I wanted to leave a full and honest review of our stay - both the positives and the few areas that could be improved. It’s a long one, but hopefully helpful for anyone considering this resort!
---CHECK-IN----
We arrived at the end of April and stayed for 11 nights. From the moment we arrived, the staff were fantastic. We were welcomed with refreshing drinks and cold towels while we checked in, which was a lovely touch after travelling.
Check-in itself was seamless. We received wristbands that also worked as our room keys, and getting to our room was very easy. Our luggage arrived within about 20 minutes. Guests can wait in the lobby and be taken to their room by golf cart, but we decided to walk and explore the resort using the map provided.
The resort is quite large - it took around 10 minutes to walk from Villas 15–21 to the beach. The Plaza is the central hub of the resort and is roughly a 5 minute walk from most areas.
----BEACH & POOLS----
There’s a large main pool by the beach with plenty of loungers both around the pool and directly on the beach. There are also several smaller pool clubs throughout the resort.
The pool near the single digit villas was the liveliest during the day, with volleyball, games, and activities. There’s also a quieter adults only pool beside Natura.
As mentioned in other reviews, there were definitely guests reserving loungers very early in the morning despite plenty of signs asking people not to. However, staff were quite proactive about removing unattended towels and belongings, which was appreciated. We usually arrived between 8:30–9:30am and always managed to get chairs with an umbrella.
The only issue we noticed was a lack of umbrellas at some of the smaller pools. For example, the Natura pool had around 20–30 loungers but only about 6 umbrellas, so additional shade would definitely improve the experience.
The beach and main pool area were our favourite spots. There was always music and a great atmosphere without ever feeling overcrowded. The Natura pool was much quieter if you preferred a more relaxed vibe.
A huge shoutout to the main pool staff - they were genuinely incredible. They remembered guests’ names, were consistently kind and attentive, and truly enhanced the whole experience (special mention to Rocio!).
One thing worth mentioning is the beach conditions around the pier. The left-hand side of the pier was quite rocky, and unfortunately my partner stepped on a sea urchin there (the lifeguard was fantastic at providing first aid, even being able to remove most of the barbs!). That said, there were definitely more fish and marine life on this side, so it seemed better suited for snorkelling rather than swimming. If you do go into the water there, I’d strongly recommend wearing proper water shoes. Also, yes of course there was seaweed (aka sargassum), but staff were really good at cleaning it up as quickly as they could. But again, this was more on the left hand side.
The right-hand side of the pier was much less rocky and far better for swimming, with easier access into the water.
**Helpful tip: If you leave your loungers for lunch, let staff know first, otherwise your belongings may be removed.
----FOOD & DRINK----
*As a disclaimer: We’re big foodies and always love variety and trying new things!
- BEACH FOOD
The beach area had several lunch options. The pizza was pretty good - freshly stone baked and much better than expected for "beach food".
The burgers were highly recommended by other guests, but unfortunately mine was not good and mostly tasted of char from the grill. My partner had a grilled sandwich which only contained a thin piece of ham and a tiny bit of cheese. Maybe we just caught them on an off day, but it was really disappointing. There were also hot dogs and empanadas available, but we didn't go back here.
On the opposite side of the pool there was a place you could get tacos which weren’t bad.
Further along the beach from the burger place was Muelles 8, which we went to a few times. The menu stayed fairly consistent, but everything was fresh and delicious. You can expect things like ceviche, guacamole, tortilla chips, and fresh fish dishes. The beach shack setting and views made it even better.
-THE BRASSERIE
The Brasserie was our preferred breakfast and lunch buffet. The food felt fresher and hotter than the main buffet, even though the offerings were fairly similar.
The lunch buffet had great variety and was one of the better options.
Dinner at The Brasserie was a standout. We ate there twice and loved both visits. The menu was varied, with options including escargot, soups, salads, fish, lamb, and steak. There was genuinely something for everyone, and the quality was excellent.
- OKI SUSHI
This was one of the highlights of the entire trip. I will say, the fish throughout the resort was incredibly fresh, so the sushi quality was outstanding.
We ate here three times during our stay. The menu was extensive, the staff were fantastic, and every meal was excellent. If you’re travelling in a larger group, definitely ask about the chef’s tasting menu - it sounded amazing.
Highly recommended!!
-NATURA
We spent one day at the Natura pool and restaurant. The menu focused mainly on salads and sandwiches, but it was nice to have a lighter option and a change from the beach restaurants.
-AREZZO
I’d seen mixed reviews beforehand. It wasn't bad, but it definitely wasn't the most memorable food we’ve had. There was plenty of choice and something for everyone, including picky eaters. It just didn’t stand out as much as some of the other restaurants.
- FLAVORS
This was probably our least favourite dining option. It’s the main buffet and is open for breakfast and dinner.
Breakfast often felt repetitive and the food was sometimes sat out for a bit. Dinner was fine, especially with the rotating themed nights, but overall it was a fairly standard buffet experience. That said, picky eaters would probably appreciate the variety available here in the evenings.
- KOH THAI
A lot of people seemed to love this restaurant, but personally we found the menu a little underwhelming and not particularly exciting compared to some of the other dining options at the resort. I ended up ordering a sweet and sour chicken dish, my partner got a curry, which was perfectly fine, but nothing especially memorable. Afterwards, we actually went to Flavours for some additional food as the meal hadn’t fully satisfied us.
- MESTIZO
We didn’t make it to Mestizo, although we heard positive feedback from other guests. Looking at the menu, it seemed fairly simple and straightforward - we were personally hoping for something a bit more creative.
----BARS & EVENING EVENTS----
Aside from the pool bars, there are several bars throughout the resort. The Gin Bar in the Plaza was lively every evening, and there’s also a mezcal tasting bar underneath The Brasserie.
One of the biggest hidden gems of the resort was the evening beach events.
When you check in, you’ll receive a QR code linking to the activities and restaurant schedule - definitely use this!!! Many guests we spoke to didn’t realise how useful it was.
At the bottom of the dinner listings each evening, there was dinner at “Chechén & Chaka” starting around 6/6:30pm. These evenings were fantastic: live music, flowing drinks, and huge amounts of food included as part of the all-inclusive package. Sometimes food was served by waiters, other nights buffet-style, but it always felt generous and special.
Surprisingly, these events were never very busy despite being one of the best experiences at the resort. I think it was lack of promotion, and not many people checking the dinner options list from the QR code.
----ACTIVITIES----
Water sports are available at an additional cost, including jet skis, kayaks, and parasailing.
We booked parasailing and absolutely loved it - definitely a bucket-list experience for me. One thing I didn’t realise beforehand was that you actually take off and land directly from the boat for this specific activity, which was a major bonus!
The activities manager was fantastic and could also help arrange external tours and excursions at good prices.
There were daily activities on the pier including salsa and bachata dance classes, as well as various games, bingo, and sports around the Lizzards pool area.
There's an area behind Muelles 8 which regularly had cooking/cocktail making classes.
Also by the pool near to the entrance of Arezzo, there's a small stand with a selection of pottery. You can pay for a piece of pottery from the stand, and sit down and paint it. I painted a dish and a trinket box. They glaze it, and you can collect it the following day. A lovely souvenir, and a great shaded activity!
The Plaza also hosted evening entertainment for both adults and children. Because of jet lag we missed quite a few events, but we did catch a silent disco, a traditional Mexican dance performance, and part of a fire show.
----THE RESORT ITSELF----
One of the most unique parts of the resort is the walk through the cenote area. It’s beautiful and full of wildlife.
We saw coati's constantly, monkeys swinging through the trees (they will try to steal food/fruit from you - so just be aware), Agouti's (which look like oversized guinea pigs), and if you’re lucky, you may even spot a Paca at night (spotted pig-ish looking animals).
This area can get buggy, especially in the evenings. I rarely get bitten, but my partner got quite badly bitten during the first few days, so definitely bring bug spray and use it after 5pm.
The gym was pretty good - larger than I expected, well air-conditioned, and equipped with plenty of machines.
There’s also a large gift shop in the Plaza.
There’s a coffee shop and ice cream shop as well, although we were told these were not included in the all-inclusive package.
----OVERALL----
If you've made it this far, thank you for reading! We genuinely had a fantastic stay and made some amazing memories here.
Scan that QR code and check the activities and food schedule daily - don’t miss out on fun stuff!
Definitely bring plenty of SPF - the heat and UV levels were INTENSE during our stay (UV index of 11+ every day!).
The biggest highlight of the resort was unquestionably the staff. Every single member of staff - from restaurant servers to beach attendants, cleaners, and maintenance staff - was consistently warm, welcoming, and friendly. Walking through the resort and being greeted by everyone genuinely made the experience feel special.
One useful thing to know: staff generally seemed to prefer tips in USD.
The only real improvements we’d suggest would be:
- More umbrellas/shaded areas around the pools
- Greater variety at the buffet restaurants
Aside from those minor points, this was an excellent holiday and one of the most memorable trips we’ve had. We would absolutely recommend it.
- Katie & Stephen
