Margaritaville Island Reserve Riviera Cancun

Graeme Clinton

My family had a great stay at the resort over Christmas. The small size of the resort, relaxed atmosphere, the numerous amenities, friendly service, and good food contributed to a fantastic holiday. I might describe the resort as "understated luxury". Not luxurious so much, but it was easy living while we were there. The resort was full, but there were never too many people anywhere, it never felt crowded ... there was an ease about the place. I would consider going back. A gave the resort 5 stars, but there are a few negatives worth noting. The gym equipment was well maintained, but the gym itself was WAY too small. 6 people in there at the same time made it crowded. The coffee bar served nice drinks and pastries, but it was hidden away in this corner store-like place. It could easily be moved across the hall beside the compass bar such that it felt more like a boutique coffee shop. Sometimes I thought some of the staff (most of whom were fantastic) could be a little dopey. There were a few times we needed something from them that was important, and it was treated with less urgency than had I asked for a margarita. E.g. our luggage was sent to the airport with another family. The staff didn't seem to think this required decisive action (like ... get in a car, drive to the airport, get our luggage, and bring it back). Instead, it was my wife who spent an hour tracking it down and working with the other family to arrange for its return. My one MAJOR complaint is with the excursion that was promoted by and then arranged by the resort. It was terrible. Actually, it was worse than terrible. I think it was an organized scam. I wished I had just stayed at the resort, and kept the USD$1,000 in my pocket. If you want to do an excursion, arrange it yourself. I don't think it would cost any more, and you'd get what you pay for.

Kimberly Brunet

One of the main reasons we chose Margaritaville Island Reserve Riviera Cancun was its autism double-checked status, as one of our children is autistic. We booked a Paradise Junior Suite for our family of four because it clearly stated it had two queen beds. We understand that specific room numbers and locations aren’t guaranteed, but we booked directly with the hotel expecting the room type and bed configuration advertised. I even showed our child photos of the room and beds from the hotel website to help him prepare for the stay. When we checked in, we were given a different room with only one bed. We didn’t ask for or want an “upgrade”, we simply needed a room with the number of beds we booked. Eventually, two cots were brought in, and placed next to the bathtub, which were uncomfortable and felt like a poor workaround. To make matters worse, the staff pulled bedding from the one bed we did have to make up the cots, leaving the main bed without proper sheets. My requests for additional bedding went unanswered. We also learned this wasn’t an isolated issue. Other guests were experiencing similar problems with room types and bed configurations. I raised these concerns with our concierge (Miguel), but nothing was done to resolve the issue. In fact, I felt avoided by him for the rest of the trip. It seemed like there was an attempt to make up for the problem, but ultimately, nothing happened, and I left feeling that the hotel didn’t care. Another major disappointment was food availability. Basic items were routinely unavailable: hamburgers were out for an entire day across all locations, another day no fish tacos, no breakfast cereals, and even coffee options at Joe Merchant were missing. This was during Christmas week, not low season. I posted about this on Margaritaville’s Instagram, and other guests agreed, but the resort deleted all comments about food shortages. While we joked about what would be missing next, the reality was stressful because our autistic child relies on familiar foods. Not having basic cereal or hamburgers was a big issue for us. Despite these frustrations, a few staff members stood out: Ruben (Beach House and Rita's), Angela (Blended), and the bartenders at Compass Bar. Rita’s Taco House was excellent when items were available. And Pedro the raccoon was a highlight for the kids. Overall, this stay was far from what we expected, and I cannot recommend this resort, especially for couples or families who need reliability and consistency.

Richard Wall

Wonderful Family Vacation We had a great vacation at Margaritaville Island Reserve Cancun with our group of 9 family members. The resort exceeded our expectations in many ways. Dining: Breakfast at the Beach House was excellent every morning, and the lunch options there were just as good. Rita’s Taco House was another favorite — their tacos were delicious. The waitstaff at both restaurants were top-notch. Antonio and Emilio stood out with their outstanding service and attention to detail. Service: Our butler, Alberto, was fantastic. He was extremely helpful, attentive, and went above and beyond to take care of our entire family throughout the trip. Extras: We enjoyed the coffee options at Joe’s Merchant. The only minor downside is that the snack options available with points were a bit limited. Overall: We had a wonderful experience and will definitely be back. Highly recommend this resort for families looking for a relaxing and enjoyable getaway.

Angela Moruzzi

Let me start by saying that the resort was so fun. The entertainment crew was amazing for the poolside activities, the food was decent and the staff was really friendly. With that being said, the upgraded room that we paid for (infinity pool with ocean view) was not the greatest experience BECAUSE of the nightclub entertainment that happens directly below the room. We were in room 303 and the noise from the Landshark bar started each night at 9:30 and lasted til about 1 a.m. If you are a light sleeper, you will have challenges with sleeping. When we brought it up to the resort, they did offer us a different room, however it was not the same type of room so the change was not ideal based on what we paid for the upgrade. With the exception of the room being slightly disappointed, I would recommend the resort. Hope this review helps anyone who is thinking of paying for the top tier room!

Laurey

My family enjoyed our November 2025 vacation. It was a stellar 5/5 experience. Joel was our amazing knowledgeable butler who offered kind assistance that made our vacation relaxing and fun, especially for our 4 and 6 year old grandchildren. They especially enjoyed the foam filled pool party and the planned daycare activities. We enjoyed the restaurants and the spa services. All staff was extremely proficient and seemed happy at their work. We’re going back in February to experience the beach, pools, food and entertainment at this small gem.