- Mexico Holidays
- Playa del Carmen
- Valentin Imperial Riviera Maya

Set amid lavish gardens on a half-mile-long stretch of white sand beach named Playa Del Secreto (The Secret Beach), this magnificent award-winning resort boasts one of the largest swimming pools in México. The location is ideal as one can easily reach Cancun and the world famous Mayan archaeological sites. Facilities include a lobby with a 24-hour reception, currency exchange, lift, hairdressing salon, a theatre and a games room, a café, bar and seven a la carte restaurants, conference facilities and Internet access, room and laundry services.
Due to the surrounding area and the number of steps around the hotel, it may not be suitable for those with mobility difficulties.
Exceptional resort with the perfect mix of luxury, relaxation and fun
We are from UK and had an absolutely fantastic stay at Valentin Imperial Riviera Maya and can completely understand why this resort has such a loyal following.
The first thing that strikes you is just how beautiful and impeccably maintained the resort is. The grounds are stunning and genuinely immaculate, with barely a leaf out of place, and the whole property has a wonderfully tropical, luxurious feel. The beach is a huge stretch of beautiful soft white sand and there were always plenty of loungers available, both around the beach and pools.
The pools themselves are enormous and crystal clear, with a really good balance between lively areas with music and activities and quieter spots where you can completely switch off. The foam party was a particularly good laugh and one of those occasions where you suddenly find yourself considerably more invested in a giant cloud of foam than you ever expected to be!
Food was another major highlight. The quality felt genuinely high-end for an all-inclusive resort, particularly the buffet, which had an incredible choice and consistently excellent food. The French restaurant was probably our favourite, but all of the themed restaurants we visited were excellent. One thing we really appreciated was that we never had to wait for a table at any of the restaurants during our stay, which made evenings incredibly easy and relaxed.
The service throughout was outstanding. Every member of staff we encountered was warm, welcoming and attentive, and there is an incredible attention to detail across the resort. Our room was kept beautifully clean and the evening turndown service was a lovely touch.
A special mention has to go to the brilliant GO activity team. Pablo and Nora in particular were fantastic, always friendly, funny and full of energy without ever making you feel pressured to join in. They helped create such a fun atmosphere around the resort.
The evening entertainment exceeded our expectations too. The magic, Mexican and circus shows were particular favourites, along with the spectacular fire show. There was plenty happening in the evenings without the resort ever losing its relaxed, sophisticated atmosphere.
Another unexpected highlight was the wildlife. The resort almost feels like a nature reserve at times! We saw iguanas, raccoons, coatis, hummingbirds and deer wandering around the grounds. Most incredibly, we were lucky enough to see sea turtles nesting on the beach, which was a genuinely unforgettable experience and something we'll always remember from the holiday.
What Valentin does exceptionally well is balance everything. You can have a peaceful morning on a beautiful beach, spend the afternoon joining in with activities or relaxing around the huge pools, enjoy an excellent meal and then finish the evening with a show and drinks. It can be as lively or as laid-back as you want it to be.
Beautiful grounds, fantastic beach, superb food, wonderful staff, brilliant entertainment and an atmosphere that manages to feel both luxurious and genuinely fun.
We loved Valentin Imperial Riviera Maya and would happily return. An easy five stars. 🇲🇽🌴🐢
Wonderful first time experience. Beautiful room with nightly turn down service. Food was good and service was always on point. Waiters in buffet were wonderfully attentive. Good selection of different varieties of food also. Wish they had the buffet at dinner. Pool was warm but there’s not much you can do about it. Hate when reviews complain about that and the seaweed. The resort can’t control Mother Nature! I saw a tractor outside our room every morning trying to remove seaweed on the beach.
Pool staff are the biggest assets. From wait staff to entertainment they are all top notch. They never seemed to let the heat affect them
Our only hiccup was at checkout. Staff at transportation stand were less than helpful. We had a party of four coming and going and we all arrived at same time up front and two were told they were late and missed first transport van. Turns out they were not noticed of different flight time and the guy at the stand suggested they get a taxi,
We were going to the same airport in a van with just us so this was him tot being very accommodating or logical!
Maria at the front desk was always very helpful and friendly.
We have booked The Valentin more than 15 times and the Imperial Band has always performed all week. This time they only played twice! Bring them back!!
Great resort. See Seems to now be cutting back on services. I wish the Imperial Band played more often! The band only played twice on our 6 night trip! They are a major reason we are repeat customers!
Unbelievable from start to finish. The food was fantastic, the event Go Team (Carlos, Lorenzo, Pablo, and Nora) provided an insane amount of entertainment every day, and the quality was unmatched.
The night events were unreal, the Imperial Band and DJ were absolutely stellar; you will be singing and dancing like no one is watching. The Burlesque and Fire Shows literally left everyone in the room with their mouth’s open in amazement.
Above all of this, the quality of the staff left my wife and I speechless. Their warmth and hospitality was ALWAYS on display, and not a single staff member for the entire week we stayed ever showed an ounce of impoliteness or avoidance. Everyone smiled, everyone helped, it was like making 100 new friends.
