Overall a pretty good stay, location being one of the best features of this hotel…read more Pros: - literally right next to Tres Pelicanos, couldn't of been more convenient to work out dive details or talk to Pony or Willie - Karla was so sweet, so easy and pleasant to communicate with - love the security system with the gates, it feels very safe - nice that they have free water stations for every 2-3 rooms - AC is GREAT!! Holy moly, it can get stuffy and humid in Cozumel, AC is saving grace - multi-level unit was fun and different - kitchen with a mini-fridge was great, kept our drinks nice and cold - close to everything, walk outside and you can find many shops and restaurants within 5-10 minutes (super close by - Burger house, La Cozumelena, Los Otates, Girasoles) - about a 15 minute walk from the Ferry Terminal - decently priced (we paid about $82/night) - free wifi is always a plus! Very good connection too - free DVDs to watch, BBQ to use and pool Cons: - bed is tiny! It was more like a full size bed rather than a queen....needless to say, it was a little bit of a squeeze - bathroom is also tiny. Not that I need a gigantic bathroom on vacation, the shower, sink and toilet were literally right next to each other. If you're using the sink, you can't really close the door because it's just way too cramp. Shower and shower pressure was okay though - soap/shampoo products were minimal, could have used maybe a bottle of lotion or something - housekeeping gave us two bottles of water on the first day and never gave us bottles of water after that......I guess you're expected to refill the water bottle at the water stations outside I would definitely stay here again. $82/night was not a bad deal at all though I have heard from other divers that there are great deals for hotels on this island. It worked out great for us because we were diving the whole week with Tres Pelicanos and when they dropped us off after a day of diving, we just walked next door to our rooms!

This place is rated #1 on Tripadvisor for a reason. Jim took over the Hotel a year or so ago and…read morealthough this was my first time here, it looks like he is pleasing the repeat guests. The place is downtown, only one block back from the waterfront and two blocks from the main square. Most importantly, the Hotel is close to many dive shops and only one block to Aldora Dive Shop. There is also a dive shop attached called Tres Pelicanos. There are only 7 villas, so book early! It is very nice to have space to spread out while on vacation, especially when you have dive gear. There is even space to hang up your dive gear in the pretty courtyard and a grill to cook food if you want to eat in. Every villa has a kitchenette which we found useful to keep drinks cold as well as the pastries we bought around the corner at La Cozumeleña. The new owner put in a pool and it is big enough to relax in and there is a waterfall and some chaise lounges as well. The privacy of this hotel is superb and the peace you get is great. There are high walls around the hotel and your back windows overlook gardens and some have statues.The bed is a little harder than I would like but I slept well with all the diving. There are also two big closets where you can hang up your clothes and the bathroom is well done and has great shower pressure. Karla is a good manager and she will help you arrange taxi rides, car rentals, and give other recommendations. I could easily stay here for a month if I could! Their couches downstairs are very comfy and great to lounge around if you have time to relax. It is so easy to walk from this hotel to many of the surrounding restaurants like Casa Restaurant Cuzamil (fancy sports bar with tvs and high quality food and moderate prices) and Del Sur (Argentinian restaurant with good food but pricey). And if you are worried about security downtown - don't be. I never felt unsafe in downtown and there is also an electric gate to this property and you have an electronic key to the gate, along with your villa key. And another highlight- the a/c works very well! I wish my own a/c wall unit at home was this good. It's also the little touches that count here - they have bottled water stations outside which you can put in your water bottle and put in the fridge in your villa which will save you some money.

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.

This beach resort is a must if you want to stay in Playa Del Carmen and have the most amazing…read moreexperience. They have an atmosphere that is totally tropical and Zen! The service was always good and we just loved the infinity pool overlooking the ocean.

is it a fancy five star resort? Nope!…read more Do they have marble bathrooms and giant bay windows with pristine views and all the bells and whistles? Also no! Do they have an expansive menu with endless dining options? That's a no as well. Don't go into this resort, expecting a Hyatt or Hilton experience. This is a small, quaint, boutique style resort. What they do have is food that is executed and presented beautifully, even if it only features one main restaurant and one buffet each evening. They have excellent poolside lunch options. The menu may be smaller, but everything is perfectly prepared. This is a resort that spares no expense when it comes to flavor. The service at this resort is impeccable. From the wait staff to the housekeeping, I could not ask for better staff. The resort is starting to show its age. It's quaint, with its thatched roofs and tree treehouse like Haciendas. The grounds are well maintained, but again it's missing some bells and whistles. They need to make some updates, including better lighting (especially) adding well lit steps. maybe it was the drinks, maybe it was the early sunsets- but the trips up and down the stairs at night were beyond treacherous! The non-skid tape was well worn and slicker than it should be, and the steps were barely illuminated. We managed to make it through the week without incident, but barely! if you want a five star resort, this probably isn't the place for you. If you have kids and want a lot of activities again, probably not the place for you. However, if you are a foodie who values quality over endless menu options and you just want a nice relaxing vacation. This is a great place to stay. For us, it came down to location, location, location! Being able to walk out of our resort and right into the heart of shopping, food, and authentic experiences was a priceless amenity. I wish the bathrooms were updated, the concrete floors and dated showers have a very strong mildew smell- the lighting throughout is very poor. There isn't enough closet space ( I was able to hang three dresses, my husband's suit, and a few pairs of pants and with only three small nightstand size drawers there isn't much space for unpacking. Maybe it's the thatched roof, maybe it's the flaking concrete, but Even after sweeping the floor feels gritty - definitely come prepared with some slippers or flip-flops. I'm not used to having to wear shoes indoors, but at this resort, I highly recommend it. our week spent here was a bit rainy and overcast, none of the hot tubs at the resort were working. They were all slightly warmer than the pool, which isn't saying much, the ocean was warmer than the pools. Unfortunately, due the size of the waves we couldn't spend much time in the ocean, but their beach is much cleaner than many of the surrounding beaches. They do a great job of staying on top of all of the debris. And they have a lot of great lounging spaces with umbrella coverage. Unfortunately, during our stay Fuego, the main restaurant was under renovation so the limited menu was further limited. We were unable to order whole fish or any of their stone fired pizzas. Despite the closed restaurant, the weather, and the lack of hot tubs and updated facilities the stay was still magical. I can only attribute that to the warmth, sincerity, helpfulness, and availability of the staff. Was it the all inclusive resort experience I am accustomed to? No! Did I have an amazing time absolutely! I think it comes down to knowing what you want in a resort. If you aren't someone who wants 1 million activities a day then this is probably a great place to spend your vacation. They are generous with the drinks and the food, and even more generous with the hospitality!

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

Extremely Disappointing Experience at Secrets Maroma Beach…read more We checked into Secrets Maroma Beach on Sunday with very high expectations, especially considering the reputation of the resort and the premium price we paid. Unfortunately, our experience has been extremely disappointing. From the moment we entered our first room, there was a very strong smell of humidity and sewage. We were unable to sleep comfortably, and during the night we could hear what sounded like water leaking above the ceiling. We reported the odor and humidity on Monday morning, but the problem continued. Then, on Tuesday night at approximately 1:35 a.m., a significant amount of water began leaking from the ceiling. We immediately reported it. We were asked whether we wanted to change rooms, which we found surprising considering the condition of the room. At that point, moving us should have been an immediate necessity, not simply an option. We were moved in the middle of the night to another room. After using the toilet, we discovered that there was no running water to flush it. We had to spend the rest of the night with human waste sitting in the toilet and without running water to properly wash our hands. It gave us the impression that this room may not have been ready or should not have been part of the available room inventory. The next morning, we encountered even more problems. Access to the building was difficult, and when we attempted to shower, we discovered that the shower drain was completely clogged. The water would not drain properly, creating another very unpleasant and unhygienic situation. The water flow from the faucets was also not functioning normally. We reported the entire situation to the front desk and were told that we would once again have to move to another room. After dealing with sewage odors, humidity, a major ceiling leak at 1:35 a.m., no running water, an unusable toilet, a clogged shower, and the stress and inconvenience of repeatedly packing and changing rooms during our vacation, the only compensation offered to us was a beach bed. That response was extremely disappointing. We paid considerably more to stay at Secrets Maroma because we expected a higher level of accommodations, maintenance, service, and guest care. When a guest experiences this many serious problems, simply saying "we're sorry" and offering a beach bed does not adequately address the disruption and stress caused. A vacation at a resort of this level should not involve repeatedly changing rooms because of serious maintenance and sanitation issues. Based on our experience and, especially, the way our concerns have been handled, we cannot recommend Secrets Maroma Beach and we do not plan to return. We expected much better from a resort with the reputation and price point of Secrets Maroma Beach

The whole experience was mid. For the cost, I was expecting more. We went over Christmas, so the…read moreroom price was increased. Cons: The food was like a casino buffet. Beautiful presentation but lacked flavor. I was thinking in Mexico, the fruit would be amazing and even the fruit wasn't ripe. We went to their Japanese restaurant. It was a cute presentation but the food wasn't good at all. The drinks are all inclusive but are overly sweet and lacking alcohol, even when I was tipping $1 a drink or $5 a round. Most people do not tip. The rooms were outdated at least room 2328 was. Even after housekeeping came, the floor still had sand and so did the bed. The rooms are not soundproof, so bring earplugs for loud people and peacocks. The water for the shower was only hot 2 times out of the 6 nights we were there. Most of the time it was luke warm at best. The power outlet for cell phones didn't work, so we couldn't charge our devices, until we borrowed a power square adapter from a friend. Our friends also didn't have air conditioning for four nights. There is a ceramics painting by the pool. Be careful as they over charged my credit card $8.00. Before you get to the beach, there is a good chance of being cat called by people trying to sell you excursions. I'd think that since it is clearly on Iberostar's property, they'd protect their patrons. Someone came up on the beach and offered illegal substances, so again, be careful. As with any gift shop, the one on property is overpriced. If you need any type of medication, please take the 10 minute or so walk to Playa Del Carmen. Montezuma's Revenge, everyone in the group had it at one point in the trip. Not sure if it was from the food or ice on the resort. We bought 8 Imodium at the resort and spent $34.00 USD. Pros: The grounds were beautiful. They had coatis, peacocks, two giant tortoises enclosures, iguanas, koi fish, flamingos and aguotis. We bought $25 tickets per person to their Christmas show. It was a big waste of time and money. For the first 20 or so minutes it was musical chairs with members of the audience and then dancers jumping around. The over head fan went off and the humidity hit the whole group. We left before the actual show even started. If the show has a start time, please honor that. All in all, there are plenty of resorts in Playa Del Carmen that will gladly take your money. Find a better one to spend it at.

I stayed here for almost two weeks, so got a pretty good feel about the place. I was in building…read more22. My room with two queen beds was spacious and included a spacious covered deck. Unlike some of the other guests, my air conditioning unit worked. The room was a bit dated but it was comfortable and clean. The bed was extremely comfortable. I believe the restaurants requiring reservations were the Japanese and the Italian. The Smokehouse didn't require reservation. I was also told there was a minor dress code for all restaurants other than the buffets (just no swimsuits or swimsuit coverups). I found the food to be between just ok and disappointing. There were a number of unmasked people sniffling in the buffet where most of the food was uncovered and all of the serving utensils were shared. I saw one bottle of hand sanitizer at the buffet entrance. As some others commented, the drinks were definitely weak, some to the point of "I'm not even going to drink that." Once I learned about the drinks, requesting a double pretty much ensured I got a normal drink. They tried to sell me a membership through some low-veneer sales tactics, and I wish they just came right out and straight up asked if I'd be interested in learning about their membership. I still would have said no but it wouldn't have felt as slippery. I didn't use the pools or attend any of the activities or make purchases in any of the shops, so I can't comment on that. All of the staff I encountered were friendly and helpful. Honestly, what I liked most about this place was the landscape and the animals being cared for there. I was there for a training and didn't choose this place. I can't say that I'd actually "choose" to stay here again mostly because it's expensive and the food (which is a big part of a travel experience) was just ok and nowhere near authentic Mexican cuisine. If you're the kind of person who wants to go to Mexico to be in Mexico but not experience Mexico, this is a place for you. If you're like me and travel for cultural experiences, skip this place.

A beautiful resort nearby Playa del Carmen. It has two huge swimming pools, four outdoor hot tubs…read moreand a dedicated kiddie pool. Staff is friendly and helpful. The resort offers a free shuttle daily to downtown Playa Del Carmen (drop-off and pickup location is "Silver Traditions" retail store across from Senor Frog's on Quinta Avenida & Calle 22 Norte) which is three miles away and the return shuttle charges 60 pesos or $4 USD per person which is reasonable. Please see my photo of shuttle departure times. The last shuttle leaves Playa del Carmen at 9:00 pm. You pay pesos or USD directly to the return shuttle's driver. Your concierge will need to make shuttle reservations for you in advance. There is no resort shuttle service on Saturdays. Taxi service to and from the resort to downtown Playa del Carmen is a flat $300 pesos or $20 USD. The resort is isolated with a few other resorts here behind a walled compound. It was very safe and you could go for walks on the main road in the compound and to the main entrance in order, to reach 5th Avenue. There is no public bus or collectivo van that comes close to the resort. You can walk down the beach to downtown Playa del Carmen and there are two brief sections where you will need to walk through shallow water (shin deep for short women), but it is a lovely scenic walk. Or you can walk down 5th Avenue to downtown Playa del Carmen instead of the beach route. The TV in our room did not work otherwise, our room was comfortable. The beach area is heavily eroded so you cannot get into the ocean, but the swimming pools were great. You can take the large red ADO coach bus (drop-off is downtown Playa del Carmen's bus station on Juarez Avenue & 5th Avenue) or Maya train (limited departure times and the station is slightly west of downtown) from the Cancun airport to Playa del Carmen then hire a taxi for $300 pesos to get here and back to the airport. Both options are much cheaper than airport shuttle services. There are 39 ADO buses that leave the Cancun Airport and go to Playa Del Carmen daily. You can see the full list of departure times on the ADO website. Once you arrive at the Cancun Airport and leave the customs area, you can purchase ADO tickets at a red ADO booth or a stand on the bus platform. The ADO bus fee is 270 pesos or $17 USD per person and use pesos or no larger than $20 USD bills. Taxi stands are easy to find in downtown Playa del Carmen.

The bad My wife,…read more(Royal Resorts timeshare owner) and I spent the week of May 9th to the 17th. We were very disappointed in the condition of the beach. Erosion has left the beach almost nonexistent compared to our stay 10 years ago. There were giant 10' diameter burlap sandbags across the entire beach area leaving very little swim area. The sargassum seaweed is a problem as well making it undesirable to go in the water. A crew was constantly working with pitchforks fighting a loosing battle to remove the seaweed. Hopefully they will restore the beach to its pre hurricane status. The restaurants are a challenge to reserve a table. We were a party of 6, they had nothing available at Los Murales Mother's Day night. There were 40 percent of the tables empty the whole evening. It took a relative's complaint of an injury and inability to stand and wait for a table before they gave us a table. Tried to reserve a table at the same restaurant the evening before we left. Same issue, nothing available. No help from the owners desk, said the same thing. No tables available, this time for only my wife and I. Concierge Ian helped us out and poof, a table was available. Restaurant was 50-60 percent full at most. My wife and family have been Royal Resorts timeshare owners since the 80's. Sad that owners get this level of service. The good Aside from the poor condition of the beach, the grounds are meticulously maintained, clean and beautifully landscaped. The rooms are cleaned daily. The food in all the restaurants is very good including Los Murales. Pickleball courts and activity trainers are excellent. The pools, swim up bars, and games played in the pool areas are all fun.

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.

NOTE: this is now Hyatt Vivid resort…read more junior suite room was a nice big size that still included two person jetted tub. fan in bathroom which is nice. all-inclusive resort and we tried these restaurants Dolma, Asiana, and the Pelicanos. all were really good especially the asian place. the coffee shop is 6:00-11:00 amazing hours. everyone is very nice. umbrellas are in closets which will well needed for the humid showers.

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.

The Good - Joselyn and Erica were Amazing at their Jobs…read more -The food was incredible. They were very allergy-friendly as well. The buffet food was delicious compared to other all-inclusives I've been to. -The rooms were cozy and A/C was nice. - The nightly entertainment was fun. And the crew that handled activities were very welcoming and made the day time enjoyable. - Specialty dinning foods was amazing. The Bad - We went with a group. Two couples had cash stolen out of their room. It wasn't locked in the safe, but wasn't laying around either. - The lost and found is very confusing and hard to get an answer when searching for an item. -The wait staff is extremely hit or miss. (Mostly Miss) - The mosquitos were relentless. Probably, unmanageable for the area, but worth a mention for how bad it was. - Breakfast/Lunch was always under a covered but open area There is 3 options for specialty dinner. Only 1-2 of them were open each night which was fine. Was pretty irritating for our group when 2-3 of the meals we ate were in an area with no A/C and hoards of Mosquitoes. - All staff was extremely Hit or Miss. Some people seemed annoyed by your questions or just completely disregarded your concerns. Others were super helpful and looked for opportunities to make your stay more enjoyable.