Catalonia Riviera Maya

Service from bar staff was below average. They are quite rude and tend to ignore you, we spent way too much time just waiting for service on a few occasions(up to 20 mins while they argue amongst each other). Resort is beautiful and the servers in the restaurants are great....

Service from bar staff was below average. They are quite rude and tend to ignore you, we spent way too much time just waiting for service on a few occasions(up to 20 mins while they argue amongst each other). Resort is beautiful and the servers in the restaurants are great. The rooms are a little bit aged and the beds seem old. Overall a good vacation minus the service from bar staff.

We were so excited for our first trip to Mexico. We were met by our Amstar Rep at the airport, and the ride to the resort was great. Our driver Carlos, was wonderful. On arrival at the Catalonia was awful. We waited 5 1/2 hours for our room. Room was...

We were so excited for our first trip to Mexico. We were met by our Amstar Rep at the airport, and the ride to the resort was great. Our driver Carlos, was wonderful. On arrival at the Catalonia was awful. We waited 5 1/2 hours for our room. Room was awful. No upgrade available, but the room we booked, was not the room we got. None of the outlets worked, the coffee maker didn’t work, the air conditioning was on the fritz, and the room smelled terrible. It was impossible to book any of the restaurants for a meal. So we ate at the alacart restaurant every day. The staff spoke very little English. If you go to this hotel, be advised… if you don’t book the “Privileged” packages, you are prohibited from using the sandy beach, and many amenities. The hotel also does not accept their own currency, so make sure to bring your credit cards! EVERYTHING here, is overpriced. Be sure to bring a lot of US currency, or you won’t get a drink at the pool bars. The pools are very dirty…On a positive note, the housekeeping is wonderful! The ladies are hard working, and although they aren’t fluent in English, they do what they can, to make your stay pleasant. We won’t be back.

LIKE THE OTHER RECENT 1 STAR REVIEWS STATE YOU CAN’T MAKE A RESERVATION AT ANY OF THEIR RESTAURANTS - APP FREEZES EVERY SINGLE TIME, HAS KNOWN GLITCHES THEY KNOW ABOUT AND WONT FIX IT. “GUEST SERVICES” IS ALSO A COMPLETE WASTE OF TIME (SUPER RUDE & UNHELPFUL) THEY BASICALLY PUSH...

LIKE THE OTHER RECENT 1 STAR REVIEWS STATE YOU CAN’T MAKE A RESERVATION AT ANY OF THEIR RESTAURANTS - APP FREEZES EVERY SINGLE TIME, HAS KNOWN GLITCHES THEY KNOW ABOUT AND WONT FIX IT. “GUEST SERVICES” IS ALSO A COMPLETE WASTE OF TIME (SUPER RUDE & UNHELPFUL) THEY BASICALLY PUSH YOU OUT THE DOOR. THE WOMAN IN THERE REFUSES TO HELP YOU AND SAYS “IF IT WONT LET YOU ONLINE THEN THERES NOTHING I CAN DO” WE THEN WENT TO THE FRONT DESK AND ANGELLO AT THE FRONT DESK SAID SORRY I CANT DO ANYTHING. WE THEN ASKED FOR HIS SUPERVISOR AND HE LITERALLY REFUSED TO GET ONE. YOU CAN TELL THEY ARE USED TO THIS AND JUST SIMPLY DON’T CARE. IT MUST STEM FROM THE TOP MANAGEMENT. THEIR EXCUSE IS TO JUST USE THE BUFFET WHICH WE HAVE ALREADY BEEN DOING AND LET ME TELL YOU ITS THE WORST LOW END CRAP FOOD WE HAVE EVER HAD (PASTA SAUCE IS 95% WATER, MEAT IS SO BAD ITS NOT EDIBLE. DESERTS ARE BLAND STALE ALL TASTE THE SAME) FOOD SITS FOR HOURS AND THEY JUST LEAVE IT COLD AND HARD. WE EXPLAINED HOW WE TRAVELLED 10 HOURS CAME HERE FOR OUR HONEYMOON PAID THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS AND ARE UNABLE TO EVEN USE THEIR RESTAURANTS THEY ADVERTISE AND ANGELLO AND “GUEST SERVICES” DIDN’T MAKE ONE ATTEMPT TO HELP OR CARE ONE BIT. THE WORST “CUSTOMER SERVICE” I’VE EVER ENCOUNTERED ANYWHERE! WE ARE STILL HERE FOR A WEEK AND DEBATING JUST GOING HOME OR PAYING AGAIN TO A DIFFERENT RESORT. HOPEFULLY THIS REVIEW HELPS SOMEONE ELSE HAVE THEIR VACATION RUINED LIKE OUR HONEYMOON WAS

My husband and i went for 7 days to this resort. We found it very clean, including the room and balcony. easy to walk wherever we wanted. Its hard to get a place around the pools, people reserve them early in the morning. there are sign everywhere that nobody is...

My husband and i went for 7 days to this resort. We found it very clean, including the room and balcony. easy to walk wherever we wanted. Its hard to get a place around the pools, people reserve them early in the morning. there are sign everywhere that nobody is supposed to do this, but everyone does it. Lots of towels laying there and lots of times the people dont show up for a long time. very unconsidered The food choices at the buffet are mostly the same. Nothing really great. My husband got sick on the second day after eating fried fish. He is still sick after a week. even though the rooms a very nice and the beds very comfy, it is very noisy. the doors slam closed and you hear everything from outside. lots of noise from the disco and partys . If you like to party, that is a good place for you. If you like it quiet and like bigger pools, go to the grand palladium. The food is better there as well. We would not go back..

This was my second time at a Catalonia chain resort and this one didn't disappoint. The service provided by everyone (and I mean everyone) was impeccable. The resort grounds were very clean and there was a variety of activities at the main pool all day. The buffet was good with...

This was my second time at a Catalonia chain resort and this one didn't disappoint. The service provided by everyone (and I mean everyone) was impeccable. The resort grounds were very clean and there was a variety of activities at the main pool all day. The buffet was good with lots of variety. The a-la-cartes were very easy to book (despite previous reviews) and most you could book a couple days in advance, except the teppanyaki. As long as you receive the confirmation email from the hotel, booking is very simple. If not, it can be a bit frustrating, but someone is always willing to assist. I recommend upgrading to the Privilege Premium Deluxe room. It was a very modern, clean room with all the bells and whistles. We were in room 418, so if you face the back like we did, it can be a bit noisy as it's a route for the service trucks. You also get to go to the B-Loved restaurant (and that was delicious) and have the use of Pure chill out bar, which is a mere 10 steps from the edge of the pool. Burgers restaurant is also a must try, as is the juice bar, Maloo!! Wi-Fi was very good throughout the hotel. If you are looking for a beach, this resort is not for you – there is a very small beach for Privilege guests that isn't rocky (the other side is very rocky) and the larger beach area is at the sister resort next door. It's very safe as it's in a gated community and we walked 10 minutes down the road to the marina to check out the shops and cafes/restaurants. Or you can rent a golf cart from Paul who is out front of the hotel daily. There is a golf course close by, but seriously overpriced. Check out Nauti Burro and Munchys down by the marina – both make an amazing margaritas. I found having pesos was much easier than having them convert to USD all the time - it doesn't seem to be as "accepted" as it was in the past.

This was our second trip to this resort. Once many years ago and this winter. I was so impressed by the cleanliness, friendly staff and excellent food. The resort is a nice smaller size so easy to get around. Snorkelling right at the resort was great as well as the...

This was our second trip to this resort. Once many years ago and this winter. I was so impressed by the cleanliness, friendly staff and excellent food. The resort is a nice smaller size so easy to get around. Snorkelling right at the resort was great as well as the short walk up to the marina area off resort for restaurants and shops. We will be back for our 3rd stay hopefully next year.

What an amazing holiday at the Catalonia in Riviera Maya. Hubby and I had not been in Mexico before and were pleasantly surprised. The staff made us feel welcome and we had astounding time. The beach was not the best we had been to, but the resort and staff more...

What an amazing holiday at the Catalonia in Riviera Maya. Hubby and I had not been in Mexico before and were pleasantly surprised. The staff made us feel welcome and we had astounding time. The beach was not the best we had been to, but the resort and staff more than made up for it. A big shout out to Jose, Kevin, Alex and Oscar. You were fantastic entertainers. We will never forget you, you made our holiday exceptional. Special thanks to Oscar for opening up the Sports Bar for us to watch the Cda/ Usa hockey game . You all went above and beyond. We will definitely be back. Thank you Catalonia for a great vacation. Rick/ Pauline

3rd and final year at this hotel. It's too bad, you have a beautiful property and great staff and rooms. Your Al a Carte lottery is a nightmare, who wants to be on their phone at 8 am every day to try and secure a booking that never comes? I'm...

3rd and final year at this hotel. It's too bad, you have a beautiful property and great staff and rooms. Your Al a Carte lottery is a nightmare, who wants to be on their phone at 8 am every day to try and secure a booking that never comes? I'm on vacation. Your buffet was your last saving grace but you changed it. How can you expect people to eat the same thing every day and have no option for an al a Carte? Why did you change the buffet??? And what's with no toilet seats in the beach bathroom? Perching on the edge of a porcelain toilet seat so I don't fall in is not my idea of luxury. Sorry, for the amount of money I paid I can go elsewhere and have a sane booking method for al a carte restaurants. Extremely disappointed, I thought we had found our yearly destination, we'll keep looking.

For context in case it is helpful - we are a couple in our mid-thirties and travelled alone from Canada. We do not have any kids, but we are expecting, this was our "babymoon." We could see that this resort was definitely family friendly with lots for kids and families...

For context in case it is helpful - we are a couple in our mid-thirties and travelled alone from Canada. We do not have any kids, but we are expecting, this was our "babymoon." We could see that this resort was definitely family friendly with lots for kids and families to enjoy, but there was an equal focus on adult activities as well. Room - The room (premium deluxe) was simple, but clean and beautiful. It had everything we needed, although it would have been convenient to have a clock in the room. Sound proofing of the room was decent; We couldn't hear our neighbours on either side, above, or below at all, which was nice. As with most places, the doors are where the sound really comes through. We did often hear other guests and people in the hallways and on the stairs, but that was expected and didn't bother is too much. Unfortunately a LOT of people seemed to slam their doors all the time which was very loud and echoey and irritating - this is not a reflection of the resort itself of course. I enjoyed that the shower offered the option for both rainfall shower head, and regular. My husband loves rainfall showers, but I hate them, so it was nice to have the option for each of us. Atmosphere/activities - We passed by a lot of resorts which were bigger and "fancier" but we truly loved the vibe of this resort. It was relaxed, and laid back; we felt at home and at ease. There were activities going on all day if you wanted to participate, which I really enjoyed. There was a great mix of activities for adults, as well as children. The beach was great, and the water was fantastic. There were so many fun and beautiful sea creatures to see, my husband could have snorkeled all day observing them all. The pools were great and plentiful. We were able to walk on and off the resort at our leisure, and just a 5-10 minute walk down the road was a wonderful marina with plenty of shops, bars, restaurants, activities, pharmacies, dolphins and manatees. We also happened upon a wonderful night market there with a lot of vendors. The marina area, along with our resort (among a few others) and some private residences were within a gated community and we felt incredibly safe. We enjoyed that everything was very close by and "compact" it was not overwhelming to get anywhere or find anything. This was especially appreciated due to my pregnancy, as I get tired quickly and need to rest often; but I honestly would have appreciated it regardless. Staff - I did not interact with a single staff member that wasn't incredibly warm, kind, and helpful. Even without asking, on a handful of occasions staff approached me and asked how they could help (I guess my "I'm lost" face must be obvious. LOL) and they were always very helpful in pointing me in the right direction or to someone who would be able to better assist me. Restaurants - the buffets were wonderful with a lot of options. The snack bars were great! Of the sit down restaurants we had the opportunity to try all but two of them. We had wonderful meals and wonderful service at all of them. We didn't realize that Ayami, the Japanese restaurant was hibachi, which was a fun surprise!! It came with 4 courses, and was a wonderful experience. The restaurant booking system was difficult in that the website opens for reservations each morning at 8am and everyone is rushing to book their ideal restaurant/time slot. If you don't get in by 8:10-8:15ish, you're probably out of luck. The staff at the guest service hut are very helpful with this if you are having difficulty with the website, but ultimately if everything books up, they can't do much. Some online reservation systems will hold your timeslot for a couple of minutes until you finish filling in your information, however this system does not. So you might pick a timeslot, and then by the time you enter your name, room number and telephone number, someone else might have taken it and you have to start over. This happened to me 2x one morning, and I finally got a reservation on the 3rd try, for 9:00 pm. It's hard for me to fault the resort for this, and I don't know if there is any way it could be fixed - dinner reservations are simply in high demand, and I understand this to be the case for many resorts. Fortunately, if you're unable to get a reservation for dinner on any particular night, there are other options; the buffet is fantastic as mentioned previously, the Hamburger restaurant does not require reservations (and has incredibly fast service!) or, the marina mentioned above is just a short walk away and has plenty of options for a great dinner! Overall, I would highly recommend this resort, and hope to return in future!!

After reading reviews on here I nearly changed my booking. So glad I didn’t, lively hotel, amazing staff and great food. As a coeliac I was very well catered for. My only very small niggle was that the privilege pool allowed children. It’s not the biggest pool and was overtaken...

After reading reviews on here I nearly changed my booking. So glad I didn’t, lively hotel, amazing staff and great food. As a coeliac I was very well catered for. My only very small niggle was that the privilege pool allowed children. It’s not the biggest pool and was overtaken on a few days by lots of little ones.

Yesterday I was at guest services to ask about the ridiculous restaurant reservations method used. The employee supposedly checked a couple of things on my phone, showed me the booming screen, then returned it ro me saying the everything seemed fine. It was not. He used my phone to write...

Yesterday I was at guest services to ask about the ridiculous restaurant reservations method used. The employee supposedly checked a couple of things on my phone, showed me the booming screen, then returned it ro me saying the everything seemed fine. It was not. He used my phone to write a 5 Star review on Google complimenting himself at the same time. How many other of the reviews here or on other sites were also written by "helpful" employees. I filed a written complaint but only after insisting. The front desk did not want to hear about my problem. Obviously they don't take someone using my identity very seriously. Other than that the food and wine are sub par. Buffet lacks variety day to day and food, even when the tray has just been put out replenished is cold. Rooms are fine, but after paying for a "privileged" room we are awakened every morning between 5 and 6am by the delivery trucks and the very noisy carts taking supplies right by our room. The beach is nothing special, pools and beach lack enough chairs and space. A la carte restaurants, so far ok, but nothing special for the price we paid. Never coming back. On day 4 of 9 and can't wait to go home.

Anna at the lobby and Bellman Luis were so helpful this week! Smiling, friendly and worked to get us settled in a perfect room. Kindness and understanding are great gifts in a resort’s staff. These two are first rate. Thank you for all you did mi amigos!

Let's start with the Travel Agency since we booked with Westjet and got a direct flight from Calgary to Tulum wich it was a plus since the bus ride from there to the hotel is cut in half. Once we landed and cleared customs, (The army soldiers will ask you...

Let's start with the Travel Agency since we booked with Westjet and got a direct flight from Calgary to Tulum wich it was a plus since the bus ride from there to the hotel is cut in half. Once we landed and cleared customs, (The army soldiers will ask you to open your suitcase and inspect it) we head out towards the exit where you will find a lot of people with signs for the arrival, I did not see a big sign that said Westjet and head out towards the small shuttles to ask where did the Westjet representatives were. After been instructed to get back to the airport and "look" for them I finally found two representatives with a fairly small sign that instructed me to go towards the big busses at the other end of the airport. (Make sure that you look for the guys wearing an orange shirt. They are the Nexus transportation company). The process is very disorganized and quite confusing. The bus ride was unevenful and we drove around dropping people at their hotels until our turn. Once we arrived to our hotel we went to our room; We stayed in room 4021 and immediately found an old and tired room that had one main light on one end, an old mattress that was never flipped and showed two huge sags, a noisy air conditioner, a bathroom window that was bolted shot, the patio furniture looked tired and the chairs did not have a cushion. Additionally, once I lift the phone to call front desk I realized that even the phone had a loose cord that will make communication almost impossible at best. We went to the front desk to ask for another room and Guest Services Manager Esther just brush us off in an unpolite way. Then the next morning we were woken up at the sound of hammer and chisel into the building walls; the last thing I would expect in a four star hotel. The bad part is that we did not receive a note to explain this construction operations beforehand. Through our stay I had to go and talk to front desk in three more ocasions over issues with a leaking air conditioner, old pilows a patio light that was never fixed. You may ask, but probably you will not receive. If you want to get a sun chair be prepared to wake up at 7 am and take your towels to save one of the very few and crowded spots available. the beach is very small, and it gets covered everyday with sargasus; and piles of it that people work dilligently to remove throughout the day. The picture here in Tripadvisor is not up to date. the beach has now been cut in half, a large amount of rocks and wavebreakers were installed, and the bay is almost closed. Space is at a premium for these neighbouring properties and snorlelling is poor at best. Now let's talk about the food... The food is flavourful and the service try very hard to be helpfull, unfortunately the menu is set and does not change. Yes, you will see the exact same food every day for the duration of your trip. There are many local dishes available like cochinita pibil tacos, however the tortillas were cold all the time. The selection is unfortunately not good. They have other a la carte restaurants that you book on an app once you are checked in (Make sure you do this asap, space fills very quickly). If you want to go to the Japanese restaurant, you will need to make a reservation at guest services since the restaurant is not available on the app. (FYI, there is no limit on the number of times you can book the same restaurant) We booked the Japanese, the Italian, the Mexican and the Steakhouse. In Mexico the all inclusive Japanese restaurants offer noodles, however, be prepared to receive spaghetti noodles. For the Italian, we ordered a carbonara that came in the form of a watery alfredo sauce, disapointing. The Mexican restaurant was quite good and I will recommend to go to the steakhouse and get the grilled octopus. That was good. Please don't be surprised to see an agouti in the premisses forraging for food. Please do not feed it! I almost forgot to mention that I did not see an elevator to take you to the specialty restaurants, however I may be in the wrong, to access them you have to climb around 20 steps. Our overall experience of this trip is not a great one. We booked the trip to get some relaxation at what we thought it was an adults only, four star resort. The reality was that we stayed in what I could classify as a three and a half star all inclusive resort that offers two levels of service. There is no separation between adults only and adluts with families. A resort that clearly is trying to compete with their surrounding competitors. Unfortunately, the buildings and the grounds show their age, the wear and tear, the rooms are small, dull and outdated, front desk is there to listen to you, but they just can't fix most of the issues or know how to. Please be aware that throughout the property you will find hotel staff trying to "Help you with any issues you may have encountered throughout your stay". The reality is that they are there to try and lure you with endless offers to go to a presentation, where they will try to sell you a hotel membership (Probably something close to a time share scheme). My final thoughts for this trip were that I paid for an overpriced package that was not worth $ 2,500 for an alleged four star hotel that delivered a subpar service and product. I will not recommend this hotel to people that are looking for a nice beach to walk in, good snorkeling or looking to have a good gastronomical experience. This property should be marketed as a standard run of the mill property in the three to three and a half star category and priced accordingly. Another idea may be to seriously consider to close the property; go under a property transformation that may allow you to update your service and elevate the quality. Sometimes less is more!

Mexico itself I would honestly tell everyone to go it was amazing. The hotel on the other hand was a disaster. The pool and jacuzzi were freezing cold, not one guest was swimming, apparently the heating system broke a long time ago and they never fixed it. I had booked...

Mexico itself I would honestly tell everyone to go it was amazing. The hotel on the other hand was a disaster. The pool and jacuzzi were freezing cold, not one guest was swimming, apparently the heating system broke a long time ago and they never fixed it. I had booked a wedding on the beach they gave me a table in their beloved restaurant. The staff was absolutely horrible. They argued everything and made me feel like it was my fault, even when their housecleaning stole a personal item from my room. Worst hotel I ever stayed at!

Overall very crooked .. lack of info on amenities.. found out more about facilities from other tourists Very difficult to book the included ala carte restaurant, a scam .. u get in IF u buy wine which is overpriced.. cheapest wine was us$35 which u can buy outside for $8...

Overall very crooked .. lack of info on amenities.. found out more about facilities from other tourists Very difficult to book the included ala carte restaurant, a scam .. u get in IF u buy wine which is overpriced.. cheapest wine was us$35 which u can buy outside for $8 .. not very customer orientated , felt some prejudice. Lots of food however average

Overall stay here was excellent! The whole resort was exceptionally clean and all staff were extremely friendly and accommodating. The food was amazing and so many options to choose from. They have made positive changes due to previous feedback on how you book the themed restaurants and we had no...

Overall stay here was excellent! The whole resort was exceptionally clean and all staff were extremely friendly and accommodating. The food was amazing and so many options to choose from. They have made positive changes due to previous feedback on how you book the themed restaurants and we had no issues at all booking these for the week on the first day. The beach is rocky, as we expected but we brought water shoes as most people and we did and had no issues with the beach. Our room was amazing and big. Housekeeping was amazing as well. The entertainment staff were so great! The shows were so well done and you can tell they put a lot of time in to make it a great experience for everyone. It’s a smaller resort but has everything that you need. We loved our stay here and would absolutely return and recommend.

Catalonia Riviera Maya review: This is long, please take a few minutes to read it. Here is my honest review. The good, the bad and the ugly. Including a very VERY serious warning for travelers with medical conditions. My partner and I stayed in a Privileged Romance Room (6107-building 12)...

Catalonia Riviera Maya review: This is long, please take a few minutes to read it. Here is my honest review. The good, the bad and the ugly. Including a very VERY serious warning for travelers with medical conditions. My partner and I stayed in a Privileged Romance Room (6107-building 12) from April 29 - May 7. We met up with some travel friends down there. For reference, we live in a 22 ft camper (with access to a house for facilities and cooking). So it’s not hard to please us. This is our 4th trip to Mexico. The first 3, we stayed at GRP. They are undergoing renovations and were wicked shady/lying about closures. This was our first time at Catalonia Riviera Maya. Drinks: 2/10. This is being generous. This resort uses artificial sweeteners for their juices. (Think, melted sugar free snow cone). Parts of the resort use real juice. (Beloved and Mah Loo). The resort does not make “mixed” shots such as snakebites, minions etc. There’s also no rhyme or reason for the drinks they give. You can order one drink from the same bartender at the same bar and get it different ways each time.. ‼️Scary medical situation: I am a type 1 diabetic with a Dexcom sensor and insulin pump. I have pretty good control over my blood sugars and can care for myself. On Saturday May 3, 2025 my blood sugar dropped to 50. I had multiple glasses of orange juice from the lobby bar. It wouldn’t go up. My Dexcom stops reading at 40 and it was reading LOW ⬇️⬇️ (which means I was probably in the 20’s the arrows mean it’s dropping fast) that is borderline coma. I’m unaware of what happened after that (I blacked out) but apparently I had sugar packets and some nuts. After a while, I ended up ok but it took 24 hours for me to feel like myself again. The point of this story is if you’re experiencing hypoglycemia, PLEASE DO NOT GET THE JUICE!!!!!!! IT WILL NOT WORK. And well, you could end up dead. Use sugar packets!! Grab a bunch from the lobby bar and keep them with you. The staff do not understand diabetes despite trying to explain it. THIS IS CRUCIAL!!!!! For this reason ^ I will not be back until they stop using the artificial sweeteners in juices. Simple fix. Food: 8/10. My favorite was the bourbon ribs at the steakhouse. Fell off the bone and melted in my mouth. Delicious!! Ayami was so good as well. Interactive and flavorful. Don’t forget to get the fried coconut ice cream!! (I don’t like coconut but I loved it anyway. Try it!) The buffets were great though there was no real variety. Same stuff each day. There’s plenty of options so it worked out for us. We aren’t picky. I recommend getting a cheeseburger at the snack buffet and adding Mac & cheese to it. So good!!! The food was sooo much better than GRP. We were HIGHLY impressed. Room: The room was clean and nice. We walked into chocolates, sparkling wine and a fruit basket. (Some of the fruit was bad). The plunge pool was very nice. We were facing the “road” so we had more privacy. We enjoyed that. The temperature in our room was comfortable. We kept the blinds closed throughout the day to help keep the sun/heat out. Many of our friends stayed in the Privileged romance deluxe room. They did not have a plunge pool. The balcony is very small, chairs barely fit. There’s absolutely 0 logic as to why it costs more for the deluxe romance than the romance. There’s also no elevator so you’ll be bringing that luggage down at the end of your stay. How deluxe… Don’t do the deluxe romance!!!!!! Housekeeping: Make sure you put all valuables away and do not leave any cash in sight. We had our phone pouches on the table with less than $5 in them. We came back to the room to a paper on the bed that said they couldn’t clean the room because we didn’t lock our valuables up. At least we knew our stuff was safe! If you need something restocked, write a short note to housekeeping. They will restock. Or press 0 on your phone and let them know what you need. They are pretty quick! Our fridge and coffee was not restocked unless we asked with a note or phone call. We were frustrated that our water wasn’t replenished automatically. It’s very hard to find water to drink around the resort before 11am. Even if a bartender is there, they will not serve you water. (Except the lobby bar). For this reason ^ we will not be back to this resort until water becomes more accessible around the resort/pools instead of just at the lobby. Again, easy fix. Room Service: We enjoyed room service a few times. We made sure to order by 10pm so that we had something for a midnight snack. I enjoyed the cheeseburger. Concierge: Carlos is amazing! He was very helpful with any questions we had. Anytime he saw us, he’d stop and chat. Go find him if you need anything. He’ll be happy to help! We did mention our complaints to him as well. ETC: We decided to attend the 90 min presentation. We were quite bored and figured we could use the coupons they gave us. We also wanted to see the rooms. We’ve never attended one of these things before. I truly did not feel pressured. I asked the guy if say in 2 years we can’t financially do it, could we cancel. He said “of course! You just stop paying. By then you’ve already paid the majority of it.” I asked to read the terms and conditions prior to signing/paying. In the t&c it states that you have 3 days from signing to cancel for a full refund. If you use any services, that is void. No where does it state you can cancel and stop paying after that. I told him I would speak to my attorney and confirm the logistics before signing. He shook my hand and we left with our coupons. We enjoyed seeing the rooms and using the virtual headset for a 3D view of the other resort rooms. Activities: There’s activities hourly from 10a-9p. We didn’t find the daytime activities to be very fun other than water aerobics and water Zumba. We enjoyed the 5 min walk down the dock to see the dolphins every day. We also got to see a dolphin get an endoscopy on our first day. Very cool! I highly recommend the royal swim and the photos. We got 122 photos for less than $160 USD. Buy the royal swim on Groupon prior to coming. We paid about $90 each. Some of the people at the marina can be pushy regarding tours (more pushy than ETC). Just say “no gracias” and keep moving. As so many other reviews mention, book a golf cart with Paul. Located at the main lobby entrance. $50 for 12 hours. We took the carts to the main entrance of Puerto Aventuras and parked. Walk out of the security area and take a right. Walk the pedestrian bridge. Go straight until just after the gas station. You’ll see Chedraui. Just like a super Walmart. Buy your souvenirs there for a fraction of the cost you’d pay at the resort. It’s about a 10 min walk from the security entrance. Will we be back: We’d love to come back as we are obsessed with the community. Dolphins are less than 5 mins away!!! However, I will not be back until a few things have changed (as suggested in this review). They NEED to have water more accessible at all hours. Especially since you cannot drink the tap water without risking getting sick and they NEED to lay off the artificial sweeteners and use real juice. No one wants to drink a melted snow cone for a week…

The resort is a delightful escape, boasting a decent beach that embraces the shimmering turquoise waves. Love the diverse dining choices, where each dish, crafted with fresh ingredients, offers a perfect blend of local and international flavors, presented beautifully and bursting with taste. The staff’s warmth and genuine hospitality truly...

The resort is a delightful escape, boasting a decent beach that embraces the shimmering turquoise waves. Love the diverse dining choices, where each dish, crafted with fresh ingredients, offers a perfect blend of local and international flavors, presented beautifully and bursting with taste. The staff’s warmth and genuine hospitality truly make every guest feel right at home, ensuring attentive service throughout your stay. Overall, this is an idyllic getaway where you can relax, unwind, and savor every moment.

My girlfriend and I traveled here for a week in late April, 2025. We stayed 6 days and booked privileged. We stayed on the Riviera Maya side. While they list Yucatan Beach as a separate resort, all guests and staff treat both sides as one resort. I have been back...

My girlfriend and I traveled here for a week in late April, 2025. We stayed 6 days and booked privileged. We stayed on the Riviera Maya side. While they list Yucatan Beach as a separate resort, all guests and staff treat both sides as one resort. I have been back 2 weeks and have been waiting to write this review because I'm conflicted on my experience. This was my 4th all-inclusive and I have also been on about a dozen cruises so I'm beginning to have some idea of what to expect. I'm also very laid back in general and easy to please. I don't sweat the small stuff. I'll start with the good. The Property. This resort is immaculate. The resort is spotlessly clean. maintenance appears to stay on top of everything. Some of the seating was getting worn but a minor issue. The resort was busy but we could find a pair of loungers in the sun or shade, at any beach or pool, at any time of day. Some people still save chairs but there was no need. The location of the resort inside Puerto Aventuras is incredible. An evening walk down to the marina is A MUST DO. It is very safe. The food. It is well above average for what I would consider a bulk all-inclusive. Better than any other resort and most of the cruise lines I've been on. Yes, if you only eat at the buffet it will get redundant but for the size of the resort there are a lot of options. There are 2 buffets, side by side, with all the a' la carte restaurants above them, except the steakhouse which doubles as the snack shack by the beach during the days, and the Japanese restaurant in the privileged section. bLoved stood out but every meal was good. The fried rice when we did the teppenyaki grill was the best fried rice we or the other guests had ever had. A simple dish but it was just soooo good. At the Mexican restaurant my partner got the sea bass and plantains. It was the best thing either of us has ever eaten in our 40 plus years - full stop. The activities. The entertainment crew did an excellent job keeping the guests entertained without being over the top. There was always something to do but if you were seeking quiet and relaxation, you could easily find it and the noise was just a background murmur. The nightly shows were a little cheesy, but fun. The room. Our room felt brand new. It was very well appointed. The bathroom was huge and very nice. Things that could be better. Snacks. You can't take food out of any establishment, including the beach snack shack. Finished swimming and want just a quick bite? Tough! Go dry off, put on a shirt and shoes, check in and be seated. I know this policy keeps the resort cleaner, but it's a steep price to pay. One day they did do tacos by the pool, but they need to do more of that. Drinks. The selection of drinks was pretty decent, and you could even get Corona or Modelo beer. But generally the drinks were inconsistent and the worn out plastic cups need replacing. You did get actual glass in the restaurants. Also the pool bars all stopped serving at 6pm. That's way to early. Finally, there is no drink service. Thirsty? Go get it yourself. If you are not sat at a table, in a restaurant, it's self serve. Now cometh the bad. Upgrading to privileged. If I hadn't upgraded, this review would have ended now, and I would have sung this resorts praises for all time, but I did upgrade, and this is where the whole thing goes off the rails. I normally pay for the upgrade if the resort allows, as it's a small amount of money against what you are already spending, it's almost a no-brainer. Every time in the past it made a good vacation great. This time it was a complete waste of money, and not a small amount. There are different tiers of privileged but all tiers get the things listed below, according to their website. Well... Early check-in? Nope. Room with a king bed in the privileged section? Nope. Turn down service? Nope. Beach towels in our room on arrival? Nope. Private beach bar? Nope. Did I call ahead to confirm our room? Yes. Did I complain? Yes, multiple times. Did they care. Not in the least... Let me explain. Normally you sort of lose your travel days. And on a six day trip that means you get only 4 days to truly relax, so I purposely book the more expensive flights to get me their at 11 am sharp. The additional costs of the more expensive flights plus the cost of the privileged upgrade was a $1000 bucks. When we arrived at 11am, we were told to drop our luggage in the lobby and wait till 3pm to check in. We were dressed for travel, long pants and still had our backpacks as we won't leave medication and what not just lying around. We tried to make the best of it but it was hot and we were uncomfortable. At 3 after an almost 20 minute wait, they told us we would be getting a room in the family section. It had 2 twin beds. My girlfriend and I are both well over 6 ft tall. We don't fit on a twin bed apart, never mind together. They told us they had recently remodeled all the rooms on the Riviera Maya side of the resort to privileged standards. And that appears to be true. It's a smart move. All the regular guests get an upgraded experience and they have more rooms they can up-sell. But they are doubles and why would a couple on a romantic vacation want to be surrounded by kids? Obviously it makes it harder for housekeeping to know who's upgraded and we did not get any of the extra touches. Now I know the resort clearly says early check-in and bed types can't be guaranteed. But I double checked before we went. The resort was busy, but not spring break busy. I asked and the hotel was not full. The rooms around us stayed vacant until half way through the week. They clearly could have accommodated us. They just didn't care. When we went to the front desk to complain and switch rooms, I kid you not, their response was that we needed to checkout. As in, pack our bags, bring them to the lobby by 11 am, wait, and at 3 pm they would 'SEE' if they had any availability. The look on there face and tone of voice was clear, they didn't care. We chose to sleep in separate beds for the entire week. As far as the bars and beach area for privileged, ya, no, people just went where they wanted, the staff said nothing. Now this didn't bother me because there was plenty of room, but what this really told me was that the whole privileged thing is a scam. I would have gotten the exact same vacation, had I not booked privileged. Now the resort will inevitably respond to this review and thank me for the praises and apologize for the misses. And of course offer to do better if I return, but, lets be real. I didn't get what I paid for. If you are going and didn't upgrade, it will be a fine vacation. Everything there is above average. Just don't bother arriving before 3pm. If you paid for the upgrade to privileged, well I spoke to other guests and it appears random who gets what,. So I say to you, may the odds be ever in your favor, but I will not be back.

I love it. Been there 4 times now and for me it is an excellent value for money but I always stay at the previlige rooms. Those rooms are great with seperate bedroom and a good balcony or Terraze The pool area is great with good service. When the hotel...

I love it. Been there 4 times now and for me it is an excellent value for money but I always stay at the previlige rooms. Those rooms are great with seperate bedroom and a good balcony or Terraze The pool area is great with good service. When the hotel is full they struggle with the service but that is to be expected, could be improved. The buffets are basic but very good The town center is and added bonus and really lovely

We went to catalonia last week and We had an amazing experience with our tours! The amstar guys were great! Thank you Lesli for your advice. A little dificult to get dinner reservations. The place its a small resort but very easy going! The room where ok

Today Rafael and Monica were the best. I lost our towel cards and spoke to the lady in the reception area. She said that to replace the cards it would be $30 each. Well, what can I do? So I head to the customer service to get another set of...

Today Rafael and Monica were the best. I lost our towel cards and spoke to the lady in the reception area. She said that to replace the cards it would be $30 each. Well, what can I do? So I head to the customer service to get another set of cards, Rafael and Monica gave me the set of cards for free!!! Muchos gracias!!!

The first room we were put in was incredibly loud as it was located facing an alley way of sorts where carts and vehicles were heard at all hours. Asked for upgrade, was told we had to wait. When they moved us, it was up a floor and down the...

The first room we were put in was incredibly loud as it was located facing an alley way of sorts where carts and vehicles were heard at all hours. Asked for upgrade, was told we had to wait. When they moved us, it was up a floor and down the hall after making us pack up and wait 4 hours. I explained the noise issue again, and after 3 tries, we were finally given a room in a different building. For it being an upgrade, it was exactly the same. We had hopes that the access to the privilege restaurant we be nice as making reservations is not seamless and the buffet is mid. We were wrong. Restaurant was soooo hot for breakfast. Not a single fan and food portions were for that of a toddler. Beach is rocky and full of seaweed. No service is provided outside of restaurants. To sum up: do not pay for the upgrade if you still choose to come to this resort.

Our first trip to Mexico and it was everything we hoped for and more. All of the staff are warm and caring. There to help with all your needs to ensure you have the best stay possible. We were fortunate enough to eat at nearly all of the restaurants on...

Our first trip to Mexico and it was everything we hoped for and more. All of the staff are warm and caring. There to help with all your needs to ensure you have the best stay possible. We were fortunate enough to eat at nearly all of the restaurants on site and the food was amazing no matter where we went. We have dietary restrictions and the hotel was wonderful in helping us to navigate the buffets. The nightly shows are spectacular! Such amazing talent from all of the staff! Highly recommend taking them in if you get the chance. Views are breathtaking! Best vacation we have ever had. We plan on coming back again!

Don’t waste your money or time. Staff not attentive to needs. Outdated rooms. We booked a privileged room and had to be moved b/c room smelled like musty towels and mold. Food is bland. Booking theme restaurants is a joke and dam near impossible. No service pool side or at...

Don’t waste your money or time. Staff not attentive to needs. Outdated rooms. We booked a privileged room and had to be moved b/c room smelled like musty towels and mold. Food is bland. Booking theme restaurants is a joke and dam near impossible. No service pool side or at the beach had to swim up or walk to bar for drinks.

Everything about our trip was amazing. The people, the food and weather were spectacular! We will go back soon. I can't believe we waited this long. I would recommend to anyone looking for a grat vacation. A tip of my hat to our new friends at Catalonia. Alfredo Canché went...

Everything about our trip was amazing. The people, the food and weather were spectacular! We will go back soon. I can't believe we waited this long. I would recommend to anyone looking for a grat vacation. A tip of my hat to our new friends at Catalonia. Alfredo Canché went above and beyond for us. Gracias!

The resort is about 75 minutes from Cancun airport in a lovely gated community. Our check in was not ideal. We were given a room that was not in the category we booked. The room smelled of mold and had broken electrical sockets everywhere. When we expressed our concerns we...

The resort is about 75 minutes from Cancun airport in a lovely gated community. Our check in was not ideal. We were given a room that was not in the category we booked. The room smelled of mold and had broken electrical sockets everywhere. When we expressed our concerns we were told that the hotel was full and they could not move us until the next day. No way was I sleeping in a moldy smelling room. After we said we would call the company we booked with to switch hotels, they miraculously found us a room. In the following days we met other people that shared the same unfortunate experience. It seems they try really hard to get people to take the crappy rooms and only move you if you complain. The beach is non existent. We knew this going in and so it was fine but if you are looking to go for long walks on the beach, this is not the place to go. I did enjoy the lagoon area where there were no rocks. You could walk in up to your waist and it was calm and lovely. There is some great snorkeling here as well. The restaurant booking system is another slam to this resort. Unfortunately they allow people to book a whole week at a time so when you get there you will find they are all booked. We went to guest services to ask for assistance and were told that two of the restaurants were booked the whole week. There were other folks there complaining about the same thing. He asked us to step outside where he told us that we would be a priority for booking due to the company we booked with and that as soon as he could get us a reservation he would put it on paper and slip it under our door. We never heard from again. No reservation from him. We did; however, luck out in that I kept refreshing the reservation page. Around 10:30am somehow a whole bunch of reservations popped up and we were able to book the restaurants. I guess they just miraculously had some space. We ate at the Teppanyaki restaurant which was really good. The Mexican restaurant was good but we found it really odd that the appetizer was much larger than the entree. The Italian restaurant had an amazing salad appetizer but we were not fond of the main entree. The buffet left much to be desired. The food was the exact same every single day. There was no variety. Most all inclusive resorts will change it up and have theme nights. Catalonia does not do this. By the end of the week I was really tired of the food. They did have ice cream but no bowls. They had cones. If you don't want a cone, I suggest taking a coffee cup with you or if they have soup that day, you can grab a bowl from there. The grounds are beautiful and you can see how hard the staff work to maintain this. I'm not sure what type of syrups they use in their drinks but they are awful. They taste like pure chemicals. We stuck to mojitos and palomas and did not have any type of drink that had a syrup. A lot of people have complained about the towel game. We did not experience this. On most days there were chairs available until about 10am. If you are a late riser, don't expect to get the best lounger at the pool you want to sit at that day. The staff were mostly friendly but as we've experienced at other resorts, they don't really seem to go out of their way or try to make you feel extra special. They were just doing their job. The shows at night were really good. They start at 9:30 which is a bit later than typical. They did have this one latin singer they brought in a few nights who was not good at all. She barely sang the words to the songs almost like she didn't know the words even though she had a phone and Ipad infront of her the whole time. She was more concerned with taking selfies than singing. Karaoke night and trivia were fun. If you do stay here, I highly recommend taking the 10 minute walk to the port area. It's filled with cute little shops and eateries. Many people rented golf carts but we walked and it was lovely.

Location and the beach are amazing. For food and restaurants they have a lot of options to chose from. Our best choice were El Mercado, La Brisa and Creprie. Their team is nice, they had an issue with WiFi on the day we checked in, but they made sure we...

Location and the beach are amazing. For food and restaurants they have a lot of options to chose from. Our best choice were El Mercado, La Brisa and Creprie. Their team is nice, they had an issue with WiFi on the day we checked in, but they made sure we could reserve restaurants in advance. They have a private area for snorkeling, lot is corals and fish you can spot, don’t miss it.

We booked the Privileged Romance Deluxe room (Adults Only). We assumed that the words "Adults Only" in the description would mean that there would be no children in our building, but there were families, children in the room 2 doors down from us, running, playing right about nap time so...

We booked the Privileged Romance Deluxe room (Adults Only). We assumed that the words "Adults Only" in the description would mean that there would be no children in our building, but there were families, children in the room 2 doors down from us, running, playing right about nap time so that was disappointing for sure. Would not book that room again. The bathroom has one door so if your partner is using the toilet you cannot use the sink or shower (you CAN but....). We have the Privileged Suite booked for October. Restaurants - had some issues getting reservations but with Privileged level you can go to BLoved any time and the food was good there and service excellent. Buffets, lots of choices. Riviera Maya buffet (LaBrisa) definitely better than the Yucatan buffet IMO. We enjoyed the Mexican restaurant. Burger restaurant was "ok". Italian was also pleasant. Breakfast at BLoved was GREAT and if you don't see exactly what you want - like I wanted just a cheese omelet, not ham & cheese - I simply asked and they prepared it! Excellent! We did not starve - anyone who says they could find nothing to eat - I'm not sure how that is possible! We did hear a lot of complaints about drinks not being very good. I ordered a margarita at the Mexican restaurant. My first impression was that I was drinking a margarita scented bath soap from bath & body - it was not good...I'm not sure what they used to make it but it was gross. We do not drink mixed drinks usually - we get vodka and mix with lime or crystal light from home so the only drink I had prepared by the bar was the Margarita and it was quite possibly the worst drink I've ever had. The bar is definitely lacking. We went to the marina for a meal which was lovely (Cafe Ole) and also around the corner to Latitude 20 (excellent!!!!). And an excellent margarita at Nauti Burro. Staff was always friendly with the exception of the "concierge" when my room "key" bracelet decided to stop working the day before check out who simply pointed at the front desk that had a line of 25 people deep. When she should gotten up and just assisted with getting me re-programmed so I could access the room I paid for immediately. When I did return later and they programmed again, the bracelet still did not work but since we were leaving the next day I let it go. Another couple we met there had the same issue, they stayed longer than 7 days also and it seemed like at 7 days their bracelet turned off. That was my only encounter with the "concierge" desk person and she was probably the least helpful person I've ever met in Mexico. Highly recommend renting golf carts from Paul, in Puerto Aventuras and checking out the town. It is a gem. Tho if all you are interested in is the marina it is very walkable from the resort. I do wish that they would make the Privileged/Exclusive (?) pool a Privileged/Exclusive Adults Only Pool - THAT would be amazing - that pool would be perfect if they would do that. That pool was great except for the occasional child that would cannonball next to you. Having a true Adults Only area like that would be a huge draw again, my opinion. We will be back at Catalonia Riviera Maya. The value of the resort is excellent and the town of Puerto Aventura is very charming.

Relaxing stay with a very nice resort. Fairly small to what I'm used to but you do have the little town to walk around which has the marina and dolphins to watch. Food has been really good with quite good choice especially bloved but this is with privilege package. Staff...

Relaxing stay with a very nice resort. Fairly small to what I'm used to but you do have the little town to walk around which has the marina and dolphins to watch. Food has been really good with quite good choice especially bloved but this is with privilege package. Staff are really friendly and helpful. Housekeeping and resort in general is very clean and maintained. I would say the entertainment is more geared to families with children. But I have enjoyed the aqua fit most days. Still have a few days left and would say the only negatives are the food booking system. It worked fine when we arrived booked a few days then it just said no availability on anything at anytime. We tried to ask concierge and they just tried selling the exclusive members package, instead of trying to sort. Luckily we can use bloved without reservation (which is lovely) but not great system. We did also think they may have given a nice touch in our room for wedding anniversary as they had asked if here for special occasion, but nothing which was ABIT disappointing. But all in all has been good relaxing holiday, worth upgrading just so you get the beach without sargassam and bloved restaurant.

Our Privileged suite was really nice and roomy. Enjoyed the tub! Pool side service was non-existent, which was disappointing. Irving from entertainment and Saul from the Mercado Buffet stood out from the rest. Night entertainment was a lot of fun!

This was our 13th trip to Catalonia Riviera Maya and we are already planning our 14th visit in October. We were not disappointed in the least. As usual the staff were amazing and really go out of their way to make your visit enjoyable. After reading some of the negative...

This was our 13th trip to Catalonia Riviera Maya and we are already planning our 14th visit in October. We were not disappointed in the least. As usual the staff were amazing and really go out of their way to make your visit enjoyable. After reading some of the negative reviews about the staff it made me question whether these people were at the same resort. The staff are what brings us back year after year. The grounds are immaculate. The pools are cleaned every day and our room was wonderful. Yes there was sargassum but we knew that might be a possibility as we have visited in May before. Water shoes are a must for safe entry into the sea. The food in both buffets was plentiful and a good selection to choose from. Shout out to all the talented entertainment staff. Ten out of ten!!!!! All the ala carte restaurants were very good but you do require a reservation which was not an issue. The lifeguards were very attentive to anyone’s needs when required. To summarize we enjoyed our visit very much and are looking forward to seeing all our Catalonia friends in October.

Very friendly staff. Comfortable resort. No elevators. Food at buffet is average. Specialty restaurants, food was better. Have to make reservations. There isnt a beach to stroll. Three good size pools. No night life after 9:30pm unless you go to the disco.

We arrived back today from 11 nights at the hotel. Due to the reviews we upgraded (cost £60 in total via Tui). Upon arrival cases are stored while you check into reception. You get a bracelet that is your room key and towel cards within an envelope that has a...

We arrived back today from 11 nights at the hotel. Due to the reviews we upgraded (cost £60 in total via Tui). Upon arrival cases are stored while you check into reception. You get a bracelet that is your room key and towel cards within an envelope that has a qr code. You then give your primary email address, this then sends you a link via email to register and set up and account. Wait for the email, then once registered scan the qr code on the towel card envelope. Just one person register as done by room number. You can bulk book all restaurants in advance (more later on this) you can change them anytime too. We stayed in room 216 and this block had been refurbished 5 months ago. The AC and ceiling fan worked well, not noisy but bring ear plugs incase. As we had upgraded to privilege we had plenty of amenities, check their website to detail what is in each room. There seems to be a real difference in rooms and levels, the main reason we upgraded was to access the pool and beloved restaurant. The room was large and the bed comfy, the view from the balcony was rubbish and other guests (not privilege) had sea views. However this really didn’t impact us. The hotel is clean and staff are plentiful and really helpful. The room did smell musty, however, the climate is high humidity and it’s not like you can’t open the patio doors to air it out. Our clothes felt a little damp, again humidity so just make sure you air the room out and hang up everything. It really is a climate issue and not how unclean it is. The fridge takes a day to cool to temp, restocked multiple times daily and when requested. Cleaning staff superb and very thoughtful. I’d accidentally left a necklace out and they left a note saying the room hadn’t been cleaned due to this, totally my error and within 5 mins they were at the door asking if we wanted them to clean the room. Restaurants Check opening times on the website when booking. Breakfast We had the benefit of using Beloved for breakfast and mixed this up with La Brissa (riviera maya side). Beloved had a set breakfast menu with plenty of choices and is more peaceful and air conditioned (although still felt hot). I didn’t take pics of the menu as we didn’t want to be attached to our phones (weird nowadays I know)! We alternated this with La Brissa a typical buffet option, egg station and omlette etc.. the breads and some cooked items tasted stale and dry so just be careful when picking. The fresh fruit is lovely. Watch the birds and don’t leave your plate out, take it in turns to go up to the buffet. Waiting staff serve water and hot drinks. There are juices (think sunny delight) as organge juice and lots of other options. There is every breakfast type in this buffet and you’ll be spoilt for choice. Snack bars We went to the Yacutan (adjoining Catalonia hotel) to use the sandwich (yellow cart), they offer pastrami, ham and cheese and a veggie option. They are made freshly and served hot (wrapped) so can take back to poolside. Along the same side of the resort is the creperie, plenty of choices and ice creams too. Steakville (riviera maya side) opens as a lunch snack from 11-5. Pizza, fries, chicken and other fast food options, also salads and Mexican dishes. This was a popular choice as we just threw on our cover ups to dine. The other lunch option we used was La Brissa and again a buffet with plenty to offer. Mexican restaurant Went once, food ok but the temperature in the restaurant ruined the experience. Sweating when eating isn’t pleasant. Italian restaurant Lovely food, horrible restaurant temperature. The two restaurants need to invest in blinds and a better ac or even fans as the staff looked uncomfortable and even at 8/9pm at night still felt uncomfortable. Steakville Really good, thoroughly enjoyed and went twice. Japanese restaurant Again really good, went twice. Burgers Went once, enjoyed the burger but the sides were iffy and served at odd times to the main meal. The macaroni cheese was a throw back to packet student pasta. In summary plenty of choice, book in bulk and chance it as plenty of spaces post 19:30 daily. You can change your reservations and dial 0 if the website is not working. I’d refresh the website before using it daily. Privilege pool Small but good availability of sun loungers at any time of day. We went in both pools and margarita swim up bar. They were understaffed in this bar but may have had a bad day as did not notice this for any other bars. Alcohol Good availability of brands, it’s a 3/4 star hotel it’s not going to have top end brands. Take yeti coolers or similar and the ice (all bought in by the way through the resort) and that’ll keep your drinks cold. Loads of cocktail non and alcoholic options available. The house wine isn’t the best but there is a paid wine list available. Beach It’s seaweed season. They do their best to clear it but it’s so plentiful and never ending. This is not a great beach due to the gradient too. Beach shoes needed. We went into the sea once at the beach which is unheard of for me but settled with the pools. This is the main reason I wouldn’t stay here again as the beach is not as good as the public beach down the road, in terms of aesthetics and accessibility. However, other people were not put off. The location and resort. Puerto Adventuras is a gated secure resort and was lovely to walk around the marina. We hired a golf cart from Paul O (see hotel Facebook page for his details). Highly recommend. We went to the Cenote (not for swimming) in the resort and bumped into a lovely guy who owns the restaurant CASA in the village centre who helped us find the ruins. Thank you stranger we didn’t get your name! For taxis Get a taxi to the main gate 90 mxn pesos and then go to the right outside the gates. There is a bus shelter (lovely guy looking after stray dogs there) and get a collectivo bus, these are small air conditioned local buses that work on a haul them down system. 7-9pm daily and so cheap! We went to Playa Del Carmen and cost us 80 mxn for two of us, then get it from the same place back to the resort and get a taxi back from the main gates (again by the bus stop). Convenience stores Outside the gates to the left is a petrol station and subway for a cold drink. They also have a huge walk in freezer that I enjoyed standing in for a few mins!! Opposite that go under the motorway bridge and get a tuk tuk for $1 to Chedraui the supermarket equivalent. For your return there are tuk tuks outside. Playa Del Carmen First tip is to turn your hotel bracelet inside out so they don’t call out your hotel or pretend they work there and say I’m your waiter etc… Street vendors (selling Chinese mass produced stuff) will holler at you, it gets quite funny. Just be polite, or ignore completely. Favourite heckle “hey tourists come and taste my tequila and I will only rip you off a little bit” followed by hey big boobs come and try this shop out. Tourist tat shops interspersed by US and recognised named restaurants and shops. You can get ferry to Cozumel from here too. Currency Mexican pesos generally preferred. For tips (that are expected everywhere) use these of get loss of $1 bills. In summary We enjoyed our stay at the hotel and resort area. We hadn’t been to Mexico before so unsure what to expect but have travelled to Cuba, Dom Rep before to name a few so the standards are different from the UK. It was lovely, not excellent, but lovely. The staff were brilliant and a real credit to the hotel chain. We did chichen Itzá tour and Zel-Ha, will do other reviews to cover these excursions. We won’t be back as we don’t tend to visit the same place twice but I would recommend with the caveat to avoid sargrassum (sea weed) season as this did make the beach pretty unusable and also had a whiff. If you’ve booked and we’re worried like we were, upgrade for the beloved restaurant alone as a much calmer start to your day. I wouldn’t pay more than £100 to upgrade for a fortnight. If you’ve booked and can cope with a buffet noise first thing I wouldn’t upgrade. Maybe as our children are no longer children have just got used to the quieter mornings! Enjoy your holidays