BookIt.com Verified Traveler Michael F. from Webster, Tx

"Pros:
-Staff is VERY friendly
-Resort is very clean
-Snorkeling is good once you swim out of the lagoon.

Cons:
-Food is HORRIBLE at all restaurants except the steakhouse. (And by horrible, we mean H.O.R.R.I.B.L.Y. G.R.O.S.S!)
-No beach!! They have a small lagoon with a small man made beach, but the coastline here is all rocky. No natural beach for miles.
-Nothing, I mean NOTHING to do at the resort after sundown. Even the older European crowd we interracted with expressed dismay with the lack of anything to do after dark. Your going to need to drop 115 pesos each way to get to downtown for something to do each night. (Downtown on 5th avenue is fun. If you can find something closer, stay there! It's only two blocks from the actual beach and turquoise waters!)
-Sinks and showers ran light brown water on the hot setting.
-All new guests are taken to a meeting to try and sell you a timeshare. They said it would be 90 minutes in total, including time to eat. Ours lasted 3 hours.

-Unless you are 90, have no taste buds, and head to bed at 6pm each night, skip this place. We will not return. Ever."

Report as Inappropriate

BookIt.com Verified Traveler Sheri Wong from Port Alberni, Bc

"We stayed from the 6th to the 14th of April and were upgraded to the 'Royal Club' so we were pretty spoiled....
The food was always fresh in the buffet, the restaurant food wasn't always very good, but that's okay we still really enjoyed ourselves....
The staff was so friendly and nice all except the very annoying TIME SHARE people don't get trapped like we did....before we knew it we were spun into their web wasting 3 hours!!!
The man made lagoon is a little small but we still enjoyed the beach and the pool's are kept very clean....We would go back in a second!! If you wanted to bring kid's (which we didn't) but if you did it's perfect with the Adventure park adjoined to the resort...."

Report as Inappropriate

BookIt.com Verified Traveler Stacey from Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin

"The sandy beach is way too small. Very disappointing. The rooms are beautiful and very clean. Staff is wonderful. The timeshare people are everywhere and very pushy!!!! Good food."

Report as Inappropriate

BookIt.com Verified Traveler Maria from Bayside, New York

"We stayed at the Xcaret from April 1st to April 5th 2013 and we loved it. The resort is located in the forest/jungles, there is a lot of wild life to see. the beach is man made a bit small but still enjoyable.
The buffet was ample and the food was fresh. El hacienda restaurant was a big dissapoinment, the food was NOT at all what we had expected.

We would definitely stay there again."

Report as Inappropriate

BookIt.com Verified Traveler Lou from Chicago, Il

"Nice resort. Beach was smaller than we expected. Focus on the food should be quality, not quantity. Would not return to this resort if in the Cancun area again. Good experience overall, but there are better resorts out there. We feel you get what you pay for at the Occidental."

Report as Inappropriate

BookIt.com Verified Traveler Cody from Salt Lake City, Ut

"The Grand Xcaret is a large ground that is beautiful. It is as if you were right in the middle of a jungle with lots of wildlife to see. Large pools and plenty to see. However, this is not what I wanted or expected while in Mexico. The man made beach is very tiny and not what anyone is looking for while staying in Mexico. White sandy beaches... I think not. The food is TERRIBLE. The only decent meal we has was the valentines dinner that we arranged on the man made beach and we had to pay extra for the dinner. The steak at the steak house was hands down one of if not the worst steak I have ever had. I watched two tables including myself have to ask for another steak or to cook the steak some more. The mexican restaurant La Hacienda is far from authentic and have way better mexican at local places in Utah. The buffet's are lack luster and I guess there were no surprises when eating at a buffet at an all inclusive. I would never stay here again and if I could do it all over I would have ensured that there was a beach to relax at and at least half way decent food before returning. The best food we had on the trip was at Senor Frogs at the beach after leaving the resort if that is any indication of how bad it was. The beaches in town at Playa are amazing and I feel bad that we did not get to spend more time on those gorgeous beaches."

Report as Inappropriate

BookIt.com Verified Traveler Dawn from St.catharines, Ont

"Really liked the hotel, the area near the water was uniqe. Didn't like how they played music all day at the beach area cove as there was no other sandy beach area to go to for quiet. The jungle/rainforest was nice.
Buffet was good, but not really impressed with the food/service at the reserved restaurants.
Didn't like the 'time sharing' / information push.
A nice place to stay for a few days..but.far from town or Cancun. A lot of walkng to get around on the resort."

Report as Inappropriate

BookIt.com Verified Traveler Julie from Bradford, Vt

"This was our second time to the resort. We requested a room by a pool, and we got it, although we were on the first floor and facing the woods. Room was clean and comfortable. We were in a very quiet building. Resort still as beautiful as the first time we went, but the food quality and variety had gone down hill a bit from the first time. Do wish that they offered free wi-fi and also more available public computers to use. Internet cafe hours were not available in the evenings. We did visit Xcaret Park, which is a 5 minute walk from the resort, which makes it very convenient. Enjoyed our stay, but will try other Cancun area resorts if we return to Mexico again."

Report as Inappropriate

BookIt.com Verified Traveler Gail from Poplar Bluff, Missouri

"Beautiful location but one must be aware that there is lots of walking at this resort. This was fine for us but for my parents it was not! We probably had to walk 7-8 miles a day. Also, you must know that you have to have pants in order to go to the restuarants; which were not at all what they made you think they were. The buffets were way better."

Report as Inappropriate

BookIt.com Verified Traveler Miguel Flores from Mississauga, Ontario

"Very nice hotel. The beach is the best I have ever been as you can do snorkeling and see school of fishes right there. No waves, perfect for small kids. The food is excellent and there is a lot of variety. The staff is very friendly and serviceable. The lady at the reception was great, always looking after us and helping us with everything. The hotel layout is a mixture of colonial with Venetian type. A bonus is that Xcaret is 5 minutes walking distance from the hotel, so you can go to the park and come back for lunch then go back to watch the night show. The pool is great with lots of activities for everyone."

Report as Inappropriate

BookIt.com Verified Traveler JORGE H GUZMAN from CHELTENHAM, PA

"Well me and my wife pick this hotel, we were thinking about the distance from airport but defenitly not a problem .
the staff of the resort was great they walk the extra mille for us all the time .
the whole entire place was clean .
DEFINITELY WE ARE COMING BACK AGAIN ."

Report as Inappropriate

BookIt.com Verified Traveler Shannon Hines from Nashville, Tennessee

"The location of the resort was a bit deceiving but it was beautiful. The food was great. The staff of the resort was great but the staff with Best Way i had a few issues with first being roundtrip transportation. The trip to the resort was fine but the trip back to the airport we had to be up at 2:30am cause they picked us up at 3:20am when our flight wasnt till 7:00am. Second when we was trying to book our excursion (the bar leaping tour) the guy told us you could that tour is on Monday night cause he was of the next day. Well we didn't get it and come to find out thats wasn't the only night you could go cause we ended up going with a different company. The only other negative thing was we had to request three days throughout our stay to clean our room. I was let down to be honest."

Report as Inappropriate

BookIt.com Verified Traveler Nathan Bandy from Las Vegas, Nevada

"I just can't even put into words how amazing it was. Don't forget to tip your bar tenders, and i PROMISE they will take care of you! The views were amazing, the pools were amazing, the swim up bar...well, I wish I could put one in my house! I would recommend this to anyone. I loved every second of my stay."

Report as Inappropriate

BookIt.com Verified Traveler Denise Ritter from Chicago, Illinois

"I will continuously book this resort... EVERY TIME!!! The staff is so friendly and are there to do whatever you need. The food is excellent, the drinks are great and the landscaping is breathtaking. Every corner there is a new creature just wandering about. It is like a trip to the zoo with free food and drinks. I can not wait until my next trip ."

Report as Inappropriate

BookIt.com Verified Traveler Meggan from Casper, Wy

"First of all it's NOT CANCUN!! It's playe de carmen! If it wasn't for the booze cruise we wouldn't have seen cancun. The staff are amazing!! However my husband was pretty annoyed that the only have corona and sol beer. As far as all the booze you can drink... The alchol is completely watered down!! Which may not be a completely bad thing, but it was gross... You must walk on coral for about 15 minutes before you get to white sandy beach! There is a tinny little man made one. Also we were on our honey moon, there was no special treatment, no extras, no nothing, the only thing we got that was different was a blue armband rather than a red... I didn't get what the point was?? Do not go there for your honeymoon! There were another young couple that said the exact same thing as we arrived and they left. It was very clean, and there is allot to do, but at an additional cost. Like 2-400$$ per person kind of cost. It didn't bother me but my husband(who hasnt really travel) was pretty annoyed. Definetly do the park. The food was okay, it was mostly buffet with the option of 4 free resturant dinners. The Mexican resturants were the best, great, great service!!
Now! The WORST part of the entire trip is that we weren't even there 24 hours and every time we went in and out of our room we were hassled to sit threw a time share speel.... So finally you give in, and there so called 'free breakfast' is the buffet that's free anyway EVERY morning, lmao. Then your pressured to sign and buy a time share. I won't be going there again. The beds were also incredibly hard, and at about seven o'clock in the morning, construction and maitnance started! Not to great when your trying to sleep in a bit.
You get what you paid for, and we have already booked next year, IN cancun, on the beach, no kids!!"

Report as Inappropriate

BookIt.com Verified Traveler N. Carson from Marietta, Ga

"My husband and I stayed at this hotel for four nights...and did not leave the resort at all as it was so relaxing. The complex is situated in a jungle and is quite large and spread out. Everywhere is connected by trails with beautiful tropical vegetation. Wildlife was everywhere, deer, flamingos, tropical birds, type of raccoons, iguanas, lizards and yes we did see a snake! We used the adult only pools everyday. This was a quiet area and we loved the cool seabreeze. They were set out at the edge of the complex overlooking the sea. The water fed directly from the sea and it was nice to swim with all the different types of fish that also swam in the pools. Food was gorgeous. We ate dinner in the seafood restaurant, Mediterranean and Mexican restaurants. The breakfast buffet in the main dining room was incredible....to say the least. At lunch we ate at the buffet near the beach and that too was excellent.....huge variety, good quality food. Waitress service on the beach, dessert left in the room, staff were all very professional and couldn't have been more helpful and friendly....we loved it!
The only negative we had is the shows in the evening were a bit lame.
"

Report as Inappropriate

BookIt.com Verified Traveler EDGAR SANDOVAL from CANCUN, Q.ROO

"EXCELENTE OPCION !!!! EL TRATO DEL PERSONAL ES MUY BUENO Y SON MUY ATENTOS Y EL DESARROLLO TIENE CARACTERIZTICAS ESPECIALES QUE NO HE VISTO EN NINGUN OTRO COMO LA PLAYA DONDE PUEDES NADAR Y ESNORQUELEAR ENTRE INFINIDAD DE PECES, EL ENTORNO TE HACE SENTIR QUE ESTAS EN LA SELVA EN UN AMBIENTE MUY SEGURO. LA CALIDAD DE LAS BEBIDAS MUY BUENAS Y LA COMIDA BUENA A SECAS CON OPCION A MEJORAR // EXCELLENT CHOICE!! TREATMENT OF STAFF IS VERY GOOD AND ARE VERY CAREFUL AND DEVELOPMENT HAS NO SPECIAL CARACTERIZTICAS I HAVE SEEN IN ANY OTHER AS THE BEACH WHERE MANY swimming and snorkeling BETWEEN FISH, THE ENVIRONMENT MAKES YOU FEEL YOU ARE IN A JUNGLE ENVIRONMENT VERY SAFE. QUALITY VERY GOOD DRINKS GOOD FOOD AND A DRY WITH OPTION TO IMPROVE"

Report as Inappropriate

BookIt.com Verified Traveler Tom from Stillwater, NJ

"Our Trip was Phenomenal. We arrived at the resort to be greeted by the manager of the Hotel. She took us into her office to welcome us, explain where things were and how to do certain things. She then gave us a personal tour of the resort. Very Accommodating and genuine.

The Other staff was very friendly and did anything they could do to make sure you were enjoying your self and having a good time.

The food at the restaurants was outstanding. The seafood was our favorite, The steak House which I was looking forward to especially was just alright. There was nothing wrong with the staff or the food, it's just that it wasn't as delicious as the other restaurants we ate at.

Overall I would recommend this resort to any of my closest friends or family. Absolutely wonderful."

Report as Inappropriate

BookIt.com Verified Traveler Eddie Cortez from Las Vegas, Wa

"The Hotel was horrible. I lost 4lbs and my wife 8 because of how bad the food was. The food was 90% Buffett (they say 9 resteraunt most are he same buffet all over) they claim the resteraunts are all booked but when you get in you realize there empty...they are just trying to save money by pushing everybody through that horrid buffet. The drinks are bad they only have 1 beer and it's a watered down Carona. They have 0 straws in the building so if you order a blended margarita or something tough. While your in the pool all it is is a whole bunch of people complaining about the hotel and the food. The building concierge wouldn't speak to my wife unless I was present to make any reservation or anything, (what is this 1825)! Also they don't advertise this but you are only allowed 2 reservations (if they let you have any) per 5 days travel. They wouldn't help. And remember if you lose your beach towel and want another one...that 15 us dollars. If you are a 22year old kid that isn't into service or quality this is you. If your married and want to relaxing vaca...go elsewhere..."

Report as Inappropriate

BookIt.com Verified Traveler Gerald Gwaltney from Kitty Hawk, NC, USA

"Our stay was fine. Somethings could be inproved on, such as room stocking. We did not recieve some things and had to csll for service. Maybe some snacks and drinks around the resort. Other than small problems we would return and refer your resort. Thank You"

Report as Inappropriate

BookIt.com Verified Traveler Cesar Hiponia from Baltimore, Md

"There are definitely some pros and cons with this resort. This was our first trip to Riviera Maya, so I have no basis for comparison. The service, for the most part, was excellent. The staff was friendly and accommodating. Be on the lookout, however, for the "concierge... that ask you about what activities you would like to do while in Mexico. Most of them are baiting you, offering incentives/discounts provided you take part in their 90 minute presentation in which they try to get you to buy their vacation upgrade package. They are friendly enough, but some of them were very pushy and became annoying after a while. We did one of these presentations and received $75 voucher for Xcaret park, so I guess there was an upside to participating. Good for bargain hunters, I suppose. The buffet wasn't bad. There were some gems on the menu (and some flops as well), but it served it's purpose. They offer you a la carte dining as an option to the buffet. Apparently, the seafood restaurant was the only one worth venturing to, but it was always booked up, so we never got a chance to dine and see how good it really was. We went to the Mediterranean restaurant (otherwise known as Italian), but we found them serving the same food as the buffet, except you were limited to a few selections. If you want a cozy, date atmosphere, then definitely do the a la carte. Don't expect much, though. For variety, the buffet is still your best route. The man-made beach was small and always crowded. It was by no means a representation of the actual Caribbean beaches we expected and finally found in Playa Del Carmen. So, if sunbathing and frolicking in a postcard perfect beach is what you are looking for, I strongly advise against staying in this resort, because you will be disappointed. For a supposed Eco-friendly resort, I was amazed at the abundance of noise pollution we were bombarded with everyday. At the beach, by the pool, at the snack bar, almost anywhere we went during the daytime was filled with blaring, loud music. We tried to go to the beach for 3 consecutive days and were literally driven off by the loud music. When we went poolside as an alternative, we were also, once again, driven off by the music. As if the loudness was not bad enough, it was music pumped beyond the volume limits through an inferior sound system, which crackled and popped, the kind of sound that makes your ears ring. Please don't misunderstand. I am a DJ and an avid lover of good music and merrymaking, but everything has a time and a place. I came here to relax and commune with nature. When I am at the beach, I want to hear the surf and the palm trees swaying in the breeze. When I was poolside, I managed to fall asleep listening to the chirping birds for all of 10 minutes before someone decided I should wake up and listen to bad renditions of 90's hits at maximum decibel levels. I am not opposed to designating a quiet area. I am not even opposed to hearing background music every now and then. What they played at Xcaret was inexcusably obnoxious noise. I suppose they assumed that people sitting quietly by the pool are bored and must, therefore, be roused up by a constant injection of adrenalin. I went to Riviera Maya because I did not want the MTV spring break at Cancun atmosphere. Xcaret was a bad rendition of that. If you are looking for peace and quiet, definitely stay away from this resort. On another note, as far as the Eco-friendliness of the resort is concerned, we ended up tending to the deer they had corralled in the middle of the resort. We noticed, after two days, they had no food and their water was brown and dirty. We spoke to the management about it and they assured us that they would take care of it. They never did. We ended up feeding the deer with whatever fruits we could smuggle out of the buffet and I found the hose that supplied their water and turned it on. Great job, Xcaret. Animal lovers, stay away, or you might be disappointed. The grounds were kept relatively clean. The pool always had sand and leaves, and an occasional plastic cup that drifted from the pool bar. The poolside jacuzzi worked every once and a while. The room we stayed in smelled of mildew and a bit outdated. It's a 30 year old resort that needs upgrading. And it shows. Considering the food, accommodations, and airfare, this was a good value. However, because there is no actual beach, the noise levels, and all the little annoyances, I will not return to this resort. It's not the vacation paradise they made it seem like on their website. Some people might disagree, but this place is not for me. There are other resorts at the same price range that seem more promising."

Report as Inappropriate

BookIt.com Verified Traveler Kristin from Buffalo, NY

"Overall the trip was good but there were def things to complain about. When we got there the resort was only 38% full and we requested a king bed and got 2 full beds, so the second night we had to change rooms in order to get our Kind bed. Then we stayed 5 nights and we could only make 3 dinner reservations, and when we went to make the reservations all of the good restaurants were full. But we did go onto the waiting list and we ending up getting the reservations we wanted. The food and drinks were both very good. Most of the service was good and very friendly. The resort was huge so if you do not like walking do not stay here. Also it is an eco friendly resort so animals everywhere and no straws available. Def a family resort, kids everywhere. Room service was great. No free room upgrades, and they try to get you to join there Royal Club every day. We went to Xplor next door and it was alot of fun! Ziplining, four wheeling, swimming in caves, and rafting in caves! Ride into Playa del Carmen is only $11 to go shopping, very safe."

Report as Inappropriate

BookIt.com Verified Traveler Dacy Larkins from Paducah, KY

"This was one of the greatest vacations we have ever been involved with. The moment we stepped out of the airport our Travel Guide was waiting to assist us and walked us through our transportation to the Resort. Once at the Resort everything went perfect. the grounds were beautiful, the staff was more than friendly and there were plenty of things to do on the Resort. The rooms were great and the city of Playa del Carmen was just up the road and was fantastic to visit. I highly reccomend this Resort and we will be returning to take in more of the fun. Thanks so much!"

Report as Inappropriate

BookIt.com Verified Traveler Robert from Fountain Valley, CA

"Our overall experience was great. Rooms were clean, resort was nice and everybody was extremely friendly and helpful. The only not so great thing was the food. Food definetly could of been better. Our best meal was at Los Olivos our last night and also trying to get a reservation at the restaurants was near impossible. Otherwise, everything else was amazing and wonder. Would definetly go back."

Report as Inappropriate

BookIt.com Verified Traveler Jessica from Kaukauna, Wi

"Overall, we had a good experience. It was my first time taking a international trip and really wasn't sure to expect. When we first arrived at the resort, there was some confusion as to how to check in. Once we figured out where to go, the customer service was very helpful. With the resort being so large, it was really nice that they walked us to the building so we wouldn't get lost. The front desk person was extremely helpful and booked both our restaurant nights for us so we wouldn't have to worry about that. The room was very nice, we were upgraded to a junior suite. The housekeeping staff were very professional with cleaning. They left us food every day for us to try. Room was very nice and clean. The view we had of the ocean was very nice. The building was very quiet and relaxed, not too much excessive noise from other guests. When you at dinner at one of the several restaurants, the food was very good. Well prepared, and the wait staff was very helpful and attentive. You are only allowed 2 reservations for the restaurants when doing the all inclusive, so then the remaining nights we ate at the le buffet dinner. The food there was okay. Most of the time I found it to be pretty bland tasting. I'm sure they have to keep it that way to be more considerate of all the guests. The staff at the resort were very friendly and helpful whenever we had questions or were lost. The resort is very large so you will be doing a lot of walking. We didn't mind at all and thought it was a good way to work out and burn off some of our drinks :) they do have golf carts that come around and take guests where they need to go as well. Oh and the resort is based on an inlet, so you are not directly on the beach with the ocean. We knew that when we booked so weren't surprised. The inlet is still very nice and can snorkel and watch the fish swimming around. Couple of complaints - The bars typically close down at like 6pm. This can be a little frustrating when you want to sit and relax by the water. It would be helpful if the bars and buffet areas would stay open longer. We also did a meeting for the vacation club, which was a mistake. They offered to pay for our taxi for the day and provide us with a bottle of tequila, so we gave it a shot. It was supposed to be about 90 minutes long. It was absolutely TERRIBLE. We had to sit for breakfast and answer questions. Then we had to go around and look at the buildings that are part of being a member of the club. We then proceeded to sit with the manager and have them go over the finer details of being a club member. They kept repeating that they weren't a time share...but it was pretty much exactly what it was. They wanted us to give them almost $18,000 and sign a contract. When we pretty much said we weren't interested, they didn't act very professional and got a little rude. We tried to be polite, it just wasn't something we are interested in right now with still paying off student loans. We finally had to put our foot down and just say it wouldn't happen, nearly 2 1/2 hours later. That was the worst part of the trip!"

Report as Inappropriate

BookIt.com Verified Traveler Jennifer P from MA, MA

"AMAZING!!!! Will go back as soon as we can!!!"

Report as Inappropriate

BookIt.com Verified Traveler Amit from Lake Worth, FL

"Great place, beautiful property, friendly and attentive staff, a couple of tiny issues that were resolved quickly, but nothing that ruined our experience. It's a really great place and we had a fantastic time!"

Report as Inappropriate

BookIt.com Verified Traveler Karen And Robin from Wellesley, Ontario

"We did the upgrade to the Royal Club - totally worth the extra money. The food in the restaurant there was better than anywhere else on the resort and the wait staff were superb. The tuna sashimi just melts in your mouth.....yum. Mango margaritas- YUM. The air conditioning was the quietest I've ever experienced. A rolled up towel on the lounge chair means it's available. The staff put rolled up towels on all the chairs at the Royal Club in the morning. It took us a couple of days to realize that and we kept thinking all the chairs were claimed. Watch out for the 'Vacation Club' presentation - they say it's not a time share but it is. It is part of the concierge's job to get you to go to the presentation. They say it will take 90 minutes - we were 4 1/2 hours - lost an entire afternoon. Don't do it. Unless you are into it - we had them down to $13,000 from $40,000 with a free trip to Hawaii thrown in....so keep pretending you're not sure and they'll keep dropping the price. Xcaret park is worth doing - the evening show alone is worth the price of admission. Go early in the morning for the river swims - much quieter and more enjoyable. The resort is big - it took a full 10 minutes to walk from the Royal Club to the main lobby, but alot of the pathways have shade. Playa del Carmen is a short drive away - worth going to for shops, bars and restaurants. About a $12 cab ride. Most shops are open until 11pm. Mango's Bar and Grill in Puerto Aventuras is excellent, but it is a bit farther away - $22 cab ride.....I loved the mango coconut shrimp - flambeed at your table. It's a small open air restaurant that is easy to miss. We're so glad we didn't miss it."

Report as Inappropriate

BookIt.com Verified Traveler Chuck O'NEAL from Gold River, Ca

"Warning , a good value is not always a good deal !!!  Reservations at this 'all-inclusive' resort confirmed a 'Deluxe Room with upgrade to a Junior Suite.' Upon arrival at noon, it was confirmed that a Junior Suite was available but the room would not be available for 3 more hours.  Upon our return for the room key, the  Junior Suite was no longer available. The 'Honeymoon Package Upgrade' was non-existent. There are no elevators in the various 3-story residential buildings. Stairs are the norm. This is a very large property and access to the various restaurants, the main hotel lobby,  and the beach areas require za lot of walking. You need to be in good physical shape. Housekeeping service was 'spotty.'.  One day, there was no maid service. On other days, soiled towels were not replaced, even if they were purposely  left on the floor to get the housekeeper's attention.  We were provided only one washcloth during our entire stay. There was no hot water after our first day at the beach. On another day, water shut off altogether in the middle of a shower. Although there are 5 specialty restaurants on this property, reservations are required and can only be secured via a concierge specifically assigned to your building. You may not call a restaurant for reservations! You may not call your concierge for reservations! You are required to see your specific concierge personally to make reservations. On just one day, the computer was 'down' three times, and reservations could not be made. Often, there were people waiting in line to make dinner reservations. After a lot of hassle, we managed to eat in two of the specialty restaurants during our seven-day stay. Posters on the property advertising two free tickets to Excaret Eco Park venue were no longer available upon inquiry. There was no substitute offering. Food at the hotel was, at best, average. Table settings and service staff were always very pleasant. Cleanliness of the buffet and food presentation did not seem to be a priority, so early attendance for meals is encouraged. Wi-Fi is not free ..... $5 per hour / $20 per day. Taxis are charged a fee to enter onto the property to pick you up to travel to other destinations around the Playa del Carmen area.  As a result, you will pay 30% to 50% for for taxi fare to leave this property. There are several travel / tour agent companies on the hotel property, all who sell excursions at inflated rates . We bought a full day tour to Chitzen Itza at the inflated rate, then learned later that we also had to take a $15 taxi ride just to get to a pick-up point elsewhere. The actual tour operator was so embarrassed at our lack of assistance that they actually made arrangements to insure that we would be dropped off directly at our hotel on our late night return. One very positive note....the grounds and public bathrooms were impressively maintained."

Report as Inappropriate

BookIt.com Verified Traveler Jason from Athens, Ga

"We just returned from our honeymoon 2 days ago. We could not have been more pleased! The staff was beyond friendly, every single staff member spoke to us every time we walked by. They dropped what they were doing to help us and answer our questions - instead of pointing to the direction, they escorted us to where we wanted to be. Upon arrival, our suite was immediately upgraded. The room was perfect - very secluded and private. We stayed at the Royal Club, hands-down the best way to go. You get a private pool, restaurant, beach, and room service on top of all the great amenities offered in the rest of the resort. Our biggest issue was trying to decide what to do each day - there are so many options from pools, to activities, to beaches, to scenic areas. Our only complaints - the bars did not open until 10:30am which is really not that big of a deal. Also, it says Adults Only but that is clearly not the case. I was disappointed at first, but after the first day I really did not care. There are so many things to do that you don't notice the kids - there are also so many family/kids activities during the day that they are mostly in separate areas anyway. The biggest disappointment was the bed, usually at hotels the beds are the best, most comfortable part but the bed was really firm - EXTRA FIRM and not too comfortable. Needless to say, we cannot wait to return and bring friends! :)"

Report as Inappropriate

BookIt.com Verified Traveler Katrina

"This was a great vacation. There are always little things that come up where ever you go, but the overall experience was worth it. From the food to the room we felt our money was well spent."

Report as Inappropriate

BookIt.com Verified Traveler Stephanie from Omaha, Nebraska

"At this resort, be prepared to walk miles, as this is a rather large resort. In the entry way of each villa, their is a man awaiting to help you plan your excursions; however, they will also ask you to view their 'time shares'. FYI go to the front lobby/hospitality to plan your excursions. The buffet is not so good...cockroaches in there, and any place that you go to eat, you must wear a shirt, shorts and shoes, including the snack bar. The so called ecological park adjacent to the resort is nearly $500.00 USD for a family of four just to get in. Rip off! Anything that you decide to do in that park costs extra. I felt that the staff was friendly, but was more apt to do more if you tipped well, which is common. Man made beach was terrible. The rooms were clean, but the pillows smelt like musty rags. We won't ever go to this resort again."

Report as Inappropriate

BookIt.com Verified Traveler Mg from Doraville, GA

"Beautiful, but they ran out of ice, small cups for drinks, mexican food not that good)strange for being in Cancun), sushi great but you need to wait hoursssss for service."

Report as Inappropriate

BookIt.com Verified Traveler Matthew Fahl from Palm Bay, FL

"Overall, we had a very pleasant stay at the hotel. All of the staff was extremely helpful and friendly. The food was very good, even at the generic buffets. The park next door was a unique experience, especially the main show. Watch out for many attempts to tie up your time with timeshare presentations (unless you're into those). We first ran into these at the airport where a someone who appeared to be an airport information guide directed us to a salesman who first gave us a lot of information about the area, but ended up enticing us to attend a timeshare presentation at another resort (with a $50 deposit to make sure we attended). At the Occidental, we were accosted every time we came downstairs from our room with offers to attend the presentation there. When we finally gave in, the promised 90 min presentation turned out to be 3 hours. One last warning - watch your speed on the highway between the airport and the resort. The speed limit changes constantly and everyone seems to drive at least 10 kph over the limit. We were stopped by the local cops for 93 khp in an 80 zone."

Report as Inappropriate

BookIt.com Verified Traveler Angelita Dimacali from Stamford, CT

"Very kind, polite, friendly staff. Had a fun time during the 5 days stayed in the hotel."

Report as Inappropriate

BookIt.com Verified Traveler Diane Travis from Ruby, MI

"The only thing 4 star about this resort is the grounds and the buildings. The grounds are beautiful and very clean and well kept. The hotel service is average. Just what you would expect at any hotel. I stayed for 5 nights and was only allowed to eat at the ala carte restaurants 3 times. The food at these restaurants were of the quality of a family restaurant nothing special and so was the wait staff. The Buffet food was average and alot of the hot foods were just warm. Usually you had to go and get your own drinks, there were very few cocktail servers. Selections of mix drinks were good but beer was Corna draft only or 2 dark and 1 light bottled beer which was only served at 1 bar and the beer was warm. The front desk staff was very friendly and extra helpful. Be careful of people offering you discount tickets it comes with a 3 hr vacation club talk."

Report as Inappropriate

BookIt.com Verified Traveler Felicity from Milton, Ontario

"Great place to stay for both adults and teenagers! Clean,food was good and staff were courteous, informative and spoke english!. great location to ecological park...as must see as well as not to far from other great sightseeing tours (tulum,coba). I would recommend this resort to anyone and everyone...so much so that we bought into the properties! thanks to all for an amazing vacation!"

Report as Inappropriate

BookIt.com Verified Traveler Jeff from Minneapolis, Minnesota

"This is our second time and we loved it even more the second time. the lagoon beach and excellent lodging including food that we now have to try and exercise off our bodies made it a wonderful trip. Great location near awesome excursion adventures that we saved money by reserving with the beach fun club instead of paying big travel agency expense higher costs. stay away from the 90 minute sales pitch though, it's 3 hours and a really hard sell. They need to do better with that."

Report as Inappropriate

BookIt.com Verified Traveler Dennis K. from Loveland, Colorado

"We had a great relaxing and rejuvinating vacation. We have been to many different places in Mexico and have been to other places in the Playa del Carmen area but this was our first time stay at the Occidental Grand Xcaret. Easy check-in at the front desk with no problems, even requested and reeceived a king sized bed. The first thing we noticed was the expansive size of the resort but don't let that fool you it is still easy to walk around. And the best part is for people who have a hard time walking is they have a great shuttle service that goes around the outside of the grounds and has a number of key stops for pick-up and drop off. Beautiful well maitained landscaping. The food for the most part was pretty good at the buffet. We did do a few nights at there many different restaurants, the best we thought was the Asain. The rooms are large and very clean, one draw back is the too small of mini bar in the rooms. Great varity of activities to do day and night. Great staff who try very hard each and every day to brighten your stay. One big key plus for us was their pool side wait staff taking orders for beverages!! We had Susana in the adult only beach by the ocean and she was outstanding!!! Bottom line, great value for your money, wonderful place for families of all sizes and ages to relax and have fun!"

Report as Inappropriate

BookIt.com Verified Traveler Cathy from St.clair, Mi

"All in All- The weather just can't be beat, always nice and hot, Go to relax, and enjoy. The resort is nice, the food is just ok,(make sure u bring anti-diarrhea pills)Bring ur own cups, don't think they are rinsing the cups @ bar good, looks like they have soap still in.,(that will give u diarrhea) The resort is clean, friendly, We have been to nicer places for the money. The guys hate having to wear long pants to dinner, we are on vacation come from cold, and they don't want to be told want to wear,, They look nice in dress shorts and see no reason why that will not do!!!!!!!! I will not recommend just because we have stayed @ lease expenives places and no one had gotten sick!!!!!!!Things in mexico r getting more and more expensive, lets support the usa more."

Report as Inappropriate

BookIt.com Verified Traveler Kathy from Brooklyn, Iowa

"Our stay was wonderful. Our safe would not open upon are arrival, but concierge contacted maintenace immediately it required new batteries and was fixed. We had a promotional upgrade to a suite, received the upgrade so had bottle of tequila and rum waiting for us along with fruit and chocolate covered strawberries and other snacks everyday. Only thing we think could be improved is door on bathroom, it had louvers in the middle so not much privacy in the bathroom. Overall buffets and restaurants were very good and all you want to eat and drink. Staff were very friendly and helpful. Grounds and beach were very clean sand was raked daily. Many activities, water aerobics, miniature golf, snorkeling, archery, tennis, shuffelboard, karoke, ect. We're ready to go again. Thank you for a great time!"

Report as Inappropriate

BookIt.com Verified Traveler Martha Banning from Overland Park, Kansas

"We really enjoyed our stay at the property. We got a very good deal and everything went very smoothly. I will definitely book here again."

Report as Inappropriate

BookIt.com Verified Traveler Trenna from Airdrie, AB

"What an amazing experience. I did, however, worry if everything was going to fall into place properly and it did. This hotel is a great choice, it has everything you will ever need....a village in itself. You could just spend all of your time there and be happy."

Report as Inappropriate

"I wouldn't go back to this resort. I am very well traveled to this area. Their beach is not a beach, it is a man made cove with brown water. The restaurants that are supposedly too booked to accept a reservation are desolate, so they try to force you to eat at the buffets. We went to the main buffet once & sat for 10 minutes without service & the 'meat' plates were all empty.

The resort itself was okay, so was the layout. The best thing about this trip was the photographer at the resort doing a great job & taking some great pictures of us. There also is top shelf liquor at this resort so it isn't watered down Bacardi wanna be. Again, place isn't terrible, but I would classify this as a 3 star resort at best. I have been to this area 29 times, the best so far was the Secrets Capri."

Report as Inappropriate

"My Tiger and I went to Mexico in March 2010 for our Honeymoon ,we chose Mexico Occidental Grand Xcaret! We could not be more pleased...friendly staff,great sun,beach,food...fun in the sun! We had learned lots about mexican culture and had splendid vacation! Miss it and will be back for sure! Urs"

Report as Inappropriate

"It was the worst experience in Riviera Maya I ever had in my whole life, worst service, really cheap food and the beach is only called a beach, there is really no beach at all."

Report as Inappropriate

"We had a total of 25 people come to the resort for my sisters wedding. My close family and I stayed in the royal club. So worth the extra money. Treated like queens, great food great service. The private pool was a drag because it was shaded most of the time by trees but other than that we loved it. The beach is beautiful plenty of room to spread out. They put the wedding on for us it was so beautiful. The preacher did am amazing job it wasn't your line by line wedding service. The preacher made it unique beautiful and intimate. The buffet choices are a little average but if you eat the buffet get the plank stake. I love this place and we have already booked another trip."

Report as Inappropriate

"If you typically stay at nice beach resorts as I do, you will be VERY disappointed all the way around at this resort. There is little to no ambiance or decoration. The decorations that they have are too small or of poor quality (plastic chairs, undersized prints on the wall, tree stumps used for decoration). The food was terriible, to the point that I lost weight on vacation. If you like wine, you will also be VERY unpleased with the 2 wine selections that are included in the 'all-inclusive' deal. They were nearly undrinkable.
The pool loungers are in poor shape, the beds are covered in plastic and very uncomfortable. I can't emphasize enough what a let down this resort was.

"

Report as Inappropriate

"This resort was recommended to us but we felt that it was not fantastic, barely rated a 4 star. The resort was huge and the shuttles were slow, so be prepared for a lot of walking. The food was not bad but not great either, with the exception of the El Pescador seafood restaurant and the steak house which were very good. The staff were insistent on constantly trying to get you to a timeshare presentation. This can be expected when outside your resort but was horribly annoying when on the resort and you're trying to relax. The beach was incredibly small and overcrowded."

Report as Inappropriate

"The staff was exceptional. Each day we were taught a little Spanish. The grounds were beautifully maintained and the were a lot of things to do right on the grounds of the hotel"

Report as Inappropriate

"Beautiful experience."

Report as Inappropriate

"Pues nuestra estancia en el hotel estuvo mas o menos no me gusto porque las habitaciones estaban muy retiradas y no habia mucha variedad de comida solo 1 restaurant el bufet lo demas estaba muy feo y todos los dias lo mismo y los restaurantes con reservacion fue una confusion que el dia que fuimos que ahi no la teniamos muy desorganizados y la cerveza que supuestamente la ponen cada tercer dia la tenia que andar pidiendo porque no la ponian en los restaurantes con reservacion no habia banos cerca teniamos que bajar o salir del restaurant en la discoteca musica. las personas entraban y escuchaban la musica y mejor se salian y todos los dias la misma musica y las canciones que a la misma hora para tener acceso al internet teniamos que pagar no lo tenian abierto y estaba muy caro, pues no estuvo el hotel tan bonito como lo exponen y no tiene 5 albercas solo 3 y un poco elevado el precio del paquete y deberian incluir los pases park el parque.
For our stay at the hotel was more or less because I did not like the rooms were very withdrawn and not much variety of food had only 1 buffet restaurant the other it was very ugly and every day the same and restaurants with reservation was a confusion that the day that there were not very disorganized and we had beer that supposedly put every other day had to walk the not asking because they placed in restaurants with reservation had no bathrooms we had to close down or leave the restaurant at the disco music. people came and listened to music and best came out and every day the same music and songs at the same time to access the internet we had to pay had not opened and was very expensive, because the hotel was not as nice as presented and has 5 pools only 3 and slightly raised the price of the package and should include park passes the park.
"

Report as Inappropriate

"Food was awful - greasy!!! Could not cash our ameircan travellers cheques; hotel main desk personnel are impossible to deal with. Restaurants are substandard - one night husband had a good steak at the steak house, next night it was light shoe leather. Rooms were not cleaned to standard. Shows were very substandard. DEFINITELY DEFINITELY WOULD NOT RETURN TO THIS RETURN NOR WOULD WE RECOMMEND ANYONE ELSE ATTENDING."

Report as Inappropriate

"We recently stayed at the Hotel Resort june 1-8. We love it there. My husband and I have been to Cancun serveral times and stayed in some pretty nice all-inclusive resorts, so after reading some of the reviews were we a little nervous. When we purchased the vacation you purchase this room you will be upgraded to a jr suite so we did the promotion for the upgrade. Well when we got to the Resort at check in they did not give us or the couple we were traveling with the upgrade we had purchased so we had to get a manager. Well after about an hour of complaining it was taken care of and we ended up getting the upgrade we purchased. After the check in I was a little more nervous about our choice but honestly that was the only problem we had the whole time we were there. We had no problem booking our reservations for the al la carte places, and all were really good food. The Buffet was pretty much the same for breakfast every morning. So I would say the Buffet food was ok but not bad at all. We loved the feel of the hotel its pretty amazing. We swam in all the different pools. It was a great time and dispite the room problems we had we would definately go back. The entertainment was good at night all the bars were good. The people were really nice and we felt very comfortable there. My husbands only complaint was their beach is not an actual beach its man made which it is very nice, but he prefers a real beach. So I would say if you are on the fence about going here after reading the reviews then dont let the reviews scare you. This is a really nice resort close to alot of the tours people book in Cancun. We went to XPLOR which is right next to the resort and we had a blast. We also went to Playa Del Carmen to do shopping and play at the beach there and it was an $11 taxi fee. So if you plan on doing XPLOR book your tour through the the resort because since you are so close you dont have to pay for transportation and they will shuttle you there and back."

Report as Inappropriate

"Reservation was messed up, thew moved us 3 times, 2nd time i was with a room for 5 hours, Service was very poor, i noticed that the hotel was short of staff, 1 waiter for 50 people not GOOD., YOU SHOULD RATE THIS HOTEL WITH LESS STARS AT LEAST WE WOULD REALIZE WHAT TO exPECT!!!!!!!!! also need to let Us people know that WIFI is 86 DLLS por week! and there is only a horseshoe shape beach. The place is beautiful no doubt about it, shame for the service!"

Report as Inappropriate

"We had a fabulous time at this resort. One thing I was very impressed with was the amount of and variety of entertainment throughout the resort even into the night. Lots to do right there. Very good food. The only thing that bothered us was that we were sucked into the Members Club pitch. We were very clear that our only intention was to receive the discounted tickets to Explor, and were told that it would only last 90 minutes. Well double that. Even when we tried to nicely say we weren't interested, we were harassed about it. So if you go to this resort, just pay full price to go on excursions if you have no interest in becoming a member."

Report as Inappropriate

"Our recent stay at the Occidental Grand Xcaret was relaxing and rejuvinating to say the least. Our expectations were exceeded at every turn. On two occasions our own carelessness placed us in a predicament which, with one simple call to the front desk, was quickly eficiently and cheerfully remedied by the Resort staff. The property is very clean, well cared for and in excellent repair. The location, adjacent to Xcaret Park, and very close to Xplor, The Jewelery Factory, CoCoBongo, Deep Sea Fishing, Snorkeling, and shopping in Playa Del Carmen, is also extremely conveniant. We had a wonderful time here, will return, and will definitely recomend this location to anyone planning to stay in the area."

Report as Inappropriate

"LOVE, LOVE, LOVED IT!!!! We received VIP treatment from the moment of arrival right up until we left. I would recommend the resort to any and all. When I go on vacation again, I would pay attention to the added things that you can take part in as it is not adverttised. eg., painting pottery/renting the scuba equipment, etc. Also, it is a larger resort, being 27 acres, so lots of walking and stairs. Fantastic gym and equipment, top notch for a resort. A massage on the beach or in the open air was one thing I was looking forward to, however, the prices are very high so I did not partake.

THE ONLY DRAWBACK is the fact that it is not beach front property, lagoon is not a beach front property, which we were under the impression that it is. It also advertises that it is 5 minutes from Playa Del Carmen; more like 15 minutes, by CAB."

Report as Inappropriate

"exelente resort tuve una estancia muy placentera."

Report as Inappropriate

"Fantastic! Greatest vacation every. Lots of pools, great beach, fantastic staff, great rooms, food is amazing, bars are allot of fun, nightlife, friendly guests, great shopping, whatever you want, lots of activity. We had the most amazing time just makes me want to holiday there definately worth the money time and travel."

Report as Inappropriate

"That was an amazing paradise everything was fantastic. Great job Mexico :)"

Report as Inappropriate

"If you asked me would I come back, in a heart beat...... My wife and I spent our 30th anniversary here and it was perfect. Best day was great at setting up our tours and even thought there was a scheduleing problem they fixed it and made it seemless. I love this place.

"

Report as Inappropriate

"I have been on 2 cruises that past 2 Christmas' and this year we wanted to go to an all inclusive in Mexico. After reading the reviews my family and the friends we went with were very nervous about going. We left the week before Christmas and returned Christmas Eve. Before going I e-mailed the MOD at the resort and ask for an free upgrade to the Royal club. They E-mailed me back and said they were booked for that week in the royal club but would take care of us. I never thought any more about it. When we arrived we all had VIP next to our names we had 3 rooms booked all suites. They took us in a back room an served us champenge and fruit and checked us in and they walked us to our rooms. We had requested rooms in building 18 close together and that is what we got. The MOD when we arrived had a bottle of tequilla in each room and a basket of fruit and little sandwiches. The resort is beautiful. The first day I ran into the manager that I e-mailed and she remember me and welcomed us and made sure everything was okay. I had a gallbladder issue before I left and was limited on what I could eat. Plenty of fruit and veggies and fish and bread. Their were 8 of us in our party and none of us got sick. We only had a toilet run over one time and that was the highlight of our 'bad times'. I think people that have been to this resort really need to take a look at themselves and what they expect. We knew it was buffett food and that the restruants did not have great reviews but to say it was not edible is crazy. We enjoyed most of the food. Your vacation is what you make of it. We will return to this resort and tell all of our friends about it. My son really enjoyed the tennis expert. He really learned a lot from him. We had one of the best week of our lives. I know that if we go again we will get the same and know that at any resort you can eat something that may make you sick. We did not feel pressured by the time share people however we did do the tour because we were interested. The staff were constantly working on the resort. I read one review that should a few missing tiles in the pools. Yes there are missing tiles in and around the pool but there are probably over 300,000 tiles!!!! get over it and move on they can not fix everything at once or drian the pool all the time then people would really complain. Occidental Grand Xcaret get a 5 star from me not matter what little things could have been better they went above and beyond our expectations. Hope your stay goes as well as ours. If you have a problem just be calm and ask for what you need and there should not be a problem."

Report as Inappropriate

"My husband and I went here with a group of 6 best friends. Overall, we had a very good time. The price was great for the length of stay. The food was good, the views were excellent, the rooms were nice. We went to the Xcaret Park next door and had an amazing time floating in the caves. Two of us went to Xplor Park and had a great time as well with ATVs, more cave floating, and ziplining. It was also great to have coffee on the beach.



However, there were some things we would all change... 1) The beds were very firm. None of us were used to having such a firm bed! 2) This is NOT a no-smoking resort. I wish I had known this when I went. As a non-smoker, this was a major downfall for me. Everywhere we went there were smokers--poolside, outside of restaurants, in hallways, the lobby. There was not a specific reserved smoking area. 3) This is NOT an adult-only resort. There were children that were on their best behavior, but there were also screaming children and crying babies. Sure, there were adult swimming areas, but they only had 20 beach chairs, and there were STILL children swimming with us! 4) Be prepared for in-your-face marketing, whether for excursions or for the Occidental Timeshares available. We would be laying on the beach, and next thing you know, you have an employee waving pamphlets for you to view. I simply went to the beach to relax, but felt like I couldn't. 5) They don't tell you this, but there is a restriction to the number of reservations you can make for the finer restaurants. We were there for 7 nights, but we could only eat in the Italian/Mexican/Oriental/Steakhouse/Seafood restaurant for 4 reserved dinners. The rest of the time, we ate the same buffet every day. I have never been to a resort where you were limited on reservations.



All in all, I had a good time, but these are things I would change."

Report as Inappropriate

"Wonderful trip we went to celebrate my wife's birthday and were extremely happy. If I had one thing to comment on in the negative sense it would be the folks that came up to us and tried to get us to take a time share tour. But it paid off if you dont give in the first day or two they will offer you tickets to the Xcaret park for free and a free bottle of tequila :) We had a birthday dinner in the Steak house (Senora) which was Outstanding completed with a wonderful cake and Mariachi singing Happy Birthday."

Report as Inappropriate

"The place was fantastic, the food was delicious, the staff were very friendly and helpful, I am planning on coming back."

Report as Inappropriate

"This was to be my husbands second trip to the resort after a great first time 4 yrs ago. This was our honeymoon! We were promised champagne and chocolate strawberries, breakfast in bed etc and we got NONE of these even after multiple complaints to management. Things broke easily in the room or were already broken, and the staff gave us those I doubt it looks. We weren't allowed to take any food out of any buffets or restaurants, and I was almost mugged by staff bc I walked out with a diet soda. Supposed to be all inclusive, and to take food for a snack later (i am diabetic) I had to sneak it out. To top it off the buffet food was not up to par and never changed. The steak house was good though. Our waitress at the pool was GREAT thank you!!!! The pools all had huge amounts of mold on the walls, tiles missing everywhere to cut your feet on, and black mold all over the swim up bar!!!! I took pictures that I wish I could post here. The beach was great it was a fav spot, but it is small. The resort is very large so if you mind walking or can't this isn't the place for you. Xcaret park next door has a great show at night, but otherwise it's a lot of walking to see animals in not very large living areas. It made me sad for them. Overall the staff were friendly but definetely made us feel we were being yes'd to death with no results. We will never return, and I am just glad my husband and I can have fun anywhere because this resort stunk. There was no nightlife basically, and we went into the sports bar where they had advertised sunday night football and the bartender Refused to change the channel from soccer to football! My hubby was NOT happy!!! From the outside it looks like an amazing place, but up close it is filthy!"

Report as Inappropriate

"Check in was a bit of a hassle at the Occidental Grand Xcaret. About an hour after check in we were told they did not have a room for us. Little time later we finally got our room and turns out those keys didn't work. After a couple trips back and forth between the villa and the lobby(decent size walk) we had to get yet another room. Workers at the front desk were not very helpful during the situation. Other than that the resort itself was gorgeous. Waiters/waitresses were wonderful and the restaurants were delicious. Buffet was alright at both locations. I recommend the coba trip... Worth it!"

Report as Inappropriate

"I thought they entire hotel was very nice and the people were extremely friendly, the only complaints that I would have is I did not think the rooms were all that great as the beds were hard, our room smelt like smoke, door handles would fall off, and it just didnt seem all that clean like the rest of the resort. My other complaint would be the lack of entertainment more so during the night life. It seemed like every night was a routine because there was also one stage show that would last until about 11pm and then everything clsoed except a disco bar so every night you went there unless u wanted to go to bed early. All the pool bars closed at 7pm and other outside bars at 11. The place itself was gorgeous and we also really enjoyed our shore excuresion."

Report as Inappropriate

"We just came back from a 4 night stay at the Occidental. We had a great time. The resort is beautiful but VERY large and sprawling. If you have any issues walking around, you will want to bypass this resort. But if you enjoy walking you will get plenty of walking in! The beach was small but very clean. The downsides are that there is wasn't much to do here at all except lay, eat or go shopping (they have plenty of stores. The food was okay. The restaruants were very good but the buffet was average. We couldn't get into the restaurants we wanted so we were dissapointed. But all in all, we had a nice time with the kids for a great price."

Report as Inappropriate

"If youre debating whether or not to stay here take it from me I researched all the hotels this was by far the best choice! If you want a combination of jungle with the beach this is your hotel. I celebrated my 24th birthday here and I was very pleased with the hotel.

If you stay here it is worth your money to get the all-inclusive package you will not pay for anything!!
Unlimited drinks!!! (Tequila, wine, beer)
Unlimited food (breakfast, lunch ,dinner and a tacos or pizza place for late night cravings is open until 2 am.)
Daily stocked mini-fridge includes soda, beer and water.


This hotel was huge! There are so many places you can go without leaving the hotel.
Of course the number one attraction is that Occidental Grand Xcaret is connected to The Ecological Park Xcaret if you stay at this hotel you are literally 3 minute walk from the park. Or if you want something more relaxing there is a cute staff member waiting to take you on a gondola. So you do not need to pay for transportation and entrance fee.
I paid 20 us dollars to get in to the park!


I absolutely loved the staff everyone was super friendly. They have 11 restaurants to choose from, my favorite was the one overlooking the ocean.
I will definitely be returning to this hotel. I fell in love with the weather and their pictures on the internet do not began to describe how phenomenal this place really is! You will not want to leave :)
"

Report as Inappropriate

"Awesome Resort! Above and beyond your expectation of service, beach was amazing, food variety flavor and preparation was excellent, Inter-resort shuttle transport ran every 10 minutes or less as described. We will return and recommend highly to all our friends!"

Report as Inappropriate

"Rooms and resort were very clean. Staff was extremely courteous. Lots of walking. Way too far between snack bars/restaurants for drinks. Food was good, but nothing special at all. Just okay. No washcloths were available. Come on. What resort doesn't have washcloths. Also, no bottles of cream. Just the little things that made it a 3."

Report as Inappropriate

"The trip to cancun Mexico (Occidental Grand Xcaret) was excellent. The resort was very nice, food was great and the people were very friendly.... I will recommend it to all my friends..."

Report as Inappropriate

"Rooms were clean as was the entire facility. Buffet provided a wide variety of food to meet most anyones taste. Staff was always pleasant and pools cleaned regularly. We would return to this facility without reservation. Not a 5 star but legitimate 3.5 to 4 Star all inclusive"

Report as Inappropriate

"My sister and I went to celebrate our bdays to Cancun and stayed at the Occidental Grand Xcaret. The hotel was beautiful but more so the people and the way they treat you from the moment you arrive until your departure. The rooms were great and this was an all-inclusive and the food was Phenomenal. They had a wide variety of foods and restaurants and it was all first class. Truly a 10 in our book and already planning a return trip."

Report as Inappropriate

"Staff was VERY friendly and courteous. Resort clean. Dont give enough info on activities.Food was fair at best. Alot of walking-not good for elderly or handicapped. There is not really a beach.,more of a man made lagoon.
Overall- it was ok.Probably wouldnt stay there again."

Report as Inappropriate

"Grande Xcaret is a beautiful resort, but you will do a lot of walking. Overall had a really relaxing time. Anybody thinking of getting married in Mexico should concider the Xcaret fabulous wedding planning. "

Report as Inappropriate

"I've been to a few other resorts in Cancun and decided to try the Grand Xcaret. The resort itself lacks several amenities that I've come to expect no matter what in an all inclusive. There was no room service at all which blew my mind, they gave you 2 Modelo cans of beer in your mini fridge and were very stingy by only refilling it every other day. The bars were okay, the food however was poor. It was near impossible to get reservations at the restaurants even though they were always less than 50%. We quickly got tired of the buffet and the a la carte restaurants/snack bars. Not being able to order room service made it even worse. Be careful to not be fooled by the 'lagoon'. There is NO beach, as the shoreline is rocky, and though the lagoon is sandy, it is very small, and packed with people in such a huge resort. Not only is the actual area in the water small, but the lounge chairs are crowded together as the beach is no longer than 100 yds. Overall the staff was very friendly, but was not willing to go out of their way to help. Whenever you called the front desk, they were quick to mysteriously 'hangup' if it was something they did not feel like doing. The room was cleaned daily but they'd often leave wet towels on the floor and not switch them out for new ones. Being in Mexico is always fun and you can't complain about the bars, but other than that I would never go back. Ever"

Report as Inappropriate

"We just got back from a beautiful honeymoon and we truly enjoyed our experience. The staff was exceptionally nice and polite and was very helpful. The restaurants had awesome food and service. However the buffets and snack bars could have had a better selection/variety of options. The pools and beach were very nice and relaxing. The excursion we went on was truly an experience and something we will remember for a lifetime. We are planning to take a trip back here in the very near future with our family."

Report as Inappropriate

"My girlfriend and I had an amazing time. We don't understand why this place had so many negative reviews. Wish we could've stayed longer...didn't get to see most of the place because we were out on excursions, but the grounds are beautiful and full of wildlife. We will definitely go back!"

Report as Inappropriate

"If you are love to eat don't stay this hotel, food same everyday. But you will love to walk under forest, it's so beautiful . Clean, nice, close to the xcaret park and explore. Kid clud have a lot of activity. Spa room super clean, strong recommend to family with kids. Nothing to complaint, accept boring food buffet. Otherwise, this resort is the best. Thank you the bookit. Thank you all."

Report as Inappropriate

"We spent 4 nights at this hotel. I loved the style of the hotel because it is not too modern like other hotels. My husband and I like hotels that have local feel to it than cookie cutter modern looking hotels. For that reason this hotel has a lot of local feel to it. and It is a huge place. There is a shuttle going around every 15 min or so, but my husband and I enjoy walking and it is not too bad walk around so we walked a lot, it also helps you to digest all the food you ate at the buffet, ha! I wasn't really happy about the food especially the restaurants that you have to make reservations, Mexican restaurant was O.K....Mediteranian restaurant sucked soooo bad. Don't go there. I was soo disappointed that I didn't even finish half of the plate we had to go to a Mexican snack bar to fill up my empty stomach. The buffets were ok. We expected more of authentic Mexican food, but a lot of stuff was Americanized.
First day we had a problem with our key, it didn't work so we had to wait about 4 hours to get it fixed. we thought they would offer a different room, but they made us stay at the same room, in the end they had to change the whole door lock. We went out to take pictures, walk around and have dinner and came back, so we didn't waste too much time waiting on them to fix the lock but it was still waste of time and it wasn't really professional how they handled the situation.
other wise, we loved the little cove, and the whole nature around the hotel. Bring your own snorkeling equipment to do snorkeling around the cove. "

Report as Inappropriate