Xcaret Hotel (Grupo Xcaret) Must Stop Its Aggressive and Deceptive Membership Sales Practices
I traveled to Cancun, Mexico with my three children for what was supposed to be a memorable family vacation.
As soon as we arrived at the airport, a representative at the hotel shuttle area offered us discounted tickets to Xcaret Water Park. The price seemed reasonable, and since we had already planned to visit Xcaret, we accepted the offer.
However, instead of asking which date we wanted to visit the park, the representative invited us to “come to Xcaret Hotel the next day for lunch and a short hotel tour.” We were told transportation would be provided, so we agreed without suspecting anything.
The following morning, we were picked up in a small vehicle and driven for more than an hour to the hotel.
From the moment we arrived, it became obvious that this was not the experience we had been promised.
We were not allowed to explore the resort freely. We were constantly escorted by staff, had no time to take photos, and were even told to finish lunch within 30 minutes. Although it felt strange, I assumed we would be free to enjoy the resort after the tour.
Instead, we were taken from room to room, through different offices and waiting areas. There were hundreds of other visitors going through the exact same process.
Then the personal questions began.
* Do you have a husband?
* Are you legally married?
* Are you really single?
* How much do you earn each year?
* How much do you spend on vacations?
* Where have you traveled in the past?
None of these questions had anything to do with a hotel tour.
Even my 18-year-old son finally asked the representative why they kept asking such personal questions. Only then did the representative admit that this was actually a membership sales presentation.
We were then taken into a large marketing room filled with sales tables, where we were kept for more than two hours.
The worst part was what my children had to endure.
After hours of traveling, waiting, and sitting through the presentation, they became exhausted. One child felt dizzy, and another became dehydrated to the point that I repeatedly had to ask for water.
I asked several times if my children could wait outside while I listened to the presentation alone, but my request was refused.
At that moment, it honestly felt like my family was trapped in a high-pressure timeshare sales presentation.
We had been told it would only take about 90 minutes.
Instead, we were picked up at 10:00 a.m. and did not return to our hotel until 5:00 p.m.
During that time, three different sales representatives and managers took turns trying to convince us to purchase a membership.
Their offer included:
* Paying an $11,000 USD deposit immediately
* If not, asking how much I could pay today
* Paying $288 USD every month for the next 10 years
* In exchange, receiving free access to all Xcaret parks and hotel discounts of 25–60%
* They even offered to move us from our current hotel to Xcaret Hotel immediately, free of charge, if we signed that day.
Aggressive sales tactics are one thing.
What truly upset me was that we were never honestly told that this was a membership sales presentation. We were led to believe we were simply visiting the hotel for lunch and a tour.
The greatest disappointment, however, was not losing an entire day of our family vacation.
It was watching my children suffer because of it.
After returning to our hotel, my 15-year-old showed signs of severe dehydration and nearly had to be taken to the hospital. As a parent, I felt angry and helpless. I even considered whether the hotel should bear legal responsibility for what happened.
Needless to say, I did not purchase the membership, and I will never stay at Xcaret Hotel or support Grupo Xcaret again.
To the Management of Grupo Xcaret,
You have built a world-renowned resort and an internationally respected brand.
Unfortunately, for my family, that reputation has been completely destroyed.
We expected a luxury resort that celebrates nature and Mexican hospitality.
Instead, we experienced a system built around misleading guests and placing them under relentless pressure to purchase an expensive membership.
Practices like these do not only damage your company’s reputation—they also damage visitors’ memories of Mexico itself.
My family will never return to Xcaret.
To every traveler reading this:
Your vacation time is precious.
Capitalism works best when consumers are given honest information and the freedom to make informed decisions—not when they are lured into high-pressure sales presentations under false pretenses.
I sincerely hope no other family has to sacrifice a precious day of their vacation the way ours did.
