Chris Beene

Our server in the restaurant we dined for the most part was Fernando. He was excellent in every way, communication, service, dedication to his position. He went out of his way to make sure we were taken care of in every way, every time. I can say the same for the other waiters we had, but when he was working his shift,we asked to be sit at his station because we knew the service was going to be great. The best restaurant we ate at while we were here was the downstairs ground floor restaurant Romarley. The food was always great, better to our dining preference that compares to back home. Overall this was a good resort,we had some problems, but everything was addressed so all is good! Will recommend to anyone if you just want to relax, it doesn't have activities like most, but that's the kind of resort it is, the staff went out of their way to accommodate.

Raza Farooqi

- Rooms were okay our tub on the balcony the drain was stuck open and wouldn’t close. Super clean though. They start playing music at 7:30 AM which was kind of annoying if you have a pool view room. - we put the do not disturb sign on our door and they still came in and cleaned it…. - the beach is amazing water is gorgeous no sargassum either And both the pools they have are amazing. - the food was hit or miss. The breakfast was horrendous, room service food was horrendous, however the dine in food was good but really small portions. - the front desk staff speaks poor English other then the ambassadors so it’s kind of a pain. - we sat through their hour long cheesy presentation for the free stuff it’s worth it. It comes with a romantics dinner which was good, a free snorkeling adventure which was fun we saw some turtles and rays an abundance of fish. It also came with a free 25minute massage. If you want to go on excursions I would avoid the over priced ones from the resort they must get a commission from it skip the middle man and walk the main strip and ask one of the tour companies way cheaper and better experience. The town of Peurto Morelos everyone is super nice and it’s really safe get off the resort and have some fun.

Samantha Guillory

The hotel is beautiful, the restaurants serve delicious food, I especially loved the Ro Marley one. Coffee and pan and water readily available. The aesthetic is gorgeous, especially the pools and design….the ocean views on one side and city and tree line views on the other side. The service was impeccable. Shout out to Candido! Alejandra as well. Diego. Yoe! Really everyone here was amazing and treated us so kindly and well and made us feel welcome.

Kelly Griffiths

So many highlights at this resort. Candido and Diego at concierge were outstanding. Anything you need, they’ve got you covered. So much amazing food and beautiful tasty drinks. At times service could be a bit slow by the pools but you can see they are a bit more understaffed on weekdays versus weekends. And that’s okay!!! You can always get up and go to the bar yourself ;) All staff were pleasant. We also went for a massage which was so relaxing. I recommend the snorkeling through the hotel as well!

Rebekah Trice

Fantastic trip. We stayed 6 nights at the Fives- Candido took amazing care of us. The property is beautiful, well situated in the most darling and authentic little town of Puerto Morelos. Candido set us up with beach chairs everyday to watch the sunrise, made sure we had everything we needed for a stress free trip. He made sure we were set up with local recommendations to navigate around the area, our favorite being a quick trip to Akumal to snorkel with the turtles and stingrays. While the food in town is amazing, the food on the property is equally outstanding- we dined on Kinn rooftop for our last hoorah and could not have been more pleased. Bravo to Candido and the rest of the Fives staff for an unforgettable vacation!

Jordyn Fox

We have had an amazing experience at the resort. It is slightly dated, however the overall experience and staff culture makes this resort so special. Victor, Jose, Angie (photographer), and Eddie all made our experience extra-special, and extremely accommodating. The food was very well done, some highlights being the mussels at the Festival buffet, the beef flautas at the Mexican restaurant, the pizza at the sports bar, as well as the tortilla chips and endless toppings. Halfway thru our stay the resort brought in multiple brand new chairs for the pool which made lounging even more comfortable, and the foam party was a blast. The beach was nice and sandy, the area right in the water was at times a bit rocky, but overall beautiful and a great experience. Would highly recommend the deluxe ocean view room - makes for a great morning wake-up, and amazing sunset views.

Bryson Worden

This is NOT a 5 Star All Inclusive/Hotel. I'm starting with this up front because I want people to understand there ARE issues with Blue Bay. However, it is a 4 star at most. You can tell this when at the hotel but also with the price paid being the lowest of available options around. The buffet food is decent, the beach is beautiful, and all the bartenders make the drinks very strong (Mucho gracias amigos). The staff in general also do their best to care for guests, but my partner and I did find a lot wasn't explained extremely well such as where food for inclusive guests is ("Festival" isn't on the website at all), amenities availability and times, and overall layout as well. Our room was clean and serviced each day aside from when we indicated such (we slept in one day) and do come multiple times (at least two) to service the rooms. The room we had was a single king size with a coffee maker a TV with basic cable and internet access (through the wifi, this is not advertised as it is VERY slow but can run YouTube) and a safe for storing items in. Several light switches didn't operate anything and one of our faucets had absurdly high pressure. However: the water was warm and cold and all facilities worked as expected. Entertainment is available and is impressive occasionally. We watched the Africa ("afro"), Mexican and Pop show. The Africa show and parts of the pop show were impressive, but we both found the Mexico show confusing and overstimulating at points as well. It also showed footage from places not in Mexico which was strange. But the performers for each show were outstanding and deserve applause. Other entertainment are some fitness and dance classes and a Spanish class, none of which my partner or I participated in. When reviewing Grand Esmeralda my wife and I don't have much to compare it to, hence my feelings of it being at most a 4-star. It was fine for us as a couple who wanted beach, pool and sun, but if families are expecting more from their resort they may be left disappointed. However: we had a wonderful time and would recommend it to couples looking for Mexico vacation on a budget as well.

Paulo Mota

I recently stayed at Blue Bay Grand Esmeralda and had a genuinely lovely experience, which is why I think many of the negative reviews don’t reflect the reality of the resort. The property is large and beautiful, and my room was very clean and comfortable. The staff were consistently kind, welcoming, and attentive, which really made a difference throughout my stay. The beach isn’t the strongest point of the resort, and I do think they could improve the experience by adding more bars closer to the beach area. What bothered me the most was having to line up to enter the Festival restaurant, even though it’s a buffet. For a resort of this size, having another buffet option—just like the pool bar concept—would help reduce lines and make meals more convenient. On the positive side, the resort offers a great variety of nightly shows at the Black & White Bar, which added a lot of fun to the evenings. Overall, I had a great stay and believe the resort delivers more than many of the negative reviews suggest. With a few improvements, it could easily become an exceptional experience.

Layna Oliver

I’m not usually someone who leaves reviews but I thought this one was necessary… when we got here it was pretty good. But after the first couple days our building smelt like sewer, it was unbearable we had to sleep with the door open. The bed sheets were stained and the bathrooms at the pool were disguising there was faeces on the floor, toilets, and no soap. The shuttle service around the resort never stopped for us even though we tipped them everytime. the food was not good, hot dog pizza, no fruits or vegetables and undercooked meat. We went to the Italian and steak house restaurant and I would give those a 10/10! Our towels were stolen when we were in the pool. We were charged 60 usd for not returning the towel card. I understand if we lost them or something but they were stolen and we still had to pay! This is definitely a family oriented resort everyone is in bed at 10:00 p.m and they don’t have very many activities at the pool. The tequila was good and the atmosphere was good but I won’t be coming back! Would recommend you bring snacks, toppings for toast and playing cards.

Brandon Anderson

BlueBay Resort Mexico was an excellent place to stay, offering a great combination of comfort, amenities, and location. The resort is well maintained, with clean rooms, beautiful grounds, and multiple pools that never felt overcrowded. The beach area was relaxing and easily accessible, with plenty of seating and great views. The dining options were varied and convenient, with something for everyone, and the staff overall was friendly and accommodating. Activities around the resort were well organized, and it was easy to both relax and stay entertained throughout the stay. Camille and Kaci was especially helpful and welcoming, adding a personal touch that enhanced the overall experience. We would definitely recommend BlueBay Resort Mexico and would gladly return in the future.

Miika Isnardy

Shining stars: - Elizabeth was very friendly and spent time getting to know my family. Her activities were fun and engaging, and I really enjoyed her music choice. - Edwin in la hacienda los girasoles was so kind, offered to take our family photo, and was very fast with his service! - Freddy at Bistro was happy to get to know more about Canada which made me feel so happy and welcome. - Luis our butler was always available and met with us everyday to make sure we were taken care of. - Ricardo the sushi chef smiled through our whole dinner service and facilitated a wonderful sushi making class! He was my favourite employee from the entire experience. Areas for improvement: - the pool service at el beso was slow and often forgot my drink, brought the wrong one, or simply didn’t ask if I wanted anything even when I was trying to get his attention. I think having an extra server around the pool would improve the experience. - the restaurants were all amazing but I was underwhelmed by the buffet. The quality of the food was not great and often had me question how long it had been sitting out. It also had less options than other resorts that I have been to. In addition to this the service was slow. Most of the days we went to the buffet we didn’t get served our drinks until we had already finished our meals. This was disappointing and probably my least favourite part of the stay. - the music at el beso sucked. It was “lounge” remixes of popular songs which was not what I expected. I found myself wanting to go over to the other pools where they had fun music playing which is unfortunate considering we paid extra for the el beso experience. - for me the butter service was not necessary. The butler himself was perfectly fine but I don’t think it was worth the extra money. - I would have enjoyed more afternoon activities at the pool. - lastly, the activity schedule was often wrong which made it very confusing and difficult to plan family activities in the evening.

Lisa Isnardy

H10 Coral & Turquesa has, by far, the best staff and service of any resort in the area. We had a Privlege package which was well worth the extra money. Luis was our butler and he made our whole experience really easy. He is very personable and efficient, making sure each day we had all our needs met. Ricardo at the El Beso pool bar is amazing. Freddy and Ivan at the El Beso Bistro are great too. Fabian and Elisabeth, the activities coordinators are so fun and energetic. The cocktail classes were very fun and Jesus is hilarious (shakey, shakey). We had a wonderful experience at the buffet in the mornings with Gladis and Mariah as our servers. The restaurants were all good but we have to mention the exceptional service at the Hacienda. We visited this restaurant a few times and each was equally excellent with both servers Armando and Edwin. We have been to this resort before and it is the same staff year after year. There is something to be said for a company that can keep the same people and as a customer it makes the experience like coming home and seeing friends again.

lana resler

As someone with over two decades of experience in hospitality, I felt compelled to write this review. We arrived early on 6 December for a two-week stay, having booked Privilege. Communication from the hotel was poor from the start—nothing was properly explained, including the fact that we had a butler. We only found out on day three via a handwritten note on our door. Alberto and especially Sebastian ended up assisting us with restaurant reservations, which are required for all restaurants and not easy to manage. Both were excellent, and we are very grateful for their help. Food overall was average. The main restaurant was the easiest option for breakfast and lunch. The only restaurant that truly stood out and was clearly a level above the rest was Villa Marina, which was excellent. We mainly used the beach rather than the pool. Access to water was unnecessarily difficult, as only glass bottles were provided and could not be taken onto the beach, resulting in constant walking back and forth. Plastic bottles would be a simple and practical improvement. We also experienced repeated rudeness from staff when trying to access areas barefoot or in swimwear—even for non-restaurant areas like an ice cream stand next to the pool. Rules are understandable, but the way they were communicated was often rude and unacceptable. Mick’s Café was another disappointment. Communication was difficult, and the coffee quality was extremely poor. As a barista of over 20 years, I found it genuinely shocking. We also experienced an incident at reception when asking about towels for a hotel-organised day trip. The receptionist was extremely rude and confrontational at 7 a.m., which was completely unnecessary and unprofessional—especially for guests about to leave on an excursion organised by the hotel. On a positive note, the pool bar staff completely changed our experience. Juan and Jesus, especially during the evening shifts, were outstanding. Juan deserves special recognition—his English was excellent, his professionalism exceptional, and he went far beyond his duties to make us feel welcome. He genuinely cared and created moments that made our stay memorable. Without them, our experience would have been significantly worse. Unfortunately, the pool bar had inconsistent opening hours with no clear schedule, which added to the general sense of poor organisation. In summary, while there were a few standout staff members—particularly Juan and Jesus—the overall experience suffered from poor communication, inconsistent rules, average food, and unprofessional behaviour from some staff. With better training and clearer organisation, this hotel has the potential to be much better

Trevor

Another amazing trip to OCT! The facilities are clean and well taken care of, the food is great whether at the buffet or any of the a la carte restaurants. A great selection of food that is cooked perfectly and has amazing flavour! Take part in any of the many daily activities, Spanish lessons, guacamole making, mixology, beach volleyball, stretching and yoga on the beach, also activities specifically geared towards kids! Mask making, a teen lounge with bowling, pool, foosball. Don't forget the nightly entertainment which will regularly being in talented acts performing fire dances, acrobatics, talent shows etc. The staff is where this resort really shines. The staff and how they treat the guests is the entire reason we came back a second time and brought our children with us. Special thank you to our Concierge Carlos, very attentive and goes the extra mile to ensure things are perfect! Sommelier Rafael, super energetic and positive! Ricardo at the beach and Ricardo at Ocean Burger, both amazing! The entire breakfast crew at the Privilege Lounge Jason, Jesus, Adolpho, Adan.. I know I am forgetting some. Also Erik our most amazing host at the Mexican and the Italian restaurants, May the Force be with you ! Again, an amazing experience. I would highly recommend booking the Privilege package so you don't miss out on any of the amazing services this resort has to offer!

Maureen Fraser

We just arrived home after an incredible week at the Ocean Coral & Turquesa resort. I can't say enough about this experience. Everything was so clean from the public washrooms, to the suites, to the beach itself. The service was impeccable with a much needed special mention to the outdoor staff including at the bar Gustavo, Antonio, Guillermo, Eduardo, and Alejandro! I got a henna tattoo by Alex and was so thrilled by the offer to refresh it before we left! At the restaurants/buffet the fantastic service continued with Yasmin and Samuel and I certainly can't forget the night time bartender, Mateo! All these individuals made me feel like there's no such thing as a bad day!

Ashton Pugh

Selene, Faustina, & Yazmin were the absolute best servers we had at the Beach buffet! They were kind, attentive, and went what we feel to be above and beyond for service for our family! Our cups were always full, and always had what we needed! As someone with an allergy it was very appreciated how helpful the staff were here!! Thank you so much! Hope to see you both next time!!

Raynier albarran

I love comming to Barceló is a fun clean enjoyable place to stay for vacation with friends or couples. The room is spacious hot water clean with beautiful garden views. The staff are all amazing at the buffet for dinner we had saul Lopez and Yaneth mucu that were very helpful and always on top of our foods and drinks. At the pool and beach the entertainment crew were fun and friendly Estrella was helpful . Again barcelo is a great fun place to stay mi cielito pool was tranquil food was good and healthy, the only thing I will say the need to get back to is the shows The first time I came in 2008 it was great almost broadway. But the one that I watch was still google the Mexican and the magic fun. Other than that never a dull moment very fun and clean also pools were very nice and beach was calm and clean

Manuela Casinha

The food is incredible delicious. Every meal has been different and well prepared. Service from both Mariela Cruz and Nubia Dzul have been exellent. They come and great me , make sure my plates are removed Every time. Both very happy and tidy great service.

Joe Nagy

Currently at the resort enjoying a beautiful location and good food. I was here with family back in 2005. I'd give it a 4.5 star but customer service is not what it once was. I requested 4 different restaurant reservation but received only two of the restaurants I requested. It seems the representative was preoccupied with other activities to concentrate on my request. ( Yes I checked and there was availability at all my requested restaurants) I also requested more towels and pillows from the same representative whom wrote it down but never delivered. Overall the resort delivers a great experience unfortunately one or two inattentive customer service reps made my visit a little less great.

Megan Kienas

Muy delicioso! México Lindo was our favourite restaurant during our trip. The food was absolutely fantastic. Full of flavour, perfect sized portions and beautiful presentation. Roberto Canul and Clemente Suaste provided us with excellent service, clearing our plates the second we were done and checking in with us many times to make sure we had everything we wanted. Highly recommend eating here, an absolute must!

Priya Senthil Kumar

We had our lunch today at Caribe, and it was a lovely experience overall. The handmade chips with sides were amazing and set a great start to the meal. The buffet offered a well-rounded spread of salads, fruits, and fresh breads. The baked chicken was flavorful, and the shrimp pasta stood out as especially delicious. They had about five to six dessert options, though the taste could have been better and didn’t quite match the quality of the main dishes. The customer service was excellent, and having drinks served directly at the table added to our comfort. The rooms were cleaned frequently, making our stay even more pleasant. We also had a great time at the bowling alley and the escape room. The beach and pool area were wonderful as well.

Elizabeth Reese

⸻ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5 – Outstanding Experience at Captain Morgan Grill (Barceló Maya) We had an amazing dining experience at Captain Morgan Grill! Our server, Carlos Martinez, provided exceptional service—attentive, friendly, and genuinely personal. He introduced himself right away and even asked for our names, which made the experience feel welcoming and memorable. The supervisor, Ana, also deserves recognition. She clearly runs the team with care and professionalism. Her warm and friendly demeanor contributes greatly to the wonderful atmosphere. Overall, terrific service and a fantastic visit. We will definitely be back for trip #9!!

Ask Christine

Visited for Ember Shores music festival 2025. Overall resort was beautiful. Grounds have exquisite water features throughout and convenience to the mall next door for any last minute items you may need or for gift shopping. There is also a casino but we didn’t have time to check that out. Suites are beautiful with outdoor jacuzzi and superior rooms are basic hotel style rooms. Buffet had decent variety and veggies were fresh. Best part was our server, Manuel J. (Manny). He remembered our orders for drinks and even helped us learn a little Spanish. His friendly personality and good sense of humor was added bonus while we enjoyed our meals.

Nat Mah

We checked in and asked for a quiet room. She told us she would switch rooms to ensure it was quiet. It is Thursday night and there is a loud open air concert until 1130!!! I called guest services to ask when it would end and was told not until 1130, he laughed and said it was because our room must be near the mall. No my room is supposed to be in a 5 star hotel and quiet. I still cant believe how muxh I paid to stay in this subpar motel. The entire reason for going on this vacation was to get some quiet at the beach. The rooms are a 3 star at best with caulking that looked like someone did it while asleep. The hallways are dark and floors always wet. Our door keeps sticking and the first night someone came to "fix" it. It didnt. It takes about 5 tries to open the door. We had to ask for someone to clean the shower the first night because of mystery filth in it. When she was done she told us to use many towels on the floor as it gets too wet. And also she didnt have any more big towels to give us. No swimming in the ocean as there is a red suspended algae of some kind. The room smelled of raw sewage when it rained, apparently a common occurrence here. And we got sick, diarrhea and vomiting for 2 days. One pack of 8 tabs immodium and one pack of 12 pepto chewable was $38 btw. Ate at the Italian restaurant and it was worse than the dinner buffet. The shower supplies are watered down and dont smell great. The alcoholic drinks were not worth the calories. They should have adult and kid pools but no, kids everywhere. I may add snippets of the concert currently ongoing and update this review when we leave.

Katherine

I booked this resort SIX MONTHS IN ADVANCE for a relaxing stay, booking a room with two beds, which I even followed up on by email. Despite this, we were assigned a room with one king bed and told nothing could be done for 4–5 nights. I was sharing the room with a male who is not my partner and also have a sleep disorder, so this was not a minor issue. One of us ended up sleeping on a tiny sofa bed, which was uncomfortable and unfair given we paid equally. The problems continued. Our bathroom flooded overnight, repeatedly. Maintenance came multiple times but never fixed it. Calls to the front desk went unanswered late at night, eventually we went to sleep and towels were used to manage the water. We were woken up by knocks from hotel staff past midnight after they neglected to call us with an update. Eventually, a room with two beds “suddenly” became available and we were moved—after a full day wasted, minimal apologies, and no assistance with moving luggage. The first room also had an extremely loud AC that made sleep nearly impossible. The second room (a junior suite, but only after I had asked whether they plan to upgrade us) was better, which suggests the original room had multiple issues. Food was another letdown. While I expected average, most meals were poor quality, with indifferent service. Some restaurants were okay if you could get a reservation, but buffet food was hit-or-miss, cocktails were inconsistent, and the bowling alley food was inedible. Wi-Fi also didn’t work in the rooms for several days and was unreliable around the resort. Positives: the resort is clean and visually appealing, the gym is excellent, and parts of the beach are beautiful with great swimming and marine life—if you can avoid the very rocky areas. Unfortunately, the repeated room issues, lack of communication, and poor handling of serious problems completely overshadowed the positives. I left deeply disappointed by how we were treated.

Keri Mucicko

Our family of 4 enjoyed a week’s vacation along with 4 other families. Check in was fairly smooth, we had to wait for our rooms as our flight arrived earlier than check in - but they allowed us to go and eat and enjoy the amenities until we could get room keys. The resort has beautiful landscaping, great food, and excellent entertainment. The grounds were immaculately maintained. Every single staff member that we interacted with was pleasant. Our favourite servers were Isreal and Julio - they really went the extra mile to make our dinners so enjoyable. We stayed at Tropical, the poolside entertainment by Alex, Arie, Lise, and more, really kept the energy up along the pools edge. This made for excellent days in the sunshine with lots of laughs! We have absolutely no complaints, the complex has everything you need. We would definitely return to this resort and look into more Barceló resorts as they maintain impeccable standards. Thanks for a great vacation!!

HLESC

Beautiful buffet lots of selection and the servers are amazing luz Guzman The rooms are clean. The service is amazing. I have been coming here for six years now I love this place. There’s always lots of food lots of selection. There is always something to do here they have a casino. They have a sports bar with bowling and mini golf. Lots of things to do. The sports bar is also open 24 hours a day, which is nice. The ocean is amazing. The pool water now is actually a decent temperature where before it was like ice water. The only thing I would probably say is the entertainment in the pool area is lacking. They have a lot of good things like yoga and pool yoga. They do have some games that they play by the pool, but they put a cap on only between 7 to 10 people can join and they do tend to gear towards the younger people and they don’t do any games that maybe older people can play. It would also be great if they played more of their Mexican music when no games are going on, after all, we are in Mexico But I will definitely be back next year. This place is amazing.

Chef Menajem Peretz

It’s my first time outside of Playa del Carmen, and although I’m not really crazy about big hotels, the experience here was great. The pool and the beach are top-notch, and the grounds are truly beautiful overall. The rooms could use a little update — just small details, but the space itself is huge inside. I really missed having good coffee in the morning, something many other resorts offer. The food was okay, though a bit too creamy and with almost no red meat options. Good, but it could definitely be better. Would I come back? Maybe — it’s a great place for groups, and again, the beach is a huge plus.

Kelly Jensen

I just got home from 10 days here and it was awesome! The hotel and grounds were beautiful. We spent a lot of time at the pool, which is also beautiful and well maintained. The activity staff at the pool were great! The food was good, Japanese was a really fun place to go. The steakhouse was also very good. The buffet was good, but got a little old after 10 days. I want to give a special shout out to Fernando, a member of the bell staff. When I arrived on November 16 I was using a walker due to a back injury. Fernando saw me and ran across the lobby to help me. He got me a wheel chair for my stay, came around in a cart and picked us and our luggage up, and drove us to our room and pushed me in with the wheel chair. Fernando was really great and I'm so grateful to him for making my trip easier. Overall a great trip and I will definitely be going back!

Simone Maduro

Title: Deeply Disappointed – Unsafe Food and No Accountability My fiancé and I stayed at this resort from April 23 to May 6 while attending the Dr. Joe Dispenza seminar. We looked forward to relaxing for a few days afterward, but unfortunately, our experience was ruined by how the hotel handled a serious situation. On our second day, my fiancé bit into a rock hidden in his salad, breaking his tooth in half. We immediately went to the front desk to report it. The staff member called the manager, who seemed nervous and dismissive. She implied that my fiancé was lying and refused to take responsibility. I speak Spanish, so there was no misunderstanding about what had happened. After almost an hour of back-and-forth, the only help she offered was a couple of Advil pills and a form to sign. The next day, when the pain worsened, we insisted on seeing a doctor at the resort. The doctor was professional and confirmed that his tooth was severely damaged, prescribing medication for the remainder of our stay. Before we left, the general manager met with us, apologized, and promised to file a report with their insurance. He said we’d receive follow-up information. It’s now been over five months, and despite multiple emails and WhatsApp messages, we’ve heard nothing back. My fiancé had to pay $1,000 out of pocket to repair his tooth—even with insurance. This resort showed no accountability, no empathy, and no sense of responsibility for what happened on their property. What started as a dream vacation turned into an extremely disappointing experience filled with disrespect, delays, and broken promises. **** As you can see they replied with vague wording. They have not answered the numerous e-mails and messages we sent them. Although they promised to at least support us by sending it to the insurance due to the fact it was the hotels fault. They could have addressed the issue when it happened in a kind a quick way.. I have been there twice for a seminar. Thank goodness the seminar is also given in many other locations. We wont be back.

Jay Campbell

We stayed a preferred Hyatt members. The room was bleak, had a king bed and a table and a chair. Very simple. They deceive you on the pictures. Day 3 we had a horrible sewers smell and the toilet was only flushing half the time. The preferred club manager was very rude and short. Offered Hyatt points. We declined as this doesn’t fix the smell. He because extremely rude to a preferred Hyatt member and said I don’t know what you want. I said it fixed or a new room. We finally received a new room. Big downfall, wedding are done with nightly activities, basically they cancel the activities leaving guest with nothing to do during a wedding evening. I have stayed at over 10 resorts and have never seen anything like this. They will also close restaurants so staff can take care of the wedding party. Music blasted from the wedding parties till 11 pm. Pros. Door men excellent, restaurant staff beyond great. The preferred beach area manager was amazing making sure all were taken care of. Food is so so. Pasta good. The steak was so so. It’s not a terrible resort, maybe needs updates and some new preferred club managers.

Tereza Ramos

My husband and I celebrated our 25th Anniversary at Dreams Sands. It was our first time at this place and also to Cancún. We had a wonderful time at the Dreams. Everything was perfect! The staff is absolutely amazing! They do everything to make their guests feel at home. A special thank you to Frederico, Dayana Ramirez ( room attendant), Noe, Jorge, Luis, Santiago, Elizabeth, Luis, Alberto and Miguel (servers). The Entertainment team was also fabulous ( Analee, Gael, Jaime etc...). The Portofino restaurant was absolutely incredible! Thanks to Gladys and Jacinto who made our night there very special. It was an amazing experience for me and my husband. We loved The Dreams Sands and we will surely come back in the near future. 💕

Daniela Nirdlinger

We spent 10 days at this resort. Overall it was great and relaxing. There are some things that can be better. First one is to have more restaurants and more staff to attend guesses. Lines can be insane. The beach is very nice but at times there are lots of sea animals feces that has to be cleaned up more promptly. In terms of kids activities I wanna give a huge shout out to all the sweet ladies at the Kids Club. Wendy, Karla, Mar, Arlet, Roxy, Itzel you guys were the absolutely BEST of our vacation and our little guy loved you all. We would come back to this location mostly for the experience he had.

Eric Pare

To say I was disappointed is such an understatement. Please listen to the reviews saying how bad this hotel is. I wish I had. I thought it was just picky people but clearly it was not. Saying this resort is a 4-5 star is pure fraudulence. It is so old and run down it’s criminal especially for what they are charging. The rooms were beyond FILTHY. The lack of upkeep and deferred maintenance is simply ridiculous. It was GROSS! Management was so unhelpful and simply did not care. They showed me different rooms and each were just as bad as the last. The only positive thing was that they have a great beach. Servers were very nice in pool and beach area but the service at restaurants were extremely slow, even though u were leaving generous tips. The pools were in such bad condition with missing tiles EVERYWHERE. I can see some missing here and there but it was half the pool. Very unsafe. People were getting cut. If you wanted the nice pool you had to upgrade to the preferred side which btw they try and up charge you for once you get there, I was sent emails offering better pricing. We were beyond disappointed. What a waste of my money for my 35th wedding anniversary!!! I booked this resort because I’m a world of Hyatt member and Dreams is under their umbrella. I thought they stood behind their brand but clearly they do not. They did nothing to help but offer to be a liaison. After two hours on the phone with them and hotel management they did nothing. All I got was a 25% discount because I had to pay for the upgraded preferred side so my diabetic husband didn’t get cut in the main pool. We even got the phone line disconnected and no one bothered to even call me back. They said they could do nothing. Why will I ever trust the name Hyatt again???

Fely Leahey

We stayed in Dreams Sands Cancun last Oct 30- Nov 6,2025. We had a great time. The staff are so friendly, and very accommodating. The food is great and the place is clean . Beef steaks and Salmon were awesome. Claudia is so accommodating, friendly and she makes us feel comfortable. She helped us with our 2 days tour trips. We really enjoyed it . Thank you so much Claudia. Well done 🙏 . We also specifically thank our coffee gentleman, Jose in the coffee shop for making us the best coffee mochas and cappuccinos. He was so accommodating, friendly and great customer service . Thank you so much , Jose 🙏. We will come back 👍

Kim Karlin

This was our 5th visit to Royal Hideaway, and it just gets better every time. I love that it's a smaller resort and has beautiful grounds. The beach is close to the villas, so it's a quick walk no matter what building your room is in. The staff is the best part of the RH experience. Sucel was our concierge in building 24, and she went above and beyond to make our stay special. She even made reservations for my daughter and I to have dinner in town. Her smile and cheerful greeting every morning was a great way to start the day! All of the wait staff and hosts in the restaurants are wonderful. My favorite server from the first time I visited is Oscar (who has moved from The Deck to Azia). I can't say enough good things about his professional and personal attitude. His attention to the little things makes each meal something to look forward to. And he is warm and personable and always greets us with genuine pleasure. Yuliana was the hostess at The Deck for breakfast, and she was accommodating and so sweet. Best bartender of the year is Jose at The Deck bar. His smile was as great as his drinks! Eduardo that does beach service was always very attentive, worked so hard all day,and was a joy to talk to. Luis also delivered our drinks to us with a smile, including extra water bottles when it was so hot. Bar Allegria has Lorenzo (the shorter man of that name there) who makes a great margarita and even better conversation! Beach security were very attentive to all guest concerns and needs. I especially appreciated David, who always checked that everything was ok with us and was really interested in all the guests. I can't praise the entertainment team enough. The resort has added so much more to do, and the staff kills it!! I especially enjoyed water aerobics with Roberto. The shows are fun and the painting activities were a nice way to get creative. The food in all the restaurants is good, fresh and plentiful. Our favorites are Azia (try the Mayan sushi) and Spices for dinner. There are so many wonderful things about Royal Hideaway, which is why we keep going back. I don't foresee a Mexico vacation that doesn't mean a stay at this calming resort with it's welcoming and gracious staff. Thank you Royal Hideaway for another terrific vacation!!

Paulette Brown

This was our 13th visit to the Barceló Royal Hideaway Playacar, and it continues to be our favorite place thanks to the incredible staff who consistently go above and beyond. The resort is absolutely beautiful and so relaxing. We would especially like to recognize Ricky Rosas, who always makes our trips memorable and seamless. Prior to our arrival this trip we were staying next door at the Allegro Playacar with our family, and Ricky personally came over to pick us up and arranged for our luggage to be transferred and ensured our room was ready the moment we arrived. Throughout our stay, Ricky always checks on us several times a day and wis always offering his assistance—anything he can do to improve our experience. His professionalism, kindness, and genuine care for guests truly set him apart. He is the absolute best concierge we have ever had both here and at other resorts. He goes above and beyond for everyone, and it does not go unnoticed. We would also like to thank Roberto and his Water Sports team, especially Henry, for their outstanding service and friendliness. A special shout-out to the pool service team—Genaro, Eduardo, Luis, Javier, and Jorge—who were attentive, welcoming, and always make each snd every day by the pool exceptional. Kudos as well to the incredibly talented guitarist, saxophone player, and violinist who performed at the pool during this trip. Their music added such a special and relaxing atmosphere. My husband and I absolutely love this resort and look forward to returning again and again, thanks to staff members like Ricky and the entire Royal Hideaway Playacar team who consistently deliver an exceptional experience. I also met Dayna the new guest services manager today and she was very kind and wanting to know how they can make it even better.

Andrew Vander Weide

My wife and I booked Royal Hideaway Playacar via Costco as it was on the cheaper end for adults-only all-inclusive resorts, and we agree it was worth every dollar. In summary, everything met if not exceeded our expectations, especially being a more affordable resort. Food is generally good, often even fantastic. The rooms are large, comfortable (AC worked well), noise-insulated, well kept by daily housekeeping, and in good, accessible locations. The resort itself is very tidy with friendly workers all around constantly cleaning, fixing, and offering assistance and services, with a great overall layout and architecture. Pool varieties offer different types of experiences whether for the rowdier or more relaxed vacationers. The beach is unmistakably beautiful and conveniently at the base of the resort with more than enough chairs and shade if needed. It’s a fun but more so relaxing crowd. We will more than likely return to this resort soon, possibly regularly.

Barry Morehead

My wife and I stayed here last month for 8 nights. We will definitely be back. The price was very reasonable and some reviews were not great so we arrived expecting something average. I'm pretty high maintenance but we were pleasantly surprised! The staff and service was amazing. The grounds were beautiful (and constantly being groomed). The food was better than expected and plentiful. The drinks were also better than expected. I am impressed that there is a decent selection of nicer liquors included in the complimentary food and beverage. Our room was spacious and very nice. The view from our room was disappointing but we didn't pay for the grand view and we spent most of our time out by the pool and beach anyway. The view from the pool was outstanding. The Wifi worked well at the pool so we worked out there on days that we needed to get some work done. We hardly left the property during our time there. Everything we needed to relax and enjoy was right there. We're already looking at the calendar for when we might be back.

MARIA JEWEL PATTERSON

I will still give this resort a 5 perfect stars due to meeting all my finicky demands. I originally booked the ocean view suite but upon arrival I was told there’s issues with it (so they tried “selling” the presidential suite- which I don’t want due to its lack of privacy. Presidential suite (2726) is overlooking the swimming pool with a balcony that looks like you’re about to give a concert - lol) AND beaten by the sun). Any how, after 2-3 hours of waiting, the manager upgraded us to presidential suite since there’s really no other option and offered to give us the Balinese bed for the duration of our stay. Sounded great to me and we were really tired and just wanted to eat. Any how, the presidential suite they gave us also have water leak issue… I meant pouring like a waterfall issue- lol. We also didn’t have internet, water, and electricity of 2 days. On top of that, they called us at 8PM saying that we have to pay for the last night (since we have two bookings). They called at the time that they were fixing the water falls in our bedroom so I was really pissed at that time- I really should have the room for free. But despite all those mishaps, the Balinese bed, the view, and the beachfront restaurant made our stay a 5 star! This is the only resort I know that has a restaurant right on the beach. I also especially love the clam shell sunshade for every lounger on the beach. So, if you can’t get the Balinese bed, those beach loungers are plentiful and each pair gets a clamshell sunshade! As for the pool loungers, I am not sure though why some guests wakes up as early as 4:30 AM to save their spot. There’s plenty available BUT I guess they like the pool and the proximity to the restaurant and toilet - lol. Any how, another reason for my 5 star rating is the room service - especially the salmon dish! I really rather eat in my room than dress up and go to the restaurants. I didn’t really like any of those food in their a la carte restaurants. We mainly ate at the beachfront restaurant and room service. Finally, the water pressure and temperature in our shower is perfection! I look forward to showering - lol. Overall, despite the issues we’ve encountered , we ended up still having a great time. They tried everything they can to make our vacation a relaxing one. They tried to pamper us the best they can. Any resorts will have issues. And this sure has plenty. BUT, there’s something about this place that simply made my stress melted away. Everywhere I go smells so good. I already made a reservation for next year. Hopefully, the room I want- Ocean view Suite- will be ready to receive guests. I forgot to mention, I had the best massage by Guadalupe!!!! She unknotted years of stress building on my shoulder.

Narissa Young

We absolutely delighted with our 10 days at The Five Beach. The property is very clean, well managed and has everything you need to stay put and enjoy your vacation. Entertainment in the evenings was very high calibre, Fire show, Mariachi, Latin Show, Mexican Fiesta…. Singers, musicians and dancers were excellent! Camillo’s aqua fit was fun and challenging, Mimo leads a heart centered sound bath session among other things. Luis and Aleks were kind and led us to the presentation of the Epic Travellers program so now it’s even easier for us to come back. Our ambassadors Jannet, Angel and Karime were super helpful and always went the extra to make sure we were looked after. After thanking them we always heard them say “it’s a pleasure” The Spa….. oh my word. I live near two world class spas….my massage and facial with Angelica was The BEST, spa manager Sandy sets the tone for all her staff to crest truly epic experiences. This was a much needed break and they all work so hard to make it special. We never wanted to leave!

Dorota Mikowski

Our stay at The Fives Beach Hotel & Residences was fantastic. The rooms were comfortable and clean, the restaurants offered great food, and the service was excellent throughout our stay. There were many attractions and activities, making it a perfect place for a relaxing family vacation. Special thanks to Frank at the reception for his amazing help when our son had a small accident with a cactus. He was incredibly kind, professional, and supportive. A truly outstanding employee. We highly recommend this hotel and would happily return!

Monika Lucifero

Our family absolutely loved our stay at The Fives Residence Resort. Check-in was the fastest and easiest we’ve ever experienced, and the staff were incredible from start to finish. One thing that stood out right away—unlike many resorts, no one pressured us to tip, which actually made us want to tip even more. Everyone was warm, friendly, and consistently went above and beyond. Even the lifeguard helped us find beach chairs! Our brand ambassador, Alex (little Alex), checked in with us daily to ensure we had everything we needed and built a genuine connection before introducing the membership program he’s so passionate about. We were especially blown away by the kids club. Our 4-year-old instantly connected with Laura and Carolina, who made every day fun with thoughtful activities and so much care. He wasn’t feeling his best due to a cough, but they lifted his spirits every time—they truly love what they do, and it shows. The cenote and walking paths were stunning, with some of the best landscaping we’ve ever seen at a resort and so many beautiful animals along the way. We also enjoyed an amazing massage from Angelica and Celeste—50 minutes felt like five in heaven. The spa was spotless and felt like stepping into another world. Loved everything about this resort and highly recommend… and rumor has it the Toronto Raptors vacation here too 😏. And if you’re lucky, you can book a meeting with Christian and get a peek at his personal beach photos 👌.

Elizabeth M

We have enjoyed many stays at The Fives Beach Hotel and Residences, this stay was no exception. The food is reliably excellent and the staff is great. We love to alternate our time between a bali bed at the beach or days by one of the quieter pools. There's lots of activities day and night for those who like to be busy. We like to relax and be waited on. We can walk anywhere in a few minutes and especially enjoy the gorgeous landscaping. Some prefer to get a ride. We feel lucky to get assigned to Angel & Janet, Jeff or Gabriel as our ambassador. We have come often enough to have favorite waiters at the restaurants: Paola, Litzy, Hermes are just a few. Treat yourself to a romantic beach dinner with Jimmy and Jorge serving you. It's a beautiful setting and fantastic food. You can tell why we come back several times throughout the year with family and friends. It's the people at The Fives who make our stay special.

Candace Lee

I recently stayed at The Fives Hotel & Spa with my sister for six unforgettable days, and it was nothing short of spectacular! From start to finish, the experience exceeded all expectations. The staff truly made our stay special. William and Geremias at the swim-up bar were incredible-friendly, attentive, and always ready with a smile. At the spa, Ida, Beatriz, and Tony provided the most relaxing and rejuvenating treatments; their professionalism and care were outstanding. A special shoutout to Antonio, who guided us through the entire experience and made everything seamless. The food was absolutely delicious, offering a variety of flavors that kept us excited for every meal. The scenery was breathtaking, and the overall atmosphere of the resort was pure paradise. Every detail was thoughtfully curated to create a luxurious and relaxing environment. I would give this experience a solid 10/10 and highly recommend The Fives Hotel & Spa to anyone looking for an exceptional getaway. We can't wait to return!

Columbus

Got back from 2 weeks at this amazing resort. We were put off by some negative ones before we went and we are so glad we did go. Check in was smooth with a welcome drink took about 10 mins before the shuttle took us to our room. Great service from the shuttles all holiday. The room was stunning, so clean and the bath was so good. The bathroom was a little dated in places but this didn’t bother us, couple new tiles and a bit of paint and it would be perfect. We had a pool view in block 29. The food was incredible, both buffets, snack bars, themed restaurants and the Black Sheep. Very tasty food managed to get into 4 restaurants no problem, Carnal, Butchers, the Mediterranean and the Italian. All lovely food with a great service. All the pools were really nice, we stayed around the Prana pool most as it was outside our room but we did a day at the Aura, and a couple day at the quiet pool too. Really good laugh around the party pools and the entertainment was top notch. The beach was also really nice we did a couple days here and often came for lunch at the BBQ which was incredible. The bars again really good drinks and a great service. All of the bars were brilliant, the lobby cocktail bars and the rooftop was our favourite. Evening entertainment was good and the waiter service was top notch. We seen all sorts of wildlife which was amazing, Monkeys, Coatis, Racoon’s, and many reptiles and birds aswell as fish in the sea. Amazing to see so many different ones. Overall we had a great time here and would 100% return, met some great people from all over the world, up there with one of the best places we’ve been. Staff couldn’t do enough for you, the whole grounds were spotless and it looked stunning at night. Also the sunbed situation. We were getting up and getting a bed everyday between 9-10 no problem at all. We even got up later one day as we went to Coco Bongo the night before and managed to get one at 11am no problem. Don’t let any bad reviews put you off, I get some people’s experience may be different to others but ours was an amazing stay.

Michelle M

Not usually one to leave a review but this place is amazing! Transfer was as quick as it could be. We actually ended up with a private transfer as our bags took a while being a connecting flight. Recommend grabbing a beer for the journey to the hotel. Service at reception was efficient! Carlos who drove us to our room was brilliant, full of info! First day here, tried all the pools and it's really personal preference, they are all great. No fight for a lounger. Booked into most restaurants we wanted. Already planning the next holiday here!

Rebecca Komguep Siyam

Amazing family vacation! Kids activities are top notch! Calm beach with low wavea and lots of corals and fish...perfect for snorkeling right at the resort! The buffet was a hit every time! My kids loved the Kids Club so much that they wanted to return every day! From the games,crafts, lunch...and the highlight was the pyjama party! Gave the adults a break for a romantic dinner!

Canh Vo

This was our second stay at the Grand Sirenis Riviera Maya, (July 2023 and October 2025) and honestly, it has become our favorite resort out of all the places we’ve visited. While our first trip was great, our October visit was truly exceptional. The resort felt more relaxed, it wasn’t crowded and there were always plenty of chairs available at both the pools and beach, which made it even more enjoyable. Every staff members we encountered was warm, friendly and eager to help. Whether we had a question or needed anything, they went above and beyond to make sure our stay was perfect. It’s a level of care that really makes a difference for us. The buffet were good with a wide variety of food options and the a la cart restaurants offered great dining experience - especially the CARNAL. There are plenty of bars throughout the resort, so a refreshing drink is never far away. The smoothie and healthy drinks next to the pool is also amazing - don’t miss out on the juices! The pools and the beach are beautiful, clean and well maintained. We loved the wildlife around the resort - coatis, iguanas, and other animals up close added a special touch to the tropical atmosphere. The daily activities kept things fun and the theater shows at night were entertaining. Overall, Grand Sirenis has given us two wonderful vacations and we’re already looking forward to returning again. Highly recommend this resort!

Darin Drisner

Great family resort, amazing snorkelling, beautiful natural fauna, lots of animals to see. Resort is very spread out but has decent shuttle service. Rooms are pretty old and run down but the restaurants and lobbies have had recent upgrades and are very nice. Food is slightly below average but you can tell they are making an effort to improve. Room issues started with sending us halfway across the resort to our room. We upgraded to only to be told to wait in the hallway while they finish cleaning it with our four weeks of luggage with us. No big deal then we get into our room and the patio door doesn’t lock so we call maintenance and they say they’ll be there sometime that evening. We go to the first à la carte restaurant they had booked for us and the butchers food was cold and steak was not cooked even though we asked to have it cooked medium well was kind of surprised that they couldn’t cook a quarter inch thick steak medium well we got back to our room and there were ants crawling all over the bedside table which seemed to go away if we left the lights on so we slept the first night with the lights on that same night while we were in bed watching TV. The maintenance guy finally showed up and just walked right in and started fixing the patio door, which was fairly awkward. It got worse at checkout. Staff started making up stories about how they went above and beyond to make up for the issues with our room. The manager told us that he brought chocolate covered strawberries to our room, which he thought made up for the troubles we had with it, which didn’t actually happen. We caught him in the lie when he said oh I have pictures on my phone of it. I thought well if you have pictures that’s fine. Let’s take a look at them and see what the mixup is and when we asked to look at the pictures, he said oh my phone‘s not working.

G T

I recently stayed at Moon Palace Cancun for four nights—three nights at the Sunrise section and one night at The Grand. Overall, my experience was good, and it is a lovely place to be with family, but there was one significant issue that prevented me from giving a perfect score. The Sunrise Experience Our time at Sunrise was quite lively and enjoyable. The rooms were very clean, and the pool area had a great energy. The standout feature here was definitely the staff; they were incredibly courteous and did everything within their capacity to accommodate our requirements. Special shout-outs to the team members who made our stay better: • Miriam at the restaurant desk. • Isaac at Momo Restaurant—he did a great job helping us during our dining experience. • Mario at The Circus restaurant. My only critique regarding the room at Sunrise is the in-room Jacuzzi. It takes up a massive amount of space. While some families might enjoy it, it would have been nice to have the option to choose a room without it to utilize that extra square footage. Additionally, vegetarians should be aware that the Sunrise buffet has very limited, almost negligible, vegetarian options. The Grand Experience Moving to The Grand was certainly an upgrade. The atmosphere is elegant, and the rooms are very spacious. The dining situation was much better here, specifically the buffet, which offered plenty of vegetarian choices. If you don’t mind spending the extra money, I strongly recommend checking into The Grand over Sunrise. The “Resort Credit” Issue The reason I am deducting one star comes down to the “Resort Credits,” which felt like a misleading promotion. When I booked during Cyber Monday, I was told I would receive $750 in credits. Upon check-in, I was told that because of my split stay (3 nights at Sunrise), it would be $500. Finally, I only received $150. To make matters worse, using them is complicated. We were told we could use $100 toward the spa, but when we arrived, we learned we couldn’t apply the full amount to a single service due to hidden limitations. This entire process was a trust-buster. I would have been happier if the credits were never offered at all; promising a benefit and then confusing the customer with restrictions feels like a shame. Conclusion If you ignore the resort credit situation, Moon Palace is a solid choice. It offers nice rooms, great staff, and good food (especially at The Grand). Just manage your expectations regarding the promotions, and you will have a wonderful trip

Sarah Singer

My husband and I are currently finishing our stay at Moon Palace the grand and the only word I have for this trip is “disappointing.” As others have mentioned in their reviews, the endless sales pitches to go spend your time at “the presentation” where they try to essentially sell you a time share is ridiculous. We mentioned that we weren’t interested no less than 5 times and continued to be asked to attend. We took a short trip and just wanted to relax. We didn’t intend to take any excursions that we would need “cash” for that they kept trying to offer. Service at the day club and Casa Mia were great, but poor nearly everywhere else. We waited well over an hour at multiple restaurants before receiving any food. I also wouldn’t say the food was that great. Additionally, the rooms smell musty and our linens definitely smelled musty as well. I had them changed and it didn’t fix the problem, which is gross. Our TV and phone in our room also didn’t work, but I’ll give them credit in that they did try to fix it. I wish I hadn’t said anything though because all this did was result in incessant knocking at our door. Further more, trying to book a return transfer to the airport tomorrow was a nightmare. I went to public relations and they once again tried to get me to go to a presentation so it would be free. I just wanted to book and pay for it. After they weren’t helpful, I called multiple times from my cell phone (again room phone hasn’t worked the entire stay) and kept getting disconnected. I finally got booked via email which was highly frustrating because they booked me a return transfer from the wrong hotel initially… The beach is also poorly maintained. There was tons of trash and we found multiple nails and sharp objects poking through the sand. The rest of the property is also fairly dirty and littered with trash. This was absolutely not worth it. I would highly consider booking elsewhere if you are reading this review.

Diep Thai

It was our first time staying at Moon Palace Resort. The resort is very well mantained and clean. Things are quite organized from welcoming, check-in/check-out, transportation within and between hotels to events and activities. You can easily fill your day with many daily shows and activities in the resort. As a family with kids under the age of 12, we found the Playroom is a treasure. It is a place for kids under 12 to play with many options from movie, jungle gym, arcade games, trampolins... to fenced in outdoor games. You can leave your kids there for few hours (they have very good security measures to make sure only you or an authorized person can pick up your kids) while you can check out some adult only bars. At night in November, mosquitos are extreme. We sat outside for dinner few days. We had great dinners, so did the mosquitos. We will definitely bring a bug spray next time. Everything is through their app, which runs a bit slow but fine on Android. Staff are very friendly and helpful. The sale team is very persistent. The resort's private airport transfer service is very professional and on time.

Bhavik Desai

Very grateful to Moon Palace for the stay. We really enjoyed everything. Everyone at the resort works very hard to provide great service. Few recommendations to management: The pizza place should give the customer to be able to customize the crust. The current crust is very thick and it not cooked so the inside is raw dough. The Indian restaurant- some of the appetizers seem frozen. I think taste and items needs improvement.

Katie Grant

This is probably one of the best places to stay in Cancun. Amazing facility, staff was always helpful and friendly, every meal we had was excellent, and the pools were always clean with enough loungers to be able to find one when you wanted to just lay by the pool. Only two cons/negatives: 1. The beach they are located on is not one where you'd want to swim. The water is so shallow that there is alot of brown seaweed that also covers the beach due to tides. It smells like a bay at low tide due to it laying out in the sun. However, the pools are so nice in the resort that you can still enjoy them and not miss the beach. (We actually got a day pass from the resort planners for a trip to another beach in Cancun that didn't have seaweed, so were still able to have a "beach day" on our trip). 2. The second con is the pushy sales people trying to sell their vacation club. I sat thru what was supposed to be 90 minutes which ended up lasting over 2 hours. I got free day passes to their sister facility, "The Moon Palace Grand" but never used them. I stayed at The Moon Palace Sunrise. They then tried again after I checked out and I still had to decline them 5 x's. Other than those two things our trip was amazing.

Zane White

We had an amazing first time experience at Temptations! The entire staff was very friendly, welcoming, and helpful. Even the playmakers, when they weren’t performing, if you ran into them randomly, they made you feel welcome, introduced themselves and also did a great job at remembering faces and names. Rafa and Mojito were very personable. The facility was always clean. The food and drinks were great! Absolutely loved our time here. 100% we will be returning. I have zero complaints.

Haley Thomson

This resort is the ultimate playground for adults who may not be in the “lifestyle” but want to dip their toes into a more risqué but fun experience. First off, the food is fantastic! I’m a foodie and I have literally no notes. The service and staff are top notch! So kind, considerate, and helpful. Mitchell was our welcome host and he was fabulous, and very encouraging. The people who come here are here for a good time. Really respectful, no judgement, this is not a fashion show, this is a freeing experience. All type of people and mostly ages 30 to 70. If you come with the right mindset, you will leave with a smile on your face and great memories. There’s a sales pitch of course for their premier club, but they offer you a gift as compensation for your time and there’s no pressure. They are very respectful if you say no. We chose the deep tissue massage and it was worth the time we spent. Their spa created a very personalized experience and was very private. They have a shop in the hotel that offers anything you might have forgotten or if you want to get a little more into the vibe. They offer tours and concierge services to get you anything you want. And they have a professional boudoir photography service available for a cost, with a very large variety of posing options from insinuating to artful pornography, all kept private and in multiple locations around the resort. The beach is smaller than most resorts, but beautiful, clean, lots of chairs, and since the normal clientele don’t really use the beach and are enjoying the activities at the pool, it’s open and decently quiet with the party music in the background. Nothing is a far walk. If you want a view, pay to stay in the Tower. If you don’t plan to be in the room for much more than private time, all the rooms are well kept and super clean. Hygiene is a big concentration here and the staff does an amazing job. How you are treated doesn’t change whether you tip or not. In today’s economy it can be hard but we never felt like there was pressure to give extra. A few things I wish I’d known at the beginning of the week: bring an insulated cup because they’ll make your drink in it for you, towel clips for chairs, there’s a grill at the pool hidden under the ramp and it’s delicious, the pool/lounge area on the 7th floor is perfect for those who want to tan au naturel and take some time in a quieter environment, there’s a bar on the 7th floor as well and apparently the food is incredible (but personal opinion, all the food was incredible, with perfect portions so you don’t feel like a glutton), and during their Bash events every night, since there’s a theme, people preplan their outfits which is fun to get in the spirit of the party and there’s a late night meal served that is great for staving off drunkenness. Overall, whether you’re a couple, a few friends, single on your own, or in a group, this place is a good time and is so far my favourite vacation ever!

Hockey Parent

Alex from butler services was the best. Made our vacation that much better. Highly recommend a butler. Spotless clean resort. Well maintained. Best staff we’ve ever had. Been to over 20 different resorts. Dani in premier was awesome. Francisco in housekeeping had our room top notch all the time. Too many single men this time. Especially the first and second day these guys would arrive. Would be nice if they limited the single men as they do outnumber the women and occasionally push the envelope with taken women/wives. Definitely coming back again. Hopefully some minor changes made but great place for couples to have a great time with other respectful people.

Frank Jenkins

From the moment I arrived at Temptation Resort Cancun, I knew this was going to be a special experience. The resort itself is stunning, but what truly sets it apart is the exceptional staff and management team who go above and beyond to make every guest feel valued. A huge thank you to the manager, who personally ensured my stay was unforgettable. Not only did they secure the exact room I requested, but they also arranged a perfect upgrade with breathtaking views. This level of attentiveness is rare—truly a "one of one" professional who embodies hospitality at its finest. Every single staff member I encountered was polite, welcoming, and genuinely committed to making sure guests have the best time possible. Whether it was at the restaurants, poolside, or during evening entertainment, their warmth and professionalism shone through. Special Recognition: Diana, Security Guard I want to give special recognition to Diana (Security Guard). She is the definition of professionalism—always attentive, respectful, and dedicated to ensuring guests feel safe and comfortable. Diana pays close attention to detail, especially when it comes to protecting guest privacy. She is quick to address anyone violating resort policies regarding photos or videos, which brings immense peace of mind. Knowing Diana is on duty allows you to truly relax, let loose, and enjoy yourself without worry. Temptation Resort Cancun is more than just a destination—it’s an experience shaped by people who care deeply about their guests. With an exceptional manager, a team that consistently goes above and beyond, and professionals like Diana ensuring your comfort and privacy, this resort deserves the highest praise. I highly recommend Temptation Resort Cancun. If you’re looking for a place where luxury, fun, and genuine hospitality come together seamlessly, this is it.

Omayra Rodriguez

I have to say the staff really do an amazing job in helping you have a great stay. If it wasn’t for them obviously this place would not be as good!!! A lot of the staff I came across were excellent but some that I have to give a 5star to is ERNESTO at flames 🔥 he did such a beautiful job with prepping my boyfriend’s dinner. ERNESTO YOU ARE AMAZING THANK YOU !!!! Also Manuel & Luis los maletero 🙏🏼 sooooooo extremely helpful. Other workers that were great was the guys at the sexy pool bar, Gustavo & Francisco at breakfast. Aldo at flames. Bride an playmaker. Overall the vibe is good and the food as well. One thing the resort can work on is have better choice of music!!! I had the ocean view room, yes it matters what room u choose. If u get the cheaper room you literally pay for what u get !!!

Brandon Crooks

Worst dining experience we've ever had at an all-inclusive resort. The Good: The room was pretty good, the resort and pool area were nice, and the shows were enjoyable. The Problem - Dining: Night 1 - Asian Restaurant: Service was mediocre. We had to flag down our waiter multiple times for drinks and water, and food took forever to arrive. The food quality was decent, at least. Day 2 - Lunch at Rosewater: The only restaurant with consistently good service throughout our stay. Food came out quickly. Day 2 - Pool Service: Always great staff, but food orders took approximately 90 minutes to arrive every single day. Night 2 - Italian Restaurant: Our waiter was nowhere to be found. We couldn't get wine refills or even a single water refill. I got up multiple times to search for our waiter and request help from other staff members. The food was fine, but the service was subpar. Night 2 - Room Service: The late-night menu was very disappointing with no Mexican food options. Our order arrived 45 minutes later than expected and was not good. Day 3 - Breakfast at Rosewater: The kitchen was backed up badly. Food took an hour from ordering to arrival, though service was acceptable. Night 3 - Mexican Restaurant: We arrived at 7:30 for a table of six and were told there would be a 50-minute wait. We returned at 8:20 and were told another 15 minutes, then another 10 minutes. At 8:45, we were finally seated—at a 4-person booth meant for 6 people. We were cramped and sweating in the corner. I had to get up and argue with staff to move us to one of the several available 6-8 person tables. Once moved, it took an extreme amount of time to get our food, and we struggled to get drink and water refills. The food was not worth any of the hassle. One Bright Spot - The Buffet: The buffet was fine, and drink/water service there was actually fast. Day 4 - Pizza Place by the Ocean: It took over 45 minutes to get a personal pizza. Other guests would walk up, skip the line, and grab pizzas waiting at the counter for delivery. We went offsite for dinner that night at Harry's (highly recommend). Bottom Line: This was probably the worst dining experience at any resort I've ever visited.

Bill Grothoff

I stayed at the resort a week before Thanksgiving. I have been to Cancun dozens of times and this is the best overall resort that I have stayed at. The food was very excellent and the layout of the the resort was very inviting. What made this resort so special was the staff. Luis and Andre, the pool activities personnel, were the best I have experienced in a long time. They made a point to speak to every guest around the pool and always asking if there is anything we could do to make my stay better. Cruz and Urbana, the pool waiters, were the best, always making sure I was taken care of. Daniel and Marco, the pool concierges, were always providing fresh towels and always assisting everyone at the pool with their umbrellas and chairs. My favorite waiter was Lucian at the buffet. He always set us at our favorite table and remembered our drinks order religiously. My only criticism would be the ocean. At this time of year it was murky and not pleasant to be in. I’ve stayed at all exclusive places over 30 times and this is the first time I’ve written a review. I can’t say enough good stuff about this Resort. The Breathless Side of the resort was nice but a little loud for my taste. Specialty restaurants were outstanding and I didn’t have to wait long to be seated. I strongly recommend staying here and hope to be back soon Bill from Iowa

Gabriel

My wife and I went there for our honeymoon and everything was better than expected. The room was more spacious than it appeared in the pictures. The shower was especially large with dual rain heads. The view on the gardens, which are beautiful, was perfect for us. The room and everything in it was perfectly clean. At the pool Daniel and Cruze were always making sure everyting was perfect for us. Luis was great fun! At the mexican restaurant Diego greeted us perfectly, remembering my favorite drink as soon as the second time we went there. He always made sure we had a drink and that everything was the way we wanted. The highlight certainly was the rosewater restaurant, reserved for the secrets side clients. We mainly ate there and everything we had was better than the last meal. More than the food, the service was impeccable. Sylvio, whi was super friendly, really has a great team. Raul at the bar made sure I got everything i wanted, even special request, while answering every questions I had about hot peppers (gracias por el serrano) and was great to chat with. Balthazar gave us excellent service when we sat at a table instead of the bar. Andres answered all my tacos questions and was very friendly. It may take a few years because we want to travel with kids, but we sure will return.

Danielle Jean-Gates-Desharnais

First time ever going on a down-south vacation, and I can honestly say Secrets Riviera Cancun completely spoiled us! I was nervous before the trip, but from the moment we arrived, everyone was so welcoming and kind. Our room was beautiful, spacious, and had an amazing ocean view. I’m a super picky eater, but the food was incredible at every restaurant. The catch of the day at Rosewater was hands down my favorite meal. We loved being able to pop over to the Xhale side for the lively party pool and then come back to the peaceful Secrets side to relax. The nightly entertainment was amazing (the Neon On show was unreal!), and we had so much fun joining activities like paint and sip, karaoke, and the silent disco. Mani and Erik were awesome—so friendly and made us feel comfortable getting involved. Huge shoutout to Urbano and Cruize for keeping the drinks flowing and the laughs coming by the pool. But the real MVPs of the trip were Andres and Louis from the entertainment team. They brought the best energy, made everyone feel included, and somehow got us into a pool dance competition (and we actually had fun doing it!). They made the trip unforgettable. We left feeling like we were saying goodbye to friends. I’d come back in a heartbeat and recommend Secrets Riviera Cancun to anyone—it’s truly something special.

Caron Fitzgerald

The service is top notch. Other than that this secrets is not like any others we have stayed at. We are visual people so booked this according to the great pictures. The brochure pic of the swim out room. Mexico has been a go to for many years and this was not the best resort. Mainly because of the ocean front. We come from Canada to solely lavish in the ocean as we have a pool back home so for us, it is always about the sand and sea. The ocean is that bad here that we actually decided to take a day pass into Cancun by Uber and hired a beach villa at the Kempinski Hotel on the hotel beach stretch Had the most glorious day in the best ocean. I would suggest that the owner or the manager or the concierge who gives feedback to clients who are not 100% happy, please come and stay here for three nights four days and say to yourself would I pay almost $10,000 to stay at this resort for one week. If you came out and did that you could probably sympathize a little bit more with people that are disgruntled As you see the beach here is empty Water compared to cancun and the false pic advertised at this resort

Maxwell Viladevall

My stay at Excellence Riviera Cancun was absolutely amazing from start to finish. From the moment I arrived, every member of the staff was incredibly kind, warm, and welcoming, always going out of their way to make sure my stay was perfect. The level of service truly made this resort stand out. The entertainment team was phenomenal and brought so much energy and fun to the resort every single day. A special shoutout to Adrian, who was outstanding—his enthusiasm, friendliness, and ability to engage guests made the experience even more memorable. The food was also excellent, with a wide variety of high-quality options that were consistently delicious across all the restaurants. Overall, this was an unforgettable experience, and I can’t recommend Excellence Riviera Cancun enough. I’m already looking forward to coming back!

Chris Haas

We were looking for an established all-inclusive resort with beautifully lush, walkable grounds, endless meandering pools, attentive service, plenty of tasty food options, and a wide, sandy beach, all within 25 minutes of the airport. The ERC delivered and made my birthday getaway memorable. Don’t know what to order at the restaurant? Ask your server. Marco at Basmati. Eli at Agave. Adolfo at Chez. All made the meals great with food recommendations and special touches. Don’t miss out on the gem that’s not included: the Chocolate shop. Visit Kakao after dinner for some tasty samples and leave with artisan chocolates from different regions. We loved the resort's compact, colonial-style design. Arches. Columns. Stained-glass. Thatched roofs. While some may call it “dated,” it's just different from all the new mega resorts built with the same slatted wood, braided light fixtures, and sterile feel. Thanks to Lucia, Itamar, and Cici for taking care of the beach cabana and providing great pool service. Eduardo for the foot massage on the beach. My bride never likes people touching her feet, and she said it was outstanding! One last thing, the beach is wide, soft, sandy, and clean, but if you’re an ocean swimmer rather than just a sunbather, you may want to consider somewhere else. We weighed this before booking. Visiting the ERC? Smile! Have fun! Be Kind! You’re on vacation!

Jj Mm

The staff here are amazing, thank you everyone for being so kind and polite, reliable, quick, and excellent energy. I loved the animals that live near the property, including the coatí they love pizza, the beach dog, the woodpeckers, the spiny tailed lizards (Rafa, Venus, and more), a blind black cat (so sweet) and geckos. I loved the food at the different restaurants, I was not able to visit every single one in the time I stayed there, but I greatly enjoyed the dinner shows at the pyramid, the lobster house, the breakfast buffet, and the French restaurant was phenomenal. I appreciated the private shuttle to and from. The bellhops and room service was excellent. Room service wait time is to be expected (especially after the evening shows conclude and people want late night snacks) however I had the best Salmon I've ever had by room service thank you so very much. The morning room service with egg dishes were also delicious and worth trying. The beach is beautiful and there are plenty of shaded beds, and hammocks to sun on, and you can see downtown Cancun. Thank you for an amazing time I never left the resort.

Josephine Choi

This was my first resort experience and I am happy! The resort is beautiful, clean, and artfully landscaped. The room is spacious and their A/C system works well (although the weather was so nice I preferred to just keep the sliding door open). There were a lot of fun activities: Alfredo made the 'Functional Training' class fun (a miracle, right?), and Elizeo at 'Rifles' and Mark at 'Archery' and 'Feeling Riviera Bike Excursion' were funny and cheerful, even under the blazing sun. Thank you to the many other staff members who helped us feel welcome and pampered throughout our stay! Some of the food was better than others. I hope they improve the stale tortilla chips situation. I think if you are expecting fancy restaurant food at every turn, your expectations will be dashed. However, it's also not $1000/night (like Ritz Carlton) or $20 vegan yogurt (also like Ritz Carlton); the cost to value ratio is commensurate. Some favourites: 'cheese cream' soup at Chez Isabelle is SO DECADENT I still think of it fondly and regret I did not have another, croquettes at Flavour Market, watermelon tiradito at The Grill, tuna carpaccio at The Lobster House, the pico de gallo (mmmMMM those tomatoes!), the fish carpaccio and bread pudding at the buffet, and octopus was always succulent. I loved the Teppanyaki experience (has to be booked); everything was delicious and I got to meet a real life teppanyaki ninja, Gerardo, who really made our night! The beach is gorgeous, with the grass umbrellas providing ample shade for lounging. I've seen a few people complain about the water not being clean or clear enough, but it felt fine to me. I'm from BC, where the water is mostly cold and dark all year, so it is particularly amazing to be able to spend hours in the warm, salty sea and walk barefoot on the soft sand. We took a snorkeling excursion and it's easy to get to super clear water from the resort. All in all, we enjoyed our stay and it provided the effortless, relaxing escape we were looking for! Gracias por todo! Travel Date: 2nd week of December

Juliet White

We just spent 4 nights at Excellence for a nice relaxing trip and it was incredible! We loved all the activities (beach volleyball, biking tour to puerto Morelos, pickleball, etc) and all the staff members were very kind and attentive! Mark led our bike tour and the aqua fit dance classes and was very cheerful and energetic! Arturo was also wonderful and helped up to our room on the first night with great service! There was also a Mexican party/show/dinner on the Friday of the week we were here and the service/food/entertainment were 10/10!! We would definitely choose to come here again!