Ventus at El Cid Marina and Resort is simply incredible in all respects. My wife and I have stayed at many hotels and resorts throughout the years, but Ventus is head and shoulders above the rest.
We recently stayed at Ventus during the tail-end of September 2019. My wife and I traveled with a group of friends from Colombia who stayed at the catenated "El Cid Marina and Resort" (the section of the El Cid complex that is about 10 years older than Ventus). For years, we have been visiting the lovely fishing village of Puerto Morelos without realizing that it is home to two beautiful El Cid luxury resorts. It wasn't until last year, that our travel club, Vida Lifestyle, alerted us to this hidden treasure in Riviera Maya. Although Ventus and Marina Resort are separate accommodations, the two venues share many common facilities and services including restaurants, pool, bars, transport, recreation, the beach and administrative staff. Combined, the two El Cid hotels boast around 600 units ranging from Junior Suites to dens of pure luxury with private pools and jacuzzis. A proud, motivated staff of 1800 employees provide unsurpassed service. And you know what? I have never seen a happier... more motivated team of employees than at Ventus! Whoever is responsible for training and motivating the staff has done a remarkable job.
Upon entering Ventus, we were greeted by a Ventus team to unload and transport our luggage...Ventus at El Cid Marina and Resort is simply incredible in all respects. My wife and I have stayed at many hotels and resorts throughout the years, but Ventus is head and shoulders above the rest.
We recently stayed at Ventus during the tail-end of September 2019. My wife and I traveled with a group of friends from Colombia who stayed at the catenated "El Cid Marina and Resort" (the section of the El Cid complex that is about 10 years older than Ventus). For years, we have been visiting the lovely fishing village of Puerto Morelos without realizing that it is home to two beautiful El Cid luxury resorts. It wasn't until last year, that our travel club, Vida Lifestyle, alerted us to this hidden treasure in Riviera Maya. Although Ventus and Marina Resort are separate accommodations, the two venues share many common facilities and services including restaurants, pool, bars, transport, recreation, the beach and administrative staff. Combined, the two El Cid hotels boast around 600 units ranging from Junior Suites to dens of pure luxury with private pools and jacuzzis. A proud, motivated staff of 1800 employees provide unsurpassed service. And you know what? I have never seen a happier... more motivated team of employees than at Ventus! Whoever is responsible for training and motivating the staff has done a remarkable job.
Upon entering Ventus, we were greeted by a Ventus team to unload and transport our luggage and park our car in the free valet parking garage. Isaiah, at the front desk, worked with us and assigned us to a wonderful corner junior suite overlooking the beach and the village of Puerto Morelos. Paulo, our transporter and porter got us to our room (with luggage) and settled us in. It wasn't long before the rest of our group mustered in our room. I might add, that El Cid offers complimentary ONE WAY transport from the airport to the hotel. However, the trip back is on you.
Our room, a corner junior suite in Bldg 27, offered us 560 square feet of comfort. All the typical amenities of a luxury hotel were there... including an excellent 6 pm turn-out service. The corner balcony was a big plus... especially in the minutes before sunrise every morning. We owe Isaiah at the front desk a big "thank you" for assigning us a super room. Our room maid, Romi, kept our room immaculate, ship-shape and well-stocked with chocolates, fresh linens and toiletries. No request was too big... or too small.
Ventus is relatively new having opened its doors to guests in 2017. Accommodations are housed in big, bright buildings situated on the periphery of an acreage-sized meandering pool made for basking and chilling in the bright Mayan sun. The pool is complete with its own bridges and waterfalls. There are plenty of sun lounges and canopied beach beds for EVERYONE! Never once, did we feel crowded like we did at some other beach resorts. There is plenty of space to maintain enjoy without feeling lost in a crowd. For those who prefer small, the resort has strategically positioned jacuzzis and various "poolets" throughout the common grounds. All within crawling distance of the various "aid stations" stocked with mid and top-shelf liquors. Poolside service by an attentive staff is part and parcel of the Ventus hospitality package. There is also an "Adults Only" Wet Zone near the ZanzaBar in Ventus. From my observations, Ventus offers a more tranquilo environment than El Cid Marina and Resort which seems to have more guests with young children. Speaking of kids, there is a "Kids Center" in the center of the "pueblo" between the two El Cid resorts. The center offers all sorts of indoor and outdoor activities for children of all ages. The Collective El Cid deserves a big "attaboy" for this program.
Accessibilty for the mobility-challenged is not really much of an issue at Ventus. There seems to be very few nooks and crannies that are not accessible to EVERYONE.
It's obvious that management understands the importance of facility maintenance and capital improvements. Throughout both El Cids, maintenance and improvements are an on-going work in progress. Kudos to the Management!
In our room, there was a bathroom scale strategically tucked under the bathroom sink. There is a good reason for this! Make sure you weigh yourself when you arrive... and every day after during your stay. Don't be surprised if you've gained 3 or 4 pounds by the end of the week. The food and drink at the El Cids is over the top in terms of quality and variety. Guests have the option of choosing dining in the ala carte (reservation only) French, Mediteranean, Mexican or Italian restaurants (long trousers and buttoned shirt required) or the spacious smorgasboard food court barn known as "Mercado de Dolores." situated next to the main Ventus swimming pool. Come as you are, but make sure your clothes are dry. And like the rest of Ventus... it never seems crowded. You can choose from:
the Mexican grill (Maiz) which makes melt-in-your-mouth sirloin steaks and arracherra beef;
the Fish Market with 5 types of ceviche, grilled salmon, mahi-mahi, tuna steaks sword fish, prawns, seafood soup and fish stews... and not to mention seafood pasta dishes.
An Italian venue (Il Pecatto) with various styles of pizza, spaghetti and lasagnas
A HEALTHY sandwich shop called "Fresko" with freshly on-the-premise baked bread, all sorts of veggies and salads and dressings and fresh, healthy sandwich meats.
The French La Crepe Shop offers well... fancy crepes and other goodies
And finally "The Wok" rounds out the tasty and varied offerings of the Mercado de Dolores food court. If you enjoy Asian fusion dishes, this is for you.
The food at Mercado de Dolores is fresh and good. I noticed that the food served in the buffet trays were changed out every 15 or 20 minutes... regardless of how much was consumed. The bartenders at Bar Macondo will mix whatever you wish to accompany with your meal. Walter and Elias are stalwarts who tended to our every need (including hangovers) at Mecado Dolores. Angel, the grillmaster at the Maiz Mexican grill performs magic with the various cuts of beef, pork and chicken. Spending most of my time retired in Colombia for over 8 years, I truly appreciate the quality of Mexican beef and Angel's skill at preparing it over flames.
In the far corner of Mercado de Dolores is a Starbuck's-like coffee shop called Aromas with a ridiculously large variety of cakes, cookies, bagels, croissants, donuts, flans, puddings, parfaits, fudge, sherberts, ice cream... and even fresh fruits. If you want something you don't see, just ask the friendly Aromas barristers, and they will accommodate you. I enjoyed walking over to Aromas at 6 am, and enjoying my first cup of coffee in front of Aromas. Although, the coffee house offers a wide variety of fancy coffees, I never strayed away from my favorite, Cafe Americano...black. The coffee maker in my room made good coffee, but at Aromas, the coffee was great. I would watch the hotel come to life from my vantage point on the patio. Like a ship's company after morning quarters... Ventus employees would spring into action out of nowhere preparing the common areas for their guests under the light of dawn.
We also partook in the resort's spa services and enjoyed a hydrotherapy session and massage for two at the El Cocay Spa on the Marina/Resort side. The two hour session was spectacular. My massage therapist, Viviana, gave me a memorable beachside massage after an hour of sauna, steam and bouncing between hot and cold pools of water.
The beach is narrow with no breaking surf. Like all the other resorts in the Mayan Riviera, El Cid has a never-ending war with encroaching seaweed. Employees and machinery engage in a daily battle with the ubiquitous algae. (Think shoveling you know what against the tide.) Platinum members have an exclusive roped-off VIP area that is not very much different from the beach reserved for us "commoners." I found the beach to be much more appropriate for sunbathing than the concrete wet zone. The beach is cooler than the pool area and has virtually no visitors.
The activities offered to hotel guests are broadcast over the resort's TV system. And there is plenty to keep you busy at the hotel... whether it's water aerobics or attending a tequila tasting session, there is something for everyone. The recreational staff is enthusiastic and animated and engage resort guests with a sense of friendship and compassion. What I like about El Cid employees is their ability to communicate effectively. Many employees speak some English which helps with the predominantly North American clientele.
The Ventus physical plant is new, beautiful, and luxurious. But I believe the resort's true strength is derived from its unusually dedicated, diligent employees. Everyone knows their job and is empowered to act accordingly without fear of being second-guessed. The ubiquitous smile on the face of each and every El Cid employee is as sincere as the palm over heart Mayan greeting. Although we were impressed with all of the staff, the following individuals deserve recognition for "over-the-top" service for me and my group:
Jonathan, the El Cid customer relations specialist who reached out to me a week before our arrival and met us in the lobby upon arrival.
Isaiah, the Ventus front desk representative who patiently listened to our questions and fixed us up with a super room.
Paulo, Valentino & Osvaldo, the Ventus transporters and "butones", who made our arrival, stay and departure easy and hassle-free. BTW, Paulo gave me a hug as we departed and asked me if I thought we would be returning to Ventus. I told him, "Paulo, the question is not if we return to Ventus, but rather when we return!"
Walter and Elias, of the wait staff in Mercado Dolores, took exceptional care of our diverse group at meal time. Elias also did double-duty as our ZanzaBar poolside rum runner.
Viviana at El Cocay Spa, for a delightful massage on the beach.
Romi, our excellent Mucama, who kept Room 27-301 neat as a pin throughout our wonderful stay.
The wonderful morning shift at Aromas for their wonderful coffee and willingness to accommodate.
And finally, Lupita Mariscal, the El Cid Customer Service Manager, who wrote me a thoughtful e-mail after I responded to an exit survey from the General Manager.
WIFI is available for a fee, and complimentary for El Cid club members. Instead of using the hotel WIFI, we brought along our own SIM cards which turned out to be a way cheaper option.
Like with many resort hotels, we were requested to attend a presentation. My wife and I had been through many prior to our stay. Presentations are all similar with each one having its own unique little spin. The El Cid pitch was no different. Our facilitator, Miri, did a yeoman's job explaining the program and trying to convince us to sign on the dotted line. We did not bite. This was followed by a second voluntary presentation for the "non-believers." This presentation hosted by Infinite Platinum Travel, was to say the least, very interesting. Infinite's marketing representative, Marcus, kept the group's attention thoughout the hour-long session. Marcus explained some of the nuts and bolts of travel wholeselling and brokering which appealed to many in the audience. Like I said, "Very interesting!"
There is no doubt, my wife and I will be returning to Ventus in the near future... and most likely with more guests from the ranks of our family and friends.More
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