Barcelo Maya Palace

We just finished a five-day stay at this resort. Going in, I had fairly modest expectations, knowing the resort was focused on value rather than luxury. With those expectations in mind, I would rate it as a mid-tier resort that does a good job of delivering on what it offers.

The property is enormous, but it manages the crowds surprisingly well. Despite its size and the number of guests, it never really felt overcrowded. Service was also pretty good overall, especially considering the scale of the resort. The staff did a nice job following through on the details, which helped make the experience enjoyable.

That said, this is not a five-star luxury resort. It feels authentic and distinctly Mexican, but the facilities and overall experience aren't on the same level as more modern, upscale properties. If you're looking for luxury or contemporary accommodations, I'd look elsewhere.

Food and Drinks

The food was average overall. The buffet had plenty of options, as expected, but the quality was inconsistent. Some dishes were good, while others were disappointing. The à la carte restaurants were generally below average, with the exception of the French restaurant, which was a pleasant surprise. The rest were pretty underwhelming.

The drinks were one of the weaker points of the stay. Although they do have Patrón tequila, the fruit mixers were very poor quality. They tasted artificial and were loaded with food coloring, which made the overall drink experience disappointing.

The Beach

The beach was the main draw for us, and it didn't disappoint. It's very nice for the area and, in my opinion, one of the resort's strongest features. I'd give the beach a solid A. Pools are huge and something for everyone. But there is no food service. They do have drink service but it was really slow.

Final Verdict

If you're looking for a family-friendly resort where you can travel with friends and get good value for your money, this is a solid option, especially if you can find a good deal. I'd put it in a similar category to Marina El Cid, although this resort has the better beac by far!

However, there are plenty of other resorts I'd rank higher overall. If luxury, modern facilities, exceptional dining, and quality drinks are priorities, I'd skip this one.

Bottom line: Come for the beach, the value, and a relaxed Mexican resort experience. Just keep your expectations realistic and don't expect five-star luxury.

Our overall stay was good. We wished the beach was nicer. The sand was hard and on a cement where the loungers were. The sand in the water was soft but you walk out then loads of coral/rocks for a few feet then soft sand again. So it made it hard for the kids and us to walk into the water past our knees. We didn’t like how hard they made it to leave. They didn’t allow Ubers or taxis inside the resort. So if you want to leave the resort you needed to wait for ride services at the end of their very long resort road. Then wanted to charge hundreds of USD dollars to use their shuttle service for a 15 minute ride to a restaurant on 5th avenue in playa del Carmen. So it made us feel trapped inside the resort. Also, you needed to upgrade to premium to even get a chance at restaurants, get WiFi and to use the gym. Thought having to pay more for resort basics was pretty tacky.