"Always read the reviews first" -- good advice for anyone considering this place. Search "food" in…read morethe reviews and you'll find 100+ mentions, almost all bad -- and for good reason. It's bad. But more on that later. My wife and I spent four days here for our 3rd anniversary. We had a good time overall, and there were some positives. Our preferred-level room was nicely upgraded, though not without issues -- the biggest being that there was no bathroom door, only the sliding track where one was clearly meant to go. Combine that with an extremely slow-filling bathtub, and there went our plans for romantic baths. The shower, thankfully, worked fine and met our needs. The king bed was very comfortable, and our section was quiet except for the two mini-split A/C units. They kept things cool but never completely silent. The couch, on the other hand, was awful -- low, flat, and basically unusable without a pile of pillows. The ocean views were great, the beach was lovely, and the pools were expansive and well-maintained. Towels, oddly, were a bit of a scavenger hunt. The common areas and shops were clean and attractive, as were the restaurants and bars, but once seated inside, that's where the cracks showed. In a word: bad. And not just occasionally bad -- systemically bad. This was our first (and likely last) all-inclusive resort, and the economics show. We paid nearly $3,000 for four days, and once they've got your money, food becomes a cost center, not a highlight. Oceana (dinner and breakfast): fishy fish, meager calamari, a crab cake heavy on "cake," and a dessert so forgettable I truly forgot it. Breakfast's waffle was so bad I almost spit it out. My enfrijoladas were the best thing we ate there -- and even they were skimpy on chorizo and egg. Bordeaux (dinner): the best meal of the trip, though that's faint praise. My wife's fish was still a bit fishy but edible; my braised beef was plentiful but dry and under-seasoned. The French onion soup had two tiny bread slices barely covered in cheese. Dessert? Forgettable again. Room service (final night): a "children's menu" chicken quesadilla with fries -- amusing at an adults-only resort -- and a sad burger with a pre-cooked, reheated patty. My dessert was what I dubbed "sin leches cake" -- dry sponge, foamy topping, not a drop of leche in sight. Market Café breakfast buffet (departure morning): nice setting, huge spread, but flavorless food. The main dish, discada, looked like last night's leftovers -- bits of hot dog, mystery beef, and caramelized vegetables. Tasted about how it looked. A bright spot: the coffee shop, which served espresso drinks roughly Starbucks-level (not my thing, but acceptable) and had a pleasant vibe and decent pastries. Outside that café, coffee quality dropped fast -- Nespresso in the rooms, and near-tasteless "coffee" at the restaurants. If you care about coffee, bring your own. There's a heavy upsell push right at check-in. You'll be invited to a "breakfast presentation" -- actually a vacation club pitch -- in exchange for a discounted massage or similar perk. Don't bite. A polite "no thank you" is enough, though they may try again later. You'll also get offers for "romantic beach dinners" and other extras. Given the food quality, I'd pass. Then there are "resort credits" -- a bundle of coupons that sound useful but aren't. Most are tiny discounts on overpriced add-ons, like $10 off a $150 bottle of wine. In the end, we made the best of it and enjoyed our time together. The grounds are lovely, the staff generally pleasant, and the weather perfect, but the core experience -- food and value -- just isn't there. If you come expecting fine dining or even competent cuisine, you'll be disappointed. We left feeling like the resort itself could be great -- but right now, it's coasting on its scenery and bar menu. If all-inclusive food that tastes inclusive of everything but flavor doesn't bother you, you might love it. Otherwise, take the advice I wish I'd taken: always read the reviews first.

This is a hard review to write, as it wasn't 100% bad or good…read more You arrive and check in and the desk area is actually beautiful! Then you get taken to their lounge area so they can upsell you their packages. I'm not interested in a pitch the minute I got there, as well as, I wasn't there for a timeshare type presentation. I paid in full for my room! Mind you the resort was only at 65% capacity, which made for doing a lot easier! You won't get your keys until you are done and that's just an immediate turnoff. You get a map area (many areas are off limits unless you have upgraded your package). Many restaurants are also only for the upgraded guests. It's very odd for an all inclusive! Finally in my room and it's massive! The balcony looked onto the lazy river and then onto the sea, perfect! It was clean and comfortable. The hot water in the shower did not work, but the hot water in the bathtub did work, so I had to improvise for showering. The balcony slider did not close all the way, which caused steam and fog to enter the room, making the floors super slippery, be careful! The buffet for breakfast was pretty limited, but it does the job! Try the Mexican coffee, it's very lovely! I guess there was a coffee shop there, but it was only for those that upgraded as well, which makes no sense! The French restaurant was incredible and I really enjoyed my meal! Room service is offered for free all the time (cash for tip). There are multiple pools (again you can't go to all if you didn't upgrade). The towels are in basket type bins around each pool, but don't have many towels available. Grab them when you can! They aren't marked so it's a bit difficult to find! You have servers at the pool by the beach that will bring you cocktails (bring your own yeti or Stanley for less refill times). Everyone expects a tip for every exchange, so bring your dollars. There were a few shows on the beach, the fire show was cool, although, there was only about 25 people that went to watch it! There are many bars that do have more premium liquors, so that was never a problem. I walked to Paradise Beach Club one day and I really enjoyed that day, all inclusive day pass (no hotel) and it's worth it! All in all, it's no frills, but it's not terrible.

This is a beautiful resort, on the lovely island of Cozumel. My friend and I came here for a week,…read moreand we enjoyed our stay very much. The location is close enough to the main town area that it's easy to get back and forth via a quick cab ride or on bike. The food on the resort is fine. We really enjoyed the breakfast buffet which is typically included in room rates. The other restaurants were okay, typically a little underwhelming for how excellent the food in this part of the country is. The sushi, for example, had a very strong vinegar taste as if the sushi rice had been over-seasoned with vinegar and mirin. One exception is the passion fruit ceviche at one of the beach restaurants, which was excellent and we ordered it two separate times. Overall though, I would encourage you to visit some of the many wonderful and affordable restaurants all over the island. My room was extremely comfortable and well appointed, with one exception. The TV was so old that we were unable to access any apps or even connect my computer for streaming. This isn't a big deal generally, but because we had some rainy days this was a bit disappointing. At this price point and prestige level, I would expect the TVs to be more updated. My guess is that these were 10 or more years old. I want to specifically commend this hotel for their excellent staff. The staff were consistently so friendly and helpful, and proactive for whatever was needed. Truly some of the nicest hospitality staff I have ever encountered, and so professional. The facilities are excellent and we particularly enjoyed our day at the spa, which was a real treat. The dive shop on site has a lot of great services as well. I would definitely stay here again and would recommend others to stay here as well. It's a special place on a beautiful island, what's not to like?

I've stayed here a few times for work, and it's one of those hotels that keeps growing on you…read more The Setting The hotel sits about 15 minutes from the main town, in a quieter part of the island. That distance works in its favor. It feels calm, removed, and much more relaxed than staying closer to the cruise crowds. Architecturally, it leans retro, but in a good way. The bones are older, but the interiors have been updated with smart design choices that make everything feel current and polished without losing character. The Rooms The rooms are a strong point. Spacious, comfortable, and designed to take full advantage of the ocean views. Most rooms have some version of a water-facing angle, which makes a difference. If you're on the ground floor, you might get one of the outdoor rain showers. Fully private, surprisingly great, and one of those features you didn't know you needed until you have it. There's also a large indoor shower, so you're covered either way. The bathrooms are especially well stocked. Beyond the usual amenities, you get after-sun lotion, Evian facial spray, bug repellent, mouthwash, and pretty much every small item you might need but usually forget. Add in a Nespresso machine and blackout shades, and the rooms feel thoughtfully set up. Service Service is consistently excellent. Friendly, polite, and always willing to help. Nothing feels forced, just genuinely good hospitality. Food & Dining Breakfast is served under a large thatched roof right by the water, which sets the tone nicely. The buffet has a wide mix of Mexican and American options, and at around $30, it feels worth it for both the setting and the variety. Dinner was more hit or miss. I tried one of the oceanfront restaurants with a Mediterranean feel. Beautiful setting, disappointing food. The guacamole lacked flavor, and the picanha was overcooked and tough. Definitely not on par with the rest of the hotel. The Spa The spa is a highlight. Great setting, excellent treatments, and a nice bonus: when you book a massage, you get access to the spa facilities for two days. That includes steam room, sauna, plunge pools, and other amenities that make it easy to spend a full afternoon there. Overall Presidente InterContinental Cozumel Resort & Spa is a strong choice if you're looking for a relaxed, well-appointed stay on the island. Great rooms, great service, and a setting that makes it easy to unwind. Just be selective about where you eat on property.

This was my second experience at an all inclusive resort. This is an adult only resort, so no loud…read morekids running around or anything like that. We were here for 1 week and absolutely loved it. Each building has a concierge that is able to handle bookings or notify you of upcoming activities. My concierge was very helpful and communicated with me through whatsapp. You can also use the hyatt app to find this information. The resort offered many things to do throughout the day. There is also a beautiful beach, and the resort is a short walk to the town of Akumal. Activities were endless (in the morning). There are also some activities that have a limit on participants, so you may need to reserve early such as midnight for paddleboarding, or get to them at least an hour early to have a spot. Unfortunately pools were shutdown by 7. There were multiple restaurant/food options. Drinks were everywhere! There was also drink service at the pools. Room service was included and mini fridge restocked everyday. Tipping was not expected here, but they did accept pesos / US dollars. Overall an amazing experience. If you are looking for a relaxing vacation, this is a great place to start.

We came to Secrets for our wedding anniversary. It was a very nice experience compared to the…read morepreviouse all inclusive resort. Secrets is an adults-only resort, so you wouldn't see any kids running around. We were there for a week, and it was a really nice and relaxing time. It was a really nice adult vacation where all you do is eat and drink. Also, the resort offers activities you can join, but some require advance sign-up, which you can do through the app or your building's concierge. There were a good number of restaurants that you could go to. And there was a good number of bars as well. The staff was really nice and frendly always greeting you and making sure that you are okay. One downside is that if you want to lie at the beach, you will need to get there early to get a chair. A majority of the time, we were at the quiet pool, where people would just be doing their own thing, such as reading a book, on their phone, or just taking a nap. Some people would go into the pool from time to time. But definitely more relaxing.

We had a really good time at this adults-only resort. There are plenty of activities where you can…read morebe busy or choose to relax and enjoy your time. I was not approached by anyone offering to sell me anything or attend presentations. Staff were super friendly and helpful during our stay. There's a main pool and a quiet pool. So you have an option where you want to be based on your interest. Night shows were great with some fantastic performers. I wish that there was more Mexican themed shows or music but I guess they try to accommodate that the majority of guests were from Canada and USA. Some of the restaurants rotate being open for dinner. Your best bet is to make reservations ahead of time. You can always show up but might have to wait depending on the time. Overall food was good. Drinks were ok but as a social drinker, I wasn't impressed with my 1-2 drinks/day during my stay. I think I had one drink that I found really good. Beach area is not private and you might have people approach you to sell you stuff or services. A polite "no, thank you" works great. Location and proximity to 5th Avenue made it a great place to explore the area. Although filled with tourists, you also get some local interactions. I would come back to this resort in the future.

Ownership has changed, and this property is now known as Hyatt Vivid Playa del Carmen…read more My boyfriend planned the trip, and my only request was an all-inclusive resort. While the property has a lot of potential, it ultimately missed the mark, especially for a resort of this size. The biggest issue was the constant selling. I understand upselling is part of the business, but having to say no repeatedly throughout the stay was exhausting. Even after interacting with the same staff members multiple times, nearly every conversation felt like a sales pitch. We also received early morning calls to the room for non-urgent matters and promotions, which was disruptive and frustrating. Despite being advertised as all-inclusive, there were frequent pushes to upgrade to higher-end alcohol, exclusive experiences, and add-ons. I would much rather pay more upfront for a truly inclusive experience than feel harassed during my vacation. It really affected the overall vibe of the trip. The food was average and not memorable. The highlight was the coffee shop, which was open most of the day and consistently good. Poolside dining is very limited. You cannot casually order snacks like chips and guacamole while at the pool and instead have to go to one of the restaurants. Also be cautious with food near the pool, as wildlife grabbed my pizza while I was sitting there. Overall, this resort could be great, but the aggressive upselling, average food, and limited poolside service made it disappointing for an all-inclusive experience.

So we've stayed at this resort before and other Iberostars around the world. And we keep coming…read moreback because of several factors. First of all, the service cannot be beat. From the hosts to the wait staff to the cleaners, everyone is friendly and truly makes you feel like they're happy you are there. The food is pretty good and plentiful and there's something for everyone. There are always vegetarian and vegan options and never a shortage of fresh fruit. There's always a breakfast, lunch, and dinner buffet, a beach side snack bar that has hotdog hamburgers that kind of food as well. As well as Several restaurants where you can get more specialty cuisine. The rojo poblano's are my favorite every time. One of the major reasons that we choose,m Ibarostars is that they are making a true effort for wheelchair accessibility. I'll include some pictures below to demonstrate what I'm talking about but there are paved or planked paths almost everywhere in the resort that are accessible. We are staying in an accessible room with zero entry doors a zero entry shower pull down grab bars for the bathroom and large path of travel throughout the room. There are even accessible spots on the beach with a planked spot very close to the water. Sometimes some of the larger public bathrooms are not as accessible, but there's always an accessible bathroom close by. In general, they do make an amazing effort to make the resort accessible to an individual in a wheelchair or scooter, etc.

This is my 5th visit here I think. I have always found the people friendly, the atmosphere relaxed…read moreand the food good particularly at the buffet where there are so many choices. The beach is nice this time of the year, the ocean temp wonderful at 84. There are activities for the kids to keep them occupied. The rooms are not fancy but the beds are comfortable, the water hot when taking a shower and the air conditioning works well.

Well so far so good! The hotel just reopened recently amongst the pandemic. They have some great…read moreprotocols in place like spraying down your luggage with sanitizer temperature checks and social distancing the visitors. The staff are amazing friendly and welcoming and just what the doctor ordered for our cabin fever. The rooms are clean and seem to have been remodeled recently and I believe all have a ocean view So far we've enjoyed some diving with the dive house which is on site. It's so convenient being on property and also has a great staff! I'll have to update as the week goes on

Words cannot describe the amazing stay provided from the staff. Brianda our concierge and…read moreactivities coordinator did everything in her power so that our first time here in Cozumel and fiesta America an was a pleasure! We miss it already. The whole staff made us feel like we were at home. Everyone from the buffet station staff to our room service and housekeeping was so kind and friendly, and provided excellent service! I'm recommending everyone to come and stay here.

We stayed here for 7 nights and enjoyed ourselves! We loved the food. The Italian and Asian were…read moreour favorites. There were plenty of vegan or vegetarian options. The best part of staying at the Explorean is having access to excursions. We didn't have to worry about getting a car or figuring out our itinerary. Everyone was wonderful. The area was quiet and peaceful. We used the access to the ocean and snorkeled. We love the jacuzzi and sat in each night and made new friends. Only negative is that our room had a weird step down to the bed. And all through the resort and the Fiesta, there are weird steps that don't make it super accessible if you have any trouble walking.

Let me begin my rave review with the service. The people on the island of Cozumel are SOOO nice…read more The people we encountered in the airport, the people at the resort, housekeepers, everyone in between were crazy nice. It was more than refreshing coming from the States. The resort was awesome, it was behind la fiesta Americana and we got alllll the amenities from that resort with the Explorean. The Explorean Cozumel offered free excursions, like buggy's, snorkeling, biking, and more. Apparently the people at Fiesta Americana didn't have that included, so we really lucked out with them being included. The food and drink was good, small selections at the Explorean, they have one restaurant and one main bar, which closes relatively early, we were back in our rooms by like 1030 or 11 because they stopped serving and the pools closed. Absolutely bring bug spray and extra sunscreen, it's hard to access a convenience store without a car and the onsite convenience store is obviously price hiked.

You get what you pay for. The resort is run down. Half of our group had to change rooms due to…read morebroken items (tv, shower, toilet..). Some helpfull staff,some ok service.

(Part 1) My fiancé…read moreis in tears. This has been one of the worst experiences of my life. The hostess Diana, at Bordeaux their French restaurant, was racist. Here's why ... My fiancé and I walked from dreams, their sister resort, and arrived there with 55 to 60 minutes until the restaurant closed. We walked there hoping for a better date night because after eating dinner with her family I was just served inedible octopus at Gogi and while eating there and being left with an empty stomach because I couldn't eat more than a bite of the octopus. When we arrived at roughly 10pm Diana, the hostess at at the French restaurant (Bordeaux) at Secrets, did warn us the restaurant was full at the moment and that we may not get a table because many parties were still eating. We kindly told her we will wait and see. Well from 10pm on, we watched table after table get up. 2 tops, 4 tops, empty tables, etc. I'm a bartender and I've worked in the restaurant industry my entire life and treat the janitor like the CEO. I saw a poor guy raking the sand in the hot sun the other day, working for the resort, and walked over and tipped him. I appreciate hard workers and honest people and many of the staff are those nice kind of hard working people but overall it's people like Diana who really ruin it for the good eggs. This person should find a different industry to work in, because I could tell Diana has no business being in this industry, as I have never felt so disrespected, as a guest. I waited close to the host stand and the hostess Diana, purposefully avoided trying to make eye contact. After seating a Mexican group of 6 to 8 and an 2 top consisting of an older lady with her son, there were 20 minutes until the kitchen closed and multiple tables 4+ (3 inside and a two top, that had been unbussed for 10 minutes, which was available outside) were now open with everyone in front of us already sat. It's sad because from the second I was greeted by Diana I knew that in order to get a table at our all inclusive resorts sister hotel, that we needed to tip her to get one. At 10:10 I told my fiancé hey we need to tip her before being sat otherwise we won't get sat and my fiancé (not having worked in restaurants for the last 14 years gave her the benefit saying no she is going to the back to get something and then will seat us after). Sure enough I could read this selfish type of worker, hungry for a tip she could pocket away from her coworkers, from a mile away and Diana unfortunately proved me right stalled and waited with multiple tables open to deliver the news. The hostess ignored us from 10:10 to 10:16pm. At 10:16 (purposefully stalled to make it seem like it's 15 minutes within the kitchen closing for orders) after coming back to her hostess stand Diana finally made eye contact to tell us that no tables were available even though we were multiple tables still open with 45 minutes to go until the restaurant closed and 15 minutes before the kitchen closed. She asked us if we had ever tried room service and tried to deflect us to oceana (another restaurant). I asked to speak to a manager, and was placed between a rock and hard place because no paying guests should be treated this way and now I had my fiancé's hopes of having a better dinner crushed because now after she saw how we were being treated was urging me to go, and as we were walking away ... the table sat before us offered for us to join them (since they were sitting right next to the host stand and overheard Diana use their table as an excuse not to seat us). These people watched us get discriminated against, and my fiancé was too kind to accept the two tops kind offer to join them for dinner. These people, total strangers felt bad for us, otherwise they would not have extended the helping hand.

This place has it all. Seriously…read more Incredible stay all around. The service is truly top tier. The staff are attentive, friendly, and always make you feel taken care of without it feeling forced or over the top. The entire resort has a luxury feel from the moment you arrive. Everything is beautiful, calm, and extremely well maintained. The pools and beach are great, and the whole place just feels polished and relaxing. The rooms are especially impressive. Spacious, elegant, and spotless, with a very high end feel that makes it easy to unwind and feel comfortable right away. Overall, it was an amazing experience and easily one of the nicest resorts I've stayed at. Would absolutely come back and highly recommend it.

One of the most amazing experiences of my life! The beach was beautiful lots of activities for…read morekids. Grand class was adults only and absolutely stunning but walking distance from the kids friendly ambassador. There was transportation to get anywhere in the resort. Zen the more jungle focused hotel was Also beautiful. All inclusive 24 hour room service unlimited food and drinks and refillable mini bar. Cocina de autor which is a Michelin star restaurant was amazing , the wine pairing is extra but it's worth it. Piaf has great French food , Frida , Luca , sen Lin and Chaka are kid friendly I missed Chaka but the other three are really excellent. The bistro at grand class is great and azule is a great more casual buffet. There multiple bars the pools and the beach which is beautiful have food and drink service. Some activities are included and the spa is beautiful. My suite was over 1000 square feet with a plunge pool on my balcony. Getting chairs early is key at the pool and the beach. There are bars a coffee shop multiple boutiques gyms and activities. One of my favorite was catch of the day on the beach for lunch . There is a kids and teens club and a kids spa. Beautiful place for a wedding, I saw multiple during my stay. The food is really good! They have a mini golf course most of the year. There is night security and the resort is gated. They have mocktails as well as cocktails. The staff is really friendly. Tipping is optional but tipping in American money is recommended it will get charged to your card. There are three pools not including the spa. One at the grand class ( adult only) , zen, and the ambassador. The ambassador and grand class are walking distance from each other. This resort attracts more than Americans. It's beautiful and a world class resort.