Guest User
October 16, 2024
We just got back from our 6th stay at Solaz and as another review posted about, this resort gets better with time and that is true. We've seen the resort make some lovely changes over the years and we do enjoy coming back each year. The staff is really what makes our experience special and I would like to give Irving at Mako/the pool a huge shout out. He has the best energy, attitude and just makes your experience over the top. He served us in May 2023 and once again on this trip in October 2024. Irving always took incredible care of us and we looked forward to the days he worked. We can't wait to return to come see him again. Teresa and Gabriel were our butler/artisans and we're lovely and helped coordinate transportation and dinner reservations. As a Marriott Bonvoy Ambassador Elite member, I didn't give it 5 stars because there were a few hiccups in our stay, nothing major however, the first thing resort added a 15% service charge to all food and beverage which was not there at our prior stays. There wasn't any acknowledgement of this during check in, and it would have been nice to understand that fee better. It was explained to us later, that the 15% is spread throughout all the workers at the hotel including landscapers, housekeeping, etc. Resort food and drinks are always expensive, but knowing your actual server at the restaurant doesn't receive that 15% directly, you then have to almost over tip so your actual server gets a significant tip which makes you feel a little gouged. Secondly, we had a poor experience when we hired an outside photographer to come take pictures of our family. They tried to charge us $500 USD to take pictures at the beach for 30 minutes. I had to leave the pool to go fight with them to not charge that which was silly. I understand having a policy, however, we had used their on site photographer in the past and didn't have the best experience so was just simply going a different route. Staying over 100 nights this year already as an Ambassador Elite, they could have easily just let us be on this one. Overall, the two negatives were minor, the stay was great, the food is excellent and we will return again, to enjoy the resort and see our favorite guy, Irving!