Gran Festivall All Inclusive Resort

The Gran Festivall All Inclusive Resort is a huge property with sprawling manicured grounds; it's filled with palm trees, whitewashed buildings made to resemble those in Greece, and signs with arrows to help guests get around. For travelers with limited mobility, the spread out facilities and many steps could pose an issue. Though we were driven by staff to our room upon arrival, we were on our own after that and had to wheel our luggage up a hill and over several steps to check out. While the resort sees a fair number of foreign travelers, the majority are local Mexican families that fill the hotel on weekends, lured by the long list of kid-friendly features and laid-back vibe. This means entertainment is almost exclusively in Spanish and some staff members do not speak English. If you're seeking a quiet stay, this is not the resort for you; playing children, nightly entertainment shows, and a disco that runs until late are not conducive to peaceful relaxation. And while there is an adult-only pool, there's a limited number of lounge chairs. 

The Gran Festivall is a 10-minute drive from the tourism hub of Manzanillo, where you'll find Las Hadas Golf Course, the Barcelo Karmina Palace Deluxe, and La Audiencia beach. Manzanillo's main plaza, adjacent to where the ships dock, is about a 35-minute drive from the hotel. The hotel is actually across the street from Playa Miramar, a public beach filled with vendors. To get to the beach, guests have to cross a bridge that goes over the highway. There they'll find a limited number of chairs for guests; if you're looking for a lounge chair, they're available for rent from one of the many vendors. The Playa de Oro International Airport is about a 26-minute drive from the property. 

The 450 rooms range from hotel villas to three-bedroom villas, spread out in three-story buildings. They're all decorated similarly -- walls are whitewashed, except for yellow accent walls behind the beds; beds feature firm mattresses on concrete platforms, with white sheets and either plain blue or floral motif bedspreads; and there are either one or two couches in the same fabric. Ceiling fans, air-conditioning units, small flat-screen TVs, and two water bottles come standard. Bathrooms have tiled showers and basic toiletries. All rooms have a balcony with a table and two plastic chairs, but most don't have views of the ocean. The larger villas might have a kitchenette area, but it only has a four-burner stove and a sink, so don't expect to do any actual cooking. Between rusty sinks, grimy showers, and dirty stovetops, there are many improvements to be made, but overall the rooms are adequate.

There are six total pools on the property: an adult-only solarium; the huge main pool with a designated deep end and adjacent children's pool; a small one at the Kids' Club; a water park pool with a pirate ship; and a pool with four long waterslides. You'll be able to find a chair or lounger at one of the pools -- it just might not be the one you want. There were no chairs available at the adult-only pool when we went in the late afternoon, so we had to go to the more active main pool. As this is a kid-centric property, there are numerous activities for kids and the young at heart. Guests can use the sports facilities that include tennis, soccer, basketball, and volleyball, as well as archery, paintball, and a zip-line through the property. There's evening entertainment, and daily organized activities by the animation team. The Kids' Club has a playground, old train, and toys available. A discotheque also runs at night for the teenage and young adult crowd.For adults, there's a spa and gym, which was being renovated during our stay. There's also an on-call doctor for medical emergencies. Sundry shops, a photo store, and event spaces are also available.

The Gran Festivall Buffet Restaurant serves all three meals in an open-air space with blue and white decor by the main pool. On the other side of the pool is the Las Guacamayas a la carte Mexican restaurant, which serves all three meals on select days. The other a la carte is the Italian restaurant Confetti, which has a more formal interior and is only available select nights for dinner. Also next to the main pool is the Las Pinatas Snack Bar, which serves items like hamburgers and hot dogs. Next to the beach is the Gran Marlin Restaurant and Bar; it's another buffet-style restaurant that's only open for lunch each day. Food at all restaurants receives mixed reviews. There are five bars throughout the property: one at the adult-only pool, the waterslide pool, the Gran Marlin and Las Guacamayas restaurants, and the discotheque. Some bars close at 6 p.m.