.
The shower was adequate (up on floor 7 I expect the water pressure was a little less powerful but to be honest I have had worse in UK 5 star hotels)....it worked fine but was not a power shower. Soap, Body wash and shampoo all provided.
Our room had a balcony which overlooked the Lagoon side but this was fine as it gave us a great view of the "strip" and sunsets to die for.

The food was fine in the 4 restaurants.....I expect some of the more picky people would find something to moan about because the burgers or the fries were "not like home".....like in a previous review if you want home cooking ......stay home.
There was a very good choice but remember this is "All Inclusive" ...if you are looking for A la Carte dining go self catering and book each meal separately would be my advice.
As a family of four with wide tastes we always found something that suited us......the steaks in the Mexican were fab and the service in the Spanish was always a delight (the Apple Margheritas were to die for according to my daughter).

The bars although always busy were fast and very efficient....Enrique and Jesus were particularly good and both kept my son entertained throughout the holiday.
It is an American habit of "tipping as you go"......I found that not tipping as we went made ZERO difference to the service we recieved from the staff.....they were always on top form.
We gave a reasonable and happily recieved tip to each at the end of the holiday as we had great service for the full 2 weeks.
The "local" drinks are fine.....again if you are not happy with the set up read the brochure better next time.....it's clear enough what to expect for the all inclusive deal.

The 3 Pools were all very clean and safe....me and my son spent most of the time by Pool 3 (activity Pool) and were made very welcome by "Fabo" , "Paulina" , Pokemon (Lois) and the rest of the crew. To be honest these guys made our holiday and were just great at keeping the vibe going getting all people involved with activities......great fun.....thanks to these guys. They make a big effort in making sure everyone gets a chance to get involved.....not just the very sporty types (girls and boys).

My wife and daughter spent more time relaxing and reading by one of the more quiet pools by the beach side.
Listening to the waves breaking on the shore was a constant delight.

Our visit coincided with pretty much the end of the USA Spring and Summer break so there were not too many "rowdy" teenagers as described in other reviews.....the guys we did meet up with were a mix of Brits, Mexican, American and some guys from Curacao......great water polo goalkeepers.
Water volleyball and water polo were competetive but fun and adequate for all ages.

Having read a couple of previous reviews (I think from members of the same party) about security in this hotel I have to say I witnessed nothing that would have concerned me from either staff or guests......I expect you could come accross the occasional "odd-ball" in any hotel at any time....just bad luck.
Also I felt that even walking out at night in Cancun although always on alert in a foreign country we felt no more worried than normal and there was always a good prescence of security visible around the bars and restaurants.

We took a few trips booked via our rep.....Chichen Itza was hot but well worth the visit, Xel-Ha was delightful and highly recommended and the Pirate Ships were great fun.

We also spent a night out at Bubba Gumps (recomended for shrimp.......obviously) and the Outback restaurant (also recomended.......for steaks) and also spent some time in Patrick Obriens (watch out for the guys balancing drinks on the head....still waiting for one to fall!!!).

We didn't go out to the clubs as my son is still a bit too young but we got good reviews of Coco Bongos for the show and Senor Frogs from other hardy revellers.

So in summary we had a great holiday.....were glad we were not put off by other peoples experiences (or I might even say prejudice??)........this place is great.....has great staff....the food and drinks are fine......go and enjoy it.

Paul, Margo, Suzanne and Craig (George).

Well what can i say, this hotel is AMAZING, we could not fault one thing about it! the food was good quality, the pools are fantastic, drinks - frozen pina colada and s/berry daquaris THE BEST!! the rooms were cleaned every day, beds made every day, towells changed, no problems at all!!
there are 3 pools, the party pool, the relaxing one with the sun loungers in the pool and the other one on a higher level but that one doesnt get the sun all day!
This was a great experience, we have already booked for 2009 june the 7th!! wohoo! cant wait to visit barcelo tucancun beach hotel again!!

I have been to the Barcelo 3 times at different times of the year and have yet to find anything negative. This is my take...

Check-in: As in most places, they say rooms will be ready by 3....we have never had a problem getting checked in by then and have always been treated with utmost respect and courtesy. We had concerns with having some photos we had taken on our last day delivered in time and the hotel desk staff went out of our way to help us out! (By the way--photos right on time!!)

Photo Booth: Down the hall around the corner from front desk is a Photo Place. If you set up an appointment, they have a photographer that will take you out on the beautiful resort property, down to the beach, etc. and photograph you.....you can pick what you want and get in a book or even get a CD with photos on it....we found prices to be very reasonable in comparison to the US....my husband were celebrating our first anniversary and eloped last year, so didn't have but a small amount of personally taken photos, so this was a treat for us...we loved the pics and bought them all! We highly recommend these people!!

Bars: Can't say enough good about them---if you think you need more alcohol in them, they will accomodate you---and as others have said....tipping a little gets you a lot. We slip our waitresses in the bars a $10 and she takes good care of you all night!

Food: For the food complainers....remember--you are not in the US anymore...nothing is going to taste the same...if that's what you want, then maybe you shouldn't leave home!! My husband is the king of picky and he loves all the food here--some more than others though...our favorite is the Mexican Restaurant--be sure to reserve--the steak (Filet Mignon) was excellent every time. We ate at the seafood place 1 time--good, but we found the Mexican to be our favorite. The other 2 are buffet and everyone should be able to find something to satisfy them....the restaurant down by the pool serves quickie snack bar type food during the day such as pizza, burgers, hotdogs, nachos, plus other stuff...if you have picky kids, they will find something they like here. Again, the wait staff goes out of their way to please and we have no problem with rewarding their hard work with tips.

Pools: Very clean...many chaise lounges..3 of them...one caters to the ususally younger crowd with games, music, etc....this was funny to watch!!

Rooms: We always get ocean view and have never been disappointed....maids kept room spotless and well stocked with drinks and towels....but as in ANY place I have been in Mexico, at times the HOT shower is lukewarm at best, but again---this is Mexico- not the US!!

Beach: Beach area has shrunk, as in many of the resorts on the strip....but adequate with plenty of lounge chairs if you want them. Not as many vendors here as there used to be, but I like that!! Not too many rocks...

Conclusion: I don't think I have left anything out...if I have, feel free to contact me to ask---we feel like the Barcelo is our home away from home....oh and the Kuklakhan Plaza mall is a walk right across the street and we love to browse there...there's a luxury mall on one end (and I do mean Expensive!!) but there are many other places to buy reasonable souvenirs, etc here. Also be sure to skip the taxi and use the busses...an adventure in itself! Be sure you sit in a hurry because they take off quick---only around 60 cents a person...that's all we use.

All in all, there is something for everyone at the Barcelo Tucancun Resort!!