Palmaia – The House of AiA

Palmaia is outstanding in all regards. The staff is incredibly professional and friendly. The concierges are great and just take care of everything. Kasandra could not have been kinder or more attentive. Karen was also lovely, but we seemed to mostly be on Kas' shift. They set us up on...

Palmaia is outstanding in all regards. The staff is incredibly professional and friendly. The concierges are great and just take care of everything. Kasandra could not have been kinder or more attentive. Karen was also lovely, but we seemed to mostly be on Kas' shift. They set us up on a WhatsApp chat and responded almost instantly whenever we asked for anything. She even had a carton of oat milk delivered so I could enjoy my in-room coffee my way. There was a lot of attention to detail here, including buttons to flip if you wanted your room service or do-not-disturb. They even removed the pods from the Nespresso machine every time they cleaned the room. Very well done. The carts pick you up quickly, and the drivers were all great! Oscar was particularly friendly. This resort has the best vegetarian food I have ever had while travelling. They even accommodated a fairly difficult allergy. Reyes at the taco truck even had the chef make me special vegan carne asada because we were there all week. Excellent hospitality all around. All four of the dinner restaurants are delicious, but I think the Mediterranean was our favorite. Blas was our waiter several nights and he was kind and charming. We love that they have a mocktail menu as the primary offering. So many cool drinks with ingredients I barely understood. Room service 24-hours a day include was also a nice touch. Many all-inclusive resorts don't include that. Breakfast pancakes and a great green smoothie every day. Massage was great. Expensive, but excellent. They offer some other interesting spa treatments. That whole area felt very peaceful. The swimming pools are super cool and you can swim long laps past the swim up bar. I made excellent usage of the hot/cold plunge pools. The gym at Palmaia isn't tricked out, but they let you use the one down at Sandos resort which is much more elaborate. I did not really do any wellness activities, but just hanging out here was wellness. Loved being on the 5th floor. Water is insane. Loved the retro-modern design of the hotel. Only thing I can say is the rooms probably need screen doors. Beach bungalows were comfy with giant beanbag chairs and little buttons to order food. They really thought of everything! I can see why they have two Michelin Keys. Very well deserved. Fantastic experience, we will be back as soon as possible. Thank you for an amazing stay!!

This place was PHENOMENAL. The staff were so friendly and helpful. Like literally had a bond with our nomadic guides from day 1 (Kasandra and Karen - special shout out ♥️). We were on first name basis with much of the staff. The tacos at taco truck are a MUST...

This place was PHENOMENAL. The staff were so friendly and helpful. Like literally had a bond with our nomadic guides from day 1 (Kasandra and Karen - special shout out ♥️). We were on first name basis with much of the staff. The tacos at taco truck are a MUST and so tasty. I was skeptical (I’m not vegan) with the “chorizo” tacos made with chickpeas but they were some of the best I’ve ever had! We tried every restaurant at least once and I recommend you do the same — it allows you to rate what you liked the best vs least and repeat what was favored. For us it was Su casa, the beach menu and taco truck. It wasn’t that we didn’t like the other restaurants — we just preferred certain menus (especially again being non vegan). The beaches were pristine and private which is a luxury if you venture out for a walk and realize not all resorts come close in comparison. They have paddle boards - so fun to try in the ocean. The pools were equally pristine and gorgeous. Rooms nice and tidy and clean with turn down service I.e. tasty chocolates. Oh! My massage at the spa was unbelievable. Ask for Norma. She provided both spiritual and physical release during my two hour treatment (the Mexican massage). Bikes are a lovely touch but everything is walkable or you can get a golf cart ride. Oh and the bar in the evening has the best staff ever and the music is awesome to stare off into ocean and feel the breeze, and dance a little. I have zero complaints. Thank you for helping me unwind and disconnect!

The experience was incredible!! The theme of the hotel, the food, the service and the magnificent place make your days wonderful. We got sick during our visit and they were so nice with us. They took care of us really well. Definitely one place you have to visit.

This was our second time at Palmai and it was fantastic! Every meal was great, service is excellent, and the grounds are beautiful. Rooms are clean, well maintained and bar fridge is stocked daily. Service at the beach is very good, always could find a spot and plenty of towels....

This was our second time at Palmai and it was fantastic! Every meal was great, service is excellent, and the grounds are beautiful. Rooms are clean, well maintained and bar fridge is stocked daily. Service at the beach is very good, always could find a spot and plenty of towels. The taco truck at the beach has awesome food. It’s hard to say what my favourite restaurant was. We will be returning there again next year. I really enjoyed the vegan Benny at breakfast. Had it with eggs one day and actually preferred the vegan option. This really is a 5 star resort.

This was our second trip to Palmaia and we loved it as much as the first time! This resort is very special- from the staff to the activities to the suites to the beach…. There is no other place like it. We especially love pranayama at the beach and yoga...

This was our second trip to Palmaia and we loved it as much as the first time! This resort is very special- from the staff to the activities to the suites to the beach…. There is no other place like it. We especially love pranayama at the beach and yoga under the tree. So many wonderful people to name. Here are a few- Olga, Angel and Balder are wonderful instructors; all are the staff at Plantissa are lovely; Eduardo, Fernando, Reyes and Arge are super servers and beach staff; Oskar is always the first happy face we see when we arrive; Esteban has been our attentive guide for two years. We look forward to returning soon!

Our 3 weeks Honeymoon was wonderful. The Location at the Beach with Caribean Blue Water is Perfect for the best vacation ever. The entire Team is working 24/7 to maximise the experience and to make you feel Part of the palmaia family! The Restaurants, the Team, the Room, the Pool,...

Our 3 weeks Honeymoon was wonderful. The Location at the Beach with Caribean Blue Water is Perfect for the best vacation ever. The entire Team is working 24/7 to maximise the experience and to make you feel Part of the palmaia family! The Restaurants, the Team, the Room, the Pool, the Spa, the View … It’s Like Paradise!

My boyfriend and I just returned home from a week of absolute magic. We LOVED our stay at Palmaia. The staff is wonderful. Everyone that works there is cheerful and friendly. Our nomadic guides, Oscar and Fernanda were so responsive and helpful. The spa was beyond amazing. I had 3...

My boyfriend and I just returned home from a week of absolute magic. We LOVED our stay at Palmaia. The staff is wonderful. Everyone that works there is cheerful and friendly. Our nomadic guides, Oscar and Fernanda were so responsive and helpful. The spa was beyond amazing. I had 3 different massage Treatments there, all of them exceptional. The taco truck was our favorite food offering. The vibe is chill and fun. Reyes took care of us every day with super tasty tacos and cold beer. The yoga offerings were excellent! Check out the moves and grooves class, it was fun! Charly in the bar provided excellent service as well. We stayed in an adults only swim up suite, I highly recommend it. The beach is the best I've been to. I can't wait to go back!!!

Everyone there is very very nice! The food is hit or miss. The beach is long... and beautiful... I actually think this is the resorts greatest strength. Rooms are ok- but very clean- odd smell I found off putting, but maybe a scent others would like? Common spaces are beautiful!!...

Everyone there is very very nice! The food is hit or miss. The beach is long... and beautiful... I actually think this is the resorts greatest strength. Rooms are ok- but very clean- odd smell I found off putting, but maybe a scent others would like? Common spaces are beautiful!! DJ also seems very nice- but music didn't please guests and volume drove guests away from the beach bar... let alone the private oceanfront balconies. Repeated requests from ourselves and other guests to change music or volume were met with disdain or indifference. Very little went wrong, but if it did- no employee was empowered to solve the problem. Nice 3 day stay. Wouldn't recommend as a repeat visit or for a longer stay. Great for families with young kids- tons of young families there. Also great for vegans. Lots of couples. Some singles- but no community dinner table or anything to foster community among independent travelers- which is too bad... the yogi vibe begs for some community space. Some big yoga/pre-planned groups that overwhelmed the resort- yoga classes so full you couldn't attend, dinner reservations limited. Overall- I would recommend, but if it stretches your budget... I would look elsewhere to ensure your limited vacation days and dollars are well spent. Resort could easily improve with more classes, better management of groups, greater responsiveness to guest comments. It is very beautiful. Great experience. Value is low- but for a one off short vacation, I would recommend.

We loved this hotel so much we’ve re-booked before our departure. The staff is lovely, friendly, warm and happy. While the hotel is vegan, they do offer many options for vegetarian, pescatarian, and omnivore, and the food itself is inventive, delicious, and beautifully presented. There are many many beautiful pools,...

We loved this hotel so much we’ve re-booked before our departure. The staff is lovely, friendly, warm and happy. While the hotel is vegan, they do offer many options for vegetarian, pescatarian, and omnivore, and the food itself is inventive, delicious, and beautifully presented. There are many many beautiful pools, one prettier and bigger than the next, but when there’s a spectacular beach with soft white sand and turquoise water it’s hard to decide how to spend your day. Of course, there’s yoga, meditation, and lots of activities to discover or renew your spirit as well. The room was terrific, comfortable, with an inviting sitting area as well, a lovely balcony on the sea, and great A/C. There’s plenty of nightlife for those who want it too, with some great DJs. The restaurants are so beautiful and varied in cuisine. The nomadic guides, what other hotels call a butler, are awesome—we had Kasandra and Karen and they were super responsive and helpful. And nice! Great gym with the latest techno equipment, too; the only drawback was they could use some lighter weights for pilates and light strength training. The spa is stunning, just steps from the beach but deep in the jungle! and a great massage. Every little detail was executed perfectly. If we could this one six stars we would!

Oh, where to begin....I saw another review on here from a self-proclaimed 'design and food snob' and I was like 'oh, my people'!! So first, design. This is a carefully and thoughtfully designed, nay CURRATED experience. The rooms are full of thoughtful touches, and a clean, modern take on a...

Oh, where to begin....I saw another review on here from a self-proclaimed 'design and food snob' and I was like 'oh, my people'!! So first, design. This is a carefully and thoughtfully designed, nay CURRATED experience. The rooms are full of thoughtful touches, and a clean, modern take on a traditional Mexican design style. The resort is carefully laid out, with a main 'highway' to the north to walk, that touches all areas of the resort. Lovely and shaded during the day, romantic and gently lit at night. Each restaurant has a distinctive ethos and aesthetic, and all are lovely - especially Mar de Olivio, the Italian-inspired dining. The food was fantastic - fresh, light, well-conceived and flawlessly executed. Whether fine dining at Mar de Olivio, casual at Su Casa or the excellent room service, it was all top notch. The gym was small but suitably equipped, we didn't try the spa on this trip, but it looked lovely. The beach was well furnished with comfy seating, served by attentive staff, and had lovely mini cabanas sprinkled throughout. The beach was kept SUPER clean, especially difficult at the height of Sargassum season. But the beach was raked twice a day and it was never a problem. Next, the classes - OH MY GOSH. Amazing, life-changing, thought-provoking and SO well-curated, and exactly what we needed! Balder's 'mind control' was remarkable, and the Cacao Ceremony should not be missed! Lastly, our 'nomadic guides' Kassandra and Karen could not have been more helpful, attentive or responsive. My only complaint is...no, actually, I got nothing. 😏 This place was perfect, and we can't WAIT to go back. It is NOT a traditional large hotel resort. It is smaller, calmer, more thoughtful, more mindful, and more focused. If that's what you are looking for, you won't be disappointed....

This is a magical place of peace and healing. I’ve been fortunate enough to visit several all-inclusive resorts and this is – by far – my favorite. My wife and I were able to reconnect on a deep level thanks to the resort’s whole vibe of spiritualness. No loud “party...

This is a magical place of peace and healing. I’ve been fortunate enough to visit several all-inclusive resorts and this is – by far – my favorite. My wife and I were able to reconnect on a deep level thanks to the resort’s whole vibe of spiritualness. No loud “party pools” or “forced fun.” The focus is on day-to-day restoration through activities like yoga and mediation. Everyone here from the cleaning staff to those who served us amazing meals were genuine and helpful. We did not run across one apathetic person. The food – all plant based though you can order it with meat, fish, chicken - fed our souls. The beach had plenty of cabanas where to rest in front of a beautiful blue ocean. We are already figuring out when we can return. Many of the guests we met had been there 2 or 3 times. It is easy to see why. If you need a place to slow down - choose Palmaia.

Probably one of the best settings a hotel and spa, ever, if you look on Google Maps, it looks like its the last hotel then all jungle open space. We stayed 4/6 - 4/10. Things Im glad we did. 1. We could only get a very early morning arrival, I...

Probably one of the best settings a hotel and spa, ever, if you look on Google Maps, it looks like its the last hotel then all jungle open space. We stayed 4/6 - 4/10. Things Im glad we did. 1. We could only get a very early morning arrival, I inquired prior to arrival regarding early check-in, I was told yes, for a fee $150/each - gladly paid for immediate room access and a nap. 2. adults only section, we paid $100/nt for the 4 building, the resort has lots of kids, while I dont typically mind them, it was nice not having to deal with postential noise. 3. booked a massage at Atlantis, probably one of the most beautiful settings for a spa anywhere, the room had floor to ceiling windows left to right 100% jungle, seemed sureal. I recommend booking pre-arrival, its a bit hidden on their website but they have a discount for the 90 minute signature treatment which includes a steamroom ritual which resembles a large pizza oven. Booking is via WhatsApp. 4. attend the 7am breath work class, great way to start the day and Olga was great. 5. not Palmaia related but the Cirque du Solei Joya show was great, an equally beautiful setting, we went off property the hotel helped arrange taxi transportation, he actually waited on site which releived some stress about returning. Lastly, the food kinda sucks, and we both encountered tummy issues around day 2 which lasted about 48 hours. I cant identify or guess which meal in particular, but we both lost 2 pant sizes. Our nomadic guide was kind, she went off property and got us some pepto. The servers were great, kind and helpful. But the food seemed repetitive lacking finesse. However, I think this is a common issue at all-inclusive.