Margaritaville Island Reserve Riviera Maya

Beach Is non-existent - no easy access though we saw 2 people from the resort in the ocean. It is ostensibly impossible to even walk the shore. We did hear they plan some kind of reclamation in the next months but this will be a formidable task due to unrelenting climate change/rising seas levels and random hurricanes. Any photos you see of sand, loungers or palapas are seriously out of date. They do have a number of labourers daily raking and sieving sea grass or whatever the plant material is and wheelbarrowing it off site to keep it from piling up and rotting against the sea wall. Think Sisyphus rolling a boulder uphill. Grounds and facilities are exceptionally clean and well maintained. Kudos to all the hard working people behind the scene that keep the resort so pristine. Garbage and leftover foods must be disposed of continuously as we only saw a couple of flies, bugs and very few birds looking for opportunities to snag food. However, there were 2 days we were treated to pervasive sewage smells around the 5 o'clock Somewhere bar/west side of the resort. Restaurants - there are no a la carte breakfast locations. Room service is available 24 hours. The one time we used room service for a very simple order of two items, their scheduled delivery time of 20 minutes was off by almost 1/2 hour and the order we received was incorrect. There are 6 places to eat. The Boathouse - Buffet Great ambiance. Generally, there is good service. Our only issues were with the toasters which for the most part wouldn't toast - the conveyor belt wouldn't brown your bread no matter where you twist the dial (or brown only one side) which leaves a single 2 slice toaster for the entire buffet crowd. The second issue for us was that you have to stand in line to get to the omelet preparers in order to ask for bacon which they then distribute. We only ate breakfast there and can't attest to lunch or dinner offerings or service. JWB Steakhouse Reservations are recommended but we found they can usually accommodate walk-ins within an hour. The standard meat menu (no additional cost) is limited. The sirloin, while on the thin side, is usually done to perfection. The shrimp cocktail is excellent. Jimmy is a friendly and helpful server. 8 out of 10. There are some major disconnects between the Karisma Hotel website menu and the on-site scanned menu - for example the Karisma Hotel website shows 4 cuts of beef including a tenderloin but the QR code scanned menu only shows one - the sirloin and all other cuts are additional payments. Frank and Lola's Italian Restaurant. Reservations are recommended but we found they can usually accommodate walk-ins within an hour. Edwin is an excellent server. Eddy is in charge of the pizza oven and baking. He is a performing artist and a pleasure to watch his preparation of the pizza dough and the baking of the wood fired pizzas. These are some of the best pizzas we have ever eaten. 10 out 0f 10 rating. We recommend the leek soup, the chicken parmesan, the salmon, the cannoli and tiramisu. Edwin puts on a photo worthy show of preparing the sauces for the cannoli and tiramisu. A special thanks also to Oscar, the head chef, for preparing excellent meals. License to Chill Grill and Bar- lunch only - pub food such as hamburgers and hot dogs - outdoor dining only - the food arrives warm - think the temperature of a Costco hot dog. Landshark (sports bar and pub)- lunch and dinner - same menu - some live entertainment in the evenings - essentially pub food - usually very busy and service can be slow at peak times. The Landshark brewery serves up a couple of good micro brews. Roberto went the extra mile - I asked for a glass of milk which they don't stock but he ordered a glass from room service delivered to the restaurant. Thank you Roberto. Joe Merchant and Provisions - coffee shop and consumables - you get water only in your room mini-fridge and you "purchase" beer, pop, chips and chocolate bars with a generous allocation of points you receive at check-in and are deducted via your wrist room key. The coffee shop is mostly understaffed from morning to closing, definite English language deficiencies and the hot liquid cup lids are not always well secured by the staff - check your cup lids! The staff have not been especially friendly nor accommodating and are definitely not good ambassadors for the Karisma/Margaritaville brand. The coffee shop has a very negative vibe with no welcoming greeting nor wishes for a good day or evening or even a thank you. They have no bags if you wish to take a number of items and will pile your items onto a very small plate/saucer - Jenga style. We were flatly refused when we asked if we could have a cup in which to take a number of cookies back to the room. We did experience much rudeness from the coffee shop staff and did report our complaints to the front desk while still at the hotel. These issues as mentioned were elevated to the front desk and we did let front desk know that the coffee shop was a topic of conversation around the pool and not in a good way. This is about the only resort we have been to in which ice cream isn't being offered at the coffee shop (you get it at the buffet). None of the bars or restaurants offer coffee or tea with or after meals so if you are a non alcoholic drinker only water is available with your meals also with the coffee shop shutting down coffee/tea service at 9:30pm, your coffee/tea fix is limited to room service. It is a tad misleading that posted shop hours are to 10:00 pm but only point products and paid products are offered from 9:30pm to 10:00 pm. Coffee shop hours are not indicated on the front doors of the shop. I must say we have done a lot of travelling to Mexico, Jamaica, St Martin and the Dominican Republic and the coffee shop at this resort has been by far the worst we have even encountered. Pools 4 pools all of which are under used and quiet with the exception of the 5 o'clock main pool which plays mellow music until noon and then things liven up with water aerobics, games and much louder more contemporary music. Great enthusiastic and energetic staff. We found no shortage of towels. There are a number of spots on the pool floor where the top coat of concrete product - about 1/2 thick - has broken up and delaminated. The pieces are somewhat like stepping on a Leggo brick. Our understanding is that repair work is scheduled in the coming weeks. Rooms with swim outs link to two of the quieter pools. The pools are not heated which was fine with us however a number of older clients were not happy with the cooler water and also were concerned about getting cuts on the feet from the broken tiles/concrete that were not covered by the mats. Smoking 2 official spots - one out front of the main lobby and one in the rear right hand corner behind the Landshark. Unofficially on your balcony but be respectful if you neighbours are using their balconies. Bars No Cointreau, Drambuie or Grand Marnier so no Rusty Nails. They have bourbon in the main lobby bar - the Salted Rim - if Old Fashioned are requested. Rafael and Orlando make a dynamite Brandy Alexander and Old Fashioned and Luis is such a friendly server always giving an infectious smile. The 5 O'clock Somewhere swim up and land side bars have friendly and very hardworking staff. The SOS pool bar, Landshark and Licence to Chill Bar round out the bars. Despite our Joe Merchant experience, all other issues are fairly minor and we are considering another visit at Easter.

We spent 8 days in December, and it was our first time there. I really like the design and decor of the hotel. Rooms were very nice with a walk in shower, and we had a gorgeous patio with a parrot mural on the wall, chairs, and hammock with colorful pillows. The vibe is very Key West with the turquoise and white colors. The room mini fridge is only stocked with bottles of water. You get points to use at the store for beer, soda, and snacks. I have seen several complaints about this, but it was fine for us. We don’t drink sodas, but my husband did get a couple cans of beer and tiny bags of snacks. Next time I would bring my own snacks. Food was hit or miss. We didn’t go to the buffet for breakfast, since we love ordering breakfast from room service, which was great. The presentation was lovely. We loved the salads (excellent passion fruit vinaigrette), burgers, and fish with risotto at Landshark. The Italian restaurant was good. I liked the carbonara and the Saltimbocca was fine. We only went to the buffet on Asian night, which was typical buffet food. They did serve lunch a few days outside the buffet. We went to the beachside grill once and had decent tacos. Our least favorite restaurant was the steakhouse. Next time I will just skip it. Menu offers beef tenderloin which they did not have both nights we went. They substituted flank steak, which was not good. You can pay to get a better grade of steak. Reservations are required for the steakhouse and Italian restaurants. The entertainment team did a good job at the pool with games, volleyball, blackjack, and poker. We enjoyed playing blackjack. Not as much evening entertainment as other places we have stayed. I wish they had live music in the lobby bar. Service was excellent throughout the hotel, and tips were truly appreciated. I would definitely return, since we got a very reasonable price. Just note, if you are a beach person there is no beach. We knew this when we booked, because I always read reviews on this site prior to booking.

Absolutely love this resort So clean, so fun and all the restaurants have amazing food! Cannot lie - we spend most of our time at the Salted Rim because the team there takes such great care of us and makes the environment so welcoming and creates a vibe that is just non stop fun! Special shout out to the guys Gibran, Angel, Luis, Rafael and Victor! Never an empty glass or a night without laughs! We love Margaritaville! I think you will too

Have had the opportunity to go to this resort twice in the last two years. It has only been open a few years and everything was excellent. From our private butler, in room dinner, spa treatments, restaurants and bar service. We have been members for over ten years highly recommended this resort. The only down side is this is not the resort to go to if you our a beach person as recent hurricanes have damaged beach property, but don’t worry the pool and pool bar service make up for this. All ready booked for this coming April. Can’t wait to get back. Richard and Elisabet

Been at this resort for a few days. It's wonderful, as expected. But what really stands out is the staff. They are constantly going above and beyond to make my stay superb. BIG SHOUT OUT to Grisel. I've seen her in multiple restaurants/bars. She is amazing, friendly hard working, always will to help in any way. Thanks Grisel, ur make my holiday perfect!

I have visited this resort before and it is still one of my favs! I love this resort for a few reasons. -Small enough to walk around -Activities at night and during the day by the pool are great -People have mixed views about the food, but I would definitely give it a 4 out of 10 -Plenty of pool areas and lots of lounge chairs -Great decorated, clean rooms -The carrot cake and wings at Landshark This resort is great for those who want a little relaxation and decent number of options for activities but do not want a large resort. You will have to be okay with a quaint resort with 5 restaurants, with 2 of them you have to make reservations for dinner and 3 that are not open for lunch, and only one restaurant for breakfast. There is 24-hour room service, a lobby bar, and 2 pool bars with a made to order grill with good food. If you travel with someone that doesn't or can't ambulate far, this adults-only all-inclusive resort is perfect. And the greatest staff! Isaac, Izri, Ruth, Eugenio, Erick, Gambino, Roberto, Fidel, Baldo; Javier at Frank and Lola's; Abel in Concierge; Reyes by the pool; Carlos, Eleazar, Jessica, and Leonarda at the spa (book with Leonarda for a massage!!!!); and Quetzal who had the most amazing personality and just talked to the guests (and endured and professionally handled the overly nice conversations from the male guests). I will return, next time with a group!

We took a chance on Margaritaville Island Reserve without any recommendations from friends when I found it on a deal site, and Wow, am I glad! The Resort is a nice size for us, not too big, and our week (Dec 8-15) was fairly quiet, less than ¼ capacity. Canadian-heavy this week as well … might have been the snow at home (works for us!) RESORT We had our pick of the many poolside chairs & umbrellas, and there was no need to ‘save’ or get up early for great spots. The many pools gave everyone room to spread out, and it was a nice mix of Busy/Active (5’oclock somewhere area) to laid back & relaxed (S.O.S bar area). The water was cool, but we did have some rain off and on over the week, which kept the sun from warming it as much as I might have liked. The resort was Laid out well, with the different food options and bars spaced out. Two Towel-huts and a supply at the 5’0clock bar kept everyone happy, and multiple elevators, and ramps in the pool area made everything accessible (great when Hubby’s knee went out and he needed to use a cane) We Did not get to spend any time at the ‘the salted rim’, as the first 5 days of our trip, the entire Lobby was flooded with the Powerful , Cloying Stench of Flowers, chemically piped in as …air freshener? I don’t know, maybe it was a guest deterrent, lol. It certainly kept us away! I mentioned it at the desk to a few people, and did note that by checkout day, the scent had cleared. Co-incidence? Or maybe they took the comments to heart. As noted in other reviews, the whole area was hit by a storm a few years ago that washed away the Beach.. Currently, this is an ocean-view, but pool-only resort. If you Need sand with your sea, this is not the place for you,…for now. They’re working to clean up the area, but there is some decomposing seaweed in the old beach area still being removed, which can have a smell if you close enough. Didn’t bother us at all STAFF Everyone was very nice (less one guy ‘hosting’ at the breakfast buffet who clashed with hubby) and very accommodating. BIG Thanks to SERGIO , our bartender at S.O.S our week, for keeping our drinks as filled and fresh as we’d let him. 5 STAR treatment! Though we didn’t a chance to work much with our ‘personal concierge’ Febe, there was one wonderful concierge every time I went in the hut who went over & above for us, even getting our auto-closet light disconnected mid week when I commented it was annoying. Wish I’d gotten her name! Other great staff I want to mention , Marcello, Gerardo, Hernando, Luis, Jesus & all the fabulous ladies of ‘Joe’s Merchants’ that kept us full of Latte’s & Borregas(sp?) all week ! FOOD Omg, I think I put on 10 pounds, and my husband came home telling me (for the first time ever) he’d had enough Shrimp, ribs and wings to tied him over for a bit. THAT never happens. The food was so Amazing, we couldn’t help but over indulge. The buffet was pretty good (not open for lunch) but the “Pop-up” always had the best stuff, and Landshark was a winner! We booked into the steakhouse twice (I'm not a fan of Italian) and it was fabulous both times. When we were feeling peckish, we stopped by the ‘license to chill’ or feasted on pastries & snacks from ‘Joe Merchant’. ENTERTAINMENT We were there to relax, so while I could hear the active stuff going on at the 5’oclock somewhere pool, we didn’t participate. We did stop and landshark for some Karaoke , and caught the Mexican show at the buffet. We watched some mixology & cooking classes , and hung around while others joined the Texas hold ‘em games. There were also a band & a country trio we didn’t manage to catch. ROOM We had the King Paradise Suite – a luxury to be sure. It was nicely appointed with a sofa & coffee table aside from the King Bed, and each room has it’s own Minibar with fridge, & coffee maker. The coffee & accessories are provided, but you stock your own bar with complementary snacks, pop & beer from ‘Joe Merchant’ with a points-system. (They’re generous with the points, but you USED to be able to buy bottles of liquor with your points to stock your bar. Sadly, no more. Now your options are pop, beer & snacks… even though the store sells a wide assortment of products you may want (booze, coffee, energy drinks)). There are plenty of comfortable pillows, yet the bed itself was as soft as a marshmallow…Not something I could comfortably sleep on, and both sides were quite body-dented with the only comfortable spot being in the center, where it is rarely slept on. The Walk in shower with rain spout was great, and having a separate toilet stall was a good idea, however the made it small like the stalls throughout the resort (aside from one accessible one in each area), where you practically need to straddle the toilet to close the door. The closet has a sensor to turn the light on…nice feature, but unfortunately the way the door slats were angled, the sensor ‘sees’ you even with the door closed, causing the light to go anytime you go near (ie to the bathroom in the night). Bright lights at 3am, not fun, and there is no switch – but they CAN shut it off I found out, so ask for it if you have an issue. They are happy to fix your concern All in all this was a great trip, and we will definitely find time to return!

We really enjoyed our 7 night stay at this resort. The entertainment staff works really hard. Shout out to Angel, Dennis, Marielle and Johnny for making our vacation more fun! The rooms are very nice and the staff here are incredible. We enjoyed the buffets and the Italian restaurant was amazing! Apart from having no beach area, this resort was still worth visiting!

Just returned from an incredible 10-day stay at Margaritaville Island Reserve Riviera Maya (Adults Only), and once again this resort exceeded expectations. One of the very highlights of our trip was dining at Frank & Lola’s italian restaurant several nights throughout our vacation. A huge thank you to Gabriel, our server, and Juan Carlos, the manager, who went above and beyond every evening to ensure our meals were perfect. Their attention to detail and genuine care made us feel so special. Eddy also deserves recognition as his pizza, ravioli, and focaccia bread are absolutely delicious. Breakfasts and dinners at The Boathouse were another standout. Noel and Eddie consistently went the extra mile to make our mornings special, including bringing a beautiful fruit plate to our table each day. Sergio, the chef during Boathouse dinners, is both a wonderful person and a fantastic cook. He always took the time to explain the buffet options and made incredible stir-fry dishes customized exactly how you want with your choice of meat, vegetables, sauce, pasta, sides, etc. His teriyaki chicken is some of the best that I’ve ever had and this is coming from someone who loves teriyaki chicken lol. One small piece of feedback for The Boathouse would be to add more fresh fruit options, especially berries like raspberries and blueberries, which have been available during our past stays. We also missed having fruit available on the dinner buffet and feel that would be a great addition. Having fresh fruit available throughout an all inclusive stay is important to me and a lot of travelers. Lunch at License to Chill: the cheeseburgers were delicious and made for a perfect meal between pool time. Loved sitting with Noel and Gabino. We also dined at JWB’s Steakhouse. While the sides and desserts were good, the steak was unfortunately very chewy and gristly, and the service was not on par with the rest of the resort. Our evenings were often spent at the Landshark Brewery, which we absolutely love. We’d stop by each night for a small dessert and to enjoy the entertainment. The DJ sessions and karaoke nights were so much fun. A big shout-out to our servers Laura, who is incredibly sweet, and Ricky, who is always fun and engaging to talk with. I hope the resort brings back s’mores nights at the fire pit next to Landshark, as that was always a highlight of previous trips. We also enjoyed drinks at The Salted Rim with the purple Free Soul martini being hands-down my favorite. The frappes at Joe Merchant’s were exactly how I like them - icy and cold and so flavorful, which was such a refreshing treat in the heat and humidity. Carmen deserves a very special shout-out for always being so kind and welcoming. I’d love to see Joe Merchant’s bring back Dr. Pepper and more snack options. Housekeeping was absolutely flawless. I am very picky about cleanliness, and the room was kept totally spotless. Huge thanks to Juliana, our housekeeper, for her excellent work. My very sincere appreciation goes to Johan, one of the Island Ambassadors on staff. From the moment we arrived, he made our stay feel truly special. He would often walk with us to dinner and we loved chatting with him during that time. He is kind, friendly, and clearly dedicated to making every guest feel welcome and cared for. The entertainment crew was outstanding and brought so much energy and life to the resort. Mariel, Angel, Dennis, and Juan were all fantastic. Mariel and Angel greeted us daily and were incredibly sweet. Dennis led amazing water workout classes, and it was Juan’s very first week on the job! Juan was so sweet and will fit in perfectly. Music trivia by the pool was a blast, and we absolutely loved the newly added bracelet-making classes. I met so many great people at these classes and came home with cute handmade souvenirs. I hope they continue in the future (and I would really love to see more bead and string options!). Finally, Sergio also deserves recognition for always checking in on us at the pool to see if we needed drinks. He was so easy to talk to and made our pool days even better. Loved the music out by the pool, except for the one afternoon they played 100% country music. Overall, this resort is a 5/5 experience, and we cannot wait to return. Thank you to everyone who made our stay so wonderful and for giving the Margaritaville spirit from beginning to end. 🌴🍹