Rosewood Mayakoba

We stayed at Rosewood Mayakoba from July 1-5, 2026, in Room 522, expecting a world-class luxury experience to celebrate the 250th anniversary of American Independence. We paid well over $XX,XXX based on the resort’s reputation and explicit assurances from staff during booking. What we got was one of the most disappointing vacations we’ve ever had. Do not book here if you’re expecting the high-end holiday they promise. Before booking, we specifically asked about fireworks and July 4th events. Staff reassured us 100% there would be fireworks. This was the main reason we chose this resort for the historic milestone. Guess what? No fireworks at all. Zero. The “celebration” was a complete joke: just two cheap speakers and two guys on a microphone. No DJ, no live entertainment, no performers, no energy whatsoever. The food at the event was awful — dry ribs, terrible desserts, and overall low-quality offerings that looked cheaply thrown together. The kids’ activities were even worse. Mediocre, boring games that felt like they were planned by someone who has never been around children. Our kids were bored and repeatedly disappointed, asking why there was nothing fun, no fireworks, and no real party. For a luxury family resort, this was unacceptable and embarrassing. Staff gave us misleading excuses (including nonsense about turtles) when we asked what happened to the promised festivities. Meanwhile, friends at other hotels in the area got full fireworks shows, DJs every night, live entertainment, wrestling matches, and real family activities — all for about 1/4 of what we paid. The only decent parts were some friendly staff and the scenic boat ride to the room. Everything else, especially the hyped-up 4th of July event, felt cheap, underplanned, and not remotely worth the obscene price tag. We left feeling ripped off and that our family holiday was ruined. Rosewood Mayakoba markets itself as ultra-luxury and elegant. This experience proved the opposite for the money spent. Save yourself the disappointment and thousands of dollars — go somewhere else that actually delivers what they promise. We will never return and cannot recommend this resort to anyone, especially families looking for a memorable holiday. (We have requested a full refund and documented everything. Will update if resolved.)

We booked a suite with plunge pool. Suite well maintained. Hotel ground pristine. Beach- usual issue with Playa del Carmen. Soil erosion and weeds requiring barriers. Keep to the pools. Service - impeccable. This is what you pay for. Everything is precise and on time. Aman level for sure. Love the bike and the trails in Mayakoba. Love the transport between resorts. Food - we tried beach restaurant, one mexican BBQ and the main breakfast place. Good food for resort. Very expensive but we expect that. They have to make their $ somewhere. The main advantage of Mayakoba, you can dine in all the other resorts. We dine in Fairmont steakhouse. - good but not same level of service Also we love the space. Never felt crowded. And the SPA access. All rooms have spa access (no treatments) but one can use all the facilities (Hot pool, ice pool, sauna, red light, steam, and large beautiful outdoor pool and many sitting areas) this alone is worth a lot!. GYM - my fav equipment. TechnoGYM

Despite giving the hotel a 5, I will post my usual: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. We stayed at the Rosewood Mayakoba from June 25 through June 30, and overall it was a truly special experience. Like any resort, it was not perfect, but what Rosewood does well, it does exceptionally well. The Good The room upgrade was fantastic. We were placed in a beautiful villa with a kitchen, laundry, private pool, and jacuzzi, and it made the stay feel comfortable, private, and luxurious. It was the kind of space that immediately makes you feel like you are on a real vacation. But the best part of Rosewood Mayakoba was not the room, the setting, or even the food. It was the people. By far, the most unique and memorable part of the resort was the staff. From Yvonne in Guest Relations to our room butler team, everyone was spectacular. Every meal was better because of the waitstaff. Every pool day was better because of the hosts, servers, and kitchen staff. The service never felt robotic or forced. It felt warm, thoughtful, and genuinely personal. The staff is what separates this resort from other luxury properties. They made us feel welcomed, cared for, and appreciated every day. The Bad There were a few minor issues that stood out. First, the television in the room did not allow us to watch the World Cup, which was disappointing during a major international sporting event. At a resort of this level, that should be easy to accommodate. Second, the Adult Pool area is in desperate need of a refresh. The pool itself has become worn down, and the walkways around it are so beat up that the area no longer feels consistent with the Rosewood brand. Honestly, parts of it felt closer to taking a dip at a Motel 6 than at one of Mexico’s premier luxury resorts. That may sound harsh, but the rest of the property is so beautiful and the service is so good that the Adult Pool stands out for the wrong reasons. It needs attention. The Ugly The most frustrating part of the trip involved the airport escort service through customs. When offering services, especially expensive services, it is important to be clear about pricing and value. Selling an airport escort service for more than $1,100 for three people is absurd when the actual service provided was almost nonexistent. The service consisted of one person holding a sign, walking us from the end of the jet bridge to passport control with everyone else, then walking us to the same line everyone else was already in, and pointing out the baggage claim where everyone else was already standing. After that, they handed us off to the Rosewood staff. That was it. To be fair, they did push one of the two luggage carts while I pushed the other. But there was nothing private, unique, special, expedited, or even particularly helpful about the experience. It would not have been worth $100, let alone more than $1,000. Overall Rosewood Mayakoba is a beautiful resort with some of the best staff we have ever encountered. The people made the trip. The villa was wonderful, the service was warm and personal, and the overall experience was memorable. That said, the Adult Pool needs a serious refresh, and the resort should be far more careful and transparent when offering expensive add-on services that do not come close to justifying the price. Even with those issues, we left with very fond memories, mostly because of the incredible staff who made the stay feel so special.

Rosewood Mayakoba continues to be one of our favorite family resorts. One of the biggest advantages is the convenient location, just a short drive from the airport, making travel days with children much easier. From the moment you arrive, the service is exceptional. The staff truly anticipates your needs, and the butler team consistently goes above and beyond to make every stay special. This is one of the most family-friendly luxury resorts we have experienced. They provide cribs, children's beds, and an incredible number of thoughtful amenities for kids. Our children loved the sand toys, stuffed animals, personalized bibs, and custom pillowcases. The complimentary bikes with child carriers were another highlight and made exploring the property so much fun. The kids club was small but nice. Breakfast was outstanding every morning, with a wide variety of options and consistently excellent service. What impressed us most was how quickly the staff learned our names and preferences, making us feel genuinely welcomed. We also enjoyed every restaurant on the property and appreciated the variety and quality of dining options. The boat rides through the resort are a unique touch and one of the things that makes Rosewood Mayakoba feel so special. The pool area is great for families, and we especially appreciated that children five and under eat free, which is a thoughtful benefit for families traveling with young kids. The beach is relatively small but beautiful. During our visit there was quite a bit of seaweed, but the staff worked tirelessly throughout the day to keep the beach clean and enjoyable. The only minor downside was the presence of construction vehicles occasionally driving along the beach to clean it up, which could be distracting at times. Overall, Rosewood Mayakoba delivers the level of service, attention to detail, and family-friendly luxury that is increasingly hard to find. We have returned multiple times and continue to leave impressed after every stay. We absolutely plan to come back again.

We’ve been privileged enough to visit many 5* resorts however this resort sadly didn’t live up to the expectations of the resorts blurb. The rooms themselves are absolutely stunning that’s not being denied at all, the bed is one of the most comfortable I’ve slept in, and the complimentary shampoo and conditioners etc are incredible! The mosquito repellent available in the room is a welcome touch as due to the lakes mosquitoes are rife! The rooms are all set alongside lakes which have to be dragged daily and the stench is awful. The beach was a huge disappointment, just full of murky seaweed which made swimming very unpleasant. The resort had a good large pool which was completely closed off for a full day so that some corporate guests could have exclusive use, at the rates charged this should not have been allowed and given little notice apart from a text saying to use another pool areas. The food and service fell below what would be expected of such a high profile resort. Food served was inconsistent in regards to what was served, it was different every morning, we were only offered fruit juice on our first morning and for the rest of our stay there was no juices to be found. The main meals were very poor quality (avoid the rib eye, there was more fat on it than meat) for a huge fee, don’t get me wrong we don’t mind paying a lot of money if the quality is of a good standard. So let me close off about the cocktails…just avoid them! Every cocktail we ordered was mediocre at best and on our last night we ordered two cocktails which were in drinkable! The waiting staff were told this and didn’t care less! I had gone to the bathroom and was extremely disappointed that my husband had signed the check anyway as he was just fed up and unsurprised and just wanted to leave! Such a shame as we were really looking forward to this break and sadly wished we’d booked to stay in one of the other resorts linked to Rosewood.