This was my first time going to Mexico (hopefully not my last) and what an experience it was. Myself along with my cousin, her husband and my nephew left early from Halifax, NS on the morning of March 5, 2026. From the time we boarded the plane until we landed back in Halifax on March 13, 2026 it was an amazing trip. (Keep in mind, my cousin & her husband are “Hall of Fame” members and therefore so I was I for this trip). It’s a long review
RESORT
The resort is beautiful and well maintained by the grounds staff. The tropical plants and foliage are absolutely beautiful and well manicured. Being from Canada and not having Iguanas, It was amazing that there are so many just living their best life. Everywhere you looked there were Iguana’s lying around soaking up the Mexican sun. It’s quite a large resort but there are always trolleys available to get you around if you choose not to walk. There are lots of signage showing where you are and how to get to places. There is an Adults only section and a family section.
CHECKING IN
After arriving in a private shuttle from the Cancun airport, we were greeted with welcome drinks and canapés in a nice air conditioned room while reception got us checked in and gave us our bracelets for the week. Check in was easy and fast. They took our luggage and delivered it to the room while we wasted no time in getting into our swimsuits to start our vacation.
ROOMS
I stayed in building #2, Room 2241. The room was very spacious and clean. Since I was sharing a room with my nephew, we had 2 Queen size beds. There was a big corner jacuzzi tub in the main room (which I didn’t use, so unable to comment on that). The bathroom was laid out very well, lots of privacy. The housekeepers kept the room very clean on a daily basis, also they kept our room well stocked with beverages and snacks. Towel and facecloths were replenished daily also. My nephew celebrated his birthday while we were there and our room was decorated the day of his birthday (such a thoughtful gesture). Even though there is an espresso machine (I don’t like espresso’s) in the room, I still like my coffee to start the day off, so I would call room service every night before going to sleep and request coffee/fruit plate or fresh baked pastries to be delivered fresh every morning. Room service was very prompt and made a great start to the day.
FOOD & DRINKS
The food was amazing. Even the “picky eater” would be able to find something to eat at the buffets and would not starve while being here (Especially at ISLA and The Market). The food was always fresh and appealing looking (most of us eat with our eyes first..lol). I also like that the food was covered by glass cases or some kind of coverings preventing flies or other things getting on the food. There are so many places to eat, whether you want a full breakfast, a light lunch or a special dinner. You definitely will not go hungry at this resort.
During our stay we were very fortunate to be able to eat at the speciality restaurants every evening. These are “sit down” meal service and have waiters/waitresses served you. There are many different restaurants (Italian, steakhouse, Thai) just to name a few. We unfortunately were not able to try them all but that just means we need to go back…lol
We also attended a “members only” dinner which was fantastic. It was an outdoor event. The way the staff converted an outdoor space into a fine dinning restaurant was remarkable. It was a buffet style meal, with lots of food stations, from salads, tacos, breads, brisket and everything else in between to desserts. The food and drinks flowed all night along with some entertainment. It was a great night!
We also got to experience “Awaken Your Senses” dinner. I cannot express how amazing this experience was. I will not spoil it by telling you about it, but I HIGHLY RECOMMEND if you have the chance to go….GO! You will not be disappointed.
The drinks, well again, I cannot praise the bartenders enough. They definitely made sure your cup was always filled up. I tried quite a few different drinks and they all met my expectations. I also recommend a “mini beer” it was delicious…..and no there is no beer in it. lol
POOLS
The pools (the ones I used) were very clean and well maintained. Spent most of the time at the “adults only” pool/ Rhythm Bar. Shout out to all the bartenders @ The Rhythm Bar for their awesome service.
Also went to the swim up bar pool, which was very nice and had daily activities to participate in but by afternoon it got quite busy and the swim up bar part got full and sometimes was hard to get a seat. I recommend when the guys come around the pool to do facials, absolutely do it! I had it 3 times during the week I was there and it was amazing. Especially on those super hot days.
BEACH
If you are looking for a beach vacation, I would not recommend this resort. As they do have a beautiful lagoon with beautiful white powdery sand. It’s a lagoon! You are able to swim in the lagoon and enjoy the blue turquoise water, or lay on the sun beds/sand and have a beach experience. Remember it’s a small lagoon.
SPA
I attended the spa for a Hydrotherapy session and it was the first time I have ever done it and it was a great experience, I also had a 80 minute massage ($) which felt fantastic and the staff were very professional and sure knew how to make a girl feel spoiled.
ENTERTAINMENT
There was nightly entertainment every evening, whether it was on the adult side or the family side. I recommend the “Queen Tribute” and “The Pool Fire Show”, both were my favorite of the week.
SHOPPING
There are “high end” shops if you want to splurge on jewelry, clothes or sunglasses or if you want those souvenirs to take back home, there is a more affordable option called “Peir 21” where you can get all those souvenirs.
CHECKOUT
Checkout was as smooth as checking in, We had a late departure, so they gave us a Hospitality Room so we could store our luggage and belongings in before we had to head to the airport. This was much appreciated as we were able to enjoy everything at the resort and then was able to shower and get ready to go to the airport, where our private shuttle picked us up and took us back to Cancun airport.
In closing I just want to say that everything at this resort met or exceeded my expectations and I hope that I can return in the future. Big shout out to our butlers NACHO GONZALEZ and Bernardo. Thank you, GRACIAS! I cannot express how much gratitude to you for all your hard work, attentiveness and everything you did for me/us to make my first but not my last experience at the Hard Rock. Gracias, Gracias, until next time salute my amigo!
