Cancun - Barcelo Maya Palace Deluxe

The only negative thing we found about our hotel was the number of drunk, loud, spring kids! .. More>

The only negative thing we found about our hotel was the number of drunk, loud, spring kids!

There was no issue with cleanliness, however, we had an on-going problem with being able to watch the tv in our room. .. More>

There was no issue with cleanliness, however, we had an on-going problem with being able to watch the tv in our room.

Hotel, room and pool very clean. Too many spring break party kids when they advertise not allowed. Had to call security at night due to noise. Not good for families. Shows too late at night. Could not get reservations at restaurants until late at night which was too late for kids. When we did ge .. More>

Hotel, room and pool very clean. Too many spring break party kids when they advertise not allowed. Had to call security at night due to noise. Not good for families. Shows too late at night. Could not get reservations at restaurants until late at night which was too late for kids. When we did get in, a quarter of the restaurant was empty. Food not that good and staff not welcoming.

Pool was huge and clean! Great activities at Barcy Club and pool for children! Dinners took a long time (on average 2 hrs). Difficult with children and makes for a short evening. We did not make it to a single show (which I usually enjoy). .. More>

Pool was huge and clean! Great activities at Barcy Club and pool for children! Dinners took a long time (on average 2 hrs). Difficult with children and makes for a short evening. We did not make it to a single show (which I usually enjoy).

Upon arrival to Cancun airport we were promptly greeted by about 10 represantatives but had to wait for about an hour for our transportation to the hotel. Transfer back was good and on time. .. More>

Upon arrival to Cancun airport we were promptly greeted by about 10 represantatives but had to wait for about an hour for our transportation to the hotel. Transfer back was good and on time.

Front desk not very helpful, food could be better .. More>

Front desk not very helpful, food could be better

Beautiful quality hotel. The only thing I would ask is that more music was played at the pool and in the evening in the lobby. .. More>

Beautiful quality hotel. The only thing I would ask is that more music was played at the pool and in the evening in the lobby.

Room check-in was 3 pm but we weren't able to get into our room until well past four. Hotel Concierge service was the ONLY staff that was not only unhelpful, but rude. Other hotel staff, absolutely wonderful. Our room was wonderful but smelled of mold. .. More>

Room check-in was 3 pm but we weren't able to get into our room until well past four. Hotel Concierge service was the ONLY staff that was not only unhelpful, but rude. Other hotel staff, absolutely wonderful. Our room was wonderful but smelled of mold.

we had issues with Delta on the way home... I understand they can't help the weather but the were completly unwilling to help us find our bag. I was not at all upset about the fact that we missed our flight home due to weather but when they sent one of our 2 bags to the wrong locatation and then w .. More>

we had issues with Delta on the way home... I understand they can't help the weather but the were completly unwilling to help us find our bag. I was not at all upset about the fact that we missed our flight home due to weather but when they sent one of our 2 bags to the wrong locatation and then were unwilling to help me find it I was SERIOUSLY UPSET!! I love Apple but if your booking ever takes me on Delta Airlines again I will glady pay more for another vacation brochure that doesn't make me fly Delta. Thanks Apple!!

Our Apple representtive was more interested in selling us side trips than helping us with services in regards to dinner arrangements and departure. We asked our rep for help with dinner arrangements and had to go back 3 times and as we approched her for the 3rd time, she then went to make the arran .. More>

Our Apple representtive was more interested in selling us side trips than helping us with services in regards to dinner arrangements and departure. We asked our rep for help with dinner arrangements and had to go back 3 times and as we approched her for the 3rd time, she then went to make the arrangements. We turned in all papers asked for to arrange our departure. We were told we would be contacted as to what time we had to be in the lobby. We never heard a word from the rep. We spoke to the rep on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday to arrange side trips, reservations for dinner and to let her know how nice the side trip was. when we stopped in on Friday to get our departure info(we never recieved a phone call) we saw a sign that said it was there day off. We had no info on our departure and no one to call. I called the front desk and they connected us with a rep who said departure was at 8:10.We were in the lobby at 8 a.m. and no bus showed up. After several frantic phone calls by the bell boy/man and the front desk, who also had no departing info for our group, They said our bus would be in at 9:15. The bus came at 9:15. It was a very uncomfortable rush at the airport. We had about 10 minutes to spare before we boarded the plane. There were 4 people over the age of 70 in our group and this was extremly stressful for them. This should not have happened. As I said before, I believe these reps were more interested in selling side trips than assisting their Apple Customers.

Everything was great!!! .. More>

Everything was great!!!

My wife and 18 month old baby took my in-laws to Maya Palace for their 60th bday and we had a fantastic experience. We didn't realize all the Barcelo resorts here are connected and they appeared to... More>

My wife and 18 month old baby took my in-laws to Maya Palace for their 60th bday and we had a fantastic experience. We didn't realize all the Barcelo resorts here are connected and they appeared to be about the same in terms of food, proximity to the beach and pool access. The only difference with the Maya Palace Delux is you get a special area lounge to check in with even more free drinks, better service and free internet. You also get discounts on massages, the gift shop and renting a jet ski. We had a delightful time, the drinks were flowing the whole time and we never had to wait more than a minute for service. The food buffets were great. For premium resteraunts we chose the brazilian steakhouse, which was good but not as good as the NYC ones, and the French place, which was really nice if you like that sort of food. All of the staff, from the bar tenders to the waiters/waitresses at lunch/breakfast, to the lounge, to the massage table were absolutely top notch. We had a really great time and felt 110% safe the entire time and saved a lot of money over going to the Carribean. My daughter loved the water slides. The only minor issue is it takes a full hour to get to from the airport but we got a private van for all of us for only $75 and he stopped so we could get beers.

OVERALL: 4.5 is a more appropriate rating! I have read hundreds of reviews prior to traveling and have prepared myself and my family for potential problems with customer service and... More>

OVERALL: 4.5 is a more appropriate rating! I have read hundreds of reviews prior to traveling and have prepared myself and my family for potential problems with customer service and check-in/out. But, I am pleased to report that even though we have arrived at around 3pm on a Saturday (busy time), we were able to check in within 10 minutes and our room was ready! When we got to the room, only one of 2 keys worked, but the problem was taken care of after a phone call to the reception. Two ladies showed up at the door with 2 replacement keys within 10 minutes of the call. We had room 8707 in Oaxaca building (further one from the lobby, but right in the beginning of the 2nd part of Oaxaca) and it was close enough to the beach and pool for us. We had no problems walking to the restaurants/buffets at all. Yes, it is a walk, but a welcomed one since the property is beautiful. Our room was on the 1st floor and damp just like other reviewers have pointed out. Even though it was a negative, it did not deter us from enjoying our vacation. ( if at all possible try to be on the 2/3 floor as others who were on higher floors, did not have the same problem). I also agree with other reviewers that the beds and pillows are not the best we have slept on, but we made it work. Room was very nice. Showers are great! Our room was cleaned daily and we had no issues with cleanliness. Beach!!!! The best!!! The water was clear and calm. We swam with the fish and turtles daily! My son absolutely loved it and talks about it daily now that we are home. Plenty of lounge chairs around. You can snorkel right there and do not need to go on any snorkeling excursions. Daily entertainment included water aerobics at noon and was great. The main pool was good too. Did not feel crowded at all, but the water felt a bit too warm for me. My husband and son enjoyed it a lot though.Also, plenty of lounge chairs available in the sun, but have to get the ones in the shade early in the morning. Water park was a hit with our 4.5 year old!!! Our day revolved around trying to get him to go elsewhere, because he loved playing with his new friends in the shallow water and going down all the slides. The lounge chairs around the water park go quickly, so you gotta get there early or join in on the "towel game". Buffets were average-to above average depending the meal. We thought that breakfast was the best, lunch selection was good and dinner time way too busy. Overall, you will always find something to eat (from pre-made food to made-to-order). We also went to the French, Brazilian, Japanese and Seafood restaurants. French and Brazilian were very good, Japanese and Seafood ones were average. Our son had also attended several activities at the Barcy Club. The staff was friendly and remembered all the kids' names. He enjoyed the mini disco's they have on Mon/Wed/Fri nights. Nightly entertainment was great. The singers and dancers were super, if not professionally trained. We have purchased Wi-fi and used it daily to Skype and check e-mail. We had no issues with service and even though $12/day feels like a rip-off after what we have paid to vacation there, we decided that it was worth it being able to video call family daily. We had a misfortune of getting sick and had to see the doctor at the tropical/colonial section. Even though we have brought cash with us, it was not enough to cover the rip-off prices the doctor and pharmacy charges! JUST KEEP IN MIND IT IS NOT A PART OF THE RESORT!!! But I do want to point out that the customer service at the reception desk and concierge have been very helpful and assisted us in a timely manner with getting the medication we needed, which allowed us to get back to enjoying our vacation. Check-out was quick as well. They sent us a letter the night before about the ability to pay the room bill the night before departure and we took advantage of that. So we just dropped off the keys in the morning and were on our way to the airport shortly. Also, I do want to mention that we used a private transfer via USA Transfers and were glad we used them. Very good service, quick and attentive staff. Well worth the price! Overall, we enjoyed our vacation at the Palace! Our interaction with staff, from check-in to check-out was flawless. They were always courteous and always had a smile on the their face. Entertainment staff and the Barcy club staff made it fun for all. Our down side was the damp room and the room keys that did not work at check in. The grounds are amazing and the beach is worth the little problems you might encounter. As you read this review, keep in mind that YOU have to decide what YOU want from your vacation. I recommend this place for families BUT would not suggest it as a romantic get away. The property is large and caters to a large group of people from all over the world. It gets loud with all the children and young adults partying while they are there for DAILY WEDDINGS. If you like a private/secluded resort, this is not a place for you! We chose it for a family atmosphere, water park and amazing beach/sea water AND HAVE NOT BEEN DISSAPOiNTED !!!!

Over the past few years I have been to all inclusives in Cuba, Jamaica, Dom. Republic, and two weeks at a Dreams in Mexico in 2008. I was looking forward to a return to Mexico because of my... More>

Over the past few years I have been to all inclusives in Cuba, Jamaica, Dom. Republic, and two weeks at a Dreams in Mexico in 2008. I was looking forward to a return to Mexico because of my experience at Dreams had been so good. Well as good as that experience was, this one was bad. The grounds are lovely, the rooms are big, however: - our room had a moldy smell that never left - our brother-in-laws room had a leak from the floor above that soaked the bathroom and took several days to fix. -never restocked our fridge with beer and calls with requests were ignored -contents in fridge were warm -cost $ 8.00 /plate for room service at a premium all inclusive, you are nickled and dimed at this resort everything that is included at other resorts we paid for here including buying out own beer. -at the spa a 50 minute massage turned to 30 minutes as 20 was spent warming stones and getting ready & for our sister-in-law a medicore pedicure turned into horror when they broke the paddle on her foot and drove a splinter into her heel. She had to remove the splinter herself. -we had a lot of rain and the 15 minute walk to the lobby was a hazard with very slippy floors and a lot of people falling. -food medicore at best, our 10 year old grandsons are vegetarian and had a tough time finding things to eat and to do. Beaches Resorts is where their family normally goes and will return as they focus on excellent customer service for families with lot's for kids to do. -beach was the worst one I have ever been to and in places had a skiff of sand over a rock base, apparently a hurrican a few years ago wiped out the beach so they are trying to rebuild it. -there was black mold growing on the tiles in the pools. -staff were rude, and totally lacking in customer service skills. Some in our party spoke french as well as english and I and a few others rudimentary spanish and even this did not make a difference on the resort but it did outside the resort on daytrips.

We just returned from a 12 day stay at Maya Palace Deluxe. All in all it was a great trip, beautiful resort, friendly staff, good food, EXCELLENT nightly entertainment, kids club, pools - all great... More>

We just returned from a 12 day stay at Maya Palace Deluxe. All in all it was a great trip, beautiful resort, friendly staff, good food, EXCELLENT nightly entertainment, kids club, pools - all great! that being said I always say it is the little things that make or break an experience and that's what kept it from being perfect. Check in was a hassle. It took 2 hours - we ended up upgrading to a larger room which we were told included wi-fi and they would bring an extra bed to our room for our 3rd child - we were shown the room and we agreed to pay extra for it and then they left. We then realized we were not given keys - so back to the lobby we go - back in another line up. We also had to ask again for the wi-fi password - they told us they would hand deliver it to us in 20 mins. We went and had dinner and to watch one of the fabulous nightly shows - got back to our room and called about the wifi and the extra bed - they said they would call back in 10 mins. by this point it was 10:00 PM - i ended up putting my youngest to sleep in our bed - 10:30 - still no bed, no wifi no phone call (we paid an additional $200/night for this room with these items promised). Finally about 1045 the bed arrives but now my kids are sleeping. It took us going to our WestJet rep the next afternoon to get the wifi password - not certain why the run around with the bed or wifi. That day we head to the pool and go to get towels but are told for the first time we need towel cards. another item missed at check in - back to the lobby - back in a line up. This was my 7th time in Mexico - never at a 5 star have i had to stand in line at the front desk this much or for this long. After we receive the paid for wifi code we are told it does not work at the pools ... then i realize it won't work if i am in the master bedroom of our room - i have to go into the main living area - then only 1 of us could go on the internet at a time (after you have been in the sun all day a little internet time in an AC room was a nice break). Again, not a big deal but one of those nagging injuries. Any other resort i have stayed at (including 4 stars) have had pool side snacks - not Barcelo. In fact you are not allowed to bring food outside of their restaurants - say back to your room or the beach or pool. You can however order and PAY for food (room service). This is not all inclusive. I had 3 treatments done at the spa - it was nice but they are asking American prices but giving you Mexican service. My $65 body scrub was a woman rubbing scrub on one body part at a time and then taking a wet face cloth and removing the scrub before moving on ... this took maybe 10 minutes. would not waste my money again. massage and facial same thing. ok, but definitely not worth the money they ask. We went to check out the other hotels connected - Tropical, Colonial etc... I will say if you are wondering if you should spend the extra money on the Palace - DO SO! It is worth it. The service and the food much better - and it was not as busy i found. The French restaurant was amazing! 5 star all the way - 2 servers and very good food! Kids club staff were great with our kids and I felt safe leaving them with the staff that were there - lots of activities!

Read the reviews below. Astonishingly, all are correct - both the good and the bad. You will understand once you are there. 1) Book your transfers through USA Transfers. Don't worry that you pay... More>

Read the reviews below. Astonishingly, all are correct - both the good and the bad. You will understand once you are there. 1) Book your transfers through USA Transfers. Don't worry that you pay the first the driver for the round trip. They were totally legit and lovely. 2) Bring a pillow. Bring a plastic insulated cup. Bring $1 bills (though we honestly didn't feel the tipping made such a difference). Bring a hat. Bring an open mind and a sense of adventure. 3) Bring printed versions of all your interactions with the hotel - proof that you have a reservation, that you paid, that you have a reservation with USA Transfers, etc. If you go the night before checkout to clear up your bill, get a copy of anything you paid (we paid twice because it wasn't worth the time to figure it out). 4) Figure out your data/phone situation in advance. Best bet: go dark for your vacation. Second best: pay the $12/day for wifi on one mobile device and make sure you have Skype on your phone. Internet in the business center is just $3 for 15 minutes. Plenty of time to check email once a day. Really, do you need more than that? 5) Check out the other hotel/areas at the resort. Get the one hour of free snorkeling a day. Sign up for a quick trip on a Hobie Cat. Eat in the open air restaurant and drink in the bar by between the beach and the pool a little further down the resort. The restaurants and buffets up at the Palace are lovely and air conditioned, but you miss the beach breezes and laid back vibe. 6) Don't stress the reservations. The restaurants were fine, but it's not as if you are missing your one shot at Fat Duck. Make all the reservations you can the first day, then go with an open mind. We actually felt the buffets - where we could direct what we wanted to eat and how it was cooked - were a better option for us. Realize that this resort does not just cater to Americans. If you travel a lot (or have lived in different countries), you will notice that some parts of the buffets are set up to accommodate European expectations, others Mexican and Latin expectations. You should get what you are comfortable with, and check out the plates of someone from another part of the country. Copy what they do at the buffet. You may find something new that you love. 7) The front desk is indeed a nightmare. The people are lovely and it's not for trying. Ditto the wedding planner. While I have no idea how they haven't fixed this situation given that they do the same frustrating thing every day, it is what it is. Be ready. The wedding we attended was beautiful and amazing, even though nearly piece they had pre-arranged went awry. Be ready for this. If you want everything to be perfect and exactly the way you arrange (after all, you are paying huge sums), this is not the place for you. 8) Appreciate the experience and marvel at how lovely the people are. It seemed to me that the people who weren't always with the guests (ie the woman who made me lovely lattes every morning - at the machine, not the waitress who would normally take the order - was so accommodating. I have to wonder if the daily interaction with demanding and sometimes hostile vacationers eroded their patience). 9) The room, the beach, the shared spaces were breathtaking. I still don't know how they could provide all that they did at the price we were charged. 10) We had no trouble getting reservations, chairs at the pool/beach, drinks, etc. Seems timing is everything, like most other things in life. Note for management: Would be really nice to have some sort of evening offering like a karaoke bar or pool tables or something. We definitely got our money worth on the drinking, but it would have been nice to have an alternative. The disco didn't really impress - was pretty empty the night we went. While we had a blast, once was enough. The only other place to hang out at night was straight up drinking spots.