We had a wonderful time at this resort! I loved every single minute we were here!…read more Beautiful grounds and a wonderful place on earth to be. As long as you are behind the gates that is.... Outside of the gates is a whole different story. It's pretty intense out there with the police being fully militarized. They have machine guns mounted to trucks they stand on and ride around just for the presence, there are tons of people wanting to take advantage of dumb Americans at every turn. Watch yourself if you travel alone in Cozumel. It's designed solely to attract tourists. That draws out some colorful personalities in my experience. Traveled with ease from the oh so lovely Cancun International Airport. Interesting spot to say the least. We were warned not to communicate or accept anything from anyone except our driver. We arrive to the hotel really excited, somewhat cautious, and ready to have some fun. We were greeted at the front door and we handled a little paperwork, and then we were taken to our room by a wonderfully helpful chap. He showed us around the room, gave us a quick run down of the grounds, described the amenities, food situation, and some other pleasantries. He talked about the dining situation and gave us a map tour so we're would know how to navigate the grounds. They have a cool locker system in each room. The service folks just leave your anything in the locker and you don't have to interact with them at all. They just let you know it is there. Nice feature. The grounds themselves are absolutely gorgeous! It is so well kept, the attention to every detail goes so far beyond a normal resort. They comb the beach every morning. I kid you not. They seriously rake the entire shoreline before dawn. They also run a tractor to clear the seaweed from the beach. Insane dedication to making your stay great. The restaurant situation is so fucking rad. They have just about any food you might want covered between the what seemed like a dozen restaurants at the resort. I ate and ate and ate and ate.... I ate between meals, I ate between those meal and snack times. We had so much food!! Every dinner was 5-8 courses. I'm positive I could stay right here forever and never leave. Food heaven!! Spa is great too! It's a lovely relaxing oasis of self care. That's another review, but it's great. Don't take my word for it. Go for yourself! Cold plunges are good for the soul! They have shows every night in the theater and there was some sort of event being held every night in the common area. Some were private, others public. They construct stages, eating areas, weddings, happy hours with bands, and even corporate conferences. It's pretty wild the amount to building and tearing things down the do here. We rented a cabana bed one day and at the end of the day the built and transformed the beach into an elaborate engagement spot with candles everywhere, flowers, and a table for two. Very nice touch! All in all a fantastic experience. My only gripe was that the room smelled of mildew and/or too music moisture. C said something about it when we got there but it wasn't that noticeable to me. When I got home and unpacked my suitcase is when it hit me. There were clothes that I did not wear, just sat in the drawers and repacked, they all had to be washed as they smelled terrible after being packed and transported back home. I would come back monthly if possible. Nice place. '26 - 74

We chose this resort for our honeymoon expecting a romantic, stress-free experience. Unfortunately,…read morewhat we received was misleading, disappointing, and poorly handled. We paid for a Junior Suite Ocean View, clearly confirmed in our reservation. What we were given instead was a Junior Suite Tropical View with no ocean view at all -- not even partial. This is not a matter of interpretation; it is a clear mismatch between what was sold and what was delivered. From the beginning, the hotel was aware this was our honeymoon. We did not expect special treatment, but we did expect honesty and follow-through. Other honeymoon couples received gestures and attention; we received none -- and more importantly, we didn't even receive the room category we paid for. After reporting the issue, we were told the hotel was "fully booked" and that management would "look into it." Days went by with no resolution. Eventually, a supervisor explicitly offered a partial refund for the room category difference and a one-day beach cabana as a gesture. We accepted this in good faith. At checkout, the supervisor was suddenly "in a meeting." We provided our card details to another staff member so the refund could be processed. After departure, we followed up multiple times and received absolutely no response. No confirmation, no email, no refund, nothing. To be clear: * The food and general service were fine * The beach is beautiful * But selling an Ocean View and delivering a Tropical View is unacceptable, especially for a honeymoon * Offering a refund and then going silent is worse This experience seriously damaged our trust. A resort that markets itself around romance and special occasions should do better -- or at the very least, be honest and responsive. We would not return and cannot recommend this property based on how this situation was handled. Español Elegimos este hotel para nuestra luna de miel esperando una experiencia romántica, tranquila y bien cuidada. Lamentablemente, lo que recibimos fue engañoso, decepcionante y mal gestionado. Reservamos y pagamos una Junior Suite Ocean View. Sin embargo, la habitación que nos asignaron fue una Junior Suite Tropical View, sin vista al mar en absoluto -- ni siquiera parcial. No es una opinión: no coincide con lo contratado ni con lo que el hotel promociona. Desde la reserva y al llegar, el hotel sabía que se trataba de nuestra luna de miel. No buscábamos privilegios, solo que se cumpliera lo pagado. Mientras otras parejas recibían detalles, nosotros no recibimos nada -- y encima, ni siquiera la habitación correcta. Reportamos el problema y nos dijeron que el hotel estaba lleno y que "lo revisarían". Pasaron días sin respuesta clara. Finalmente, una supervisora nos ofreció explícitamente un ajuste/reembolso por la diferencia de categoría, además de una cabaña de playa por un día. Aceptamos confiando en su palabra. Al hacer el check-out, la supervisora "estaba en reunión". Dejamos los datos de nuestra tarjeta para que procesaran el reembolso. Después de salir del hotel, hicimos varios seguimientos y nunca respondieron. Ni confirmación, ni correo, ni reembolso. Para ser justos: * La comida y el servicio general fueron correctos * La playa es hermosa * Pero vender Ocean View y entregar Tropical View es inaceptable, más aún en una luna de miel * Prometer un reembolso y luego desaparecer es aún peor Esta experiencia dañó completamente nuestra confianza. Un hotel que se vende como resort romántico debería actuar con seriedad y responsabilidad. No regresaríamos y no lo recomendamos, especialmente para lunas de miel o celebraciones importantes.

This was my first ever all inclusive resort experience. I can honestly say I feel like my life has…read morebeen changed for the better after this vacation. We ventured here with my partner and his family for his 40th birthday celebration, and the entire week didn't disappoint. First, the staff is incredibly kind and hospitable. Each morning you are greeted with smiles and they always make themselves available or attentive to your needs. I barely could open a door during the entirety of my stay. A major shout out to the entertainment team, specifically Bidi Bidi Bum Bum (her nickname), who kept us relaxed and busy during the week. Bidi is incredible. Next, the overall hotel esthetic is quite nice. It certainly has its own unique design decisions, but the accommodations in your room are amazing. Each suite has its own mini fridge stocked with beer and wine that they will refill each day. Every room has a coffee machine and a large bathroom as well. They have three pools, one of which is indoor and the other is a quiet bool. The main pool has a massive bar where cocktails are poured every day from 9 - 7. Not only that, the five restaurants and the buffet have so much food I think I could not eat for a whole week after the large amounts of steak and seafood I ingested. Overall, the price and experience are definitely worth it. I highly recommend this hotel if you're looking for an adults only, vibrant food and drink experience.

This was remarkable! Unclear how it has been rated this low but I am here to say this was a…read moreworld-class experience. The level of customer service was top notch. As someone that has been to 10+ resort experiences across Mexico, Jamaica, DR, St Marteen and other Caribbean this is up there as one of the best. The price is incredibly reasonable 2 people for 5 days was around $1900 for all inclusive. There was 5+ restaurants, 1 beach restaurants, 1 buffet option on the resort. The Mexican dining restaurant was sensational, the steakhouse was my least favorite. A ton of different bar options around the resort. The liquor options were not bottom shelf, good mid tier options. And direct beach access, the most impressive part was it was seaweed season yet they were pretty clear. The grounds were very pretty and ton nature The room was spacious and the views from the balcony was gorgeous. Be mindful of the nature there are lemurs. They offered shows and night entertainment every night. My favorite was the fireshow and karaoke bar which is open most night. There were various pool options. There was a quiet pool option and a large more lively pool with a swim up bar. It was good vibes and entertainment. BEWARE of the time-share pitch. They will sell you on spending your morning doing this. We got out of it. Its a bit annoying.

Big and spacious hotel. Everything that you need is on site. The staff is extremely friendly and…read morewilling to accommodate all of your needs. Special shout out to Citali, Laura, and Yazmin for all that they did to make our stay special. They constantly checked with us to make sure everything was perfect. Buffet food was good. Better than many I've had. Beloved and The Grill had very good food. The Gold member room was nice and updated. Just minor overlooked details here and there. The spa was great. The staff there are very nice. The facilties are clean and functional. Just beware of the coatis everywhere. Don't leave your food unguarded outside or you won't have any. The beach is nice. Wide with trees and soft sand. The perfect place to relax.

We had our wedding at this amazing resort and I couldn't be more happy with how everything turned…read moreout. From the moment we walked in to check in, to the moment we checked out, the staff was fantastic. They are the nicest and most accommodating staff ever and that's what drew us to the resort in the first place. I'm also so impressed with how clean everything was. This resort is unique in the sense that there was also wildlife living on the property and despite the number of Coati, raccoons, boars, and other animals, the resort was nearly spotless! The restaurants were also clean and had really delicious food. Big shout out to Karen Baez, Erika Varela, and Alejandra Arceo for helping us finalize the details of our wedding. All three ladies were so great to work with and so accommodating with everything. They were all very communicative, thorough, and helpful to make the planning so easy. There was no pressure or stress at all, even in the day of the wedding. Overall, I would recommend anyone to work with the Hotel Catalonia staff for a wedding or even just to stay for leisure. All the guests for the wedding were so happy with the stay at the resort and cannot wait to come back. I'm grateful for the staff to make this the most unforgettable experience. This truly was a dream wedding!

This trip was truly one for the books. I've stayed at many beautiful hotels, but this is the…read moredefinition of a luxury five-star resort. The grounds are immaculate, the rooms are spacious and beautifully appointed, and every room seems to have a spectacular view. Mine overlooked the ocean, and watching the sunrise each morning became one of my favorite parts of the day. I was traveling solo to celebrate my birthday, and my butlers, Omar and Claudia, made the experience unforgettable. They anticipated needs before I even voiced them and thoughtfully personalized every aspect of my stay. When I mentioned that I enjoy taking baths, I returned one evening to find a bubble bath prepared with luxurious bath amenities waiting for me. It was one of many moments that made me feel genuinely cared for. The attention to detail throughout the resort was remarkable. Housekeeping not only kept the room spotless, but also noticed my routines and arranged things accordingly. My slippers were always placed by the bed, my vanity items were organized exactly how I used them, a cleaning cloth was left for my glasses, and when they noticed I was reading a book, they left a beautiful handmade, hand-painted bookmark. One of the most touching moments came on my final night. The resort provides complimentary kaftans during your stay, and although I admired them, I decided not to purchase one. To my surprise, Omar and Claudia gifted me a kaftan with my name embroidered on it, along with a beautiful birthday balloon arrangement. It was thoughtful, unexpected, and something I will treasure for years. The beach is private, pristine, and wonderfully peaceful. Unlike larger resorts, this property feels intimate and personal. The staff quickly learn your name, preferences, and routines. What impressed me most was that they constantly asked, "What could we do better?"--and then actually followed through. During my stay, I met several guests who were returning after 10 and even 15 years. After experiencing this level of hospitality, I completely understand why. The magic of this place clearly endures, and I already know I'll be returning to experience it again. This wasn't just a vacation--it was one of the most memorable travel experiences I've ever had.

I have never teared up leaving a hotel before, but that's how much I loved our stay here. The staff…read morewas incredible, our room was beautiful, and the food was outstanding -- what's not to love? While sitting near the beach, a staff member came around cleaning guests' sunglasses. They always say it's the little touches that matter, and that was a real wow moment for me. I've had the luxury of staying at some amazing hotels, but that was a first! Dining at Woodend is an absolute must -- the cauliflower dish was amazing. I don't even care for cauliflower that much, but this one was incredible! I also loved seeing all the little critters roaming the property -- such a fun touch of nature. My only minor complaint is that my husband and I joined a couple of the scheduled activities. Even though they were adult activities and there weren't many kids on the property, they were held in the kids' club, where the seating was limited to bean bags or child-sized chairs. I would have enjoyed the experience even more with proper seating. Overall, this was one of the most memorable hotel experiences I've ever had -- and I can't wait to come back!

Long post sorry-Must come to resort. El Darado Maroma has the BEST staff. First, Osvaldo 5 along…read morewith his team Alex,Mafer,Lino,Omar, DJ cris and Jerik. This entertainment staff made our time so enjoyable with their high energy and passion in the hospitality business. Our bartenders Ana and Roberto , house keepers (Isidoro) and ground crews went the extra mile everyday. They sweep the sidewalks/pathways daily. This is a resort you want to visit. Beach is a dream, grounds are impeccable. You will not be disappointed and Osvaldo is an okay volleyball player lol The staffs will go through every effort to meet your individual request (be practical) Their enthusiasm is intoxicating because even on the no beach day with sargassum you are watching trucks, workers in the water with pitch forks and you think I'm on vacation. Never a bad day. You won't be disappointed here. The food is good. You may not find a five star Michelin chef but when you've been drinking all day, the food is plenty good and the atmosphere just makes the environment so delightful.

This place is NOT LGBTQ friendly. My friend was called a slur by a HOTEL EMPLOYEE. He was filming…read morethe sunset and was able to capture the employee saying it to him on camera. When my friend confronted him and asked if it was him in the video, he agreed but then denied he called him a slur. The hotel only gave my friend half off his massage and transportation to the hotel. For the amount of money we spent at this place, this is RIDICULOUS. The managers and employees are all complicit and allow this horrible behavior to happen. They are extremely unprofessional and the massage therapists also offer happy endings in their services, saying they work off of commission. Este lugar NO es amigable con la comunidad LGBTQ+. Un empleado del hotel insultó a mi amigo con un término despectivo. Mi amigo estaba filmando la puesta de sol y logró grabar al empleado diciéndole el insulto. Cuando mi amigo lo confrontó y le preguntó si era él quien aparecía en el video, lo admitió, pero luego negó haberlo insultado. El hotel solo le ofreció a mi amigo un 50% de descuento en su masaje y el transporte al hotel. Por la cantidad de dinero que gastamos en este lugar, esto es RIDÍCULO. Los gerentes y empleados son cómplices y permiten que ocurra este comportamiento horrible. Son extremadamente poco profesionales y las masajistas también ofrecen servicios sexuales, diciendo que trabajan a comisión.

I'd give this a 4.7 overall. This was one of the best all inclusive hotels I've been to. It isn't…read moreas luxurious as others I've been to but it has a bunch of positives. First off, I love how they have your room key attached to your band so that you aren't ever having to look/remember to bring your key because it's always on you which makes it super easy and convenient. Wish every hotel did this. 2 - The food was truly exceptional and not average like most other places. It's not 5 star quality like at a true restaurant but very very good for it being an all inclusive. For dinner I had the Mediterranean, the seafood and tepanyaki. Seafood was my favorite and was surprised the lobster was pretty good size and the steak tasted great. It's not as perfect as if going to an upscale restaurant but still very very good. Mediterranean had great variety. For the tepanyaki I wish they'd remove the fruit, veggie and Philadelphia roll from their sushi lineup (if I want sushi I want some sort of fish/seafood as I'm sure others prob want too). Also wish I'd gotten a salad along with the soup. For breakfast always went to the buffet and has so many options without losing the quality aspect. Was pleasantly surprised because I'm not a huge fan of buffets typically. 3 - The people who work there are incredible and always greet you with a smile and truly look happy to be working at this resort. 4 - The pool area is incredibly large and have many options on where to go and the beach is good size also. (I was shocked how busy the beach got). In the pool area they constantly have activities for all ages. 5 - The shows at night were pretty good with my favorite being the 80s night singers (Adams groove was just ok and Caribbean wasn't as engaging cause all the lyrics were in Spanish). 6. The slide park is small but imo it's perfect and we had a lot of fun going down them. Didn't go down lazy river but loved that that option was available. 7. The gym not only has almost everything you need for a good workout but also offers multiple classes. I did the kickboxing one and loved it 8. Everything seemed very clean and was always seeing people making sure the premise looked nice. The overall value for the rooms was great but there are some things I hope they work on 1 - The water in the pool was ice cold! Not just cold. Ice cold. It def needs to be a little warmer. 2 - They have a water filtration system where you get your water from but if you want bottled water you can buy but they charge $12. There's no need to be price gouging a basic necessity because even though the filtration system works to make it clean it does have a slight taste to it 3 - The place is absolutely ginormous and wish they had better signs in the front because it's easy to get lost 4 - They put a 2 hour time limit if you check a ball out and find that kind of absurd. I don't wanna have to pay attention to what time it is if I'm out having fun 5 - The room service menu is very limited and definitely needs more options 6 -They have some $25 environmental tax have to pay on checkout. Not sure why they don't just have that when you check in so that it doesn't feel like being nickeled and dimed Overall, it was a great stay and would definitely come back

By far the best resort I have ever been to! It's like six resorts in one. So many great food…read moreoptions including hibachi and Italian. A coffee shop open any hour you need it. And gelato!!!! The Lobby Bar was fun and bartenders were great. Entertainment was fun although short. Our room was comfy and perfect size. Bed was probably the most comfortable I've ever slept on in a hotel Highly recommend this resort!!

While I had reserved a king bed for the week, getting 2 doubles and just pushing them together must…read morebe something people do regularly because the maids made up the bed for us that way every night after we did it. Room itself was very nice but when staying at a Time Share and not having a kitchenette at least was disappointing. Shower pressure gets 2 out of 10, while there is a soaker tub that looks like it's meant for 2, it's really not. Also, the AC worked at night but I think they turn it off during the day. The biggest let down was exchanging for Mexican $ while there. My experience was bad enough. If your money from other countries isn't PRISTINE, they will not exchange it. I had one $20 with a piece missing smaller than 1/2 a grain of rice and they wouldn't take it. I also had 5 or 6 bills that had a minuscule out of ink on the edge of a bill and it wasn't until the manager could sense my frustration that he stepped in and did exchange those bills for me. Do look up exchange rates before coming to Mexico, I saw the rates anywhere from $15-20 Mexican to American. The airport was the lowest and some retail shops were the best. THE ABSOLUTELY UNACCEPTABLE exchange came when my SO tried to get pesos for $400 American. He his $200 under his keyboard and then came back to her and said "here's your $3200 for your $200." She had handed him 4 $100 bills and tried to give her change for just 2 it wasn't until she called him on it and lifted up his keyboard that he said "oh, not sure how that happened". We filed a report with management and left it at that. They may have sent a fruit bowl and chocolate strawberries to apologize but that was not sufficient seeing that Management never even apologized to us. That's all we wanted. They have central parking and a team service here because it's 5 hotels in one resort. Advantages and disadvantages to both but the tram drivers and bellmen were the stars of the shows here. My SO broke her ankle halfway thru our trip and they lent us a wheelchair and they have a special tram to haul them around. The VALET service sucked! While being told to call ahead so they were there when the tram brought is good in theory, we still waited upwards of 30 minutes longer than they said it would take. Not once was our car ready when they said it would be. Also, having the car just sit in the hot sun when not in use makes it very uncomfortable during the summer when you get in. If you're going to the beach club you can't bring food or drink and their prices are very steep. Pro level cheat is to bring a Hydroflask filled with whatever adult beverage you want for the day and just get your water from them. Also, if you want a Cabana at the club and aren't Platinum, go to the reservation booth there at 11am and let them know you'd like to wait for an unclaimed Cabana at noon. Also, the sand on the beach is nice and you can lay there but the shore at the waters edge in all rocks for quite a way and makes it very difficult to enjoy the ocean waters. Overall, this place has some great qualities but I think coming here for just a meal will be the way to go when I come back at Christmas time.

This place was well worth the trip there is 4 different resorts inside. They offer great food and…read moremy favorite night was the Mexican show night that they had. Let me just say there food was really good but completely different from what I am used to in southern California and Tijuana. The place itself is just magical swimming in the clear coral blue waters is just something amazing.

12/25/23 - 1/1/24…read more This was my first time staying at an all-inclusive resort and it did not disappoint. My fiancé and I met up with his family at Iberostar Waves Paraiso on Christmas day of 2023. The service is impeccable, it is very clean no matter where you look. The fragrance they use to scent the lobbies and hallways really put you in a relaxing mode. The pools are large, clean and clear of debris. The beach is also clean and so relaxing to watch either the sunset or the sunrise. The property has many restaurants with different cuisines, a shopping area, a pristine gym (you have to pay extra to rent equipment though like tennis and pickleball rackets; and pay extra for certain classes), and there are other resort buildings that you can access as well. The staff are very friendly, polite and will ensure you get the best service possible. They have a huge buffet and room service is available 24 hours a day. There are activities planned all day and during the night as well. Thank you for the hospitality Iberostar!

The breakfast buffet was amazing. I had two, tasty, orange yolked eggs cooked to order. I also ate…read morea hotdog on the beach accompanied by perfect fries. All of this was included with my day pass while on the island during a Carnival Cruise. Unfortunately, it was difficult to find bottles of water- which I expected to happily overpay for. You see, I'm a five star girl and the cranberry juice and ice are just different than I'm used to-not bad- just different. What I mean: The juices aren't Ocean Spray, the coke isn't Coca Cola Classic. It happens. The vodka was Sky or Smirnoff and I couldn't choke it down. I suggest Fire Ball shots and call it a day. There were many fish in the water, a swim up pool bar, and fresh towels if you show your ID. There are bottles of water at the lobby store. Most of the hotel is outdoors like many Iberostar hotels around the world so the lobby store A/C is a nice reprieve.

We enjoyed our stay here very much. We found the staff very hospitable and always willing to…read moreassist. The room was always cleaned when we returned from a days outing. This is a homey type of place. Very comfortable. We took a room with a pool view. The walk to the ocean was just under five minutes. We had fun dining at the various restaurants. The food was ok - nothing memorable. The service was always warm, welcoming and professional. We went with a pocket full of dollar bills so that we could easily tip where we needed to. Sometimes, we would call for a golf cart pick up to take us where we wanted to go, and those guys appreciate the tips. I also visited the salon and had a perfectly lovely facial. The gym was also well equipped.

It was a short stay of 3 days. The employees were great and they were always very helpful in terms…read moreof providing information and super friendly. The activities were decent and the bedrooms were nice. Some things that my family didn't like about was the food. It didn't seem fresh and it was worrisome to eat as raw fish or milk or yogurt wasn't cold. We were also very excited with the selection of restaurants but all the food wasn't good and the wait for food was too long especially in the 90 degree heat with no air con. As well, we got coax into attending a 90 mins tour from Iberostar which was fine and willing to a point until the tour got very hostile from the tour guide who was quite rude. They were quite unclear of what was intended in the tour and when the 90 mins begun as it took way over 90 mins which was a waste of our vacation time. They will take you to breakfast and make a sales pitch but the hour it takes for that doesn't count towards the 90 mins. I think that was the worst part of this experience for us as we felt like we would have been verbally attacked by this tour guide and we didn't feel comfortable to stay. We consistently asked him to let us leave but he wouldn't. They didn't take a no from us and it seemed like they were trying to force us to say yes to whatever they were selling.