The St. Regis Kanai Resort, Riviera Maya

We just celebrated our anniversary with 5 nights at St. Regis Kanai. The service team went above and beyond to recognize our special occasion as well as our Bonvoy Titanium status including a suite upgrade and special touches throughout our stay. The resort is about 35-40 minute drive from Cancun airport - not bad. We booked a suburban from USA transfers, which worked out great. We felt completely safe at the resort. It is several minutes away from the main road and quite secluded. The rooms are spectacular, finished with such thoughtful design and materials to honor the Mayan history of the community. We had a third story room and loved sitting on the patio drinking our morning coffee (delivered by the amazing Butler Team). The aesthetics of the resort itself are stunning and so well maintained. Everything is just a few years old. It appeared as if most/all of the first story rooms had beautiful plunge pools while the second/third story had better views as they were a bit higher above the mangroves. Hard to go wrong. The resort has created a great culinary experience all around. Our favorite meals included buffet breakfast at the St Regis (included with Bonvoy elite status), dinner at Kl’IS (at the Edition next door), and dinner at Toro. We ordered room service one rainy evening and it was quite good. Ulysis at Chaya breakfast was a fabulous host. The rooms are refilled with purified bottled water each day and it is also available at the pools. We enjoyed the 6:30pm champagne Sabor each evening. We signed up for the cocktail class, and we were the only ones that class. It was very interesting and delicious (included two cocktails) but would have been fun with more people. Most of our time was spent at the gorgeous pools (Riviera at St Regis for a few days) and the main pool at the Edition one day. They are impeccably clean and beautiful and comfortable. Eric and Raul at the Riviera Pool took excellent care of us the days we were there! Finally, the weather in June was a bit humid, but the great breeze coming off the ocean made it barely noticeable, especially at the pools and on the terraces. The beaches did have quite a bit of seaweed this time of year, but we hardly noticed it as there are so many other areas of the resort to relax and enjoy. This is a very special property, particularly the service and care. We hope to back soon!

Rating: 9.5/10 My family and I stayed here in rooms 224 and 225 (adjoining Grand Room and Suite) for three nights in June 2026. Positives • The setting is extraordinary. Built between the beach and a dense mangrove ecosystem, the resort feels both dramatic and secluded. The architecture takes full advantage of the landscape, and despite its size, the property manages to feel tranquil and uncrowded. Even at full occupancy, I suspect it would still feel private. • Our suite was one of the most memorable hotel accommodations I’ve experienced. The wraparound terrace featured its own plunge pool, outdoor shower, and soaking tub. Sitting in a warm bath under the tropical evening air while overlooking the surrounding landscape is a memory that will stay with me for a long time. • Service was consistently excellent. Every employee we encountered felt genuinely engaged and well trained. The St. Regis butler service proved especially useful, with quick responses through WhatsApp and a willingness to accommodate requests ranging from garment pressing to the brand’s signature coffee service delivered directly to our veranda. • Dining was outstanding across the board. We sampled each of the resort’s restaurants during our stay and came away impressed every time. Maintaining that level of consistency across multiple outlets is difficult, which makes it all the more noteworthy. The same standard extended to poolside service, where generous staffing levels meant food and drinks were never difficult to order. • The interconnected pools are among the best I’ve seen at a beach resort. Warm, immaculate, and finished in beautiful blue tile, they somehow remained refreshing even in the Riviera Maya heat. Soft electronic music drifted through the pool areas at exactly the right volume. Loud enough to create atmosphere, quiet enough to allow conversation. My son and I also spent more time than expected battling over the oversized outdoor chess boards scattered throughout the grounds. • The resort still feels new. Whether that is because of its relatively recent opening or simply exceptional maintenance, everything from the guest rooms to the public spaces felt fresh and meticulously cared for. • The property strikes a rare balance between welcoming families and preserving a sense of luxury. My children loved the Kids Club, where activities ranged from foosball to piñata smashing. At check-in, a staff member arrived with a basket of books and invited each child to choose one. Small gestures like that went a long way. Somehow the resort manages to make families feel welcome while still maintaining a peaceful atmosphere for everyone else. • The fitness center was large, spotless, and stocked with modern equipment. It never felt like an afterthought, which is often the case at beach resorts. • Water sports options were plentiful. We rented Seabobs for what was supposed to be a 30-minute session and were effectively encouraged to stay out longer. It became one of the most memorable family snorkeling experiences of the trip. • Given the surrounding ecosystem, I was amazed at how effectively the resort manages wildlife. Hawks patrol the grounds to discourage scavenging birds, and despite spending days outdoors near mangroves and standing water, none of us received a single insect bite. That may sound like a small detail until you’ve spent time elsewhere in the tropics. Negatives • There were a few minor operational rough edges. Motion-activated closet lights had an unfortunate tendency to illuminate the suite during late-night bathroom visits, and one of our patio doors lacked a functioning lock. Neither issue materially affected the stay, but both felt out of place at this level. • One evening we ordered an elaborate room service dinner and had it beautifully arranged on our balcony dining table. Just as we began eating, a raccoon emerged from the darkness and started advancing toward us with the confidence of an animal that had done this before. He seemed entirely unbothered by our presence and appeared prepared to join us for dinner had I not spent several minutes aggressively defending our meal while my family rushed plates indoors. The following night I spotted another raccoon helping himself to the remnants of a neighboring guest’s room service. To be fair, the resort is built within a thriving natural ecosystem. Still, I generally prefer not to negotiate territorial rights with wildlife while eating dinner. • This is no fault of the resort, but the sargassum situation was severe during our stay. The smell of rotting seaweed along the shoreline was strong enough that the beach chairs became largely unusable. The hotel worked hard to manage the issue, but nature ultimately had other plans.

Abilo and the entire team that came we came in contact with were also very pleasant and kind. From recommendations, to service it was all top notch. The property is stunning. We will definitely be back soon!

The best 10th birthday for my son!

The St. Regis Kanai is a beautiful property that is both relaxing and luxurious. Our trip was amazing from start to finish. I contacted the resort and arranged private transportation from the airport to the hotel, and everything was seamless. Upon arrival, we went to our room and were pleasantly surprised by an anniversary treat waiting for us. The butler service was on point and they were able to anticipate our needs regarding activities and housekeeping. Both the service and the food were outstanding at breakfast (Chaya), lunch (Beach Club & Riviera) and dinner (Chaya & Toro). The staff were incredibly friendly and knowledgeable at the St. Regis Bar, a special thanks to Christian for making our post-dinner drinks and evenings especially memorable. Both Chaya & Toro were fantastic for dinner, there was enough variety and great options that we didn't feel the need to go to the adjoining resort. The property has several pools; one is focused for families, and The Beach Club is adults only. We also took part in some of the classes the resort offers, including guacamole making class, margarita class, and Kanai Mary Class. We also paid for the cocktail making class which was quite fun. Overall, we were very impressed and we intend to come back for another relaxing and chill vacation.