Catalonia Riviera Maya

This resort overall was very good. There was a small hiccup on my room on arrival as I requested double beds for my dive buddy (son) and I through Air Transat but they didn't relay that request to the resort; so they had to be persistent at 1:00 in the morning at my arrival to get it changed. The room was clean, well appointed but the shower leaked a bit due to the door alignment. No big issues though. The restaurants we visited were all very good and the staff were all excellent. Layout of the resort is very user friendly and our trip was specifically for scuba diving so not much pool or beach use. I would definitely book this resort again but would personally verify requests such as double bed, view preference etc.They did ask if we wanted to attend the Exclusive Club meeting and we did; not overbearing but definitely trying to sell a package for avid travellers. 90 minutes of our time got us each a complimentary 30 massage and much was great after 4 days of diving. They offered wine menus occasionally but no pressure to order as they are not part of the inclusive package. [Details]

We spent a week here with two kids (3-5) in a privileged suite. Description said we would get a plunge pool on our balcony but it was a large bath with a fix temperature for water. It had a slow leak but we didn't bother making an issue as we ultimately spent little to no time in the room except for sleeping.
We booked a private transfer from the airport to avoid stopping at hotels and it was totally worth it for under 100USD. Our room was not ready as we showed up at 1pm but they gave us bracelets to enjoy the resort and eat. We got the room at 3pm.
Room was spacious and the suite was worth the upgrade as it allowed us to have freedom during nap as we closed the sliding doors and blinds while we could go about our business.
Many food options to choose from throughout the day. We found Bloved to be a great addition also included with the suite. The crêperie was delicious and a fun snack to get between meals of after lunch. Restaurant reservations were easy when you understood how it works. We were in the my booking menu and couldn't figure out why it said no available reservations but turns out you have to go the each restaurant page and click book to choose the date and check the available hours. They're working on the system and process so some get to book more restaurants than they should but it's an easy fix. Italian and Japanese were our favorites.

We passed by the kids club but it's kind of isolated from the rest and didn't have a pool so our kids were not interested. They seem to have a sign up for activities. They showed up around 8 at the lobby bar with different activities on various nights but the animation for kids themed activities could have been better.
Shows start at 9:30 but they usually had some activity around the lobby bar starting at 8 (karaoke) which was fun to watch and hear.
The bigger pools near the bars had a yellowish slime near the filters that they tried to play off as sunscreen residue instead of puke but it stayed all week. Was not present in the privilege pool so we tried to spend more time there.
Wifi was great except for in the room which was more spotty. We were in the back of the resort with a view on the private villas.
Beach is like the reviews indicate, rocky in parts but great for swimming. Water shoes made a big difference. We always found chairs available.
I found it disappointing that the hotel participates in the scheme to eliminate smaller tips. Hotel lobby does not provide small bills for change and “money exchange” refuses to process transactions that are not in a foreign currency. Resort employees mostly pretend as though small bills are not available as bills smaller than 50-100 are very hard to obtain from staff. Yet, when I used a 500 pesos bill at a gas station outside, the bill was too big to get change as well. I get that people want bigger tips but the way it is done is shady imo so sometimes, we did not tip as we had no small bills. [Details]

Overall, I had an enjoyable experience [Details]

The resort is clean, well serviced and welcoming. The staff are attentive and very friendly. The food is well prepared, tasty, with a very nice assortment during breakfast, lunch and dinner service.
The a-la-carte restaurant reservation system stinks. We were unable during our entire two week stay to make any reservations online due to technical reasons and were not alone as witnessed by the 8:00 am lineups at customer service. The no smoking policy was not enforced by hotel employees, security or management. We endured smoking of cigars/cigarettes on balconies, indoor restaurants (finally addressed once we complained) and around pools ("no smoking" signs posted but no adherence or enforcement). This made for daily confrontations with smokers. ( I am allergic and recovering from Cancer). The restaurant for privelege guests (B- Loved) was a welcome sanctuary for breakfast and dinner. Dress code for dinner should be enforced (shirt with collars, casual dress shorts/pants etc. Some people allowed to dress as slobs with crude T-shirts. Live shows at 9:30 most evenings were very professional and well done as compared to other resorts. Overall it was a very nice 14 days. [Details]

The facility was perfect, views from room stunning, pools awesome, and beaches and swimming area top notch. The bar service less than perfect bordering on poor. Just not the service I was expecting when tipping well. The buffets were really good food, as well as service. The sit down restaurants had a check in online that was near impossible to attain at 8am every morning. Many never got into them. [Details]

Beautiful resort friendly and hard working employees. Very clean. Those were the pluses the minuses were its a teared system depending on the colour of your wrist band. Some were only allowed in one restaurant and one bar and no à la carts. If you wanted to upgrade, it was 25 American per person a night. The à la carts were very hard to get into. [Details]

Nous avons logé au Catalonia Riviera Maya du 12 au 19 Janvier 2025 et nous avons adorė notre sejour. C'est un complexe hotelier propre et rénové. Ce qui est surtout remarquable c'est leur personnel: gentil, agreeable et poli.

Le complexe hôtelier semble offrir des cours de langue à son personnel ce qui rends l'expérience encore plus agréable. C'est plaisant de pouvoir échanger avec eux.

Seul aspect à améliorer serait d'ajouter de l'ombre dans la piscine à l'aide de toile. Ceci permettrait aux gens plus sensibles au soleil de se baigner.

Du côté nourriture, nous étions inquiets au tout début mais nous avons vite réalisé que tout est lavé avec de l'eau purifiée.

Ils ont des time shares à vendre, mais une fois que vous leur dites que vous n'êtes pas intéressés, ils vous laissent tranquille.

C'était une très belle expérience! [Details]

We had a fantastic time at Catalonia Riviera Maya. Our status was "Privileged" which gave us a few extra amenities. The Beloved restaurant was delicious. Easy to book restaurants online at 8am. The staff has friendly, the rooms were very clean and the front desk was quick to help when needed. It was nice that this resort is in a gated community, where is it a short 5-10 minute walk to the marina. The entertainment staff did a great job with activates around the pool and they put on excellent shows at night time. I would highly recommend this resort to everyone. [Details]

Everything during my stay was great! The staff were very friendly. The resort was beautiful and the grounds are meticulously maintained. The buffet was adequate. The food at the buffet was only ok. The biggest issue I had was trying to make a reservation at one of the restaurants. Imagine 600 people trying to book online with their app at 8:00 am. By 8:03 everything was booked. I got in 1 restaurant in 8 days. An old fashioned way to simply walk to the restaurant and book would be a better experience. So having said that my overall experience was a disappointment. I stayed in the privileged suite. I didn't feel anymore privileged then the rest of the guests. By the way, the resort was maybe 70% full until Christmas where it was crazy busy. [Details]

Overall, a nice resort. Food was tasty, although we got food poisoning on our trip and that certainly ruined things for a few days each. We liked the size of the resort as all amenities are easy to navigate. Biggest disappointment is the lack of sandy beach, but there's a beautiful local beach just a 10 minute walk away which we enjoyed. Most staff were very friendly and also very helpful. A nice resort but if you want a good beach experience with swimming, water sports and snorkelling, this isn't the place to go. Additionally, we purchased the Privilege package, which gave us a nice room with larger balcony, a spa package that was quite enjoyable, and access to the privilege pool and bar. Room service was nice to have, but items delivered to the room were sometimes not what was advertised. Overall - 3.5/5 stars from our experience. [Details]

We have stayed at a number of all-inclusive locations and this is in the top 2. We did upgrade to the Privilege for 25$USD person/day and it was the BEST decision. This gives you unlimited access to the B'Loved restaurant which offers menu service for breakfast/lunch/dinner on a walk-in basis. You also get unlimited access to 24 hour room service. There is a separate pool and bar that the Privilege upgrade gives you access to – they will refuse you service at that bar if you do not have the upgrade and this did upset some patrons. The resort itself is extremely well maintained and clean. Large number of staff are always on site. You are able to book as many al a carte restaurants as you want during your stay - they have Japanese, Italian, Mexican and Steakhouse. We did not try the Japanese but ate at the other 3 more than once and they were all great. They also have a burger location that does not require a reservation. There is a snack type buffet for lunch and it had a good selection that was always tasty. All the restaurants have a very good menu and wonderful service staff. Around the beach and pool there are very few staff for drink service so you have to get your own. There are limited bar locations but you can access the sister resort (Yucatan) which also has a Crepe/ice cream wagon and a snack wagon. The least impressive part of the resort was the main buffet - it never changed and the food was quite bland. You could go over to the one on the Yucatan side but it was exactly the same. There were also people who complained about the bar opening at 1100 and closing early. The reservation system for the al a cartes is ONLY on-line. It opens around 09:00 and you have to be fast but once we realized the timing we were able to book easily. In a 12 day stay we ate at the al a cartes 7 times. We liked the beaches which were in a cove-like location - great shallow waters for kids. Snorkeling could be done from these beaches which was a nice option. Tons of lounge chairs in multiple type locations - both beach and pool. People do reserve but if you are out by 9:00 you can find a spot. We would return to this resort. [Details]

The good:
-Hotel has a very easy footprint to familiarize yourself with after a few hours.
-Food and service were really good, better than many of the 5* hotels I've been to.
-Short walk to see the dolphins and other marine life.
-Snorkeling on site was surprisingly good.
-On site kayaking was nice, especially when you go under the road onto the adjacent properties.

The bad:
-Two-tier system at this hotel sucks. You're not made to feel welcome unless you upgrade to 'privilege', and the facilities for privileged guests only are all over and placed in the most convenient spots. This is done deliberately so guests will pay extra and upgrade once they arrive. Very poor practice.
-Customer service is not great.
-Entertainment at night is poor.
-Hotel shop is insanely overpriced.
-Minus the 'Privileged' bar, you have long walk if you want drinks while enjoying the beach at the Riviera side.
-Bus ride to/from airport is longer than expected, I would definitely recommend hiring transportation.

The ugly:
-Multiple thefts throughout my stay. What I learned is that you're always being watched, so it's best to speak & mingle with other guests on the beach prior to going for a swim. DO NOT simply put your stuff on a chair and go snorkeling unless you have someone with you, or you take the time to chat with guests nearby first. In the first two days here, I had the following items go missing from the beaches (New hat, New sandals, New travel mug, tipping cash, diving fins, diving knife, travel bag, new shirt). The beaches are small and only staff & guests have access so use your own judgement on this scenario. This is my 36th all-inclusive since 2001 and by far the worst experience with theft.
-Taxes and service charges upon leaving could only be paid with cash. Front desk claimed their machine was down and that I would need to withdraw money from the ATM downstairs to pay.
I thought this was very odd, but complied. Things escalated when I asked for a receipt and they refused, stating that the receipt machine is tied into the same system. I know better than this, so I started recording with my phone while asking questions. The lady at the front and her strong-arm accomplice clearly weren't used to getting pushback. This was a clear case of corruption [Details]

Catalonia Riviera Maya is a beautiful resort. We stayed in the family privileged suite which was perfect for our family of 5. The room was clean and the beds were comfy! We enjoyed using the deck for afternoon relaxation. There are a few different animals to be seen here which was great also. I do think there needs to be more seating in non food places to relax outside without feeling the need to have food or drinks to be there. (At least on the Mayan side, didn't spend a lot of time on the other side.) The game room definitely needs an ugrade or another as there are few things to do and little chance to use the pool table or air hockey unless you get there at just the right time. Definitely could also be more teen activities, my kids don't swim a lot so it was a little hard to find things for them to enjoy. The theatre was very nice and we enjoyed the nightly shows. We really liked the interactive games before the shows. The staff was kind and helpful. The restaurants upstairs that we went to (Bloved and the hamburger restaurant were our favorites) were very nice. Buffet was decent. There is a short walk to the Marina to see the little shops, restaurants and dolphins/manatees. Also worth renting a golf cart to check out the area although it would be nice if the hotel rented them out rather than trying to locate other golf cart services that we weren't sure of. Overall it is a nice hotel and beautiful beach with fish and other wildlife that I enjoyed a lot. [Details]

The attractive Mexican architecture/ decor and helpful staff welcomed us for a memorable week of great food, professional music & dance shows, a variety of activities: aquafit, yoga, snorkelling, kayak. Excellent value! The "Privileged" category rooms have a separate seating area & classier decor, but the basic rooms are just fine, complete with iron & board, hairdryers, TVs, mini fridges & outside terraces. compact, so that everything is easily accessible. Location within the gated, mainly ex-pat community of Puerto Aventuras, meant restricted public access & a safe, stress-free environment - best visited by golf carts. (but no nearby colourful Mexican villages to explore.) 1 1/2 hours from Cancun airport, 20 mins south of Playa del Carmen.
All info is on their website - nothing on paper...so phone and/or tablet is essential. Wifi very good...even on the beachfront. We highly recommend Catalonia Riviera Maya!

We are 3 Canadian women: Mom, her friend & adult daughter all LOVED this place & it will be our first choice when next needing a Mexican fix! [Details]

Our recent experience at the Catalonia was very good .Our room was good bed was comfortable and the cleaning staff made the cutest little animals out of towels.Food was decent the Ala cart restaurants were a bit tricky to book had to be up early and quick to book . We did manage to go twice for the week we were there once to Italian restaurant which was ok . Portion size was a little small but overall was good . Steak house was excellent. Buffet had something for everyone and was good .Burger restaurant was very good . Only real criticism is you had to really get up early and reserve chairs if you wanted a spot at the pool or beach never any chairs and not much to do for night life . Sports bar closed at 11 and disco was way to loud for socializing so no place to get a drink after 11 except disco to sit visit with friends. Overall experience 8 out of 10 [Details]

It was ok. If we could have tried out restaurants more would help. Glad we had privileged with the Bloved restaurant or we would have had to eat at buffet all the time.

Staff are great. Not good beach but knew that going into it. At places we were able to eat it food was good.

Rock show entertainment night was amazing. Rest of shows were just ok.

Not sure if we would return. [Details]

Overall a pleasant trip. Good quality food and drink, with some inconsistencies (undercooked and also overcooked steaks at BLoved). Room service prompt. Very good wifi. Sound proofing in villas is poor. Spa is woefully overpriced. Staff are very pleasant with the exception of the currency exchange personnel, who were dismissive and unhelpful in providing change for larger denomination bills. Out of 5 attempts to request change: 4 refusals (I was told to "go ask a bartender for change").
Room cleanliness excellent, beautiful large shower w/great water pressure. Both pools at on the Riviera Maya side of the resort were overcrowded, noisy and challenging to find a lounger unless before 8am. The pool at the Yucatan side is large and not at all crowded, no loud music or staff yelling into microphones ~~ much MORE relaxing. Creperie excellent, Ayami restaurant excellent, Italian restaurant very good. Buffets offer very good quality food as well. Beach is small and rocky, water shoes a must. [Details]

We thoroughly enjoyed our vacation here and were very impressed with the attention to detail.
We upgraded to Privileged and it was well worth it! We ate at BLoved for most meals. Meals were cooked to perfection and any special requests we asked for were done perfectly. They ask you at every meal and in every restaurant if you have any food allergies which I was impressed with. The staff were very friendly and attentive in BLoved and all the a la cartes.
It's not a long beach you can walk, but you can go in and snorkel. We saw lots of wildlife. Lots of fish to see even if you don't go in the water and a BIG fish that we thought could be a permit? Or Jack Trevall?
We walked into the restaurants and markets within Puerto adventures. We saw the dolphins, sea lion and manatees without having to pay (we didn't go in the water with them).
We loved our vacation and would happily do it over again, but some things to note…
We found things quite expensive, due to changing CAN $ to US$, I'd recommend bringing US$ with you so avoid extra fees. Bring lots of small bills for tipping.
We were in one of the first rooms close to the lobby. While it was super convenient, it was a bit noisy at night. Not enough to keep us up, but if you're a light sleeper, this may be an issue. I appreciated the location of the room and felt safe in it.
Our last experience to Mexico in a different resort left us feeling like we wouldn't return here due to overly pushing staff. We did not find this at all here!!! They did offer things to us, but once we said no thank you, they went on our way. We were definitely keep the Catalonia line and Mexico in our minds for our next vacation!!
Very impressed!! [Details]

If you're looking for a family type atmosphere, this is the place, I've never been to a resort with a more friendly and helpful staff
As a solo traveller I never felt alone
Karla always made sure I was included in activities
Emilio always came to say hello
Elvira and Alejandra always joked around with me at the lobby bar making sure I'm having fun [Details]

We are satisficed with the hotel. It was clean, most of the staff was nice an provide acceptable service to customers. [Details]

We have been staying at the Catalonia Resort on and off, since 2006. The reasons we love the resort:
-Location (close to the airport).
-Smaller resort so no matter where your room is, it's close to everything. This also means you get to know the staff and build friendships.
-Restaurant choices. There's 6 total (outside of the buffets) and the food was delicious at ALL. We stayed there last year and I have to say that the food was way better this time. Great improvement.
-Entertainment staff are so much fun and the evening shows are very, very well done. [Details]

This is overall a very nice resort. My room was very comfortable ,clean with a lovey bathroom that looked and felt new.
The food was good in the buffet, nicely set out with lots of staff. The Beloved restaurant was my favourite! The staff went out of their way to make sure everything was perfect and it was. I eat gluten free because of celiac and once the staff was informed I was always given gluten free bread or rolls as well as being informed of the gluten free options they offered.
The resort has multiple pool areas all nice but sunny…take lots of sunscreen.
The theatre was nicely set up and the entertainment was great.
I would definitely return to this resort. [Details]

This hotel was very nice, I enjoyed a deluxe premium room, very new, modern and comfortable.
The staff are amazing always ready to help with anything and always with a smile! 10 plus for all staff members!
The pools were lovely, the food was good.
My only criticism would be the beach is small and quite rocky difficult to get in And out of the ocean [Details]

There is no beach to walk but can snorkel and kayak among other things. The internet connection was the best so far and the grounds are kept very clean. A decent place for a family - lots of kids. The travel time to get there was roughly 1.5-2 hours as people are dropped off at various resorts along the way. It's far to go with little ones. The staff was friendly however it seems they were short-staffed. At times only one bartender per pool bar which created lineups. Unlike other resorts, they do not serve ANY alcohol until 11am - no mimosas for breakfast which is just a fun thing to do on vacay. The sports bar and nightclub were closed and under renovation which wasn't great for the younger crowd. Not much of a nightlife if that's what you are looking for. [Details]

Great place , clean, I'm Celiac and the team was great. They guided me in the buffet . They brought me GF bead with my breakfast. Rooms are very clean. Snorkeling in front of the resort is great. Saw some: Perrot fish , Puffer, Rays, Kong's, and many more. yes like any resort in the winter the chairs are a hard find but not impossible. Always found one on the beach. I would return next week if I could. The walk to the Marina is fun about a 8min walk. You will find restaurants, Gelatos(MMMMM very good one may I say) If you ask the bell-boy he can find you a golf cart.(60USD$) for 24h rental and some available by 2h slice. VERY Safe place. BEST WI-FI ever its all over the place with full bars. [Details]

Everything was 'ok'. Not the best and not the worst. The fact we had excellent weather saved this place. I feel like if the weather hadn't been so nice, we would have been irritated at the little things (not the room we booked/paid a premium for, the second room leaking and the staff not caring, the small beach/not ideal for swimming, the food being ok, lots of frozen/rethawed). Wouldn't rush to return, but wouldn't advise against booking either. [Details]

great great great. [Details]

This property is located about a 2 hour drive south of the Cancun Airport (1 hour by taxi) The staff are always friendly and attentive. The buffet restaurants (2) were very good but had trouble getting coffee at dinner service unless you wanted expresso or cappuccino.
The room was spacious and cleaned daily. Out room had a nice balcony overlooking the pools and included a small table snd 2 wicker chairs. The grounds were kept very clean and the beach area too was well kept. [Details]

The experience was incredibly pleasant. The staff at the resort went out of their way to accommodate. The staff was very knowledgeable and very pleasant and always smiling. The resort was spotless and the variety of food was excellent. We had an amazing time and will return to this wonderful resort [Details]

We stayed in the Privileged section and the room was great, nice rainfall shower head, patio with plunge pool, mini fridge was stocked daily. All of the restaurants were good, we ate a lot at Bloved, which had a more relaxed atmosphere and had beautiful views and excellent food. The a la cartes were excellent we had the steakhouse, Mexican and Japanese. The burger bar was also exceptional. Check-in and out was painless and quick. The grounds were well cared for and the Privileged beach and pool were nice and relaxing. [Details]