Barcelo Maya Palace: Bring comfy shoes and a wad of cash

The resort was beautiful and clean. The staff were always around cleaning up empty cups and trash. The beach was less than pleasant. There were either large toe crushing boulders, or sharp gravel pits at most entry points into the ocean. The buffets were mostly good, but there definitely could be more variety. I found that there was a lack of energy and there could be more activities and engagement for the visitors.

Allegro Playacar: tres belle plage

Great Resort ! in general , very long and fantastic beach , warm clear water and exciting waves , no algae on beach sand. Food repetitive but passable. rooms are very small , no elbow room. Reception desk is competant , wifi in room is appreciated. Overall ,if you want sun and beach this is the place. Tout etait tres bien sauf la chambre ,le climatisateur ne fait pas l'evaporation de l'humidite, l'air est froid mais humide ,les draps et le matelas tres inconfortable ,pour cette raison j [... read more]e ne retournerais pas a cet hotel .Je tiens a remercier Maria Cupul notre femme de chambre , aussi le responsable du buffet pour sa bonne gestion ,et notre serveur Bernardo Bernal ,lui et ses collegues ,souriant rapide a repondre serviable .Je salut mes rencontres Pierre et Lise ,Leo et monsieur Chips , et Sonia et Gaetan .

Ocean Riviera Paradise: Very Long check In

We arrived at the hotel at 12:30 AM, did not get our rooms till 2:30 AM. They were not prepared there was 10 of us and we had to wait in the lobby after long travels with small children. We all wanted to be together, they told us to check in again in the morning so that we could be on the ground level which I had requested through the travel agent, we tried this for three days in a row and our request was never fulfilled. After the third day we just gave up. On the fourth day there was a bad sme [... read more]ll in our room which they did rectify right away. The grounds are lovely and if you have small children the Daisy section is very good for them. The Italian restaurant and the Japanese restaurant were great. The steakhouse it tasted like food from the Buffet. I found that the staff was not trained as well as the resort that we stayed at last year. It was clean. They tell you that they’re going to upgrade your room but it never happens. we were told to go to guest services, which we did, but the representative from Air Transat was just interested in selling you tours, said he would help but he never followed through. Also we were told we had to check in with guest services on the first day to get our departure time, it’s a scam they try to sell you tours

Wyndham Alltra Playa del Carmen: Our favourite for a reason

Good food, friendly staff, great service, great location. One of our favourite destinations for all these reasons The only glitch was that our room was not available upon arrival. They gave us a one night upgrade -which was ready and waiting- and moved us at our convenience. Other than that minor inconvenience, another great stay. We’ll be back.

Hilton Tulum Riviera Maya All Inclusive: Definitely NOT returning

This was a highly anticipated family trip for 10 nights which definitely did NOT impress anyone, young or old. The hotel: The hotel itself is seated along a long path of natural forest, so definitely a lot of mosquitoes. We booked garden view rooms and beach view rooms, but all of them had small bathroom with NO ventilation and the showers (no tub) were all frequently plugged so the water keeps overflowing outside. They also smelled moldy. One of the showers only had scalding hot water that coul [... read more]dnt be used for fear of burning, the repair took about 3 hours. The housekeeping was inconsistent even though we left tips everyday. There were shampoo, conditioner, shower gel available, but half full, so I suspect they were left from previous guest and only replaced when completely empty. No other toiletry items (toothbrush, toothpaste, comb, etc) that would be expected for a 5 star Hilton hotel. The beach: There is almost no beach to speak of, except for a tiny little strip in front of the main building, but there is no service whatsoever so be ready to bring your own drink. This little bit of beach is also very shallow and full of rocks so don’t expect to do any swimming. Pools: There are several pools, 2 of them are warm water (one of the positives) but NONE have a wet bar and again, not too many servers so expect slow service. The pool waters also started to turn murky on our 4 or 5th day and there were not that many guests there to begin with. No toys at all at the kids pool, but lots for sale at the several shops in the hotel at triple the price. Amenities: the snack bar is located at the very end of the hotel at Building 6, and it closes at 6:30. There are no 24 hour snack bars at the hotel. You can order room service, but takes around 1-1.5 hours to arrive and very limited selection of food. Food: honestly the worst buffet I have ever been to in any hotel (Dominican, Mexico, Cuba). Seriously, even buffets in Cuba are better. Not only is it small, it is only available on Friday, Saturday, Sunday. All other days you HAVE to book a la carte. If you forget to book a reservation for any of the days, expect to wait at the restaurant until they have seating available. As a large family group with young kids, sometimes we just want to grab a quick bite to eat without having to sit down for hours for the full service. That being said, full compliments to La Luca (Italian a la carte) for their service and food. The service was fantastic and the pizza delicious. We actually eat pizza for 3 days straight. The only decent coffee is at the lobby snack bar where they have an expresso machine. They don’t even know how to make an in cappuccino. Towards the end, all of us were actually looking forward to going home because there were nothing to do other than the increasingly dirty pools. 100% would not be returning and definitely not recommending to anyone, much less a friend.

Ocean Coral and Turquesa: Amazing resort

We had an amazing time at the resort. I’m a very picky eater and the food was better than my expectations. I’d say it was very delicious. I had an amazing prime rib dinner at the buffet one night, the breakfasts were always my favourite. There was a honey comb that gave fresh honey for pancakes. The A la carts were delicious too. The pools were beautiful. Bartenders at the swim up were very attentive and I loved the different drinks they made. Our room was big and clean. The ac was cold and hous [... read more]e cleaning was amazing. The shows were all entertaining. So much to do at the resort. I highly recommend the beachside massage!!! Now, the water was a bit wavey but the beach itself was kept up daily with minimal seaweed. Sand was soft and clean. There was lots of chairs around the pools. The staff worked effortlessly to ensure guests were well taken care of. I can’t wait to go back to this resort. First time in Mexico and the memories I have will last a life time! Thanks to my travel agent Heather for suggesting this resort that matched all my wants in a vacation!!!!

Hotel Xcaret Mexico: beware

amazing resort and grounds - beware as the management and front desk practice extortion and pressure tactics to get you to pay more We booked with Tripcentral for my family and my mother and father in law. My mother and father in law were staying on the Arte side but would like to have a room with access to the Xcaret side as we were traveling with kids. When they arrived at Arte the resort said they could not access the Xcaret side and that they had to upgrade and pay $4000 more to be [... read more] able to access to the Xcaret side (after paying $9600) for the week....of course they were devastated and just paid as they wanted to be with their grandchildren and the resort saw this and extorted them. We reached out to tripcentral and westjet as this was not what we agreed upon as tripcentral knew we were going as a family and needed and wanted the grandparents to have access to Xcaret side (otherwise they would have simply stayed on the Xcaret side as it was cheaper anyway) - having been to S=Xcaret arte in jan 2023 my wife and I had experienced the adults only side and figured they would like it as well - and we also had access to Xcaret when we were there in jan 2023. This was my third time to Xcaret and had previously brought over 50 people with me the other times as well and spent well over $250,000 with trip central on trips I am disgusted and amazed that this happened and now tripcentral and westjet are hiding and not responding to my calls and emails

Iberostar Waves Paraiso del Mar: Perfect resort for relaxation

The grounds are amazing, with so much greenery and wild life. They have pink flamingo's, white and black swans, couti, peacocks, and of course iguanas just hanging around like the tourists. The walks to the restaurants and pool/beach are the best. You feel like you are walking through a little jungle. The pool is the best you can find a quiet spot or be down by the party. You can find a shady spot if you need a break from the sun or just keep on baking. The restaurants are great but the  [... read more]buffet is just as good. So much variety every night something new to try. They chef they have on staff is really great at his job. Best buffet I have ever had. The staff are by the friendliest people and they really enjoy their jobs....after talking with one of the waiters at the lunch buffet we discovered that a lot of the staff have been working at the resort for more than 20 years. The rooms are a bit dated but very clean...I felt like it had a rustic feel to it so it works for me. If you are looking for a place to relax by a pool and enjoy eating good food and drinks than the Del Mar is perfect for you

Iberostar Waves Paraiso Beach: My first time to Mexico was a success!

The hotel was exactly what I was looking for. It was very large but spread out so it was low density and not crowded. It had lots of greenery and wild animals and lantern lit pathways, so beautiful ambience. We went at the beginning of January so it was still quite humid but the air conditioning in our room worked great for when we needed to escape the heat. The food was great but I didn't notice a huge difference from the la carte and the buffet. Our room was very close to the theatre and buffe [... read more]t so it was pretty loud, I'd like to choose our room if we go again. The descriptions of what is offered is very minimal so we had lots of questions when we got there but they were all answered adequately. The entertainment was great and they always had something fun for guests to do. Beach was also clean but you had to get up super early to get a chair otherwise people would reserve them with towels. We just rented the sun beds a couple times. The store on site was ridiculously expensive so don't forget ANYTHING and get souvenirs s off site. There was only one type of beer which was disappointing because I got sick of Dos X's real quick LOL and I'm a beer drinker which was the only major downfall... I couldn't even get something at additional cost... Also, it says no smoking but there were people smoking all over the resort, didn't bother me but it might for some others.. Overall great place and I'd definitely go back.

Sandos Caracol Nature Resort and Water Park: Was okay

I have to say, reading all the comments for this resort after booking, had me really worried. But we managed to have a good holiday. The food is great at the buffets and excellent at the a la cartes. If you don't time your meals right, you could end up waiting 45 mins - an hour in to enter the buffet. Then once entering you must stand in line to serve yourself food as it is set up so that you must do so. Even if you don't want 1/2 of what is there, you can't access the food you want unless you d [... read more]o. This can take another 30 - 45 mins. Could be set up much better. But lots of variety and lots of food. Hard to get in to the a la Cartes. Have to stay up to midnight then booked solid by 12:01 am. Managed to get in at very late times and because of cancelations. The drinks were fine. The service was fine. The pools were fine. The resort had lots of interesting things to see, but it is very easy to get lost/turned around in. Lots of signs and maps, but definitely areas where they need to add signage. I think that covers it, except for the beach. A big disappointment. I am a beach person and this just didn't cut it. I believe it is suggested thar a ways down the beach is nicer, but it is another resort, so what good is that. The pools were great for my Grandkids, so all is well. Don't think I would go there again.

Bahia Principe Escape Sian Ka'an: Beau resort

Nous avions un panthouse et c'était vraiment super. Le service et le personnel étaient gentils et à l'écoute de nos demandes. Le resort était propre et tout était bien entretenu. Angel et Roberto qui étaient à la réception ont tout fait pour que notre séjour se déroule à merveille.

Paradisus Playa del Carmen: Big Resort , good food , great service.

The room was good and clean , the bathrooms were good too. We had a gardenview suite which means there were unobstructed views of greenery. Food was good at the buffets and lots of variety. Spa service was amazing as my wife decided to get a massage , she was treated extremely well. The forest trail to the beach was very nice. Room service was decently fast and food was good .

Barcelo Maya Beach Resort: Barcelo Maya Beach

Great resorts with lots to do. Our rooms were a bit dated but we expected that. They are also using key cards for your rooms, make sure not to have these anywhere near your cellphone. We went day after day because our card would not allow us into our room to the point we were beyond frustrated. It took one of the maids walking by our rooms to tell us "no cell phone" not sure why no one at the front desk mentioned this to us after the third day we went back to get a new card. They change your  [... read more]sheets only on request with a card on your bed, other then that they just make your beds. Same with towels leave them on floor or they will not change them. They never refilled our ridge in our room the whole time we were there, not sure if we had to ask or what but it was never done even on days we wanted our sheets changed. A lot of water parks across each resort for the kids but there was one that they promote most on their sites, I think it was the pirate something, that is located with the flow rider that cost money. I knew the flow rider cost extra but I couldn't find any mention of that water park in particular costing extra. But be ready at least in December, the weather is hot but the pool is COLD. The go karts are also extra $$ but knew this in advance. It is also only for children over 8 years old to ride with an adult, and you will need proof of that. We didn't bowl but they have a great bowling area with the 24 hour sports bar as well as a small arcade. Buffets were good, nothing extravagant. There was no AC in the buffet areas we visited for breakfast and dinner, which we didn't mind since the evenings were cool. We visited a couple of the a la carte restaurants, the Italian and Mexican and both were delicious. Everything else was booked and you either needed to eat super early or late. The night shows get super busy so if you want a seat get there early. Check in took forever as we got there right when a bus full of travelers landed. The front desk also gives you conflicting information every time you go depending on the person you speak to. I went to the front and asked if they would break down our American money for dollars etc. and they said no. My husband went back the next day and the gentleman did it for him. As well, you can only use cash for tipping or in the market. Everything else on the resort is credit card. The only card that would work for me was Mastercard, not sure if that was a me thing or a resort thing. The bars don't have enough bartenders around the pool areas so get ready for a bit of a line up. There was never more then 1 or at most 2 bartenders at each bar area.

Bahia Principe Escape Sian Ka'an: Nice beach , staff were accommodating

We had an amazing week at all of the Bahia resorts! We were a bit surprised when we arrived. The resort was all couples. Not many singles. lol! Adult only was nice though. Having access to the other resorts made a big difference for us as we were looking for a variety of night time festivities. We enjoyed the private adult only beach and infinity pool was great! All of our restaurant reservations did not disappoint. Great food! Love the Bahia resorts!

Bahia Principe Explore Akumal: Amazing Trip at Akumal

My husband and I went to Luxury Bahia Principe Akumal for one week over the holidays. We had an amazing trip and I’m honestly surprised by the recent negative reviews! The only complaint we had was that the pools were quite cold for the majority of our stay. They warmed up on our second last day, but it was unfortunate that we could not enjoy the pool. Fortunately the resort is right on the beach. You could always find chairs and there were a few bars along the beach too. The beach is nice an [... read more]d we went on a few beach walks to visit the other Bahia resorts. It is true that the ride from the airport is long (around 2 hours). We also happened to be the last stop. There were delays at the airport and we didn’t arrive at the hotel until midnight. The check-in process was easy though. My husband and I were given an upgrade (building 82 in the adults only section - very nice!) upon arrival. The room had two singles instead of a king, but they pushed the beds together and put on a mattress topper so we were happy with that. Especially since the room was much nicer than the standard room and it was in a great area! The bed was comfortable and we were given memory foam pillows. The bathroom was large and our room had a nice view. We were pleased that the manager Brian tried to help us figure out our room situation. He was so kind! The grounds are beautiful. There are four Bahia resorts in total and Akumal is definitely the nicest. You can take a trolley to get from one resort to the other or to get around this resort. We rarely used the trolley since you could easily walk the grounds. Akumal has three large pools (one is adults only). There is a swim-up bar in the main pool closest to the lobby and bars right by all of the other pools. My husband and I thought the food was incredible. I am not a foodie and I can be a picky eater, but I was so happy with the food options. My parents and some family friends joined us for our trip and they also really enjoyed the food. When you stay at Akumal, you can eat at all of the ‘a la carte’ restaurants. TIP: download the app and book your dinners in advance! It’s super simple to sign-up and download their app. We made reservations three days before our stay and booked all of our dinners. I’d recommend booking within a week of your departure. The people that work at Akumal are very friendly. I ended up falling on my trip and had to go to the hospital. The staff were very accommodating, got us a taxi to the hospital (the fees at the hospital were incredibly reasonable, even though we were worried about the cost!) and checked in on me a lot in the days following my accident. We were treated so well and everyone was happy and kind. I would highly recommend Luxury Bahia Principe Akumal for a vacation. I’d be happy to answer any questions about the resort. I can’t wait to go back!

Dreams Natura Resort and Spa: Great family Resort

Overall good resort felt safe food was good. Great for family trips. This is a high wedding resort with at least one per day. Sometimes without advance notice they kick you out of the pool area for the rest of the day for a wedding and at a resort low on chairs you will then not have one. Slides were fun. Roller glider has a weight limit max of 198lbs. Drinks were decent by the end of the week the bars were running out.

Barcelo Maya Colonial: Trying not to be negative but will be honest.

The Barcelo Maya Colonial is one of three other Barcelo properties on the stretch of Puerto Aventuras Beach. Our family of nine booked this property with requests for two double beds for all but two of the four rooms back in July 2023 and re-requested this upon confirming with the balance of payment in early November 2023. Upon arrival, we were told the hotel was at capacity and we would have to take what was leftover. My son and his grand mother had to share a room with one king bed and a co [... read more]tt even though we had paid for two adults sharing and requested two double beds. In general, we found the hotel and staff very in-flexible to our requests such as putting a couple of tables together in the main buffet so we could eat together as a family. They just would not do it. Also, since the resort was so busy, we would have to get up every morning by 6:15 a.m. to get beach chairs. The beach was extremely rocky and treacherous. The rooms and especially the bathrooms were extremely moldy. It seems the hotel tried to camouflage the overwhelming moldiness in our room by doucing it with too much bleach. Had to sleep with the balcony door open six out of seven nights to be able breath clearly as an Asthmatic. This is supposed to be a 5 star resort and definitely had a lot of interesting amenities. However, due to the lack of flexiblity/service, moldy rooms, treacherously rocky beach, insufficient beach & pool chairs, we will never return. I rate this a 3 star property at best. We've stayed at another 5 star Barcelo property in Playa del Carmen and had the opposite of this negative experience.

Grand Sunset Princess: Not bad, not great

Pros: - Huge resort. Some might not like that, we I do as I don't feel as confined when at a smaller resort - Gardens were nice, although not as nice as other 5 star resorts we've been at. - Good drinks. Corona available both in cans and on tap. Modelo was the other beer available on tap. - Attentive staff around the pool to take your order for drinks - Entertainment staff were great in the pool (our son loved playing water polo) - Lots of wildlife. Deer, monkeys, mexican racoons, birds on [... read more] a daily basis. Cons: - We all got tired of having the same breakfast buffet each day. - Food is OK, not anything close to what you'd get at a Karima resort. Food was rarely hot, just luke-warm. - Beach was nice but always smelt like sulphur - Foam party was at the beach. We like it better when at the pool - A la carte reservations are a pain in the ass. You can only book up to 2 days in advance - Our hot water in our room wasn't very hot - Occasionally, you could smell old urine in the room. It was quite nasty at times - Nightly entertainment was average - Wet/slippy signs were everywhere. Instead, it would have been nice if the cleaning staff mopped up the wet areas. Other thoughts: - Tacos and Hamburgers stand were the best option for lunch. You're only other option for lunch is the buffet but as its the same food every day, you get sick of those options and the food there isn't great. However, be prepared to wait in line at the Hamburger and Taco stands. - For us, the biggest disappointment was the urine smell and the quality of the food.

Dreams Riviera Cancun: family friendly/not for the night owl looking to party

Beautiful location and views, I had a plunge pool room that was amazing with private access. Very great customer service, staff was friendly and always made sure the room was fully stocked and clean. The only issue i HAD WAS THAT THEY CALL IT ALL INCLUSIVE BUT THE CLUB AND ALL BARS CLOSE AT 1AM. I dont understand how it can be called all inclusive if u cant order or have access to liquor or event space after 1. the food was mediocre on the same level as Cuba, very bland no seasoning, i have had [... read more] better Mexican food in Toronto. They should offer authentic cuisine as an option instead of catering only to Americans. Location wise was not too bad but its not considered the hotel district so you dont have much options to leave the resort. its a good 20-30 min drive to get to the hotel district.

Blue Bay Grand Esmeralda: Needs a little TLC but had a great time!

Our family of four (7yo and 9yo) went for a week with another family (11yo). We have travelled extensively and been in the area multiple times. Here’s our here. Pros: Friendly staff that worked whether you tipped or not (but they definitely appreciated tips) Shuttle was frequent Food was tasty, fresh, and a great selection Drinks were ample and a variety and the swing bar by the beach was my kids fav to have their virgin pina coladas. Lots of pools to enjoy and a quiet pool tu [... read more]cked in the back for those wanting to avoid the loud music Elevators was nice especially for luggage or after a long day at the beach The ac worked great, showers were warm enough, the fridge was always stocked. Decent entertainment. The kids loved it and that’s all that mattered. Cons: It’s a big resort. I don’t recommend if you have mobility issues as you will still need to walk a bit with or without shuttle The beds are older and “bouncy” and a double. They would benefit from platform bases versus screws on legs and some variety in room set ups to be more family friendly. The leg kepts falling off and they never came to fix after multiple calls. We ended up sharing a bed each with one kid as pretty small for two grown adults They are skimpy on towels and lacking spoons. They made up for it with plastic spoons but it’s weird to get a plastic spoon for a soup in a restaurant when you have regular cutlery for everything else No towel animals. This may seem silly but it’s something kids look forward to. Limited change. We brought money to tip but could never get it broken down. This made it a challenge to tip as often as we liked as some days they had no change! App wouldn’t let us make group reservations for dinner so had to go every morning to make reservation for the following night. Need more spaces for groups to hang out and play cards without loud music. This was something people kept looking for and we enjoyed but it was hot and sticky behind the black and white bar Intermittent wifi. I didn’t mind disconnecting but I know it was frustrating to send a quick message and it not send when you needed it. Chairs at the pools or beach were limited during peak season. Once people left jan 7 we could find seats much easier