This place isn't 5 stars. Let me break it down for you. Let's start with the good:
1. rooms, landscaping, architecture - 5 out of 5 stars - this place is beautiful and it does reflect a 5 star resort from the outside, the rooms are gorgeous, everything is brand new and if you end up getting one of the ocean view rooms, you could not be any happier.
2. Views - we had the ocean front deluxe room, I have to give this 5 out of 5 as well. It's just so beautiful. Beneath you are palm trees looking out onto this aqua turquoise water with a cool breeze in your hair, it's quite perfect. The views are amazing, assuming you have a room with a view.
3. family friendly -1 out of 5 - I need to talk about this because although most of you probably don't have kids coming to this place, for anyone who does have kids, do not come. what you see when you visit the website and look at the drone shots and the pictures is this beautiful infinity pool overlooking the ocean. what they don't mention anywhere is that pool is reserved for adults only and the pool that they have available for families is on the bottom in the shade with horrible trance music playing in the background. constantly. it's absolutely absurd that families are not allowed up top especially when the place isn't busy but that's the decision they've made.
4. food drinks - 2 out of 5 - we had a pretty mediocre experience at breakfast. Service is great, but food is lacking. The pancakes and waffles are way too thick and in general there's just a real lack of understanding about how to make the dishes they're making. I.e. the coffee is quite terrible. the cappuccinos and lattes are coming out of machines. the fruit wasn't sweet. the oatmeal was runny. the bacon was greasy. the only saving grace to breakfast in general is that you get to sit up top where the infinity pool is, but yeah it's not something to be super stoked about. the waiters are very attentive and I really did enjoy the hostess who was very sweet to our daughter.
5. the environment - one out of five - hate. Hate. Hate. I don't know what it is, it's like they're trying to create a club constantly. wherever you are on MVNGATA beach you will hear a thumping trance house music constantly all hours all the time. it's terrible. like I come to the beach to hear the ocean to listen to the waves to be in nature and be quiet and all I hear is god-awful doosh doosh non-stop. this is indicative of a very trashy low-quality vibe.
6. the beach - zero out of five - if I could give this negative I would give it negative. it's unusable. it's completely filled with rocks and sea urchins. I'm not exaggerating you cannot go in. the beach is a joke... we asked where do we go to swim and there's an area probably five minute walk to the right which is I guess sort of okay in that you have to navigate rocks still to wade into the water and then you just sort of hang out in this tiny 20 ft zone. but it's like you could accidentally bump yourself on a rock or you could slip on a rock getting in and out. if I'm paying for a five-star beachside resort and I cannot use the beach with my family then what the hell am I doing?
7. Value - Two out of five - We paid about $400 a night, and considering this was a beachfront five-star resort, I thought that was actually a pretty good value at the outset when I initially booked it. $400 seems reasonable, right? Wrong. Way wrong. Because when you start adding in what this place charges, I'm thinking our breakfasts were averaging 65 to 85 dollars per breakfast. The drinks were $20 for, as you know, not good drinks. The food was 15-20 bucks for small dishes. It's not a deal. We ended up driving our rental car down to Tulum and spent the day at cinco beach club. It had incredible beaches and it's so pretty. It's what you want. however it cost 1000 pesos per person so like $150 for a day at the beach. When you start adding up the costs to do the things we came here to do then this place isn't a deal.
Overall, when you step back and you look at everything, it's not worth it. Don't come here especially if you are a family. You are going to be disappointed. There are many better options, particularly the all-inclusive resorts. If you have the money, go spend it at Banyan Tree, Mayakoba, Fairmont, or check out Xcaret Hotel. Even though those places are more expensive, when you factor in that they're basically perfect on every single level, it's worth it. Xcaret, all-inclusive, breakfast, lunch, and dinner, no upcharges, no tipping, no weird taxes. They give you access to all their parks. It's far more luxurious, the grounds are nicer, the food is better. I just can't recommend MVNGATA, and I don't understand how it has five stars from hundreds and hundreds of people, even though it just opened. It seems kind of suspect, but hey, whatever. To each their own. You have been warned. It's your vacation and hard earned money! Good luck. read more