High Country Club Playa Del Carmen Penthouse - First Impressions

vineyarder · 06-01-2008, 12:24 PM

This is our first trip with HCC. Our pre-trip planning was handled expertly by Nancy at HCC. A larger and more complete information packet and destination guide would have been helpful (like the one that was developed for Hawaii). Arrival at Cancun airport was surprisingly smooth, with no lines at all for immigration, quick baggage service, and a very short line at customs, despite the simultaneous arrival of several flights. We were met by the driver, who assisted us with our luggage and drove us in a nice, newish van with excellent AC. We stopped at wal-mart to do our grocery shopping, and upon arrival at the condo, the driver as well as a security guard helped us get all our luggage and groceries up to the unit. My first impression when we entered the unit was ‘Wow, it’s…......small’. Other than the bedrooms, the living area consists of one room, about 14’ X 20’, plus a very nice kitchen. With all the lights off and the curtains drawn, it wasn’t the best first impression. There was a note on the counter from the local management company, advising us that a representative would be by soon after our arrival to check in with us, but no one ever stopped by (we arrived on a Saturday at about 3:30pm). The furnishings inside the condo were very nice, although there were several minor glitches, such as two non-functioning alarm clocks, a broken lamp switch with exposed line current, and no privacy locks on the bedroom or bathroom doors. We were also surprised that the only TV was a small 19 or 20” unit in the living room. The view from the balcony, while great, was much more limited and obstructed than one would think from the photos on the HCC website, and the furniture on the balcony was neither comfortable nor attractive. From our balcony we could see numerous other balconies, and the HCC patio furniture was by far the least attractive. We went up the narrow staircase to the rooftop terrace, and were quite disappointed to find that the patio furniture here was even worse; an old redwood table with peeling shellac and four cheap plastic K-mart style chairs, along with two mismatched chaise lounges. There was an impressive gas grill, but the narrow staircase combined with the distance from the kitchen made it less likely to be used as much as we would if it was in a more convenient location. A safety issue should also be noted by those with very young children; the wrought iron on the balcony was spaced such that a toddler could easily fit through, and fall three stories. While the kitchen was generally well equipped, there were certain strange failings, such as no salt & pepper shakers (found some peppercorns and crushed them with a spoon), and only 3 (mismatched) coffee mugs. After a nice dinner and drinks on the patio, we went to bed, and were pleased to find that the beds were quite comfortable; however the music from the adjacent disco was quite loud, and made it difficult to fall asleep. The next morning we woke up to a loud buzzing noise, which seemed to be coming from the AC unit for the living area, and the AC no longer seemed to be functioning, as the living area stayed quite warm regardless of the thermostat setting, whereas the AC for the master bedroom worked quite well. Since the management office is closed on Sundays, we called the ‘emergency numbers’; no answer on the first number, and an answering machine on the second. Hopefully we’ll get a call back today! While not at all critical, we were surprised and a bit disappointed that the home did not have robes or slippers. Of note, there were also no beach towels, despite the HCC website listing them as being provided, nor was there any laundry detergent, despite the guest book stating that it was provided. Maybe they are hidden somewhere that we just haven’t found; if the management company ever calls back we will ask them. teenagers are finally up, so now off to enjoy Playa del Carmen… More later…

LTTravel · 06-01-2008, 02:45 PM

a little disappointing

. Hope things improve. That is a leased unit and HCC probably has less control. Most of the reviews of the other destinations have been VERY positive.

Kagehitokiri · 06-01-2008, 02:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vineyarder

...the driver as well as a security guard helped us get all our luggage and groceries up to the unit...Since the management office is closed on Sundays, we called the ‘emergency numbers’; no answer on the first number, and an answering machine on the second. Hopefully we’ll get a call back today...

Quote:

Originally Posted by LTTravel

...That is a leased unit and HCC probably has less control...

very interesting stuff.

3DH · 06-01-2008, 03:26 PM

Here's hoping the weather is good, anyway!

Bourne · 06-01-2008, 03:57 PM

Have been away for a while...

Thanks for the review. The Playa properties were on my radar for booking. I had read/heard good reviews of the Beachfront unit but none for the penthouse...

Looks like I am going to skip both and book Punta Mita/La Playa Estates.

That extra bedroom at Punta Mita will now come handy...

TravelGuy · 06-01-2008, 04:11 PM

Vineyarder,

Thanks for the info. Hopefully there will be better experiences for you to report on for the rest of the week.

You've run into more issues with your first trip than we've cumulatively had with all ten of our stays at HCC properties. Also, our problems in Cancun seem to happen with the flight, airport and shuttle. You've had just the opposite experience that we normally have. (Don't even get me started about the airport employees "labor strike" from several years ago).

I've e-mailed or called our HCC Concierge when I've run into problems and always received a response in a very short period of time. I'd suggest you try that. If you still get no response, PM me and I'll get you a cell number of someone who can help you immediately. My experience is that action is always swift once HCC becomes aware of the problems.

pwrshift · 06-01-2008, 04:24 PM

Hope all goes OK for you for the rest of the trip, Vineyarder. I must say it is refreshing to read the real story compared to the 'everything is wonderful' reviews from you-know-who. At the same time, it's a big let down to not get the 'wow' factor immediately upon checking in, but I suspect you'll feel better about it in a few days.

vineyarder · 06-01-2008, 06:13 PM

Well, the management rep came by while we were out, and left some beach towels, and a note that someone would be by in the morning to take care of the other issues. Since we will be out all day tomorrow on a trip to Chichen Itza, I have emailed HCC with the issues so they can interface with the management group. In the meanwhile, we had a brief but very heavy rainfall, and discovered that the master bedroom has a unique 'water feature' in the form of a waterfall from the base of a window; about 4/10 of an inch of water on the floor in about 10 minutes! Hopefully a bead of caulk will fix that... Well, my masseuse is here now, so back to vacation... And I must say that the location of the condo is fabulous (other than the noise from the adjacent disco)...

Tedpilot · 06-01-2008, 06:59 PM

Well, I hope that you enjoy the rest of your trip. We stayed in the beachfront unit but that was before the disco was finished. We did hear music on the north side of the complex from the adjacent hotel, but as I recall it was only a night or two.

If you like steak, make sure to go to Chicago Don's - wonderful! It is stright up the street and just past fifth on the left. Go by or call to make a reservation.

I also recommend Xel-ha. Great snorkeling, dolphins, SNUBA, etc...

I remember too well laying on the beach there at Luna under those wonderful palm trees. If you are a early riser you'll love the sunrise there...spectacular and a wonderful time for a jaunt down the beach. Also, if you want a better area to swim in the ocean go north of the unit about 200 yds. Soft sandy bottom that goes out another 100 yds that is not deep at all and the water is warm.

BTW, many of the units in that complex are managed by the same company. You'll see the guy that runs them there frequently handling issues.

Enjoy and have a cool one for me...

LTTravel · 06-01-2008, 08:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vineyarder

we will be out all day tomorrow on a trip to Chichen Itza,

Make sure you bring lots of cold water (freeze it overnight) It is 15 degrees warmer in Chichen Itza.

Agree that you should go to Xel Ha or Xcaret. I prefer Xcaret; underground river, snorkling for "idiots"(an inlet you just walk into where there are millions of fish) , two different types of dolphin experiences (one swim with the dolphins, the other the dolphins through you out of the water), some entertainment, minimal ruins, etc.

Kagehitokiri · 06-01-2008, 09:05 PM

what about mayakoba? how developed is that so far, besides the mandarin oriental and rosewood?

LTTravel · 06-01-2008, 09:35 PM

Those are not in Playa del Carmen. Without a car, I don't think that he can get there. Even if he could, most of the developments in the Riviera Maya are off the road and guards do not let you get close to the resort or construction.

LTTravel · 06-01-2008, 10:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bourne

Have been away for a while...

Looks like I am going to skip both and book Punta Mita/La Playa Estates.

That extra bedroom at Punta Mita will now come handy...

A colleague of mine went to the home at Punta Mita last January. She went with her husband and two children. She is used to 4-Seasons, Ritz, Caneel Bay, etc and I was afraid of what she would think. She doesn't say much.
Well...... She wants to go back again next year. 'nuff said for me.

tripTX · 06-01-2008, 10:46 PM

Vineyarder, very sorry to hear that the week hasn't started off well. We loved the Playa unit and location. (We were there before the disco -- so didn't experience that part). I will say though that it seemed to be the least well-managed of the seven HCC properties we've visited. I'm hoping there is a better local management company that they can find. We passed a few complaints on to HCC from our visit (ex. lounge chairs on roof were broken into several jagged pieces, missing supplies, etc.). Wanted them to know that the management company didn't seem to be staying on top of everything. We haven't had issues like that at any of the other locations.

Definitely let Nancy know. She's been great and will address any issues very quickly.

On a side note... After each HCC trip, they will write you to get your feedback on that location. It covers the unit's interior, exterior, supplies, any suggestions you have, etc. Helps them to hear about each member's experience. But if you ever have any problems like this week, contact them immediately. They really do want to want you to have the best trip possible.

We had a great day at Xel-Ha and encourage you to give it a try. Plus Playa has some incredible restaurants and bars. Hope you enjoy the rest of the week!

rob · 06-01-2008, 11:43 PM

Hi,
It is surprising how the same property can be veiwed so differently by a different set of eyes. We left the same HCC condo property(penthouse) on Friday May 30th that Vineyarder moved into on June 1st.
We arrived at the Cancun airport at 2:30PM only to be met with the longest immigration line that I have ever experienced...it was a 3 hour wait!!!...and then on to Hertz to get our rental car that Hertz charged us $150.00 more than the price I had reserved it for on the internet.
When we finally arrived at Playa del Carmen we were greeted by a beautiful night and ate supper on the beach by lantern light at the Fusion Cafe next door to the unit.
We found the PentHouse Unit comfortable(there are 5 of us...two adult children, my 8 year old daughter and my wife and I). The view from the penthouse we found beautiful especially at night. We didn't watch much TV as we don't speak or understand much spanish and most all the stations are all Mexican so the small TV didn't offend. We found the pool fun and the ocean water warm and 5th Avenue exciting.
We took two tours with alltournative Tour conpany from Tello. The best was the Jungle Tour which is a snorkel experience in a beautiful Cenote(underground cave) which is lite by large flash lights so you can see the large stalactites and stalagmites which are truly amazing...this was followed by kayaking and then snorkleing in a quiet ocean cove. The only part of the tour I could have done without was the off road all terrain part...but my daughter loved it so I tolerated it.
We have been to Mexico many times and for a first time visitor it may seem a little shocking. The beach real estate at Playa is quite pricey. The Penthouse units which are about 1400 sq ft(plus)and these Penthouse units at Playa Del Caramen are going for about 1 million. To get into a penthouse condo that is 2500 sq ft the price goes to 1.5 million to 2 million plus...I know because I priced out several nearby condos on the beach front. This is above the price that HCC finds affordable. If you need a beach front unit this large you will have to look to a pricer club(I would suggest Quintess...as I joined this club before finding High Country and then down sizing).
By the way you will find the laundery detergent on the top of the water heater...the beach towels are usually folded up on the beds in cute designs and in the closet.
We love Playa del Carmen and have stayed in both of HCC units...I hope the rest of your trip is more enjoyable and the hurricane Arthur leaves you quickly.

06-01-2008, 12:24 PM	#1
vineyarder Super Moderator Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 449 Club: UE Signature, HCC, Freedom Yacht Club	High Country Club Playa Del Carmen Penthouse - First Impressions This is our first trip with HCC. Our pre-trip planning was handled expertly by Nancy at HCC. A larger and more complete information packet and destination guide would have been helpful (like the one that was developed for Hawaii). Arrival at Cancun airport was surprisingly smooth, with no lines at all for immigration, quick baggage service, and a very short line at customs, despite the simultaneous arrival of several flights. We were met by the driver, who assisted us with our luggage and drove us in a nice, newish van with excellent AC. We stopped at wal-mart to do our grocery shopping, and upon arrival at the condo, the driver as well as a security guard helped us get all our luggage and groceries up to the unit. My first impression when we entered the unit was ‘Wow, it’s…......small’. Other than the bedrooms, the living area consists of one room, about 14’ X 20’, plus a very nice kitchen. With all the lights off and the curtains drawn, it wasn’t the best first impression. There was a note on the counter from the local management company, advising us that a representative would be by soon after our arrival to check in with us, but no one ever stopped by (we arrived on a Saturday at about 3:30pm). The furnishings inside the condo were very nice, although there were several minor glitches, such as two non-functioning alarm clocks, a broken lamp switch with exposed line current, and no privacy locks on the bedroom or bathroom doors. We were also surprised that the only TV was a small 19 or 20” unit in the living room. The view from the balcony, while great, was much more limited and obstructed than one would think from the photos on the HCC website, and the furniture on the balcony was neither comfortable nor attractive. From our balcony we could see numerous other balconies, and the HCC patio furniture was by far the least attractive. We went up the narrow staircase to the rooftop terrace, and were quite disappointed to find that the patio furniture here was even worse; an old redwood table with peeling shellac and four cheap plastic K-mart style chairs, along with two mismatched chaise lounges. There was an impressive gas grill, but the narrow staircase combined with the distance from the kitchen made it less likely to be used as much as we would if it was in a more convenient location. A safety issue should also be noted by those with very young children; the wrought iron on the balcony was spaced such that a toddler could easily fit through, and fall three stories. While the kitchen was generally well equipped, there were certain strange failings, such as no salt & pepper shakers (found some peppercorns and crushed them with a spoon), and only 3 (mismatched) coffee mugs. After a nice dinner and drinks on the patio, we went to bed, and were pleased to find that the beds were quite comfortable; however the music from the adjacent disco was quite loud, and made it difficult to fall asleep. The next morning we woke up to a loud buzzing noise, which seemed to be coming from the AC unit for the living area, and the AC no longer seemed to be functioning, as the living area stayed quite warm regardless of the thermostat setting, whereas the AC for the master bedroom worked quite well. Since the management office is closed on Sundays, we called the ‘emergency numbers’; no answer on the first number, and an answering machine on the second. Hopefully we’ll get a call back today! While not at all critical, we were surprised and a bit disappointed that the home did not have robes or slippers. Of note, there were also no beach towels, despite the HCC website listing them as being provided, nor was there any laundry detergent, despite the guest book stating that it was provided. Maybe they are hidden somewhere that we just haven’t found; if the management company ever calls back we will ask them. teenagers are finally up, so now off to enjoy Playa del Carmen… More later…

06-01-2008, 02:45 PM	#2
LTTravel Super Moderator Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 1,020 Club: ER, HCC Corporate, DHH Lite, Bud Lite (A few too many)	Re: High Country Club Playa Del Carmen Penthouse - First Impressions a little disappointing. Hope things improve. That is a leased unit and HCC probably has less control. Most of the reviews of the other destinations have been VERY positive.

06-01-2008, 03:26 PM	#4
3DH Super Moderator Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Texas Posts: 742 Club: LUSSO Collection	Re: High Country Club Playa Del Carmen Penthouse - First Impressions Here's hoping the weather is good, anyway! __________________ "Boutique" is better! Another extremely satisfied LUSSO member!

06-01-2008, 03:57 PM	#5
Bourne Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: 60601 Posts: 487 Club: High Country Club, Pinnacle Yachts	Re: High Country Club Playa Del Carmen Penthouse - First Impressions Have been away for a while... Thanks for the review. The Playa properties were on my radar for booking. I had read/heard good reviews of the Beachfront unit but none for the penthouse... Looks like I am going to skip both and book Punta Mita/La Playa Estates. That extra bedroom at Punta Mita will now come handy...

06-01-2008, 04:11 PM	#6
TravelGuy Super Moderator Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 547 Club: High Country Club	Re: High Country Club Playa Del Carmen Penthouse - First Impressions Vineyarder, Thanks for the info. Hopefully there will be better experiences for you to report on for the rest of the week. You've run into more issues with your first trip than we've cumulatively had with all ten of our stays at HCC properties. Also, our problems in Cancun seem to happen with the flight, airport and shuttle. You've had just the opposite experience that we normally have. (Don't even get me started about the airport employees "labor strike" from several years ago). I've e-mailed or called our HCC Concierge when I've run into problems and always received a response in a very short period of time. I'd suggest you try that. If you still get no response, PM me and I'll get you a cell number of someone who can help you immediately. My experience is that action is always swift once HCC becomes aware of the problems.

06-01-2008, 04:24 PM	#7
pwrshift Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 344	Re: High Country Club Playa Del Carmen Penthouse - First Impressions Hope all goes OK for you for the rest of the trip, Vineyarder. I must say it is refreshing to read the real story compared to the 'everything is wonderful' reviews from you-know-who. At the same time, it's a big let down to not get the 'wow' factor immediately upon checking in, but I suspect you'll feel better about it in a few days.

06-01-2008, 06:13 PM	#8
vineyarder Super Moderator Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 449 Club: UE Signature, HCC, Freedom Yacht Club	quick update Well, the management rep came by while we were out, and left some beach towels, and a note that someone would be by in the morning to take care of the other issues. Since we will be out all day tomorrow on a trip to Chichen Itza, I have emailed HCC with the issues so they can interface with the management group. In the meanwhile, we had a brief but very heavy rainfall, and discovered that the master bedroom has a unique 'water feature' in the form of a waterfall from the base of a window; about 4/10 of an inch of water on the floor in about 10 minutes! Hopefully a bead of caulk will fix that... Well, my masseuse is here now, so back to vacation... And I must say that the location of the condo is fabulous (other than the noise from the adjacent disco)...

06-01-2008, 06:59 PM	#9
Tedpilot Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 300 Club: HCC	Re: High Country Club Playa Del Carmen Penthouse - First Impressions Well, I hope that you enjoy the rest of your trip. We stayed in the beachfront unit but that was before the disco was finished. We did hear music on the north side of the complex from the adjacent hotel, but as I recall it was only a night or two. If you like steak, make sure to go to Chicago Don's - wonderful! It is stright up the street and just past fifth on the left. Go by or call to make a reservation. I also recommend Xel-ha. Great snorkeling, dolphins, SNUBA, etc... I remember too well laying on the beach there at Luna under those wonderful palm trees. If you are a early riser you'll love the sunrise there...spectacular and a wonderful time for a jaunt down the beach. Also, if you want a better area to swim in the ocean go north of the unit about 200 yds. Soft sandy bottom that goes out another 100 yds that is not deep at all and the water is warm. BTW, many of the units in that complex are managed by the same company. You'll see the guy that runs them there frequently handling issues. Enjoy and have a cool one for me...

06-01-2008, 09:05 PM	#11
Kagehitokiri Super Moderator Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 1,621	Re: quick update what about mayakoba? how developed is that so far, besides the mandarin oriental and rosewood?

06-01-2008, 09:35 PM	#12
LTTravel Super Moderator Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 1,020 Club: ER, HCC Corporate, DHH Lite, Bud Lite (A few too many)	Re: High Country Club Playa Del Carmen Penthouse - First Impressions Those are not in Playa del Carmen. Without a car, I don't think that he can get there. Even if he could, most of the developments in the Riviera Maya are off the road and guards do not let you get close to the resort or construction.

06-01-2008, 10:46 PM	#14
tripTX Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 28 Club: High Country	Re: High Country Club Playa Del Carmen Penthouse - First Impressions Vineyarder, very sorry to hear that the week hasn't started off well. We loved the Playa unit and location. (We were there before the disco -- so didn't experience that part). I will say though that it seemed to be the least well-managed of the seven HCC properties we've visited. I'm hoping there is a better local management company that they can find. We passed a few complaints on to HCC from our visit (ex. lounge chairs on roof were broken into several jagged pieces, missing supplies, etc.). Wanted them to know that the management company didn't seem to be staying on top of everything. We haven't had issues like that at any of the other locations. Definitely let Nancy know. She's been great and will address any issues very quickly. On a side note... After each HCC trip, they will write you to get your feedback on that location. It covers the unit's interior, exterior, supplies, any suggestions you have, etc. Helps them to hear about each member's experience. But if you ever have any problems like this week, contact them immediately. They really do want to want you to have the best trip possible. We had a great day at Xel-Ha and encourage you to give it a try. Plus Playa has some incredible restaurants and bars. Hope you enjoy the rest of the week!

06-01-2008, 11:43 PM	#15
rob Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Arizona Posts: 18 Club: High Country Club	Re: High Country Club Playa Del Carmen Penthouse - First Impressions Hi, It is surprising how the same property can be veiwed so differently by a different set of eyes. We left the same HCC condo property(penthouse) on Friday May 30th that Vineyarder moved into on June 1st. We arrived at the Cancun airport at 2:30PM only to be met with the longest immigration line that I have ever experienced...it was a 3 hour wait!!!...and then on to Hertz to get our rental car that Hertz charged us $150.00 more than the price I had reserved it for on the internet. When we finally arrived at Playa del Carmen we were greeted by a beautiful night and ate supper on the beach by lantern light at the Fusion Cafe next door to the unit. We found the PentHouse Unit comfortable(there are 5 of us...two adult children, my 8 year old daughter and my wife and I). The view from the penthouse we found beautiful especially at night. We didn't watch much TV as we don't speak or understand much spanish and most all the stations are all Mexican so the small TV didn't offend. We found the pool fun and the ocean water warm and 5th Avenue exciting. We took two tours with alltournative Tour conpany from Tello. The best was the Jungle Tour which is a snorkel experience in a beautiful Cenote(underground cave) which is lite by large flash lights so you can see the large stalactites and stalagmites which are truly amazing...this was followed by kayaking and then snorkleing in a quiet ocean cove. The only part of the tour I could have done without was the off road all terrain part...but my daughter loved it so I tolerated it. We have been to Mexico many times and for a first time visitor it may seem a little shocking. The beach real estate at Playa is quite pricey. The Penthouse units which are about 1400 sq ft(plus)and these Penthouse units at Playa Del Caramen are going for about 1 million. To get into a penthouse condo that is 2500 sq ft the price goes to 1.5 million to 2 million plus...I know because I priced out several nearby condos on the beach front. This is above the price that HCC finds affordable. If you need a beach front unit this large you will have to look to a pricer club(I would suggest Quintess...as I joined this club before finding High Country and then down sizing). By the way you will find the laundery detergent on the top of the water heater...the beach towels are usually folded up on the beds in cute designs and in the closet. We love Playa del Carmen and have stayed in both of HCC units...I hope the rest of your trip is more enjoyable and the hurricane Arthur leaves you quickly.