Akumal Bay Beach And Wellness Resort

Akumal Bay Beach And Wellness Resort
4.474.474.474.474.47
4.47 based on 199 reviews
#5 of 137 hotels The Monarc.ca popularity scale (#1/15) classifies all the hotels of a single destination according to the number of grades received on 5 and the total number of reviews. in Riviera Maya
Rated 5 stars
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Nice Place

, New Westminster, BC
2024-02-08
Very Friendly staff [Details]
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The strong points
Very Friendly staff. Snorkelling right off the beach
The weak points
Long way from the airport.
Sanitary measures
Very few masks now.
Certified

ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL RESORT

, Cypress County, AB
2024-02-08
The resort and location was absolutely amazing. The beach was everything you could hope for, sand was white and soft, very clean and we could always find chairs. The grounds were all very well taken care of. While we were there they were starting renovations which was definitely needed. As a lot of the reviews we read before we left, everything was clean but could use updating. Only downside was the food.. we were ready to come home by the fifth day solely because the only thing we enjoyed for food was the buffet breakfast. Everything else was mediocre and kind of reminded me of hospital food. So we probably would not go back just because of that.. which is a shame because everything else was wonderful. [Details]
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The strong points
Beautiful resort, amazing beach and location. Very quiet as there is only 130 ish rooms total. Nice having a pool outside each building as there was rarely ever anyone in ours so we had a pool to our self most days.
The weak points
FOOD was the biggest weak point. Very mediocre and bland. The drinks were fairly inconsistent as well but we found a good bartender and just made the extra walk to go to him instead.
Sanitary measures
Very clean and well taken care of resort!
Certified

Jan 2024

, Vancouver, BC
2024-01-09
If you don't get up at 6am and keep your beach towels from the day before you'll most likely not get a spot at the beach. Staff did not look happy to be there at all. The bar in front of the lobby(which is not called the lobby bar) makes the best drinks. We would go there for our drinks while listening to the live music at the actually lobby bar. If you're hungry your best option is the buffet since you can't make reservations at the restaurants you can wait over an hour and a half to get in. The beach girls bringing drinks are the only ones smiling and engaging to everyone. The band that played two of the nights were by far the best experience of the stay. The omelete making lady was amazing, make sure you tip her well always a smile, engaging. Overall having been to several all inclusive resorts I would not return to this one solely for the lack of service. If all the beach chairs are reserved and no one's there go to the beach manager and he will take towels off the chairs with no one there for more then an hour. The 24 hrs snack bar is quite a joke, the guy working there so unhappy and you can wait 25 mins before he even comes to your table [Details]
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The strong points
The Mexican restaurant and the buffet are by far the best options. Amazing food at these two places out of all the other restaurants.
The weak points
Not being able to make reservations at the restaurants, when you show up they tell u 10 minutes and then you end up waiting an hour and a half. One night we gave up waiting at Rodizio , place was half empty with a line only serving a couple tables atatime
Certified

Akumal Beach Resort

, Coquitlam, BC
2023-12-10
We had a great time at Akumal Bay Resort. If you are into snorkeling and diving this is a place for you. Akumal Dive Centre is only 5 min away. Dive prices are reasonable. Good snorkeling off the beach. Staff are fantastic. Service is great. We never found a spot on table cloths. Some rooms could be upgraded, but are very spacious. You will need to get up early in the morning to get a nice beach lounge. This is normal for all resorts, I think, at least in popular destinations. Food is good. Overall, great value and location. [Details]
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Certified

Akumal Beach and Wellness

, Mission, BC
2023-06-20
The hotel needs to start updating rooms and outdoor walkways. It still is a very friendly hotel. It is a smaller hotel which makes it quite enjoyable. The food was excellent this trip at both the fancy restaurants and the buffet also. The sargassum was a problem this trip along with the high winds, however, it did not stop us from enjoying it. They have a great group of biologists that provide a great presentation on turtles. Since covid they don't have enough activity staff to get you involved in activities around the resort. They don't have the activity staff joining in dancing in the evening which is something they did previously. [Details]
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Certified

Lovely calm resort and experience

, Waterloo, ON
2023-05-10
Fabulous stay for family of 4 with 2 young adults. Very calm, lovely resort. Well spaced out, lots of food options, nice beach at parts (some was rocky and seaweed although they worked hard to move daily), main pool nice. Staff kept things clean. Restaurants all first come first served so nice not to have book in advance, lots of seating areas, 24/7 food options. Sushi bar on beach. Yoga and meditation classes were awesome! [Details]
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The strong points
Yoga, meditation, sushi bar, alacarte restaurants, attentive , friendly staff, ground kept very clean . good activiites on resort. Great staff, Alejandro (entertainment), omeletee chef Aurora and one man band
The weak points
room spacious but a little dull (dark, no colour or decoration), clean .
Sanitary measures
kept very clean, hand sanitiizer at each restauarant entry
Certified

Akumal Bay Wellness and Beach Resort

, Barrie, ON
2023-04-02
It was a beautiful, quiet, small resort perfect for young families and mature adults. [Details]
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The strong points
The staff were extremely friendly and accommodating, the food in the specialty restaurants was excellent, the spa was a nice bonus
The weak points
There is limited seating in the outdoor areas. The sun beds around the main pool are reserved by 6 am and there is nowhere else to sit. There are only 4 chairs at the small pool close to building 1. The beach chairs are low and uncomfortable.
Certified

Beautiful spot

, Union, On, Canada, ON
2023-02-07
We are returning guests to this resort, because we love it here. The staff are superb, as is the food and the beach. [Details]
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The strong points
Super clean and comfortable, excellent food, superior staff
The weak points
Rooms are in need of a refresh, patio doors don't lock always, and hairdryers are ancient. Wish there was more music on the beach.
Sanitary measures
Lots of hand sanitizer available
Certified

Very good

, Millbrooke, NS
2023-01-04
This was the 5th time we have stayed here although the last time was 6 years ago. It was just as remembered, with an excellent location, lovely staff and every room is oceanfront. We found the buffet wasn't as varied, although Christmas Eve and NYE buffet's were excellent. One of the biggest issues with food was temperature. It was hard to get a hot meal. Breakfast stuff (except the delicious omelets) like pancakes, french toast, practically everything was cold. French fries were always cold or old.
The other issue for us were the kids. We have never seen children at that resort and this time there were tons of them which is fine, but not for us. There was no where to get away from them. There needs to be an adults only pool or quiet section, if the resort wants to keep the adult clientele. As much as we loved this resort, we will not be back because of this. We understand there are adults only resorts out there and we will definitely shop for these in the future. [Details]
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The strong points
Excellent staff (bars, restaurants, housekeeping) Excellent location (prox to "town", snorkeling) Oceanfront rooms
The weak points
Too many kids (for us) Crowded beach with the "new" secrets next door) Food temperatures in the buffet
Certified

Very good resort just short of its potential

, Toronto, ON
2022-10-20
beautiful resort, nice water, large rooms with balcony and jacuzzi and nice views from all rooms [Details]
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The strong points
beautiful resort, nice water, large rooms with balcony and jacuzzi and nice views from all rooms
The weak points
food, lots of variety but taste was not good, especially the fish. servers can be slow.
Sanitary measures
none, vast majority of staff were not wearing masks
Certified

Second time, even better

, Laval, QC
2022-07-04
Last week we had the second trip, this time we had 2 rooms : garden view and penthouse. Everything was perfect; except the sea-weed; but this time around is normal. Good weather, good food, one of the best family vacation. We don't recommend the penthouse as during the day is really hot. But for sunrise and sunset is wonderful. Good music in the evening, entertaining during the day : paddle-board, volley, yoga, snorkeling and quiet beach. Cant wait for the next trip here [Details]
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The strong points
Beach, Soft-rock music and the personnel
The weak points
None: maybe sea-weed
Certified

Paradise

, Toronto, ON
2022-04-15
My husband and I visited Akumal Bay for 7 days. We chose it primarily for snorkeling as we didn't want to go on an excursion just to snorkel. Snorkeling was one of the main purposes for our visit. We're used to visiting mega resorts so this was a nice change for us to have everything (room, bar, restaurants, pool & beach) nearby and within a very short walking distance. This is not a party resort with lots of entertainment in a large teatro, nor is there a younger crowd (ie. college kids). I personally would have liked to hear more Caribbean music, maybe see a small cultural performance at night.

Room: 5/5
We stayed in building 3 on the first floor and we loved it so much. We had a private deck with an ocean view. It was great being able to even look at the water from our bed. Almost all rooms have a view of the ocean. Vicente was our housekeeper and he's so friendly. It was always a cute surprise to see the different towel animals he would leave us. The room was always clean, nothing was out dated. There was also an LG smart tv in our room which we used with my cell phone to look at the pics/ videos we took. The chairs outside were comfortable and there were palapas a few steps away. There were also hammocks and a bar a few steps to the right. The waitress even comes up to everyone's deck to take drink orders, I didn't catch her name but she's very friendly.

Food: 5/5

The food was very good. The buffet had variety and plenty of healthy choices. The a la cartes were nice to try and had unique options, my favourite was Lima. The portions at the a la cartes were a good size too, not too small or large. All of the welcome drinks were delicious.


Service: 5/5

Don't forget to bring lots of tip money :) The staff here are the best we've come across in all our stays at an all inclusive resort, they work so hard everyday and are always so friendly. The check-in process was fast and went smoothly. Rui was very helpful and gave us info about the resort and the general areas/times where we can find turtles while snorkeling. We'd like to thank: Blanca, Wilber, Yaneli, and both Claribel's from the lobby bar. Mica and Susy from front desk. Marco, Gustavo, Araceli, Jesus, Alejandro, Ricardo, Carlos, EK, Otilio, and Arturo from the buffet.
A special shoutout to Lizbeth from PR who responded to our email when we got back home! She's very kind, looking forward to hopefully meeting her on our next visit.

I didn't catch everyone's name but all the staff we interacted with were friendly and hard working.

Beach: 5/5

Yes, there was sargassum but that's to be expected because its a natural occurrence. The staff who cleared it from the beach were amazing and friendly, always smiling. They work very hard to clean up the sargassum. It really didn't bother us, I'd recommend wearing water shoes to go into the water as there are rocky parts. There was always a part of the beach with less sargassum in the water which we went through. Going out into 10 ft deep water we saw a variety of fish, stingrays, and turtles.

Overall: When I was reading reviews for Akumal Bay I kept seeing people commenting that they've visited the resort regularly for years. After our 7 day stay we see exactly why that is. We're usually the type of people that like to visit a new resort each time we go away but after staying at Akumal Bay we've decided that we will join the others in making this our home away from home. We are already planning to return in October of this year. Staying at a smaller property has made a world of a difference for us and we absolutely recommend this place to everyone.

- one thing I'd recommend is to bring an insulated cup to keep your drink cold
- Blue lagoon, blue hawaiian, alexandar, jellyfish, and green iguana are all drinks to try [Details]
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The strong points
Staff friendliness Snorkeling Drinks Beautiful grounds Hammocks and beach beds available Lots of bars around Pretty much everything is a strong point!
The weak points
Could offer even more authentic Mexican food and cultural shows at night Would like to hear more Caribbean music Lobby shop is very tiny, would like if it were larger and offered more souvenirs
Sanitary measures
Staff all wear face coverings Guests required to sanitize upon entering restaurants Lots of open space and room to social distance if desired Buffet has open windows and fresh air circulating
Certified

First Class

, Roberts Creek, BC
2020-02-11
Was an absolute dream, fantasy vacation. [Details]
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The strong points
The staff, not just polite but genuinely happy, felt welcome from the 1st day. After 2 weeks it felt like we were family, that made it for me. The other strong points would take too much time for me to list here.
The weak points
The volume on the TV wouldn't turn loud enough for me. The bathroom was not sound proof, concrete walls amplify every noise. No talking dolphins in the swimming pool...LOL
Certified

Akumal Bay Beach & Wellness

, St Thomas, ON
2020-01-31
5 star
Attentive staff, clean, fantastic beach,good food [Details]
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The strong points
Snorkelling right off the beach Sushi bar Quiet
The weak points
Distance from airport, but well worth the drive if you're looking for quiet relaxation
Certified

Relaxation

, Pickering, ON
2019-10-27
Had a great time at Akumal Bay. Service was exceptional. A storm passed through during the night resulting in water leaking in to the room through the vent. The hotel responded quickly and appropriately. Swimming with the turtles and stingrays that live in the waters off the hotel beach was an experience I will never forget. All the staff were friendly. We enjoyed our stay at Akumal Bay. [Details]
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The strong points
service, beach, rooms
The weak points
Entertainment
Certified

Excellent!!!

, Richmond, BC
2019-09-19
Just returned from Mexico. It was unforgettable trip. I like Akumal Bay Beach and Wellness Resort. The hotel is not big, only 4 buildings. But it is so cozy and nice. Staff is very attentive, food is tasty, service is an excellent. [Details]
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The strong points
The best beach in Mexico: sandy, clean, calm. Good for snorkeling.
Certified

Incredible Resort - We Will Be Back!

, Winnipeg, MB
2019-01-15
From the moment we arrived we were in awe of the architecture of the palapas-style entry and lobby. Amazing view from all 4 buildings and so many great spots to stop and enjoy the ocean and the sand. The grounds were immaculately kept. Pools on the small side but our kids enjoyed playing in them, and frankly, the ocean is so perfectly placed, calm, clarity was wonderful so pools are secondary. Staff were all extremely friendly and helpful.

If you're into late night parties, busy pools and waterslides, then this is NOT the resort for you. But, if you're looking for relaxation, positive vibes, snorkeling with loads of fish, turtles, corals, then this is the perfect spot. I can understand why they have a repeat customer rate of over 30%! [Details]
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The strong points
Beach, swimming, snorkeling, relaxed atmosphere, natural surroundings, incredible staff always going above and beyond.
The weak points
Very few vegetarian options, Shower and WC walls don't go all the way up to ceiling so there is no privacy. This wouldn't work with older kids sharing with parents or friends sharing, IMO.
Certified

Disappointed

, Toronto, ON
2018-09-26
The hotel wasn't as nice as three years ago. Our bed was very uncomfortable. Our room temp was always too warm and wouldn't cool. And there was a sewer stench for a few days. Our pool was shut down on day 3 of our trip. I was so disappointed. The main pool is too active, so I had no peace. All of our drinks were watered down. I dot't want to get drunk but I want to enjoy them. You can drink 100 drinks and get nothing [Details]
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The strong points
The staff are all amazing. The food also, so good
The weak points
The room, the pool and the drinks
Certified

2 days of rain did not dampen our stay!

, Mississauga, ON
2018-06-27
We stayed at ABBWR June 15 to June 22 with my family and a friend.

On the whole a great hotel. They could give a master class in Customer Service for the entire industry. The Facebook group provides all the information you would want from the staff and previous guests; a little bit of a fan page, but you will get the information you need. Our room request was accepted. The food was probably the best we have ever had in the South; presentation, variety, and quality. Our friend was a chef and usually a fierce critic. The rooms were okay, but the bathroom has no doors, so privacy is an issue, just had to schedule events. The pillow service was not excellent; they said they do not offer the type we wanted, but it was on the menu. Marianne at the front desk was rude when we asked about it, but the only time we saw this from the front desk. I just avoided her. Our safe was left open, and they have a policy that security will change the code and notify you to have it changed back. I liked this, protects everyone. They have a system not to allow the saving of beach chairs at the pool, and they will remove the items if you do. On the beach, Luis (beach manager) told us he watches for those that go down earlier and then return hours later. If he sees you saving, then using quickly (1 hour), he notes that and does not remove your stuff. Probably the only hotel that has the guts to do this. The a la carte restaurants do not usually accept reservations, so you walk up and typically get seated. We eat early, so we never waited, even got in early one time. We loved the Gourmet and Mexico restaurants the best. Food is subjective but wow.
Beach and Snorkelling: The beach has rocks or coral in front of 2/3s of the beach front. The place that has sand has all the palapas squeezed near it, so we chose to sit outside of the buffet restaurant. This is a personal preference to be able to walk out to clear water and sandy bottom. I gave a four-star rating solely because of the beach. The Sargassum (seaweed) was the worst we have seen; not the hotel's fault but the workers were machines. I helped for an hour and wow, hats off to them. The staff suggested that between March and September its hit or miss. Not sure you can predict it but it was very unappealing. The snorkelling was excellent, turtles, barracuda and lots of fish. As a protected area, you have rules to follow, so I applaud the government for their efforts.

Shoutouts to Mario (watersports), Luis as the beach manager, Vlad (Savage) and German on volleyball, Wilber at Lobby Bar and Oscar at the Sushi/Beach Bar. These employees were excellent examples of guest interactions. The rest were good, but these stood out.

Not sure we will return, lots of guests do, but the beach front is the only reason. [Details]
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The strong points
Customer Service, Food, and layout, no saving of beach chairs, snorkelling
The weak points
beach (rocks and coral in front of the beach), the potential of sargassum, no door for bathroom

Fabulous vacations!

, Port Williams, NS
2018-04-03
We just returned from our second vacation at this resort and it rates above all others. The staff are just fantastic. Irene in the Lobby Bar remembered our drink order after the second night and was always smiling. Adrianna in the Main Buffet always found us a table and the food was great! Always smiling & making sure that we had everything & more. [Details]
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Certified

Great trip

, Mississauga, HA
2018-03-18
This was our second time there. Of course we enjoyed and loved our stay at the hotel. You have exceptional staff. [Details]
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The strong points
Great customer service even til the last morning.
The weak points
Not really a week point but Mother Nature stirred up sea weed but beach crew worked very hard to clean it up. But the remaining 4 days on the beach was beautiful and clean.
Certified

Vacation beyond my expectations

, Montréal, QC
2017-06-10
The people were so welcoming. To discribe the penthouse room in one word. Wow. The service on the resort and on the beach was amazing. The food was great. I would return in a heart beat. [Details]
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Certified

Paradise with Turtles

, Surrey, BC
2016-10-07
Hotel is in an amazing location with the coral reef and beach seconds away.Food was good and plenty of variety. Staff were friendly and energetic .We had a fantastic time. [Details]
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The strong points
Food & Staff
The weak points
Noisy in lobby bar-keep music levels down so the rest of resort does not have to listen .
Certified

3 Star at best

, Burlington, ON
2016-08-06
Travelled to the Mayan probably 12 times and this is the worst hotel my wife and I have visited.Food is hit and miss,main buffet was like a sauna with 2 or 3 cats running around and getting a table for breakfast was always pain.The beach snack bar was o.k. if you don't mind the birds feeding on the bread that is put out for human consumption,hence returned home with a parasite in my stomach.The main pool area is a waste of space with the stupid four poster beds and no loungers, maybe they are going to use it as a helicopter port.Rooms were damp and very basic, ac did not help to solve this problem,glad we did not book the penthouse rooms as the roofs leaked when it rained and our friends had to move rooms.The only good thing at this resort is the outdoor staff including the always forgotten gardeners and Alejo and his waitresses in front of building #2 really good hard working people,thanks Guy's you are the best,sorry to say would not recommend this resort,cannot understand the reviews raving about this resort unless these people have never been anywhere else but Cuba. [Details]
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The strong points
Wait staff on beach and around pool area's
The weak points
Food and stupid beds around main pool

Wonderful Week

, Kenmore, NY
2016-03-28
We are a mid-fifties couple who have gone to 3 Caribbean all inclusives in the last three years. Stay at Akumal Bay was marked by exceptional service from the margaritas delivered to us at check-in right through our 5:30am check out with the very friendly Isaac.

Rooms are a bit sparse without a dresser. Bed was comfortable. A large closet provides storage space. The highlight of the room for us was the hot tub on the patio. Every room has one. All rooms face the water. There are 4 buildings with approximately 300 total rooms. Resort layout has the lobby area and three (of four) a la carte and buffet restaurants in the center of the resort with two buildings on each side. The main pool is in front of building 2 and the lobby bar is open toward that building so that is the building to be in if you want to be closest to the action. We were in building 4 and liked being in the quieter area. There are small pools (~18' x 21') in front of the other 3 buildings.
Beach is set up with shade structures over all the chairs as well as a decent amount of palm trees for shade. The beach is rocky in the area in front of buildings 3 and 4 but there is nice access across about 2/3 of the beachfront. There also are a good amount of outdoor beds throughout the resort. We are not 6am towel reservers and each afternoon we were able to get a bed to relax on. Drink service throughout the day was excellent in all areas of the resort. We have never had such good service on the beach.
Food was excellent. Good selection of a la carte and the buffet selections were excellent. They do NOT take reservations. We usually went to the restaurants around 7:30 and were seated around 8:15. We just had a drink and waited. Not tough to do. [Details]
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The strong points
Excellent service throughout. Like no reservations for restaurants. Good beach chair availability. Patio hot tub.
The weak points
Tough to complain. Floors throughout are hard, smooth and slippery when wet.
Certified

Akumal Bay Wellness Resort- great yoga

, Regina, SK
2016-02-22
This was our 10th time at this resort. The beach and snorkelling are absolutely fantastic. The resort is amazing: excellent service, cleanliness, wonderful staff, great food. It has a unique yoga program with introductory Hatha yoga, Vinyasa Flow yoga, Restorative yoga, Acro yoga, Yin yoga, Asana and Yoga Nidra, Tibetan singing bowls meditation, partner yoga, drum circle and yoga with live music (sitar, harmonium, bamboo flute, guitar, and Tibetan singing bowls). The spa has a variety of massages. I have tried them all and they are very professionally done. The Mother Rain massage is very unique. [Details]
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The strong points
beach, yoga programs, snorkeling
The weak points
If you want a party-hardy destination with loud pool music and constant "pumping up" from someone on the pool P.A. system, this is not the resort for you. Personally I find this a huge plus.
Certified

Almost Great, ... Almost

, Saskatoon, SK
2016-02-18
This was our first stay at this resort. We rate the resort 3.5 out of 5. If it wasn't for the excellent staff, great beach and terrific snorkelling we would rate it 3.0. We explain our rating below.

Room:

The first room (2016) we checked into was building 2 (first floor). It was directly behind the pool and about 100 ft. from the nightly musical entertainment that played at the bar. It sounded like the music was piped into the room. We could not hear the television nor fall asleep until the band stopped late in the evening. We knew the resort had been renovated; however, we discovered the room to be very plain and unclean. It felt like were in the designated ‘party room', as the walls were dirty; plus, we didn't want to touch the glass doors to toilet and shower or the closet doors because of uncleanliness. The second day we had a very strong sewer smell in our room. The front desk staff was immediate to send someone to investigate. They discovered a sewer pipe had broken and the sewer gas was entering the room via the air conditioner; hence, the room was shut down. The front desk staff gave us the choice of 3 available rooms. We were moved to building 3, third floor room 3215. Even in that room, a sewer smell came from the bathroom sink. After a worker checked it out, the smell remained. We never had hot water in the bathroom sink; but, we did in the shower and the Jacuzzi. The jacuzzi was a nice touch especially on some of the cooler nights. The shower water stream fluctuated constantly as did the hot to cold. We had to have a service person repair the entry door's lock to our room that wouldn't work. The door looked like it had been kicked in at one point because of the large 6” crack near the deadbolt. In both rooms the sliding patio door would not lock. Service people tried to fix the patio door on three different days until we gave up. Also, when the wind was strong at night it whistled extremely loud in the room. On the third night, we discovered the solid patio door had a one half inch gap from the frame. We stuck two towels in the gap and wind tunnel noise was gone. It would have been nice to have had a desk and chair in the room. The buildings may have been renovated with a ‘new skin over old bones'; but, those bones keep poking out. Even with a new coat of paint - the water pipes, fixtures and air conditioning are still old and not dependable. We, as most people probably don't spend much time in their rooms except for sleeping and showering; but, you still want the room to be decent, especially if your stay is more than one week as was ours.

Restaurants:

From our 12 visits to Mexican resorts (4 star or higher), the buffet was the best we have experienced, although the food wasn't always hot (similar to most resort buffets). Every night there were different foods to enjoy. The staff did their best to serve us; but, they were always short staffed. Consequently they would frequently forget our water, coffee, tea or wouldn't serve us. We weren't sure what music they played in the buffet all day; but, it was truly awful. Why wouldn't they play Mexican music in the background? In the evening, a four member Mexican band would visit tables and take requests. This added to the ambiance and was enjoyable. No reservations required for the 4 a la carte. Because of a garlic allergy, we only visited two a la carte: Gourmet and Mexican. We would give the Gourmet restaurant high marks for their presentation of the food - very impressive. Somewhat disappointed with the Mexican restaurant as we expected more traditional food we have experienced at other resorts. We never visited the popular sushi bar. Instead we would go to the snack bar where they served food all day, as well as cappuccino, coffee, tea, beer or liquor. And it had a nice sheltered sitting area by the pool, yet close to the beach.

Beach:

Towel cards are not a policy at this resort; but, perhaps should be, as some folks would take extra causing a shortage of towels. The towel game was the norm as it is at all the resorts we have stayed. Although, on our second last day about 8 am, we saw a staff member do two walk-throughs on the beach taking many towels from vacated beach chairs. Ourselves, I would go to the beach at 7:30 am and select two chairs for us and I would stay there and enjoy a cup of coffee from the snack bar and watch the sun rise. My wife would come to the beach after 8 am. We would then go for breakfast at the buffet. When I first went to the beach at 7:30 am, all of the first two rows of shelters with chairs would have towels draped over them. Sometimes people wouldn't show up until 11 am or later. That is unfair to other visitors and good on the staff for taking some of the towels. We only saw one verbal exchange between people who came back to find others were occupying their lounge chairs. The staff had taken the towels and when the new people took the chairs, they had no idea others had draped towels there hours earlier. The original people moved on, disgruntled and no lounge chair to find!

We preferred the area surrounding the dive shop. Abel, the one-man-band would appear most mornings on the beach. He was quite entertaining – enjoyed it very much. There was a small bar set up every morning near the dive shop in front of the most northern building number one. Marcelino tended the bar most days and he was super, as were the young women serving people drinks on the beach: Patricia, Rocio and Marcia. The drinks served were generous - certainly were not watered down (anywhere drinks were served)!

The beach was well kept by the staff, removing the sea weed every morning. The beautiful beach itself was long, so you could enjoy long walks up and down. Only a short walk north on the beach is an area featuring local shops to purchase souvenirs, sun screen etc. We enjoyed popping into the different shops. Beach vendors must not be allowed on Akumal beach as we never saw one at all.

The snorkeling was great. We always saw turtles, stingrays and different coloured fish every time we explored the ocean. The dive shop would supply us a life jacket free for 1 hour per day and only $3 if you wanted to use it all day. We had four days of no wind where the ocean was smooth as glass, four days of strong wind and six days of moderate wind.

We did not stay at the pool at all as there were only beds! Lounge chairs should be by the pool instead of large beds. Large beds could be found in front of all the four buildings facing the beach and ocean for people to lie on.

Tipping:

As mentioned the staff we encountered over two weeks was exceptional, and we were grateful. We tipped regularly: room attendants, bartenders, waiters/waitresses, musical entertainment, omelet cooks, pasta cooks, restaurants (breakfast, lunch, supper).

Check-in:

We were one of two couples who checked in the evening of Jan. 25 at 6 pm. Once checked in, the clerk motioned us to a fellow behind us (Saul) and said he would direct us to our room. Rather, he small chatted and motioned for us to sit down. Upon doing so, he said he could reserve a lounge chair on the beach in the VIP area for 2 mornings. He also asked us about excursions we would be interested in. He commented our trip provider could help us but we could also book through him instead. We were both exhausted from a long plane and bus ride. We just wanted to go to our room. We noticed the other couple who checked in only conversed with their intro person for a few minutes. Saul seemed to want to keep us. We became suspicious and asked him if he was employed by the resort and he said he was. We thought perhaps he was with Time-share. We just wanted to go to our room so we ended the visit and had him direct us to our room. We discovered the next day he was with Fidelity Club. Needless to say, we did NOT use Fidelity Club. The resort reception should not have the Fidelity Club people pounce on you upon arrival. On our third day there, we mentioned to the reception people what happened, and they had no idea who Saul was. So we don't know what the hell was going on when we checked in. If patrons want to pay the price of Fidelity Club, it should be a person's choice to explore that option. Hotel management – stop doing this to people as they check-in.

Miscellaneous:

The Gym was clean with good equipment and wasn't busy.

The grounds workers were always trimming and cleaning. They do a great job.

In the evening we found the lighting in the bar and the lobby area to be quite dim, so it was difficult so it was difficult to see while visiting with people or playing cards.

We went to a Cenote with one of the dive shop staff. It was a morning tour and we went with two other couples. It was a small Cenote which hasn't seen many visitors. It was a great tour. We didn't go on any other tours this visit; but, we have previously been to Tulum and Xel Ha twice. These were excellent and there are other great places nearby to visit as well. The resort is a 1.5 hour drive from the Cancun airport.

The beach area in front of buildings 3 and 4 was smaller with somewhat of a rocky entrance into the ocean. The waves were quite noticeably stronger in this area as well. It may also have been quieter than in front of building 1 and 2.

There were four pools. One small pool in front of both buildings 3 and 4 which people used every day. One larger pool in front of building 1, with the large main pool in front of building 2. The main pool should be heated a bit, as the children we saw were freezing in the cold water.

It was a smaller resort with a big punch! In other words, it had a lot to offer for a smaller resort. We spoke with some people who have visited multiple times. One couple had been there 15 years in a row!

We did not utilize the sauna or the massage area. Nor did we play tennis during our stay. People enjoyed the daily yoga sessions at the south end of the resort. We used the gym for a 1.5 hours 10 of the 14 days were there. [Details]
  • Room
  • Quality - Price
  • Front desk & Reception
  • Beaches
  • Location
  • Bathroom
  • Staff / Crew
  • Cleanliness
  • Food & Restaurants
The strong points
Relaxing friendly atmosphere, super staff, great beach, terrific snorkelling, good buffet food offering, appealing well-maintained grounds, no beach vendors.
The weak points
Disappointing 2 rooms we were in (sewer smell, malfunctions - renovations should have included plumbing, cleaning of air vents, door repairs), lounge chair towel game, only beds at pool side - should have lounge chairs, annoying Fidelity Club person.

Good investment

, Pierrefond, QC
2015-11-26
Good point for relaxing [Details]
  • Room
  • Quality - Price
  • Front desk & Reception
  • Beaches
  • Location
  • Bathroom
  • Staff / Crew
  • Cleanliness
  • Food & Restaurants
The strong points
very good food. ocean coral reef invaironment
The weak points
no canoe available, poor entertainment program
Certified

Another Great ABR Stay

2015-10-15
Stayed here 8 or 9 times and we just love the place! All staff treated us great. If you want a great place to relax and feel special, the ABR is the place for you. From the food, to drinks, to the wonderful beach, you can't go wrong....and it's location is great for all excursions. [Details]
  • Room
  • Quality - Price
  • Front desk & Reception
  • Beaches
  • Location
  • Bathroom
  • Staff / Crew
  • Cleanliness
  • Food & Restaurants
The strong points
Location, staff, beach and food.
The weak points
The new resort next door opening soon.
Certified

Akumel - check it out!

, Calgary, AB
2015-07-07
Room was spacious. View was great. Snorkeling was awesome. Sea turtles and manta rays! Staff were helpful. Ismael and Marcelino were a great help. Only thing is there were no bank machines on the premises. And the stores didn't give receipts for goods bought..kinda need those for Customs... Otherwise, great resort to check out. [Details]
  • Room
  • Quality - Price
  • Front desk & Reception
  • Beaches
  • Location
  • Bathroom
  • Staff / Crew
  • Cleanliness
  • Business Services
  • Food & Restaurants
The strong points
View is great, snorkeling is awesome. Rooms are spacious.
The weak points
No receipts given at resort stores. No bank machines on resort.
Certified
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