As I write this review on the final day of our stay at Haven Riviera, I must say the vacation has been phenomenal. My partner and I visit Cancun on a semi regular basis. We typically try a new resort each time as there are so many to choose from but after the experience at Haven I’m tempted to make this a default option.
Service: The service staff at Haven is amazing. Whether you’re interacting with a poolside drink server, front desk correspondent, room service/bell hop, restaurant waiter etc. everyone is invested in making you feel welcome and taken care of. I’d like to specifically highlight Carlos Guatemala for his exceptional level of kindness and generosity. I spoke to Carlos numerous times during the stay about Mexican culture, wildlife, history, sports etc. He was also patient enough to help sharpen and critique my Spanish skills throughout these conversations. I’ve honestly never established that level of rapport with any resort staff even concierge attendants at other properties. It’s worth noting that almost everyone on site speaks very good English. Aquino in the buffet also became our regular waiter and was highly attentive throughout breakfast and lunch visits.
On the topic of food, I was very impressed by the daily buffet options at Flavours. You’ll find a variety of meats (chicken, beef, pork), freshly made tacos/tortillas, ceviches, salsas, desserts etc. Compared to other resorts we’ve stayed at the buffet at Haven was legitimately top tier especially when accounting for the sheer variety of rotating options. Room service was also much quicker than other resorts. The quoted 45-50 minute wait times were sub 20 on the three occasions we ordered to the room. We did not opt for the serenity club upgrade and therefore had access to four restaurant dinner options. These were generally good experiences with Agua Bendita and Vora Mar standing out as repeated reservations. Poolside snacks are also offered at a small restaurant between the two main pools.
The pools at Haven Riviera are spectacular and vastly different depending on your preference. The circular pool on the right side of the property is tranquil and picturesque. I would recommend finding a lounge or cabana on the left side in the mornings and right side in the afternoons for shading purposes. However, the pool is also lined with palm tree wells that provide shade in the water during the day. I spent countless hours sitting waist deep in the pool while under the shade of these palm trees. The pool itself is fairly shallow with relatively warm yet refreshing water. It’s definitely an Instagram type spot if you’re into that. The left side pool is the party pool where staff host games like volleyball, tug of war etc throughout the day. There’s also a DJ and occasional live performances by singers, guitarists etc. There was even an electric violin player one day. This pool features a very cool two level design with infinity edge flowing into the bottom half. Accommodations near the pool bar is particularly nice with built in jets along cutout seats.
Overall experience: 9.5/10
Staff: 10/10
Food: 9/10
Atmosphere: 9/10
Room: 8/10
Pools: 10/10
Value: 10/10 (This resort definitely overshoots the price tag. Dollar for dollar Haven Riviera is easily the best Cancun resort we’ve visited)
Would I visit again? Absolutely!
