Questions re: beach, restaurant dress code, etc..

[Chris in VT]

We've gone to a bunch of other destinations & are thinking of going to Desire (or perhaps Hidden Beach...?), and have a few questions. Other comments or general savvy are of course welcome too - Thanks!!

How's the beach? (Good swimming, big/small, sandy vs. rocky, plenty of adjacent beach for a couple-mile walk, what else is nearby, etc?)

Is there much/any snorkeling right off the resort, or within a modest walk and/or swim? (we'd bring our own equipment)

Anything interesting to kayak too nearby, like some little inlets, reefs, other scenic stuff, etc..?

How firmly is the mens' dress code enforced for dinner? I've never been to a place that required long pants, so I'm wondering if this is a bother and/or hot at dinner. Also curious what types of shoes & shirts are req'd.

Drinks... What better brands of liquor are included free? Would be nice to have Cointreau, Jose Cuervo, Canadian Club, Beefeater or Tanqueray, Grey Goose, etc...

Thanks a bunch!

[CokeMann]

How's the beach? (Good swimming, big/small, sandy vs. rocky, plenty of adjacent beach for a couple-mile walk, what else is nearby, etc?)

Sandy, good swimming, but can be a little weedy further out. Recent Desire Riviera Maya beach picture below

Is there much/any snorkeling right off the resort, or within a modest walk and/or swim? (we'd bring our own equipment)

You will see a few fish snorkeling off the beach but for anything interesting and well worth it you would have to book a boat(can be done through the resort) to go out to snorkel on the big offshore reef

Anything interesting to kayak too nearby, like some little inlets, reefs, other scenic stuff, etc..?

No, nothing scenic just the large expanse of ocean and getting some exercise - if you are into it.

How firmly is the mens' dress code enforced for dinner? I've never been to a place that required long pants, so I'm wondering if this is a bother and/or hot at dinner. Also curious what types of shoes & shirts are req'd.

The dress code for the two specialty restaurants do require long pants, a light pair of dockers or linen pants are considered ok

Drinks... What better brands of liquor are included free? Would be nice to have Cointreau, Jose Cuervo, Canadian Club, Beefeater or Tanqueray, Grey Goose, etc...

All the brand of liquors available can be found at the Desire site FAQ

[Chris in VT]

Excellent!!! Thanks very much for the good info! Any idea what the cost is for the snorkel boats?

Tnx again and cheers!

[CokeMann]

Excellent!!! Thanks very much for the good info! Any idea what the cost is for the snorkel boats?

If you go on the group(cattle car) snorkeling trips I believe it is about $25 > $30 a head + the reef fee (($2 per person per day)

If you do a private trip I think around $ 45 > $50 a head + the reef fee ($2 per person per day)

[eglp]

just standing in the water about 30 ft out from the beach, saw lots of fish swimming by, the joke was they were checking out the scenery as well. At one point I was standing there with 3 couples and there was a school of about 15 fish just idly in the water about 10 ft away, they didn't come any closer and they didn't immediately swim away, until we started to move then they left.