Caribbean All Inclusives : Caribbean Hotels : Caribbean Resorts : Caribbean Rentals
Barcelo Maya Tropical Beach Traveler Review :: "Amazing Hotel! Never Expected This Beautiful! Deserves 5 Golden Stars!"

---

F U L L     H O T E L     R E V I E W :     

---

Add your own Review Receive Review Updates Via Email View all Barcelo Maya Tropical Beach Reviews

Receive updates of new hotel reviews: Email:

Summary of All Property Reviews Ratings based on answers from a total of 4 reviews (All Reviews) 10 is best 1 is worst
Feature	Ranking	Feature	Ranking
Cleanliness of Property	5.25	Quality of Property	8.50
Privacy & Quietness	0.00	Quality of Service	4.25
Courtesy & Hospitality of Staff	3.75	Accuracy of Website (marketing hype) VS. Actual Experience	5.75
Food and Dining Experience	4.25	Price/Value of Property	3.50
Safety Factor (Did you feel safe at property)	5.00	Quality of Beach (ranked closest beach if property is located off the beach)	8.25
Total Property Score: 4.85 | Average Star Rating: 2.50 out of 5

• 25% (1 visitors of 4) said they would go back to Barcelo Maya Tropical Beach again.
• 25% (1 visitors of 4) said they would recommend Barcelo Maya Tropical Beach to friends.

Add your comments about this review View Comments (1)

This is a very detailed review, if you want cliff notes, just scroll down to the bottom where it says "Final Notes" but I would read everything for the best info :)

INTRO:
My boyfriend, mom, grandma, and I (us being 20 yrs. old while the other 2 were 45 and 69 yrs. old) went to the Mayan Riviera to the Barcelo Maya Tropical Beach Resort from March 9th through March 16th for my college spring break. This hotel is a humongous complex made up of 4 Barcelo hotels (in order from oldest to newest): Barcelo Beach, Barcelo Caribe, Barcelo Colonial, Barcelo Tropical (opened in winter of 2005). We were able to use all the amenities from all the 4 hotels including all restaurants, buffets, theatres, pools, etc.

I would like to start out by saying that this is most definitely one of the most beautiful, luxurious, and well kept hotels I have been to in my life (everyone that traveled with me agrees). I have been to other 5 star All Inclusive Resorts in places like:
Punta Cana, Dominican Republic (Iberostar)
Cancun, Mexico (Gran Caribe Real)
Puerto Vallarta, Mexico (Riu)
I've also been to other Non-All-Inclusive hotels in Hawaii, the Caribbean Islands, I've been on a cruise, etc. so that is to show you that I have traveled a bit and have some things to compare in my opinion.

RESORT GROUNDS:
1st off I want to mention how absolutely BEAUTIFUL this resort was. It had so much lush greenery everywhere and the gorgeous walkways with the pools flowing in and out of each other all around the resort and fountains everywhere. I have to say I was extremely impressed. I've been to some great resorts but this one outdid them in beauty by a long shot. Also, I kept witnessing how well maintained the property was, one person would be mowing the lawn and there would be another worker running behind him sweeping up little amounts of leftover grass (the upkeep everywhere was more than overdone!)
The Beach is 2 KM in length which is 1.2 miles . It has gorgeous white sand stretching throughout and at the very ends of the beach there are beautiful rock formations that people climb onto and witness the crashing waves on. It's pretty beautiful and I liked the beach more here than in most places I've been. There are palm trees right on the beach which I've never seen before so close to the water, however, they are a little trimmed because of the hurricane a few months ago (that was the only damage we pretty much witnessed from the hurricane in that area of Mexico).
The pools are magnificent (there are 2 big pools and a lap pool for the Tropical & Colonial and about 2 more throughout the resort for the other 2 hotels) with fountains streaming in the middle and throughout the sides of each pool. There was also a big waterpark with slides and waterfalls for kids that was in a separate areas. There are palapa roofs everywhere for shade as well as every few feet there are hammocks to lie in-plenty for everyone. You can use any of the pools for any of the 4 hotels because it is all one complex. There are always enough lounge chairs if not too many, never once was there a need to reserve any at the pool or on the beach. The Tropical/Colonial beach where we stayed had a lot less people than the Caribe/Beach side so if you like more privacy I would advise going to that area.

FOOD:
I was more than impressed with the food in this resort. The ONE IMPORTANT THING I RECOMMEND is make reservations for all your restaurants you plan to attend the 1st night you get there (there is a lady at the guest services desk in the main lobby untill 11 pm) because you will not be able to get into anything otherwise, you'll see what I mean if you don't do this. Also getting sick shouldn’t be an issue because we checked and every buffet, bar, restaurant, etc. use bottled water instead of tap for drinks.
The buffets are so big and there is so much variety that I never got to try everything because there was just too much to try from. After looking at what they had to offer there seemed to be something for every kind of taste. They even had a "Kid's Corner" with more American types of foods for the picky eaters if you came with children. There were 2 big buffets that connected for the Colonial & Tropical and then there were 2 more for the other hotels but you could go to any one you want, they are just spread out far away from each other. The buffets had theme nights like the "Seafood" night that our buffets had and they were definitely worth trying. They also had lit up ice sculptures and beautiful decorations outside the buffets every night letting you know what the specialty was. The service in the buffets and restaurants was outstanding, much better than I expected. The buffets even had little red carnations in vases and candles at the table, it was very cute.
The best restaurant would have to be the Japanese "Bali Hai" restaurant BUT YOU MUST MAKE ALL RESERVATIONS THE FIRST NIGHT YOU ARRIVE. We did that right after coming to the hotel and we could only book the Japanese one for the last night of our stay for 9 pm because it was seriously that booked up due to popularity. Other good restaurants to try are the Italian restaurant, the Steak restaurant isn't bad, and we canceled the reservations for the Seafood restaurant but we heard it wasn't that great anyways and the buffets were always amazingly good anyways.
Also on the beach there are the grill buffets with a lot of variety that are really good for lunch or a late breakfast (they open 10:30 to 6:30 pm). There's a few for every hotel along the stretch of the beach (once again you can use any you want).

ENTERTAINMENT:
There are 2 HUGE theatres for the resort at opposite ends of the property and they offer different shows every night and each one has its own show differing from the other theater. The performers there shouldn't be performing in a hotel somewhere but instead on a real stage. I am used to the cheesy, corny mediocre all inclusive resort performances but these nightly shows didn't fit that criteria they were much more entertaining and professional. We only visited the Palenque Theater closer to the Tropical side but I would DEFINITELY RECOMMEND seeing at least 2 shows while you're there.
There is a nightclub by the beach as part of the resort if you want some nightlife called "Captain Morgan's" - inside it looks like a ship but it's an open air club and also has a late night snack bar. It has a music, a bar, a dance floor with disco lights-it's the place most people went after the night shows to party and there were people of all ages there.

ROOM:
Spectacular rooms- we had 2 almost next to each other. We were in the Yucatan building and it was really close to the Tropical Lobby but a little far from the beach, that wasn't too much of a problem though. We sent an email request a week before going to the hotel asking for 2 rooms on the 3rd floor with a nice view and we were granted just that so I would recommend going to the Barcelo website (Google it) and finding the email address and sending your requests to them. The beds were nice, the decoration of the rooms was very pretty, the minibar was restocked daily (we left a little not asking for Diet Coke and they stuffed in 4 bottles a day after that). The safe is really easy to use. The bathrooms are really spacious and have shampoo, conditioner, body wash dispenser refilled daily in the shower. The tub is huge and the shower head has amazing pressure, it's better than mine at home and has different settings. There is a small hairdryer and an iron with an ironing board. My FAVORITE element of the room were the spa style cotton robes that were in the closet in every room for each person, I've never seen that before and was very impressed. There is even a weight scale for those wanting to know how much bigger they've gotten from eating at the buffets :)
The balcony had a beautiful view and was pretty nicely sized in comparison to other places I've stayed and had a collapsible drying rack for wet swimsuits, etc. I really liked the room and how big and well kept it was. We left $1 every day and the room looked like new when we came back from the beach. I have no idea why people said it was bad cleaning when we never had absolutely any issues with it and our maids even left chocolates on our pillows sometimes.

SERVICE:
The people at this hotel remind me of worker bees, that's my best metaphor for them. They are always running around, I never saw anyone relax for a minute. They keep everything SPOTLESS and service is honestly amazing. In the buffets we were always offered Wine and drinks even though there was a bar inside the buffet 2 steps away but they would go get it for you anyways. The maids did a good job, the staff everywhere was always super attentive. Everyone smiles so much and greets you every 2 seconds it's sickening :) They work incredibly hard-up to 12 hours a day, 6 days a week for pennies and yet still seem to work harder than I've ever seen anyone in the U.S. work for my money. I never receive such nice service in nice restaurants at home as I do here so I hope I never hear a rude Mexican joke from anyone again because they work so hard and try to impress everyone so much that I have no idea how anyone wouldn't be satisfied.
**If you don't get offered a drink or something in the buffet or on the beach don't complain just get up and get it yourself 2 steps away. They are always trying to do their best but sometimes they might accidentally miss you or not see you and then people start with the complaining on these reviews but it happens and it shouldn't be what ruins your vacation, just let it go :)

TOURS:
We went on 3 tours in our one week stay there and it was definitely worth it and worth the money. We went to XCARET Natural Park and swam in the underground caves (definitely worth doing!!) which was my 2nd time there but my boyfriend's 1st; we saw the wild animals and the Mayan ballgame and then the night show which was spectacular- one of my favorite tours of all time.
Also we went to Coba which is an ancient city of Mayan ruins and we climbed the highest pyramid that people are still allowed to climb (42 meters or 138 feet) and it was scary but so beautiful from the top and definitely worth doing.
My boyfriend and I also took the Sunset Dinner Cruise tour that was out of Cancun so it took an hour to get there but transportation was provided. It was definitely beautiful and very romantic with a saxophone player, lobster, sunsets, music, dancing, definitely something nice to do :)
I would recommend everyone go take a tour or two because lying on the beach is nice but if you don't see anything around you, then you can't really say you've been there besides inside a hotel. Plus once you're there you need to make the most of your time.

LOCATION:
Playa Del Carmen is 15 minutes away and I heard that it has some nice shopping, Cozumel is 20 minutes away, Tulum is right near by as well, and Xcaret is also 15 min. from there. It's a great location with the most gorgeous beaches, sky, and scenery.

FINAL NOTES:
I would rate this a 5+ star resort and would return in a heartbeat. Everyone's experience will vary but it's definitely worth going and worth the money in my opinion. Amazing food, beautiful beach and sky, lots of activities (watersports of every kind, dancing, games, gyms, nightlife, 3 tennis courts, 5 pools, minigolf course inside the jungle of the hotel, the list goes on), the biggest property I have ever seen!!!!! (you could get lost in all the gardens and fountains and paths :), 4 humongous buffets, a bunch of specialty restaurants, 2 HUGE theatres, a disco, beautiful rooms, amazing service, a great location. Honestly, what more could you want on a vacation if you want to relax and if you get bored do the million activities in and outside of the resort?? One of the best places I've ever been to and would go back to without thinking twice if I get a chance! :)

My email is Jewls567@gmail.com if you have any questions feel free to e-mail me :) Enjoy your vacation!!!!!! :)

Property Review
10 is best 1 is worst

Would you stay at this property again?: ... Yes
Would you recommend this property to your friends?: ... Yes
In your opinion, how would you classify the "style" of this property: ... Family Oriented
Possible Anwswers: Family Oriented, Couples Oriented, Mixed/Diverse in a Good Way, Mixed/Diverse in a Bad Way

• Cleanliness of Property: ... 8
• Quality of Property: ... 10
• Privacy and Quietness: ... 0
• Quality of Service: ... 9
• Courtesy and Hospitality of Staff: ... 9
• Accuracy of Website VS. Actual Experience: ... 10
  
• Food and Dining Experience: ... 8
• Price/Value of Property: ... 9
  
• Safety Factor (Did you feel safe at property): ... 10
• Quality of Beach (ranked closest beach if property is located off the beach): ... 9

Destination/Island Review
10 is best 1 is worst

Would you visit this destination/island again?: ... Yes
Would you recommend this destination/island to your friends?: ... Yes

• Cleanliness of Destination/Island: ... 10
• Options of Activities in the Area: ... 10
• Ease of Transportation (air, taxi, bus, shuttle): ... 9
• Quality of Beaches in the Area: ... 10
• Courtesy & Hospitality of Locals: ... 9
• Safety Factor (Did you feel safe in the Area): ... 9
  
• Local Restaurant Experience/Options: ... 9
• Price/Value of Destination (Does your dollar stretch?): ... 9
  

	Web www.caribbeanmag.com

Puerto Aventuras Links

Island Home | Hotels & Resorts | Hotel Reviews | Maps | Weather | Forums | Island Facts | Attractions | Restaurants | Restaurant Reviews | Island Directory | Island Articles | Travel Tips | Hotel Reservations | Car Rentals | User Photo Galleries | Dive Resorts | Travel Deals