The St. Regis Kanai Resort, Riviera Maya

We had decided to try something different and really enjoyed this resort. The service and food were great. We pretty much stayed at the adult pool most of the time, but we had a ground floor with a plunge pool and that was very nice. However, if you are on the ground level, beware of keeping your door open even a crack. We had some visits from a family of raccoons one evening we decided to sit outside for dinner. The next night we had room service inside, but left the door open a bit and they almost made it in! That would have been not good!

My wife and I recently stayed at the Riviera Maya EDITION and were fortunate enough to enjoy dinner and drinks at the St. Regis several times during our stay. On our first evening, we went upstairs to the St. Regis Bar after dinner for a nightcap. That’s where we met Carlos, who greeted us warmly, introduced himself, and walked us through the cocktail menu. Carlos was absolutely fantastic! He was incredibly knowledgeable, engaging, and clearly a master of his craft. We spent the next two and a half hours talking about Mexican spirits, life, and everything in between. He also told us about the bar’s paid tequila and Mexican spirits tastings. Working alongside him was Mario, who was equally friendly and provided excellent service. The cocktails were outstanding-the level of creativity and craftsmanship behind each drink was truly impressive. The detail and ingredients list for each individual cocktail was astonishing. We returned later in the week for the Mexican Spirits Tasting and were immediately greeted by Carlos, who welcomed us back by name, like old friends. The tasting itself was a highlight of our trip. It was educational, fun, and absolutely delicious. You must experience it and try the unique flavors they showcase. After the class, we spent time chatting with Alejandro, who was just as friendly and informative. We talked for over an hour as he answered our questions, offered travel tips, talked about our families and careers and made us feel completely at home. I can’t recommend the St. Regis Bar enough. Whether you take a class or simply stop by for a cocktail and a snack, you’ll be in great hands. And if you’re lucky, you’ll get to meet Carlos, Mario, or Alejandro, each of whom made our experience unforgettable.

If you love personalized service, top facilities, and a low density property, St. Regis is for you. Period. Nestled in the Kanai mangroves, it shares the same area with Marriott’s Edition Riviera Maya. It’s important to recognize the emphasize on being integrated with the mangrove and be relatively far from the beach line, avoiding eroding the area and creating a sanctuary where you don’t feel bad about the impact on the environment. Key points: Unlike Edition, it's aimed at a wealthier and more demanding audience. Families will be there, but it's feels like an hotel for an adult crowd. - Speaking of families, they have a very well-equipped kids' club. And it's quite isolated from the adult area (i.e., within walking distance, but cleverly located). - Large spaces and fewer than 150 rooms; you'll never feel overwhelmed. - Spacious rooms. Even the standard rooms are quite comfortable. - Lovely pools. NO fights about the beach loungers! Plenty of areas to be solo, with your friends, or your family. No broken loungers. All in mint condition. - The resort is about 3 years old, so the rooms are in perfect condition. The food and drinks are consistently of better quality than at similar resorts. In my experience, better than at Edition. The only thing I found subpar was the french toast: Waldorf Astoria is still the winner! Breakfast is buffet-style, impeccably presented. You won't be disappointed. - The Bar is a must, and you have to try the Kanai Bloddy Mary; arrive before 6:30 pm so you can see a nice ceremony around champagne. They are proud of the quality of their cocktails and service, and they deliver! I came back for that reason! - Toro is the signature restaurant. Mexican fusion. Very well executed, delicious food and impecable service. - As I said before, a key distinction here is the attention. From everyone. From your arrival, the kindness of the bellhops who help you with everything with your luggage, the prompt and warm service at the front desk (kudos to Thalia, who is not only efficient but also charming and passionate about St. Regis and its history), to the lovely attention to detail from everyone in the Chaya restaurant (Guadalupe, Aaron, thank you for your excellent service). I'm sorry I can't remember the names of everyone who served me. But everyone, from the room attendants to ALL the guys at the Riviera restaurant, always had a smile and a genuine spirit to make you feel comfortable. THANK YOU. - One of the hallmarks of the St. Regis is its butler service. Dali and Carlos made our day. Absolutely necessary for a hotel stay? Hmm... not really. But once you try it, you're spoiled forever: morning coffee in the room, ironing service, activities, dinner reservations and recommendations, nice touches for the celebration we were planning. Carlos went above and beyond and solved my requests with kindness and enthusiasm. THANK YOU. - Great gym; looks new and has state-of-the-art equipment! - I didn't try the spa, but it looked amazing. Go to the St. Regis if: - You value service, tranquility, and attention to detail. - You don't mind being isolated in the middle of a mangrove. - You're willing to pay high prices. Kanai has three hotels (St. Regis, Edition, and Etéreo). St. Regis is the most expensive. - You're not looking for a wide variety of dining options. Depending on the number of days you stay, you might repeat at restaurants. Remember that you can visit options at Edition and Etéreo. At Edition, you can charge your bill to your room at St. Regis. Avoid this hotel if: - You're on a tight budget. It's Marriott's top-of-the-range hotel, and the price is accordingly. You'll pay around $50 per person for breakfast, for example. If that's unacceptable, look elsewhere. - You're looking for a party and/or socializing with a lot of people. Are you a party animal? Bumble/Tinder/Grindr? It's not here, of course. This hotel is designed to be low-crowded, even during peak season. If you need the social excitment, remember it's quite close to Playa del Carmen; go there. - You want to be on tours most of the time. Despite the fact your butler can arrange excursion outside the complex, if you don't plan to spend most of your time in and around the hotel, look for another option closer to Playa del Carmen. - You don't like personalized service. It's valid! I'm beyond excited to return to the St. Regis!

HORRIFIC CUSTOMER SERVICe. 2 months before my reservation of my intended stay and the hotel refuses to formally acknowledge that there is a buyout and will be cancelling my reservation. I have been trying to contact the hotel for 6 weeks and they do not respond to any of my emails with a plan on what they plan to do with their displaced guests. How on earth is this a 5 star hotel.

It’s incredible than even a brand like St Regis never enforces basic decency, honesty and rules of business on the properties anymore. Over $800 per night and they tried to scam us $75 per person extra just to use the sauna. The steam room was broken. Major hotel chains are now reaching airline levels of criminality. Dispute your scam charges every time. Report them to Marriott HQ.