Hotel Xcaret Mexico

Michael Watkins

Our second time at Xcaret Mexico. Would I recommend to a friend? Yes, with caveats. Pros: - Gorgeous architecture and views. - Nice room with fun details. - Great choice of restaurants including excellent breakfast buffets. - The included parks (in particular Xcaret and Xplor). - Most of the staff are great and speak English if needed. Cons: - 1 hour to check in is unacceptable. Marriott checks in guests in 2-3 minutes. It shouldn’t take them 10-15 minutes per person. - Concierge service was awful. We spent over two hours booking things and often our bookings weren’t honoured. Tip: get every booking and cancellation in writing as their IT systems seem to be from the 1980s. - Not enough signage. Cuevas and Bio are hard to find. Kids slide area is great but hidden. - Buses to parks are frustrating. The short distance from Xplor and Xcaret can take somehow 20 minutes as you drive all over the place, and they cram you in like sardines so most people are standing. Need a simple train system, or more boats and more buses. Overall a wonderful if frustrating experience. All of the above is fixable with a little investment.

Donovan Prez

This resort is our #1 options for a family get away. So many things to do for everyone. Rooms are nice and clean, the servers make you feel at home. Location is great, an hour away from the Cancún airport. The only downside, and this is something that it's being going for a long time. Is the check in, this is ridiculous we got to the resort at 4:30 pm. and we got our room at 6:45 pm. This needs to charge and get better.

Ben Thomas

We booked a 7 night stay for our 20th wedding anniversary through Costco. I emailed the hotel twice, even tried to have Costco contact them but no response. We arrived and then waited almost 5 hours in multiple lines to ensure our booking was correct which it wasn’t. We were told they no longer do prior restaurant and excursion bookings unless you are a paid member. They sent a small dessert and it said “happy birthday” which was entirely wrong. We paid roughly $15,000 for this trip and feel we were baited into something that doesn’t not exist. Buyer be aware and read the reviews before booking.

R K

Beautiful resort — absolutely massive (you can easily get lost exploring)! The food overall was about 3/5, but room service was excellent (5/5) and housekeeping came daily, which we really appreciated. Communication with staff could be a bit tricky at times since we don’t speak Spanish. Several of the directional signs around the resort weren’t very clear, which made it hard to find certain places — locating Bio was especially tricky, and we had to ask multiple staff members for directions. After it rained, a large puddle of water would collect outside our room and wasn’t cleaned up for quite a while — I almost slipped there a few times, so that’s something to watch out for. The shuttle buses between the hotel and parks were super convenient — they run every 20 minutes and make getting around effortless. Our favorite restaurants were Teatro, Costeru, Bio, Xin Gao, and Tama-mon — all had great food and service. We also tried Mercado, Trajnera, La Xentral, and La Cantina. We didn’t enjoy the buffets as much (like Mercado) because most dishes weren’t clearly labeled as vegetarian, which made it harder to choose. Also, while the staff asked about our dietary restrictions at every restaurant, the buffet staff didn’t offer much guidance on which dishes to avoid. They simply noted our restrictions but didn’t assist further, which made dining a bit confusing. Tip: Email the resort before your trip to request a wishlist. It’s really helpful for reserving certain parks and restaurants in advance, as some of them require bookings.

Laura Zarate

I got married at Hotel Xcaret this past year and, while the property itself is undeniably stunning, the overall experience fell far below what a five-star luxury hotel should deliver. I travel often, and I’ve never experienced such a contrast between a beautiful setting and such disappointing service. The restaurants are plentiful, but the quality is inconsistent. Many sauces taste the same, ingredients repeat across menus, and even their steakhouse felt subpar with tough cuts and none of the traditional touches you expect from a Brazilian-style experience. For the price point, the food simply doesn’t meet luxury standards. Service was the biggest issue. Staff repeatedly pushed promotions and upsells, following guests around with offers that felt tacky and out of place for a “luxury” resort. Everything is extremely expensive and feels driven by money above experience. Their membership program also comes across as questionable, with guests investing thousands in exchange for discounts that don’t feel worthwhile or high-end. On top of that, people booking through Costco get noticeably cheaper rates, which creates an odd dynamic for guests paying full price and further dilutes the sense of exclusivity. Our room at Casa Fuego added more frustration. The AC didn’t work and made a loud sound all night, and even after reporting it, nothing was fixed. A light bulb exploded at midnight, which could have seriously injured someone. The shower wasn’t functioning properly either and needed repair. None of these issues should ever occur at a true five-star property. As for the wedding itself, it was extremely expensive and still not handled with the level of care we expected. The flowers didn’t match what I requested, and housekeeping issues caused an accident where I nearly broke my teeth. It was disappointing, especially for such a meaningful event. Hotel Xcaret is visually incredible, and the concept has potential, but the service, food quality, and overall guest experience simply do not meet the standards of a true luxury hotel. For the prices they charge, and compared to genuinely high-end properties like Grand Velas, it falls short in almost every way.