Great resort

Very clean. Beautiful place. I travel quite a bit and this resort is one of the best I’ve visited. Recommended to anybody going to Mexico. Friendly helpful staff. Fantastic food also great for families lots of outdoor space

Disappointed

We usually go at least twice a year to Mexico. For the last few years we stayed at the Bahia Principe Sian Ka‘an. Loved it and got spoiled. After staying home for two years due to Covid, we decided to try the Barcelo Tropical. Westjet was amazing. Trouble started with check-in at the hotel. They did not have our reservations and customer service took my phone and started texting himself. I never ever experienced something like this and still worried about charges on my phone since he took it  [... read more]off airplane mode which I only realized a few days later. And of course no welcome drink, no welcome wet towel etc. Room was great, bed and bedding were amazing. Everything worked except the fan in the bathroom. But we did not bother to call customer service as we wanted to avoid the hassle of arguing and losing valuable vacation time. Food was at times inedible, literally ice cold and the beef as chewy as shoe soles. Most of the times we only ate breakfast. In 15 days we had 5 lunches. We did not bother to get reservations to the restaurants as we were afraid we end up with the same inedible food and wasted a whole evening as at the buffet. Service from anyone in the resort was none existing. After 7 days we still did not get one decent drink so I finally went to customer service. They take the tip, take the bottle from the shelf but switch it to the fake staff when pouring. Customer service heard it all before so they look at you with that look that you bother them. Then our safe could not be opened. I called customer service, someone will be coming. I asked how long, 10-20 minutes. Don’t leave the room as you must be present when the repairman comes. 11/2 hours later we are still waiting. We were there 15 days and always left tips for cleaning and I asked for extra coffee in the room so that we can sit on the balcony and have at least two cups each. Only if I wrote a note did we get extra coffee. We never drank the pop so the coffee would have not cost anything extra to the hotel. Twice the room was not cleaned and we had to use the towels from the floor and coffee was not refilled. So also on our last day. Instead of enjoying our last couple of hours on our balcony all I was looking forward to was the taxi to pick us up. So for what we paid we got 15 nights of good sleep but not one decent drink and tasteless, cold food. Beach was good, beach and pools very clean.

Beautiful

Rooms and lobbies were very clean and kept up. Swimming pools were clean but had a few items to attend such as cigarettes in the middle fountain area that looked to be there for a long time. Since the resort is very large a quick map of the resort in rooms or in a hand out would have been super helpful.

Beautiful

This was our first time in 12 visits to the Mayan Riviera staying at a Barcelo. It was excellent. The location of the pools, beach and rooms is perfect. You can get around easily to the sister hotels if you are looking for a change of scenery. Great gym, great food and everyone worked so hard to make your holiday great. Top hotel for us and we will be back!

Great Vacation Destination

The hotel grounds were beautiful and breath taking. This was my first time leaving Canada so I did not know what to expect. From the moment I entered the lobby I was taking care of, check in was quick in easy, there were two people ahead of me and I was checked in and to my room in 20 minutes. The buffet was huge with lots of variety even for my son who is a picky eater, he always found something he liked and even adventured out and tried new foods. We went to four restaurants which were all ver [... read more]y good as well, getting reservations was easy, however we don’t mind eating later. If you had young kids getting an early reservation may be difficult. Our room was cleaned and fridge restocked everyday. We did go during spring break so there were big crowds but that was to be expected. We were only woke up once at 2am by loud rowdy teens/young adults and security had come and felt with it in a timely manner. I never worried about covid once on my trip, the staff are all wearing masks and sanitizer stations are at most building entrances and buffets. Masks are required when serving yourself at the buffet and walking to dining tables, I personally think this is pointless to mask up to then go sit beside another family and eat without masks, however it was easy to follow the rules and didn’t bother me. Covid testing was quick and easy we went first thing in the morning of departure (it gets busy so my advice is to go early) and had our results in a couple hours, I did have to go back to the covid testing place and request them to send my results as our shuttle was about to arrive and they hadn’t come through my email yet, the lady hit a button and I had my results. It was annoying to have to walk back to do this but again not a huge issue, and I was understanding as they were busy that day. Overall we had a wonderful experience and enjoyed our vacation.

Week in paradise

This was by far the best resort we have visited. There was plenty to do and it was so beautiful and clean. It felt very safe during the pandemic and the food was delicious. We plan to visit again next year and bring the rest of our family!

Amazing resort. Top notch.

The resort was fantastic and the staff did what they could to ensure that our vacation was enjoyable and memorable. We were able to use the facilities of all 4 member resorts. The food was superb and the drinks were refreshing. We both gained some weight during our trip. One week was not enough and we can't wait to go back.

Almost perfect!

We spent 11 days , starting on September 15 at Barceló Maya Tropical. Upon arrival due to increased flow of visitors attending conference at Barceló Maya Resorts, we were upgraded by the hotel to premium junior suite with ocean view. Thank you Barceló! The view was breathtaking. The room, however, had few issues that made our stay not entirely comfortable. The air conditioning was preset at 21 degree Celsius, We found it often too cold, especially at night and were unable to adjust set [... read more]tings. Secondary the exhaust fan in the bathroom was not working, leavening smog of steam everywhere in the room. The bed and pillows were super comfortable and ensured good sleep and rest. The housekeeping service , despite tipping was average and inconsistent. It happened that the room was not cleaned at all and towels were not replaced. We called reception desk and asked to see someone from housekeeping. The issue wasn't resolved and after waiting for two hours we decided to shower and reuse old, wet towels that were lying on the floor since the morning, so we could go for dinner. The housekeeping supervisor who was speaking to another tourist, few doors away from our room, was very helpful and understanding, making sure that we returned after dinner to clean place. The grounds are magnificent and beautifully maintained. The beach was rocky at some areas, so we recommend wearing water shoes. There is plenty of chairs on the beach and no need to get up early in the morning to run to the beach to secure lounge chair that is close to the water. The beach itself is wide, but not very long for those who enjoy long walks. There is small reef just off shore which combined with crystal clear water, provides easy access for snorkeling . You can admire and enjoy colorful fish, turtles and see sting rays. Great variety of food choices . There is plenty of options in buffets plus five a la carte restaurants .We recommend La Trattoria and Mexico Lindo. Delicious food accompanied by exceptionally friendly, helpful service. The only exclusion and surprising disappointment was waitress at Kyoto restaurant at Barceló Maya Colonial, as reported in the complaint letter submitted through our BD Representative. We would like to extend our special "thank you" to Byron Zorrabal and Victor (sorry but we don't know Victor's last name) in Tropical Buffet for above and beyond super service, for kindness, enthusiasm, being so attentive, welcoming us always with smiles and friendly attitude. We hope to see you guys again! During the day you can opt for quiet time or get involved with variety activities that are taking place around the pool and on the beach. The activity team is incredible! Super energetic, entertaining motivating and ensuring that we all had fun and good laugh. Water aerobics and dancing classes were the best cheer! The Water Sport Centre at Maya Caribe offers variety of free of charge water sports from catamarans, kayaking, wind surfing, and more. Gabriela Hernadez is always very helpful with booking and suggestions. Gabriela always shines with super friendly attitude and will greet you with a smile. Thanks you Gabriela for making our stay at Barceló so much more memorable and allowing us to enjoy our time on catamaran ride! As for night entertainment we felt that there was lack of information and poor communication about what was taking place in the resort. The Palenque theater was closed for most of our stay. In the Tropical Lobby there was no information listed what was happening in the Kukulkan theater at Barceló Caribe or where and when evening events were taking place. The reception staff at the front desk gave us few times wrong information leading to us missing on events . We learned that going daily to guest services and getting information was the best and most reliable option. We wish however that there would be a calendar either at front lobby or on the board by swimming area listing shows. The last but definitely not least is the dolphinarium. As animals lovers and environmentalists we have refused to go and see the show. We are livid about five dolphins being kept caged in captivity and from what we heard from others in really small pool. With so much to do in the resort, is this so called "attraction" really necessary for the tourists? It makes no sense, having on the other hand signs posted not to feed fish to preserve local fauna, having isolated area preserving eggs of sea turtles, not using straws in drinks to preserve environment, and yet keeping animals in captivity away from their natural habitat. We are hoping that the voices of those don't support having dolpinarium on the Barceló Maya Grand Resort will be heard. Thank you Barcelo for much needed relaxation!

Great resort

It's amazing for family trip ! So manny things to do, we will definitely be bringing the whole family next time. We enjoyed the spa and gym area. So manny pools. The beach was spectacular. We loved the food and the buffet. The only thing I would say is do not forget to bring long pants if your are a man as it is required for special restaurants.

Great Time, Nice Hotel

The Tropical is part of a larger, 5 hotel resort, 4 of which are open to guests. The Palace is not open to guest who are not staying at the a Palace. We have been to the Tropical many times and always enjoyed it. This time was very crowded (end of June, kids out of school), and I would avoid this week, if possible. A few weeks earlier had a much lower occupancy rate. It is extremely hot and humid at this time of year, although the AC worked great. Food was good, staff was wonderful.

Excellent value for a no frill vacation

The grounds are impeccablely maintained. The rooms are clean, the beds comfortable and the air conditioning is strong. The food at the buffet was fresh and delicious. It isn't fancy but you certainly will not go hungry. There is a something for everyone. We didn't go to the a la carts because the buffet was so varied and fresh. The drinks are strong and tasty. The shows were entertaining. Above all the service was incredible. I will absolutely be back to barcelo maya tropical

Fabulous resort!!!

So we decided to take the plunge and finally go to Mexico. Rivera Maya is fantastic. Best of all we chose to stay at Barcelo Maya Tropical! Best choice ever. Staff were friendly and very helpful. Food was great from the buffets to specialty restaurants all wonderful. The beach was to die for. Our only regret- we didn't do it sooner. Will definitely be going back.

Amazing Week at the Barcelo

My husband and returned from a one week stay at the Barcelo Tropical on April 23 and cannot say enough good things about this resort. The beaches were amazing, the pools were crystal clear and the resort itself was beautiful. This resort is great for couples, families and singles. There are enough quiet areas to just relax if that is what you want, if you travel with family there are more than enough activities to keep the younger ones and teens entertained and we say groups of young adults h [... read more]aving a blast. I would go back in a heartbeat and this time I would bring my 19 and 21 year old. Definitely worth going to.

Not Bad, Not Great

Not bad, but not great. The positive: The grounds were beautiful and there was a lot to do during the day as this resort is huge! There were several pools and the pools were nice. There was also a shopping mall, several water parks for the kids, nightly shows, a spa, bowling and mini golf at an additional charge. There were lots of food options at the buffets. This resort is best suited for families with young children. My partner and I didn't mind sharing the resort with many kids. Most of the [... read more] wait staff were great 😊. Especially in the buffet restaurants. There were many options at the buffet and the food there was overall pretty good. My partner lives seafood and he had seafood on a couple of occasions and said it was good. The Japanese (Kyoto) a la carte restaurant and the steak house (Santa Fe) were also very good. Negatives: The beach is very rocky in most spots which makes it hard to enjoy swimming in the ocean (which I love). You need to bring water shoes. Many of us cut our feet on the rocks. This is not a romantic resort for couples and there's not much to do for the adults after the nightly entertainment is over. It's a quiet resort after 10:30 PM. They could definitely improve the food at the Italian a la carte restaurants. The food at the Italian restaurant was disappointing and we had a very rude waiter there. He was terrible. This is my 4th time in the Mayan Riviera and each time I've stayed at a different resort. I would say that this is my least favourite 4-5 star resort that I've stayed at in the Mayan. It's my least favourite due to the quality of the beach, some of the a la carte restaurants and the fact that it's too large to feel that attention to detail and also there's not much to do in the evenings. It would be nice if they had a piano bar that was open after the nightly show where adults could have a drink or cappuccino. However, if you have young children, this resort is great 👍. It wasn't bad, just not worth the money for a couple travelling without kids compared to the other resorts you could choose from in the Mayan. On another note, our Sun Wing Rep was terrible! Our plane was delayed 3 hours in Toronto for our departure. We were not informed at all of the delay. We waited 3 additional hours after our scheduled pick up time in the hotel lobby for our bus to pick us up and take us to the airport. When I called to find out what was happening as nothing was issued in our hotel, I was told that a Sun Wing Rep would be coming to provide an update. No one showed up. Ever. We all waited for 3 additional hours in the hotel lobby with no update or contact from a Sun Wing Rep at all. Terrible customer service from Sun Wing!!

Loyal Barcelo fan

This was somewhere between my 10-15th time at the Barceló in the Mayan. I've stayed at the Colonial or Tropicale each time. The grounds are beautiful, very well kept and the staff work really hard. The pool is the best I've seen and I travel a lot. Very clean, large and well kept. The food is very good at the buffet and a la carts but my favourite is the Japanese at the Mall - amazing! I only have a few things that annoy me. One is that wifi is free only between certain hours, usually during b [... read more]each time and only in the lobby. Who wants to walk back to lobby to send an email. I've traveled around the world, stayed in a little rom in a remote Greek village and it had free wifi. I don't think guests should pay extra in this day and age. Also, the rooms are too humid, our clothes and sheets felt wet. This wont prevent me from going back as we do our annual vacation there 17-25 people. Oh I am annoyed that as a loyal customer for over 15 years their computers only go back to 2012 so they can't see our loyalty oh and the front desk never picks up their phone

Owesome resort

We stayed at the Tropical feb 3-10 2017. Something for everyone at this resort. The cleanest resort we have ever been to. The staff is super friendly and acomodating. The food was great the selection plentiful. It is a great place for kids. You never wanted for anything. The first resort we didn't have to try and reserve beach chairs before 7:00 am. There were fifty chairs per person sun or shade your choice didn't matter what time of day. The grounds were kept emmaculant can't say enough about  [... read more]how well the whole resort is looked after. Would go back here in a heartbeat. Actually if I can swing it going back in march. We had a hard time finding a negative point about this resort. Beach was also beautiful snorkeld with sea turtles everyday. Love this place!!

Paradise

Everything was amazing. The grounds were a tropical paradise and the food was very delicious and so much variety. The room was very clean and comfortable. The service was over the top friendly and helpful. I can't wait to go back .

Barcelo Maya Mexico - Mayan Rivera - Amazing!

My wife, daughter and I stayed at the Palace portion of this resort from Dec 20-30 2014. We had a junior suite room near the back section of the building closest to the Palace Main area. It was fine for us 3 adults, although the beds were a bit hard. Otherwise, it was very comfortable and everything worked great (TV, AC, fridge, etc.). Very nice to have a stocked fridge with water and pop and snacks which was free to take from! The resort is awesome. There is no lack of things to do or if you ju [... read more]st want to rest, you can do just that. I found my favourite spot by the Adults only Pool with it's own bar. The beach is great although we had some windy days where seaweed washed up. However the staff clean it up. All the buffets and a-la-cartes we ate at were great, with our favourite a-la-carte being the Caribe (Seafood). We had one small event where we had Japanese (the Tokyo a-la-carte) and my daughter got a bit sick that night from the Sushi. The cooked food was fine (cooked on an open cooking table where you sit around it and watch the Chef show), however we think it was the Sushi appetizer that may have upset her. One day of immodium and pepto-bizmo and she was fine. The facilities are very clean and always well kept. The shuttle tram that runs across the properties is great as it is a nice 15-20 minute walk from the Palace lobby to the Beach property. Very handy sometimes to use the free tram service. We loved snorkeling off the pier as many fish swimming around and even saw a sting ray! The staff is exceptional. From the maintenance to the cleaners to the cooks and restaurant staff - they are all incredible. They work extremely hard to make sure you are happy and have a great stay. We tipped wait staff every meal, as well as bar staff, room cleaning lady and others. They really appreciate it and work very hard. As I said, the food is great all around where the only problem we had was near the end, we were getting tired of buffets and eating too much! Had to start to cut down on the portions! We saw only one show and it was well done. We loved having the Church on site (at the Mexican Shopping area) as we went to Mass (Catholic) twice, including Christmas Day. A new mall has opened up on site with a few stores. It even has mini-golf, 10-pin bowling and a disco! Was very nice to be able to walk around there a bit to look around. Prices from the stores and numerous vendors on the grounds are a bit high, but you can find deals depending on what you are looking for. We booked 3 excursions via Mariana at the Barcelo Tour office as we wanted full peace-of-mind in the tour operators and that they are experienced and backed by Barcelo insurance and customer service. This may have cost us a bit more than going thru our Air Canada rep (we flew AC Vacations), but we were extremely happy with the results. We did a 1-day Coba/Mayan Village/Cenote trip, a 1/2-Day Tulum trip and a 1/2-day Rio Secreto trip. All are highly recommended. The Coba trip was fantastic with our guide being very knowledgable. It was the longest drive with about an hour an an half to get to our first destination from the hotel. The others were shorter drives. However, the Tulum 1/2-day was a bit short, that once you have some free time, you only have about an hour to roam or go back to the bus area/stores to look around. Considering it takes about 15-20 minutes to walk back from the Tulum site, this took away from our free time and made the Tulum trip feel quicker. However, our Guide was excellent. For the Rio Secreto, had an absolutely unbelievable experience that was fantastic. What an adventure and they have it very well organized and run. The only downside is the 20 minute very bumpy ride from the initial entry point to the Rio Secreto main area as the roads are quite rocky and uneven. We would strongly recommend this tour as it is quite remarkable. Our guide was fantastic as well. For all our tours we chose the private bus option (groups of no more than 12), rather than the larger groups (40-50). It cost a bit more but was well worth the more individual experience. To sum it up, we had a fantastic experience at this resort and would 100% go back again. Actually, this was my wife and I second time to the Barcelo Maya as we went there in Sept 2001 when the resort only had the Beach and Caribe properties (was much smaller). One note of caution - as soon as we walked out of the Mexican customs after arriving, we were greeted by a women dressed professionally holding a clipboard with a sign that had a few hotel names on it, including ours. We stopped to talk with her thinking she was a rep with the Hotel and was going to show us where to go to catch our transport to the hotel, etc. Well, after 10 minutes of listening to her explain the hotel and showing us a map of the area, she went into a sales pitch for the Xcarat resort where for $75 USD you could visit for a day. We said no and she was very polite and did not try to push it. So not a bad experience, but just a waste of 10 minutes as once we walked outside, we saw an Air Canada Vacations rep who had our shuttle waiting for us to go to the hotel. So if you travel here, just walk right past these people in the terminal and go outside to find your travel rep (Air Canada, Sunwing, etc.). Thanks very much to all the staff at the Barcelo Maya for an incredible stay and we will be back again.

Wonderful hotel and holiday!

This resort is gorgeous and the service was fantastic. The rooms are a great size and all kept very clean, fridge stocked. The resort is so big, so much room around the pools and on the beach! Good was also great, especially in the Japanese restaurant! We went for a wedding and it was gorgeous! Will def recommend this hotel to friends and family!

Awesome

The resort and facilities were awesome. The fact that you can utilize the neighboring facilities is a great benefit. The dining options were exceptional. The beach was a little rocky. As I was in a group of smokers the cigar bar was great - as a non smoker the air exchange was incredible, no smoke at all and the maritini's were awesome!! I would highly recommend this resort.