Just returned from a 6 night stay at this resort and I have nothing but great things to say. I travel ALOT and have to say that my overall experience here was wonderful and I will be coming back. I read the last review and it makes me wonder if the last guest was staying at the same resort. My husband and I recieved excellent service from the staff throughout our entire stay. We had an issue with our toilet and within 5 minutes someone was there to fix it for us. The staff was extraordinary. Upon check in - we were told we could make reservations for three of the 6 nights we were there, and I simply asked if we could have another night- making it 4 and there was no problem accommodating us. I highly recommend the Habachi restaurant, as well as the steakhouse. The pillows are hard- we did not wake up with ear pains...but it might not hurt to bring your own if this is an issue for you- we did not mind it. There is a resort tram-try to catch it when you can because you will do alot of walking- this is a very large resort. We really enjoyed the activities and all of the wildlife on the resort. Lots of beautiful peacocks and lovely parrots around the resort. My husband and I enjoy fine dining- so as with most all inclusive resorts, a sophisticated palet will not be enticed at the buffets. However, there is definitely something for everyone, and we were able to find something to enjoy during each meal.

My boyfriend and I had planned on taking this trip for over a year, and we were delighted upon entering the lobby and grounds of the resort. The lobby was beautiful and the staff was friendly and helpful. The grounds were absolutely gorgeous with a tropical setting to include iguanas and peacocks. We were, however, very disappointed in the restaurants. Although this resort was supposed to be a "gourmet" resort, the food was bland and left us very unsatisfied. The food is presented nicely but the actual taste leaves a lot to be desired. We ended up going into a couple of the nearby towns to eat several meals (which were wonderful) instead of choosing to eat at the resort, which was irritating since this was "all-inclusive" and we had already paid for the food at the resort. The resort also has VERY large sandbags several feet from the beach area that detract from the beauty of the ocean and the beach. All in all, we enjoyed the scenery, but wouldn't stay there again just because of the food.

Fabulous, absolutely perfect beach! No rocks, no seaweed. Clear water. (Lots of waves, though.) Great food-lots of variety and good quality. This is the fourth all-inclusive I've stayed in on the Mayan Riviera, and by far the best food and beach. The drinks, however, were extremely weak--bring your own alcohol. Very quiet resort. We went the first weekend in December, and there was not much of a crowd. Didn't have to get up super early to snag a spot on the beach--there were always plenty of chairs in the shade. We never left the resort, so I can't speak to the surrounding area, but the resort next door is the quiet, exclusive Hotel Maroma by Oriental Express. Only one other resort sits on this beach (Secrets), and it was very quiet as well. The resort staff members are friendly, for the most part. All in all, excellent resort. I'm planning on returning in December again this year.

The resort is beautifully maintained, clean and relatively easy to navigate. The landscaping is beautifully manicured and the room decor is very tasteful and up-to-date. The Emerald Suite room is a good size for a resort and one of the more comfortable rooms I've stayed in. The room is well decorated and the staff does an impecable job of cleaning and delivering fresh towels each day. The main pool is beautiful with swim-up bars and drink service staff available. We never had a problem finding chairs in great locations during any time of the day. The room staff, bartenders and wait staff are all very attentive to your needs and always smile to speak to you when they see you. I cannot compliment the staff enough - some of the friendliest and most dedicated staff I have seen at a resort. The beach area is beautiful and not crowded; however, large sections of the beach contains rock formations which would make wading out into the ocean tricky - the center beach section seems to be without many rocks. Having been to a few all-inclusive resorts I tend to expect the food to be mediocre at best. Fortunately, I was pleasantly surprised by the food quality at the Valentin. Overall the Valentin is a very good resort - great location, great value for the money and very good food. It's definitely a resort I would come back to again and could confidently recommend to others.

El Dorado Royale Casitas is a wonderful vacation experience. This was our third year celebrating the New Year with El Dorado. We hit upon a cold and breezy week with some rain, but the staff's welcoming and cheeful attitudes more than made up for it. Fortunately, the weather warmed after couple of days and it was "paradise" as usual. D'Italia Casitas is a great addition to the resort. Fantastic service and great food. La Fondue was little too cold on our night there, but the resort had brought in heaters to try to help--just didn't help enough. Kampai and Cocotal were very good as well. New Year's Eve is such a great time at El Dorado. The music, the cirque du soleil type acts, the food and beverages were great fun. We danced until we couldn't stay up any longer. I do think it might be time to start updating the guest rooms. They are starting to show a few signs of age, mostly due to the humidity and some wear & tear. However, this is no way hinders the quality of the stay. I would highly recommend El Dorado Royale Casitas to anyone headed to the Mayan Riviera.

Paradise. Absolute paradise. If you are looking for an all-inclusive adults only resort, look no further. Most beautiful beach I've ever seen - silky white sand and clear turquoise water. The accommodations were exquisitely romantic and perfect for our honeymoon. Turn-down service every evening, 24 hr room service, mini-fridge contents were free and always stocked, and best of all, the food and beverage at every restaurant/bar was delicious and didn't require reservations - we could walk right in and sit down! Before booking I researched resort after resort on Trip Advisor and many other travel websites and couldn't find one with more praise than Secrets Maroma Beach. My expectations were far exceeded by the extreme courtesy of every Secrets employee - from the waitstaff on the beach to the concierge to the housekeeping staff. A friendly 'hello' while passing by, or a timely refill on our drinks, in every instance they were smiling and pleasant to talk to. I am convinced the employees there actually enjoy their job and take pride in their work. Another reason as to why I am convinced we chose the right honeymoon resort. We met many couples from the UK that returned to Secrets Maroma Beach on their second visit after visiting other all-inclusive resorts. They told us that the other resorts just couldn't compare with the food and service at Maroma Beach. We feel extremely lucky to only fly 3 hrs direct from Charlotte to Cancun and would gladly return again someday.

I have been back to the Iberostar resort in Riveria Maya 10 times!! That tells you something...the place is awesome! All the people are very friendly, from the bell boy to the gardener trimming the trees...everyone goes out of their way to say hello! I have stayed at all the resorts on the Iberostar complex at Riveria Maya location. There is something for everyone in each of those resorts...The Del Mar surprised me as I have stayed at the Grand which is a nice place with all the elaborate extras...but I have to say the Del Mar suited my needs...I am a health and fitness fanatic, so I was able to eat healthy as they offer many grilled fish and chicken dishes, and the I was surprised by the gym, I could really get a good workout! The rooms were always cleaned thoroughly and although the beds have harder mattresses...I did sleep like a baby. Because I am a return customer, the resort offered me a reduced rate upgrade on oceanfront room...if you get a chance stay in building 10! It is worth it to hear and see the ocean from your outdoor porch area! I will definitely be going back there 10 more times...they have a customer for life at Iberostar!

My husband and I fell in love with this resort. Things couldn't be more perfect! Although we were there during 4th of July weekend, we were suprised it wasnt crowded. Excelent service, excelent food at the specialty restaurants, Surf and Turf is highly recommended! We were only there for 4 nights, and made the mistake of going to specialty restaurants at the other Iberostar hotels, for which you have access when you stay at the Grand, but NOTHING is like the speciality restaurants at the Grand. Don't waste your time trying the others! Staff was super friendly, always eager to please and this hotel is the eternal land of YES(within reason)! Out of all the IberoStar resorts, they have the best service, best liquor, best food...hands down! We felt we we're being spoiled rotten. Came back home and missed the treatment we were getting from the staff. Very impressed with entertainment staff who strive to get to know their guests and will learn your name after the first introduction! Amazing!! Great location from main Playa Del Carmen road, no having to travel through swamps to get there. Maybe 20 min away from the airport if you're not in a shuttle dropping off people before you. The Grand has a shuttle which can take you to Playa Del Carmen town if you wish to go. If you need to, they will take you all over the complex on golf carts. Definelty, as a Grand guest, you will have access to services the other Iberostar guests don't have! Will surely come back! Adults only though! :)