Great staff, food ,service was excellent. I recommend you get a premium room no wait times to check in excellent location, nice rooms great beaches, also use Air Transat best airline to book, Maya Palace is the best choice or Tropical

Had a wonderful time with the family, the kids loved the pool, kids club and the wildlife. We also got the unlimited Xcaret pass (get the pass when booking!), the park is so close, within easy walking distance.

We really enjoyed our stay at the Barcelo Bavaro Beach resort in Punta Cana. However, we were very disappointed as many other tourists in this resort to see the extreme sargassum situation on the beach, which made the beach unusable. The smell of seaweed from the beach caused a strong unpleasant smell in the pool areas. I believe when booking this area with a travel agent, the travel agent should be able to warn the consumer of this extreme situation. We are beach people and this put a damper on our vacation. We could not even walk along the beach. We chose this particular resort because of the calmness of the ocean. I know this cannot be remedied due to nature and extreme climate changes on the Atlantic Ocean side, however, to pay full price for a resort and not have the use of the beach proved to be very disappointing for us, as well as many other tourists on this property. I had done much reading and research and I was aware of this situation however upon arrival I was astonished to see the amount of sargassum which even the best of crew members were unable to keep up with. We enjoyed the fact that we were able to use the facilities of the Bavaro Palace it's sister property. However, in comparison the Animacion team and the shows differed immensely! We found the Barcelo Beach side was just too quiet with many activities cancelled without notice on their activities schedule and no vacation vibes music played throughout the resort. There was only one show on the beach side that we enjoyed. We found that we were always taking the train to the Barcelo Palace side to use the gym, the hydroptherapy spa, they included two free visits and the massive pools. The Animacion team made a valiant effort and the shows were of high caliber on this side as well. We did have a decent room with a King bed and much to our surprise we had an ocean view. The variety, presentation, and abundance of food was highly noticably, however even though they had advertised a gluten free station at their buffets, there were no such stations and I had a gluten free card, it was hard for them to accomodate my needs and, I am lucky that I do understand and speak Spanish since at this resort most of the employees do not speak English. They were more than happy to accomodate my eating needs at three of the a la carte restaurants that we ate at. Overall, the cleaninness and the abundance of pools and a la carte restaurants and buffets were plenty when were allowed to use both resorts.

Dates: August 13–20, 2026 Resort: Barceló Bávaro Beach (Adults Only) Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ (4.5/5) We recently returned from a fantastic week-long stay at Barceló Bávaro Beach. If you are looking for a beautifully maintained property with great entertainment and a relaxed atmosphere, this is a wonderful choice. Here is a detailed breakdown of our experience. ? Premium Swim-Up Room (Room 3021) * Daily Use: Having direct water access from our terrace was a game-changer. We used the swim-up pool every single day. * Meticulous Care: The ground staff cleaned the pool area every morning and checked the pH levels throughout the day to ensure perfect water quality. * Room Service: Prompt, attentive, and consistently great quality. ?️ Dining & Gastronomy * La Brisa: Outstanding experience. The food was delicious and the service was absolutely excellent. * The Buffet: While smaller than standard mega-resort buffets, the food preparation and flavour were vastly superior to most other resorts we have visited. * The Main Downside (Palace Side A la Cartes): To attend the specialized à la carte restaurants, you must travel to the family-friendly side of the resort (Barceló Bávaro Palace). This area is incredibly chaotic and "stupid busy." * The Commute: You have to take a small train ride over to a massive plaza, which you then have to navigate through just to find your restaurant. We found this overwhelming and a complete distraction from the tranquil, chill vibe we enjoyed on the adults-only side. ? Outstanding Service & Concierge * Mister Amazing (Felix Ozuna): Our concierge, Felix, truly went above and beyond to turn our holiday into a special event. * Highly Responsive: He was always available on WhatsApp to answer questions or help out (though, of course, the man rightfully deserves his time off with his family!). * VIP Perk: Felix provided us with a complimentary excursion to Don Lucas, which was a massive highlight. ? Don Lucas Excursion Insights If you get the chance to go, do not hesitate. This excursion offers a fascinating, in-depth look at traditional Dominican products: * Cigars: You get to see the meticulous process of manual cigar rolling and learn about the different tobacco blends. * Coffee & Chocolate: They provide immersive educational breakdowns on how local cacao and coffee beans are harvested, roasted, and processed. * Tastings: You can sample and purchase authentic, high-quality Dominican goods directly from the source. ? Property & Entertainment * Grounds: The entire property is pristine, lush, and exceptionally well-maintained. * Nightly Shows: The entertainment team puts on fantastic, high-energy productions every evening that are well worth watching. ? Final Verdict Barceló Bávaro Beach delivers a top-tier adult-only experience, largely driven by stellar staff like Felix and excellent food quality. Just prepare yourself for the stark contrast in energy levels if you decide to cross over to the Palace side for dinner!

We recently stayed at the Occidental Papagayo for a week and everything about it was great!! This hotel and it's grounds are absolutely stunning. The buildings built into the cliffs makes it very unique. We were in building 6 and had incredible views of the ocean, the mountains and volcanoes. The staff were always smiling and very friendly and helpful. The food at the snack bar, the a la cartes and specifically the breakfast buffet was great. The beach was nice, a little rocky but good. Very warm and fun at high tide. We would absolutely not hesitate to return in a heartbeat. We had 3 amazing tours with Frank the Tank tours that were incredible from start to finish, absolutely flawless. A truly amazing and unforgettable week

The grounds, gardens, pool area are beautiful. The beach has plenty of trees and beds. We were lucky that during our stay the sea grass was not unmanageable. However be aware that this area at times gets lots of sea grass washed on the shores. The resort made a lot of effort to clean it up. The buffet was average but you can always find something that you will enjoy. The a-la-car restaurants were very good. The hotel staff was very kind and helpful. Our room as large, nicely furnished and kept clean.

Small so easy to get around - I loved that I’m not a fan of giant resorts. Buffet was great, had Italian à la carte and it was very good. Pool is great but typical loud - beach is very small and shallow would be great with small children - no real ability to swim it’s a tiny cordoned off area - but we walked quite far down the beach to number of other resorts, and they were very weedy. Great service other than check-in, which is always painfully slow for some reason at these places. A real benefit is that it is right beside the fairy dock so you can take a ferry so easily to Isla Mujeres and have a fabulous beach day there. If you’re a pool person, it’s a great resort seemed very easy to get chairs, etc. if you’re a beach person you really need to just go over to the island. It’s ok for a day or with small children but really limited

Positive Remarkable buffet experience Clean pools and beach À la carte restaurants great food Happy and friendly staff Clean rooms Negative Unable to change early pre booked à la carte reservations Leaking water from shower area, had to use towels on the floor to prevent slips and falls Shower gel / shampoo drinks were not replenished. We had to ask. Fridge not cooling properly.

Great food was offered at the buffet and restaurants. The rooms were spacious and very clean. Location is convenient to the ferry terminal. I would definitely stay there again. The only improvement I could suggest is to add ceiling fans in the lobby.

Transfers were smooth. Grounds were amazing and staff were always cleaning up promptly. Exceeded expectation with changing towels, restocking water supply, cleaning room and bed making. Staff took pride in their work all over the resort. Beach was constantly patrolled for sargassum, resetting lounge chairs, glasses left by guests. Food/ drink was excellent. Highly recommend.

1. It’s a Spanish owned hotel, not much workers speak English. 2. Food was a 5/10 3. Waited 1 hr in line at the reception desk to check into our room just to find out we have a royal level check in which is somewhere else that had no line. Workers were not working, keep leaving the desk doing other things even thought the line was long. 4. Beach was the highlight 8/10 just lots of seaweed by the shore.

This vacation was everything I wanted and more! My husband and I went for a 10 day 25th anniversary celebration. This is a family resort but is a little more pricy than the other sister resorts as the food and rooms were suppose to be better so that's why we picked this one. We also thought with it being pricier it may deter families with little ones from choosing this one and although there were families at this location there were not as many as other family resorts we have visited. The drive from the airport was about 1 hour away, smooth transit to the hotel. When we arrived our room was not ready but we checked in, left our suitcases with the bell boys and went to have lunch. We toured the resort while we waited for our room and check-in occurred as promised at 3pm. Our room was is a great location, it faced the trees out the back but was still very close to the pool, beach and a short walk to food. The room was spacious, had everything we needed and was nice and air conditioned at all times. The fridge was stocked with drinks and the room was always cleaned nicely. Shower always had warm water and it was really lovely to sit out on the patio after a full pool day with a good book. Buffet food was absolutely fantastic. I am a VERY picky eater and there was always something for me to eat. If the buffet was closed then the other restaurant was open to meet our needs. Lots of fruit, salad, yogurt, excellent breads and deserts. We did an a la carte almost every night and the food was wonderful. We always booked a late dinner so we could enjoy all the sunshine we could until it went down. You can only have 2 booked at all times so just remember to pop in after you attend a dinner to book the next one. This hotel definitely had better food options than the sister resorts that we also were able to visit, so again I'm glad we chose this one. The highlight of the trip was swimming with the turtles. We heard they liked to visit the beach and went out looking for them. Our first attempt was a bust but there were lots of colourful fish, our second attempt was a big WIN. We swam with a pair and they were so friendly and such an amazing experience. I have already booked another trip here in October with my two daughters and can't wait!

The service provided by the hotel and it’s employees goes well beyond expectations. The entertainment offered each and every day indoors at the theatre and outdoors by the pool are great. The hotel offers a variety of excursions which gives you a chance to explore near by towns and local cultures.

The service provided by the hotel and it’s employees goes well beyond expectations. The entertainment offered each and every day indoors at the theatre and outdoors by the pool are great. The hotel offers a variety of excursions which gives you a chance to explore near by towns and local cultures.

Everything there was great: the food, the cleanliness, the service, the fact that it wasn’t crowded. The only thing I didn’t love is the beach, especially that we went in June and there was too much seaweed, or whatever it’s called.

We enjoyed everything about this resort. Great food in the a la carte restaurants; fabulous staff in the restaurants, buffets and bars; super clean everywhere; lovely decor; awesome adult-only pool with cabanas for rent for a low daily cost. Even though the 'Palace' was not adult only, this one pool made it seem that way for us. There is lot of walking between the rooms and the restaurants/buffets but that was helpful after how much food we ate! Although it's about an hour from the Cancun airport, we look forward to returning and would recommend this resort to friends.

Overall the hotel was acceptable. Food was good, however they could use some sort of grill at the main pool by the beach (e.g. tacos, fajitas etc.) They could also use more activities during the day.

Enjoyed entire resort, especially the trees, beach, people and cleanliness of rooms and all public areas on resort. Enjoyed all the wildlife there. Lovely relaxing week. Met friendly travelers. Loved restaurant at the beach. Will return soon.

Hotel is beautiful. Food is excellent. Best pool and pool area I have experienced. Hundreds of pool loungers. Lots of friendly staff. Very clean. There are no golf carts to take guests to different areas. There is a no charge bus to take you to the sister resorts. Lots of palm trees for shade on the beach. The beach is not as nice as the old photos indicate. Excellent resort except for the rocky beach.

The food was absolutely incredible and better than I expected and I really enjoyed my time. It was super relaxing, and the staff are so kind. We had a couple issues with our phone for room service, but we just used our personal phones.

This resort definitely needs some upkeep, especially in relation to air conditioning in the rooms. The first room we had had no air flow and was like sleeping in a sauna. Luckily we did manage to get moved the next day to a room with some working air conditioning. Furniture in a lot of venues needs to be replaced. Especially in Allegre Bar and couches in Reception. They are so old the padding is gone. Also, there are no working whirlpools. The groundskeepers also need to respect the guest at this property. We had just been swimming in one of the relaxation pools and were relaxing on a lounger when a groundskeeper came in, walked in front of us and started chopping down palm fronds near us and then tossing them in the pool making it so we couldn't swim there any longer. We felt uncomfortable so got up and went elsewhere. On the positive side, the hotel staff could not do enough for you to try and make your stay comfortable. Big shout out to Arnandan and Cynthia, the two concierges who went above and beyond to ensure myself and 82 year old mother got a working air con room and provided a large stand fan. Also, shout out to Sarahi, our new concierge, who had our noisy ceiling fan fixed within minutes, arranged for some pesos to be changed into smaller bills, and provided us with her umbrella when we didn't have one in our room. A big plus was the food. It was exceptional!!. Oh. I forgot to mention Wilson in Ventanas. He was the best server!. So sweet, kind, funny and respectful! I definitely didn't go hungry and always found something yummy to eat!! The pools were plentiful and so warm and inviting with clear blue water. We never had a problem with getting a pool chair when we went for breakfast at 7 30. Probably because it is low season.

The resort actually made you feel like you were in Mexico with all the beautiful wood ceilings and the tile floors you knew you were truly in Mexico. It was very lush in the way that it had so much greenery. The trees and shrubs made you feel like you were in a tropical place (naturally). The grounds were meticulously kept, always on top of any falling leaves or debris. To our surprise, our room was huge! It was the size of our whole living room at home and the bathroom was just as surprisingly large. Clean and our A/C worked very well unlike some that we spoke with who did not have that luxury. The pool areas - The adult pool was great. Very relaxing and our bar tender Santos was awesome! As soon as you would start heading towards him, he would put up his hand and say, "I will bring to you". Never had to get out of the pool except to go to the bathroom. The main pool by the beach was much more active including water volley ball. Great for kids and adults. We did not use this pool as we mainly wanted to relax. The beach had a lot of lounge chairs, plenty of shade, beach volley ball and just relax and enjoy. Food - Most of the time we ate the buffet - breakfast & supper. Lunch was at the Beach restaurant. Both restaurants had a good variety of food. It's not like and expensive resort would have but it filled our bellies and kept us happy. We had supper at the beach restaurant the one night and it was very good especially the potato and leek soup. It was the best I had ever had! The only reason we didn't eat at any of the other a la carte's is that we'd forget to go to the lobby to sign-up lol The only thing that I wasn't impressed with was, prior to coming to the resort, I had told them we were coming there for our 40th anniversary. I know at other resorts, they always do a little something extra. We didn't get anything. It wasn't a real big deal but it would have been a nice gesture, even just a bottle of wine in our room. All in all, we had a great time and that's all that really counts!

Hotel grounds were amazing.. Beach was clean with lots of chairs for everyone.. Pool area was active friendly and fun with not too much noise.. Service was great everywhere.. Rooms were quite comfortable but noisy at the top floor.. Will be back if we can..

The hotel was good enough, but the workers seem to be unhappy and often rude. When I came back from vacation, I talked to people and almost everyone had the same experience with Dominican Republic doesn’t matter to which hotel or resort they went to. This may be a cultural thing where they don’t know what means customer service.

Barcelo Barvaro Palace in Punta Cana is a true gem of luxury and relaxation! From the moment we arrived, we were greeted with warm smiles and seamless check in Our ocean front room was clean and the balcony with jacuzzi overlooking the turquoise water and beach. The beach has pristine white sand and lots of loungers and the water is prefect for swimming and snorkeling the water wildlife turtles and fish baby stingrays lots to see and for the walkers you have miles of beach to walk in both directions. Dining was excellent from the buffets to all the a la carte lots to pick from. The golf course a PD Dye course was amazing and lots of activities for everyone there is too many to list casino to disco water parks this resort has it all for everyone you won't be disappointed. The service was very good sometimes the language barrier made things hard but with the interpreter app made thing a lot easier. it's a great resort for family's and there is an adult side as well. I also like to thank Shae Dureault out tripcentral agent for helping us again for finding another great vacation and we are looking forward to returning here.

Everything was excellent. Ourselves, Son and his family had an excellent vacation at Barcelo Maya Palace. Helinda our server from the bar was absolutely great. She was able to take all 7 of our orders and never make a mistake. Four adult drinks and three childrens drinks. She always check to make sure we were OK and kept in mind the childrens needs as well as ours, going to the trouble to find where they were to see if they wanted something. We couldn't ask to be better looked after by the pool. Thankyou, Helinda (I think her last name was Lopez?) Thanks for the memories, Pauline.

My husband and I enjoyed our stay here.The buffet had lots of variety and was very good and well taken care of. We were able to access our buffet and the other buffets at the neighbouring resorts. I especially enjoyed the coffee machines at all buffets. We went to 4 restaurants and enjoyed our meals each night especially our Japanese meal. I would like to say this resort needs beach umbrellas (this resort does not have any!) my husband and I are fair skinned and there is very little places to set up under a canopy. We did find one spot to rent a cabana and did so each day at an extra cost. Our room was basic but very clean and was well taken care of when housekeeping came. Overall I would recommend this resort.

The public areas are good, dining area is great, swimming pool is great and the room is good as well. Enjoy all the facilities and our stay over there. Great location and it walkable to downtown Tamarindo

The resort itself was beautiful, the grounds were well kept. The pool I used was great and the people were lovely. The food was good and hot. The only thing that was an issue was the hill you needed to walk up and down to go from the lobby to the pool, beach and restaurants. The hill was a little challenging for people with mobility issues. All in all a nice resort but I would not recommend to anyone with mobility issues.

We love going to the Barcelo’s, we have been to this resort many times over the years . We especially enjoy the Maya Riviera Adult only , we have been 5 times since the end of Covid . We enjoy the pools , always lots of chairs . We don’t have to get up early to get a seat in the shade. Food is amazing, my husband had a good selection of Scotch’s . We went with family, no problem to get a restaurant reservations at all. The staff were great very helpful and friendly

We both got sick from the food and spent half of our vacation inside taking care of each other. The buffets were full of recycled proteins that looked gross. The service wasn't great. A waiter gave my wife something she was allergic to and she ate it. The host asked us about allergies and we let them know about 15 minutes before that happened. Our water and coffee in our room was not replenished every day. The restraunt food was gross and there weren't many gluten friendly options at all. We spend a lot of money eating at restaurants in town because we lost confidence in the food service. Not a 5 star experience.

We really enjoyed our stay at the Barcelo Maya Palace. The resort has a great location and is very well-maintained and clean. It is an excellent choice for families with kids because the main pool, kids' water park, and entertainment areas are all located close to each other and near the beach. This arrangement provides something for everyone, while also allowing for quieter areas if you prefer. The beach was nice, with calm waters, although there was a lot of seaweed when it was windy. The water is incredibly clear, making it great for snorkelling. We spotted many tropical fish and even a few large turtles right in the swimming area, even without snorkel gear. It is advisable to bring water shoes, as there are many stony areas on the shore. The rooms are spacious, very comfortable, and clean. The food was also good, with a great selection for everyone. It's a large resort connected to three other Barcelo properties, which you can explore on foot.

I travelled April 18-25, 2026 with my friend. We were looking for a restful week of sunshine, surf and beverages and the Allegro did not disappoint. Having stayed at numerous Caribbean Resorts, this resort is older and more basic than most. It is very peaceful. The room was adequate although we were in building 11 which is THE closest to the Theatre and Lobby. This proved noisy during the nighttime entertainment but we made the best of it. It also proved noisy to be right beside the cart path the employees take every morning and evening with their cleaning carts or other carts of stock back and forth. One bonus is that they don't use key cards as your wristband opens your room. Our fridge was stocked as we requested and the cleaning crew did a very nice job daily. The food was good. There were three options for a la carts - Mexican, Italian and Asian. The only thing I did not like was having to line up in the lobby every day if we wanted to book an a la cart for that night. You could only book one meal at a time, the day of. We did the Mexican and Italian. The rest of our dinners were buffet. There is also a buffet at the pool bar but we preferred to have pizza made to order just outside of the pool bar for lunch. The beach is absolutely huge and the water was beautiful. They did their best to clean up the constant influx of sargassum. We never had an issue getting a chair at the beach or the pool and towels were always available at the towel hut. The staff are amazing and very cheerful. They were a pleasure to associate with.

Seriously loved everything about this hotel. Food was excellent, pool was very clean and very large, adults only was the way to go. Room was clean and spacious. Service was excellent. If i have to complain about anything it is that the rocks in the ocean but hey that is not the hotel’s fault. Thank you very much for a lovely stay

Poos were clean. While snorkeling at the beach, in front of our hotel, we saw many sea turtles. It was fantastic! We also took advantage of the free catamaran ride Food at the buffet was typical for an all inclusive resort. The alacart resteraunts were better. We were able to get all 4 alacarts we were entitled to with the times we wanted.

Landing at Tulum Airport was a breeze. Our plane was the only one there, it was oir first time in Mexico. Really liked this new airport. Now as for the resort. Wow. My first time being exposed to such grandeur of Barcelo Resorts. What a Beautiful Resort. So many activities the 7 days was not enough. We had 10k steps daily that when we got home, it felt like we ran a marathon. Food was incredible. We felt spoiled. We tried 3 ala carts and no disappointments. Pools were outstanding!!! You have access to all the resorts except for the Adults section. We found a new home away from home. Appreciate our agent Heather for all her recommendations. Such a memorable vacation that left us with a lasting impression.

Good value/price/service resort. Definitely we recommend to stay in it! Especially with Trip Central ! Good choice of a-la-cart restaurants! Nice territory of the resort. Free Wi-Fi in rooms and most of the places of the resort.

Third time at the Riviera adults only resort and 9th time to the entire Barcelo Maya Grand Resort complex. This time for 11 nights in an oceanfront junior suite which we regularly have. Never disappointing. Great food, good selection of restaurants, very very clean and welcoming. Food quality is excellent, we regularly saw the food staff checking the temperature on the buffet with digital thermometers to ensure food safety, Never a problem to get loungers around the pool or at the beach. Although mother nature brought seaweed the Barcelo grounds team was out every single night and day to rake it up and cart it away as best they could. Very attentive restaurant staff, they remember you from prior visits and maitre 'd's check with you during the meals to ensure all is well. We will certainly be back next year

Very clean, good food, great beach at the Palace, a little rocky at Tropical. Lots of sea turtles first thing in the morning.. Rooms very spacious and fresh towels twice a day! My only complaint would be it is so big that the walk is long to get anywhere, but there are lots of options for entertainment . They have their own mall!

The food there is excellent, clean beaches, clean rooms, friendly staff not very big for entertainment. Most of the entertainment was at the palace. You would take a train ride over there and you can watch shows go to the disco casino lots of things over there to do if you just want to relax this is the perfect resort for you

We had a fantastic stay at the Occidental Caribe in Punta Cana and would absolutely recommend it. The standout feature is definitely the staff, they are exceptional. Everyone we interacted with was friendly, attentive, and genuinely committed to making our stay enjoyable. We want to give a special thank you to Isaury from Guest Experience, who truly went above and beyond for us during our stay. From the moment we met him, he was incredible, attentive, and always willing to help with anything we needed. Whether it was answering questions, making arrangements, or simply checking in to make sure everything was perfect, Isaury made us feel genuinely cared for. His dedication and positive attitude really stood out and made our vacation even more memorable. The entertainment team was fantastic ( Sebastian (peluche), Lulu, Wellington, Mirtha, Maria, David, Raimely) they played a huge role in making the resort feel lively and fun throughout the day and night. They did an amazing job organizing activities that catered to guests of all ages, so there was always something going on no matter your interests. From games and events in the pool to activities on the beach, they kept the energy up without ever feeling overwhelming. In the evenings, the entertainment continued with shows and performances that were enjoyable and well put together. Their enthusiasm and effort really added to the overall experience and made each day feel a little more special. The resort itself is very clean, well-maintained, and has a perfect layout. The pools are amazing, both have plenty of space, great atmosphere at the one and a perfect spot to unwind at the other. The beach is just as impressive, with soft sand and beautiful views that really capture what you imagine a Caribbean getaway should be. The rooms are a bit dated in terms of decor, but everything works perfectly, and they are kept very clean. Food was another highlight. There are many options to choose from in the buffet and the a la cartes are amazing so it never felt repetitive, and we always found something we enjoyed. The drinks were also amazing, well-made, and refreshing. Some of the exceptional staff that made our stay a memorable one, Yenibel Carrasco, Nilson, Daibelis, Angel at the pool buffet, the bar tenders at the beach pool and lobby bars Ana, Luz, Katherine, David, Santa, Carolina, Maria, Elizabeth, Katherine, Ruth, Ceferino, Jean at the theater bar. Our housekeeper Paola Gonzalez, Esmeralda in Guest services. Overall, this resort delivers where it counts: great service, cleanliness, beautiful surroundings, and a fun and relaxing atmosphere. We will definitely return to the Occidental Caribe

Everything about the property is wonderful and immaculately clean at all times. A fantastic infinity pool with pristine views of the beach. Food is great, staff are friendly and we look forward to our next visit.

If your looking for a relaxing vacation this is your resort! Food was mediocre, not a huge selection but you could always find stuff to eat. Grounds were beautiful and well manicured. The staff were incredibly kind and went above an beyond to help with anything. Rooms although small were clean and comfortable. Never had a problem with air conditioning or hot water. Pools were nice and never to crowded. The lounge chair game wasn't to bad but if you came past 10am was harder to find chairs at the pool. Beach is beautiful water is blue. Entertainment is lacking but they try their best! Overall if you are looking for a good location, relaxing vacation, then this is a great value for the price. This is on the lower budget end but for the cost it is well worth it! If your coming for the beach its perfect, if your coming for the food, entertainment and luxury room book somewhere else. For a quick easy cheap vacation, I would recommend this resort all day long!

It was a very large resort easy to get turned around.The buffet was well stocked .The staff friendly. A little bit of a language barrier.But with a little persistent things were usually figured out.The rooms were spacious and clean. We requested a ground floor but found it damp.we asked to change rooms and the request was granted on the second day.

It was a very large resort easy to get turned around.The buffet was well stocked .The staff friendly. A little bit of a language barrier.But with a little persistent things were usually figured out.The rooms were spacious and clean. We requested a ground floor but found it damp.we asked to change rooms and the request was granted on the second day.

The Barcelo Maya Palace is a great resort with a superb beach. The Hitel Staff at the restaurants are very nice. The food is varied but at the buffet restos the food is often cold, they should have a better system to keep the food hot. The biggest problem of this resort is the A La Carte restaurants reservation process. It is very frustrating, it is an abrasive lengthy process and you don’t get the restaurants you want at the time you want

This was our second time staying at the Barceló Maya Riviera, and overall we had a good experience, although there were some differences compared to our first visit. The room was very spacious, with an extremely large and comfortable bed—big enough for several people. It was always clean, and we really enjoyed having a Jacuzzi on the balcony. The sound insulation was excellent; we couldn’t hear any noise from neighboring rooms. The air conditioning worked very well, which made the stay even more comfortable. However, the refrigerator was not consistently restocked—it was only refilled two or three times during our one-week stay. The food was very good most of the time, with plenty of variety, although one day the selection was limited. We appreciated that it was possible to book à la carte restaurants, but reservations were quite difficult to secure. We managed to book only two restaurants during our stay. We tried the French restaurant, which was very good—we even had lobster there. Unfortunately, we had to cancel another reservation because the only available time was too late (9:30 pm). On one occasion, we were advised to try walking in to a restaurant, but we were turned away. The beach is nice, but there are some important things to know. The shore and water entry are quite rocky, with sharp stones and broken shells, so water shoes are highly recommended. Near the shore, the water can appear a bit cloudy, but it becomes clearer as you go further out. You can see some fish, and if you walk to the pier, there are many more, as people feed them there. One downside was that it was difficult to find available sunbeds. Many guests reserved them very early in the morning (around 7 am) by leaving towels or personal items, especially near the pool and beach. The staff were wonderful—friendly and helpful throughout our stay. Overall, we enjoyed our vacation, but compared to our first visit, it felt different and less organized, especially when it came to restaurant reservations and beach seating.

We traveled with a group of nine adults in their 60's and enjoyed our stay. Check in could have been a bit quicker, but it went smoothly. The electronic bracelets are a huge plus as you don't have to remember to carry your room key everywhere. The bracelet opens your door! ROOM We were in a regular room. The rooms are on the smaller side but comfortable. Everything worked well. Very nice towels and bedding. Our bath towels were changed daily when our room was cleaned. Lots of hot water. Our fridge was restocked during the week and coffee supplies were also replaced as needed. We had requested a top floor but were placed on the ground floor which was fine. We had a big iguana visit daily to sun himself on our patio. The room was mostly quiet at night although we did hear the drumming show one evening. We were in block 45. FOOD We found that the food was more than adequate with a good variety and theme days in both buffets. We ate lunch in the beach buffet every day. We also liked that you were greeted at the buffet entry and shown to a seat that was all set and ready. We have been to many resorts where you arrive to eat and cannot find a table or a cutlery. The serving staff were very attentive with bringing anything you requested and checked on our table many times. We did not like the a la carte reservation system at all. The line ups were crazy and just a waste of vacation time. You can only make 2 reservations for the week. The Fuji, Japanese restaurant was excellent. The chefs put on a great show and the food was fantastic. The Italian was okay, but nothing outstanding. BEACH The beach is very big with lots of trees. We found the entry to the ocean was bit rough and sand was quite course with bits of coral and rocks. Once in the ocean, the sand was smoother and the water was crystal clear. We saw lots of fish every day. The area is very popular for scuba and snorkeling and there were many excursions available. The big dock to the left of the resort was very active with boats coming and going. There are lots of chairs available on the beach but no umbrellas so spots under the shade of the palm trees were very popular. ACTIVITIES and ENTERTAINMENT There were lots of activities on the beach and at the pools everyday if you wanted to get involved. We only saw a couple of beach vendors during our stay. POOLS There are 3 main pools at the resort plus 2 smaller pools and they are always full of kids. There is a kids pool for kids 12 and under with a huge slide and fun water showers, but it was not busy at all. It seemed like the kids were always in the other pools and often spent their days in the pool with the swim up bar, taking over all the seats in the pool. They also took over the hot tub. This was a bit annoying and it would have been nice to have a designated adult only pool. The chairs and umbrellas around the pools were reserved early in the day, so if you arrived later, you were out of luck. BARS There was a nice beach bar but it would get very busy at times with a line up. We found going to the bar near the kids activity pool was a better option as it was very quiet. We did have beach service on a couple of days. There was also a sports bar near the main buffet which was a nice spot to sit before and after dinner. SMOKING There are a couple of smoking areas on the resort and we were pleased to find that the smokers were using those areas. We did not see anyone smoking on the beach or around the pools. I think people were allowed to smoke on their patios. SUMMARY Although this is a very nice resort, we likely would not return as it was more suited to families with kids. If there was an adult section, we would likely return.

This resort was good for us … only complaint would be the stairs and hills . Good tasty food , lots of selection, good service …... So after you eat you get a work out with the walking . Beach was beautiful , rooms were clean , a bit dated , but only in room for a short time. We would return to this resort!

Very nice , clean and well maintained . Excellent staff friendly and always willing to help . The buffet had food for everyone (from hotdogs and hamburgers to ribeye steaks and lobster) . My only issue was that the food was luke warm at best . Did three a la carte, Italian , Mexican and Japanese . The Italian was good the other two were OK . The beach was cleaned daily from the sea grass , the water is a little murky and very rocky . The rocks cleared once you got about 20 or 30 feet from shore , a pair of beach shoes might be a good idea . The pools are beautiful , I believe there are five . Overall it was a wonderful experience , be prepared to walk its a large facility and is attached to 5 other resorts . There is a shuttle service . Would definitely return !!

Easy shuttle process organized by the airline to the Barcelo resort (around 1hr 15 mins from Cancun airport). The overall property is quite big with six different resorts, with the hotel on the south end being the adults-only resort. It is a modern-looking hotel compared to the rest of the property and had great amenities (large pools, good access to the beach, lots of options for sports/fitness activities, and lots of variety of restaurants in the adults-only resort and across the property). The beach is pretty rocky by the adults-only section, but you can walk about a hundred yards to the left and the seabed is a lot smoother and easier to access. Restaurants have good variety and are pretty good across the respective cuisines. Buffet is also a good option for a variety of dishes, especially the desserts and fresh fruit. We got a premium swim-up room which was nice to enjoy a quick dip if you didn't walk to go all the way to the main pool area. The towel game is very much in play in the mornings with most chairs snagged by around 8-9am. The late night shows are great with several options across the various resorts, the ones at the adults-only hotel isn't quite as strong as the others, but you can take the shuttle to attend the other events such as Broadway musical hits, circus, salsa performance etc. All in all, very good resort and great value to enjoy in Riviera Maya.

Its located in a nice area. Its a very busy hotel, good value for price. beautiful beach, nice room facing Golf yard. generally speaking I would recommend it if you have kids and if you want to have a beautiful beach experience. Restaurants were really average...

The room was very clean and comfortable. The bed was one of the most comfortable I’ve slept on at an all inclusive. While some of the areas may seem dated compared to newer modern hotels, it’s in great condition and so well maintained. Food was fantastic and service was hospitable and friendly. The pools were great as the two by the beach had excellent views of the beach and were practically on the beach. My preference was the infinity pool that was not heated. It was fresh and cool! The other pool was heated and perfect when that was needed. The beach is stunning! The teams work diligently to remove seaweed and we were able to swim in the ocean. There is little to no night life at this hotel but this was perfect for us. Overall, I’d stay again and would recommend!

This hotel was probably great at one time, but it definitely needs a refresher. The bathroom especially needs attention, mold is an issue. There was a problem with bugs coming up through the drain. The grounds are beautifully kept. The service was not great, understanding English was an issue. Only one area for adults only which is very small and overcrowded. The food was adequate. I would not recommend this resort to anyone.

My husband and I spent a week we had a lovely time, service was fantastic people were hospitable and friendly. Hotel is a little tired but always kept clean, breakfast and lunches were very good, dinners lacked in variety and options. We also had FANTASTIC massages in the spa

My husband and I had a wonderful Relaxing vacation. The whole resort was beautiful and very clean, staff is top notch and the food was Excellent. The only thing I was disappointed in was trying to walk into ocean it was very rocky. The beach was beautiful but very difficult to just walk in and enjoy the ocean my elderly parents would not be able to go in the ocean for this reason.

Great property with amazing clean, great Wifi, access to multiple pools, services are amazing. Property has its own mall, handicrafts stalls, go carting, discotheque and other amenities, no need to step out. Above all, great pricing and only one drive from Cancun airport. Vegetarian food choices can be further improved

We recently stayed here for an annual boys golf trip. We had a great time. Course was in good shape and met our needs, we would go back again for sure. Although the rooms were a bit dated we were not worried as we didn't plan to be there too much. The resort made up for it with great food and better amenities. Lots of different areas to visit and pools to be at if you wanted to have a good time or sit in a quiet area. Bonus was the spa, after long day of golf and a few pool drinks, we hit the sauna, hot tub and cold plunge daily for no extra cost. Please note for the golf, although its 'included' in your trip there was a daily fee for using the carts of $95.00 per person per round.

This is one of the best holidays that I have had. Beautiful site, excellent meals and friendly onsite assistance! I would definitely come to this resort again and bring friends and family. Something for everybody! Only an hour from the airport...

As our first ever all inclusive visit to Mexico our agent "Karol" nailed it. The resort was amazing and the weather was great. The room was spacious and very clean. The garden view was tranquil and private. The bar fridge was not cool enough and it was fixed as soon as the front desk was contacted. Our experiences at the 4 a'la carte restaurants were first class all around. The buffet varieties were plentiful throughout the day and the service was outstanding. Our time at the pools were very relaxing and the pool side and bar service was top notch. All of the staff at the resort were very friendly and professional. We would highly recommend this adults only resort.

The hotel was always beautifully kept and the staff were friendly and accommodating. We were there for a business retreat with a large group and they catered well to our needs. The AV staff did an incredible job with all the media at our 3 day convention. The space was above our expectations and the setup was done in a timely process. The food was great.... however Strikers bar could be improved with their choice of food. It was our first night at the resort when we went there to eat. We were mildly disappointed to see the same menu 2 days in a row, with mediocre American food choices. Granted, we understand that it's a bar, but we were hoping to experience a mix of other food choices. We didn't realize that the Miramar Buffet was open at that time, which we much preferred for eating. The a la carte restaurants were top notch! The beach was wavy & choppy late in the afternoon and brought in seaweed along the shore, so the water wasn't as clear. However, it was cleared away every morning. The cleaning staff were friendly, happy, and did an amazing job! We asked to replenish our coffee, tea and water a couple of times and they delivered them right away. Just know that if you take the train it's every 15 minutes....bear in mind that's island time! That service was great, too. Thankful for it shuttling us to and from the convention center. So handy!

The resort is clean and tidy. The grounds are kept in good condition. Any debris from high wind/rain is immediatly cleaned up. The staff are very friendly and helpful . The food is greatand lots of it, the variety is amazing. The speciality resturants serve great dishes that taste fantastic. The rooms are clean and neat and restocked every day. A fabulous time.

This was my second trip to DR and both times I chose Occidental Caribe. Everything was awesome. Our room was beautiful and clean. The food was really good and the fruit was so fresh. Definitely planning another trip back!

We absolutely loved the hotel. It was huge, clean and most of the staff was terrific. Beach was beautiful and pool was fun filled with activities. No complaints except not allowing us in the room until 3pm......we arrived at 7am. All in all great getaway for the week.

Beautiful Beaches and Grounds. Wide selection of dining options and good variety of food. The hotel rooms were a bit tired but they were clean and a good size. Overall staff were very pleasant and accommodating.

There’s a lot to say about the Barcelo maya beach. We booked early to save price as we are also going to Asia for 2 weeks in August (Taiwan) . The resort was great from the reception desk onwards, check in was quick with friendly staff, no issues checking in, room was in the Uxmul building which is perfect for being central to everything, we were in room 3319 facing the Barcelo maya Caribe. We had a garden view which I was more than happy with. Food everywhere was extensive, the pool restaurant at Rancho Grande was a lot more than I’m used to. Staff are amazing and always upbeat, there’s no pool music booming all day like the resort next door to us providing the option to do both. We have 4 resorts where we have full access to visit, drink and eat at all 4. Smoking on the property is fine, there are ashtrays all over the grounds and an ashtray on your balcony or patio. Buffet servers were fantastic ,we had 2 that stood out, Joel Rodriquez for breakfast, and Armando Reyes for dinner, both were amazing.

The resort was really nice and clean. Food was ok. Not enough chairs around the pools. A little snorkeling but the alligator fear was a little much. Service and people were extremely good. Very polite and helpful staff.

The resort was really nice and clean. Food was ok. Not enough chairs around the pools. A little snorkeling but the alligator fear was a little much. Service and people were extremely good. Very polite and helpful staff.

This resort was beautiful and took care of most of our needs. Staff were very friendly, professional and always helpful. There was always something to do or see on the resort! like the theatre shows which were performed very well and entertaining. The clean up crew for the beach did an amazing job clearing the seaweed daily. We will definitely be back! Ps. The only negative was trying to get lounge chairs for the pool and beach as most were taken very early in the morning. Reserving at the restaurants were a challenge as they most were always full. Night swimming would have been nice to have available. Also late night/early morning self serve coffee and tea stations would be nice. Should offer more informed tequila tasting. We were very pleased with our stay!

3rd time at Occidental Xcaret. Missing slippers had to ask 3 times to get them and no face cloths in the room on 2 days. Miss the Disney musical show from 2017. Enjoyed the Mayan ruins, nature paths, animals, birds, ocean views, beach and amazing park next door. Circus, Mexican and Mayan shows were great and activities - archery, beach zumba, trivia etc. Staff were always friendly- Hugo omelet chef, Paola, Leo, Santiago, and room housekeepers! Thank you!

Barcelo Maya Riviera is a great resort. Checking in was easy and the room was in great shape with all modern conveniences. There was a bit of a damp smell in the room sometimes but I believe that this has to do with the weather and not the maintenance of the resort. Everything was very clean and the landscaping is beautiful. The food was great at all the à la carte restaurants and this was the nicest buffet I have ever experienced. We had a great time!

The rooms were a mess the food was really really bad but the staff were nice , never going back. Broken tv broken mini fridge flooded room broken ac broken hot tub told it hasn’t worked for years. Entertainment was awful if it wasn’t cancelled . Sorry Allegro you need a change of management.

This was our 7th time to this resort. I think that clearly indicates we are always pleased with our time there! The beach is long and there are many places to walk in the water without coral. Seaweed was cleared every morning. (We met people at the airport who stayed at another resort and they could only go knee deep in the water as the seaweed was so bad.) The pools are also fantastic and you can sit by the pool and still see the ocean and feel the ocean breeze. We will definitely go back for visit number 8!

4th time at Barcello Beach. Grounds and buildings are beautifully maintained. Excellent 18 hole golf course on property. Vibe is chill. Food exceptionally good. Service excellent. Adults only pool is beautifully designed.

Barcello resorts are special…several hotels together give many options for eating and relaxing with friends and family! Pools are amazing! They are huge, so there is a place for everyone to enjoy. The beach is beautiful with palm trees providing shade. Great place to snorkel and see turtles. Food was great! Staff were attentive and helpful.

Beautiful grounds lots of area to walk along the beach swimming with turtles and marine life, the staff are all very kind staff all very friendly have made some good friends over the years at Barcelo Milly Gonzales adults only , Lupita in Colonial and tropical ,Ceaser in Brazilian restaurant up at the palace is always very helpful a good friend, beautiful beach’s lovely grounds lots of good fresh fruits and very good food lots of things to do on the resort and also lots of tours available

the service is excellent rooms very clean personnel super nice and pleasant. the beach without sargsssium is one of the best in riviera maya. been there four times and never disappointed! also very good resort for families with kids.

We had an enjoyable stay at this Costa Rican resort, thanks to the warm and attentive staff who consistently made us feel welcome. One highlight was the buffet service. Instead of wandering around searching for a table, guests are seated by staff, creating a calmer, more organized dining experience—a refreshing change from many other resorts. The resort’s hilly layout offers beautiful views, but it does mean getting around can take a bit longer. The shuttle service is generally prompt and convenient, though waits can be slightly longer during busy times. Housekeeping was the only area that felt slower than expected; the rooms were clean once serviced, but timing wasn’t always predictable. The location is another plus—only about 30 minutes from the airport—making arrival and departure easier. A quick buyer‑beware note: we booked Viator excursions through Trip Central and only learned at the resort that we had to arrange our own transportation to an off‑site pickup point. This wasn’t clearly communicated, so double‑check what’s included before booking. Overall, a lovely resort with great service and a relaxed atmosphere.

Good variety of food options, beach locations, restaurants, activities etc. Entertainment was great. Staff was amazing - best part of the location. The gymn was really large with a lot of options including fitness classes. The spa had a great cold plunge pool, sauna and steam room. Played mini golf for free a couple times, used the pickleball courts 1 day and the gymn every day. Great snorkelling with the turtles right off the Barcelo beach. We loved our stay. The only real negative: 1 of the Cozumel snorkelling excursions was not worth it. Bus pick up at 5:45 am and returned around 4 pm and only had 1.5 hours of snorkelling + 1 hour lunch. The rest of the time was spent travelling. Absolutely do not recommend it just based on the itinerary. The brochure said 4 hours + travel and transfer time but it was more like 1.5 hours snorkelling, 1 hour lunch and 7.5 hours travelling and waiting around. Not worth it at all. Note that this is not a reflection on the staff that worked hard and kept us entertained to the best of their ability. It is more about a poor excursion plan with low value vs. what was advertised.

Huge resort. Common areas very modern. Rooms dated but clean and functional. Buffets had something for everyone. A la carte restaurants were fabulous and you could book all for week not one day at a time. We did private transfer to and from airport- A really good idea. Beaches were perfect. They looked after any seaweed early in the AM. Lots of chairs. Bring water shoes or buy at resort for a premium. Staff were fine, we didn't tip at breakfast or lunch as we received no service. Seemed to be more staff at dinner buffet.

The rooms in the hotel were fine, however we had to ask for cleaning in the afternoon until someone showed up. We thought the food was terrible. Everyday in the buffets it was the same thing-chicken-either the leg or the wings or pieces of the other parts. The fruits were hard and cold. Vegetables were also hard and cold. In other words it is not at all up to par with any other resort we have been to. The beach was full of stones and sand. It is not what we had expected. The area where one can sit and go into the pool was fine unless when someone stole your spots. Also there were many teenagers there and other young people off on March Break. It was very noisy at all times. We were more than disappointed in The OccidentLAL

This is a top quartile resort. From the amazing rooms, pools, restaurants, and facilities all are the best. We loved the nightly entertainment and social time. Walk the beach to 4 other sister resorts and enjoy them all. Nothing to want…you get it all here!

I likely wouldn't return, but it's probably good value if you're looking for a cheaper option. It felt safe and had everything we needed, but definitely felt dated, and wasn't as nice as other resorts we've been to. There is no doubt that there are *much* worse options out there, but I personally wouldn't choose to return, as I've stayed at nicer options. To start with the "good": Beach: The beach was great at this resort. Really well maintained (they deal with the seaweed frequently but discretely), beautiful sand and scenery, and lots of chairs. Worth noting that there are no umbrellas, the only shade comes from the (many) palm trees, but they can sometimes be less predictable, and the shade moves throughout the day, so it might be worth bringing an umbrella if you prefer to chase the shade (there is more shade available at the pool area, likely more challenging to find the sun there, but we didn't spend much time at the pool). Pool Options: While we spent most of our time at the beach, we did visit the pools occasionally. What I liked about this resort is that there are a few different pool options. While one of the main pools was very busy and rowdy (good if you are looking to drink / party / play "crazy game" and other events), the other pool was much quieter. There was no loud music, no organized events, and was overall a very different vibe. It's nice that there is something for everyone, so if you like a quieter, more relaxing experience, that exists! We also learned quickly that you can hear the pool noises from the beach, so be aware of which pool you are closer to on the beach. If you don't want to hear the music etc. from the "party pool", you will probably want to go to the other end of the beach. Staff: The staff were friendly and responsive, and seemed generally happy to be there! It was great meeting with some of them, and they were generally very happy to help with any requests. I will say that they appeared under-staffed at certain areas, specifically the pool bars, but I didn't have any negative interactions with any of the staff. The Grounds: Admittedly not super important, but the grounds were really beautiful and well-kept. Tons of large fountains and interesting architecture, staff was cleaning the paths every morning, and the walk from the beach to our room was stunning - some resorts pack those walkways full of different vendors / playgrounds etc., but I really appreciated all of the landscaping. Tons of trees, flowers, and natural scenery, which I thought was a nice touch. Things that could be improved: The Room / Maintenance: Our room was fine, but certainly felt dated. While nothing was exactly wrong, It didn't feel super clean and could definitely use an upgrade and there. It seemed like a standard, older hotel room (on the cheaper end). Unfortunately, we had two incidences that left us not thrilled. Most importantly, there was an error with the locking mechanism on our door, to the effect that at times, it was completely unlocked to everyone, unbeknownst to us. We learned this because on our second day, we were completely locked out of the room and had to go to the lobby to get help. (We had informed them twice at that point that the light on the electrical lock turned red when we were attempting to unlock it, but that after a couple attempts, we were able to usually just mess with the doorknob enough for it to open for us. Both times they "reset" our bracelets and told us it should be fine (we didn't actually know that it wasn't meant to turn red until we got locked out compeltely)). Once we got help, one of the resort employees informed us that there was an issue with the lock, and that it wasn't responsive to any of our key cards. We were told that it was either locked to everyone (including management's master key", and our own bracelets), or completely UNLOCKED, which meant that any time we were able to enter our room it was completely unlocked to anyone that would try to enter. This is obviously a safety concern, and did make us feel a bit uneasy. For what it is worth, they did send a maintenance person and dealt with it quickly, but we obviously wished it didn't happen to begin with. The second issue with the room was less alarming, but a few days in, the toilet broke and the handle to flush got disconnected from the rest of the plumbing. We called someone in and they were able to replace the part / repair the toilet quickly, but again speaks to the fact that some upgrades might go a long way in some of the rooms. Food / Reservations: The food was okay. The buffet actually had many promising options and was large enough that everyone should be able to find something they want to eat, but for dinner, I prefer restaurant options over a buffet, and you MUST reserve your table in advance. Unfortunately, booking those reservations were really challenging. For starters, they had us book our reservations through the service-center, rather than at the front desk or on the phone, which took some time. They only had one employee working, and for some reason it took a LONG time for them to find the reservations, so be prepared for a wait if there are a couple of groups ahead of you. We went on the morning after we arrived, before 9am, and there were VERY few options they could offer us, and almost all of them were for 8pm or later. If you enjoy / don't mind a late dinner, then you might not have an issue, but we preferred to eat closer to 6 or 7, and there would be maybe one restaurant a night that could accommodate that. This might be because they were unseasonably busy, or perhaps this is their usual, but we weren't able to get any reservations (even late ones) at the majority of the restaurants, meaning we spent 3 nights at the same spot (Mexican, and on the third night we ended up cancelling our reservation and opted for the buffet because it was only okay), and then they were able to get us in one night to an Italian restaurant (it was okay, not great) and one night to the Japanese restaurant (this was by far the best meal we ate the entire time - would highly recommend trying to get a reservation here!). I wish we could either reserve ourselves through the Barcelo app (cutting out the time spent at the service desk), or that there were more options in general so that we could try out different spots and not have to book late reservations. If you prefer to eat at the buffet for every meal, this is actually a great spot for that - I'm sure the food could be MUCH worse elsewhere, but I really prefer restaurant dining at dinner, so I was feeling a bit let down. Other general notes: This resort is HUGE. It's technically a combination of 5 or 6 resorts (each with their own lobby, buffet, and restaurants), but you have the options of visiting the other resorts as well. There is a mall (???) that joins some of the resorts. The mall is a weird vibe, unlike any other resort I've been at, but if you want to shop while you're away, I guess it's a good option. It was also really busy when we went. I think some of it is due to discrete circumstances (many people switching to Mexico from Cuba), but it was really busy pretty much everywhere. Just meant that while there are TONS of seating options on the beach, they filled up surprisingly fast. Like almost all resorts, the "seat saving" strategy is very much in play - if you didn't go to the beach (and I assume the pool as well) by 7:30 am or so to put your things on a beach chair, you likely won't have any luck, or will be left with the poorer options. To be fair, I know this isn't exclusive to this resort, but just note-worthy to be up early, even though it looks like there are so many seats to pick from! All in all, this wasn't a bad stay - it was a beautiful vacation and had the nicest beach I've seen, which is really all I needed, but I think next time I might opt for a smaller, newer resort.

The hotel building and grounds are beautiful. The rooms are spacious, but not well-maintained. We had one of the best rooms available, but it had a long list of things that did not work. Staff fixed most items, but why would management leave it to guests to do the inspections? The Italian and Spanish restaurants are very good. Los Arcos is poor, and the main buffet is quite good. Our major complaints were the endless loud music (11 am to 6 pm every day), which follows you everywhere, even into your room, and the very uncomfortable pool loungers. If you like a quiet and comfortable holiday, avoid this resort.

Not disappointed our second stay at Palace. Food, service, rooms, beach is great. My only complaint is beer quality, XX beer is not the best choice. Hotel helped me to find my phone. We are going to be back.

This hotel is not one that if you or anyone in your party has physical issues with their legs is for you It has too many stairs and the buildings are really spread out. Beer and drinks are good and the staff are friendly Food is okay , great steakhouse Just would not recommend for anyone with lower body issues

We spent 10 days at this great resort and enjoyed the activities, nightly entertainment, beach and pool. We had reservations at many of the a la carte restaurants and enjoyed each one. Looking forward to returning here next year!

We had the best stay at the Barcelo Maya Beach Resort. The beaches were beautiful..there are some rocks near the shore, but once past them the water is crystal clear. Best snorkeling is off the pier. Our stay allowed access to 4 resorts, we mostly visited Barcelo Beach and Barcelo Caribe since everything we needed was there, including a shopping mall, casino, and a 24-hour sports bar. The staff were friendly and never pushy. The pools were large with swim-up bars and daily entertainment, and the adult pool was a great place to relax! Chairs fill up early (around 8am), so putting a towel out in the morning helps. The bracelet room key was so convenient! The buffet food was decent, but à la cartes were the best. A great resort - we will definitely return!

Our visit 2 years ago was great. However this year they had a college/university booking of several hundred late January. They were very loud with room parties to 2AM. Our last day, the quiet Colonial pool became a pool party with DJ that could be heard at the lobby end of resort. A facebook posting said they also had a "girls weekend" mid January with 1000's of guests. Big bookings now displace family vacations? Good bye Barcelo.

The resort was good. The breakfast was the best meal of the day. Made you eggs to order. The food could be better. I would recommend this resort and would return for a future vacation. Good atmosphere and staff would amazing.

This place was amazing. The rooms were nice and clean. Only thing that was kind of disappointing was not all rooms have a balcony or terrace. Although it turned out to not be a big issue. Pools and bars were really good. The beach was great to walk every day, with clean white sand that goes on for miles. The staff was wonderful, always smiling and very friendly. The buffet and alacarts were very good with lots of different foods to choose from. There was multiple dishes to choose from on the alacarts menu's. We enjoyed our stay and we will go back again.

This was our first visit to the resort and we thought it was beautiful. The grounds are very well maintained. Although it’s a large resort, it never felt crowded. The beach is lovely, but we spent most of our time by the pool. We played pickleball, and the kids especially loved the mini golf and escape room. The buffet food was delicious, and we enjoyed having ice cream every day. We would definitely love to visit this resort again.

This was by far the worst resort I have ever been to. The only positives, are beautiful views, nice weather and luckily walking distance to good restaurants. The staff were unpleasant and dismissive, the food was awful - minimal buffet options, questionable looking salads and meat, nothing was warm (luckily there were some amazing restaurants walking distance that we could eat at most nights), extremely difficult to get A la carte reservation - an hour wait in the morning and most were already booked up, you had to get up at 6:30am to get chairs by the pool, rooms are extremely dated - cracked tiles, showers go from freezing cold to scalding hot, leaking AC, dark bathroom lighting, our deadbolt broke on our door and nobody ever came to fix it even after asking multiple times, door also kept getting stuck and we had use body weight to get it to open. The last night we decided to eat at the buffet for dinner and we finished the the trip with food poisoning and got incredibly ill all night and are still recovering from that a week later. I do not recommend this resort and it has deterred me from ever booking Occidental again.

Great resort lots to do we are golfers the golf course in nice but pricy we bought the 4 day package for $72 each a round but it went up to $92 for the 4 day package March 1st US funds which is expensive when your golf is included the resort itself is huge lots to do. The rooms are nice the bathrooms could do with some updating other than that everything was fine

Clean, good service. Only downside was I had to pay for zero beer. Other than that the food was great and room service was great. Front desk was super helpful. Enjoyed my stay at the this resort and would stay again.

A very large beautiful resort. Lots of pools and beautiful grounds. Very nice staff. Excellent food, lots of options. It's a nice touch to have access to the other 4 resorts. Beach was nice but rather rocky. The evening theater shows could use some work. Just like most resorts lounge chair reserving by the pool was an issue, you had to work around. Overall I would return.

The Resort was beautiful! Lots of pools and beach space. We never had to worry about finding chairs. Buffet food was good. Al a cart restaurants were fantastic! My only suggestions would be to upgrade rooms, they are out dated and provide more service at the pools for drinks and snacks.

Our stay had a few good moments, but overall the experience was defined by ongoing service frustrations that became impossible to ignore. Across most of the resort, proactive service simply doesn’t exist. Getting a drink, finding help, or having someone check in on guests usually meant going on a bit of a scavenger hunt. After a few days of this routine we started jokingly referring to the place as “Bar-celo” instead of Barcelo, because actually getting a drink often felt like a small achievement worth celebrating. To be fair, when you did manage to find a staff member, they were generally friendly and helpful. The issue wasn’t attitude. The issue was that there rarely seemed to be enough people around to actually provide service. Guests were left doing a lot of the work themselves. One bright spot was the service team at the Maya Beach buffet. The servers there were attentive, present, and genuinely seemed to care about the guest experience. It was noticeable, and honestly a bit surprising, because that level of service wasn’t something we saw consistently in other parts of the resort. Breakfast highlighted another operational challenge. Having one cook managing the entire morning buffet creates a predictable bottleneck. During busy periods the line grows quickly and the wait becomes frustrating. It feels like a very fixable problem that simply hasn’t been addressed. A couple tips for first-time visitors. The resort layout is confusing and not particularly intuitive. Download a map ahead of time or you’ll likely spend the first day wandering around wondering where things actually are. Luggage assistance is technically available at check-in, but don’t be shocked if you end up hauling it yourself while trying to decode the property layout. The beaches themselves are beautiful and well maintained, which is a credit to the grounds crew. Unfortunately, the overall experience is dragged down by inconsistent service and noticeable staffing gaps. When guests spend more time tracking down drinks, chairs, or help than relaxing, something clearly isn’t working. This resort has the bones of a great experience. Right now it just feels like the operations haven’t caught up with the expectations.

We found the resort grounds beautiful, the jungle feel is wonderful, with lots of animals around to watch the Iguanas,monkeys coati deer were so fun to watch. The staff were amazing, always had waiters at the pools and beach. The food was good and always lots to choose from. The xcaret park attached is well worth the extra cost. All and all a great vacation.

The only thing I liked about this resort is the cleanliness of the room . The people who are working at the resort are friendly and helpful. But it is a mixed of , adult and family with children little bit too crowded at the swimming pool and and at beach area. Also I am not much impressed about food. The alcohol drinks are the cheapest grade so I couldn’t drink at all.