Andaz Mayakoba Resort Riviera Maya

500 USD per Night for a simple room with not even a beachview. The entire hotel pricing model is optimized to rip-off guests as much as it is possible. Here a few examples: - 1 x Breakfast = 38 USD (!) - 1 x Beer = 7 USD (!) - 1 x Cocktail = 18 USD (!) - 1 x Using the Sauna = 29 USD p. P. - 1 x Using the Tennis = 20 USD Sauna & Tennis Courts are usually complementary on hotels of that class. And a standard beer for 6 USD is a joke… Comparing that with other parts of Mexico (e.g. Holbox with a decent beachfront), you would have a stay like a king with that amount of money spent. The beach is not even fancy, distances are extremely long within the resort and every restaurant, activity, etc. is the same rip-off.

We stayed one night at the Andaz Mayakoba and enjoyed our beach front room which I booked with points. It was very spacious. Food and drinks poolside at the beach were excellent. Sunday Brunch at Casa Amate was amazing! Go if you’re there when it is offered. Cocina Milagro was just okay. Enjoy the beach. Take the ecotour. Ride your bike in the morning around the complex. All the staff were helpful making our stay enjoyable.

We had our wedding room block here in May 2022 after our initial visit in August 2021. This review has been delayed as I was waiting for photos back from our photographer which were just received. We had about 20 rooms in our block at Andaz and some guests that booked outside of the block for about 50 total guests. We also had several guests that elected to stay at the Fairmont. Our wedding was at El Pueblito which is a common area within the 4 resorts of Mayakoba. After our initial trip in August '21 to visit venues and hotels, it was a very obvious decision to invite our friends and family to stay at Andaz. The service is unparalleled, the grounds are spectacular and the food is delicious. I have seen some review saying their isnt enough to do... teens are bored, etc...Well, this is not a Riu resort. All of the resorts in Mayakoba are a little more elevated and dont really cater to a super active or party crowd. There is nothing open past 11pm. Thats one of the reasons we chose to have our wedding block here. Because we wanted our guests to have a relaxing, upscale experience. We did have several guests that were more active and they were happy to leave in the evenings and explore the downtown Playa Del Carmen clubs or book excursions. Its very easy to get a taxi or a car service from the lobby. Regarding onsite activities or reservations not being available, it was very easy for myself and all of my guests to book these 1-2 weeks in advance of our arrival with the concierge team. Monica was especially wonderful and took care of my guests. Also I want to highlight that the entire property of Mayakoba is very secure and gated. You have to be a guest at the resort for entry or be listed as a vendor. I wedding guests that were unfamiliar with traveling to Mexico and this made them feel very comforable in their stay. Sotavento - We had an amazing dinner here with 14 guests thanks to the wonderful Alberto Flores. What an amazing help he was! He explained to us all of the menu options and possibilities and helped accommodate our vegetarian guests. My father is in a wheelchair and Alberto had a temporary ramp built in the sand which was so thoughtful and much appreciated. Tinta Del Pulpo- Although the food here is delicious, the real star here is Mama Coco aka Ezekiel. Hopefully you will have the opportunity to meet him. Beyond any dish recommendations he can assist with, he will help point out nearby wildlife and share their stories with you. He is really a delight to talk to. You can tell he loves connecting with guests. He has been a highlight from both visits! Casa Amate - We didnt have a chance to dine there this visit but we definitely made good use of the bar. The bar is a beautiful dream of what youd aspire your home bar to be. Wonderfully curated selection of booze and perfectly executed cocktails. When we visited in 2021 we were introduced to Nixta which is a corn/elote liquor. It quickly has become a favorite and while we have had it LA, nothing will be as special as enjoying it there. The bartenders are wonderfully knowledgeable and thoughtful in their recommendations. The manager of the restaurant, Francisco, was always so accommodating and wonderful to chat with. After our wedding ceremony he let us come in and take some photos taken which ended up being some of my favorite from the day. There was an issue with a room that my husband and I were moving to post the wedding that was swiftly resolved by Gerry. Before we even tried to move rooms he contacted me to meet with him and was able to offer a wonderful upgrade. Throughout the stay, I used whatsapp to communicate with the concierge. This the best way to connect with the team. You can order room service, golf carts, ice.. whatever you need via a whatsapp text. Izamar and Denise were so lovely to meet. I believe I was provided their services due to the room block. They basically acted as an extra set of hands or assisted with anything I needed. Denise was so helpful on the day of wedding. She brought us some waters, fruit... made sure our golf carts arrived timely. Basically was an honorary Maid of Honor. :) Izamar helped with reservations and coordinating all of the vendor arrivals. Ive seen some reviews of people complaining about golf cart wait times... I never experienced this. I found them always to be around and there are also bikes abundantly available. I guess its all about perspective and from mine, if Im on vacation and have to wait for 10 minutes for a cart to shuttle me around this amazing place... what does it really matter? Additionally, the guys who drive the carts are so nice and helpful. They will try their best to summon the monkeys out of the jungle for your viewing pleasure and get you where you need to be swiftly. My father who is in a wheelchair stayed in an ADA beach room and the drivers always went above and beyond to assist him into the cart and to make sure he got to his room safely. We were happy to see Alejandro again in May he is super friendly and warm. Even better that we were actually able to see his face since the mask mandate had been lifted! El Pueblito - While not on the Andaz grounds but accessible via golf cart or walk, I would be remiss to not note the beautiful location of our ceremony and reception. Here you will find the most delectable tostadas and beautiful souvenirs. I have not had the pleasure of taking one of Sandy de la Mora's cooking classes but she did make my husband and I the most amazing breakfast of my life. I cannot stop dreaming about her pastel azteca. I didnt even know what pastel azteca was beforehand and I will never have anyone else's other than hers. There was also these fresh conchas that melted in your mouth and put all of the panaderias in LA to shame. Aside from her food, she is just a total delight. She has the sweetest team in El Pueblito and I just want to go back and be friends with all of them hahaha. I cannot wait to see them all this summer and to finally take one or two or three of her classes. The guests in our room blocked varied in age from kids to seniors... We had single guests, couples and families. Not one person had anything negative to say about their experience at Andaz. I think this property was the perfect choice because it does cater to a broad audience. Kids can enjoy the pool/ beach or kids club, seniors can enjoy the nature trails, couples can bike and go to the spa... 8 months later, I am still continuously told by my guests what an amazing and unforgettable time they had at Andaz. As the title of this review suggests, we hope to make many more memories at Andaz and are planning on returning this year. We miss Andaz and look forward to seeing the friends that we have made there.