Essence at the Fives Beach

As a family of 3 we stayed in the 2 bed penthouse in block 18. This consisted of a kitchen diner and 2 x separate bedrooms (both with their own bathroom, toilet, TV and mini bar etc). The whole experience was incredible and the staff were extremely friendly throughout. From what we saw of the hotel over 9 days, there was a really big effort made by all staff to make our holiday as good as it could be. The grounds themselves were immaculate and the free flowing drinks were very welcome (even when you shouldn't be having morning cocktails :-). As far as restaurants are concerned...no complaints as the food was varied and always hot. We didn't mind that you couldn't book and it actually gave us more freedom rather than being tied down to plans. We ate most nights between 7pm - 8pm and only waited a maximum of 30 mins one evening. Even then, it was a pleasure to wait as you are given a buzzer which vibrates when your table is ready. In the meantime, we could be in a bar or chilling somewhere else whilst we waited for the call. Beach, pools and bars are all very well maintained and you are always greeted with a smile. In summary, I would highly recommend. Read less

We’ve just returned from our third annual family vacation at The Fives Beach Hotel & Residences, and somehow each visit manages to surpass the last. Every year we leave saying, “It can’t possibly get any better,” and every year The Fives proves us wrong. Since the new management took over, the resort has continued to evolve and improve in all the right ways. As members, we are always treated exceptionally well, but even for non-members, this is truly a fantastic resort experience from start to finish. The resort is currently building a brand-new entertainment square featuring restaurants, shops, and nightlife, and impressively, the construction has not disrupted the guest experience at all. We’re already excited to return next year to see the finished result. There is so much to praise about this resort. The service is outstanding across every area of the property, and the staff consistently go above and beyond to make guests feel welcomed and appreciated. The food was excellent, with options to suit everyone — from gourmet dining to comforting classics. We especially loved the casual beachside food options. Being able to grab tacos or pizza for lunch without committing to a full sit-down meal was such a great convenience. The themed pop-up food events were also beautifully executed and incredibly enjoyable. It’s obvious the events team puts tremendous effort into creating memorable experiences. Our favorite restaurants were Santa Sirena on the adults-only side, Seasons (members only), and Koh Thai, although honestly every restaurant delivered a great dining experience. If we had one small suggestion, it would be regarding restaurant closures during lower occupancy periods. While we understand the reasoning, it did reduce dining variety and occasionally made the open restaurants feel overcrowded. We’d love to see more options remain open in the future. We also think an à la carte breakfast option alongside the buffets would be a wonderful addition. The pools were fantastic, and the option to reserve Bali beds at the pool or beach added an extra touch of luxury. Alejandro and Alexia, our pool butlers, made the experience even better. They were always nearby with a smile, quick service, and incredible attention to detail. Truly exceptional. As members, we have access to ambassadors who assist with anything we need, but it was also great to see non-members benefiting from ambassador services through the offices located around the resort, especially near Lizards Pool. Omar and Claire were absolutely phenomenal throughout our stay, always checking in and going above and beyond to help with anything we needed. A special thank-you as well to Diana for her kindness and support. We absolutely loved the menu at Seasons, and Daniel the mixologist created some of the most creative and delicious cocktails we’ve ever had. Such an amazing touch that elevated the whole experience. We also enjoyed two exclusive members’ dinners as well as a private rooftop dinner, both of which were unforgettable experiences. My husband especially enjoyed speaking with Eduardo, the sommelier, whose knowledge and passion for tequila were impressive. He also helped secure us a table at the Mexican Fiesta evening, which was spectacular. From the presentation and service to the wine and entertainment, everything was beautifully done. Our children had a wonderful time at the kids’ club. The staff there are truly incredible with children, and it was so nice to see familiar faces returning year after year. A heartfelt thank-you to Laura, Ciene, and the entire kids’ club team for making our children feel so comfortable and happy. The nightly entertainment was another highlight of the trip. Our favorites were the fire show and circus performance, although karaoke night was also a lot of fun. Manuel, one of the servers in the square, deserves special recognition. He was always smiling, attentive, and incredibly hardworking. His positive energy never went unnoticed. We also booked a few excursions, including swimming with dolphins and Sea-Doo tours. The experiences themselves were fantastic, although the transportation to the dolphin excursion took quite a long time due to multiple resort pickups and drop-offs. A private shuttle option, especially for members, would greatly improve the experience. There are truly too many wonderful staff members to thank individually, but a few people who especially stood out during our stay were: • Rodrigo and Carlos from Seasons • Carlos and Alberto from Koh Thai • Asito from the pool ceramic painting activities • Alejandro and Alexia, pool butlers • Bernabe, pool butler • Ambassadors Claire and Omar • Epic Travelers representatives Erik, Perez, and Sergio • Joel from Arezzo • Daniel from Lizards • Alexandria, Angelica, Leide, Flor, Tony, and Maria from the spa • Narciso (Jose) from Oki Japanese, who worked incredibly hard despite broken air conditioning and limited staffing • Frederico from the gala dinner • Manuel, server in the entertainment square • Rafael, Cesar, and Mateo from our rooftop dinner experience Mercado- Santa Sirena Manager. Such a professional. It was so good to see him. Thank you again to The Fives for another unforgettable family vacation. We loved every moment, just as we always do, and we are already looking forward to returning again next year. — The McDonalds Read less

The hotel exceeded expectations from start to finish. The food was fantastic throughout our stay, with a great variety and consistently high quality. Service was excellent as well, there were no issues with wait times, and everything was always well organised and efficient. The grounds were beautifully maintained and gave the whole resort a very relaxing atmosphere. There was also an excellent variety of pools, meaning there was always somewhere different to enjoy whether you wanted to relax or be more active. The room was spacious, very comfortable, and kept meticulously clean every day. The shower was particularly impressive and one of the best experienced while travelling. Overall, it was a wonderful stay and would absolutely recommend this hotel to any future travellers looking for a clean, well-run resort with excellent food and facilities. Read less

we are from the uk and one week into our 2 week holiday to celebrate my 50th birthday. We booked a top floor penthouse suite with a hot tub which sounded amazing.. Once shown to our room we soon realised how tired the hotel is. The rooms need updating , the hot tub was unusable It was so dirty and old, the filter was black and moldy. The wardrobes were locked so couldn’t be used and the sofa bed for my son had springs sticking out. The patio doors also did not lock.. After speaking with reception we were moved to a slightly better room but is still very tired with aircon issues..we were so fed up of complaining we’ve just accepted this although to be fair they did bring a bed in For my son. Throwing in some positives the staff are very friendly, drinks are good although all served in plastic beakers-personally I think certain drinks should be served in certain glasses especially in a stated 5 * hotel! Pools are warm and some have waiter service . Food is good once you get into a restaurant. The Mexican weather is incredible!! The wide life around the hotel is amazing.. Being honest tho overall we are disappointed, this hotel is extremely dated. This is my 3rd time in Mexico and the other hotels were exceptional in comparison. This hotel is totally based around time share holders which are members of the American epic travel group. Apparently there are 13 restaurants which is very misleading as most are closed and some are for members only. Non members cannot book any restaurants and are unfortunately treated like second class holiday makers… We have waited 1-2 hrs for a place in a restaurant as members get priority regardless of where they are in the queue.. don’t get me wrong I understand if they have paid for membership but the hotel should be more clear before booking! My partner tried to organise something for my birthday but because we could not book any restaurants couldn’t organise anything in advance. Mexico is an incredible place but I wouldn’t book this hotel unless you are happy with a 3* at 5* prices or want to become a member which isn’t viable being from the uk Read less

I traded with Interval and got a 2 bedroom suite. The main bedroom and kitchen were very nice but faced a road. The other bedroom had a full bathroom area and 2 queen beds. There was a huge yellow stain on the bedding, coffee maker didn't work, safe was locked so unusable, no hair dryer and no hooks for wet towels. We had to lay a clean towel on the floor to access it after a shower. We paid for all-inclusive but no one would fill out Mini fridges. After 3 requests and no resolution, we visited the lobby again to complain about all the issues. All things were fixed, other than the coffee maker which never did work. The food was mediocre. The Italian food was awful. The best places were the Sushi and Brasserie French/Mex Food. The only beer available there is Tecate and Dos XX Tap. A lot of the times they ran out of Tecate cans and the tap beer was somewhat flat. Their version of a spicy margarita was using a mix and adding hot sauce. The best drinks were at Cantina 1910 with Eduardo and Margarito, which were the best bartenders there. We would always go there for our drinks. Rocio at the pool was amazing delivering our drinks, but you cannot get food delivered to the pool. You have to walk to get food or sit in a restaurant. The Muelle Ocho required my son-in-law to wear a shirt at the beach outdoor restaurant, which is fine, but then a guy sits next to him with no shirt on. It took over an hour for him to get ceviche. The nightly entertainment in the Plaza was good. Mexican night there was great food and a large variety. Checking out was again very disappointing. We had a charge on our bill for a Bali Bed, which we never had. The gal I believe her name was Alma, was very unfriendly and acted like she didn't believe us. She retrieves a huge stack of receipts and has to go through each of them. When she doesn't find the proof, she said she will remove it for now indicating we could still be charged for it. She never apologized for the issue or anything. We told her we weren't even there that day and had gone to 5th Avenue on that day. She didn't seem to care. We will never go to this property again. It was so inconsistent and not the 4/5 star experience we have had from other resorts. Read less