Carretera Chetumal-Puerto Juarez Km. 266.3, Puerto Aventuras, Mexico | 52 (984) 875-1500
On a mile-long, white-sand beach 15 minutes south of Playa del Carmen
Spacious rooms with flat-screen TVs and minibars
2 free-form pools with 2 swim-up bars and a large whirlpool
6 restaurants and 7 bars
Upscale spa with salon services
Family-friendly: kids’ and teens clubs, family rooms, kids’ spa
Fitness center with sauna and steam room
Free non-motorized sports available daily
Fee for Wi-Fi (except for Club Premium guests); only one device can be connected at a time
Some restaurants have subpar food
Kiddy pool is at (next door) sister property
The 1,031-room Caribe & Beach is a mid-range all-inclusive resort located right on a white-sand beach just south of Playa del Carmen. It is the least luxurious of the three properties in the Barcelo complex, but offers two huge pools, six restaurants, and a long list of activities for all ages. The hotel caters mostly to families -- with great kid-friendly features such as a kids’ and teens' clubs and rooms that can accommodate up to five guests -- but it is also popular with couples and groups.
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Scene
A sprawling family-friendly resort that shares features with two other Barcelo properties
The Barcelo Maya Caribe & Beach is the budget-friendly option within the Bracelo complex, which also includes the upscale Barcelo Maya Palace and the upper-middle-range Barcelo Maya Colonial & Tropical. It’s got all the all-inclusive staples -- gorgeous pools, a slew of amenities, and several dining options.
The hotel comprises two buildings -- the Caribe and the Beach, both equal is size and with the same room types and amenities. For extra luxury, the Club Premium level offers privileges such as private concierge services, free 24-hour room service, and free Wi-Fi throughout the property.
The Caribe & Beach shares most of its features with the Colonial & Tropical hotel, but guests staying here do not have access to the Colonial’s restaurants, so dining options are more limited than at the other properties. The Colonial & Tropical and the Caribe & Beach share the fitness center, the teens club, and all the sports facilities, including the 18-hole mini-golf course and the tennis and basketball courts. A shuttle running every 15 to 20 minutes from morning until late night in peak season takes guests from one hotel to the other, but waits can be longer in off-peak season and it's sometimes more convenient to walk. (It should be noted that none of the more expensive Palace's restaurants or features are available to guests of the other resorts.)
The hotel's "24/7 All-Inclusive Plan" is a plus, and means that snacks and drinks are available to all guests in the lobby bar throughout the night. Food usually consists of small sandwiches and slices of pizza, plus a few sweets.
There are activities at the pools through the day, but music stops no later than 7 p.m., so guests looking to spend some quiet time in their rooms won't be disturbed by loud house beats after the sun sets. Note that the Club Premium rooms are the ones closest to the pools and the beach, and so might experience more noise during the day when the windows are open.
Location
On a white-sand beach 15 minutes south of Playa del Carmen
The Barcelo Maya Caribe & Beach is located inside the Barcelo complex, a self-contained resort area between Playa del Carmen and Tulum. There’s nothing within walking distance aside from a handful of resorts, but a 15-minute cab ride gets you to dining, shopping, and nightlife in Playa del Carmen. However, most guests don’t venture outside the resort at all, and spend the day lounging by the pool or on the lovely beach. Half day and full day trips to nearby Xel-Ha natural park, the Tulum Maya ruins, and other sights can be booked at the hotel.
It used to be the home of the ancient Mayans, and after that a small fishing village, but now Playa del Carmen -- or "Playa," as the locals call it -- is full of exciting nightclubs, popular restaurants, cute boutiques, and resort hotels that sit on lovely white-sand beaches. Because many of the businesses are European-run, the rest of the town retains a hint of European flair. The main tourist thoroughfare of Playa is the cobblestone-lined, pedestrian street Quinta Avenida (Fifth Avenue), but there are plenty of fun outdoor activities for visitors, too, such as snorkeling, scuba diving, kayaking, and sailing. The offshore reef is part of the second largest reef system in the world, the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef.
Rooms
Large rooms that can sleep up to five guests
With 1,031 rooms, the Caribe & Beach is certainly big, but the layout in two separate buildings shaped like a "T" makes it feel smaller. Unlike the more luxurious Palace, the property does offer standard rooms (called Superior Rooms), which lack the large living area other room types have but offer the same amenities.
Rooms are airy and bright, with large windows that open onto private balconies or terraces with garden or pool views. Note that rooms labeled oceanfront only have partial ocean views at best. The hotel offers four handicap-accessible Superior Rooms as well as a few connecting rooms for families. However, these rooms do not offer the standard day bed found in most of the other room types.
Club Premium rooms are located closest to the beach and the pools, and offer extra services and amenities, including free Wi-Fi throughout the hotel; pool towels in the room; access to the Club Premium Lounge; private concierge services; free 24-hour room service; unlimited access to a la carte restaurants, and 20 percent off at the spa and salon.
Pool
Two large pools with swim-up bars, a shared whirlpool, and daily activities
The two pools are the highlight of the property, and feature two swim-up bars and a huge whirlpool. They're bustling during the daytime, with activities such as aquaerobics classes.
Fitness Center
Open-air fitness center with tons of equipment and an air-conditioned cardio room
The hotel’s fitness center is located between the hotel and its sister property, the Barcelo Maya Colonial & Tropical, and is shared with guests staying there. The strength training area is housed in a huge palapa with high ceilings and ceiling fans. The enclosed cardio room, equipped with ellipticals, recumbent bikes, cycling machines, and stair machines, has air-conditioning units as well as ceiling fans. The hotel provides towels and water, and there is steam bath in the locker room.
Spa
Relaxing spa with a long list of treatments, beach massage huts, salon services, and a "sweat lodge"-- plus a kids' spa
The U-Spa is located in the common area shared with the hotel’s sister properties, and is located between the Colonial and Caribe hotels.
Family
A great pick for families with young kids and teens
The Caribe & Beach is popular with families for its great kid-friendly features, including an excellent kids’ club, teens club, rooms that can accommodate up to five guests, and a kiddy pool.
All-Inclusive / Food
The six restaurants -- including two buffets and two beach snack bars -- are nothing special.
The resort has a total of six restaurants, including two buffets, Spanish and Mexican restaurants, and two grills by the beach. Unlike guests at the other two hotels inside the Barcelo complex, those staying in the Caribe & Beach do not have access to any other restaurants.
The two on-site a la carte restaurants are open for dinner only and require reservations. Club Premium guests have unlimited access to those restaurants, but some guests complain about the quality and variety of the items offered.
Drinks
Seven bars, including two happening swim-up bars and a 24-hour lobby lounge with snacks
The Caribe & Beach has seven bars on-site, all serving national-brand beverages.
All-Inclusive / Food
Almost everything is included here -- except for motorized water sports, spa services, Wi-Fi, and room service
The all-inclusive plan at Barcelo Maya Caribe & Beach covers everything from non-motorized water sports to national drinks at all bars. Motorized water sports and services such as babysitting, room service and massages are not included, and Wi-Fi is only free for Club Premium guests.
Services
Welcome drinks and free daily restocking of the minibars
Entertainment
Daily activities at the pool, and nightly shows
The Caribe & Beach offers a wide array of activities for all ages. Guests can take a salsa lessons, participate in aquaerobics at the pool, and play tennis. At night, guests with a little extra energy can catch the nightly show at the theater or head to the nightclub for late-night dancing.
Beach
Directly on a mile-long, white-sand beach with turquoise waters
The Caribe & Beach is located directly on a beautiful beach just south of Playa del Carmen. It is a private mile-long stretch of sand shared only with its neighboring sister properties, so guests are not bothered by outside vendors. The hotel does not provide umbrellas, but there are dozens of palm trees that create a large shaded area.
Physical Activities
Seven tennis courts lit for night play, a mini-golf course and water sports.
Business and Conventions
One of Riviera Maya's largest convention centers on-site, and rooms for all types of events
The Caribe & Beach is a good pick for those planning a corporate event -- it's not only home to one of the largest convention centers in Riviera Maya, but also offers six flexible meeting rooms with audiovisual equipment and catering services.
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Junior Suite
Master Suite
Superior
Superior Ocean View
Carretera Chetumal-Puerto Juarez Km. 266.3, Puerto Aventuras, Mexico
52 (984) 875-1500
