Located 15 min. north of the airport, GR Solaris Cancun sits on a prime piece of beachfront real estate in close proximity to its sister resorts, the Royal Solaris and GR Caribe by Solaris–it’s about a 20 min. walk south to reach them.  Despite their proximity to one another, there are no exchange privileges between GR Solaris and its sister resorts (timeshare/vacation club owners may have privileges that general guests do not).  Guests of GR Solaris will find, however, that there are more than enough amenities on-site to keep them entertained, well-fed, and appropriately “hydrated” throughout their stay.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This beachfront hotel is built like the letter “L” with most balconies having ocean or partial ocean views.  Inside the hotel, the lobby is quite expansive with marble floors, iron chandeliers, large arched windows and hallway dividers, seating areas, and lots of fresh flowers.  The lobby is an active social scene in the late afternoon with a Mayan coffee presentation and service, and live music and karaoke can be heard in the lobby bar following the evening show held in the hotel’s ballroom.

New and returning guests will love the re-tiled pools–no more scraped feet or stubbed toes.  There are three pools including the activities pool closest to the beach, the family pool with swim-up bar and sectioned-off children’s area, and the adults-only pool and Jacuzzi on the north end of the property.  There is some natural shade at both the adults-only and family pools, but most shade is provided by umbrellas.  A small, shallow pool can also be found at the Kid’s Club along with playground equipment.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The beach is quintessential Cancun with soft white sand and brilliant turquoise water.  Be careful though–rip currents are common right in this area, so pay attention to red flags and make sure the lifeguard is in attendance.  Palapas and a man-made structure provide much of the shade on the beach; umbrellas are brought out and set up when it’s not too windy.

Don’t expect luxury guest room décor, but expect sleeping areas to be kept neat and clean.  Some rooms have been re-decorated in olive green and crème, while older guest rooms have yellow-gold drapery with blue and yellow bedspreads.  Bathrooms are on the small side with single sink and shower-only.  Despite some outdated décor, there are several stellar features and options when it comes to guest rooms at GR Solaris:

• most balconies have ocean or partial ocean views
• Panoramic Ocean View Rooms include oceanfront corner rooms with a wrap-around balcony
• for those guests who enjoy a balcony Jacuzzi, these rooms are available with either a lagoon or ocean view (ocean view rooms are located on lower floors with extended balconies which have limited privacy from floors above).

Type of Resort:  Family-friendly

Pro:  Pools re-tiled, more balconies with ocean views

Con:  Not much balcony privacy, not much beach shade

Best Suited For:  Families with young children, couples who don’t mind being around children, there are a fair amount of singles who also book this resort.

No. of Rooms:  306

Room Amenities:  King or two dbl beds, A/C, balcony/terrace, in-room safe, mini-bar, TV, two armchairs and small table, telephone, radio alarm clock, iron/ironing board, coffee maker, hair dryer, shower, toiletries, and 24-hr. room service.  WiFi is an extra charge.  Here is a summary of guest room categories:

• Deluxe Room:  King or two dbl beds.  Lagoon or ocean view.  NOTE:  Some balconies are Juliet-style with no room to sit out on chairs.
• Deluxe with Panoramic View:  King or two dbl beds, wrap-around balcony with oceanfront view.
• Deluxe Room With Balcony Jacuzzi:  King bed, balcony with Jacuzzi, two balcony loungers.  Lagoon or ocean view.

Physically Challenged Rooms:  Available

Resort Amenities:  Four pools (activities, family pool with swim-up bar, adults-only, and children’s pool at the Kid’s Club), Jacuzzi in adults-only area, spa, steam room, beauty salon, fitness center, tennis court, theater, hospitality room, marina on Nichupté Lagoon for non-motorized water sports, Kid’s Club (ages 4-12), playground, arcade room, shuffleboard, internet café, photo service, gift shop, jewelry shop, concierge, and ATM.

Restaurants/Bars:  There is one primary buffet restaurant (Café Solaris), a poolside luncheon buffet (Rosmarinus), one seafood and Mexican fusion a la carte (Marco Polo–reservations required, made the day prior), a new Asian a la carte to open the beginning of May 2016 (Zai), a poolside snack bar and new brick oven pizza maker, a deli which is open overnight for late night partiers, and a buffet set up by the theater entrance.  There are only two bars, the swim-up/pool bar and the lobby bar.  Mayan coffee presentation and service is located in the lobby between the hours of 4-6 p.m., and there is a soda machine by the main pool.  NOTE:  Guests unable to secure dinner reservations can still try to check with the hostess for cancellations or “no shows”.

Entertainment:  Live shows every night in the theater, live music in the lobby bar, VIP nightclub excursions led by the staff including seating, bottle service, and complimentary one-way shuttle service from the resort.

Website:  http://www.clubsolaris.com/v4/en/gr-solaris-cancun.html