Riviera Maya beach

If I could, I would give the service zero stars. We made a reservation for 5 kids without knowing that one adult had to accompany the kids under 48 inches. It would have been better if the agent had informed me beforehand, although I didn't mind paying. Anyway, we went to the pool where Felipe, the guy in charge, was showing us the dolphin named Kyle. Suddenly, he stopped and another group of 8 people joined us without any notification. Felipe had to interrupt what he was doing with my group (which consisted of 5 kids and only 1 adult, me) and start showing the dolphin to the new arrivals. We felt ignored. My 13-year-old niece told me that the service was terrible. It was very hot and the kids were getting frustrated. We had to wait in the scorching sun for Felipe to finish with the other group before continuing with us. I had a conversation with Felipe, who claimed it wasn't his fault. He explained that each group could have a maximum of 10 people, and he couldn't understand why he was assigned another group while already working with mine. I then spoke to the manager, Aaron, who offered us the option to come back tomorrow for another show without any additional charges. However, that wasn't feasible for us as we were tourists and didn't have enough time to return. I believe it's unfair that we were treated in such a manner. We paid a hefty $89 just to touch the dolphin, and we were willing to do so. I advise doing some research before visiting this place. This was my first and last experience with them. If I could, I would definitely give them zero stars!

While the hotel itself is commendable, I must express my disappointment regarding the dolphins being confined to an extremely small pool. It is truly disheartening and appalling that the hotel would permit such conditions. The pool they are kept in is even smaller than the children's pool, which is quite distressing. I won't delve further into the matter, but witnessing the dolphins in this state is truly heartbreaking, and it is equally disheartening to see people turn a blind eye to this ongoing situation.

This kind of situation is not suitable for any animal. They are essentially confined to a small pool, similar to a shallow swimming pool for children. It is evident that they appear unhappy, which is extremely disheartening. They are forced to perform shows continuously, day after day. Furthermore, there are multiple dolphins cramped in a pool that is inadequate even for one. I strongly discourage supporting this show. If I had been aware of this show being present at the resort complex, I would not have visited in the first place. If you genuinely care for these magnificent creatures, I urge you to report the show to P.E.T.A and advocate for their relocation to a more appropriate environment.

I arrived at Barceló without any prior knowledge of their dolphin pool. I haven't come across any marketing materials that mention it. It's truly disheartening to witness how small their pool is and the fact that it still exists. There is no separate area provided for them. They spend their days and nights in this shallow pool, following the same routine day after day. It's even smaller than the smallest pool they have for human guests. When they are not performing, they appear despondent as they float or swim in circles. Dolphins are incredibly active and intelligent creatures with vast territories in the wild. It saddens me even more that people are still willing to pay to see them. Even if they are unfit to be released back into the ocean, they should be retired to a humane organization rather than performing for tourists who may be ignorant, unethical, or lacking empathy. It's truly appalling. These poor creatures deserve better. Our family and friends have decided not to stay at any Barceló resorts in the future, and we will be sharing this review on various tourist websites. Barceló, while capitalism may be acceptable, the world is evolving. Strive to be better.

The kids were adorable and really enjoyed the entertainment. However, the pool was a little small and we didn't have the chance to swim with them. It was evident that the kids were being taken care of very well. Despite not having our own children with us, we still had a great time.