The Penthouses of OLEO Cancun Playa Resort
Vacation Rentals Situated on the White Sands of Cancun, Mexico
Tim Miller
847-636-2232
#2000 Info Pack - Important Information for your stay
Hello everyone, Tim Miller here, owner of Tim's Ocean Condos. My wife Megan and I will be the ones primarily taking care of you by answering your questions prior to your arrival in Cancun. Sometimes Abdiel or Paola may answer prior to your arrival, if the questions you are asking are more about their area of expertise. Once you arrive in Cancun, it will almost always be Abdiel or Paola answering the emails as they are on the ground in Cancun, whereas Megan and I live in the states. My wife and or myself are down in Cancun often, but normally we are in the states. Our team makes every effort to answer all of your questions and address any concerns both before your stay, and during your stay. Abdiel and Paola are at the resort every day except Sundays. They are at the resort Sundays only if we have guest arrivals on that day.
Please read Section 1 at your earliest convenience. This is essential information for your stay. For your convenience, you can click on any topic to move directly to that piece of information.
Main Menu
Section 1 - Essential Information
* Names and ages for your group
* Flight Info
* Airport Transfers & grocery store run. Car rentals are not needed in Cancun, but they are an option.
* Communication with us before and during your stay.
* Resort name, address, and google map from the airport to the resort
* Our Team
* When you arrive
* Check in and check out
* Supplies & what to consider if you go to the grocery store
* All-Inclusive Information
* Smoking
* House Rules
* Important things to know
* Security deposit
Section 2 - Bonus Information
* Online supply orders
* First time to Cancun tips
* Cancun safety
* Spa info - Link
* Resort info - Link
* Families with babies
* Pizza delivery
* In Home Cooking
* What's nearby
* Restaurants I recommend - Link
* Night life tips - Link
* Activities, excursions and tours I recommend
* Snorkeling with Mike
* Fishing with Mike
Names and ages:
If you have already provided this information when you booked the unit, you can skip this. Thank you.
Please email the group the names and ages of each person staying in the unit. I have to submit the guest list to the resort administration in advance of your stay. If you are not sure of your guest list just yet, that is ok. If you are sure on some but not on others, please provide who you know is coming for sure so far. You can add the others later. It would help us out a bunch if you could have a final guest list to us no later than 2 weeks prior to arrival. Thank you.
Flight Info:
Once you have your flight info available, please email the group. Please include the airline and flight number. This way we can check on your flight should there be any delays.
Airport Transfers & grocery store run. Car rentals are not needed in Cancun, but they are an option
Please book your airport transfers. We recommend Entertainment Plus/USA transfers. We have been referring this company for years, they have the best prices in Cancun and their service is always good. The link to book your transfers is:
https://www.entertainment-plus.net/affiliate_1935
The cost will be between $75 and $90 round trip for your whole group, depending on your group size. Please note that this is per vehicle. Their vehicles hold up to 10 people plus luggage. However, if your group arrives at different times and you want 2 different transfers another vehicle would be required of course. When you go to fill in the form the first thing it will ask for is resort name. Once you type in Oleo you will see that Oleo Cancun Playa will populate, that is the one you want.
While you are booking your transfers, you will see somewhere during the booking process a box that you can check to add the grocery store run. If you want this, they will add $35 to the cost of the transfer. Then they will take you from the airport to the grocery store and then to the resort. They give you an hour to shop. The grocery store has alcoholic beverages including beer and hard liquor and some wine.
FAQ's: We have only 2-3 people, is it cheaper to take a cab? No, a cab will run you $37.50 minimum for one way for one person. It is less expensive to get the transfer. Plus, you are already set up for your return trip so it's easier and less of a concern.
FAQ's: How far away from the resort is the grocery store they take us to? It is only 3 miles North of the resort. You can do this later if you prefer. But most folks like to get it out of the way, so it's one less thing to think about while on vacation.
FAQ's: Is renting a car a good idea in Cancun? It's not necessary. Unless you plan to go out of the hotel zone exploring, it is a waste of money to get a rental car. Parking is hard to find in the hotel zone. The buses run 24/7 all up and down the hotel zone. Or if you prefer a cab, they are always available. If you want a cab from the resort, just go to the lobby front desk and they will call one up for you.
FAQ's: If we really want a car, is there parking at the resort? Yes, we have a small lot. If it gets full, the resort has always managed to get our guests parked on the resort grounds, usually overflow vehicles get parked along the big turnaround.
FAQ's: What if we want a car for only a day while we are there? I suggest you talk to Abdiel or Paola after you arrive. They can get you a car for a day. The rental car company typically charges a little extra for bringing the car to the resort.
Communication with us before and during your stay:
Prior to your stay, if you want to call me with any question or concerns please feel free to call me on my cell at 847-636-2232. I'm on central time. Even if it is after business hours I will answer if I am available. I try to be available as often as possible, with the exception of Sunday. For our general communication we have found that our group email system has worked very effectively. It allows Megan and I to monitor anything you may need while in Cancun and stay on top of things for you. It's also helpful prior to your arrival, as both Megan and I have the opportunity to answer your questions or address any concerns.
Here is how the communication works:
1. Please use only the welcome email thread to communicate as this allows us to have a record of anything you may need. You can identify this email because it is the only one where the subject box has your unit number and arrival and departure dates. Thank you.
2. Please don’t create new email threads. The subject box for this email will always show your unit number followed by your arrival & departure dates. This way our team always knows whom we are speaking with. Thank you.
3. VERY IMPORTANT PLEASE: Please be sure to always hit “reply all” every time you
respond via email. By doing so, everyone on our team will remain informed. Thank you.
4. After arriving to Cancun, please email once when you are on your way from the airport and once more when you pull up at the security gate of the resort. Thank you.
Resort name and address:
Oleo Cancun Playa
Blvd. Kukulcan kilometer 19.5, Zona Hotelera
Cancun, Quintana Roo, Mexico, 77500
Airport to the Resort google Maps link
Our Team
From left to right: Abdiel, Tim, Megan, Paola.
We take care of only 9 condos here in Cancun. All are at the same resort, Oleo Cancun Playa. We all work the business full time, this is all we do. Myself and Megan are in the states, Abdiel and Paola live in Cancun. My wife and I take care of things like the website, bookings and communication with guests, especially before arrival. My wife also takes care of everything from the sheets that go on the beds and the bath towels we spec, to all the operations rules we have set up for Abdiel and Paola to follow. Meanwhile Abdiel is our manager and Paola is our assistant manager in Cancun. They will be servicing you during your stay. Now, once you arrive to Cancun, you can recognize Abdiel or Paola when they come to greet you.
When you arrive:
The first thing you'll want to do upon arrival is to email the group to let us know. This way Abdiel and or Paola can come from wherever they are in the resort to welcome you. Please remember to also email the group when you have landed in Cancun and are on your way to the resort. This way Abdiel and Paola will be expecting your email to come in saying that you have arrived. Thank you.
Once Abdiel or Paola has welcomed you, they will be putting wristbands on you. This is for security purposes and is a requirement of the resort. No one is allowed on the resort grounds without the wristband. And this way, if anyone ever tries to access the resort that is not a guest, security will not let them through.
Since the bell hops are resort employees, they do not provide the bell hop service as the condos are independently owned and operated. Abdiel and Paola take care of your luggage for you. They have their own commercial hotel carts just as the resort does, and also milk crates should you also be bringing up groceries. Please kindly do not forget to tip them for the bellhop service as this would be a normal expectation for any bellhop. People often ask me how much to tip, so I included this google search to help you decide:
Check in & Check out:
Check in time is 4pm, check out time is 11am
If you arrive before 4pm Abdiel or Paola will still welcome you when you arrive and provide the resort wristbands. They will also take your luggage off your hands. From there you are welcome to enjoy the resort until check in time. There are also restaurants right across the street if you prefer. If you arrive early, and we do not have guests checking out the same day or the day before, we can usually get you in early. Sometimes we need to use any extra time between bookings to do maintenance, so we cannot always do it, but we try to get you in early if at all possible. Remember, we would rather get you in early as well. It's no fun having multiple check ins all at 4pm. So if we can get you in before that, we prefer it as well. You can email the group a few days before arrival for a better idea if this is possible or not.
Super early arrivals: Abdiel and Paola come from about an hour away. It's too expensive for them to live nearby. They arrive at the resort each day at approximately 9-9:30am. Sometimes they do have to make a stop on the way in at Home Depot or Walmart. But we try to have one of the two of them always there by 9:30am, except for Sundays. If you get to the hotel before 9am with a super early flight, you are welcome to relax in the lobby until Abdiel or Paola arrive. It is also good to know that one of the restaurants across the street, called 19.5, opens at 8am for breakfast.
Once you have arrived at the unit, please pay attention to how to work the washer and dryer, TV's, microwave, etc. as these are all in Spanish. Once Abdiel or Paola have finished answering all of your questions, they will ask you a few questions from their digital check in software to verify everything is in order for you. Then you sign for the unit with your finger, it's all done digitally.
If you need anything while you are in Cancun, please email the group as usual. It will almost always be Abdiel or Paola who respond since they are there in Cancun.
Check out time is 11am. If you need to check out later than normal, please let us know this in advance. We may or may not be able to do it. But you will have a far better chance letting us know in advance because Abdiel schedules his cleaning staff for the week each Monday morning. And if he is not aware until the last minute, this will mess up his schedule. Often times this is possible if we do not have a same day arrival as the day you are departing, but not always. Because sometimes we have maintenance work scheduled for the unit.
Check out procedures:
Kitchen
Please remove used coffee filters from the coffee machine and place them in the garbage can.
Please throw away kitchen sponges and leave the dirty kitchen towels on the counter next to the sink.
Please wash and dry any dirty dishes. If the unit has a dishwasher, please put dirty dishes inside the dishwasher and start them.
Please clear all areas of any trash or recyclables in the marked bins.
Please remove all food and beverages from the fridge and dispose of them. If you have anything left over in the fridge that is sealed, you can leave them for the cleaning staff if you wish.
Thank you.
Living areas:
Please move furniture back to its original position
Please leave the thermostat set to 20 and close all windows and shades.
Please turn off all lights inside and out.
Please check all electronic outlets and make sure no phone charges are forgotten.
Thank you.
Bathrooms and bedrooms:
Please remove all linens from the beds and bring the sheets, pillow cases, and towels to the kitchen area and make a pile there.
Please double check closets, drawers, under beds, and all areas to be sure you are not forgetting anything. This happens frequently.
Thank you
Keys:
Please leave the keys on the kitchen counter.
Thank you.
If you will not be leaving the resort at 11am, you can keep your luggage by the entry area. We will watch over it. Please let the group know what time you plan on coming back for it. Please be sure it is not after 3pm. Thank you.
Supplies and what to consider if you go to the grocery store
The supplies we provide are:
Hand soap for all the sinks
Dish soap (not dishwasher detergent-if the unit has a dishwasher)
New sponge with scrubby side will be in or near the kitchen sink
Garbage/recycling bags
Limited toilet paper: We provide 3 rolls of toilet paper per bathroom to get you started.
1 roll of paper towels
Cooking oil
Salt and pepper
Bottle of all-purpose cleaner/spray bottle
Things to remember to get from the store:
Toilet paper
Paper towels
Detergent for the washing machine. Please purchase liquid detergent as all the units recommend liquid detergent for these machines.
If the unit has a dishwasher/dishwasher detergent or pucks
Don't forget any special spices or sauces that you may like.
Bottled water. The unit comes with unlimited water, but you will want some for on the go.
Biodegradable sunscreen
Make-up remover wet wipes
All-Inclusive Information
All inclusive cost for Christmas and New Years bookings: As stated on all of our websites, the cost for the all inclusive from Dec 19-Jan 3 is $135 per person per day. Kids 11 and under are still half off, babies 2 and under are still free.
How do I purchase the all-inclusive?
Sorry for this redundancy, but this is the resort rule. Please email the group the night before you would like the all-inclusive. And please include the names and ages for each person that wants the all-inclusive. We have to show this email to the resort front desk in order to get you the $90 price. Otherwise you would pay $120. Abdiel or Paola will email you back when they have that all set for you, which will be the same night, as long as you don’t send in the request later than 10pm. Kids 11 and under are half off, babies 2 and under are no charge. For payment, the resort takes visa, mastercard, or cash. Please note that we have no control over the cost for the all-inclusive. The prices are subject to change without notice.
What does the all-inclusive include?
It includes all the food and drinks you want from 9am for breakfast,
until the last bar closes which is 1pm.
Can we purchase things at the restaurants and bars without being on the all-inclusive?
No. The resort is all-inclusive. The bartenders and waiters/waitresses only look to see if you have the all-inclusive bracelet on or not to know to serve you or not. It surprises me how often people are not aware of this. In every platform we advertise the units, we clearly state this in the description write up.
If we are not on the all-inclusive, do we still have access to other areas of the resort?
Yes. Regardless of if you are on the all-inclusive or not, you have free access to the resort beach, pool, lounge chairs, umbrellas gym, tennis court, and general common areas. The spa is extra, the spa cost is $25 per person per visit. They do waive the fee if you purchase a massage.
Do you recommend the all-inclusive, is it good?
The food is actually very good. And the drinks are good too, they make good frozen drinks out by the pool bar. The breakfast is buffet style, as is the lunch, although they also have a really good self serve restaurant by the pool which is a la carte. And the food there is really good too. They serve a variety of fresh juices for breakfast, and it's a pretty nice spread. For dinner you have the sushi restaurant (La Hakka) or Alemar which has steak, seafood and Mexican. There is also a coffee shop that serves sandwiches and sweets. The sandwiches are fresh, but ok, not great. The deserts in there are very good though. Do I recommend it? It depends. If you plan to be drinking it can become more than fair, price wise very quickly. But if you don't drink, I don't think it's worth it. Remember too that we have a cooler inside the unit. Most all-inclusive resorts do not allow coolers. But we were able to get that passed here through the homeowner's association. So you can have those by the pool or beach. When our kids were younger we normally didn't take the all-inclusive because they had to pay the same price being in their teens. So we would make up some mai tais and snacks and take that down to the pool and beach. And when we would get really hungry there are two great restaurants right across the street. For more info on the restaurants please see the "What's nearby" topic from the Main Menu.
Do they have any top shelf liquors?
At the pool bar, no. At the inside lobby bar, yes.
Can you get a night only or day only pass for the all-inclusive?
From 9am-6pm the price is $60, and it's the same price for 6pm until 1am. Kids 11 under are still half off, same with babies 2 and under.
The resort does also offer one last option, which is breakfast only. The cost is $30 per person. Unfortunately, they do not offer any discounts for kids. However they should still honor the 2 year old and under rule of no charge. You get this by going to the lobby front desk and telling them you would like to purchase the breakfast only ticket. You then bring the ticket to the
Azul restaurant.
Smoking:
A new law went into affect for all of Mexico in 2023. It’s very strict. You
cannot smoke in virtually any public place, including open air restaurants. To me, it’s too restrictive, to not even have a smoking area at an outside restaurant, which many, if not most are in Cancun. Below is a map of what the resort sent us regarding where you are allowed to smoke on the resort grounds.
You are allowed to smoke on the private terrace/balcony of the unit. Please be careful of the cigarette butts. Any burns to the outdoor furniture, especially the cushions, would automatically negate your security deposit as we cannot replace furniture cushions without a custom job. Even then they never match just right.
A note about smoking in public with this new law: A lot of businesses owners out there are sympathetic to smokers regarding this rule. I'm not saying all, a lot are. My experience has been that the staff tend to lay down the law so to speak, but if you have a cigarette discreetly nearby, they aren't going to come down on you. They want your business. Just be respectful about it and whatever you do, don't throw your butts on the ground. I have never condoned that kind of thing. Extinguish it on the bottom of your shoe if necessary and put it in a napkin so you can dispose of it later.
Map of our resort and where you can smoke on resort grounds:
House Rules:
Emergencies: In case of emergency, please dial 911 from your cell phone
No smoking, except on outside areas. Please be kind. Please properly extinguish any cigarette butts. Please never ever flick them off the building. Please be especially careful not to accidentally burn any outdoor furniture or floors.
NO VISITORS:
The resort does not allow visitors. I put this point in large red letters because this topic has been the source of complaints over the years. All along the Cancun hotel zone, visitors are not allowed in the resorts unless they choose to purchase the all-inclusive for the day. Please note that the visitor price is $120, not the guest price of $90. If you have a less than the amount of people that would put you over the limit where an extra person charge is in order, then it is possible for me to add a visitor to your reservation. This is a nice work around. However, it is VERY important that you understand I have to submit additional
guest names to the administration in advance. And the administration is not there on the weekends and holidays. So the best I can do to add someone to a reservation is the next non holiday business day after you email us the first and last name of the person and their age. Please note that if this person puts you over the number of people allowed prior to an extra charge for more people, you are responsible for paying that difference. Please note that the resort will not allow most outside services, for example cleaning people or massage services are not allowed. They do allow cooks, with the proper info and well in
advance. Proper info is date, time, company name, 1st and last name of cook, and minimum of 3 business days' notice.
Garbage & recycling:
Each Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday a resort staff member will knock on the door between 9-10am to collect any garbage or recyclables that you have. If you want to get rid of garbage and you planned to go out that day, please email the group. Normally Abdiel or Paola are able to make arrangements to stop by and get the garbage if you will not be there. Recycling was brought into Mexico a few years ago. When they introduced their system, it is definitely something you are not used to if you live in the US. You can see that inside the unit, we are required to have a separate garbage container for glass,
plastic, paper, and aluminum. It is hard to get used to, but it’s the Mexican government law so we have to follow it.
AC: All of the units within the resort are tied into the resort AC system. In addition to this, we have installed our own independent AC system for the main living area. This is the unit above the kitchen. AC has to be a major priority in a unit like this. I’m sure you have heard of the green house effect. With floor to ceiling windows all the way around, even with the dual AC, you may need to close some blinds and curtains to get the unit cool enough for your liking, particularly in the summer time.
AC Important note: If you have the sliding glass door open, please kindly shut off the AC. If you have the door open and keep the AC on, it causes all sorts of trouble. The AC begins to leak from excess condensation and the entire unit can freeze up by over working itself. Please, never leave an outside door open and the AC on. Thank you.
Beach towels:
BEFORE you place the beach towels in the the washing machine, PLEASE be sure to go out onto the terrace and shake out the towels. Thank you! Our washing machines spend a lot of time in the repair shop and 90% of it is due to sand in the machine. We really appreciate you showing the respect and kindness on this one. Thank you.
Washing machine:
Please do NOT fill the machine more than half way. There is a kilometer weight limit for the machine. But rather than have you weigh out your clothes, if you figure half full (just fluffed in, not compressed down) you should be fine. Please be conscious to evenly space your cloths and towels around the barrel as not doing so can make for very loud noises and is really hard on the machine. Lastly, please only use liquid detergent as this is recommended by the manufacturer. Thank you.
Pool Cleaning:
The pools are normally cleaned on Tuesdays. The crew normally arrives between 11am and 1pm. Please do check with my manager when you arrive, because sometimes the day of the week can change plus he can give you a better expectation of what time they will be coming. Pool temperature: The main pool off of the main level is heated to 80 degrees, 27 celsius. The upper deck pool is not heated.
Toilet use:
Please, and this is very, very important, only put toilet paper and human waste down the toilet. We have been called numerous times about toilet leaks only to have the toilet pumped to find many things causing drain blockage that was not toilet paper. Please, only toilet paper goes down the toilet besides human waste. Thank you.
Sudden high winds:
Please never ever leave the windows open if you leave the condo. In the tropics, weather can change very quickly sometimes. Before you retire at night, please kindly take the outdoor cushions inside. High winds can blow the cushions off of the building. And we cannot replace a cushion. Even if we have it custom made matching the color will not be possible and the whole set will look much worse. The last thing I want to do is charge a guest for a lost cushion from high winds. Please kindly do take them inside. Thank you.
Tropical weather and bugs:
We have an exterminator in each month for bugs for all our units. In the tropics bugs will come out of nowhere if you leave any food out. Do not leave open food containers or wrappers out or small bugs will come out. If you keep things in the fridge and properly disposed of after use, you will be fine. Thank you.
Tropical storms:
If we know or suspect a tropical storm is coming, we will make every effort to send you an email to let you know. We will need to get in the unit in such cases to get all outside furniture inside the unit. Thank you.
General respect:
If you go out to the pool or beach, PLEASE SHOWER before you sit on the furniture. Sunscreen and sand are very hard on furnishings. Please be courteous and respectful. Thank you.
SHOWING RESPECT: YOUNG ADULTS, PAY PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO THIS…..
This section is not for most but it does apply to some groups. There is no tolerance for disrespectful behavior including loud coarse language, public groping and the like, public drunkenness and other disrespectful behaviors. If I get a complaint from resort management you will be given a warning via a phone call directly from me. If I am not able to reach you by phone I will email you. This is the one and only warning you will receive and I can assure you I will already be VERY pissed off if I have to call you about a complaint from resort staff or other guests. If I get a 2nd complaint you are out, no refund PERIOD. You will be escorted out by the Federales (police). Showing belligerent disrespect to others is ridiculous behavior and will NOT BE TOLERATED. Noise: On the subject of respect, regarding partying out on the big terraces, please do tone it down after 10pm. I get this complaint even from middle aged adults sometimes. Your neighbors may be getting up very early to go on an excursion or possibly they have a child or infant. They can hear loud partying through their windows which are not far away. It doesn’t even have to loud music, it can be super loud talking. Please be respectful of other people. If you want to be loud after 10pm, go down to the big night clubs and be as loud as you want. That’s why they are there and I provide a place to get outstanding discounts for the night clubs as you saw earlier in your welcome package. Here is that link again: https://www.cancundiscounts.com/cancun-nightlife-tours.htm
Makeup remover wipes:
I highly recommend to the ladies to bring make up remover wipes, or bring your own washcloths for make-up removal. We often times are not able to get the make up out of the hand towels and this will result in a lower security deposit number coming back to you.
Illegal drug use:
Strictly prohibited.
Loud Partying/music/noise:
We ask that you please try to keep it down after 10pm. However, common sense tells us that you are 2 floors higher than anyone else in the building, and it would be pretty hard to hear you talking loudly or playing music at a reasonable level. So far, I have yet to have a complaint for noise from Penthouse #2000. And I have been taking care of #2000 since 2007.
Important things to know:
WIFI: The router is located in the master bedroom on the night stand. The network and password are shown on the router. There is also an internet extender you can access so that if you are in the lower level bedroom you can pick up the signal.
Travel Insurance:
I recommend travel insurance for any vacation. It allows you to feel no stress regarding any potential eventualities. You can check out prices here:
https://www.travelinsured.com/agency/?r=https:%2F%2Fwww.timsoceancondos.com&p=meganmiller
To get a lounge chair and umbrella, when is a good time to go to the beach or pool?
They rake out the beach and then have the lounge chairs and umbrellas set up by 7am. So I would say just before 7am would be a good time.
Is this unusual, in order to get a lounger to be out there so early?
Not at all. Whether you stay at the Ritz, or Royal Sands, or any other high end resort, you will still need to get out very early to get a lounge chair and umbrella. This is especially true during winter and summer times, which are busier than other times of year.
Hair Dryers:
There should be 1 hair dryer per shower. If not please our team know. They are usually kept inside of a dresser drawer.
Beach Towels:
There should be 2 beach towels per bedroom.
Bath Towels:
There should be 4 large bath towels for each shower. If there are not, please let the group know as always. My wife takes a lot of pride in providing nice sheets and towels for our guests. We bring these towels in from the US. They are 100% cotton, and large size of 33" x 54".
Sheets:
As with the bath towels, we bring in all the sheets from the US as well. My wife uses a 575 thread count linen set for all the king and queen beds. It’s a 64% cotton and 36% polyester blend. My wife says that blend feels very nice and washes up well.
It’s so handy!…The cooler:
When our family goes down to Cancun, we always take the cooler to the pool or beach if we know we are going to be hanging out there for a while. These are allowed at our resort which is really nice, most resorts don’t allow them. One will be inside the condo for you. They are nice size too, not real big, they can hold about a 12 pack. And you can easily take them with you since they are on wheels with an extendable handle.
Did you break something?
If it is something like a glass or plate, we will most likely not charge for it unless it is more than one, but we would appreciate knowing so that we can replace them. Thank you.
Do I need to exchange money and get pesos?
You should definitely exchange some of your money to get pesos. The reason is that if you do not, many smaller vendors are not going to give you a fair shake on the exchange rate. If there is an option to pay by credit card, I recommend doing that whenever you can. This way the credit card company converts the pesos to dollars and its always a good deal. Now you will pay a 3% international fee when you use a credit card. But that is nothing compared to not getting to not getting a fair exchange rate which can cost you more like 10%-15%. I do not recommend exchanging dollars for pesos before you leave for Cancun. At least in the states, they do not give you a good deal at all. Whatever you do, do NOT exchange dollars for pesos at the airport, it’s a terrible rate. The resort offers to exchange, but their rate is not good. If you ask my managers in Cancun, they will direct you to the best rates anywhere, which is a bank located 5 miles North of the resort. However, there is a nominal difference between a place like that and a good rate. If you leave the resort and go North 1 mile to the very first stop light, you can get off the bus there. You will see an exchange station on the lagoon side of the street. It’s in a little strip mall, and you can see it clearly from the road. They have good rates there.
Tipping:
If you opt to go on the all-inclusive please remember that tips to bar tenders and servers are not
included in the price. Please also kindly tip the bell hops. If you are happy with the service of our manager,
please kindly also leave them a tip at the end of your stay. Thank you.
The culture factor of Mexico:
My manager is empowered to repair or replace anything in the condo without having my authorization up to $500. I want to always have the unit details looking good and if something looks old or tired I ask my managers to replace it, period. However the culture in Mexico is to not replace something until it is totally dead or fixed for the 12th time. If something looks old or tired please do let me know. It will be replaced right away. I don’t care if it is a small appliance, pot, pan or whatever it may be, I will take care of it. Please know that. It’s just an email away.
Outlets:
You do not need to bring any converters; you can use outlets just like you would in the states.
Music:
We used to keep music players in the condos but everything has gone digital and blue tooth. Please bring a blue tooth speaker. We tried to keep them in the unit but they have not lasted and things are changing very rapidly with music tech.
Hot water:
Hot water takes several minutes to get to these penthouse units. It is coming all the way from the ground floor and it is provided by the resort. Please be patient for the hot water to start coming through the faucet or shower head.
Commentary:
I sincerely hope to hear from you after your stay. Regardless of how good our service is, we can always do better somehow. I welcome to hear every detail. We are striving to be the very best in the business. We are a very small company running only a few condos in Cancun. But small can be good too, because we can focus more on each family or friend group that we have coming.
Your comfort in regards to condo capacity:
This is something I express on the website also because I feel its important to think through. You can have up to 5 people stay in this unit. However for the sake of comfort I do not recommend more than 4 people, especially if all are adults. My opinion is that once you have over 3-4 people your overall comfort level tends to suffer. We do have a twin size air bed that we can place next to the queen size bed in the lower bedroom, or there is room in the living by the couch. We have additional linens, a pillow and a blanket for the air bed. However please note that a guest beyond 5 people runs an additional $100 per night.
Reviews:
If you are happy with our service please kindly provide us with a 5 star review. Believe it or not, 4 stars is a pretty bad review in today's world. The reason is that it takes many 5 star reviews to make up for a 4 star review to keep our high ranking where it is. I want honesty, of course. But if you are not happy about something please kindly let me hear from you via a call or email or private commentary within the review platform. We are making every effort to be the best. But sometimes we fall short and don't hear anything about it until after a stay is over. I keep an ongoing record of all guest feedback that is negative in any way. I go over them with my managers in Cancun and we often times make changes immediately after hearing a suggestion or feedback of some kind. We especially look for anything that has a pattern where more than one person mentioned the same thing. Thank you.
Departure time:
If you have not already done so, please kindly email the group your departure time from Cancun. If you have an early flight out, this can be of help, since we can get our crews in early to begin the cleaning process. Thank you!
Multiple back to back rentals:
Sometimes we have had guests back to back for weeks in a row. In such cases not every pot, pan, utensil, etc. is observed by my manager. In such cases there may be a pot or pan left on a burner too long, a melted utensil, or other detail issue. If you notice this, please email and we will purchase the new item promptly.
Cell phone expectations in Mexico:
Once you arrive in Mexico, your phone is supposed to recalibrate in a few hours so that you only need to dial the 10 digit number in Mexico. My experience has been that I’m better off dialing all the numbers. So if you are not able to get through dialing 10 numbers, then add to the front of the 10 numbers: 011-52 This is the country and state code.
Cell phone plans:
Most cell phone providers have very reasonable short term plans for Mexico and Canada these days. If you are not sure what your plan allows, I would strongly suggest you call your provider before you head to Cancun. If you are not on a Mexico/Canada plan of some kind, they can often times put you on a short term plan for however long you are gone that could save you a lot of money.
Sunscreen:
All of the water parks and all the beaches require biodegradable sunscreen. Its unlikely they will be checking your sunscreen by the pool or beach, but it is the law. If you go to a water park they will absolutely require it. And they will make you buy it from them if you do not have it. And it will be expensive. I recommend buying it in advance. Amazon has it in or out of season. Walmart and other stores carry it in season. Also, please do wear some sort of sunscreen protection. This is especially true if you are fair skinned. The sun strength is much stronger in Cancun than what you are likely used to back home. And no one wants to have their vacation compromised by a painful sunburn.
Iron:
There is an iron and ironing board inside the condo.
Safe:
There is a safe for valuables inside the condo.
Small Appliances:
There is a toaster, microwave, blender and coffee maker inside the condo.
Kitchenware:
There are pots, pans, utensils, silverware, bowls, plates, glassware, etc. inside the kitchen of the condo.
Photo shoots:
If you have interest in getting a photo shoot done with your friends or family, there is a photo studio on site at the resort. It’s located just to the South of the pool, you cannot miss it.
Security Deposit:
I love when I can give a guest their full security deposit back. In these cases, I receive no security deposit report from Paola because there was nothing to write and no pictures to take. These are so easy. If I see no report within 7 days of departure, I just process the full amount back to your card. Plus this makes our guests happy and no hard feelings at all which is what we all want. But sadly, holding back part or all of a security deposit happens frequently.
The most common reason for withholding funds from a security deposit is staining damage to our towels and/or sheets, or leaving our beach towels at the beach. Please do not use our towels or wash cloths to remove make up. Thank you. We put this item on the suggestions to purchase at the store or bring with you from home. One would think that one would never have to mention to not use our towels for hair dye treatments but it does happen fairly often. Not following check out procedures is another fairly common reason along with leaving the unit in poor condition with food left in various places along with other garbage throughout the unit. Another fairly common trouble we have is children getting a hold of crayons or markers and writing on the walls or furnishings, or spilling food on these areas including cake frosting which can have dies in them.
Not returning all the keys would be next, and not far behind that would be an obvious smell of cigarette smoke in the unit. That is a quick way to not get a security deposit back. In such cases we bring in a company that specializes in removing the smell. The most disheartening one for to see is a cigarette burn in one of our outdoor cushions. We cannot replace those. Even if we custom make the cushion, the color never matches just right, and it makes the whole set look a lot worse. We do also see things broken here and there. If it is something minor like a glass and everything else is in order, I let that go. But we do have the more major things get broken from time to time. If you do break something, please let us know. That goes a long ways in how I look at any case report that I see from management.
When there is a case brought by Paola, she sends a report of her findings and supports those with pictures. From there it goes through Megan to assess the amount and then it goes to me to finish. Before each check in, Paola does a count of all t and a double check count is done by a cleaning staff member.
Bath towels and sheets are very expensive in Cancun. This is why we bring them in from the US. Even with paying extra for luggage, and extra for import tax it is less expensive. But it still is very expensive, and it takes us a lot of time. It's not uncommon for Megan and I to spend 3-5 hours folding towels, getting them in the plastic, shrunk up and ready into the next piece of luggage. Damaged or missing bath or beach towels will be charged $50 per bath or beach towel from a security deposit. Thank you for understanding. Sheets depend on the size, but they are expensive. Please also follow check out procedures as shown in the packet. We also send out an email the day before departure detailing check out instructions as an additional reminder.
It is not hard to get 100% of a security deposit back. It’s only a matter of following some simple instructions and treating the property of others as you would want your property contents to be treated. In this last update for the Info Packet link, I have y expanded this topic information in hopes to have more people getting full refunds. It's great for guests and it saves me a lot of time and aggravation as well. Kind regards, Tim.
Section 2 - Bonus Information
Online supply orders:
Corner shop: This is a service that will deliver a myriad of different items for you from many different stores. It can come in very handy when you don’t want to waste time with such things while on vacation. Some things that come to mind are anything from Costco, pharmaceuticals, chargers and electronics, and office supplies, to name a few. If you order something from this service please note that you must first be here at the resort, orders that arrive prior to your arrival are not allowed. Please also let our email group know if you have ordered something so we can let the resort staff know to be watching for your order. Thank you. Their link is: https://cornershopapp.com/es-mx/s/cancun
Can I feel safe here?
I wish anyone that was concerned with safety could just know how comfortable my wife and I feel about being in Cancun. My wife and I go to Cancun several times a year, and almost always we go alone as one of us needs to stay back for our son. My brother and I bought #2701 on the site back in 2004. So we have been going to Cancun several times a year for nearly 20 years now. The Cancun hotel zone is a very safe area. You will feel safe there. I even read in a recent review a guest commenting that “she has never felt safer on vacation”. Our resort is gated, with a 24/7 security staff. For folks that may have concerns about feeling safe, I suggest you think of it like this: My wife and I are from the Chicago area, we live out in the
suburbs. Everyone knows how dangerous Chicago is, right? It’s horrible how many violent crimes Chicago has in a year. Yet my wife and I would never hesitate to take my family to a Cub’s game, or Bulls game, or go to Navy Pier or Millennium Park to enjoy the area. But it’s because we know the area. We know to stay away from bad areas of the city. We go where all the tourists are going. When you think about it, those are the areas are where you feel safest, but it’s also because they are the safest. The hotel zone is all tourists.
Note about the Spa:
The spa pool is for relaxation only. It’s important that the environment in the spa area remains relaxed. If you want to be loud and splashing around in the pool, please use the resort main pool, not the spa pool. Thank you. Also, the cooler inside the condo is not allowed in the spa. Thank you for your understanding.
For families with babies:
The condo comes equipped with a packnplay, and high chair. A stroller is available upon request. If you need more than one of any of these items, please email the group well in advance.
Pizza delivery:
There is currently only one option for pizza for deliver to our resort, which is Dominos: 998-883-3040. Please note, if the call does not go through, try adding a 011-52 before the rest of the number. Your phone should work for calling just the 10 digits, but if not, I have noticed it can work sometimes with the country and state code first. This is true with any Cancun phone numbers by the way. The 10 digits should and normally do work. But if or when they don’t, this has helped on occasion.
Authentic Mexican In Home Cooking:
This is a smashing success with our guests! Everyone loves the authentic Mexican cooking, right in the privacy of your own place. It’s become so popular, I sometimes get people emailing me from the web asking me if I can provide the service to them. But this is for our guests only. Our cooks are not professional chefs, meaning they never went to culinary school. They are normally from our cleaning staff, Mom’s who naturally know how to make authentic Mexican. This all started nearly 10 years ago. I had one guest ask if we offered something like this, then another, and after the third time I knew we had
a real need here. My wife and I could have turned this into a nice little additional revenue stream. But we decided against it. Not everything in life has to be about the money factor. Most unskilled workers in Cancun make about $50 a day. This was an opportunity to give our cleaning staff an opportunity to make a major financially positive impact on their lives and the lives of their families. Knowing that is the case, puts a heartwarming smile on the face of my wife and I every time our staff sends a picture of their finished meal, and they always do. Simply go online here to have a look at the menu:
https://www.timsoceancondos.com/cancun/menu-2/
Then go here to make the booking: https://www.cancunvacationrentals1.com/inhouseservices
The cost for the service is $80 or $10 per person, whichever is greater. There is no mark up on the service or the groceries,
they bring you a receipt from the grocery store. The service is paid in cash only please, at the time of the service. US dollars only please.
Should I book this well in advance?
In winter and summer time I would book it at least 3 weeks in advance if you want a good chance of getting the exact date and time you want.
Can we book this after we arrive?
We have done it, but we would much prefer more notice. We can’t always make it happen last minute.
How is the food served?
Buffet style.
If we would like them to cook extra so we can have more for the next day or two can we do that?
Yes, just put that information in the notes box when you book.
Is there an extra charge for that?
No, only the additional cost for the food.
