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.