Gran Costa Real Resort Manzanillo

Just returned from a 2 week stay at Sierra Manzanilo - loved every minute of it! There is always something to do - beach volleyball, water polo, aquasize, - we hardly dented the possibilities. The activities staff is terrific. They work all day at poolside and perform in dance shows at night. After the show there is a disco or karaoke or a pub crawl (depends on the night). And they are bilingual (for those of us whose Spanish is non-existent). Rooms are accessible by elevator - a great boon if you have a bad knee and are averse to climbing stairs. One flight of stairs down to the beach from the pool area. We enjoyed mixing with folks from Mexico who stay at Sierra Manzanillo. A great way to learn more about the country. Food was great some nights, not so great others, but out of a group of 14 people, no one went hungry through lack of choice and no one got sick. I can't wait to go back next year!!

Perhaps I am spoiled? I have traveled a fair bit in a variety of different countries, and this trip was my first to Mexico. I had heard good things about Manzanillo, and more specifically, the Hotel Sierra. I was a little disappointed to be honest. Firstly, the hotel is in rough shape - the room I was in was dirty and falling apart, the tub was stained, the marble flooring was cracked and broken. Secondly, the food was unbearably horrible. The food was mostly leftovers (perpetually at lunch, all the previous evenings also rans), the quality was poor (tough beef, odd tasting chicken, etc..), and the overall taste was not stellar. In short, if I was eating that at a restaurant here in Canada I would've sent it back to the kitchen and left. Thirdly, tipping is not "optional" if you want good service. In fact, if you even want moderately good service you have to tip. That was NOT made clear when I booked my vacation, something that I found upsetting. Fourthly, there are very few staff members who seem to be at all happy tourists are there. I often felt like they would've rather me not be there, this was esecially true of the local mexicans who showed up on the weekends. Once the mexicans came the staff became much more attentive to the local (who tipped) and less attentive to the tourists (most of whom tipped little if at all). Finally, the "a la carte" dinners were a joke; they were as bad as the buffet. In fact, they may have been worse... if that's possible. Basically I would recommed people that want to get drunk and swim in the ocean to go to this destination. After all, that was readily avaliable. Nice weather, lots of booze, sand, etc.. However, if you want a relaxing vacation in a clean resort, with good food and hospitality, I would decline.

Our family was down to the Sierra in December before the Christmas Rush. We had a wonderful time. The beach was beautiful and the pool was great. We will return to this resort again. Unlike the Carribean side it does not rain here!!!

Our family has gone to Manzanillo for the past three years. Previously, we have stayed at Karmina Palace but decided to try Sierra this time. The pools are better at Karmina...but thats about it. Excellent staff, food and overall experience was terrific. Compare the costs and there's no comparison for value between Sierra and the rest!

I had a marvelous vacation at Sierra Manzanillo. Marble floors were impressive. The view from my room balcony was breathtaking. The beach was small and crowded with locals. The food was above average. The all inclusive aspect was very convenient. I would recommend to anyone looking for a quiet Mexican vacation.

Strengths of the Sierra Manzanillo:

Weather is great in the dry season: October to June, they say. We had 7 days of 30 degree Celsius (90 Fahrenheit) days

Location- right on a large, 400m wide beach, unlike many in the area, which may have small beaches or none at all

Beach- sandy and clean, not too many pedlars. The water was bathtub warm

Cleanliness- the hotel is for the most part very clean

Staff were generally friendly

Good place for non-Mexican families to meet Mexican families. Not overrun with Americans and Canadians

Weaknesses:

Construction practices are poor in Mexico, so buildings crumble fast. The Sierra, which looks to be 25+ years old, is showing signs of wear: chipped paint on the furniture, bathrooms need refurbishing. The Karmina Palace, which is right next door, is a much newer building with nicer public spaces and much more luxurious rooms

Service left something to be desired- requests for towels, calls to repair a plugged toilet and an attempt to get the TV not to wake us up automatically at 8 AM were all fielded cheerfully but not executed

Food was OK. Breakfast was great, as we could have fresh omelettes and waffles. Other meals were mixed: great when it was made fresh, as was occasionally possible, but mostly the food sat for long periods in warming trays. Much of the stuff they served was very Mexican, as one would expect, but be aware that means a lot of gooey, stewy stuff 3 times a day. Quality of ingredients was also an issue, especially for beef. They would have a tray labeled “top sirloin” that contained tough, thin, gristly meat. Chicken and pork dishes were usually better. The Palapa snack place made burgers and hotdogs available noon to 5 PM, which was a nice break from the buffet.



Manzanillo was OK. Not a lot to see but not unpleasant

Overall, if we went back to Manzanillo, we’d go elsewhere. Based on what we sawe and heard, we’d recommend Las Hadas (great beach, lots of stairs) for those without kids and the Karmina Palace (great building, nice pools, more restaurants, small beach) for families

Just got back from a stay at the Sierra Manzanillo. Altogether, a nice budget property and very, very clean. The downsides: they claim to have several more restaurants than they actually do; they have two, both of which are closed some nights, and on those nights they simply change the name of the open restaurant. Voila - more restaurants, at least on paper. Room service prices were 5X more than the prices printed in the room service guide. Faucets leaked like mad. All over the hotel are these neat alcoves and niches, obviously designed to hold some fascinating or beautiful artifacts or art, but mysteriously empty. Very limited alcohol beverage choices. Lighting is all done with those long-life fluorescent bulbs, which cast an ugly light. The place just feels like corners cut everywhere.

Weather is simply awesome. Rooms are very well kept and food is above average with a wide variety.

Most of the staff is helpful, but some seem to not enjoy their jobs. If you are the punctual type, you'll be dissapointed. If the bar/restaurant is set to open at 11:00am .... try 11:30am. And this is a normal occurence for most venues. Front desk and pool bar are the worst. The common answer to your request qill be ..."no" ... but with a smile. If you're looking for some special attention, this is not the place.

For a dinning experience you must visit the L'Recif. A very nice restaurant located on a rock cliff 20 minutes drive from the hotel. Sunset is spectacular.

The Sierra is a nice place to relax, but definetely not a 5 star. More of a 3-4 star.

We just returned from 1 week at the All Inclusive Sierra. It exceeded our expectations. Hotel was clean and the food and drink endless and service was great. Brand Name liquor used in drinks which were excellent. Different theme night for dinners (Mexican, Italian, Japenese, Tropical etc). The entertainment staff kept everyone busy in the pool and beach with endless activites, along with 3 theme dinners and shows in the evening. Mostly Canadians and Mexican visitors. Snorkling was awesome. This hotel is highly recommended.

The Sierra is a white airy romantic hotel with wide breezy marble hallways open to the ocean. the pool area was great for meeting people and one of the most enjoyable i've been at.The sun sets are incredible and setting beautiful. The location and feel is 5 star but the food and Hotel itself lacks if your used to five star accomodations. The sand is hot on the Pacific side. Take a trip to town and see how this truly Mexican life style contrasts the Hotels and Golf Courses.