The culmination of the gratis shopping tour opened with Mamita beach club. After using the…read morefacilities; we optioned for lunch. We had maduros stuffed with meat sitting in a creama; delicious. Shrimp tacos with a scoop of white rice and chicken tacos (taquitos). All was pleasant to the palate.

Beautiful restaurant, modern, clean and great view. But it does come at a premium price for Mexico…read morestandards. Food is mediocre and so is the service. But they still deserve 4 starts for all the available amenities like daybeds, lounge chairs and menu. You're only a 5min walk from the main strip.

We chose to stay at the same resort when traveling with two other couples. We all had a fantastic…read moretime and thoroughly enjoyed our trip. I think the food had gotten better and the drinks are stronger. I recommend this resort! TIP: Rent a car for the day (Ramon can help you) and drive to Tulum, then Cenote Azul, and finish off the day shopping in Playa del Carmen. Go early because Tulum is crazy hot!

The staff, cleanliness and property was great. Food was just okay, the smell from seaweed was…read moreawful -- caused a headache a few days. Not much to do. The activities directors were great.

Overall, we had a very nice stay at the Grand Hyatt Playa del Carmen Resort. The property is…read morebeautiful, the location is great, and the staff was friendly and attentive throughout our trip. The pools were very nice and easy to access, and overall atmosphere made for a relaxing vacation experience. The only downside was the constant upselling during the stay from timeshare presentations, to photographers, to upgraded dinner reservations at specialty restaurants. At times it felt a little excessive and took away from the relaxing vibe of the resort. Outside of that, the resort itself was very nice and we still enjoyed our time there.

What a great resort! It's clean safe and easy to access. Our room was clean on arrival and the…read morestaff were amazing

This spot can be more better. Loved their part that theres for Adult only side but it looks like…read moreits an easy access for below 18yrs. But i wish there more easy access on some and snacks (here u have to go in a restaurant to get some or front entrance by the coffee shop) I wish there more day activities for adult other than the pool or beaches. I was hoping for more entertainment during day time or evening time. There bath on the roof where we stayed was a struggle. It took us awhile to figure out the nobs (for water & massage). We also got locked out, good thing we figured it out how to maneuver the door nod ‍

Do not waste your time and money here. Hot tubs? All cold. Did your resort booking include $200/day…read morecredit? Good luck figuring out what you can use it on. Grifters, scam artists... nickel and dime you to death. AVOID THIS PLACE. DO NOT BOOK THROUGH COSTCO. CostCo should stop doing business with this place. There is ONE activity; sit on your butt and drink. Pools are cold too. Warmest water was the lagoon... Food is TERRIBLE. Rooms are rundown, dirty, and TINY after they put a stupid spa tub in every room that doesn't even work. 4 buildings with hot water not working. Go ANYWHERE else. Using AI photos to sell reservations, look at my included AI SLOP from THEIR website. The actual resort DOES NOT look like the photos online. Rooms: Rooms are dirty and need updated. Nearby activities: There is NOTHING to do at the resort. Include off-resort activities in your planning and after you see what the resort costs are plus costs to not be bored for 7 days? Anyplace else is a better value. Safety: Not sure what is in place to keep underage kids from drinking. Kids clearly seemed intoxicated. Did not seem safe. Walkability: They do have lots of golf carts wildly racing around the property full of drunk people and families... Drivers are staff and aren't intoxicated, just in a hurry? Food & drinks: Drinks are good. It's all they have. Food is gross in the Marketplace. Fries and chicken tenders were good poolside. Noteworthy details: Seriously... GO.ANYWHERE.ELSE! You will not be sorry. I am on day 2 of 7 and if they told me I could get on a shuttle and leave right now, even with no refund, I would go in a heartbeat. If you love this place... cool. Enjoy.

We stayed for a week and had a good time with family. They have various restaurants from Japanese,…read moreItalian, Burgers, BBQ, Mexican, and buffet. For two of the restaurants, you have to get in line to reserve them which I heard it's difficult to get but they offered us to buy a bottle of wine ($60) and they would do the reservations for us the whole week, so we opted for that to save us time. Mike's coffee shop is great to get a coffee and pastries. It is also nice to cool down in there with ample seating. There's a bowling alley for the kids. We say that you to do about 40 minutes each is about a full game. They have shows during the night in their theater and outside, which were pretty entertaining. My favorite is the Michael Jackson. The Italian restaurant was my favorite because of the service and the ambience. The Perez Bella restaurant near the ocean had great food and great views of the ocean. Keep in mind all the restaurants are strict on tank tops and coverups. For breakfast, they mainly have the buffet. I really enjoyed the buffet because they have a variety of food and it's different each day. We did go to the buffet once for dinner, which was a Saturday and it was a Mexican day and they had ceviche and different types of Mexican dishes. Their Mexican dishes are very authentic. The rooms were nicely laid out, and the housekeeping was on it. I will say the bathroom tile is little rundown and needs some maintenance. At night the raccoons, Coati, and cats come out which was fun to see.

We are extremely disappointed with our stay at this hotel. From the moment we arrived, there was a…read morestrong unpleasant odor throughout the property and in our room, making it very uncomfortable to relax or sleep. The beach, which was one of the main reasons we chose this resort, was completely covered with sargassum (seaweed). The amount of sargassum made it impossible to enjoy the beach or swim in the ocean. Unfortunately, this was not clearly communicated before our arrival, and it significantly impacted our vacation experience. In addition, the hotel's location and transportation options made it difficult to go anywhere without significant inconvenience. What was supposed to be a relaxing vacation became frustrating and stressful. The overall experience did not meet the expectations set by the hotel's advertising or reviews. Between the unpleasant smell, the unusable beach, and the lack of accessibility, we left feeling very dissatisfied. Unfortunately, we would not recommend this hotel and would not choose to stay here again.

Beautiful Property, But Room for Improvement…read more My family and I stayed at Occidental at Xcaret Destination for seven days in Building 12, Room 12123. Overall, this resort has a beautiful natural setting and plenty to offer, but several issues kept it from being a 4- or 5-star experience for us. Arrival & Room: The bell staff greeted us and took our luggage right away, which was appreciated. Check-in, however, was confusing because there was little signage directing guests to the appropriate lines. The lobby had flavored water and champagne, although we were told we had to ask the front desk to open the champagne. Since we arrived before the 3 PM check-in time, Guest Services directed us to an area where we could change into swimwear and enjoy the resort while waiting. Our room was clean and spacious, but the beds were advertised as queen-size and were actually full-size, which was uncomfortable for two adults. The room also had a moldy/musty smell. Building 12 is conveniently located near the lobby, making it easy to access many amenities. Food & Restaurants: As a foodie, this was probably my biggest disappointment. The specialty restaurants require reservations through Guest Services, and we could only book one day at a time. We tried the Hacienda, taco, and Italian restaurants, but the food was average at best and not significantly better than the buffet. I would not consider these fine dining experiences. We were so underwhelmed that we skipped the Asian restaurant. The main buffet had a good variety for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, but I was disappointed by the limited selection of authentic Mexican cuisine. When visiting Mexico, experiencing the local food is a major part of the trip, so I expected more. The dining staff, however, were consistently friendly and accommodating. The beverage selection was also disappointing. Many of the juices tasted artificial and left an unpleasant aftertaste. I mostly stuck with Pepsi, pineapple juice, and water. Wildlife & Cleanliness: I loved how the resort is built into its natural surroundings. We saw coatis, monkeys, iguanas, and other wildlife throughout the property. However, this also created some cleanliness issues. There was a noticeable smell of animal feces around one pool near the snack bar. A large iguana even defecated in the pool while we were swimming, and we didn't return to that pool afterward. At another pool, iguanas left feces on the deck, and during an entire day there, I didn't see it being cleaned up. I understand wildlife is part of the resort's charm, but management needs to do a better job cleaning up animal waste, especially around pools and food areas. The beach area was beautiful and had a buffet/bar overlooking the water. Don't leave your food unattended, though, the wild birds will quickly help themselves! Property & Entertainment: The property itself is beautiful, with Mayan ruins, great photo opportunities, and wonderful sunrise and sunset views. The beach was another highlight. The evening entertainment was one of my favorite parts. The theater had a different themed show each night. A special shout-out to Marlo, the lobby musician, who made the evenings fun with live singing, song requests, and karaoke. The adults-only nightclub/discotheque, open from approximately 10:30 PM into the early morning, was also a great feature. It was nice being able to enjoy nightlife without leaving the resort. Overall: I give Occidental at Xcaret Destination 3 out of 5 stars. The beautiful natural surroundings, wildlife, Mayan ruins, beach, entertainment, nightlife, friendly staff, and buffet variety were all positives. However, the resort lost points for the incorrect bed-size advertising, moldy/musty room smell, lack of cleanup after wildlife, disappointing food quality and authenticity, inconvenient restaurant reservations, and underwhelming beverages. Beautiful property with a lot of potential, but there are definitely areas where management could improve the overall guest experience.

3.5 Stars Occidental…read moreat Xcaret: Honest Review The Good The setting is what sets this resort apart. It's beautifully maintained and full of wildlife. We regularly spotted monkeys and coatis, and the walking trails even wind past Mayan ruins. It gave the whole trip a unique, immersive feel you don't get at a typical beach resort. The pools were clean, warm, and never crowded, and we had no trouble finding chairs. The beach and lagoon area was equally enjoyable, with calm water and plenty of fish to see. Breakfast at the beach buffet was a standout, especially the omelet station, along with fresh coffee, juice, fruit, and yogurt. We were also pleasantly surprised by Paco's Tacos and La Piazza, both sit down spots that exceeded expectations. D'Oriental and La Hacienda were solid as well, with good service and enjoyable meals. Staff were friendly and attentive across the resort. Roman at the pool snack bar deserves a special shoutout for how engaging and attentive he was with our family. The Barcelo airport transportation was also excellent both ways: punctual, clean, and professionally handled. Room for Improvement Concierge Level upgrades weren't quite worth the added cost for us. The perks were modest, and our specific room request wasn't fulfilled, so it didn't feel like a meaningful step up. The Turnaround By day two, things clicked. Once we settled into the rhythm of the resort, the grounds, the pools, better meals, the beach, we started to really appreciate what makes this place special. Bottom Line This is a resort that rewards a little patience. The setting, wildlife, pools, and overall atmosphere are genuinely excellent, and the food, while inconsistent, has some real highlights once you find them. We'd recommend it to families who value nature and space over gourmet dining, and we'd happily return, likely opting for Royal Level next time, and skipping Concierge Level.

*Now called The Fives* 3 Visits to this resort - 2021, 2024,…read more2025 Each time is tends to get better. Many people complain about not being able to get reservations at the restaraunts but we have never found it to be an issue. This is not a giant hotel with just a number of food options. It is a giant resort (imagine a bunch of small condominium complexes). So, you have more than enough food options. We often eat the tacos, pizza or burgers at the beach, and then go to a late dinner around 8 which tends to lesson the lines during busy season. I did come in September and got seated immediately. The walks are long and worth it. It keeps you moving and learning your way around the resort makes it enchanting I believe. You will randomly discover a new bar or food spot tucked back into the path. We love this resort for the pace of life. It's slow. Many pools and lots of beach options.

We really enjoyed our stay there. The staff was beyond friendly, the resort was beautiful, pools…read morewere excellent and they did a spectacular job maintaining their property. CLEAN!!! And I cannot say this enough. There wasn't a spot of trash anywhere on that resort and major kudos to the staff there. Sheets were clean. Room service was quick and delicious. Our only complaint would be getting a table at a restaurant. They said you don't need a reservation, our first night we tried to get a table for 6 and were met with a "that's impossible" from the host. Get an upgraded room with an "ambassador" other wise your waits for dinner will be over a hour. Also did a diving tour through their SSI shop. Great. Pick up drop off. All the rental equipment. 10/10 would do again.

Yay! I'm the first to review this wonderful company! So,…read morePartylogue is the new company of "In Playa Wedding Souvenirs" that is also on Yelp. I initially contacted "In Playa Wedding Souvenirs" when I read a blog and someone mentioned them for wedding supplies in the cancun, Playa Del Carmen and Cozumel area. My wedding was only 10 days away and I needed more supplies/favors but wanted to buy them local and didn't know where to go! I'm from Florida and read a ton of unhelpful and outdated blogs but I'm so glad I found Partylogue! SPARKLERS: I really wanted fireworks at my wedding (who doesn't lol) but with all the chaos of work and life, I never got a chance to set that up. I asked my wedding coordinator about sparklers and she said she would find some for me. In the end, she was going to charge me 20 sparklers for $30 USD! Doesn't sound like a huge break in the bank but I read reviews to buy them local since you cannot bring them in your checked bags and they are much cheaper here. Crossing my fingers, I contacted Partylogue about their sparklers and 20 sparklers that were 90cm long (VERY long) were half the price! I ended up ordering 2 sets of 20 for the same price my wedding coordinator was going to charge me for half. AWESOME! SUNGLASSES: In addition to the sparklers, Eugenia also sent me a catalogue of all their other items. I couldn't believe how nice the items were and all of them were so much more affordable. I was so sad I found them so late in my wedding planning because I could have used them for 100% of my wedding decor, favors and even snacks/cookies. I did order custom sunglasses with our initials and date on one side of the sunglasses. They came out better than I imagined! Please see photo. For about 24 sunglasses, it came out to about $15 USD or less with customization! The quality of the sunglasses were very nice and they were not flimsy. They also protect against UV rays. PAYING: so I will admit, I was skeptical to pay a random company in Mexico and then completely trust that they would deliver on time lol. At that point, my wedding was only a week away. I spoke on the phone with Eugenia (owner) and she was very professional and asked me a lot of questions about the colors and customizations I would like. She also spoke English very well and I did not have any problems with communications via email or Yelp messages. She answered messages or emails within an hour or two. After you receive your invoice, you will receive a payment request from them by PayPal. Don't worry, this is normal. I paid both my wedding coordinator and photographer via PayPal. Please keep in mind that Mexico has a 16% tax and the invoice and payment is in pesos (which I actually preferred). Your bank linked to PayPal will convert for you at the current rate. DELIVERY: I downloaded "WhatsApp" prior to coming to Mexico, as it works very well with wifi for texting and many vendors use it here to communicate. Don't forget to add the 'plus sign' and country code (+52) then a (1) before their 3 digit area code and 7 digit phone number. The vendor we booked for our Chichen Itza tour also used this app which made it easy. I was able to text Eugenia with free wifi at the ADO bus station in playa Del Carmen when I arrived. I was staying in Cozumel so I wanted to pick them up prior to getting on the ferry. Within 20-30 minutes, they had met me at the bus station with all my items! Whew! It worked! The man who met me (Alberto) went though each box and item, to verify what I ordered and review them before I left. He instructed me to make sure my sparklers were in an AC room and avoid getting wet. Alberto was such a nice gentleman and greeted us with hugs. His positive energy and demeanor made you feel like you were seeing an old friend. After we got our stuff and left, my fiancé said, "Man, Alberto's such a cool and nice guy. I want to invite him to hang out with us!" It turns out, Alberto was the owner's father. What an awesome dad! So all in all, I am SO happy with my purchases and only wished I had found them sooner. I was unaware that in Mexico, Yelp is not as popular as Four Square (which I used way back in the days) which probably accounts for the lack of reviews on Yelp. Any questions about my purchases or wedding experience in Mexico, feel free to message me and I'd love to help. My wedding was on a private island off Cozumel called Isla Pasion with roughly 20 guests.

I used Partylogue for my destination wedding in Playa del Carmen. I did all the planning via email…read more Eugenia is amazing -- she was super helpful in answering my questions and was really fast in responding to me :) There is a huge selection of wedding favors and decorations. I highly recommend!

Stay away! This is the worst possible hotel you could stay out. The pools don't work the elevator…read moredoesn't work, rude customer service, I am pretty sure they have bed bugs! I have multiple bites. Stay away

From the moment we arrived to the moment we left all of the staff were very nice and accommodating…read more We enjoyed our stay and both agree it was the best out of the several other places we stayed on our trip! Bravo! The pool is epic as is the jacuzzi and neither get crowded which is nice. I wish the hours were open later! The only issue we had was they said they didn't use any 'down' in their bedding but the duvet cover was indeed down/feather. They have no other option for you so if you have an allergy this is a bummer. That said, we didn't really need the top duvet as the bedroom had its own air conditioning that you could set the temp for the room to your needs at night. The location is good and away from the 'spring break' vibe of the touristy part of town though you can still hear the party faintly off in the distance. Also within walking distance to the 'party' if that is what you want. We would definitely stay here again.

Aldo and crew were AMAZING!!!! I've been on plenty boats but this was the best. The hospitality was…read moreamazing ! They were so attentive! They even helped my 2 year old swim while I was on the boat. The guacamole was delicious and fresh. I legit have zero complaints.

Omg, the absolute highlight of my birthday trip. Shoutout to the crew for taking care of us! Jesus,…read moreAlex, Axel, Lola, and Dustin! Es muy bien! :D My friends and I did the 5-hour In-Ha Snorkel & La Bocana Tour. The yacht included a paddleboard, snorkeling, and fishing gear. The crew was so nice and friendly. Towards the end, it was a party with them, it was such a great way to end my trip. The vibes were WONDERFUL. During the experience, we had freshly made ceviche and burgers. They were also accommodating with my dairy allergy and the drinks they made were fantastic! I appreciated the crew prioritizing safety while keeping the environment exciting and fun. I loved it! Lola took AMAZING photos of our entire experience. Jesus got photos of my friends and I snorkeling and some fishes that we saw. It was beautiful! Thank you for making memories with my friends and I definitely would do that again!