Papaw, thank you for providing folks like me with detailed information about what to expect at BP Grand Coba. I’ve watched a couple of your vids in preparation for my family’s first trip to this resort (and to MX) coming up next week. We are so excited to be spending our holiday at this resort. It looks like there’s more than enough space and opportunities for a fun-filled getaway. Cheers to you, sir!
Thank you for watching and for the kind words. If you get hung up on something while there check in on the Bahia Mexico Lovers Facebook group for help. Report back and let us know how it goes.
Thank you for your great videos. There are 27 of us having a family reunion next week at the GBP Coba and your videos are so helpful. We have all ages coming, from toddlers to seniors so it is really terrific how you laid out the resort for us. It really helped us plan our much needed get away. Thank you!
Thank for your kind words. For larger groups eating together in the main buffet, there are several large tables at the far back of the dining room. I’ve seen them pushed together with at least 20 seated together. Someone in your group should get there at least 15 minutes early and get it set up. Be absolutely certain to tip the waitstaff well and you’ll be well rewarded. The number one tip I have is to respect that GBP Coba is a budget friendly resort. It’s actually the best budget friendly resort. But it isn’t perfect. Accept that and don’t demand perfection and y’all should be fine. Let us know how it goes! Jeff (Papaw)
Hello sir, I'm right now at the resort and wanted to put in a bit that your advice has been invaluable and we're really appreciative of you taking the time to make the video. Thanks again!
Loved your video. You gave so much helpful information especially about the building selection and how to request it. We are from Canada and looking to go here this Christmas 2024. We are seniors and looking for the quiet pool area.😊
Thank you for watching! I just posted a new Walkaround for Grand Coba. I suggest looking at Sian Kaan. Yes, it is a bit pricier but worth every penny. I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with Grand Coba, it is great.
Thanks so much , this is such a great initiation video. We followed your advice & emailed the week before, to request block 26, top floor with a pool view, and they gave us just that. And it’s perfect! And all our dinner reservations. Thanks again, this helped us lots.
Hello Papaw! You don’t realize what a blessing you are to many of us. Your video is a wealth of information. Thank you so much! I just booked our holiday for this coming May, our first trip since the pandemic started. I was apprehensive at first, since Coba is a huge property but because of your video, my fears have been allayed. Thinking of reserving building 26 or 27, I enjoy reading a book by the pool whilst my husband likes to grab a bite every so often. We’ll be celebrating our 37th wedding anniversary, many planned trips canceled because of the current climate. Will follow all your tips, including reservations to the restaurants. God bless you more so you may continue to be a blessing to others. Happy and safe travels to you and your family!
Thank you for such kind words! I enjoy my hobby and all I ask in return is viewers hitting the Like button and subscribing. This past April we celebrated our 36th anniversary at Akumal section because Coba was still closed. I don’t see us being able to get back this year, we just returned from Ajijic. I’m putting up some fun videos from that trip too. Have a great and safe trip and let us know how it goes! Jeff (Papaw)
Hope your 36th anniversary trip was memorable! Belated greetings! Is there a snack bar by the beach or just a beverage area? I also read in other message boards that it costs $15/day to access Tulum’s facilities now, and the charge is according to your length of stay on your bracelet, not just per day, how true? Thanks for all your helpful tips! Our first time in Coba, so every tip helps! Blessings!
When I’ve stayed at Coba I didn’t feel the need to pay for any upgrade. It’s a resort with over 1,000 rooms! You should join in the Bahia Lovers Facebook group. There’s many knowledgeable folks there that have done an upgrade since Coba reopened and would know the specifics of the beach & snacks. The Coba beach was still at its old location last time I was there. A tip I always give is to make friends with at least a few of the staff. Snack bar, buffet, etc. learn their names and ask how their day is going. Of course tip a few bucks here and there. You’ll find the experience greatly enhanced.
@@papawgotagopro yes indeed! We bring staff gifts, tshirts, baseball caps, toiletries, cosmetics, even crayons, pencils, colouring books for their kids when we travel to Cuba, Dominican Republic, Jamaica and cruise staff, on top of our tips, it’s a little token of our gratitude for the hard work they do to satisfy their guests. I will go to that FB page you recommended, thank you for all the tips! Take care and happy vlogging!
Jovet, I've never been to Cuba but I have visited both Jamaica and Dominican Republic. I was born and raised in Texas and I've traveled extensively throughout Mexico. Bringing gifts like that for staff may be a good thing when going to those Caribbean Islands. It will not be welcomed by the service staff in Mexico. Being so polite, they would smile widely and thank you. But in reality they may be insulted. Service staff in Mexico will instead warmly and gladly welcome a cash tip (gratuity) in return for their hard work and outgoing customer service. To explain further could be read as casting a negative light on service workers on the islands, which certainly would not be intended. Jeff (Papaw)
Hi there! First off, I want to thank you for the very detailed videos and walk throughs! We’re going to Bahia Principe Grand Coba next week, and we just emailed today, following your instructions! We got an automated reply directing us to the virtual assistant, and I’ll check it out, but fingers crossed we get a response! Thanks again so much for the videos - I’ve been watching/re-watching in anticipation! 😁
Thank you for watching! Have you seen the newest one? The automated response is new. In the Bahia Mexico Lovers Facebook group we are getting very mixed reports of how it is all working now. Some are getting sent to the Bahia website and using their MyBahia account to successfully request rooms and restaurants, even if they didn’t book direct from Bahia. While some that did book direct with Bahia cannot get through at all. Please report back how your requests get handled. We are headed back end of January staying at Akumal with kids & 8 year old grandson.
@@papawgotagopro well, 5 days before the trip I was able to check in, and using the mybahia account I was able to select my room. The website is very finicky, and it only worked using safari on my phone 🤔 I don’t think it hurts to email though! I maybe watched the one you posted earlier this year ten times haha! - again thanks for the very thorough video! We’re looking at the booking restaurants now, which ones are your faves?
@@papawgotagopro Fantastic, best holiday ever and would strongly recommend this resort. All the staff are fantastic and the entertainment 10/10 such a shame that everything that is going on in the world effects the lovely people of Mexico
@@papawgotagopro Thanks for such an informative and well shot video! It's our third time in Grand Bahia and second time in Coba that we plan to stay at the beginning of December. I wonder if you ever used their loyalty program and registered with "My Bahia" service? They state one can early check in and I assume one could probably request a certain building to stay in. It's available starting 5 days prior to arrival. Did you have a chance to use it? We have kids and want to be close to water park. Are buildings 19 and 20 a good choice? First time we were placed in #18 and had some issues with sewage odour. Could be the case with these two as well? Will highly appreciate your input 🙂
Building 27 - best 😀 nicer pool, snack bar near, not that far from reception but still quiet and loads of midnight dips with a cold 🍺 beer 50m from your room. Pool side view is great for watching the towel game with a nice coffee.
Sat/Mar 16/2024 I emailed and got an automated email back where I had to select the closest tab to what I wanted. Then you converse with the chat bot giving your information and they end with they will give the information to the hotel. I guess this is where the patience comes in lol😂 I was also able to open an account an pre check in 75 hours ahead, very handy.
You'll love Coba! ...if they do indeed open. If Bahia decides to not open Coba you will be sent to either Grand Tulum or Luxury Akumal. Don't worry about whatever happens it will be great. Please check back and let us know how the trip goes. Jeff (Papaw)
Thank you so much for this video! Exactly what i was looking for! I'm going in april with my 8yo son. I want a quiet block around the quiet pool (Block 1 and / or 22), 2nd floor facing the pool. Listening to the video I learn that there are several blocks reserved for specific carriers and Timesharers... (Which blocks?) Is it difficult to find a place in the shade around the quiet pool, if so what time in the morning will you reserve your chairs? No worries, we are not the type to book a chair and leave for the beach afterwards... We reserve and occupy our chairs all day! Thank You so much! Really and highly appreciate!
Have a great trip - come back and let us know how it goes! Don't hesitate to contact me if you're having any difficulty when there. Maybe I can offer helpful a suggestion. The buildings reserved for the timeshare are usually Buildings 22-25. Buildings 26 & 27 are my favorites. In April you can get a good spot at the quiet pool any time before about 10am. Usually we just walk through the pool area on our way to breakfast and drop our stuff off at a good spot. Then we're back within an hour, hour & a half tops. Fair warning - while it is the "Quiet Pool", the area around the swim up bar can get rowdy with adults being adults. If I had my 8 yr-old grandson with us I would set up on the opposite side of the pool from the swim up bar. Jeff (Papaw)
What a great video :) we are going June 30th for 2 weeks, is there a particular building that is between the relaxing pool and the swim up bar pool as some days will want to read a book in peace and chill and others will wants to swim up and get on the all inclusive alcohol with pool music vibes lol how far is it between the two pools and if there is a building you suggest for this to be close to both options? The building you recommend for this is this close to the 24hr snack bar also? Thank you again :) :)
Hi Papaw (Jeff); Thanks so much for your great videos. We are really looking forward to our upcoming trip in February. Question: what buildings would you suggest staying at in the Akumal section? We are a group of 6 and would like to be somewhat close to the food and pools but not where it would be too noisy. Any suggestions?
Thanks for watching! At Luxury Akumal definitely the best regular room buildings are 53 & 54. There’s a sidewalk between them that connect straight to the lobby. We’re returning to Luxury Akumal in 2 weeks. All-new videos are coming soon! Jeff (Papaw)
@@papawgotagopro Thanks so much for the recommendation, that's what we will request. Hope you have a great trip and we look forward to your new videos! Thanks again😃
We don’t mend walking a bit, so I have a question re: building we were thinking we would most likely use the Quite Pool most of the time. Therefore would building 5-6-7 or 28 be best? Also 3 a la carte reservation is not a lot is there a way to purchase more?
Hi Wayne, thanks for watching. We’ve stayed in Building 5 before and loved it. Quiet and peaceful. It’s a manageable walk to the lobby and the quiet pool is halfway between 5 & the lobby. Also easy to get to Premier lobby as well. The breakfast buffet there is the best experience, if they’ve reopened it post pandemic. Trollies are regular in case you want a rest. Having been on about 25 all-inclusive trips I can say, for me, 3 formal dinners in a week is about right. We’re on vacation and we want to relax. Having to be back at the room by a certain time, getting all cleaned up, redressing, makeup and hair for her, getting to a restaurant in time for a reservation… this all dampens the relaxation element. So more than 3, to me, is too much. I know of no way to purchase more. I’ve heard that if the resort isn’t near capacity you can request an extra one. Oh, the 3 reservations you want are Mashua and Tequila & Don Pablo at Tulum. When are you going? Jeff (Papaw)
Thank you for your speedy reply. We like to eat a la carte since it is easier to control the ingredients as my wife has intolerances due to Cancer surgery. We had pick the Italian Japanese and were still studying the other for a 3rd 4th 5th and 6th since we will be staying 2 weeks. One question I forgot was what is the Premium Liquor vs Local as I enjoy Scotch, Cognac, Rum, Whiskey and Bourbon I am not much on fancy cocktails but my wife will love them. Again thank you for your kind recommendations we will be there on March 24th to April 7th.
When I go to Portofino I usually fill up on the calamari at the self serve appetizer bar. Its scrumptious. The pizza there is the best at the whole complex. I've never done the Japanese one. If I were to rate my favorite a la cartes available to you it is: 1. Tequila 2. Don Pablo 3. Mashua 4. Portofino 5. Thali 6. Le Gourmet (my wife's favorite of all). There are MANY popular booze brands available. You are not stuck with just well swill. Keep in mind they may not all be available at all bars at all times. Take a look at each bar and see what they have and specifically request the brand you want each and every order. For example, I'll usually drink rum & diet coke or margaritas. I make sure to order my rum & coke with Havana Club and my margarita made with Jimador or Centenario. Sometimes the rum available is Havana Club 7. It's great. There is a list of Ultra Premium boozes and bottled wines that are an added charge. We've never had the need to do that.
Great video with tons of information. I'm still undecided, we are travelling with young children so ease of access is important but quiet rooms for day time naps and night sleep are also high on our wish list. With the stroller i assume we will need the 1st floor. Any recommendations?
Definitely have recommendations for you. Buildings 20 or 30 because a stroller is difficult to got on & off the trollies and you’ll need a location closer to the lobby. Ask for “Ground Floor”, not 1st when you email. Also about the stroller, if you have one of the bigger ones, like a Bob with bicycle tires - bring that. It’s worth it to your little one for your struggle with it on the trip. The little strollers with little hard plastic wheels are dreadful on the stamped concrete paths. Jeff (Papaw)
More recommendations I learned taking our grandson: Take Water Babies sunscreen cream in the tube. Practice now and get comfortable wearing a hat and sunglasses. Don’t bother with excursions, they don’t want to go. Take the plastic pail & shovel, they get A LOT of mileage at the beach. Fewer fancy sit-down restaurants are preferred, they don’t want to go. They’ll love the Bahia Scouts area at the buffet. Take pepto. Take them their own insulated drink cups with lids & straws.
This video was excellent ! Thank you so much for creating this content. I have a few questions: If I stay in the Coba side and I want to buy the upgrade to use Tulum pools etc is that $15 a day per person? Or just $15 a day per room ? And do I have to do It each day? Also, really are the rooms that " dated" here ? compared to Akumal ? What really is the difference in them? The pictures look the same online.. and how far walking distance do you think it is from the beach ? How do you catch cabs from the resort to TULUM Beach ?
About paying to use Tulum: verify the price when you’re there, it is per person. And if you do it, it’s for the remainder of your stay. But do you really NEED to? My answer is NO. Grand Coba is a resort with over a thousand rooms and TONS of things to do. The food, booze and service is the same. Beach is a little less crowded at Tulum, the Cogrejo pool is very chill, the kids water park is a step up. When someone reports rooms are “dated” I really don’t know what that means.are they new and shiny? No, but they aren’t in tatters either. There’s no walking to the beach from Grand Coba. You ride the trolley, takes about 5 minutes and it’s better than walking. My next 2 videos coming soon are on Grand Coba. I went to Barcelo last month and took a day trip to Grand Coba. Be on the lookout! Jeff (Papaw)
@Papaw Got A GoPro Thanks for such an informative and well shot video! It's our third time in Grand Bahia and second time in Coba that we plan to stay at the beginning of December. I wonder if you ever used their loyalty program and registered with "My Bahia" service? They state one can early check in and I assume one could probably request a certain building to stay in. It's available starting 5 days prior to arrival. Did you have a chance to use it? We have kids and want to be close to water park. Are buildings 19 and 20 a good choice? First time we were placed in #18 and had some issues with toilet odour. Could be the case with these two as well? Will highly appreciate your input 🙂
Hello and thank you for watching. I am a member of the My Bahia website loyalty program - I am NOT a timeshare owner or vacation club member. The 5-day My Bahia check-in has never worked for me, there is always a problem. So I just use the email method to request my building and to make restaurant reservations. We have stayed in building 19 before and liked it very much, a good balance of pool and lobby access.
@@papawgotagopro Thank you for the reply. Right, I meant their website loyalty program. I was able to check in online and reserve the restaurants (do agree with you that the app isn't user friendly and site is lagging all the time). I requested building 20 as building 19 had only first floor availability and I prefer 2nd or 3rd🙂.
Many rooms have pool views. None have ocean view. Google up a map and you’ll see the building numbers in relation to the pools. My favorites are 15 & 16.
The buildings that make up the Coba section of the resort are not beachside. But the Grand Bahia has a very long and nice beach, Coba guests ride the trolley to get to the beach. I have another video that shows that trip each way. Jeff (Papaw)
To the Coba beach section? That would be buildings 1-4, nearest to the Premier Lobby. Watch my video about the trolly ride to the beach for a reference of the distance. Jeff (Papaw)
Thank you so much for the amazing information, and I have a question, any suggestion about the transportation from the airport to the resort and which airport is more convenient. Thanks
Thanks for watching! The only airport available in the area is Cancun airport. The resort about 55 miles from there. We’ve used several transfer services and USA Transfers booked online through Entertainment Plus has proven the best. There are at least 2 shady companies that have ripped off the name so you have to book with Entertainment Plus.
Thanks for sharing!!! Most helpful. I am going on the 17th, first time at this particular resort - so quite excited. Q: Can you provide advice on pre-booking the dining options via email or other means? Thanks kindly.
Sure, no problem. There are a few ways but this is the one that I find works best: Again, wait until about 7 days prior to arrival and email the same address as room requests - info.coba@bahia-principe.com. Include all of your information; names, booking company, reservation ID#. Sometimes this doesn't work and you have to make your reservations when you check in. Don't worry, follow the rest of these tips and that will be fine. I have never used the app. Don't demand specific restaurants on specific nights at specific times. Coba guests get 3 a la carte per 7 nights stay. So give your 3 preferred ones and a range of acceptable times. Then you can add some other preferences. I heard that Coba's main buffet is undergoing renovations during the entire month of February. Buffet service will be expanded at the other Coba places; La Casita, Pisces and Cozumel. Of course you do have full access to everything at Tulum section as well, so don't fret. Tips - Thursday night is the Mexican fiesta at the Hacienda and trollies are at a premium. So if you are not going to that then best to stay at Coba. Many have their favorite restaurants for their own reasons. When we stay at Coba for a week we always do Mashua (my favorite), Le Gourmet (wife's favorite) and Tequila (at Tulum). Jeff (Papaw)
@@papawgotagopro Sorry to pest - at the airport - we are landing Monday 1:30 or so, via westjet - have you experienced the resort bus or do you taxi/shuttle? If you took the bus, how did/do you find the process? I assume it is like most where you seek the bus outside the doors - and the driver has a sign?
Coming from the US we have always landed in Terminal 3, maybe a different situation - usually we book with Cheap Caribbean and schedule our transfer with USA Transfers. If you booked your room through Bahia then their website should give you transfer info. If you booked the resort with Westjet, same. But to be sure - why not join in the Grand Bahia Principe Coba Facebook group? There are many there that travel with Westjet and/or book on Bahia's website. They will know for sure and can give you a clearcut exact answer. Jeff (Papaw)
Hey Jeff. Thanks so much for the great and informative video post. My gf and myself are heading here for the first time next week and will be taking your advice in trying to get one of the buildings you suggested along with trying to get reservations for the meals. One question I do have and was curious was if you had done any excursions. I'm looking into going to a cenotes /ruins and wondering if you had any experiences with this from Coba.. Thanks..
Thanks for the kind remarks. Use the same email address for restaurant reservations requests and include the same info. Be flexible about which restaurant on which night. If the response you get isnt to your liking then you can work on that just after checking in. Mashua is my favorite, Le Gourmet is my wife's favorite (men have to wear long pants here) and we both enjoy Tequila at Tulum. Thursday should be a night to avoid those at Tulum section because all of the trollies are devoted to taking people to and from the Hacienda and the Fiesta. I am out of touch on the topic of excursions since its has been about 20 years since we have done any. We have become what you'd call "Fly & Floppers" except for the few hours I spend walking around shooting with my GoPro. Ive learned to do that in the mornings now because I find the footage is better before i have a couple dozen rum & cokes. Jeff (Papaw)
Thanks for the quick reply Jeff. I sent an email this morning requesting building 26 or 27 poolview. I like my quiet and my views. Lol.. I also put my request in for the ala cartes for mon, wed, and Friday. Hopefully all goes well with the request. I'll look into the cenotes and figure out whether doing a tour or going on my own. Thanks again for the help.
@@papawgotagopro it was awesome. We got the building and room we wanted along with the Ali carte restaurants we had requested. The staff were amazing there. Got to a cenote and went to akumal beach throughout our days without taking a tour.. Tulum was being partly renovated which worked out for us beach wise as we dragged some chairs and had the beach to ourselves. We cut it close getting back to Canada with all the restrictions starting to happen. Definitely can see us back in the future. Next destination is Los cobas though I think. Thanks for all the info.
Hi Jeff, first off I really appreciate your videos on Coba and the other properties that make up the GBP and thanks for taking time to respond to questions, that is very cool of you to do. My wife and kids will be heading to Coba in a couple of weeks and we are looking forward to it. When I booked Coba I failed to realize this property isn't directly on the beach. I have since did a bit of research (much of it through your videos around this and the other Bahia properties) and my question to you is this, would it be worthwhile trying to move to either Akumal or Tulum and pay the difference to be closer to the beach? I really only care about having a place under a palapa and the ocean to float around it for several hours a day. If I can have that experience and stay at Coba I am good, if staying at Coba is going to negatively impact that experience I would want to move. What would your thoughts based on your experience?
Great question. I have stayed at many "on the beach" resorts where my room was a very long, hot and sweaty walk to and from the beach. But at Coba, as soon as I finish breakfast in the Premier Lobby I just stroll outside and park my carcass on a trolly seat and enjoy the breezy ride to the beach. Never more than 5 minutes from there. Did you see my video on the Trolly Ride to The Beach? All during March the resorts will be at full capacity and there very well might not be any availability at Akumal or Tulum. You'll need to "reserve" you beach palapa before 9am, so you might have to trolly over, do that, then come back for breakfast. Remember you have full access to all of Tulum's beach and palapas as well. Lunch is available at the Tulum's Gran Tortuga. In summary, I prefer the 5 minute trolly ride over a 5-10 minute walk. Also, I dont think Tulum or Akumal are worth the proce difference over Coba anyway. You and your family will have a great trip no matter what. But if you think you'll be agrivated to have ride the trolly to the beach then you should swing a deal. You need a good vacation also. Jeff (Papaw)
This is still the best way, follow the instructions I gave. Even though it is a few years old, still the best way. Our last trip was January 2023 and I used this tried and true method. Be flexible requesting. If staying at Coba you get 3 reservations per 7 nights stay. Give your list of preferred restaurants and your preferred time range. Don’t require specific restaurants on specific nights at specific times.
Thanks Carlos. I'm still learning how to use the camera and do the editing. Its much harder than I expected. Hopefully we can come back in January and I can use what I learned and get much more better footage and keep this up. Jeff (Papaw)
Thanks a lot one last question i ve seen your video on the renovated tulum it’s really awsome given the renovation . Which one is best overall ( food m, beach entertainment Witt a kid ) tulum or Grand Palladium if you have visited ? They seem so similar I have a really hard time choosing
Thanks for watching! I haven’t been to Grand Palladium. I do have an acquaintance on TripAdvisor that is the Grand Palladium expert. I trust her advice and she loves it, says nothing is better. I am headed to the Barcelo in a few weeks to shoot that whole resort complex. For kids in the 5-10 year old range I can’t imagine a better resort than Bahia Grand Tulum. The water parks and pools and beach are all great. Add in the Bahia Scouts and it’s a winner in my book.
Great video! Are all the a la carte restaurants close by to each other? and which buildings would be the best to stay at for closeness to a pool and the restaurants and 24 hr snack bar? And which building is the closest to the coliseum where the shows are? Thank you!
Hey Papaw, thank you for the helpful video. This will be my first time there. My big question is: how to get there from Cancun Airport? Is there any bus from the resort I can book for a round trip? If so, is it reliable? How bad is it if you have a morning return flight (9:30am), how early should you get up? Thanks in advance, Papaw! 🙂
Hello Polly. My best recommendation for transfer service is to book USA Transfers on the Entertainment Plus website. It’s normal to pay the driver in cash upon arrival at the resort. We’ve used them about a dozen trips with perfect results. There are cheaper, but at a risk. Your transfer company will schedule your pickup time for the return to the airport. Expect that to be at least 3.5 hours prior to flight time. Jeff (Papaw)
Hello papaw!! Me and partner are booked to go (hopefully) in June 2021. I’ve watched a few of your videos thank you for taking the tone to do them for us as they are really helpful. A question for you my friend, I’m not too good mobility wise, which number apartment would be the best for us to be able to get a lift easily? Also as we havnt any kids coming we don’t mind noise so want to be in the middle of it all. Want to be close to pool, buffets and nighttime entertainment. What do you think? Thank you in advance...
Hello Judy. Grand Coba is a very large resort and it isn't really possible to close to ALL of that. But the trollies make it a no-problem. Of your important items I would say it would be easiest to be close to the pool, then take the trolley to the lobby for the main buffet and theater. For that I recommend Buildings 19 & 20. Perfect for being closest to the main pool and there is a trolley stop right out front so you can hop on and ride everywhere else. I cannot make any firm plans yet because of Covid but we are making initial plans for a big family trip to Grand Coba or Grand Tulum for June 2021. My grandsons REALLY want to go back. I've been to over 20 all-inclusive resorts and Grand Coba is the best "Bang-for-your-buck" resort in existence. Don't hesitate to ask questions. Jeff (Papaw)
Love your video! I have watched (and re watched) several of your videos before our first trip to coba (February 2020) and again now before our next trip (end of sep/21) my question is do you think emailing 7 days ahead for building request is still the way to go? I see there is an app that allows for room requests but you have to wait 5 days before arrival. Thank you!
Thank you for watching! For our trip to Akumal section in April I booked direct on the Bahia website. Doing that, and being a member of the rewards club thing (not the timeshare thing) is what you have to do to, theoretically, be able to prebook room and restaurants. So at 5 days I was all excited and ready to do that. Except that it doesn’t work. I just kept getting either a frozen page or an error message. And the vast majority of people I’ve heard from say it doesn’t work for them either. So I did the trusty old email method and we got the exact building and all restaurants I requested. Have a great trip and let us know how it goes. In 2 weeks we’re going San Luis Potosí and Aguascalientes to scope them out for possible retirement locations. I’m thinking about a trip to Coba in mid December. I’m sure Mrs. Papaw would love that. Jeff (Papaw)
@@papawgotagopro that’s the answer I was looking for! Thank you I will send them an email! Enjoy your vacay! Yes I will be posting on my channel our experience 😉
24 & 25 are closer, but they are usually reserved for Apple Vacations. There are other buildings that are closer, but they come with negatives that outweigh the closeness. 26 is a great compromise for everything. Jeff (Papaw)
great info , thank you so much , since you've been there many times, I've been wondering if you would recommend going in may ? i've heard that seaweed situation is quite bad and smelly is that true ? thank you
Sargassum can happen anytime between April and December and it varies day to day, week to week. No one resort or area is better or worse. There’s no possible way to forecast, it’s driven by wind and tides. We’ve been twice when it was Sargassum Armageddon and we still had great trips. I’m coming to the Barcelo resort May 8 to shoot that entire complex and am planning to do a day pass visit to Grand Coba on Tuesday May 10. Maybe I’ll see you there. Jeff (Papaw)
Thanks a lot one last question i ve seen your video on the renovated tulum it’s really awsome given the renovation . Which one is best overall ( food m, beach entertainment Witt a kid ) tulum or Grand Palladium if you have visited ? They seem so similar I have a really hard time choosing
Great video! Any of the buildings have elevator ? How far from water park is main lobby? Is there a central building between both locations that’s easily walkable with a toddler
Thank you for watching! No, no elevators and nothing in between. Water park is very close the main lobby. For closeness to water park I’d choose buildings 20 or 21, ground floor.
After you check in a porter will load your luggage onto a golf buggy and drive you to your room. He’ll carry all luggage up to the room. When you’re ready to check out call the front desk and he’ll come get them. Do tip both times at least 20 pesos (or $1US) per bag.
Thank you for watching! On a few occasions they’ve cut them off when we checked out. But I still a quite a collection from when they didn’t. Jeff (Papaw)
Thank you so much for this video. Very helpful. Would you say 31 is best for a family who wants to be close to the waterpark and no noise at night time?
Hello great film .We will stay second time in Bahia Principe hotel so my question is do they have loyalty program or something like that? Thank you for any information
Hi Pawpaw! Me and my wife we are going at Coba early december (10-18 december) We have 2 toddlers at home but we go for a vacation alone. We are looking for a quiet place , not too far from the buffet and the pool. We are going there to rest , we don't want to hear party music late at night. What block do you think we should request ? Thank you so much for the video !!
hi, thanks for making this video me and my family are checking in to coba this november we would like to know where we can and cannot avail like restaurants, buffet and which part of the beach we could use basically the whole info thanks really appreciate it and which building is in the centre of everything
Hi Doben and thanks for the questions. Coba guests, in addition to Coba, have full and complete access to everything at the Tulum Section. That's 2 complete 900+ room resort facilities. All buffets, all restaurants, all bars, all swimming pools...everything. You'll get 3 ala carte dining options per week. Our favorites are Mashua, Tequila and Don Pablo. Beachwise you get a very large and along area to choose from, everything north of the dive shack. Check it out onGoogle Earth. Building 31 is pretty much in the middle of everything. Don't hesitate to ask more. Jeff (Papaw).
Hi there, we are 4 very active SINGLE ladies, all over 65. We are going for, weeks in February . We like the shows, the bars, bar entertainment, and great food. what would you suggest?
I say do it all! Check the activity board in the lobby to see what’s going on. For restaurants my favorites are Mashua at Coba and Don Pablo & Tequila at Tulum. We are returning in a few weeks with our 8 year old grandson! Jeff (Papaw)
Hi thanks for the video. We're going on Thursday. 2 adults and an 11 year old. I've requested block 30 on the app as it seems close to both reception area and pools. There weren't many choices available. Would you think that block would suit us?
Hi, we have booked 2 rooms for may, what would be the best way to try get these 2 rooms next to each other? Would we go down the same route as trying to request a building but just mention this also? Thanks
You said that buildings 19 and 20 are the best location for activity and pool access but how far away are they from the 24 hour access to food and drinks? Thanks!
For Grand Coba, none are close to the beach since the Luxury Akumal is between Grand Coba and the beach. Coba guests ride a trolley to and from the beach, which I prefer. Less walking and easier.
Akumal is the best and allows you full access to everything at Coba and Tulum. Adults can access Sian Kaan. The Hacienda is mostly a collection of overpriced shops selling tourist items. But if you need something like a hat, shirt, toys, sunglasses - you'll find it there. The tent area outside has better prices. Jeff (Papaw)
Our vaccinations are complete (we both work at healthcare facilities), our reservations are complete and we are returning to Luxury Akumal in April. There'll be many more videos after I return. Jeff (Papaw)
Hey there! I am going to the coba in two weeks. Should I be requesting building 24, 25, or 26? Being closer to the poor is what we would like. Also how long is the tram ride to the beach?
The main Coba buffet will be closed all of February 2020. Cozumel in the Premier Lobby and La Casita (the 24 hour snack bar) will be your places for breakfast and lunch when not at the beach. Building 24 is much closer to the main trolley stop in back of the lobby. I very much prefer buildings 25 & 26 for being close to the quiet pool, La Casita, Premier lobby and easy trolley rides. I have an entire video on the trolley ride to the beach, look it up. Being in buildings 25 or 26 you have a short walk to the Premier Lobby and then a short ride to the Beach from there. When returning from the beach you'll not get off at the front of the main lobby, ride it around to the back and get off at the main roundabout. From there its a short walk to your room. Jeff (Papaw)
Hi Papaw, thanks for your video. I'm studying hard to pick the right building! My daughter is taking daytime nap and sleeps early at night. But my husband would like to have some drinks and snacks late night. Is 28, 29, 30 more convenient for us? After viewing your video and read the comments, it seems 26 and 27 are the most popular. Please help me to choose. Also, we are going in the end of September. Will it still be hot and humid? Will the resort be crowded? Thank you for your reply!
Good morning! Best building location for you is 25, 26, 27. They’re around the quiet pool, so not noisy in the day and are nearby to La Casita for drinks and snacks. By the way, I re-visited Grand Coba a few weeks ago on a day pass while filming another resort. I have 2 new videos in the works. Jeff (Papaw)
Thank you so much for your reply. I will request for 25 or 26. As for the weather in September, is it hot but acceptable? And many people during this time of year?
so we arrive june 2022 , probably looking at booking villas 26,27 or 31 top floors, 2 rooms after reviewing you video , i like to sit on the balcony sometimes and chill , which ones have the best evening sun with a pool view , Thanks
Hello Yvonne and thank you for watching! Have you ever been to the area? June will be very hot and humid. After a full day of fun in the sun you’ll actually be ready for serious air conditioning. But it’ll be luck of the draw on your exact room as it isn’t really possible to book a specific room. My best suggestion is to request top floor of the 3 buildings if you don’t mind the stairs. Have a great trip! Jeff (Papaw)
Hi, great video ! Thanks for creating one like this to help future guests. Are all the buildings you mentioned near the beach ? Is there one closest to coba beach or it doesn't matter the trolley takes same amount of time to take you to the beach regardless of what building you are in? I want to be near the water park area for the kids but also want to be near the pools but still have access to a near trolly station to take us to the beach . We still want to have easier access to everything. What buildings do you reccomend ??? Please get back to me when you have a moment. Greatly appreciated..
Thank you for the question. There are no buildings better than others for distance to the beach. For speed and ease to the beach it is best to be near the back main trolley hub, the roundabout. That way you do not have to change trollies. Buildings 30 & 31 are perfect for you. These buildings are adjacent to all 3; the kids water park, the main pool and the trolley roundabout. Jeff (Papaw)
Hello Papaw!, we are looking for this hotel. we've been 2 times to the sunset princess and it is also a huge resort as well. We went around the reviews for the Bahia and a lot of them complain about the size of the hotel(i dont really mind since there are little shuttle. Some review are saying the hotel is getting old, workers are rudes bla bla bla. (we speak spannish so we usally dont have any problems.) there are 3/4 very good rating. My question, are the people only complaing about little silly things or there are really some miss about the hotel. Thank you
Great question. Since I have done so much research preparing for so many trips I have a fair picture of a good answer. I think what happens most often is that someone makes their first trip and they have an unrealistic expectation of perfection. Then they compound that by making unreasonable demands. Then they compound it further by being a whining fit-throwing child. I've seen it. When resort travelers have reasonable expectations that are in-line with the price they paid they seldom have complaints. Then, when something goes amiss, reasonable people adjust and find the positives. Furthermore, when something is really not going right reasonable people discuss the issue in a kind and respectful manner. They stand firm, but they don't belittle and demean the staff. Too often when I read a scathing negative review/comment about GBP Coba it is more often than not because someone had an unreasonable expectation of perfection, then they made demands of perfection, then they threw a temper tantrum because they didn't get there way. Is GBP Coba perfect? Heck no, if you want perfect then you need to pony up your money and go to Grand Velas. Is GBP Coba the best budget level family friendly resort in the area? Yes, yes it is. This is my experienced way of expressing an answer, hope it helps. Jeff (Papaw)
@@papawgotagopro Exactly. I've visited this hotel 3x now and i still haven't seen all of it,i especially like the animals and Tulum part,i'm contemplating going again this Novemeber.....Oh and the round bar at Tulum is like going out is at home,love it.
Yes. Check out at the regular 11:00 check out time and keep your wrist bands. They’ll store your luggage & give you a receipt. Then when you leave at 1:30-2:00 they’ll run a check to make sure you haven’t charged anything then cut off the wrist bands and you’re on your way. If you need to you can pay for a late check out. Don’t know what that cost is. Btw. I’m here now recording for all new videos. Jeff (Papaw)
Thank you for your very helpful videos. Do you know if there are interconnecting rooms for families and if so, are these available in every block. Would we request in the same way as a block ie 7 days before. Or can we reserve interconnecting when booking. Thank you
Hi Jenny. If something hasn’t changed (and it could have) the Family Suites are located in Building 22 only and are their own classification of room. Higher price. You cannot book a regular room and request one. They’re very popular and are often sold out. If someone that has been recently sees this and it has changed please let us all know. Jeff (Papaw)
@@papawgotagopro that's great to know. We are planning a trip for 2023 so hopefully gives us time. Would be useful if anyone else has anymore recent info. Thanks
My wife told me there are connecting rooms in other buildings. Maybe you could join the Bahia Lovers Facebook group. They are a great group and someone there will know for sure. I try to help on things there when I’m sure of the answer.
We are seniors, 4 ADULTS, 2 rooms going to Bahia Principe Grand Coba on Mayan Rivera on Jan 14 for 2 weeks and need quiet rooms closest to the beach, which building will you suggest, thank you for reply
The buildings that make up the Grand Coba section are away from the beach and everyone rides the transfer trollies back & forth. So no rooms are any closer than any others to the beach. The most quiet rooms are in buildings 5, 6 & 7.
For Coba & Tulum they haven’t been for a very long time. Post pandemic, guests at Coba can only access a la carte restaurants at Tulum. No other access at all.
There is a lot of speculation whether or not Coba guests will retain all previous benefits when Coba reopens April 1. In the past All Coba gusts have had full and complete privileges at Tulum (in addition to Coba, of course). Rumors persist that this will not be so after April 1. Honestly, we'll all have to wait until then to find out for certain. I will be at the resort complex the middle of April and I will put this question to bed once and for all for everyone. All guests at Akumal do indeed and will continue to have full and complete privileges to everything at Akumal, Tulum and Coba. Adult (18+) Akumal guests also have full access to the Adult Only Luxury Sian Kaan. I hope this helps. Jeff.
Sorry no, Its been many years since we stayed at the Tulum section. In August I got some great footage of the Tulum pools. But that's about it. Jeff (Papaw)
Hi there, we are going in about 10 days. We have a 1-year old baby and I just called the main line to request a crib. They also said based on availability. I'm a little nervous about 1) will be get one and 2) are they safe and serviceable per a Canadian/American's expectations. Any thoughts there?
The cribs are “Pack-N-Play” type. You staying at Coba? You need to email them at info.coba@bahia-principe.com. You might still get the non-commit “we’ll do our best, depending on availability…”. But everyone gets that.
Yes staying Coba. Going on the 31st. We asked for 26 or 24. Did I read the 24 hour Casita was closed during Covid? My wife mentioned hitting the 24 snack bar about 100 times the last few days. Any other tips for the facility would be appreciated.
Watch my video on our 5 restaurant visits. There are 2 “Gourmet” a la carte that require long pants and collared shirt (Golf shirt is fine) for men: Le Gourmet at Coba and Don Pablo at Tulum. At all the others he has to wear a shirt with at least short sleeves (tee-shirt ok) and decent shorts. At all a la carte he has to have closed toe shoes. I wear Teva sandals that do the job. My favorites at Coba are Mashua and Portofino. Le Gourmet is Mrs. Papaw’s favorite. My favorites at Tulum are Tequila and Don Pablo. Thali is a close 3rd.
La Casita was closed and remodeled to be “The Truck”, like a food truck motif with an ordering screen instead of all buffet. It is open now. We ate at the one at Tulum and liked it a lot. The beef burrito is fantastic. Tips we learned taking our then 16 month grandson: #1 Tip - Take the big stroller with bicycle tires. It’s so worth the effort because the little stroller with hard plastic wheels is murder on the stamped concrete sidewalks. We took a “Bob” that transforms to lay flat for naps and carry all the baby paraphernalia. This was a life saver. #2 - Water Babies sunscreen in the tube, not the spray. Trust me. #3 - You need more diapers than you think. Take plenty, different there, don’t plan on buying there. #4 - Your little one will find a lot more to eat at the buffet than the a la cartes. #5 - Baby doesn’t know about vacations and isn’t interested in going on excursions or doing anything different than normal. Remember that.
What? You cannot make that statement and be taken seriously. Grand Coba is not open now, has been closed due to Covid 19 for several months. How can you say the beaches are "dirty"? Define "Dirty" please. Jeff (Papaw)
