Whenever you think of the perfect honeymoon, you most likely think of a dreamy island bungalow floating on top of pristine ocean water with everything you need at your fingertips. I used to think this always involved a far-flung, long-haul, tiring airline trip — until I saw that there are fantastic overwater bungalows in Mexico: The five-star-rated Palafitos Overwater Bungalows, which are situated on one of the world’s Top 10 beaches. You will find them at the El Dorado Maroma Resort, by Karisma, in Riviera Maya, Mexico — and to top it off — they are all-inclusive accommodations! There are 30 Palafitos Overwater Bungalows, all featuring glass-bottom floors and direct ladder access into the ocean. They are a “WOW” in every sense of the word. (The word “palafitos” is a Spanish word meaning “built on stakes on a lake.”)
All-inclusive resorts, in my opinion, are always a GREAT way to go. That’s because all of your gourmet meals, spirits, wines, beverages, creamy coffees, snacks, non-motorized watersports — and more — are included in the price of your room — which you pay upfront. What does this mean? It means that, provided you don’t opt for any upgrades, your Folio at checkout will be ZERO. Isn’t that a wonderful way to start your married life? Who doesn’t like getting more bang for your buck — especially after paying for an expensive wedding?
In this Palafitos Overwater Bungalows review, I will discuss all the ins and outs that make this resort the perfect honeymoon getaway. From indulgent honeymoon packages to a private floating swim deck, these bungalows have everything you could imagine — and more.
This is where you will find luxury, luxury, and more luxury — at a great value.
In addition, check out Sandals’ overwater bungalows in the Caribbean as well. The award-winning Sandals is also famous for its luxury-included, all-inclusive packages featuring all of your gourmet meals, alcohol, spirits and wines, snacks, non-motorized watersports, and so much more. Their overwater bungalows definitely compete with the Palafitos overwater bungalows, as well as those in Bora Bora — they are picture-postcard beautiful, and thrilling in every sense of the word. Furthermore, at Sandals, there is no tipping. That’s a delightful advantage!
In fact, all overwater bungalows, anywhere in the world, offer the penultimate party-for-two and are an ultimate escape!
Overwater Bungalow Accommodations
Palafitos has three different overwater bungalows that you can select, ensuring that you will be well-cared-for castaways!
- Palafitos Standard overwater bungalows
- Palafitos Elite overwater bungalows
- A two-bedroom presidential bungalow
The elite and standard overwater bungalows have all the same amenities, but the elites are on the end of the pier, giving you an expansive view of the ocean. The presidential is larger, has a kayak and standup paddle board in your room, and also includes some extra services.
Each and every bungalow is luxuriously created and decorated, with glass floors to watch the marine life below, a separate seating area, and a large bathroom. I feel that the bathroom, in particular, stands out, as it features a giant Jacuzzi tub and large shower.
Outside your bungalow, on your own private terrace, is a plunge pool, an outdoor shower, and a floating swimming deck with a ladder into the ocean. Every amenity you would expect at a top-rated resort is featured in your overwater bungalow. It’s all yours to enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!
Here are some other goodies that take your experience to the next level: Snorkeling gear, 24-hour room service, and a fully stocked mini-bar. You can dive straight off your bungalow deck into the ocean — or stay inside with a full in-room menu and full-size bottles of liquor at your in-suite bar. It’s all included without any extra fees. Or why not just order up a special beach picnic?
Palafitos Overwater Bungalows Services
In addition to being one of the best accommodations in Mexico, your overwater bungalow comes with its own services that will have you even more immersed in your getaway. Below are just a few extraordinary amenities you can expect with your overwater bungalow, but really, you can ask for nearly anything you want.
Private Check-In Lounge
Once you arrive at El Dorado Maroma, a golf cart will pick you up at Reception, complete with a glass of sparkling wine to take you to the overwater bungalows. Palafitos overwater bungalow guests have their own check-in lounge, so you won’t have to wait around in long lines at the regular lobby reception desk. This is super, exclusive VIP service.
Butler Service
After check-in, you will be escorted to your bungalow, where your butler will be waiting for you at your door with a hot towel and a signature cocktail. This will be your butler for the entirety of your stay, and you can pretty much ask him to help you with anything you need. Make sure to think of some special surprises for your sweetheart!
Your butler can also book all your reservations for restaurants, romantic dinners, spa services, and more. You can also ask for a romantic bath or turndown service to be set up when you get back to your bungalow. Your butler will also take you anywhere on the resort via golf cart if you don’t feel like walking. They are at your service — with a smile.
Grill and Wine Bar
There are many different restaurants and bars that you can enjoy on the resort, but Palafitos has an Overwater Grill & Wine Bar, featuring two glass-floor dining rooms with spectacular views of the surrounding sea — just for bungalow guests. It’s a small, more intimate, romantic setting. You can also sit outside near the water.
Overwater Spa
Make sure to pamper yourself with posh treatments at the overwater Náay Spa, boasting therapies utilizing traditional Mayan herbal practices and the antioxidant-rich Maroma Beach sea moss.
The Maroma sea moss pampering is a must, as you can only find it in this area of Mexico. Or you can opt for a tequila treatment and the Shirodhara service, which mixes Mayan and Hindu techniques for full relaxation.
If you are on your honeymoon, don’t miss the sunrise or moonlit couples massage. There’s no better way to start or end your day than with a romantic rubdown, with the sun or moon above reflecting off the ocean.
What is Included at El Dorado Maroma
When you are staying at Palafitos overwater bungalows, you have full access to all of the resort amenities at El Dorado Maroma. They call their all-inclusive package “gourmet-inclusive,” and it makes sense. Everything you can expect during your stay is listed below.
Dining
Like other all-inclusives in Mexico, all of your meals and drinks are included in your stay. What’s different at El Dorado Maroma is the quality of its fine-dining experience. You won’t find any mediocre buffets with food that may have been sitting around in trays for hours — who wants that? Every restaurant is a waitered experience with made-to-order meals.
The resort’s Gourmet Inclusive® Experience pairs premier chefs with the finest gourmet ingredients in the world to produce a truly indescribable culinary scene. Each meal is infused with creativity and created with perfection, and the resort’s Wine Spectator award-winning wine list is crafted by professional sommeliers to ensure that every recipe has its perfect match.
And here are two more fabulous characteristics of this resort: It will pamper you with dietary accommodations for special needs including allergies, vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free. Even better, for the healthiest cuisine ever, fresh vegetables and spices are grown in the resort’s 76,000-sq.-ft. Greenhouse located at El Dorado Royale. These are awesome amenities that ensure that every dining experience is divine — and delicious.
There are seven restaurants and five bars on the property, in addition to the overwater grill and wine bar in the Palafitos. You will enjoy Mexican, Caribbean, Italian, Peruvian, and Asian-inspired cuisine that will tantalize your tastebuds. Multiple swim-up bars and lounges, where you can hang out day and night, make for even more fun. So go ahead — order that second Margarita!
And how about this fun-filled activity — the resort hosts Tequila, Mezcal, and wine tastings!
Room service is available all day, every day, if you simply want to stay in and order some of your favorites — perhaps some grilled shrimp with ratatouille and a baked potato? And you can have your pick of late-night snacks. Plus, you always have access to your in-suite minibar with full-sized liquor bottles and sweet and savory snacks.
Activities
Besides the oceans of activities you can do right from your Palafitos overwater bungalow, El Dorado offers a wealth of other wonderful things you can enjoy: You can join a cooking class, go kayaking and paddle boarding, play sand volleyball, and take yoga and aquafit classes. It’s kind of like being on one of the world’s best luxury cruise ships — where there are always tons of things to do — except that you are at a land resort.
For the ultimate romantic experience, take a massage lesson and show off your new skills to your partner later on at the bungalow. In addition, there is a marina on-site where you can rent motorized water equipment. Don’t forget your snorkel masks!
Entertainment
If the bartenders showing you all the moves to make the ultimate drink isn’t entertainment enough, there are plenty of other things to savor. Rick’s bar is the place to be for nightly entertainment, with live music and karaoke.
For more fun, you can take advantage of bingo and daily trivia questions. Free wifi is available throughout the resort if you simply want to relax while streaming shows or playing online games.
Honeymoon Package
Palafitos overwater bungalows take love seriously. You can choose from two honeymoon packages, which are detailed below. In my opinion, they are some of the best all-inclusive honeymoon packages I’ve ever seen. You also have the FANTASTIC OPTION to do a Honeymoon registry with the resort. This way, your wedding guests can pre-purchase such things as massages and romantic dinners as wedding gifts, freeing up your budget for other things related to your wedding and honeymoon. This is a great advantage that couples really appreciate.
Taste of Romance Package
This is Palafitos’ basic honeymoon package that comes with every room. It includes a welcome gift, romantic turndown service with a sweet treat, spa discounts, and late checkout at 3 pm. It requires a five-night stay minimum and your marriage certificate to receive this package. If you want to add this package for any other occasion, you can purchase it for $75.
Memorable Moments Honeymoon and Anniversary Package
This package is the one you will get when staying in one of Palafitos’ overwater bungalows. It comes with a Romance Maître’ D to help you plan the perfect honeymoon. You will also receive a four-course beachfront candlelit dinner, breakfast in bed, flowers, and a voucher for a free one-night stay on your anniversary — in addition to everything in the Taste of Romance Package. It’s a great option.
The Staff at Palafitos
All of the employees at Palafitos are there to serve you whenever you need them — and they do it all with a smile. No matter what accommodations you’re staying in. Any employee you approach will be happy to help you — or find or find the perfect person onsite who can. It could be your butler — or the maid cleaning a different room.
The concierge service at El Dorado Maroma is unparalleled as well. You don’t have to plan a single thing during your stay if you don’t want to. Simply tell the concierges what you like to do. They can plan every detail to ensure you have the best vacation possible. They will book excursions, car rentals, scuba-certification trips, romantic beachfront dinners, and more. (How about a trail of rose petals from your bubble bath to the bed?)
Palafitos Overwater Bungalows Location
Palafitos overwater bungalows are located in a central location that is easy to get to. It’s in North Playa Del Carmen, only about a 30-minute drive from Cancun International Airport. You can schedule your airport shuttle with the resort before arrival, so you don’t have to worry about a thing once you step off the plane. It will be a happy landing, indeed.
To experience what Mexico is all about, the resort is located near some popular attractions. Some of the best are the Church of Guadalupe, Rio Secreto underwater cave, Quinta Alegria Mall, and Puerto Morelos Reef for some diving. All of these fantastic attractions are within 13 miles or less.
Is Staying at The Palafitos Overwater Bungalows Worth It?
If you’ve ever wanted to experience a stay in an overwater bungalow, I would say the Palafitos overwater bungalows are definitely worth it. Since they are located on mainland Mexico, they are so much easier to access than overwater bungalows in the Maldives or Bora Bora. Especially if you’re coming from the United States — you could get to Riviera Maya in just a couple of hours, making the flight super easy and convenient.
Because of this, the all-inclusive Palafitos overwater bungalows are more value-packed than most other overwater bungalows. Flights to Mexico are super affordable, and once you’re there, you don’t need to worry about much else. By comparison, visiting the Maldives or other small islands can require multiple layovers, and even boat rides to get to your overwater bungalows. (And the costs involved can sometimes be prohibitive.)
In sum, the property is beautiful and has some of the best food, drinks, and amenities you will ever find at an all-inclusive resort.
One thing is for sure — after your superior stay here, you both will yearn to return!
