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    Grand Palladium Colonial

    2.0 (38 reviews)

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    Lobby Pool
    Carolyn C.

    It has been THREE years since I have been able to go on vacation OUTSIDE the USA. In addition, it has been THIRTY-SEVEN years for my boyfriend. Therefore, our expectations were high. I booked the trip via Southwest Airlines a month before our travel date. Easiest booking experience and was able to include roundtrip airport transportation through Amstar. Southwest Airlines and Amstar were incredibly easy to work with and I would use them over and over again and again. Grand Palladium Colonial Resort and Spa is apart of a FOUR resort connection. This includes Colonial Resort and Spa (no rooms with children in the building), White Sand Resort and Spa, TRS Yucatan Hotel and Kantenah Resort and Spa. You can view the resorts here at this link: https://www.palladiumhotelgroup.com/en/offers/all-inclusive-beach-vacations?gclid=Cj0KCQjw3JanBhCPARIsAJpXTx5hT5OnZoOeb665tHZTZCpy-6_obXvQkYT6-cgysMXCfM-FZZDBj_gaAiB8EALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds I selected Colonial due to wanting an adult-only building. We were not displeased with our room (Villa 6). However, they could use some updated furniture and some fresh paint to freshen the decor up. The linens were a bit rough, but they have extra pillows and blankets for you to pick from in the closet. The beach was roped off three ways: 1) roped off from the open sea via a small knit net that limited sea creatures other than small fish to enter; 2) the righthand side was for paddleboarding, kayaking, rowing and foot pedaling boats; and 3) was for swimming. The water was clear and did not have seaweed at this time (August 17--22) nor did it smell. The beach is open 24 hours a day, however, there are limited times for lifeguards and usage of the boat/activities, but you are free to sit, walk, run, workout and/or swim whenever you want. The beach also has a "outdoor" gym where one can lift wooden weights--SO cool! I was very pleased with the beach area--cleared out, leveled and tons of seating options and areas. It was never fully filled with people due to how much space they had available (they are also updating their beachfront). There are so many pools! Two "secret" pools with personal bartenders in a secluded area that does not allow anyone under 18 to enter. There are two massive pools with a swim-up bar feature and seated in-pool chairs to lounge in. These two pools also have great depth--the one close to the beach and main lobby is for swimming/jumping since it is SO deep one has to really swim to the bar, walking isn't an option, hahaa. There is a nicely sized kids pool area too with waterslides and various activities. The restaurants are buffet styled heavy which is something that normally doesn't bother me, however, the pescatarian options were slim since most were mixed with meat. Once we found out how to work the reservation system, we made all our reservations and were able to try out: 1) El Dorado which is a Mexican steakhouse (there was only one seafood option on the menu so I was forced to go with the BBQ salmon); 2) La Adelita which is traditional Mexican food and had much more options for pescatarians; 3) Sumptuori is a Japanese showhouse similar to Benihana but high scale--this was the most updated restaurant we tried. It was beautiful inside and out, the service was impeccable, and the food was the tastiest out of all the restaurants we tried; 4) Portofino is an Italian restaurant which was quite boring inside, and the food are dishes that one can make at home--not very special; 5) La Dalia is a buffet breakfast and lunch spot which was also updated incredibly well. The aesthetic is on-point and the food selection was the best; 6) La Hacienda is the second-best buffet option; 7) El Gran Azul is another buffet style for breakfast and lunch. This restaurant was a bit off-putting due to the unorganized behavior or staff and patrons--dips were mixed, food was contaminated and I even saw people walk away with the tongs to self-serve elsewhere, so if someone has an allergy, I would NOT recommend going to the buffets; and the last one we tried was 8) Xtra Time Sports Bar which had good bar food and a great coffee machine that we stopped at numerous times. The spa was well worth the day pass, however, before booking, please call the spa directly and ask which spa features are NOT working. In our opinion, they should not charge the full amount if they have a few features closed (neck swan swim and the hot coal tent was closed but they did not have signs or made you aware beforehand). The spa has a sauna, steam room, multiple showers, hot tub, and cold dip tub. There was also a massage area which one has to make appointments for, a health cafe which serves wraps and premade juices, female and male locker rooms which had epic outside showers (LOVED IT), a hammock namaste yard, giant "quiet/no kids pool" and a tubeless "lazy river" which we adored. The lazy river actually attached to the steam room and sauna area--great idea, made the entire spa easily accessible!

    Always lovely to be able to see the toilet scrubber in full view. :p
    Heather H.

    I'll be upfront and admit that I've never stayed at a resort before. I clearly had different expectations because this group of hotels is crap. Do not be fooled by the fancy lobby or shops nearby. I kid you not! It's a full front of them putting lipstick on a pig. I've stayed in some very ultra high end hotels so I know the broad difference of what to expect and this resort fails in nearly everything. Let's go from the start here. Once you made it to the correct shuttle to take you from the lobby to your room er' "villa" as they call it, you're taken to what appears to look like a Spanish style apartment building. No elevators just stairs. Our room was in villa 8. Right from the start you smell mildew and dampness and airing out the room doesn't do any good either because you're letting in more humid heat. Right from the start we saw literal pools of water under both our beds. That went on for a few hours and then finally dried up. Gross to think what it may look like underneath. The bathroom is a complete joke. Old. Dated fixture with the worst lighting I've ever seen. The tub/shower had not been scrubbed. The beds are cheap and bounce quite a bit. The worst is the thin blankets. They offer no spare blankets. It's basically two thin sheets. Mercifully the only pro here was that it was quiet. I would recommend skipping the buffets if you can. Wasn't impressed but wasn't the worst I've seen either. I really felt that the quality of the food was subpar. Here's the real kicker. We had several other friend stay here at the same time (wedding) only to find out they had the same experience of a dirty, aged, room. All of them upgraded to the White sands or got a better room in the Colonial. It pays to complain and also haggle! There are better room here but I still would never come here again just due to the overall quality. Spend your hard earned money elsewhere! Strongly encouraged!!!

    David B.

    Disclaimer: The vacation itself was much needed and very enjoyable with beloved friends and family. This is a review based on overall cost versus benefit. But, Prepare yourself for a tale of woe and missed opportunities at the Grand Palladium Colonial Resort in the Mayan Riviera. Our vacation, or should I say, a crash course in Murphy's Law, left us pondering the mysteries of life and contemplating the irony of it all. Housekeeping seemed to be on their own leisurely vacation, making snails look like Usain Bolt in comparison. The carriages, well, they had a mind of their own, playing hide-and-seek with us just when we needed them most. And the ice machines? Oh, how they decided to join the rebellion and remain dormant in a five-building radius. We were left iceless, sipping lukewarm drinks like brave warriors facing the ultimate challenge. On one memorable evening, the air conditioning decided to partake in a little game called "Guess the Temperature." Spoiler alert: we didn't win. But fear not, bugs of all shapes and sizes flocked to our sides, serenading us with their annoying buzz and leaving behind bite-sized souvenirs. Our private beach, well, let's just say it became the hottest spot for coatimundi enthusiasts. Move aside, sunbathers, these furry daredevils stole the show and our snacks, turning beach time into a real-life circus. Nonmembers saw the "exclusive" beach as their personal playground, bringing along their wares and transforming it into a vibrant marketplace. We felt like spectators in a delightful game of bargaining and haggling with locals, panhandlers, and vendors breaching the beach barricades. The cherry on top? The overwhelming scent of methane gas from the mangrove swamp run-off. It was nature's way of saying, "Welcome to the tropics, where even the air has character!" Unfortunately, our dreams of a beachfront paradise were washed away like sandcastles at high tide. The private member beach fell short of delivering the idyllic experience we had envisioned. Murky sea water and an abundance of seaweed added an unexpected touch of rustic charm. Safety concerns arose as panhandlers and street vendors weaved their way through the beach crowd, as if playing an impromptu game of "Let's Make a Deal." Just when we thought we could unwind, hotel staff emerged like eager salespeople, eager to upsell massage packages. Our muscles may have been tense, but our patience was tested to the limits. Construction added to our discontent, as we realized that the promised amenities were still a work in progress. The kids' activities left our little ones feeling like they had stumbled upon a sad clown convention. And let's not forget the mystical phenomenon of watered-down drinks, where a Tequila Sunrise (or 13) had the strength of KoolAid-sans-sugar. Amidst this whirlwind of misadventures, the 3rd party excursions (Chichen Itza & Underground Rivers) provided glimpses of joy with their humorous and congenial hosts. Yet, these fleeting moments couldn't fully compensate for the overall disappointment of being thrown into a tourist trap and left for dead by your guide in the name of "supporting local economy" (Over $300 USD that was supposed to be charged MX for well-tequila). So, dear travelers, pack your sense of resilience and be prepared to embrace the unpredictable at the Grand Palladium Colonial Resort. It's a place where expectations take a vacation and the unexpected becomes the norm. Consider it an unconventional comedy of errors, with a punchline that may leave you longing for greener pastures. Luckily, there are many options for Travel Clubs. Hopefully they will up their game and start taking competing in this market seriously.

    Trinity C.

    If there was a negative start I would give this "resort" that rating. The service or lack their was is horrible. If asked a question by staff including Ameristar staff I was met with hostility and anger. No one ever had a definitive answer on general questions such as what time will the shuttle arrive!? The staff rarely provided accurate information unless it involved obtaining a TIP. When I took my covid test a TIP was suggested. Which was one of the reasons I opted to stay there for on-site testing. In addition to that the bathrooms are filthy including in the rooms and public. They reek of urine. The bathrooms in the lobby have bugs and are not clean either! Additionally to that there is a charge for cleaning which is ridiculous. Now let's get to the lodging! It is dated old and moldy my headboard was unattached to my mattress. The marble floors are crumbling actually all tile work at the resort including at the pool are falling apart. My roof leaked near my balcony causing rain inside the room. I did try to complain about all of these items and was told by the staff Sorry that's it! The ameristar representative had the gall to tell me to shut up! I was shocked and appalled. The food was subpar at best but the very worst this is at the pool side buffet animals are allowed to crawl around which is disgusting and quite scary. I wasn't sure if I'd be bitten or what diseases the critters carry. Also I was charged for room service that I did not request. Unfortunately the airport shuttle arrived so I didn't have time to explain those weren't my c Needless to say I will not be back and demand a full refund! Going on a vacation is an elective choice that should be treated as such! Treating guests like inmates is unacceptable!!!!

    Nephew ...hubby and me

    I was at Grand Palladium TRS Hotel and totally love it!! Hands down perfect ..check in was super easy and quick ..very friendly staff ..within 15 mins we were in our suite !! Our suite was beautiful and comfortable....the pool area near my room was divine ...we ate a bay fret breakfast everyday and it was delish....had many options ....we also dined at HELIOs and it was fantastic !! Yes totally recommend this resort and all inclusive abs all adults also !!! Great value beautiful views .....

    Part of one of the main pools
    Pete M.

    After many, many years, we were finally able to return to this resort in the Riviera Maya, in Mexico. While the place has expanded, adding another 2 resorts to the property, it still feels much like the same place from all those years. What makes this resort so successful for me, is the way they combine grandeur and rustic all in one. The lobbies and rooms are done up in lots of beautiful, shiny marble, with elegant ponds and water features, and yet the lobby is topped with a thatched roof and paths, through the jungle to the villas are wooden, and also topped with the same thatched roofs. The resort, sits on about 3/4 of a mile of beautiful beach. Beware though as this whole area has grown up on top of ancient coral reefs so while there is plenty of beautiful, white sand there is are also lots of rocky places both in the water and on the beach. If the beach isn't your thing then there are 2 gigantic pools on property, both with swim up bars, and when I say gigantic, there isn't much that can prepare you for how big these pools are. On top of that there are numerous other, smaller pools throughout the property. Drinks are decent for an all inclusive, but who really cares what tequila and rum they are pouring when you spend most of the day drinking frozen drinks and flavored mojitos. The one thing that keeps this place from being "5 stars" for me is the food quality, which can be very hit or miss. My favorite meal is are the breakfast buffets which are great and offer up tons of options, ranging from standard breakfast fare to Mexican specialties, to lots of fresh fruits and freshly squeezed juices. Lunch buffets are also quite good, but can start to feel the same as only small portions of each buffet change on a daily basis. Where the biggest swing is, are in the nightly a la carte restaurants which range from pretty good to down right awful. Two standouts are the Japanese Teppanyaki tables and the Brazilian steakhouse. While I do wish the food was a bit better, it doesn't stop me from loving this resort. In fact, not days after returning from our most recent trip we already booked another week here.

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    Very bad service what we booked online it's nothing like the room we saw it I don't recommend to come here

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    Angel at Gran Azul is the best. He does a very good job. Wonderful resort and would come back soon.

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    Grand Palladium Colonial Reviews in Other Languages

    Review Highlights - Grand Palladium Colonial

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    Grand Palladium White Sand

    Grand Palladium White Sand

    2.3(50 reviews)
    0.5 km

    We had a great stay at Grand Palladium White Sands. One of the highlights for me was the gym. It…read morewas well equipped, clean, and one of the best resort gyms I've used. I also really liked that guests can use the pools at the other two resorts, including Colonial. It gave us more options and made the resort feel even bigger. A couple of things could be improved. I wish breakfast and lunch hours were longer, especially since the restaurants are spread out across different areas of the resort. It can take time to get from one to another, so extended hours would make dining much more convenient. The other issue was the shower in our room, 5633. The hot water never got hot, and the shower was consistently freezing, which was disappointing. Despite those issues, we had an enjoyable stay and appreciated the amenities and the ability to explore the neighboring resorts!

    The resort is nice, pools are clean and the rooms were nice. Plenty of shuttles for transporting…read moreand that made it much easier to get around. Buffet had practically the same food every night and the other restaurants did too. This was surprising because Grand Palladium in Jamaica had much more variety. Staff was less attentive than we are used to at Grand Palladium, they didn't seem as interactive and happy for us to be there. The exception was Alejandro and the staff at the buffet who provided exceptional service. The property is pretty large so a lot to explore. Bars had good options, so that was nice. The main complaint with the resort was the sargassum outbreak, which made enjoying the beach practically impossible because of the smell and no access to the ocean without wading through the moss. First time I've been to a beach resort without being able to hang out in the beach. I understand though that this is not the resorts fault and cleanup would have been insurmountable. Overall, good visit and we enjoyed our time there. Back to Jamaica for us next time for sure.

    Photos
    Grand Palladium White Sand - Love Street

    Love Street

    Grand Palladium White Sand - Iguana

    Iguana

    Grand Palladium White Sand - Grand Palladium - White Sands Resort & Spa (Room condition)

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    Grand Palladium - White Sands Resort & Spa (Room condition)

    Único Hotel - Spicy pineapple margarita

    Único Hotel

    3.7(180 reviews)
    0.9 km
    •$$$

    The resort is beautiful. Between the multiple pools, beautiful beach, and well kept amenities, it…read moreis a wonderful place to relax and have a good time. There are multiple restaurants around the resort with cuisine ranging from Mexican, Italian, Asian, French, and a steakhouse. The resort is all inclusive, so we also took advantage of the poolside bars and grills that served appetizers, pizza, and small plates. Overall it's a wonderful experience, although the non-Mexican food wasn't as good as the Mexican food and I do think the resort is quite expensive even though it is all inclusive.

    Overall, we had a good stay and enjoyed our honeymoon here. The property is beautiful, the pools…read moreare great, and the staff was consistently friendly throughout our trip. The bars were excellent, and compared to many other all inclusive resorts in the area, the pricing felt very reasonable. The restaurants were also a highlight. There was a good variety of options, and we generally enjoyed the food across the property. My biggest complaint was the constant push to sell the membership program. We received calls to our room at 8 a.m. three mornings in a row asking if we could schedule a meeting to discuss membership options. It became frustrating pretty quickly. What really surprised me was that when I mentioned this issue during checkout, the staff member still tried to pitch the membership while I was actively complaining about how pushy the sales tactics had been. It was honestly a little wild. The only other downside was the main pool seating situation. If you're hoping to grab two chairs together, especially later in the morning, it can be surprisingly difficult. That said, the friendly staff, great pools, solid dining options, and reasonable pricing made for an enjoyable stay overall. Just be prepared for some very persistent membership sales pitches.

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    Único Hotel
    Único Hotel - Lobby to walkway

    Lobby to walkway

    Único Hotel - The most photographed spot at Unico. You must get your picture taken on the bridge.

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    The most photographed spot at Unico. You must get your picture taken on the bridge.

    Grand Palladium Kantenah - Tables sat so long to be cleaned we shared breakfast with the crows.

    Grand Palladium Kantenah

    2.5(74 reviews)
    0.1 km

    Bad service! If you don't have dollars hanging out somewhere visible, these people will not be…read morecourteous or hospitable at all. My question to the staff- if I am at an all inclusive hotel, the rooms are basic and so is the food ...I am paying a large amount of money for the service I am getting , so if I don't tip at every step, every cup of water , every coffee, every hello- I should be still getting a the hospitality that is aldready included in the price.

    Let me start with: The grounds and building are lovely. The staff is generally very friendly. The…read moreà la carte restaurants are terrific. The shuttle service is great. They try hard to keep the beach free of sea grass. Marco at the Portofino restaurant was great! Alex at the buffet, who recognized us in Playa del Carmen, was a personality. The poor guy my wife finally tracked down at nine at night to get towels that worked his butt off to help us out (didn't get his name). The sports fields are really nice. With that said, I had two rooms for my family of 5 (including three teenagers) for six days. We picked the hotel because it offered unlimited à la carte dinners. What they don't tell you is that they are generally booked up 2-3 days out and you can't book more than 2 days in advance. So we get there and are told me can't go to a special restaurant for the first two days. We're looking at the buffets for breakfast, lunch, and dinner exclusively. They're not great, and the choices never materially change. We then made a mistake by not trying to book Thursday and Friday dinner until Wednesday morning to be told... they're all booked up. I was finally able to get the concierge to get us into a dinner on Friday. Please keep in mind that most restaurants are only half-filled, but they are supposedly at capacity. We got into dinner on Thursday by visiting 7 different restaurants before we found a manager who was able to fit us in his half-empty restaurant. Housekeeping was terrible. For one room, they cleaned it on the second day. We had to escalate the issue three times, wait six hours to receive new towels, cups, and for the room to be cleaned on the 5th day. We then had to complain again on the last full day to get the room cleaned! We got comfortable going into the service corridors to get our own towels. We also grew tired of being told that certain features, pools, or drinks were "extra" for "Family Select" or "Preferred" members. I spent $5K for the hotel alone to be told that the basics and amenities were extra. Get used to waiting in lines... for the buffets, the bars, the concierge, etc. We waited an hour and a half at the sports bar (the only restaurant available between lunch and dinner) for terrible food. For example, the garlic bread was half a toasted hot dog bun. The potato skins were half a mid-sized potato. The two jalapeno poppers were roughly 2 inches long. You get the idea. At times, I waited 20-30 minutes to talk to the concierges. There would often be one on duty in each lobby for a hotel with many hundreds of rooms. Overzealous staff kept telling us what we could not do. I couldn't take drinks from the bar (soda) into the sports bar where we were waiting. My son couldn't carry an alcoholic drink for his mother (with me by his side). The entertainment was mediocre at best. Most resorts bring in travelling entertainers with good shows. Not here. The same group of hardworking dancers work all of their shows. Don't expect much variety. My teenagers got plenty of sleep. They had nothing to do at night and complained they were bored. For a family-friendly resort, it caters to young families and little kids. There's no teen club or teen parties. Activities scheduled through the resort (dive shop, excursions, massages) are ludicrously expensive. We got better options from the guys walking the beach. There were other issues, but to top it off, after complaining to the concierge *(especially about the lack of housekeeping, towels, and dinner reservations). They offered us two free hydro-therapy sessions (normally extra cost) at the spa as compensation. So... basically they offered us access to the only hot tubs we found for one-time use. That's not quite cutting it. Finally, we were never given the chance to talk to a manager or supervisor to try to make things right. THAT'S UNACCEPTABLE. Now that I've written the review, let's see if we hear anything.

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    Grand Palladium Kantenah
    Grand Palladium Kantenah
    Grand Palladium Kantenah - Mold on food for kids.

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    Mold on food for kids.

    Akumal Bay Beach & Spa Resort - Sushi bar seating area

    Akumal Bay Beach & Spa Resort

    4.2(51 reviews)
    6.5 km

    I had a wonderful off season stay from September 9th thru the 15th. The food was consistently…read moreexcellent but the restaurants did rotate when they were open so check to see which will be open in the evening. The service was outstanding with friendly attentive staff. I loved the resort app that told me what activities were available everyday, Some of the activities offered are yoga in the mornings, sound healing in the evening, paddle boarding all day, water aerobics at 11. Turtle talk in the afternoon. Latin dancing in afternoon. Monday there is a turtle painting class. It was empty during this off season time so there was always a chair or cabana available at the pool or down at the beach no matter what time you went. You could always get a seat on the main lobby bar and get a seat at a restaurant with hardly any wait at peak times. The first three days there was barely any sargassum. It did come in heavy around 2 pm my fourth day but the team works hard every morning to clear it on the main beach area. I will be happily returning during this off season.

    Exceptional hotel, service, food and drinks! Super relaxing hotel. The rooms are clean and the beds…read moreare a cloud to sleep on. Above all, the staff are professional, courteous, and there to make sure your stay is perfect. There is live music every night and activities you can do throughout the day if the weather permits. Unfortunately, we went during high seaweed season (June and July) so we couldn't enjoy the beach much, but it did look like an awesome bay. Will def recommend for those who are craving a relaxing and quality vacation.

    Photos
    Akumal Bay Beach & Spa Resort - Paddleboard

    Paddleboard

    Akumal Bay Beach & Spa Resort
    Akumal Bay Beach & Spa Resort

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    El Dorado Seaside Suites - Resort photos.  Private dinner on the beach was only $270 dollars.

    El Dorado Seaside Suites

    3.5(116 reviews)
    2.0 km
    •$$$

    From Members Albert and Melissa Pascual…read more Once again An Exceptional Experience at the Seaside Palms, From the moment you arrive, the experience is truly exceptional--from housekeeping and the chefs to the waitstaff, everyone takes great pride in providing outstanding service. The activities staff goes above and beyond to create memorable experiences, while the meals are simply marvelous. The landscaping staff deserves special recognition as well. They complete their responsibilities with tremendous pride, passion, and attention to detail, keeping the grounds beautiful and welcoming. The butlers take great care in making sure every experience is special and memorable. Their attention to detail and commitment to exceptional service truly stand out. As a member, I especially look forward to the Annual Galas. They are absolutely out of this world! Filled with excitement, fun, elegance, and entertainment, each gala is a true extravaganza and an experience that you will never forget. It is the combination of the incredible staff, beautiful surroundings, exceptional food, and unforgettable experiences that makes being a member so special. Albert and Melissa Pascual

    No. No. No. I've stayed here before and we have LOVED it, so much so we tell family and friends to…read morecome here. This trip was terrible! 1) We booked 2 ocean view, Swim out, at seaside suites. We arrive and are told Seaside Suites is closed for renovations and that we would be moved to the sister property which was to be an "upgrade". 2) Where we were moved (Seaside Palms) wasn't bad. Room was nice enough without problems AC saved us! It was still a swim out but no ocean view. 3) To make up for this issue they gave us hotel credits. We thought that sounded great! Booked a romantic beachside dinner, spa day, dinner upgrades. Well we check out and nothing made sense. Somehow we owed almost 1k USD. Credits were in Spanish and in pesos. We know we were screwed. No one could help figure it out. 4) All of the food was just mediocre. Really lacking Reason I'm giving 2 stars over 1, the room we ended up with was still good. We relaxed and spent time together. The staff. Always kind. Always helpful. Ps. Early July is not a good idea! So hot, so humid, and seaweed everywhere. Beach was a no go.

    Photos
    El Dorado Seaside Suites - Driftwood restaurant at Eldorado Seaside Suites.

    Driftwood restaurant at Eldorado Seaside Suites.

    El Dorado Seaside Suites
    El Dorado Seaside Suites

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    Be Live Resort - the main pool

    Be Live Resort

    5.0(1 review)
    0.4 km
    •$$

    What's better than a swim-up bar? A swim-up bar in an all-inclusive resort…read more We had a good room location on the ground overlooking the beach, but the A/C clattered. So we pushed hard and moved to a great room. Thank you QYB for watching over me yet again. :-) This is one of the older resorts of Riviera Maya and definitely has its tacky aspects. However, the resort is fine and we were really the odd ones out. But it has some advantages over a "better" resort. The rooms are closer to the beach and the ocean, and it had good value for the price. Four or five restaurants to choose from and friendly accommodating staff. You can snorkel around the jetty and see some big fish, and the beach is swimmable for most except when the surf was sometimes powerful. Even then we went in. The main pool was grande and with a swim up bar. The windowless internet room was a furnace. Not good. The French restaurant was unpleasantly hot inside and the gourmet "tasting" dinner was a dog and pony show. Truth be told, I wouldn't want to be "trapped here" without a car since the location is fairly remote and I would get bored. This is really a Mexican National vacation resort, so plenty of screaming kids running around. This is not the relaxation haven like Ceiba Del Mar, which we left to come here. But we had a car so no worries. Be Live was a good base to cruise all around to the area attractions: the ruins at Tulum, Playa Del Carmen, the underground cenotes and lots more. Lets be blunt: if you're too much of a pussy to drive in Mexico, stay somewhere else. With a balcony room overlooking the beach and just yards from the ocean, I have to give it five stars just for that. My pictures will show you the awesome room location.

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    Be Live Resort
    Be Live Resort
    Be Live Resort - Be Live Resort

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    Be Live Resort

    Barceló Maya Beach - Dark dingy room.

    Barceló Maya Beach

    2.8(405 reviews)
    7.3 km

    We came to Barcelo Maya Caribe the last week of july with a large group. This was my 2nd time…read morestaying here and we were very disappointed in the drop off this time round. Lets start with the rooms. Rooms are outdated, lamps dont work, shower grout is cracking, they didn't provide hand towels for the bathroom and each time we asked they said they were out. On our third day, there was a huge water leak on the third floor that caused water damage on some of the rooms where they had to move one of our friends to a separate room. The TV channels were mainly Spanish with hardly any English options. Also they say the rooms fit 4 but if your going with older kids, you will be very crammed with hardly any space to move around. We also killed 5 large spiders during our stay as they would crawl into our luggage. Mini fridge was small and they never re-stocked our fridge with beers or water throughout the week. When we had came in 2019, they would restock us daily, including liquor. Appears as though those days are long gone. Now to the food, the buffets served cafeteria food, with breakfast probably being the best thing they served. Some of the better options such as the fried fish, was limited and you had to look for it. There were coffee machines to serve yourself and was disappointed that there wasn't a coffee shop on site. Similarly, the liquor being served was low quality and the bartenders were inconsistent in serving better liquor, which told me it all depended on their mood or if they thought you would tip them. You have to upgrade to a premium bracelet for better liquor but even then the liquor was still low quality. For the reserved dinners, we selected the mexican, Spanish, Japanese and French dinners. By far the best dinner was the Japanese teppanyaki with the Spanish and French restaurants being decent and having a good ambiance. However the mexican food was a huge disappointment. They were skimpy on the portions, the food came out cold, and the meals lacked flavor. When we asked the waiter about the cold food he told us it was because it was already past 9 pm, as if that's an excuse to serve us cold food. The waiter looked annoyed at us and we felt they were rushing us out of there. Considering this is Mexico, we would have expected a much better experience in the mexican restaurant, but it was a complete let down. The night we had french food, we sent our kids to have Italian. They were disappointed that they had ran out of appetizers and the food wasn't good. They were in and out within the hour which was shocking. Finally, the pools and the beach were decent and probably my favorite part of the property was the gym. The grounds are so vast that it never felt too crowded which was a positive. They also had different events and shows happening every night so that was also a positive. The bowling alley became an insurance policy for us on food and coffee whenever the dinner was bad so I do give a thumbs up to the bowling alley. Considering we came with a large group (18 to be exact) hoping for the experience we had the first time, this was a complete let down. We would never come back and would urge people to do their homework on what really matters to them before booking.

    We stayed at Maya Beach Resort for 4 nights. This was our first time staying at a Barceló property…read more Although I can see where the bad reviews are coming from when I compare it with other places we have stayed in Cancún previously. The 4 stars are not for the food but rather the amount of things they have for all ages. Every night they have some kind of entertainment for kids and adults, the casino, the free water activities like kayak, snorkeling, and more. The Maya Beach room as a premium member was roomy and clean. We had an ocean view which was nice with a jacuzzi tub in the balcony. The bed was okay, the pillows were pretty flat. The pools and the kid pool area were great. We were able to go to all 3 pools for other locations. Caribe did have the best kids pool if your kid is older; we didn't go because our son is only 2. The beach area is very tropical with lots of palm trees and shade and lounge chairs that you can enjoy. All the workers were super nice and welcoming. Now the food isn't their strongest suit at this place. They had made a reservation prior to us arriving for all 4 nights, which was nice because we didn't have to deal with "sorry, we are full". We tried the Italian, Spanish, and hibachi. Italian was straight NO for us. It lacked flavors, the pasta was uncooked, and the pizza was whatever. The salad bar at Italian had everything warm, and we went at 7 p.m. Don't even get me started with their cannoli as dessert; just order ice cream. The hibachi we went to was whatever as well. I thought the fried rice and meat they cooked was salty, and you can order one item per each section (appetizer, main dish, & dessert). Spanish was not WOW but was for sure better than the other two. Salmon was cooked nicely, and my husband had lamb, and he said that was yummy. I did order lentil soup, and somehow they brought me garlic soup, which was a bowl of salt with water basically. Buffets: we did try two of their buffets - the main one by the Maya Beach reception and the bar and grill by the pool. The breakfast at the main was had good selection of everything for everyone. Of all 4 days we stayed there was one day where we felt the lunch buffet wasn't good. We mainly didn't like the bar and grill by the pool and felt that place just lacked a lot of food options. We did have free room service with our premium level however the menu items were not at all appetizing for us to order anything. You can't get food ordered by the pool like other resorts so if that's something you like this place lacks that's. The drinks were okay nothing amazing just like any other all inclusive resort. The premium lounge did have patron and some other bit known brand alcohol for self service. What i also noticed is that they didnt have a coffee shop on site anywhere to get good cup of coffee. They have automatic coffee machines that you can get your cappuccino and latte and stuff. Overall we enjoyed our stay due to the activities and things to do and the tropical ambiance of the resort.

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    Barceló Maya Beach
    Barceló Maya Beach - Disgusting lamp

    Disgusting lamp

    Barceló Maya Beach - Looks delicious right? Ha

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    Looks delicious right? Ha

    Grand Palladium Colonial - resorts - Updated September 2026

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