Rosewood Mayakoba

This resort is, not unexpectedly, a complete paradise. But what is exquisitely special is the warmth and inclusion of the staff. If you are lucky enough to arrive on a beautiful day, like we did, you'll take a short boat ride along the small river to meet your butler who will accompany you to your suite. Our primary butler was Gaby. She attended to our every need -- from making our reservations to small surprises. She worked seamlessly with the other members of the team to arrange transportation, too. Our suite was impeccable. The most gorgeous, toes-in-sand view of the ocean, a plunge pool, and daily beach set up, always ready for us. Our beach attendants were perfectly attentive. We enjoyed complimentary snacks each day from cucumber with tamarind to churros and caramel. Beach menu and service were similarly impeccable. The spa has a remarkable river view with welcoming staff and an assortment of offerings. A 90 minute massage is the perfect start to a stay! There is no end to the dining options as you can pick from Rosewood's offerings or the adjacent properties. The primary breakfast spot is a highlight of the property. Like many of the other options, it offers a gorgeous pool and river view. We had amazing service here from the hostess to the servers each charming in their own right. The Continental breakfast is excellent, but don't miss the menu offerings either. My spouse and I argue over which dish is the best, but do your best to try them all! The Heuvos Divorciados is delicious but the traditional pancakes are also just right on a rainy day. For dinner on property, one highlight was Agave Azul. It offers sushi but so much more plus a fantastic river view. You can also dine at Zapote Bar and enjoy live music and inspired, fresh cuisine. Truly a not-to-be missed adventure is La Ceiba Garden and Kitchen, a community dinner offered Wednesday and Saturday in the stunning greenhouse. The scenery is beautiful, but what is most remarkable is the way in which the staff (we were hosted by Sylvia whose enthusiasm and warmth are absolutely contagious) folds you into the moment and welcomes your visit to the culture of the evening. It is truly a sensory experience -- fresh herbs scenting the air, a fire pit in the distance, the chef (Jonathan Alvarado! I hope to enjoy his meals again soon), sous chefs, hostess and other attendants circulating and sharing their enthusiasm for the cuisine and culture they are sharing, the musicians strumming and meeting the moment of the celebration. If all of that wasn't enough, we were lucky enough to have our dinner on the night that wine importer Mary Taylor was visiting, offering her wines, and sharing her own story. It is appropriately adults only but goodness it was a shining star experience. The beach does have sand whales in the distance but the water in October was warm and clear, very little seaweed, and a perfect ripple to the ocean. We are beach, not pool, people but both

After visiting Rosewood Mayakoba for the first time, it’s obvious why this property is one of the Crown Jewels of Rosewood’s portfolio. We have never experienced such impeccable service with mind-blowingly personal touches around every corner. Every member of the staff was so welcoming and accommodating, from our butlers Gerry and Valeria, to the spa staff (especially Gustavo who even coached us through the cold plunge!). Each employee we encountered was kind, caring, and delightful. It honestly felt like we were in a magical world—transported away from the everyday challenges of real life. The food and beverage program is the best I’ve encountered in my travels. From excellent tequila tastings (and education!) at Agave Azul, to the incredible tostadas at La Fondita, and the pitch perfect beach bites at Aqui Me Quedo—it’s clear why Rosewood Mayakoba winds up on so many “best of” lists. Zapote Bar was a special treat with finely crafted cocktails and live music that kept the party going. Visiting La Isla Secreta was a highlight and such a unique experience. We even made new friends that we have stayed in touch with—it just felt so special. Other highlights include Champagne O’clock on the beach, riding bikes to the FABULOUS spa, and the Thursday night Mexican Grill (where we ate way too many of Chef Jessica’s churros—the best we’ve ever tasted). Leaving the property was bittersweet—there is some sort of magic at every turn while you’re there. You just can’t put your finger on it. The thoughtfulness behind every decision is so very apparent as a guest, and yet the entire staff made every detail seem effortless. I have no doubt that an immense amount of planning and communication goes into every guests’ stay, so I would just like to say THANK YOU and BRAVO!! We will be back again and again.

We recently stayed at the Rosewood Mayakoba for 8 nights. I struggled with the rating but decided it's average for this price class (which is more like European pricing than Mexico pricing). I would say 3.5, but I am going to round it up because the individuals working here are very nice. We had some hiccups which would prevent us from coming again at this price point, which I'll share below. But first, here are the things I really loved: - The setting is beautiful, truly a breathtaking area - We loved being able to bike around - The property is well-staffed and feels extremely safe - They have trained hawks at the pool to scare away the birds - Our son loved the kids club! - At one point did get sick and they sent a doctor within 30 minutes. It cost $100. She wrote me an Rx and the hotel went and picked it up and delivered it to the room. I felt very taking care of. - Having a hotel greeter and ride to the resort was really helpful. This was an extra cost, but well worth it - The welcome cookies are the best cookies I've ever had! - The wildlife is really fun. We saw monkeys, iguanas, coati, and more! We had two rooms (one beachfront studio suite and one deluxe lagoon suite). Despite the beachfront studio suite being $1K more per night than the deluxe lagoon suite, it was not as nice. The room (520) had more wear and tear (perhaps because of its proximity to the beach), the outdoor furniture was ratty, and there was a pretty big staircase up to the front door. Plus, the view was not really of the beach -- it was of the rooftops of the beach-front villas (you could see the ocean beyond that). We decided to downgrade to a deluxe lagoon suite (315) which was larger and newer. Despite it being a downgrade in terms of pricing ($1k/night less), we were not compensated for the difference. I would personally recommend either splurging on the beachfront villa OR the deluxe lagoon suite. Beyond this, we did have a few kinks in our stay that make this resort a notch below a 5-star experience: - The website is misleading and needs to be updated. On the individual room class page, it says the "terms and conditions" which include free airport transfer, daily breakfast, etc. However, these are only the terms and conditions for the villas. They should only include the T&C for the room class that is on the page. - Our keys didn't work when we went back to the room on the first day - They gave the kids water bottles, but they were used with other kids names on them - The food is hit or miss. We did enjoy the variety and being able to go to other restaurants in Mayakoba. - If you have young kids, beware of things keeping them up at night. One night they were cleaning the unit below us at 10PM. And on our last night (the night before a 5AM departure to the airport) there was loud music from a wedding until 11:15PM. - It's really hard to get a boat to go anywhere. It's wonderful having it to take you to the room at the beginning of the trip, but oth

This is our third visit to the beautiful Mayakobo, a secure oasis amongst all the mayhem of Cancun. We stayed at Rosewood on our two previous visits. At the moment we are staying at Banyon Tree next door which is an equally beautiful property and very similar in many ways, although Rosewood distinguishes itself. During Rosewood stays, we go over to Banyan Tree for the occasional dinner and we are currently doing it in reverse. If you have never before been to Mayakoba I can highly recommend it. We go for the ocean front suites rather than lagoon views. The way it works is the hotels will book restaurants for you in any of the properties and transport you there and back. The top two properties are definitely Rosewood and Banyan Tree. We dined at Casa Del Lago at Rosewood. This has got to be one of the best restaurants in Mayakobo. Every course was excellent, wines by the glass were very good and they have terrific champagnes by the glass using the corovin system. Our waiter was Sergio and his knowledge and passion on F and B was infectious. We discussed wines, champagnes and various Rosewood properties as well as restaurants in other countries. Sergio is a sommelier as well as having worked as a chef. He made our night…as did the chef.