Great Resort

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 [... read more] 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.

Pretty good for a dated resort

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 bu [... read more]t 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.

Wonderful vacation

The grounds, rooms, restaurants are all super well maintained. Service was excellent and the friendly welcoming staff added much to our stay. Lots of sargassum on the beach but that is beyond the resort’s control. They worked very hard to remove it.

Food

There was definitely a lot of food in the hotel. However, the buffet needs better chefs. The flavours of the food were really off. The captain morgan grill had the best tasting food overall. I do think that the chef's need a bit of training. Anything fried was totally soaked in oil. As if fried in cold oil. Like I said a lot of good food however taste was not there. The rooms had issues as well, we asked for our tap to be fixed many times. And there was 3 of us in a room we asked for a  [... read more]better room and it was denied as well, even though the hotel was not fully booked.

Excellent Resort

This is a large resort. You have access to the sister resorts and are all walkable. The food was excellent. The rooms are a little dated but are very clean and comfortable. My grandson has food allergies and the kitchen staff was able to provide us with separately prepared food. The beach is beautiful and you can walk a good distance. However water shoes are a must. There are large rocks under the water you can't see. Once you get in the water 100 feet or so there is nice sand. There is no bar [... read more] service at the beach but service is available at the pool. The staff were pleasant and accommodating and worked very hard. Thanks to all the resorts staff. The Xmas eve diner was something out of this world. The food and decor was amazing. Thanks also to Kevin Dupuis from trip Central who handled my booking . He is always available when i have questions.

Still a great resort

We returned from Barcelo Maya Caribe a week ago, after a 10 day stay. This was our third time at this complex, previous 2 stays were at the Tropical. The grounds are still beautiful and well maintained, although there are less colorful plants around the palm trees than before. Rooms and bathrooms were a bit dated but functional and very clean. We loved the bed sheets! The mini fridge was restocked daily and we always had enough towels in the bathroom . Food in the main dining room was just ok [... read more], not as good as on our previous visits, the choices were limited but we always found something to eat. The food in the main buffet was not warm enough, especially at dinner time. We ended up going to 4 a la carte restaurants: Italian, Mexican, Spanish and Japanese. All were great! We have to mention that the resort is very clean and that service through out the resort, from every department, was excellent - thank you Barcelo! Entertainment team, especially Joseph and Marianne, were awesome. We really enjoyed their energy and effort in including everyone in the games and aqua aerobics in the pool. The pools are amazing, huge and well maintained. Plenty of lounge chairs available around the pools and on the beach. The beach has eroded over the past few years, more rocks and coral on the shore, but still good access to the sea. We recommend wearing water shoes. Would we return there? Yes!

Beautiful resort!

The Barcelo Maya Grand is a large beautiful resort with many pools & activities and access to multiple areas & restaurants with a variety & plenty of food. The grounds are kept very clean and the friendly staff work very hard to maintain cleanliness and cater to guests. Check in could've been more welcoming as we had to change rooms in order to get the rooms we paid for but once I mentioned "speaking to a manger" they suddenly found our rooms;) There was a 3 day music festival that created a lot [... read more] of noise & brought in tons of young people which would've been nice to know about prior to booking, we were far from it so not a bother but other families were not happy about it. Overall the Barcelo Maya Grande (Caribe) is a stunning lush resort with a beautiful beach & lots of do or not do. We had an amazing week there,enjoy!!!

Amazing Resort

Everything was fantastic! Clean rooms, wonderful grounds and restaurants were well kept with great service and food. Loved the pools and beach areas! Highly recommend this resort and definitely will return again! Thanks for making our vacation special!

Lovely vacation and resort

We stayed (Mom, Dad and 10yr old) at the Barcelo Maya Grand Caribe last week and had a fantastic time.While we encountered a few annoyances, overall the stay was fantastic and we woud definitely recommend this resort. The grounds are beautiful, lush and well maintained. The ameneties are bountiful, the beach and ocean are lovely, the food is really good and the staff overall are super friendly and responsive. Coming from Canada, in summer, we did not bring closed toe shoes. Sandals ll the  [... read more]way! This proved to be an issue because although the gym is huge, well appointed, the staff would not let me train on a matt with weights or a kettle bell without closed shoes. They let my hsband do so and their sign only says closed toe shoes recommended, but I was spoken to slightly rudely and dismissed. Dissapointing. Shoes were also an issue at the restaurants (other than buffet). We were told that men must wear closed toe shoes (but not women), and were turned away at 2 out of 4 reservations. We were obviously annoyed because people wearing shorts, t-shirts, crocks and what looked like pyjama pants were allowed in. We asked why and were given no reason, just shrugs. Boo. Our toilet kept blocking and our shower was super slow to drain, leaving us in several inches of water by the end of a shower. We contacted the front desk that told us the issue woud be resolved soon. The toilet issue was fixed a few hours later but the shower never got better. Oh well. Staff did gift us free passes to the water slides/surfing wave, which was nice.We had a great day there. Do note that many amenities carry extra charges, but that is totally undertandable. Utimately, attitude is everything and there were many more positives than negatives, so we were happy in the beautiful Mexican sun and sleeping in super comfy beds.

TRYING TO SAVE OTHERS FROM HAVING THE WORST VACATION

Honestly, this place was a huge letdown. We paid way more than we have at other resorts, and it was just not worth it. Pretty much everything was booked the whole time restaurants, the spa so we didn’t get to enjoy any of the stuff we were looking forward to. No one tells you anything, either. You’re basically left to figure everything out on your own. The communication was awful. On our last night, we finally got a dinner reservation (at 9:30 PM!) and I got kicked out for not wearing pants, no  [... read more]one ever mentioned that was a rule. The staff just seemed annoyed most of the time and weren’t helpful at all. Anything you ask for takes forever, if it happens at all. Our room didn’t get cleaned for three days, we ran out of towels and water, and the A/C barely worked. The first time we called, no one came. The second time, someone showed up and said “it’s fine” and left. We were also dealing with horrible paint fumes for two days because they were painting nearby rooms. Couldn't even air out the room because opening the door shut off the A/C. Everything costs extra room service, wine, most activities. So much for “all-inclusive.” The food was DISGUSTING usually cold and the staff at guest services had serious attitude. If you don’t speak Spanish, don’t expect much help. The pools were DIRTY, SLIMEY AND CLOUDY. This was honestly one of the worst hotel stays we’ve ever had. Save your money and go somewhere else, we’re definitely not coming back.

WARNING DON'T GO

I honestly don’t understand how this place has such great reviews because it was far from amazing. The first night we arrived, my child had an accident, and the way the front desk staff treated us made me want to leave the resort that same day. They were rude, completely unhelpful, and when I tried to explain the situation while upset, they rolled their eyes at me instead of helping arrange transportation to the hospital. Zero empathy. Second issue everything at this resort costs extra. The w [... read more]aterpark, bowling, arcade, ping-pong, pool tables—literally all of it comes with an extra charge. That was a shock because every other resort we’ve been to included those things free. Third, the food was awful. The buffet and snack bar food made my whole group sick with stomach aches and diarrhea. The à la carte restaurants were the only places the food was decent, but even then, you only get four reservations for a 10-day stay. Really? Lastly, the rooms were disgusting. The bed felt like sleeping on dirt no matter how many times we asked for clean sheets. The smell of mold was unbearable it felt like it was everywhere in the room. It was uncomfortable, dirty, and honestly unacceptable. I would never recommend this resort to anyone. Save your money and go somewhere that actually cares about their guest. Oh I forgot also the beach is disgusting they don't even bother to clean up all the disgusting seaweed that collects on the beach, also if your looking for chairs by the pool or clear clean water, you definitely wont find that here. Be ready to party with the locals as they will all get drunk and blast there stereo near the kids pool. Watch out for the staff that rides his motorcycle on the pathways especially your children as he will be on his cell phone while driving on pedestrian walk way. I'm so glad to be home what a waste of money. Worst vacation ever

Great resort but loud nights.

Third visit to the Barcelo Caribe. Love this resort… great beach, lots of evening options with shows and the mall, excellent beach volleyball court and pickleball courts and other sports courts. Food was great, buffet and ala cartes, however one in our group did get food poisoning, exact source unknown. Basic Caribe rooms are okay, could use some renos but bed was comphy. Nights were a problem. Only got one decent sleep in ten nights due to parties in next room and loud drunk people in hallways  [... read more]and leaving disco at 3:30. Called the front desk numerous nights. Sometimes it helped, sometimes it didn’t. Each of our visits the night noise has been worse. Not sure if we’ll go again because of this. Otherwise we love this resort!

Our Best All-Inclusive Ever!

My husband and I recently returned from a one-week stay at the Barcelo Maya Beach Resort, a sister property to the Caribe, and with access to the Colonial and Tropical resorts. We were originally booked at the Caribe, but our flight delay left us arriving at 2AM, when the front desk of the Beach was open but not the Caribe. There was no need for any concern, as the sister resorts are nearly identical, aside from the Beach having a small adults-only pool and bar (El Cielito) near our ground-fl [... read more]oor room in Tulum. The rooms were clean, comfortable and quiet, aside from rowdy guests in the hallways for a couple of nights. The air conditioning worked well, there was a safe and mini-fridge which was stocked daily, including bottles of water and cans of beer and soft drinks. We loved the rainfall shower head, and the option to take a bath as well, with the toilet separated by a wall for privacy (though not complete privacy, if siblings or friends are sharing the room). We loved the buffet restaurants, with plenty of variety and healthy options including soups, salads, sandwich meats and multiple cheeses, as well as pork, chicken, beef, and seafood options. There is a small vegan section as well, and two lower buffets set up for children, including small desserts. We tried 3 specialty restaurants, which for us were a change of atmosphere and more personalized service. We found the food quality to be very good to excellent wherever we went, except during off hours at the beach Rancho Grande, where I found the food can be dry under the warming lights. There was much available shade around the pools as well as from palm trees on the beach. Beach lounger availability varied through our stay: there are more than enough loungers for everyone if people don't hog them/play the "chair game". The sand was not as soft and deep as it was at other resorts we've been to, but for just relaxing and listening to the sound of the waves it was perfect for us. People were snorkeling frequently, and water sports were available on days when the breeze wasn't too strong. We enjoyed Strikers Sports bar for its air conditioning and fun atmosphere, which I believe may be open 24 hours/day. There is free mini-golf during the day. The Maya Mall includes the Italian and Tokyo restaurants. Location is approx. 60 minutes from Cancun airport. We had a very relaxing vacation, and look forward to our next visit here!

Amazing Resort!! We will be back!

Where to start about this incredible resort! It is truly a 4 in 1. 4 resorts for the price of one. The grounds were beautiful with palm trees everywhere. The beaches were so well kept and stunning. The food was good and a lot of selection. The a la cartes restaurants were a nice change from the buffet. The shopping mall and vendors to shop from had lots to choose for souvenirs. My kids loved the water slides that were included. The extra water slides were a bit pricey for what it was so we skipp [... read more]ed it. There was an awesome arcade for hot days to take a break. Overall our family loved the resort and all it had to offer and we will be back.

Not a 4+ star resort

The lobby, grounds and amenities are great. The rooms are not- they are dated and in need of repair. They also aren’t cleaned properly. We arrived and our first room for tub had a chunk missing, pink mold and the shower tiles looked dirty. There were tiny little bugs crawling on the vanity and it was all dusty. We went down to the front desk and were offered a tour of a different room. It was essentially the same but a little less dirty. We were not happy and it set the tone for the rest o [... read more]f our stay. Food was ok- lunch buffets were not refreshed so unless you got there early there wasn’t much selection and freshness Beach was beautiful- a little rocky but lovely none the less and minimal seaweed.

Beautiful resort

This resort is amazing, second visit and it only gets better. Service was exceptional and staff was always willing to provide anything you needed. Rooms were very clean. The food at this resort is fabulous and the the restaurants provided superior meals and the presentation was so beautiful. Loved my vacation and will definitely return!

Nice resort!

Our second trip to Barcelo Caribe. Large resort with lots to do. Beautiful grounds, well maintained. Standard room basic and had everything we needed. Beach is long with some Sandy and some rocky parts. Was a very windy week for us so ocean good for wave jumping but not great for snorkelling or water sports. Nice volleyball courts, pickleball courts and corn Hole. This trip was in March which we would NOT do again. Spring breakers from the US were loud partiers. We got no sleep for 2 days and th [... read more]e front desk inferred this was pretty normal. Everything was very busy and seemed understaffed. Wasn’t like this the last time we went. Many Staff seemed tired and not very happy. We would definitely go again, but not in March.

Impressive Resort

This was our first time at a large resort and loved all the activity options, the beautiful grounds, excellent restaurants, pools and beach front, walking paths and weather! The mall area and Mexican market were also a great evening option to stroll through.

Huge resort

I spent 1 week at barcelo with my husband and 2 teen/tween daughters. We've been to a dozen all inclusive and this was by far the largest complex we've ever stayed at. The complex was beautiful, very clean with gorgeous beach and pools. We found our superior room to be extremely tiny and dated. Smaller than most resorts. The food was fine, not the best but it was plentiful and available everywhere. My kids loved the food. The activities and onsite shopping was fun. No need to leave the resort, t [... read more]hey had everything. I found the staff a little unfriendly, but I may have been spoiled at past resorts with extra pleasant staff. Overall it was a nice resort, just a little overwhelming big. They do accept large groups, so at times certain bars, restaurants or pools can become crowded, but there was always space to move to less busy areas.

Fantastic Family Vacation!

This was our first time to Mexico as well as one of the Barcelo Resorts. We are a family of 5 and always book 2 rooms. We've travelled a lot throughout the Caribbean and have stayed at many all-inclusives. This resort has something for everyone to enjoy. It's huge and you can use the services at the other sections too. Very easy to get around and the grounds are beautiful. The ROOMS we had were not brand new but they were well maintained and very clean. Beds were comfortable and fridges were re [... read more]stocked daily. We like to switch it up between the pool and the beach, we always found chairs but it's probably a good idea to get there early. The FOOD was very good. The buffets had lots of variety and the service there was pleasant and quick. The a la cartes were really good too, the Japanese was our favorite. We didn't have any trouble booking these but I recommend being flexible with your times, there are a lot of people to accommodate. We did one EXURSION, to see some of the Ruins followed by swimming in a cenote. We booked this through our West Jet Rep and it was well worth the price, including meals, transfers, gear and even though it said a half day, it was closer to a full day. Lots of fun and very interesting. SNORKELLING from the beach is awesome. Our favorite part was finding the turtles! It's such a cool experience to swim with them. You can do this every day if you like. They are beautiful. There's so much to do at this resort, all day and into the night. We had lots of fun and a fantastic week!