Arrival/Check-In: Pulling up to the Barceló Maya Grand Resort, I was impressed by the scale of the property. The resort consists of five distinct hotels, each offering its own style, dining options and amenities. We stayed at Barceló Caribe, where the bright orange-and-white open-air lobby is accented by colorful metal statues of Mayan warriors. Directed to Premier check-in, we were promptly seated and offered welcome drinks. A small reservation mix-up required a room with two double beds instead of a king; staff handled it quickly and moved us into a ready room even though we arrived early.
Guest Quarters: Our Junior Swim-Up Suite was spacious and comfortable, featuring two double beds, a living area with two facing couches and a central table that held a welcome gift. Sliding glass doors opened to a private terrace with a small table and chairs, a hot tub, two chaise lounges and direct access to the pool—an intimate outdoor retreat ideal for relaxing between activities.
Services/Amenities: Barceló Maya Grand Resort is well-equipped for meetings and events, offering more than 49,000 square feet of meeting space across 21 rooms, accommodating up to 1,300 people indoors. Outdoor venues can host up to 5,000 guests, and there is an exhibit area suitable for about 50 stands, making the resort attractive for conferences and large gatherings.
The resort also lends itself nicely to combining business travel with family time. While attendees are in sessions, family members can enjoy many on-site activities: courts for tennis, basketball and paddle; snorkeling and kayaking; windsurfing; scuba lessons; catamarans and water trikes; water aerobics and polo; beach and pool volleyball; table tennis, darts and archery; giant chess; pool tables and more. The Barcy Kids’ Club provides daily supervised activities for children ages 4–12, giving parents opportunities for kid-free relaxation.
Dining at Barceló Maya impressed me. The all-inclusive plan includes several buffet options for breakfast, lunch and dinner, plus 11 specialty restaurants available by dinner reservation. We dined at La Trattoria Ristorante Italiano and Mare Nostrum, a seafood restaurant, and both were accommodating in adjusting dishes for the vegetarian in our group. Other on-site restaurants cover a wide variety of cuisines: Mexico Lindo (Mexican), La Fuente (Spanish), Kyoto and Tokyo (Japanese), Capri and La Trattoria (Italian), Santa Fe (steakhouse), Brasserie (French), Rodizzio (Brazilian) and Caribe (Caribbean).
Throughout the resort there are 15 bars located in lobbies, around pools and near theaters, providing numerous spots to gather for a drink or a casual conversation.
Guests who want to keep up with fitness routines will find a well-appointed gym with modern equipment and dedicated rooms for yoga, Pilates and Zumba classes.
Our stay was too short to sample everything Barceló Maya offers. I look forward to returning for a longer visit to explore more of the resort’s activities and dining options.
TOP TAKEAWAYS:
◆ Double-decker shuttle buses make it easy to visit the full Barceló Maya Grand Resort, running roughly every 20 minutes.
◆ Two on-site theaters present nightly entertainment, with shows that rotate throughout the week so there’s always something new to enjoy.
◆ Maya Mall offers a variety of shopping on property, from fine jewelry to handmade Mexican crafts.
Barceló Maya Caribe
Carretera Chetumal
Puerto Juárez Km. 266
3 XPUHA Q
77750 Riviera Maya,
Quintana Roo
Mexico
tel 52 984 875 1500
barcelo.com