I have been to a few all-inclusive resorts in the past and noticed a difference when it came to the food and the service. Most resorts I have been to, the staff is very attentive by making sure and ask if you need anything. Not at this resort. I found myself waiting or having to stop someone to ask for things I needed. Also, the best food was located at the buffet restaurant. Most resorts have the best food served by the individual restaurants that serve an a la carte menu. This resort had the same quality food at the other restaurants compared to their buffet restaurant.

We booked a 14 day trip in feb.2010 to playa del carmen to escape our canadian winter..We chose the riu yucatan based primarily based on our desire for hopefully getting a hotel that would be a great place to vacation without being too upscale or breaking our bank account--we were not disappointed---using the services of expedia.com we got a great price,actually cheaper then previous hotels of far lower quality that we have used in dominican republic and mexico..We pre-booked a private car from the airport for the same rate as a cab ride .The riu yucatan turned out to be everything that we had hoped for-- GREAT buffet food --premium bar drinks--casual atmosphere--great staff--VERY clean rooms and grounds..The exchange priviliges with the other riu resorts was great --nice to go for a beach walk and be able to stop off for a cool drink down the beach ..we had a great stay at the riu yucatan and would definetly recommend this resort to anyone looking for a resort that caters to you as their guest without pretentious airs..very casual atmosphere...john&phyllis...british columbia..canada

We stayed at the Viva Wyndham Maya in mid-May 2006. I chose this hotel b/c it was affordable and my fiancee and I were very pleased. The staff was very friendly and helpful. Our room was great - big, clean, jacuzzi tub, and a stand-alone shower. The food was fine. I wouldn't say great, but it wasn't bad either; it was about what I expect from a moderately priced all-inclusive. The beach was a little more crowded than some of the other resorts, but it wasn't a problem. The two pools were nice - one was the main pool near the beach and the other was the "relax" pool at the back of the resort. There is a fun atmosphere with a lively crowd and the guests are a healthy mix of Europeans, Latin Americans, and US citizens. The resort only has one type of beer on tap, but it's a decent Mexican beer (ie Dos Equis, Sol, etc.) If you order Pina Coladas, then you may need to specify that you want rum. The line for check-out was long so give yourself enough time when leaving. Overall, it was a good stay. ***Travel Tip: From the Cancun airport you can ride the ADO bus for $8/person to Playa. The bus runs every hour. A cab from the bus station in downtown Playa to the resort is $5. We just missed the ADO at the Cancun airport and didn't feel like waiting so we actually took a van from the airport for $15/person and they dropped us off at the resort. If you take a van, be sure to haggle with the couriers offering you a ride.

Over the last 10 years, we have stayed at many all inclusive resorts. Our family unanimously agreed that this was by far the best spot in Playa. The reasons we loved this resort were many. Great and friendly service, clean rooms, and the best beach ever! We had stayed at two different 5 star(Iberostar) resorts in Playa in the past. While those resorts were lovely, they were also HUGE. The Wyndam Azteca was quaint, and the clientele was very European. This place had character, was clean, and the service was exceptional. We loved the fact that you could snorkel right off the beach, go sailing, wind surfing, kayaking, or ride your bike into town. It was very close to the ferry to Cozumel. There was always something to do. You also have access to the sister resort, and if you have small children, I recommend that resort, as it appeared to have more activities for the smaller ones. My only complaint would be booking the restaurants. The food was much better at the restaurants, but getting into them was a hassle. They need to figure out a better system. The food at the buffet was hit or miss, though we could always find great things to eat and fresh fruits and veggies. We give this resort a 4.5 out of 5. We are already planning a return trip. Have fun...we certainly did!

We had a terrific time at the Riu Playacar! The resort was relatively small, had a fantastic beach (that has through traffic from other resorts), good food, and a great atmosphere. The smaller size of the resort made getting to any part of the resort very quick. The surrounding neighborhood is all resorts and condos which makes for a feeling of safety. The beach and pool were terrific--lots of chairs, with shade or sun. The swim-up bar had the best (strongest)drinks! The beds were hard and the pillows were flat, but I didn't expect much more for the price. Besides that the rooms were nice. The food was good--they usually had an authentic Mexican dish at each buffet. The restaurants were hard to get into (we were able to try the steakhouse and mexican which were both yummy), but the buffets suited us fine. One note to be aware of--we got scammed outside of the airport finding a taxi. We avoided the greyline co. that was in your face (90 for 4 travelers), found a man through a side gate that offered us 60 for 4. After we got in the van, he and his "boss" told us it was 80 or they could turn around and drop us off at the bus. There MUST be the regular taxis somewhere because there are always a ton of taxis around. Next time we'll search harder because we got a taxi from the resort to the airport for 50--worth the price for the straight shot!

I have been traveling to this area for approx 15 years and have stayed at adult only resorts as well as family resorts. I have stayed at more expensive resorts and less expensive resorts. Dreams Adventuras is by far the number one resort of all that I have stayed when it comes to SERVICE. Everyone was so accommodating and serving from the desk to the beach bar servers. Early morning to late night, SERVICE was obviously their number one priority. On this trip I had 3 rooms as i brought two other couples as my guests. When you take on the responsibilty of another persons vacation you want everything to be perfect. Well I could not have chosen a better resort for this. Even when at dinner, one of my guests ordered 2 T-Bone Steaks and said put them on the same plate, no problem, they accommodated with a smile. The location with the beach and the marina adds an additional benefit over beach alone. The Dolphins in the Marina are tremendous to see. It also makes for nice strolls and a chance to get away from the resort itself. My guests and I would not only reccommend this property, but will return. Go here and Go Expeidia

Overall, the Catalonia Riviera Maya was very much like what I had expected from the pictures and information online. However, our room was not the Honeymoon suite like we paid for (or what was advertised in the picture), but other than that, everything was pretty much the way it appeared it would be. If you love swimming in the ocean, this might not be the place for you! Entering the water is a rough experience...there are soooo many rocks! It hurts! I recommend you bring water shoes if you plan on going in the ocean. My husband and I chose Riviera Maya because we didn't want to be near college spring breakers, and we heard the Riviera Maya was far enough from Cancun that we wouldn't run into them. There were a few days when I got annoyed at how roudy the pool area of the resort got, but my husband and I were lucky to find a quieter spot on the side of the resort. I don't think I'd recommend bringing children if you have them. We don't have children yet, but after seeing all the female guests who take off their bikini tops and expose themselves, I wouldn't bring them to this resort for sure! I'm sure it might be like that in many of the resorts, as going topless is probably more normal in other countries, but where I'm from, it isn't allowed! So unless you want your children to have a preview of the female body, I would stay clear from this resort. Overall, we really enjoyed our stay. I'd go again, but I think I'd try another resort before going back.

My husband and I discovered Akumal Beach Resort a year ago when we were staying at the Grand Sirenis (10 min drive north of Akumal on the Mayan Rivera). We did not enjoy the impersonal service and expansiveness of the larger resort and preferrred the more personal, Mexican owned and operated appeal of the Akumal Beach Resort which sits on a magnificent expanse of beach and coral reef. We have just returned from our second stay and will return again next year. The snorkelling off the beach is the best. We have seen giant parrot fish, grouper, sea urchins, lobster, manta ray and a myriad of fish. It is like swimming in a giant aquarium. The accomodation at the resort is basic but clean . There is an excellent selection of food at the buffet and the resort has three bars, a huge swimming pool and a recreation staff. We prefer to stay in the 500 or 600 series rooms which are oceanview and oceanfront respectively. The former overlooks the pool and recreation area so if you want quiet you may prefer the other. This resort is not for people who like alot of activity and restaurant variety. It is more laid back . We enjoy walking the beach, relaxing with a good book under the palms and meeting other like minded folk. It is a large enough resort to have privacy but small enough for a more personal stay. The quaint village of Akumal is just a short stroll down the beach where you will find a few shops and quaint seafood restaurants. We have found our 'little Maui'.

I have stayed at both The Reef and a comparable priced resort in the area and found the other resort a better value for the money. It was the little things that stood out. The entertainment staff was much better at the other resort (friendlier, more of them, more activities), The other resort had a refrigerator in the room with beer, soda, and water and the Reef had an empty refrig. At the other resort the safe was free at the Reef you had to pay. The beach snack bar left a lot to be desired (not enough options especially for vegetarians). Having 2 pools was nice but as at most places if you didn't get a chair early you were out of luck. The ice cream parlor was a nice touch. We also enjoyed the pool tables at the upstairs bar. We ate at the Italian themed restaurant and enjoyed the food. The buffet was average as expected. Not enough variety from day to day. The staff work extremely hard and are always willing to help. I am returning in Feb but will be staying at the other resort. I would probably not stay at the Reef again but would not discourage anyone from trying it.

We stayed at the Beach section of the resort, overall there are 4 Barcelo resorts in the area. The beach was beautiful and the resort is excellent. Large number of activities including jet ski rental, which we really enjoyed. At other resorts we stayed at (like the Occidental) we had to purchase the packages and take a bus for this activity. The only drawback was the food - not too great at this resort. Even got food poisoning once but not sure where we got it, may have been at Excaret eco park. No snacks after 12pm unless you pay for room service. Crappy internet service if that is important to you. The 'palace' hotel in this resort is best, with better food and much better restaurants, but is also most expensive. The place section is also filled with snotty guests if you can stomach it. A really good family resort, food problems not withstanding, would recommend it. The exceptional beach front and swimming pools is among the best in the Riviera.

We stayed at the XpuHa palace in the middle of April and had pretty modest expectations of this place as it was flattened by a hurricane three years ago. We have been to Thailand a couple of times and love open air kind of hotels that are close to nature but still delivers high class service. This resort is not the usual all- inclusive-same-old-buffet kind of place but a more personal, less crowded resort with staff that take the extra effort to remember your name. This resort has an animal refugee programme that tries to help animals that cannot be repatriated to the wild, making the resort in part look like a smaller zoo. Our daughter loved that part ( and the complimentary bike ofcourse). We only stayed a week but could easily been there longer. Superb service and attentative staff! Tip

Overall, our stay at the resort was very nice. We went as an extended family with grandparents and young children and were simply hoping to relax for a few days and to enjoy the pool, ocean, and weather. We got it, mostly. The dining opportunities were pretty good - there was enough of a selection at times that would work for us that it wasn't a problem. And the food was generally quite good. The staff were always very friendly and attentive and the facilities were very clean and well-kept. We did not watch any of the evening entertainment nor did we venture outside the resort. We WERE able to relax and enjoy ourselves. The jetted tub in our room was also very roomy and comfortable. Our main complaints were that we missed a lot of the housekeeping services because our son took 2 naps a day. They simply were not able to find a way to coordinate the housekeeping to get to us everyday while we were out of the room (why not during mealtimes?), which was a bummer. The other major problem had to do with the distance from the airport. We made last minute arrangements through the resort for transportation. They were extremely late picking us up and ignored the request for a car seat. We (foolishly) paid the round trip price up front and they left us stranded getting back to the airport. Since the resort contracts the transportation out and the person who coordinated it was conveniently absent, the staff at the resort was only able to call us another cab. We were out $120.

We really like the extra spaces and balconies of our suite. Food was great although we ate the buffet for breakfast and dinner. Custom omlets were the best... Coffee is instant; fresh brewed coffee shop across the street. Location was just past the end of popular 5th Avenue, so a little more quiet. We rented a moped at another location to get about and was convenient to access the city and Beach Club (even though shuttle service is provided) Nice Beach Club with beverage bar and so-so snack food. The Beach Club is in front of the larger sister hotel/resort which has full buffet, but not part of this all-inclusive. All-in-all, great location for the night life, restaurants, shopping, and beach. And, for those who need American-style food the buffet was quite satisfying. The staff was also very pleasant.

The Now Sapphire Resort is a wonderful resort. We went with 3 other couples to celebrate my birthday and had the most amazing time! The grounds are amazing at the resort and always kept up. The word,beautiful, does not do the resort justice! The rooms were nice. The bed was hard as explained on other posts, but they say they are changing all the beds out now. We were traveling as a group and initially had one of our couples placed in another building, but with a few phone calls got that changed. The pools are amazing, as well. The beach is very well kept. We loved the beach bar and especially Oscar, his drinks were by far the best at the resort! The restaurants were delicious, especially the French. They even made a birthday cake for me! Irvin at the buffet was the best waiter we had! He goes above and beyond in the service department. We enjoyed all the daily activities, especially water volleyball! The ladies had a wonderful experience at the spa! We did not every use the coupons as they had conditions for their use and found better specials without them! It is a very nice resort and we would go back in a heartbeat.

We had a wonderful experience at this resort! The room was clean and although it was at the far end of our resort, we had full access to the other two resorts so everything ended up being conveniently located. Transportation carts run throughout the three resorts and will be at your closet stop every 5-10 minutes, so its never a problem getting to were you need to go. The staff is very nice, however, it did take a while to get drink orders inside of the restaurants. The buffet food is pretty mediocre; the a la carte is slightly better (we got 3 a la carte dinner reservations for a 7 night stay). The bars have good drinks and tenders. We also liked how there was a Hacienda which had additional shopping, bars, and the night club. The nightly entertainment at our resort was suprisingly good. The pools at all the resorts were beautiful, and although some of the beach was rocky, it was easy enough to find a good access spot. We also saw some pretty cool fish in the designated snorkeling area. Overall, you can't really go wrong choosing one of the three Bahia Principe resorts.

This was my first experience with an all-inclusive resort and now I'm hooked for life. My husband and I went for our 10-yr anniversary. This resort was great. It is VERY big and you will do a lot of walking. They have shuttles that can take you around the resort once you've decided you've walked enough! It is a family resort, so there are children around. The resort is so big though that no matter where you are, you never feel crowded or overwhelmed. No matter what time or where we ate, the restaurants and buffets were never full to capacity. So it's a very relaxing atmosphere. The grounds are maintained beautifully and the Caribbean Sea is breathtaking. The night time shows at the resort were great. The food was good. I was a little disappointed with the food at the reservation restaurants. The Oriental restaurant was my favorite. We had no trouble at all making reservations, we just did that the first night we got there for the whole week. Best Day was great! They made it so easy and never pushed us into anything we didn't want. You will be approached and/or yelled out to at the airport for other companies trying to get your business. Just look for Best Day (White shirts with red lettering). There is an ATM at the resort so you can withdrawal pesos. Xcaret (pronounced 'esh caret' for those like me scratching your head on that one) was nice- but then again- be prepared for A LOT of walking.

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.

Loved this resort! Breathtaking grounds, simply gorgeous! Beautiful open air restaurants, lovely ala carte restaurants. The lobby was so lovely. It is really difficult to put into words how beautiful this resort is. The most charming rooms, full of color. We had a third floor room and loved looking out into the jungle and grounds, Beautiful pool and great beach with turquoise water and soft white sand. This resort is just a visual treat, every where you look is beautiful. We enjoyed all the wildlife we encountered throught the resort. We enjoyed the restaurants and thought the service throughout the resort was wonderful. We loved the ice cream down by the beach. The only negative was the hard mattress, and that was helped by a mattress topper. Just ask housekeeping or the front desk. Staff was wonderful, drinks were great, food was good to very good. We would recommend this resort to anyone who was looking for a more casual all inclusive resort. This is not a typical luxury, modern decor, sort of resort at all. It is more of a rustic, natural, laid back sort of resort. It was perfect for us and we would love to go back again.

Once we pulled up to the hotel we knew we arrived in PARADISE. The hotel grounds were beautiful!! the eco-friendly vibe was just amazing. Jungle mixed with the luxury of a 5 star hotel . The drinks and food were very good, the best a la carte restaurant would have to be the Brazilian steak house. The staff were very accommodating and friendly. Please make sure to take advantage of the free spa services...not only is the spa beautiful but it is set aside from the rest of the resort giving it its on own amazing scenic experience. ALSO the salt water pool has to be the most beautiful location on the resort.Overall we loved the resort. Kantenah and white sands are the more relaxed sections of the resort. Colonial and riviera tend to be a little more lively..but honestly each section is equal, no separation of grounds which helps make the resort even more incredible.This resort is for young and old, singles, couples and families. there is something for everyone!Overall this place is great!! I'm definitely going back again!!

Having never vacationed in Playa Del Carmen, we decided on a week vacation in an all-inclusive resort. The bottom line is Sandos is a great value all-inclusive resort with the best ocean front beach on that entire strip of resorts. Food was quite good for all-inclusive, both at the buffet and ala carte resturants. Staff was always pleasant and helpful. We were assigned a room in the new Rivera section which just opened within the last few weeks. This area is at the very rear of the resort,furthest away from the beach, however it has the best pool and also has a seperate buffet resturant, swim-up pool bar and the rooms appeared to be larger than the older section. Never an issue getting down to the main section and the beach as there are always 12 person golf carts shuttling guests around the resort. If you need the fanciest resort, there are a number of them along the beach, however the Sandos Playacar Resort is a great value resort for the money !

My husband and I go to a different resort in the Riviera Maya every summer, and we always choose an all adult resort. We are beach people, so the quality of the beach is high on our list in helping us select a resort. We had hoped to stay at the Secrets Maroma resort since we had seen it being built when we we stayed at the Catalonia Maroma resort next door, but it was far too expensive. The Maroma Beach is truly beautiful, and it is hard to find any other beach that can compare. But based on the reviews I read about the beach at the Catalonia Royal Tulum and the affordable cost, we decided to spend 7 nights there in July. We were very apprehensive since we knew the hotel was not luxurious like the Royal Playa Del Carmen or the El Dorado Royale we had stayed in,and we knew we could have stayed at the new Valentin Mayan Resort for the same cost, but we were just hoping to find a beautiful beach. So we were pleasantly surprised when we found the Catalonia Royal Tulum to be our little piece of paradise! The beach was amazingly beautiful with powdery sand and no rocks in the water. Although our room was simple and outdated, the overall resort was gorgeous with unique features such as the Tapas Lounge, juice bar, and the "chill-out" beach bed area. The fitness center was great, and we both had great massages at a local spot next to the resort. The restaurants were typical of other resorts, but service was slow since it was 90% full. Still, overall, it was paradise!

Of all the resorts that we've stayed in within the Playa area none of those compared to this resort. The food was 5 star, gourmet, the staff was more than accomodating, and the room was more than we expected. Beautiful grounds, beautiful walkways and breezways within the resort and on the grounds. The staff went out of their way to make you comfortable and we found this trip to be one of the most relaxing vacations that we had ever taken. We will most certainly return to this resort, and will recommend this resort to others. Even the people that we met at the resort on this vacation were equally impressed with the service and accommodations.

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.

My husband and I just got back from Mexico last week, and yes we read all the hoopla on the reviews. Some were bad but most were ok. We are average working people who honestly get more enjoyment out of the vacation itself and being together than picking the resort apart. The people at this resort are great, ask for anything and for the most part....youll get somethng. They upgraded us to a jacuzzi room for our honeymoon, which they didnt have to do, we never had a single watered down drink, and the food was great. Granted for a 7 night stay we only got 3 dinners in the restaurant, but the buffets were not bad at all and it left time open, we ate when we wanted to eat. Five days into it the buffet got a little lack luster....but what are you gonna do. You make the most out of it. And instead of spending $100 aperson for an excursion we went to to scuba shop on the resorts beach and went on one for much cheaper and it was awesome swimming in the caves and ATVing. Now be aware when booking theis resort that it is not near anything, to go into Playa Del Carmen it costs $12US dollars each way, there is no shuttle. The beach is not good for snorkeling so you wil want an excursion of some sort to do this and you cant use their equipment off the resort. But you could literally stay here all day.....they have a show every single night, then a disco afterwards till 2 am. You dont have to leave to find a party or go to a club. We will be going back to this resort very soon!!

At the risk of sounding like most of the other reviews you will read about Desire: We were very nervous about what to expect, this was our first vacation at a clothing optional resort, but we felt at ease within 1/2 hour of our arrival and the rest of our week long vacation was amazing, We actually had to cancel a reservation we had made for days 6 & 7 at another nearby resort (we thought we would need a couple of days to relax/recover after 5 days at Desire) and extend our stay at Desire because we were so impressed with the overall experience. We are not in the lifestyle and NEVER felt any pressure to do anything we weren't comfortable with. The service is excellent, the resort is beautiful and the guests that we met were some of the most friendly, open minded people we have ever met. In our opinion, these are the features that set Desire apart from the other resorts we have stayed at. We won't bore you with the details about the Disco, Play Room, Hot Tub and the Lobby Bar that you've already read about, but they lived up to and went beyond the expectations we had. If you are an open minded couple and are looking for an exotic and sensual vacation experience, put your fears behind you and book your trip at Desire - you won't be disappointed!

This hotel is worth the money and everything we expected.The resort is quiet and the hotel bars don't get wild or crowded. Even though the resort is quiet I feel that the employees there can get to know you which really made our trip. Everyday there was beach volleyball & soccer by the ocean. There are some boats right in front of the resort, but this did not bother us. There is lots of empty beach right next to the resort. If you are looking for a party scene, you can find it in downtown Playa Del Carmen (25 min walk down the beach or a $3 cab ride). Every night there were shows in the theater off the lobby at 9pm. They were nice, but cheesy. Every night the hotel staff organized an all-u-can-drink trip to a bar in the area for an extra price. Pros: Great location, very clean rooms(although the doors between rooms were paper thin), beautiful resort grounds. We did not have any big problems with anything while there. Cons: If you are really picky with food, you probably won't like this resort. We ate a lot of food from the snack bar-- chicken, hamburgers, nachos, ice cream, french fries. All of it was good! The buffet had it's good food and bad food but it didn't matter because it's buffet. If we wanted gourmet food, we would of paid more to stay at a higher star resort. As far as the restaurants, we ate at the Mexican one, and the food was not good. The steak was so tough that I couldn't cut or chew it! Overall, I recommend this resort.

30 seconds to the beach next to Mammitos and Kool Beach Clubs, and out the front entrance onto 5th Street and all the nightlife and shopping. Couldn't ask for a better location. Much smaller and quiter than the mega-resorts - MUY BUENO!

We just got back from a one week vacation at the Excellence. Resort is beautiful and very clean. Workers were constantlly cleaning, fixing, and sprucing up the resort while we were there. Seemed to have great attention to detail. Our room was excellent. Lots of dining options with good quality food. Long wait for the French restaurant so go early! Lots of bars that for the mosts part were well staffed. They had two theme nights for dinner while we were there, one a Mexican night and the other for Valentines Day. Nice touches. Entertainment at night was good. The resort was completely full two of the days we were there but it never felt crowded. No one main pool area but meandering pools all over the grounds so it was never a challenge to get a lounge chair like we have had at other resorts. The beach was very nice and again, as long as you were to the beach by 10:00am you could always find a lounge chair. Service at the pools and beach were amazing. Room service was excellent. The resorts beach spreads North to 3 other resorts so it is a nice walk to see them. We highly recommend walking about 2 kilometers south to the quiet fising village of Puerto Morelles. Neat little town were you can charter local fishing boats and just relax at the quaint restaurants and shops. If you are looking for dynamic night life this is not the resort for you. But, if you are looking for a beautiful resort, good food, and great relaxation, the Excellence is a great choice.

I travel to the Caribbean frequently and have stayed in 11 different all inclusive resorts in the past 7 years. The Royal was by far the best experience I have ever had at an AI resort and is comparable to any 4 to 5 star resort. Cons: The resort was fantastic but a majority of the rooms are positioned without a view and/or a good distance from the beach and pool. As a result at check-in they offer an “upgrade” to a better located room at an additional per night price. In another attempt to get more money from their guests, the resort offers a “club” that you can buy into, which is the same as a timeshare. One other small thing is there is a vacant lot next to the resort and some how there is an odor, which seems to come from this lot, on the beach. These were the only negatives I have about my stay at The Royal. The resort, service and food (beyond any expectation) are excellent and I will return. It is rare to find such a high quality all inclusive resort. And to add to the experience the resort is located in the middle of Playa's main entertainment area. It was FANTASTIC!!!

Positive: - Extremely friendly, helpful staff. - Beautiful, well maintained resort. - 15 mins from airport - Fantastic food. 3 restaurants were open while we stayed and we loved all 3. They were renovating the Asian restaurant and will be opening a new Latino one. - Huge, clean kids club which our 6 yo LOVED. - Beach beds and beach butler service was awesome. You do need to get up by 8am to reserve for the NEXT day, but well worth it. Negative: - Resort is geared towards toddlers (it says this on signs outside the resort), with the Fisher Price toys, however the kids club doesn't accept kids under 4. We attempted to use the babysitting service a few times, but each time our 2 yo cried they brought him out to us. We didn't feel the staff in the Kids Club were qualified to look after young children so if you are hoping to have some time together as a couple, Azul Beach is not ideal. The resort is also very quiet, which was lovely for us but at times our usually quiet 2 yo got tired and cried and we would get looks from the other guests. I'm still a little confused why childless couples would stay at a kid-friendly resort unless they are prepared for children to be there. I would love to give Azul Beach 5 stars as we were truly impressed with the resort itself, the amenities and staff. However I have to give 4 stars as it was not as appropriate for children under 4 as their website and marketing portrays. If your children are 4 and over though, it would truly be ideal.

great resort, great staff and friendly, be sure to book transfer to and from resort, i read that the resort supply shuttle but they don't, cost me $40.00 to and $72.00 from the resort the ony negative i have is the beach, too many rocks, can't swim

This hotel was advertised and priced as a 5-star resort, but unfortunately didn't come anywhere near that designation. I was generally satisfied by the property and rooms, but think that they paled in comparison to the adjacent Rosewood and Banyan Tree resorts. Being the largest resort property in Mayakoba also meant that it was the most crowded. You will be disappointed if you are going here for a romantic getaway as this is very much more suitable as a family resort. The food was mediocre and rather than serving authentic Mexican cuisine, the restaurants catered to western palates. The internet also didn't work anywhere but in the lobby.

This resort is a great value... it's not to expensive, but it is very beautiful! The staff keeps the grounds of the gardens, beach, and pool absolutely beautiful, clean, and pristine. The food is... "okay". The breakfast was great (omlette station was awesome), but we found lunch and dinner to be average. We went to all the restaurants, and usually ended up going back to the buffet after our "sit-down" dinner. The meat/steaks were tough, and meat in general didn't seem to be the greatest quality. I was very disappointed with the Mexican restaurant. We come from Houston Texas, so we have a pretty high expectation for good Mexican (or Tex-Mex) food. I do not eat seafood of any kind, but almost every dish at the Mexican restaurant was actually seafood, and this was weird and disappointing. Some new friends we met at the resort loved it though, so we may just have high expectations. The drinks were great, although they could have a better selection of beers (instead of just Corona, which is not good in my opinion!) The adults-only jacuzzi was a BLAST! We met so many great people there, it was great on the cloudy (and slightly chilly) days! The pool was super fun too! It would be great if the jacuzzi was open later or was larger... it got pretty packed in there! And it seemed like they shut off the heat fairly early in the evening, in an effort to get people to leave... Jacuzzis are great to go in at night/after dinner, but they didn't seem available after around 7pm? Perhaps this is because they are very close to rooms, so this poses a problem. Perhaps they should open a second jacuzzi away from customer rooms, which stays open late at night. The beach is small but beautiful!!! They send staff members several times throughout the day to shovel seaweed off the beach. Just these small efforts make a big difference. They had some cute cabanas (not just for "platinum), as well as hammocks, which we enjoyed! There were a lot of families/children, which is fine with us, we love kids. There is of course a sales pitch at the beginning of the trip, trying to upsell our room, which we didn't buy into. We bought the lowest price room (building 19, room 19208), and they tried to sell us on an ocean view room. We declined, and go to our room, and the view was FANTASTIC!! We overlooked this beautiful pond, garden, and in the distance, we could see the ocean! So glad we didn't pay for an upgrade! The beds were not all that comfortable, but okay. They also tried to get us to go on a timeshare-like presentation, which we declined, but weren't bothered further, which I appreciated. There was also a "platinum club" which is for "platinum members", and seemed ridiculous to me. I didn't see the benefit of paying for this upgrade, from talking to the other vacationers. We did tell them that we were on our anniversary trip, and they brought us champagne and chocolate covered strawberries! Very nice touch! We didn't use room service, but were delighted to find that the maids come to your room twice... once for cleaning, and once at night for turn-down service. I thought this was a very nice touch too! I would recommend AGAINST riding with Yellow Taxi Transfer from the airport. They took us through the back roads to get to the resort, and the roads were absolutely TERRIBLE... I mean, TERRIBLE. You really need a 4X4 off-road vehicle to get through that area... they desperately need to repair (read, REPLACE) their roads there. There is a bit of walking to get around the resort, but I don't mind this one bit... their grounds are beautiful! It would be nice to have free wifi/wireless internet, but that is not a standard. Although gratuity is not included, I'd recommend bringing some extra cash to tip the staff now and then... they work very hard! I'd recommend to the hotel to expand their gift shop! We really don't feel like leaving the resort to shop, but felt like the resort gift shop didn't have much. All in all, we had a great time... the room

The only disappointing piece of our vacation was that I only booked it for three days. Three days isn't quite enough time to enjoy everything. The other positive reviews on the Barcelo are spot on the money: it is clean, it is beautiful, the resort has appeal to all ages and I felt safe. I had packed an arsenal of stomach medicine "just in case" and thankfully no one got sick. Here are just a few items that I would like to pass along to anyone planning to go : *the line at Customs at the airport was horrendous : 2 hours to get from the back of the line to the front of the line. Everyone in line was about to lose their minds. It really sets your trip off in a bad way. Then it takes Best Day travel another hour (standing in the heat) to get the shuttles organized and on their way. *the resort is a good 1 and 1/2 hr ride outside of Cancun. I should have booked a private shuttle to the resort and skipped all of the other stops to nearby resorts. **too strict on the "dress code" for the nice rest. It was our 17th wedding anniversary and we made reservations to the Italian rest. (b/c the steak place is booked solid each night) and my husband was refused service and the lady was rude. Its too hot for long pants...they offered no alternative. So, it was back to the same chicken nuggets and fries buffet. *go to 5th avenue if you want an authentic shopping experience - go in the daylight *the resort doesn't take CASH? *pack pool toys and rafts

This is the 3rd RIU resort my wife and I have stayed at. I must say that I was very dissapointed with the food at this resort. I have come to expect more from RIU resorts. Also, the service was not quite what we have gotten from the other RIU resorts we have stayed at. I would reccommend this resort to others I just consider that maybe it was an off week or something.

Adequate all inclusive. Would not go back because of the food and drinks (too bland, overcooked and same dressed up buffet fare being served at the à la carte restaurants in some cases) but for the overall resort experience, it was quite enjoyable with two small children. The resort staff are quite helpful. The vibe this place gives off is very relaxed, safe, clean and family friendly. The resort is approximately 1hr15 from Cancun. Layout is well done. You can stay within your resort (Riviera in our case) but have access to all the other lobbies, buffets, restaurants, bars, pools, beach etc. The internal shuttle service contrary to many reviews was efficient and a 5-10 min wait for a train was normal. Be prepared to walk though. There is no room service for food. We booked a suite to have the kids play and sleep in their own area. The suites at the Riviera include a large living room with sofa bed and were quite adequate. Bring a night light if your kids use them as leaving any of the lighting on in the room provides too much illumination. Bathroom is large and functional and very clean. It’s the tropics so there are bugs everywhere. Do bring repellent for the evenings and anytime you enter some shaded areas. The grounds look wild with villas tucked away behind screens of vegetation. Lots of new things to see along walking paths, but just watch the speeding golf carts and service vehicles. Suitable beach( no rocks, seaweed) was a 10 min walk from our Riviera villa.

I've never left a review before but i read many reviews on this resort before we went so i thought I would keep it real for everyone.Overall it was a great resort for the money. I've been to several all inclusive resorts in mexico. This is not a 4 star. It says it has 5 restaurants but only 2 are open each night and the 1 buffet. U have to book reservations at least 24 hours in advance for a nice dinner. But to be fair the food was good.We tried to book dinner the 1st afternoon(we got there around 3pm) for the following evening and they were already full.U have to get up to make reservations by around 9am the day before. Also when we checked in they said they were out of King beds so me and my wife had to push together 2 doubles. Pool was very nice with plenty of chairs. The water was warm, but I can deal with that. The BEACH was HORRIBLE. They have to bring in bags of sand. Also there are 2 piers. One on each side of the resort so it traps all the seaweed. It is not a beach you would want to swim in. Also, the resort was pretty spread out, but thats nothing to get hung up on. They had golf cart guys driving around that came about every 5 min. It took 10-12 min to walk from our room to the hotel lobby. People complain about the smell but its really only in one area where u walk over a 20 foot bridge. Drinks were good, just ask for top shelf. Overall a great resort for the price but there are much better resorts out there if you want to pay more.

We went to this resort to attend a family wedding not knowing too much about it. We were pleasantly surprised and impressed with the resort. The staff was extremely friendly especially to our 1 year old daughter. The rooms were nice and the grounds were beautiful. We stayed in a standard room and found it roomy and nice. The pool was huge and the beach was great. There are many restaurants to choose from although with a baby we mainly ate at the buffet which was huge and very good. It is a large resort so it involves a lot of walking and there are many bridges and stairs. We brought a stroller and rarely used it due to this. The spa was big and very impressive, however some of the areas were not up and running. We have traveled to several nice resorts over the past few years and found this to be very nice.

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 place was amazing and the staff was very pleasant. We are going to try and return in a year or two. The staff was very attentive, friendly, very helpful. The resort was very clean, and the grounds were beautiful. I would highly suggest this resort to anyone. Pros: Very large resort with plenty of activities for people of all ages Several large beautiful pools all over the resort Several buffets to choose from/ many restaurant choices Shops on site (carry many items Gifts/healthcare/tequila/etc) Many options for off site excursions Cons: Like anywhere the check in process was very slow (we expected this and it wasnt as bad as we had anticipated) Sometimes the food at the buffet was stale (or has been out for too long) If you are looking for a beach resort , this resort has a beach, but is consumed mainly by a reef. So it tends to be rocky Dinner reservations are a difficult, and the system for making reservations is faulty. The palace hotels is a bit far from the lobby and the last stop on all the trams Tips: Make your dinner reservations right away when you get there Make sure you have a bathing suit in your carry on because they are a little slow to bring bags to the room You can enjoy the resort while you wait for your room mini bar is free and restocked daily bring lots of sun screen and bug spray Bring small bills for tips (drivers, dinner, off site tips) you need to make your dinner reservations with the concierge in the front lobby

We made prior arrangements thru Mandarin for airport pickup = definitely worth it. We think we were at our hotel before some passengers had their luggage! Since this was our second visit, we were not surprised by the level of attention that is paid to each guest. Your wish is their command. The resort is very private and offers every convenience and then some --- lounge chairs with fresh towels on our private patio; fresh fruit; and amazing welcome back perks from the staff. The food is amazing as well! Ceviche ChaCha has the best tempura sushi roll anywhere and the offerings at Ambar are works of art! The after-dinner chocolates are a wonderful touch! The spa is top of the line as well. Professional and attentive are words to describe the spa staff. The massages were of the highest quality and worth taking a break from the beach for awhile. We truly can't wait to return next year for our slice of peace on earth in Mexico.

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.

My husband and I stayed in the Riviera section which is at the very front of the hotel by the lobby. There is a buffet below the lobby to eat at breakfast, lunch and dinner. There were 2 golf carts that took guests in the Riviera section to the middle of the resort where the other restaurants, bars, and beach are located. The hotel rooms and landscaping were beautiful. The Playacar is a private area ( about 2 mile long street) lined with a few other resorts and lots of nice houses that people either live in or rent. There is a shopping area in Playacar and it was fun bicycling. The downsides were that the activites are focused on kids. Therefore alot of kids-so not so fun for couples. Also the theater was fairly boring and a little raunchy, dancers wearing nighties, etc.- The beach in front of the resort has many sandbags as well as all the other resorts in the Playacar area . But just to the right of the Sandos resort there is beach with no sandbags and no resorts for a long ways (don't know how far). So we stayed on the no sandbag area and had a great ocean view. And lastly, we've been to a couple of other resorts and this was our least favorite on food. Not much to choose from and no good deserts, well except for ice cream . The 3 buffets got old for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and the reservation only places were just okay and boring inside-and the brazilian one is located inside one of the buffets.

My wife, myself and two young adult kids attended the resort and were very happy with our selection. We have been to several other resorts in the area, this one is by far the best. Hard to believe the 3.5 star rating. When reading previous reviews, I was a bit hesitant, however after our experience, I recommend this resort without hesitation. The beach is incredible, with lots lounge chairs and space. Pool lounging was also great with 4 pools to choose from. I read some middle of the road reviews regarding the food, and have to say, our experience was incredible, with the number of restaurants and outstanding buffets, we were completely satisfied. The location of the resort allows for great runs, or walks to Puerto Morelos an exceptional town with great Mexican feel. Overall outstanding vacation, we are going back. The resort is large, however the utilisation of the space does not make it feel crowded. There are so many different areas, coffee shop, bars, restaurants, lounge areas, pools, excercise room, theatres, that finding somewhere to go was simply a choice. The staff were excellent, we thought of upgrading, but honestly did not find a need. Great resort. ,

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!

I would recommend this resort to anyone that is seeking a high-end large, all-inclusive resort. My wife and I typically stay in smaller boutique hotels, however, for some reason we wanted the big, full service resort with a lot of options and this resort was perfect. There were more families than we expected, but that didn't really bother us. The resort is immaculate and very well designed, down to little details.

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! :)

If you don't mind rooms without an ocean view, this is a great place to stay. They have several pools including a wave pool and lazy river. Since the Iberostar resorts are next to each other, the beach is quite large. This was our second trip. The quality of the buffet food has dropped significantly. Three years ago, it was the best we have experienced. It was barely mediocre on this trip - much less selection and only passable quality. The restaurants are still quite good but, require a reservation with limited availability. The resort has a small shopping center with stores, bars and an ice cream parlor (all inclusive - for food and beverage). There is also a main show in the evening. The nightlife, however, doesn't seem to "happen". It is very passive in the evening which may or may not be your preference. There are, though, shuttles to Playa del Carmen until 10 p.m. The cost is $5.00 each way. Aside from a couple of instances, the staff is generally very accommodating and friendly. Each building has a concierge to address all your needs. Overall, I would reccommend this resort. I miss the ocean view (resort built perpendicular to ocean to reduce hurricane damage) and excitement of most resort's night life. The Paraiso Maya does make up for it with it's large pools and nice beach. The kids love this place.

Iberostar Lindo Resort turns out to be one resort sandwiched between three other Iberostar resorts and as a result, guests get to share the immenities of all three. That means lots of specilty dining, pool activities or beach parties somewhere constantly and a never ending supply of buffet food and open bars. The grounds and facilities at all the resorts are very well maintained and you can expect to share a walk (or bicycle ride) around the resorts, with peacocks, cats, parrots, iguanas, gekos and lots of coatis. The rooms are spacious and comfortable with very soft beds and every building has a dedicated consierge on site. The food at the buffets is very good with plenty of variety or, if you wish, there are enough specialty restaurants to go to a different one every night for a week. The Iberostar Lindo offers a lazy river and wave pool as well as a huge adult pool and a special kids only pool while the adjacent resort offers equally inviting water features. The nightly shows at either resort are always fun and entertaining with a few being outright spectacular. The bartenders, waitstaff and maintenance people are all friendly and attentive. The activities staff is the absolute best ever and I guarantee you will know them all on a first name basis and will have had breakfast with most of them before you go home. The beach is well maintained with multiple snack stands and bars and plenty of land and water activities. What more could you want? Lindo has it all!

I returned from a 1 week stay at the Kantenah- Grand Palladium Mayan Resort. I travelled with 8 people and the whole trip was wonderful and everything worked out to our satisfaction. We emailed the resort before going and got in the same building which helped so we could walk places together. The resort is immaculate and the grounds are out of this world. The main paths are covered with hut like roofs in case of rain. I saw many animals, birds, reptiles at this resort more than any other. The beaches- white fine beautiful sand and a great swimming area with sand and coral beach area for others to snorkel. The pools were very large and I took a floatie and that was a great idea as the whole pool was over my head so I could float around easily. I do wish the pool was shallow in certain areas so I could have stood up and walked in it more but I was just too short 5'3". The restaurants were good but not fabulous and we got in with very little wait time. The Buffets were good but I have been to some resorts that had better food and more selection. The drinks were very good and the staff was wonderful always trying to please. The SPA is the nicest I have seen ever!!!!! There's many things to do without paying like a lazy river to walk through, foot reflexology walk area, ice cold plunge pool, hot tub, sauna,steam room,hot tub with massaging jets from above and an infinity pool with a great view. I had a massage on the beach and a facial at the spa.....What a trip!!

The Ocean Breeze is a fairly new resort, small, only about 65 rooms.The staff at front desk was very cordial. The rooms were very nice, spacious, and very clean. The beds were fairly comfortable.The Balconies were very small with no view, only the jungle. If you like quiet this is the place. Pool is awsome. The service while in the pool wasn't the greatest. If you wanted a drink or food you would have to go to bar yourself. It is an all inclusive resort & you share some of the ammenities with the Mayan Palace. They need to take you on a tour of the Mayan Palace (which is a short shuttle ride away) after you check in because the Mayan is such a huge place & not all of the resturants & bars are included with your all inclusive package. We ended up just asking around to see what was included & what wasn't. The resturant at the Ocean Breeze served very good food but after a week the menu got sort of boring. It would have been great if they would have a had a different special each day to just change up the menu. I was a little dissapointed with the Buffet resturant El Lago at the Mayan. They have a breakfast buffet but that wasn't included in all inclusive, only evening meal. They need to be more specific about the location of the Ocean Breeze. It leads you to believe it is on the Ocean & it is not. That was dissapointing! It is in the middle of the jungle so if you want an ocean view, this is not the place for you.

My five-year-old and I spent a wonderful week at The Royal Haciendas. It is truly a beautiful resort. The entire resort sparkles, it's so clean! Our room was small, but nicely appointed, including a small kitchenette (microwave, coffee maker and small fridge). I particularly appreciated the sunken tub. We had a nice little deck with an ocean view. The resort has some gorgeous pools. We liked the pool that was nearest to the ocean. The resort is right on the ocean. There are adult and children activities Mon.-Fri. The activities staff is wonderful. They helped a great deal to make my son's trip memorable. There are some downsides to the resort, but none that would keep me from coming back. Here are a few: (1) The food is only so-so and is expensive. The best food we had was from the "Lapa Lapa Express" (basically like room service); (2) It's a time share, so be prepared for a sales pitch; (3) the "hot" tubs were mostly luke cool; (4) Although the resort is only about 20 minutes from downtown Playa, the last free shuttle leaves downtown at 6:00 p.m., meaning you must take a cab home. Also the free shuttle fills quickly, so it's necessary to reserve well in advance; and (5) When it's rainy, which it was for two days of our trip, there really isn't a whole lot to do, particularly for little ones.

We had a fantastic time at Luv Tulum. The place has one of the best locations on the beach, pretty much in the middle. The beach itself is just magic. Staff at Luv Tulum were really helpful and tried to sort out any issues we had as quickly as possible. We stayed in one of the smaller rooms right on the beach, the view takes your breath away. We had the option of a larger cabana set back a bit but stayed in the smaller room for the location. Worth noting that this is an eco/cabana type set up so expect the odd power outage etc. If you must have your 5 star facilities then go to an all-in mega resort. Luv Tulum is more about the beautiful location and the quiet beach. I'd totally recommend Luv Tulum to others.

From the second you step on the property you feel at home.The staff including Amansalas Dogs are very welcoming giving you personal attention without being overwhelmed .Very relaxed atmosphere.Plenty to do and keep you occupied if you like , or just relax by the Sea side.Room and resort bring outside beauty in using all Raw material giving it a very Natural Balanced feeling.Very clean and comfortable.Food is excellent ,very healthy,nutricious and Delicious( if you are a foodie , you found your place)Very creative dishes.Looking forward to staying there again did not want to leave , it felt like home being at Amansala .From the location to the people very warm and inviting.Making you feel like part of the Amansala Family.A must to experience you will come back a different person.Magical Tulum will cast a Spell on you .

First of all, this is a cabana setting. If you're looking for turndown service and pillow mints, stay at one of the resorts! We stayed here for 6 days-March 7-13, 2012. We were looking for a comfortable, quiet, peaceful, low-key retreat and HPPP fit the bill perfectly! The beach is mostly private and in a small cove, but you can walk or drive a short distance to the wide-open beaches. The service is friendly and accomodating, they have electricity 24 hours (as you go further south this becomes trickier to find), and wireless internet. The basket of goodies delivered each morning supplied a cup of instant coffee, juice boxes, and a small snack. I'd suggest bringing a travel teapot or coffee press if you need a good cup of joe in the morning, but there are places (Mateo's) close by that serve good coffee and juices/smoothies. We also brought a cooler along as there is no refridgerator- there are two grocery stores near the main intersection in town which we made a daily trip to for ice, beer, lunches, etc. Lastly, Ignacio is a great host if perhaps a bit overzealous in his desire to promote his restaurant, provide tours, etc., but we did appreciate his advice, and he makes a great drink when you're relaxing on the beach!

My soon to be wife and I went to Playa Del Carmen to get a way for a week. before we got married this summer. We booked into the Fushion Beach Hotel because it was on the beach and at a very good price. We are so happy we did. This little place is the best. If you are looking for a high end all inclusive resort this is not it. If you want a hotel with the best food, music, location and view then book yourself in. You can sit on the beach from breakfast, thru lunch, into happy hour, for dinner and then dinner dinks all night with live entertaiment. You do not need to leave. We had no idea. What a great gem this is. We are going back and asking for one of the 2 rooms that look out over the ocean. Most of the rooms are just in the back with no view. Who cares. We wanted to get out front and grab a beach chair and listen to the music and enjoy the food. It is awesome.

I have been staying in the Tulum area and have stayed at many resorts/cabanas/hotels along the boca paila road. The Hemingway was a very nice eco chic place to stay. If someone is excepting a 5 star resort in the Tulum area, go else where. Electricity may be sporadic and hair dryers are highly frowned upon due to their high energy consumption. The beach is absolutely breath taking. If you're lucky, you can catch sight of nesting sea turtles. The breakfast, consisting of fresh fruit, fresh pastry, baguette, preserves, and a varying egg dish, along with coffee and freshly squeezed juice was perfect. Our Cabanna was situated towards the back of the property, thus, the sea breeze was not very easily felt and it was a little warm in the beginning part of the night. Unfortunately, it rained almost every day we were in the area and we had business to conduct so I was not able to get a complete feel of the resort other than breakfast and coming home for bed. My only complaint is that the wifi was nonexistent. I had read reviews earlier citing this complaint as well.. I, however, chose location over connectedness. There is an excellent restaurant across the street from The Hemmingway whose name escapes me but the food was excellent-- very mexican fushion-- The grilled fresh fish was perfection and the tomatoe/avacado/papaya gazpacho was to die for-- also-- the salad with black beans, chaya, carrots, and zucchini became my new personal favorite! A KM south down the road or so is La Zebra-- which offers free wifi for the traveler who needs to get their technology fix. I would and will be going back again.

Absolutely beautiful all inclusive resort on golf course, across the highway from beach, with full access to all amenities and facilities of other 3 sections of Gran Bahia Principe resort (Tulum, Akumal, Coba). The only drawback is the in-house transportation system to the beach area. Transportation needs to start earlier in the morning than 7:00 am for those early morning sunrise seekers.

My husband and I loved the resort! The service was unbelievable! The food was better here than at any other all inclusive resort we have stayed. We had beautiful weather and took advantage of all the hotel had to offer. The spa and restaurants were very nice. We felt very safe at the resort and in Playa itself. The staff went above and beyond from the moment we arrived and throughout our vacation. We stayed in a swim up room and it was beautiful. The only downside is where the hotel is located. It's not in the best part of town. But that really didn't bother us. We took a taxi into Playa a couple of times and had no problems. Thanksgiving is a great time to go to Mexico. And the Paradisus La Perla is a fabulous place to stay!