Barcelo Maya Beach

Hotel Barcelo Maya Beach sits in a large complex of five resorts called the Barcelo Maya Grand Resort, and with over 2,000 rooms and too many amenities to name, it can feel a bit overwhelming. However, Hotel Barcelo Maya Beach has a spacious section of the property complete with luscious green grounds filled with palm trees, flowers, and pathways. Like all five resorts, Hotel Barcelo Maya Beach features an open-air lobby filled with woven furniture and colorful accents in orange and blue. It can get busy here at times, as seen by complaints concerning long waits for check-in. Mexican-inspired decor can be found throughout the property from adobe-like buildings to large Mayan statues and paintings by local artists. Though it does have a beachfront location, the resort is so large that most rooms and public spaces don’t have ocean views. With size comes broad appeal to families and couples thanks to a large selection of features.

Hotel Barcelo Maya Beach has a beachfront location about a 30-minute drive south of Playa del Carmen. There’s not much to do or see in the area besides explore the other resorts of the Barcelo Maya Grand Resort, whether by walking or taking the double decker free shuttle bus between them. Despite the lack of dining or shopping options within the immediate area (you’ll have to go to Playa del Carmen for that), there are a beautiful array of cenotes (underground river systems) across the street from the resort. A seven-minute walk takes guests to an eco-park, Kantun-chi, composed of five cenotes available for exploration via snorkeling. 

With tiled floors and a tropical-themed color scheme filled with turquoise and green, standard rooms have a definite Mexican flair to the spaces, but the furniture and decorative elements are clearly dated. Comparatively, the suites are modern with a sleek neutral color scheme and contemporary wooden furniture. (The suites' decor is not reflected in our photographs). All 630 rooms have similar amenities like flat-screen TVs, safes, air-conditioning, Wi-Fi (only free for Premium Level guests), free minibars, and coffeemakers. Bathrooms offer shower/tub combos, toiletries in wall-mounted dispensers, and hairdryers. Patios or balconies allow for great outdoor places to relax, but they lack ocean views. 

This resort has so many features that it might be hard to experience them all. Most guests seem content to lounge on the (mostly private) beach that spans across all five resorts, or at the outdoor pool's swim-up bar. The property also features sports activities like tennis, basketball, and mini-golf. Water activities include a dive center and a Dolphinarium with dolphin shows and experiences. Guests have access to a small open-air gym with cardio and weight equipment, as well as the resort-wide fitness center which has more modern cardio and weight equipment, along with fitness classes galore. The spa is lovely and provides massages and beauty treatments, plus a hydrocircuit therapy area with a large hydromassage pool.The all-inclusive rates cover three restaurants -- a buffet with international cuisine, Mexican restaurant, and beach bar restaurant with a buffet, as well as room service. There are other restaurants on the property like a steakhouse, Italian restaurant, and Japanese restaurant but these come with extra fees and reservations. Buffets and drinks don’t receive high compliments and food is reportedly mediocre.Family-friendly amenities are widespread and include kids’ clubs, playgrounds, children’s pools, and (for a fee) waterpark access. Daily and nightly entertainment includes theater shows, pool aquatics, or fun at the nightclub or bowling alley. With a large mall on-site, guests can shop in modern stores or from local vendors selling cultural Mexican crafts. Parking is free. Though guests at Hotel Barcelo Maya Beach can access many of the amenities at the different sister resorts, there are some limits to this, unless you’re a Premium level guest. Wi-Fi also costs a fee for those who are not Premium level guests.