"One Big Holiday" in MEXICO!!

[scosby2]

What about like I bought a pipe and grinder down here in Alabama before PC and flew with it...nothing at all was in either one...would I be ok doing that? Not taking the grinder this time just bc that's one more thing to carry and possibly get in trouble over...after really thinking it over I was actually thinking about not taking anything and just hoping someone would know what's going on and would be able to help me out(talking to you, mink...haha)...looks like me and the bellman are gonna be pretty tight

[scosby2]

And no, I'm not in the market for Lipitor

[ItBeats4Jew]

What about like I bought a pipe and grinder down here in Alabama before PC and flew with it...nothing at all was in either one...would I be ok doing that? Not taking the grinder this time just bc that's one more thing to carry and possibly get in trouble over...after really thinking it over I was actually thinking about not taking anything and just hoping someone would know what's going on and would be able to help me out(talking to you, mink...haha)...looks like me and the bellman are gonna be pretty tight

you're covered

[Jenfarr]

reviews are starting to trend in the right direction.  all will be well by late Jan.  the pools/bars/restaurants will all be just what we need them to be, and the boys will bring their A+ game...what else do you need?

Yeah, just checked over on Tripadvisor and the reviews are starting to be more positive.  Whew...

Leave 5 weeks from today!  Woo Hoo!

[scosby2]

What about like I bought a pipe and grinder down here in Alabama before PC and flew with it...nothing at all was in either one...would I be ok doing that? Not taking the grinder this time just bc that's one more thing to carry and possibly get in trouble over...after really thinking it over I was actually thinking about not taking anything and just hoping someone would know what's going on and would be able to help me out(talking to you, mink...haha)...looks like me and the bellman are gonna be pretty tight

you're covered

This is why you are the man...I can't freaking wait, parents surprised me for Christmas and took care of my plane ticket...the stars are aligning perfectly as we speak

[logan5ive]

Schedule (for those going  ):
http://view.exacttarget.com/?j=fe58177173670774731c&m=fefd1575706205&ls=fdc0157475630c7e7510797163&l=fe5a1578766c047b771d&s=fde3157672620c757017777c&jb=ffcf14&ju=fe30177875610d7d771474

[MMJCOBRA]

Who else thinks they round up their 2.5 hr sets up to three hours?  Love that the flips get a headline spot right before the late night MMJ dance party!!

Now HR, finish that renovation and fully stock my in room liquor dispenser!!!

[scosby2]

Who else thinks they round up their 2.5 hr sets up to three hours?  Love that the flips get a headline spot right before the late night MMJ dance party!!

Now HR, finish that renovation and fully stock my in room liquor dispenser!!!

I'm sure they will be 3 hours+ each night maybe longer...bonnaroo 08 was scheduled for 2 hours and It went from midnight til 4:15...that's including an intermission and a few stops for the raining and that's a bonnaroo midnight set so on not saying get your hopes up...just an idea that they don't always stick to the allotted time, rest assured, they definitely won't finish earlier than the time allotted...not their style

[rincon2]

Who else thinks they round up their 2.5 hr sets up to three hours?  Love that the flips get a headline spot right before the late night MMJ dance party!!

Now HR, finish that renovation and fully stock my in room liquor dispenser!!!

I'm sure they will be 3 hours+ each night maybe longer...bonnaroo 08 was scheduled for 2 hours and It went from midnight til 4:15...that's including an intermission and a few stops for the raining and that's a bonnaroo midnight set so on not saying get your hopes up...just an idea that they don't always stick to the allotted time, rest assured, they definitely won't finish earlier than the time allotted...not their style

They do if there are local restrictions to an outdoor show. Saw them twice where they said they were sorry to stop but they had too because of local laws. Doubt that will be an issue there though, but I really don't know.

[TheDark]

Who else thinks they round up their 2.5 hr sets up to three hours?  Love that the flips get a headline spot right before the late night MMJ dance party!!

Now HR, finish that renovation and fully stock my in room liquor dispenser!!!

I'm sure they will be 3 hours+ each night maybe longer...bonnaroo 08 was scheduled for 2 hours and It went from midnight til 4:15...that's including an intermission and a few stops for the raining and that's a bonnaroo midnight set so on not saying get your hopes up...just an idea that they don't always stick to the allotted time, rest assured, they definitely won't finish earlier than the time allotted...not their style

They do if there are local restrictions to an outdoor show. Saw them twice where they said they were sorry to stop but they had too because of local laws. Doubt that will be an issue there though, but I really don't know.
[/quote

Can't imagine a private resort having a noise curfew because all the guests will be going to the show. Especially the first night when there is no late night DJ scheduled. Going to be an incredible experience!

[rincon2]

Who else thinks they round up their 2.5 hr sets up to three hours?  Love that the flips get a headline spot right before the late night MMJ dance party!!

Now HR, finish that renovation and fully stock my in room liquor dispenser!!!

I'm sure they will be 3 hours+ each night maybe longer...bonnaroo 08 was scheduled for 2 hours and It went from midnight til 4:15...that's including an intermission and a few stops for the raining and that's a bonnaroo midnight set so on not saying get your hopes up...just an idea that they don't always stick to the allotted time, rest assured, they definitely won't finish earlier than the time allotted...not their style

They do if there are local restrictions to an outdoor show. Saw them twice where they said they were sorry to stop but they had too because of local laws. Doubt that will be an issue there though, but I really don't know.
[/quote

Can't imagine a private resort having a noise curfew because all the guests will be going to the show. Especially the first night when there is no late night DJ scheduled. Going to be an incredible experience!

Is the WHOLE resort part of OBH? It looks to me like it is run as 2 separate entities. I could easily be wrong, but looks like it is marketed as a family side and an adult side. I make zero assumptions on stuff I am not sure about.

[JTG1975]

Yes, the whole resort

[given2jacket]

I have been traveling for work and pleasure for almost 20 years and have been using TripAdvisor for a decade and have never seen as negative reviews as I've seen on this property.  It appears it's nowhere close to being done.  Cloud 9 has to make this right and as many of you that call and demand an answer will make all the difference.  Just read these reviews! 

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g153510-d209429-Reviews-Aventura_Spa_Palace-Puerto_Aventuras_Yucatan_Peninsula.html

The very few positive reviews come from people w/ no prior history and could very well be bogus reviews.  Nobody has an incentive to write a "fake" negative review but the hotel has every incentive to write a fake positive review. 

Anyway, I love MMJ and have seen them a dozen times (low for many on this board I'm sure) but this is a week vacation and I'm taking friends who aren't even MMJ fans.  This is way more than a concert experience.  It's thousands of dollars.  They deserve to be upfront and honest w/ us about the state of the hotel. 

[Bulldog]

Dood,

Get over it, I have been watching (and contributing a post) to this section for over a month and we dont need to go back down the road of negativity.

True I have been reading DAILY reports on the resort (both positive and negative), and one of the resounding themes is the resort isnt finished or going to be anytime soon.

That said, I am going for the experience with my eyes wide open to some of the shortcomings. Even in the negative reviews, the staff is typically painted as being VERY positive, and the grounds outstanding. If they have any sort of food I am a happy camper and I personally read things like the workers are working non stop and think "hey they must be preparing for MMJ and the Further shows".....

Morale of the story, relax, I dont see any point in trying to get Cloud 9 "to make it right", to make it right, "WE" need to go into it with the attitude that the experience will be what we make of it....

[given2jacket]

This isn't a camp, dude.  Cloud 9 isn't a non profit.  They promised us a completed resort and if it's not completed they will be held responsible - at least by me anyway. 

You act like I'm going to go there and be a debbie downer and bring all 2500 of you down.  Grow the fuck up.  We're adults, spent thousands on a vacation, and deserve to know if the resort will be finished or not before we get there. 

EDIT:  This is the last review that was posted.  It's brand new, they are still there.  Not cherry picking...could it be any worse?

"Worst vacation ever"
1 of 5 starsReviewed yesterday NEW
I am writing this review from the hotel as we are unfortunately still here for another day. My wife and I checked in on the 1st of January. We normally take two vacations a year to tropical destinations and generally stay in five star rated resorts or hotels. The hard rock in riviera maya is no where even close to a four star rating. The check in experience was a gong show, we had to check in on the hacienda side for some reason, the lobby was small smelled moldy and musty is very dated, it was packed full of wet screaming kids as well. We had to stand in a line of about forty people for over an hour. We were taken to our rooms which were at the far end of the resort in the adults only section via golf cart. The room also smelled moldy and musty and also had a bit of a sewage odour to boot. When we complained we were told the resort was fully booked and there was nothing they could do about it no upgrades were available either four some reason? The heaven side is a joke. One little bar stuck in the corner of the lobby, barely audible music, they had a live band one nite in the lobby that sounded like one of the first round outcasts from American idol. The seating in the bar is terrible, old smelly sit down chairs, bar stools were set at a level so your knees are level with the bar top, two televisions about ten years old barely visible. There is nothing happening around at nite either, very quiet

The food was the worst I ever had while on vacation anywhere, it is very similar to something you will find at an all you can eat mandarin or cheesy shopping mall food court. The staff are friendly enough but average and not overly friendly. The credit you receive towards the spa and other activities is subject to a 20 percent cash charge and doesn't apply to the better off resort excursions. They have a 450 cash credit toward the better excursions but you have to subject yourself to a three hour sales pitch from their time share salesmen, what a joke.

The grounds are like something like you would see at a city park except the smell of sewage is worse here as my wife keeps reminding me. One hot tub that is maybe for about eight people that is actually warm ( definately not hot), no access to the ocean, no beach to walk on, what they have is a space that's been cut into the natural rock coral shoreline that has been filled with a mixture of sea water from small chanels from the sea and fresh smelly water from the nearby cenote. The rest of the grounds are dated, poorly lit and of low quality.

I can go on and on. We definately feel like we've been ripped off on this one and will never even look at another hard rock again.

This is the first review I have ever written, and believe me it takes a lot for me to write anything like this!!

Stayed January 2014, traveled as a couple

[azure317]

This isn't a camp, dude.  Cloud 9 isn't a non profit.  They promised us a completed resort and if it's not completed they will be held responsible - at least by me anyway. 

You act like I'm going to go there and be a debbie downer and bring all 2500 of you down.  Grow the fuck up.  We're adults, spent thousands on a vacation, and deserve to know if the resort will be finished or not before we get there. 

EDIT:  This is the last review that was posted.  It's brand new, they are still there.  Not cherry picking...could it be any worse?

"Worst vacation ever"
1 of 5 starsReviewed yesterday NEW
I am writing this review from the hotel as we are unfortunately still here for another day. My wife and I checked in on the 1st of January. We normally take two vacations a year to tropical destinations and generally stay in five star rated resorts or hotels. The hard rock in riviera maya is no where even close to a four star rating. The check in experience was a gong show, we had to check in on the hacienda side for some reason, the lobby was small smelled moldy and musty is very dated, it was packed full of wet screaming kids as well. We had to stand in a line of about forty people for over an hour. We were taken to our rooms which were at the far end of the resort in the adults only section via golf cart. The room also smelled moldy and musty and also had a bit of a sewage odour to boot. When we complained we were told the resort was fully booked and there was nothing they could do about it no upgrades were available either four some reason? The heaven side is a joke. One little bar stuck in the corner of the lobby, barely audible music, they had a live band one nite in the lobby that sounded like one of the first round outcasts from American idol. The seating in the bar is terrible, old smelly sit down chairs, bar stools were set at a level so your knees are level with the bar top, two televisions about ten years old barely visible. There is nothing happening around at nite either, very quiet

The food was the worst I ever had while on vacation anywhere, it is very similar to something you will find at an all you can eat mandarin or cheesy shopping mall food court. The staff are friendly enough but average and not overly friendly. The credit you receive towards the spa and other activities is subject to a 20 percent cash charge and doesn't apply to the better off resort excursions. They have a 450 cash credit toward the better excursions but you have to subject yourself to a three hour sales pitch from their time share salesmen, what a joke.

The grounds are like something like you would see at a city park except the smell of sewage is worse here as my wife keeps reminding me. One hot tub that is maybe for about eight people that is actually warm ( definately not hot), no access to the ocean, no beach to walk on, what they have is a space that's been cut into the natural rock coral shoreline that has been filled with a mixture of sea water from small chanels from the sea and fresh smelly water from the nearby cenote. The rest of the grounds are dated, poorly lit and of low quality.

I can go on and on. We definately feel like we've been ripped off on this one and will never even look at another hard rock again.

This is the first review I have ever written, and believe me it takes a lot for me to write anything like this!!

Stayed January 2014, traveled as a couple

*

Sounds to me that this guy needs to get laid.  Just my opinion.

*

[gluvmiller]

Sorry, but I'm with given2jacket, I'm concerned. I can't be like "oh, I'm just happy to eat whatever and lay on a cot as long as I get to see music." That's idiotic. If you bought a brand new car and during the sales pitch you test drove a car with all these bells and whistles, but then after you sign the paperwork and paid your money they give you a beat up car without all the bells and whistles, but the stereo works. Would you be happy as long as the stereo works?

That being said, I still have hopes it will be done right. As I've mentioned before, C9 does not want to risk pissing off Furthur. They are rock and roll royalty and if C9 provides a bad product it won't go over easily. I'm not trying to diminish my respect and love for MMJ, but they're not even close to holding the leverage held by Bob Weir and Phil Lesh. We're very lucky they booked Paradise Waits before OBH and not vice versa.

[given2jacket]

"That being said, I still have hopes it will be done right. As I've mentioned before, C9 does not want to risk pissing off Furthur. They are rock and roll royalty and if C9 provides a bad product it won't go over easily. I'm not trying to diminish my respect and love for MMJ, but they're not even close to holding the leverage held by Bob Weir and Phil Lesh. We're very lucky they booked Paradise Waits before OBH and not vice versa."

I completely agree here.  It will be very interesting to see what people say on the ground there from that group.  I've joined their Facebook page and I'm sure they will have feedback.

[azure317]

Sorry, but I'm with given2jacket, I'm concerned. I can't be like "oh, I'm just happy to eat whatever and lay on a cot as long as I get to see music." That's idiotic. If you bought a brand new car and during the sales pitch you test drove a car with all these bells and whistles, but then after you sign the paperwork and paid your money they give you a beat up car without all the bells and whistles, but the stereo works. Would you be happy as long as the stereo works?

That being said, I still have hopes it will be done right. As I've mentioned before, C9 does not want to risk pissing off Furthur. They are rock and roll royalty and if C9 provides a bad product it won't go over easily. I'm not trying to diminish my respect and love for MMJ, but they're not even close to holding the leverage held by Bob Weir and Phil Lesh. We're very lucky they booked Paradise Waits before OBH and not vice versa.

*

Ok, but you have to admit that some of the things that the reviewer states are pretty petty, "screaming kids."  Lighten up.  And, some things he's complaining about aren't even an issue for us... "barely audible music, they had a live band one nite in the lobby that sounded like one of the first round outcasts from American idol."  ; )

I think the guy had a fight w/ his wife right before he wrote the review.  Women, ya know?!  Ha!

As for the smells, I'll just remember to pack some incense!!   

*

[given2jacket]

This was posted yesterday on the private facebook page for "FURTHER".  Someone who is going to Further, was at the resort the last week of December and is going back for the concerts in a few weeks.  This is not some random TripAdvisor posting.   Name's removed...

"My husband and I were there from Dec 24-Dec 31, 2013. It was TERRIBLE, to say the least. When this trip was booked about 3 months ago we booked it together with other family members. The agency took it upon themselves to place my husband and myself in the Heaven Section (Adults Only) and our relatives were placed in the Hacienda Section (Adults with Children). We were not aware of this until we arrived. They immediately seperated us and took my husband and I to the Heaven Lobby and then drove our relatives to the Hacienda Lobby. As we walked up to our room it was very obvious that they were doing a major remodel. As we entered our room you could immediately see that they obviously deemed it livable but it was very apparent to us that our room was still unfinished. There was tile work, molding and even painting that still needed to be finished. (We took pictures to prove this as we will also file a complaint with the hotel association and show them these pictures). We immediately asked if there was any way we could be moved to the Hacienda side where the rest of our group was. But according to them everything was booked and they would place us on a waiting list if any rooms opened up. Of course, nothing ever did open up so we were forced to stay in our room. Not only was our room unfinished but the whole floor right above us was being remodelled and so all we would hear all day from about 7:30 am on was banging, drilling and grinding. It was a NUISANCE!! We complained several times but nothing was ever done. Another dissappointment was that the Heaven section felt isolated and empty compared to the Hacienda section. None of the shops were open and it lacked all the entertainment that the Hacienda side had......And here's the kicker: On Thursday, we met with Michelle who is a representative for the Vacation Package/Time Share group. She asked us how our stay had been so far. We voiced our complaint to her about all the noise and construction going on and she assured us that she could get us moved to the Hacienda Side and even went so far as to say that because of the construction going on we were already getting a 50 percent discount. Once we told her what we had paid she knew and we knew that we were paying full price with no discount and she said she would get it fixed and us compensated. This is when the run around began and we were sent to several people all who were promising compensation but kept stalling it while at the same time trying to sell us a vacation package/time share. This was a complete waste of time!!! It turns out that they would have only compensated us if we would have signed up for the vacation package/time share. Other than that, they could care less how you feel and what your experience is at the hotel. We tried several times to reach the hotel manager Rene Malacara but were told it would be impossible and that we would have to go through their Public Relations Dept. Once we went to that department all we got were 2 teenage girls who claimed to be the manager and that they would make a report. No actual manager ever showed their face and now I know why. They are trying to avoid all the issues and the problems that the hotel has. We would not recommend this hotel to an enemy much less a friend or family. The only good thing we could say was that the room service as well as the waiters and waitresses did a good job to take care of our needs."

"cloud 9 will say anything to keep everyone calm. i have inside info that they are actually scared shitless. they told me not to believe everything i read on the internet. sorry, but i believe people who post reviews on trip advisor, especially when the majority are negative."

"I know it's in our community's blood to "go with the flow" and have the attitude that "it's all about the music" and 99 out of 100xs I completely agree. HOWEVER, that attitude applies to shows at stadiums and theaters and festivals where the accommodations aren't part of the deal. This run of shows is a package deal, SHOWS, HOTEL, AIRFARE The list goes on and on. I think addressing our concerns is something we deserve."

"hey, all the "positive", "cheery", "nothings gonna spoil my vibe", "i didn't join this fb page to hear negativity", "i don't mind paying $400+ a day per person to stay in a construction zone", "where's the theme nights, and activities"??!!! people..............can you guys call cloud 9 and request the "unfinished" rooms?"

Cloud 9 has been ignoring everyone's emails sending a form letter saying "all is well".