Barcelo Maya Tropical: Great resort

Very clean and well maintained grounds. Ala carte restaurants were excellent-large portions of food. Lots of options for walking, shopping and exploring right on the property. Overall very nice place for a sunny destination vacation.

Ocean Riviera Paradise: Kid friendly!

We had a wonderful time at this resort, very kid friendly and fun. We would have loved to have seen the restaurant at the beach be buffet style, the wait was sometimes so long, but the walk to the buffet was too far to do multiple times a day with young kids. Having the train run more frequently during lunch time would have also helped this issue. Overall though, it was a well maintained and beautiful resort, with lots to do.

Grand Sunset Princess: What a week

This resort is underrated. The grounds are beautiful, everything well maintained. Plenty of pools over the whole resort. They could use a few more shaded areas. Food was excellent and the staff were very polite and helpful. The beach was good but like most places in the Caribbean the see weeds was hard to control. All in all a great stay

Royalton Riviera Cancun Resort and Spa: Large property but lots of wear and tear, and not so great service.

Ok, I'm just going to be honest. There were a few positive things, but mostly negatives. As other reviews have pointed out, it's just "meh". The pictures you see on their website are NOT what the reality is so just keep that in mind. Those pictures are from when the resort first opened and it's not like that anymore. Property/Room: To start, the resort is large, and the initial impression of the look and feel is beautiful! Huge and airy lobby, with a wonderful breeze. And despite it's size, m [... read more]ost of the attractions are located in the central building so you always know where to go. The rest of the resort is all rooms with a few pools dotted around the outskirts of the property. It's nice to walk along the different places but there's also construction going on in certain parts. They had to move all the entertainment to the lobby because the stage was being repaired, which was fine because the lobby was huge anyways. When you get over the initial glamour though and start to pay attention, you'll notice signs of wear and tear EVERYWHERE and it starts to take away from the whole "5-star" claim. Uneven tables/chairs at the restaurants, chipped plates, plaster flaking off the walls, the room phone and tv's don't work, the fixtures are loose, AC isn't cold, faucets are clogged, light bulbs need to be replaced, lamps just plain don't work, toilets are slow, sinks are chipped, showers have stains and gunk all around the corners, and that's honestly just a start! Everywhere you look you can tell that this property is in dire need of some TLC all around, and there's no way it can claim to be a luxury 5-star property any more. Room: we went with the Diamond Club Presidential Suite. It was alright. Despite being in the Diamond Club part of the resort, we still had the same issues as noted above. Our view was not great at all. Even though we paid for ocean view we got the mangrove view instead, which is just a bunch of trees and overlooks the staff entrance, so you can smell cigarette smoke and hear the loud food carts and chatter at all times of day and night. Food: Mediocre, as other reviews have pointed out. There were cockroaches in one of the buffet stations and that put a downer on the rest of the food safety for me. Buffet was sub par as most buffets are so that's not a knock against the resort, but the a la carte restaurants were just not great. The exception Agave and Hunter. Huge line ups for the a la carte as well, unless you were Diamond Club and made reservations in advance via your butler. Diamond Club: Honestly, the only part of this that was worth it was the fact that your butler could make reservations at the restaurants and therefore you didn't have to wait 30-60 mins at dinner time. Otherwise, there's nothing else that was special. There is a Diamond Club lounge, but it's just guest-services and a few snacks/drinks. That's it. You get two butlers that do morning and evening shifts, but they don't talk to each other, so you have to repeat yourself twice to get what you need. There was no diamond club agent when we got to the resort so we had to wait about 1.5 hours to check in. We went to celebrate an anniversary and I spoke to the butler before hand, but nothing was done until the last day after I reminded them again. Beach: No. Just no. Good soft sand and plenty of chairs, but the seaweed covers the entire beach and water. The workers did a good job of cleaning it, but man it came back every time with a vengeance! We went in late Feb, which is still "winter" in Mexico, so there shouldn't have been that much seaweed, but it was a warm winter all season so there was a lot. I didn't see a single person in the ocean for the entire week I was there. Pools: Good pools. As you'd expect from a 5-star resort. The kids pool was super fun! Service: Here was the biggest issue for me. I've been to 3-4 star resorts where the staff bent over backwards to make sure you were enjoying your stay. At this resort, the staff just didn't care. All my vacations for the last 10 years have been all-inclusive so I know what to expect, but the staff here were just uninterested in providing a level of care and attention to detail that's consistent with a 5-star resort. There were a few gems, but other than that, most staff couldn't be bothered. The overall attitude was poor. Despite getting my room mixed up, they were unwilling to help at all. And this is "Diamond Club". I heard from other travelers that their experience was even worse. Overall, you're paying a 5-star price, for a 4-star (at best) resort. We made the most of our trip and it was memorable for other reasons, but I generally try to find positives in everything. If you can get a cheap deal on this resort, then maybe you should think about it carefully. But there ARE actual 5-star resorts in the Riviera Maya that you should be looking at way more carefully if that's what you want for your vacation.

Barcelo Maya Colonial: Beautiful Resort!

Spent a week at Barcelo Maya Colonial and had a great time. Lots of pros and a few cons. The food was great!. Favorites were the Steakhouse and the Spanish restaurant. Tried the Japanese and the Seafood and they were nice too. Best to book when you arrive with the concierge as they go fast. We had to basically take what they had. Grounds are beautiful and lots to see, lots of walking so bring comfy shoes. Some rockier areas on the beach so bring water shoes. But more than enough sandy  [... read more]areas. Lots of beautiful areas to snorkel. Loved that there was a mall for shopping on-site. Didnt have to leave the resort. Rooms were nice and comfy beds. Bathroom setup was odd. Bathroom door opens onto the toilet. Odd setup. Nothing grand but suitable enough. Cons. No hot water in the morning before checkout, may have been a fluke. No beach drink service, and no umbrellas anywhere. Some sunshades at the pool but only shade from the palm trees at the beach. Had to continually move to get shady spots. People saving chairs with towels is ridiculous. Went out at 7am and every chair was reserved and no one at them. Overall a good trip. Only other issue is that there were a ton of ignorant spring breakers high school teens that were very loud at night. They were tipping the servers at the buffet for alcohol and having liquid lunches. These were16 -17 year old US kids from Michigan. Something should be done about that. We always travel last week of March and never had so many kids at this time. Also be aware it's about an hours drive from the airport. Would go back but at a different time...not in March.

Ocean Riviera Paradise: Above Average Resort

The positives were: - the restaurants were very good and we didn't need a reservation except for the Japanese restaurant -the room was clean with a very nice shower and comfortable bed - the buffet offered a wide variety of food -workers were polite and friendly (Jasmine in the lobby bar was fantastic) The negatives were: -the beach was narrow and the chairs were packed like sardines with not enough palapas for shade -smokers were everywhere and being so close meant that we were breathin [... read more]g their smoke all day -in the halls of our adults only section, people would put dishes out in the hallway for pickup by the staff but they would stay there for up to a week without being picked up -coffee was almost impossible to find in the mornings when we like to go to the beach and enjoy some early morning quiet. There was only Mike's coffee bar open at 7:30 and the line ups for the fancy coffees made it inconvenient to stand in line for. -there was no quiet pool. The priviledge pool was the closest thing to it but you could hear the noise and activities from the other nearby pool. -entertainment was not great and was geared towards young kids.

Grand Sunset Princess: A nice getaway

It’s been 3 years since our last vacation so we decided it was time to go on a vacation. We booked this hotel last minute. I was happy with the hotel. The food was good, the bartenders were willing to make nearly any type of drink you asked for (though in my opinion there should be more bars down near the pools and beach as several times the line ups were quite long). I was lucky to get my hubby and I booked into A La Carte restaurants for our dinners but that’s because it was only 2 of us,  [... read more]I wasn’t picky about the times we got. I could see that this would have been more difficult to do if it was a larger group. If you aren’t on your phone exactly when booking times open then you’d get nothing. The resort was full and busy and I felt the staff were trying hard to please, making drinks as fast as they could, etc. a few times it felt like a few extra staff would have been helpful in the buffets as they ran out of some items and it took a long time to replenish and not enough waiters/waitresses to serve coffee, etc. Other than that observation, we enjoyed our time there. Nice pools, great food and drinks, nice sandy beach, clean resort. We loved the monkeys and “Mexican Raccoons” running at will, as well as the nice sculptures and walking path throughout.

Barcelo Maya Colonial: Will Return

A relaxing and enjoyable experience. We rode the bus around the resort a few times to dine, shop or just take in the sights. We saw deer, coati and iguanas from the bus and a few times while walking. Quality of the food and service was great. We dined at 4 A la carte restaurants. Mexico Lindo was my favourite, but I enjoyed them all. I was impressed by the knowledge of the Wait Staff at each of the a la Carte's regarding Food Allergies. Our only negative experience was the bus company th [... read more]at picked us up at the airport. The trip from Cancun to the Resort was very slow. They never stopped at our hotel to pick us up for our flight home, so the Concierge found another tour bus to pick up those of us at the Colonial. He was excellent!

Riu Palace Riviera Maya: Amazing Resort

Everything was great. Food was excellent. Pools were fantastic. Staff very helpful. Ocean front excellent for walking. Room and all facilities were very good..Good selection for restaurants. Activities were interesting and valuable. Pools side bar services were welcome. Sand beaches were clean and easy for walking.

Bahia Principe Explore Tulum: Great Resort-Travel to and from not so...

Pool is great with lost of entertainment and activities. Beach like a lot of the area is dealing with endless weeds and beach erosion..not usable.The staff are friendly and talkative at most of the times. Food is very good with a large variety and dinning areas are always clean and spacious. Travel to resort which is about 96 km away took 3 hrs+, as bus stopped at 4 resorts as well as waiting at airport for 50 minutes for travellers that never showed up at bus. Travel back to airport took 4  [... read more]hrs for a 96 km trip..a daytime nightmare!! arrived at airport 30 min before boarding schedule. A 9:00 am bus pickup for a 2:00 flight. Again part due to stops, traffic issues and guest not showing at arranged pickups. Be aware as this adds up to a about 2 days gone from a vacation. If we were to do the same resort again, we would look at private shuttle direct to resort/airport...with out the wait or stops. Be worth the dollars to eliminate stress and frustration.

Grand Palladium Select White Sand: Huge Resort

Grounds were not well kept lots of debris in the natural areas along the paths. You have to take tram most places as resort is so large. Beach is extremely disappointing and has lots of rocks and twigs on beach Seaweed was so thick you couldn’t go in the water or walk the beach unfortunately. We know this is out of the resorts control and they tried very hard to keep up with it, they just couldn’t. So if you are a beach/ocean people like us you will be very disappointed. Rooms were spaci [... read more]ous. Food was good for the most part but they used a lot of salt. The Thai restaurant was fantastic and Japanese was very good as well. They are a must visit. Resort is family oriented so if you are going as a family it is exceptional if you are older and just a couple you may be a bit disappointed. Lots of great things to do for the kiddos.

Bahia Principe Explore Tulum: Incredible first time experience

Wonderful experience at this resort! It was my first time going to an all inclusive and I finally 'get it'. We had a wonderful time. The grounds were beautifully kept, with lots of plant and animal life around. The hospitality was exceptional, people were very kind and helpful. The rooms were clean and modern, AC worked great. Food was decent and readably available and there were always activities happening. I liked that there was access to other nearby resorts too but Tulum was by far the best.

Ocean Maya Royale: Océan Maya royale

Excellent resort ! The food at the buffet as well as at the à la cart restaurants was always delicious - our favorite was the French restaurant. No reservations are needed except for the Japanese restaurant. Drinks are spot on - or a tad too strong even. No problem getting loungers at the beach - just beware that as at every other resort seaweed right now is a problem.

Kore Tulum Retreat Wellness Resort: Awesome!

Great resort, not too busy, can easily get around. Great location and free bike rentals allowed us to explore a lot (ruins, beach clubs, cenotes, etc). All staff was amazing (pool bar tender was grumpy but you can’t win ‘em all!) breakfast and lunch menus were the same everyday but there were lots of choices so we ended up trying almost everything throughout the week and it was delicious. Entertainment staff were amazing and led bike tours, yoga, karaoke, pool party and music/dancers. Was ni [... read more]ce and not too busy. Started getting busier towards the last couple days of our stay due to spring break but that’s to be expected. Dinners were different every day and delicious. Would recommend!

Grand Sunset Princess: This resort is a gem!

This was our second time visiting. The grounds are beautiful with so much to discover as you take a leisurely morning walk along the walkways lined with huge palm trees and beautiful shrubs and flowers. The beach took a hit from storms I think but it’s better than I remember it. The slope is more gradual and no rocks at all. Seaweed was a problem every morning but they worked diligently to clear it away by mid morning. We could choose to join the many activities provided at the pools o [... read more]r beach or relax on our swim out deck which lead to a quite pool where we could watch the monkeys swing in the trees. We even saw a deer one morning. The only concern was the Koties were very friendly, and would like to visit all the ground floor decks in our area because one of the guests kept feeding them. Not a good idea! Staff were very friendly. The food was good especially at the restaurants. Hand sanitizers were available at all entrances and exits to the dining areas and lobbies. Some staff wore mask in the dining areas or bars but not all. I felt safe from Covid because of the way the main lobby and entertainment area is open to the air with a roof covering most of it. You are basically outside 95% of the time unless you are shopping in the many shops available or dining in. I have to say I did not hear any coughing on this trip at all! What a pleasant surprise.

Barcelo Maya Palace: Great Resort in a wonderful Country, I have been 6+ times

The resort is one of the best I have ever visited, and I am comparing this to over 10 or so. The beach is good, managed to get some snorkelling in a find the right amount of shade. The rooms are top notch and the contents of the mini fridge are replaced daily. The entertainment was good to great (Circus, Michael Jackson, and the Magic Show), in that order. I thought the Kareoke show would be pointless, so I stayed away. The food in the main buffet was average to good, some dishes were next level [... read more] like the chipotle beef. The bus between buildings comes regularily and is useful if you are tired, but walking is also doable. As a total score out of 5, I would give it a 4 and would return some time. I also think the resort is very well run.

Grand Sunset Princess: Princess Sunset

Fantastic resort, the grounds, room, a la Carte restaurants were top notch. The only negative thing was the stinky seaweed at the ocean beach which the grounds crew did their best to clean-up on a daily basis.

Barcelo Maya Caribe: Average Resort

Returned a week ago from the Barcelo Maya Caribe. It is a no frills resort with the beach and pool being the best factors. We went to 2 al a cartes and wouldn't bother if we'd had known it was just mediocre. Didn't even go to the other 2 that we had reservations for. The buffet is really good, something for everyone. I think most of the resorts in the Mayan Riviera all use the same company to source their desserts from. They are all the little cakes cut in different shapes and differe [... read more]nt colours, but mostly all the same. I didn't even bother with them, stuck to the fruit and fruit cups. I really love dessert but can pass those little cakes up easily. Dessert was disappointing. The rooms - very blah. No frills whatever. They do supply shampoo conditioner and lotion. The hall outside the rooms are VERY DARK and unappealing. Definately need some nice lighting and some sort of decor as there is ZERO decor, inside the halls and outside the actual buildings. When we arrived at the resort in the bus, it was so blah and disappointing, just a big building, no decor or flowers whatsoever. No excitement to finally get there. We were apprehensive about the place. The checkin was fine, the lobby, again blah, no flowers, nothing even on the checkin counter, NOTHING. Only 4 of us checking in and the young man checking us in talked so fast and rushed like he was really busy. We couldn't understand him, didn't know if he was talking english or spanish! Again, no decor other than some metal spanish metal statues in the lobby. They didn't appeal to me at all . The room didn't have any towel art, no candies on the pillows, nothing, no frills. I only seen 1 miriachi singing group during the whole week, at the mexican a la carte. Why not have them around the whole resort each day?! They really add to the Mexican feel of a place. Should always be at the buffets. I didn't see any drink servers at the beach or the pool. Had to get your own. No frills. No little snack stands right at the pool, like I ALWAYS see at other resorts. Seen lots of fish at the pier. That was really nice. The theater - was good on 3 nights -- Michael Jackson, Il Divo and the Magic Show were good. But the kareoke, the men vs. ladies were bad. Don't recommend. But they really should turn ON the lights after the shows. I actually tripped on the side of some stairs (there are stairs all over), and I fell right down. (Not a drinker). Lighting is very poor. They should also have little golf carts to drive customers around as there's lots of walking. One of the 4 of our group rented an electric scooter for about $100/day to get around. The bartenders all seemed unhappy. This really sounds negative, but the beach and the pools made it worthwhile for us, that's what we went for. It was average but at a higher cost. I would recommend if you are happy being at the beach and pools and fine with buffets, but the resort is very MEDIOCRE, again NO FRILLS THERE!!! Just my opinion.

Barcelo Maya Tropical: Fabulous week away

We loved everything about the barcelo maya tropical. The beach was beautiful, pools were great, friendly staff (front desk, housekeeping, bars, buffets, restaurants). The food was very good and there was no issue getting restaurant reservations at decent eating times. There was never an issue getting beach chairs either at the pool or beach. Lots to do if you wanted - overall, a great week away

Royalton Splash Riviera Cancun: Wonderful resort

My family was there from March 18-25. Resort: it's beautiful. Hotel was great. Service was great. They supplied your small fridge everyday with pop, beer and water. Bottled water was always available around the resort. Staff was there to serve you when needed. Staff puts out towels on the chairs for you. The Vibe team were amazing with daily activities. The kids club was good ( ages 4-12) and accommodating at times. Staff cleaning was good. They did use precautions in dealing with serving food  [... read more]both in buffet and A la Carte restaurants. Pools: were amazing. Activities during the day for kids and adults. Only if you were DC then you had your own pool area. We did an excursion to Isle Mujeres on a luxury boat. Great trip for the day. Negative: the traffic from airport to resorts are dreadful. They are making the roads bigger but except longer delays to get anywhere. It's a good family resort. It's clean . Staff is friendly Negative: the beach on that whole coastline- not good. Seaweed is bad. The workers are there everyday trying their best to clean and rake up the seaweed that finds its way to the shoreline. People have not been swimming in the ocean which is to bad. I would recommend this resort to families with kids. My kids were 12 and 15. They enjoyed themselves especially water volleyball