Want more? Check out our vlog video: ruclips.net/video/c5T0Oyo0TOc/видео.html. We’ve been to the Cancun/RM area about 15 times. Happy to help answer any questions!
We do have a lot of experience! 🤣 Happy to help you figure something out. Not a travel agent but I should be! Lol. Find us on Instagram or send an email.
@@UpUpOurWay I’m about to watch your video. Thank you, I’m advance, for posting. What date was this trip on? Curious about what the beach looks like during the time of the year that you went.
@@UpUpOurWay I didn’t see much seaweed in your video. I’ll take another peek. The water looked so pretty and it sounds like you guys had a nice time. I’m hoping the beach isn’t awful when I go in July. I didn’t realize that there might be that problem on the beach.
Just came from this resort in mid June and it was amazing. Great video and coverage of everything. You pretty much covered everything great job. A few things to add that might be helpful to others. I had a ocean view room on the 5th floor and it was definitely worth it. The garden view side is nice but the view of the ocean is just amazing and the sound is so peaceful. Every room has a Jacuzzi on the balcony even the garden side. Every room has a steamer for your clothes instead of an iron. All the rooms have universal outlets so if your from the USA you don't need to bring a converter, plus they have the USB outlets too. I booked my restaurant reservations when I checked in for my entire stay so I didn't have to go back and forth each day. You can eat lunch at any of the four restaurants in case you don't want to eat at the buffet. They have a Cenote literally across the street from the resort, just ask the front desk and they will guide you. Unfortunately the seaweed was so massive that I didn't experience the water. They do try and clean it up but it so much everyday. I overheard that there is a season for seaweed so June must be the season. I never knew there was such a thing, seaweed season. This resort is about 45 minutes from the airport. Overall I had a great experience and everyone was so friendly and helpful. Thank you for sharing the video.
By all inclusive is it wristband or simply all inclusive? I’ve gone to all inclusive resorts and some don’t allow you to eat at the same restaurant more than once and you have to make reservations. I like All inclusive where you don’t have to provide a wristband and simply walk in
To escape seaweeds one has to go there in coldest season: November - February. The warmer the water the more seaweed. How did you get to the resort? Does Barcelo Maya All Inclusive provide shuttle from and to airport?
My husband and I stayed there in feb 2020 just before covid hit the fan. while the rest of our family stayed at the Tropical section due to having children. It was amazing! We had never seen such a massive bed in our lives, and we have a king at home. The food is wonderful and everything super clean. It was very nice to have access to the other properties for family purposes but was great to come back to Riviera after family time. We hope to get back there in November 21. Highly recommend it!🇨🇦
Great video and overview of this fantastic resort. It also has it's own tennis courts and pickleball court as well as a rather large basketball court if u want to work on your game(s)!. The resort is modern, clean and has amazing restaurants and buffet!
Thank you. Great review. I will be booking Mexico for my wife’s 40th birthday. This is on the list along with gran serenis and grand palladium. Need to do a bit more research as from the UK but this has helped. Thank you
We just booked this place...and it looks phenomenal.....If you were to visit another one of their 6 resorts for pools/food/buffet which would you say are the best? my sister is celebrating her birthday!
So the Adults only is by far the most modern and newest. Maya Palace is really nice and has a more tropical feel. The others are very similar (sorta sister resorts). While they are not as fancy, they are really pretty. No harm in checking them all out! The food will be better at Maya Palace over the other 4
One more question(I feel like they come by the day lol) with the restaurants that you’ve listed in the description; are they an additional cost or included in the all inclusive
Oooh it was so long ago, I don’t recall exactly, but I want to say they open around 9:00 and close at 5 or 6. We had to wait until the morning after we arrived to make reservations for the week
Thank you for your review! You mentioned no beach staff for food or drink…is it that way resort wide among all their properties? Or just this adults only side?
I have mixed feelings on the beach. Right in front of the hotel, it’s clearly man made. A lot of concrete under the sand. Walking down the beach in front of the sister properties it’s pretty sandy and not too wavy. The last resort on the opposite side (Maya Palace) is very rocky but has good snorkeling. There’s another resort we stayed at around the bend that had the most beautiful beach, not necessarily for snorkeling but just calm like a swimming pool. Here’s the link: ruclips.net/video/yVljjJjIWtA/видео.html this is one of our early videos so sorry for bad audio! 😂
@Up Up & Our Way thank you. We have been thinking about adults only one. But I like calm water. We have been in LA romana 4 times for its calm ocean. But, I want to see new places
I know you posted a year ago so I hope you see this this year. I wanted to know if you felt it was worth it going to this all inclusive as opposed to another Cancun all inclusive. Thank you
I think it’s all about what experience you’re looking for. This place had fresh, modern rooms, decent (not the best) food. But there was not that feeling like you’re in Mexico. Pools we’re nice, but beach in front of hotel was not great. You could walk down a little to a really nice beach area in front of sister properties though. Personally, I really liked Catalonia Royal Tulum. Best beach in Mexico, lower price point, but not as fancy. Much smaller too.
@@UpUpOurWay thanks for the heads-up. I did watch your Catalonia video and trying to gadge what to do by watching videos. Thank you so much again for replying! I appreciate it
@@LP2488 we had some friends who stayed at Barcelo and recently stayed at Iberostar paraíso maya and loved that place! Also, look at hotels in Playacar. It’s adjacent to Playa del Carmen so a quick walk or cab ride and the beach is amazing!
You can book transportation through the hotel but it’s just a third party. We always book private with www.Kalido travel.com. The resort is pretty remote. You would need to take a taxi to Playa del Carmen for that. Not sure of taxi cost but probably $20-$30 each way. There were reps from Coco Bongo around trying to get people to go, so that’s an option. We went to the Coco Bongo in Cancun years ago and it was fun!
The thing you said was very strange, was just a shoe shine machine, not strange, but what is strange is the fact that they have a shoe shine thing because who in the world wears shoes at a beach resort
I prefer Catalonia. Barcelo is beautiful, food was good, and pools were nice. I felt like Catalonia employees were happier and it showed in their service quite a bit. Beach at Catalonia was my fave in Mexico so far! But it’s such a personal preference!
I think it’s not to use elevator in case of fire, but who knows! 🤣 They did enforce the dress code. At least they enforced long pants for men. Jeans were fine. Ladies got away with a lot more. I saw shorts with nice blouses, etc. It was fine but I only brought one pair of pants for hubby. Oh well he survived
I keep seeing the glass shower wall in pictures and video. Can you see through it from the room? Is a silhouette of the person in the shower viewable? We are doing a friends trip, and I’m trying to figure out if we need to bring something to cover it. Thx!
Yes, if you are staying at AO you can use all 6 but people staying at other properties can’t visit the AO. It was nice to see the other properties. Much more traditional feel for sure. All very nice in their own ways!
@@UpUpOurWay - so there is no extra fee to eat or drink at the sister properties? Also in your video at 20:17 you show a "menu" of drinks that have prices - what are the prices for? Really enjoyed your video of this property. Well done!
@@michelesinclairtate2523 thanks Michele! The cute drinks in the pineapples or coconuts at the hut on the beach (just walk left at the beach) are NOT included. They’re cute and not too pricy. We didn’t get any though. Yes, you can eat at drink at all 5 of the other properties at no charge. I hear the French restaurant at the Palace is good, but we only at at he adults only so we could film them all 😂. We did visit the others and hung out at the Palace one afternoon. Their pool is nice but it was very crowded.
@@UpUpOurWay Awesome - thanks so much! Also, now I can't remember if you mentioned it in your video but how was WiFi? I am reading mixed reviews and some parts of the property page say WiFi is included but then it is listed again under the Premium add on. But then some people complain that Wifi wasn't included and should have been and others say Wifi was included and worked great even at pool and beach so I am just curious as my husband will need to get on a a couple of zoom meetings while on our getaway in December. Thanks again!
You didn't mention how the smokers get the best seating outdoors all the time and the non-smokers always have to get up and move whenever they are near you unless you want to choke
The glass is frosted in a way that you can’t really see in. It’s not 100% coverage though and could be awkward if you’re traveling with someone you wouldn’t want to see you naked!
thank you for the video. How was the seaweed on the beach? what time do pools close at night? We are planning on going to this resort but worry about the seaweed
There was definitely seaweed, but they tried to clean it up. It really isn’t so much the hotel as it is the time of year for seaweed. At certain times you’ll find it just about everywhere. I can’t remember the exact time the pools closed but by dark there was no one in there.
@@UpUpOurWay OMG! I just finally saw your response, my apologies, thank you! Another question, is it best to tip in US or pesos at the Barcelo Maya Riviera resort?
The prices are pesos so divide by 20 to get the approximate dollar price. If I recall, you just charge these to your room anyway. In my experience in Mexico, at least in Cancun area, they’ll always take dollars, but be careful within conversion rate. Sometimes they won’t do the math right and some will convert wrong on purpose! Not at the resort necessarily, but if you go out shopping or even take a taxi.
Yep, there’s a cool double decker but that takes you to the other properties and the mall area. You can see it at about 7:12 of our vlog video ruclips.net/video/c5T0Oyo0TOc/видео.html
It was when we were there but I have read that it’s not always open for dinner! And I know some nights you just want casual. If it’s not open you can just take the bus to one of the other resorts for their buffet. I’d go to Palace since it’s the highest level of the others (hopefully meaning better food).
It’s not included but you can book through the resort. They just hire out a 3rd party though so I would pass. We have used Kalido Travel on several trips and have been very impressed with them!
They close at 8:00. I’m not sure if they actually kicked people out though. We had 7:30 dinner each night so we missed that if they did 😂. We didn’t see people in there after dinner though.
Hola, fuimos el 15 hasta el 22 del Mayo. Los primero 4 días había muy poco donde no se acumulada en la arena y los últimos tres había mucho sargazo. Los trabajadores lo trataban de limpiar pero era demasiado.
I have booked trip to the hotel, and I wonder if you could answer a couple of doubts? Are alcoholic beverages included? I notice you mentioned there was a bar that was not included? How that works? Restaurant reservations, Where you able to make all of them the first day at check-in?
Happy to help! Yes, alcohol is definitely included. There was a premium lounge where upgraded guests get to use for check in and take care of other things. We weren’t premium but had access to everything else (not a big deal). We didn’t get to the resort until late so we are at the buffet the first night. The next morning we were able to make reservations for our remaining 6 nights without a problem. We even got 7:30 each night. We wanted to try them all but we were flexible with which days we ate where. Let me know if you have more questions! We have stayed at probably 12 different places in the area!
@@UpUpOurWay Which resort would you recommend for a group of people in their 30-40’s who like high energy but also some relaxation? Also looking for lively night entertainments. Thanks so much in advance and love your video!
@@plee9044 thanks! The adult-only section here is a great mix and good for that age group BUT I will say that the night life isn’t anything crazy. I know they had some reps from clubs in Playa del Carmen that were by the pool arranging visits to the clubs. If you’re just looking to drink and dance a little, this place is perfect. If you need crazy, I’d stay in Playa del Carmen and go out at night. Playacar area has a great beach with some decent hotels.
Yes, you have to make an appointment. Do it right away to get one at the hotel. Because we waited, we had to make our appointment at Colonial property at the Lille medical center and paid more. We paid $30 vs. $15 (not sure why the price difference). Ours was the brain tickler!!! Yuck. But we had results within about 30 minutes.
Hi Daniela, personally I loved Catalonia more. But I think others might prefer Barcelo! The beach at Catalonia was perfect (of course we went to Catalonia when there was no seaweed either). The rooms were much nicer at Barcelo and the food was a bit better too. Service was much better at Catalonia. I don’t drink a lot but I think Barcelo has better booze options. They’re very different properties! I liked the smaller footprint, more tropical feel and amazing beach at Catalonia. But I would return to either. 🥰
@@shizahsamar455 we went mid May but there was quite a bit of seaweed! They did their best to clean it up but some days were impossible!! In 2020 we were in the area in October and it was perfection! May/June is not ideal for seaweed. That said, the pools here are amazing!
Nope, not at all! The rooms were furthest from the main areas (if choosing the premium section) and the lounge wasn’t appealing to me. I honestly wouldn’t go premium here. I think that’s better at staying in one of the lower end properties because “normal” guests have limited a la carte reservations and cheaper booze. At the adult only you get the better booze (which is not really high end btw) and unlimited a la cartes as a regular guest.
Great job on the video!! This place looks beautiful. My husband and I were thinking of booking this place. By any chance would you know if they have lobster?
Take the Collectivo (shared van that drives by highway) to Playa del Carmen and from there take the ADO bus. Collectivo will be a few dollars each. The bus will be about $10 each. They’re nice buses at least!
Stop! Book! Adults only! Mature! Every age! Every culture! Race! Let me tell you I researched places for weeks, months for a 40th birthday for my Girlfriend. This made me so happy and rejuvinated that she was phenominally spoiled. Ocean front... Doesnt matter. This garden view has you hearing exotic wildlife each morning. Pools! Perfect. Beds in the water free. Cabanas free. hammocks free. liquor free. prestine water and snorkling free... Food 150% phenominal even Gorden Ramsey would smile. Ask.for Maribel the manager of the whole facility. Meet her, smile, and enjoy her human relations skills that are top notch. Ladies and gentleman. Forget Aruba, Cancun, St. Thomas this is the place and respons after I guarantee it will blow your mind!.
@@anzhelikakhaimchayev Not wavy at all. Just watch for the sea weed problem during certain times. And remember you can use any of the sister resort beaches. You jave access to them all. Food, ocean, drinks, shows, trolly, anything free! Happy to answer your questions and anyone else's. Happy New Year
@@extremeaircare4019 Hey friend! You seem like someone who could help me with my question 😉 So I have a big group going with me to Barcelo. Who do you recommend for transfer from airport to hotel and vice versa? For example, are there shuttle/bus services that can accommodate roughly 20 people for a reasonable price? Thanks in advance for your help!
@@plee9044 I really wish I could help you with that question. Though me and my significant other, were the only two who went. We flew into Cancun, and rented a car. Then drove down south to Barcello. It was one road all the way there. Easy drive! Sorry, wish I could be more help. A rent a car was nice because we even went to Tulum, Cenotes ( highly recommended dos ojos) and other activities of the Barcello premises.
I think it’s sort of preference. The rooms themselves are the same, but you don’t have the view since you’re on the bottom floor. I think they would be cool, but also depending on room placement they’re not very private. There were some very close to walkways. I personally would prefer a higher floor room with a view.
Hello awesome videos. We saw you on a live stream last week and we wanted to come subscribe to your channel. We just started our RUclips channel and we look forward to watching more of your videos.
@@chenley2072 I've been to this area multiple times and always use Canada Transfers as they get you there ahead of the busses! We always request Julio as our driver. He's the best!
Hey A & J, it all depends on where you stay and how you do it. I booked the hotel for a week at about $1700 all inclusive. I used coupon codes I found in Facebook groups. I only paid taxes for airfare because I hacked a Southwest Companion pass and a ton of points. There are resorts that are cheaper or more expensive and sometimes booking a package with airfare works better!
@@ivanhendricks7053 yes, there are a few groups on Facebook I belong to and people post them there. Sometimes you can even use multiples! Gotta play around with them. Search for Barcelo groups and join and do a search for coupon or ask in the group. Good luck! 🍀
I stayed at the Colonial in 2019 we had a great time ! We’ll be spending 8 days Barcelo Rivera May adults only in 15 days I’m sure we’ll have a wonderful time “
They were all very good. But if I rank them I’d say 1. teppanyaki, 2. Mexican, 3. taco bar, 4. Italian, 5. Japanese, and 6. French. Thanks for watching! 🥰
Haha! We filmed early in the morning before people got out there. Don’t worry, it’s a lively place! Except for the night life. That was pretty dead. But pools are busy.
Hard Rock Maya Heaven is much better for just adults & then they they have an family part. Best resort in Mexico so far. This 1 was not fun & set up of rooms were cheap
Thanks for watching. I haven’t stayed at Hard Rock, mainly because the beach is “man made”. But I know people love it. Of course Hard Rock is much pricier so you’re likely to get nicer things. We have stayed at properties of varying levels and you just have to set your expectations accordingly! For the price, this was a great property.
Don’t like this resort.too much concrete and glass,too modern,feels like dead city.old barcelo much better,in my opinion.nice gardens,plenty of flowers and trees,amazing birds and animals,at least you feel that you stay at tropical place .
I totally get that. I loved some things about this place, but visiting the other properties, it did feel more like vacation, more tropical! Thanks for watching 😊
Last place in the world I’d go to. Too big. Too industrial looking . Too much of everything, including people. An escape should be an experience where you feel as though you’ve gotten away from “big” places and a lot of people. Thanks for sharing.
I totally understand that! We stayed at Catalonia Royal Tulum just around the corner in October 2020 and it felt more tropical and the beach was my favorite! Here’s the video: ruclips.net/video/yVljjJjIWtA/видео.html
You can definitely book excursions. There is also great snorkeling near the Maya Palace from what I am told (we didn’t try) and people often see turtles. But Akumal is well known for the turtles and we did this on another trip. Here’s that video ruclips.net/video/6OAtXJumrOk/видео.html. We hired a private guide to basically take us anywhere we wanted for the day. Much better than a tour bus type of thing!
Want more? Check out our vlog video: ruclips.net/video/c5T0Oyo0TOc/видео.html. We’ve been to the Cancun/RM area about 15 times. Happy to help answer any questions!
wow 15 times! you must know cancun/RM area inside and out by now 😂😂
We do have a lot of experience! 🤣 Happy to help you figure something out. Not a travel agent but I should be! Lol. Find us on Instagram or send an email.
@@UpUpOurWay I’m about to watch your video. Thank you, I’m advance, for posting. What date was this trip on? Curious about what the beach looks like during the time of the year that you went.
@@JoseRios-ci6bk we stayed May 15-22. Seaweed was really bad most days. We went to a resort around the corner in October and beach was perfect.
@@UpUpOurWay I didn’t see much seaweed in your video. I’ll take another peek. The water looked so pretty and it sounds like you guys had a nice time. I’m hoping the beach isn’t awful when I go in July. I didn’t realize that there might be that problem on the beach.
Just came from this resort in mid June and it was amazing. Great video and coverage of everything. You pretty much covered everything great job. A few things to add that might be helpful to others. I had a ocean view room on the 5th floor and it was definitely worth it. The garden view side is nice but the view of the ocean is just amazing and the sound is so peaceful. Every room has a Jacuzzi on the balcony even the garden side. Every room has a steamer for your clothes instead of an iron. All the rooms have universal outlets so if your from the USA you don't need to bring a converter, plus they have the USB outlets too. I booked my restaurant reservations when I checked in for my entire stay so I didn't have to go back and forth each day. You can eat lunch at any of the four restaurants in case you don't want to eat at the buffet. They have a Cenote literally across the street from the resort, just ask the front desk and they will guide you. Unfortunately the seaweed was so massive that I didn't experience the water. They do try and clean it up but it so much everyday. I overheard that there is a season for seaweed so June must be the season. I never knew there was such a thing, seaweed season. This resort is about 45 minutes from the airport. Overall I had a great experience and everyone was so friendly and helpful. Thank you for sharing the video.
Hi, about the cenote that you mentioned. How much it cost to enter there?
Is this an all inclusive resort? Is everything included in the room price?
@@jenniferstokes5267 It is all inclusive. The only thing that costs extra are certain activities or upgrading to a premium drink package.
By all inclusive is it wristband or simply all inclusive? I’ve gone to all inclusive resorts and some don’t allow you to eat at the same restaurant more than once and you have to make reservations. I like All inclusive where you don’t have to provide a wristband and simply walk in
To escape seaweeds one has to go there in coldest season: November - February. The warmer the water the more seaweed. How did you get to the resort? Does Barcelo Maya All Inclusive provide shuttle from and to airport?
My husband and I stayed there in feb 2020 just before covid hit the fan. while the rest of our family stayed at the Tropical section due to having children. It was amazing! We had never seen such a massive bed in our lives, and we have a king at home. The food is wonderful and everything super clean. It was very nice to have access to the other properties for family purposes but was great to come back to Riviera after family time. We hope to get back there in November 21. Highly recommend it!🇨🇦
The beds are insane, right? It was like we had our own zip codes. 😂
Great video and overview of this fantastic resort. It also has it's own tennis courts and pickleball court as well as a rather large basketball court if u want to work on your game(s)!. The resort is modern, clean and has amazing restaurants and buffet!
Thank you Peter! It’s a really cool resort. We’re excited to get back to the Riviera Maya soon. We miss it so much!
Absolutely beautiful resort. Much nicer than many here in the U.S. 👏👏👏👏👏👏
It was pretty nice for sure! 😃
Really loved this place absolutely will go back
It’s such a nice place. I’d like to go back when there’s less seaweed. We went at a bad time of year for that.
Great video! Very informative and great coverage on this resort.
Thanks so much Christian! 😊
Hello, love the video!! Very informative!!! I was wondering if while you were there , was the ice machine working? Thanks
Thank you! You know, I don’t think we even tried to use the ice machine 🤔
Wow what a beautiful resort! Enjoyed the whole tour guys thank you for sharing! 🤩
It was a really nice resort. Thanks for watching friend!
Your video is really helpful and gets me more happy about my trip there in December :D
So sorry I missed your comment! I hope you have a wonderful time there! 🏝☀️👙🩳
Thank you. Great review. I will be booking Mexico for my wife’s 40th birthday. This is on the list along with gran serenis and grand palladium. Need to do a bit more research as from the UK but this has helped. Thank you
I just came back from Riviera Maya sooo much fun
I agree! 😎
Awesome video! I have been looking at this resort and wanted a review of it. Perfect timing!
Great timing! 🥰
Super helpful video. Great aerial shots. Going there next month. Hope the spa is open 🤞🏽🤞🏽
It’s open! They just didn’t want us filming in there. We tried going before opening but they still wouldn’t let us in. Oh well. It looks amazing!
We just booked this place...and it looks phenomenal.....If you were to visit another one of their 6 resorts for pools/food/buffet which would you say are the best? my sister is celebrating her birthday!
So the Adults only is by far the most modern and newest. Maya Palace is really nice and has a more tropical feel. The others are very similar (sorta sister resorts). While they are not as fancy, they are really pretty. No harm in checking them all out! The food will be better at Maya Palace over the other 4
@@UpUpOurWay is food and entertainment better at Palace?
Awesome content, totally loving the channel. Keep up the great work!!
Thanks for watching! Hopefully we can get together soon!! 😀
Hello, love your videos Was wondering which resort do you like better this one or Bahia Akumal ? Thanks
Hi Sandy, we haven’t stayed at Bahia Akumal! We have stayed around the corner at Catalonia. It’s not as fancy but I preferred Catalonia Royal Tulum!
One more question(I feel like they come by the day lol) with the restaurants that you’ve listed in the description; are they an additional cost or included in the all inclusive
They are all included! I think they have wine lists if you want something more than the house wine, but all else is included. 😄
Hello, love the video!!! Can you tell me what time the guest services is open for restaurant reservations? And what time it closes .Thanks
Oooh it was so long ago, I don’t recall exactly, but I want to say they open around 9:00 and close at 5 or 6. We had to wait until the morning after we arrived to make reservations for the week
Ok… now I want to be there! 💙❤️
Next RUclipsr event? 😉
Can you please share your recommendations on how to get there from the airport?
We use Kalido Travel www.Kalidotravel.com . They have been excellent. Always on time and friendly drivers.
Amazing video, very informative. Thank you!
Thank you so much! It means a lot 🥰
Thank you for your review! You mentioned no beach staff for food or drink…is it that way resort wide among all their properties? Or just this adults only side?
No, that’s all the properties, sadly. Not ideal. At least drunk service would be nice.
@@UpUpOurWay oh stink. Lol! Guess we’ll have to get our lazy butts up and get our own! Lol! But good to know! Thx for the reply!
Can't wait, I leave the 12th of July, thanks for the info
I hope you have a great trip! July is almost here! 🙌
Just beautiful!Thanks for sharing!
Thanks JazzyJ ! It was an amazing time! 😍
Hi, can you describe more ocean. On the video, it looks wavy to me. What about snorkeling from the shore? Thank you
I have mixed feelings on the beach. Right in front of the hotel, it’s clearly man made. A lot of concrete under the sand. Walking down the beach in front of the sister properties it’s pretty sandy and not too wavy. The last resort on the opposite side (Maya Palace) is very rocky but has good snorkeling. There’s another resort we stayed at around the bend that had the most beautiful beach, not necessarily for snorkeling but just calm like a swimming pool. Here’s the link: ruclips.net/video/yVljjJjIWtA/видео.html this is one of our early videos so sorry for bad audio! 😂
@Up Up & Our Way thank you.
We have been thinking about adults only one. But I like calm water. We have been in LA romana 4 times for its calm ocean. But, I want to see new places
Great Video!!!
I know you posted a year ago so I hope you see this this year. I wanted to know if you felt it was worth it going to this all inclusive as opposed to another Cancun all inclusive. Thank you
I think it’s all about what experience you’re looking for. This place had fresh, modern rooms, decent (not the best) food. But there was not that feeling like you’re in Mexico. Pools we’re nice, but beach in front of hotel was not great. You could walk down a little to a really nice beach area in front of sister properties though. Personally, I really liked Catalonia Royal Tulum. Best beach in Mexico, lower price point, but not as fancy. Much smaller too.
@@UpUpOurWay thanks for replying! How was the food in Catalonia?
@@LP2488 it was good, not great. But I haven’t found any all inclusive food to be great. 😂
@@UpUpOurWay thanks for the heads-up. I did watch your Catalonia video and trying to gadge what to do by watching videos. Thank you so much again for replying! I appreciate it
@@LP2488 we had some friends who stayed at Barcelo and recently stayed at Iberostar paraíso maya and loved that place! Also, look at hotels in Playacar. It’s adjacent to Playa del Carmen so a quick walk or cab ride and the beach is amazing!
Awesome video! Does the hotel offer taxi service? How is nightlife/activities outside of the resort?
You can book transportation through the hotel but it’s just a third party. We always book private with www.Kalido travel.com.
The resort is pretty remote. You would need to take a taxi to Playa del Carmen for that. Not sure of taxi cost but probably $20-$30 each way. There were reps from Coco Bongo around trying to get people to go, so that’s an option. We went to the Coco Bongo in Cancun years ago and it was fun!
The thing you said was very strange, was just a shoe shine machine, not strange, but what is strange is the fact that they have a shoe shine thing because who in the world wears shoes at a beach resort
Right?!? Good point! We thought it was interesting because I’ve never seen one in a hotel hallway but now it makes even less sense! 😂🤣
Well u need closed toe shoes when u go the the restaurant’s for dinner. Those might need a cleaning.
@@davegrimpe9052 true! Hubby wore sneakers! 🤣
Amazing video 👏
Thank you!
Awesome tour of the resort! Between this and Catalonia, what would be your choice?
I prefer Catalonia. Barcelo is beautiful, food was good, and pools were nice. I felt like Catalonia employees were happier and it showed in their service quite a bit. Beach at Catalonia was my fave in Mexico so far! But it’s such a personal preference!
2:50 Is it like the equivalent of "do not jump in the elevator" in some places in North America?
Is a dress code enforced in Speciality restaurants?
I think it’s not to use elevator in case of fire, but who knows! 🤣 They did enforce the dress code. At least they enforced long pants for men. Jeans were fine. Ladies got away with a lot more. I saw shorts with nice blouses, etc. It was fine but I only brought one pair of pants for hubby. Oh well he survived
Great video. What brand, make, model camera are you using?
We just used an iPhone on this one!
@@UpUpOurWay TY.
@@UpUpOurWay Also were you hand holding the phone or using some gyro stabilized gimbal device?
@@NighthawkCarbine we definitely use a gimbal for some of the shits where we are moving. DJI Osmo is great
@@UpUpOurWay TY.
I keep seeing the glass shower wall in pictures and video. Can you see through it from the room? Is a silhouette of the person in the shower viewable? We are doing a friends trip, and I’m trying to figure out if we need to bring something to cover it. Thx!
It’s frosted about neck level down pretty well. Unless you’re great friends it still may feel awkward though!
If you stay at the adults only section you can also use the facilities at all the other sections of the entire resort
Yes, if you are staying at AO you can use all 6 but people staying at other properties can’t visit the AO. It was nice to see the other properties. Much more traditional feel for sure. All very nice in their own ways!
@@UpUpOurWay - so there is no extra fee to eat or drink at the sister properties? Also in your video at 20:17 you show a "menu" of drinks that have prices - what are the prices for? Really enjoyed your video of this property. Well done!
oops - would help if I listened and didn't have the volume on so low about the menu prices - LOL
@@michelesinclairtate2523 thanks Michele! The cute drinks in the pineapples or coconuts at the hut on the beach (just walk left at the beach) are NOT included. They’re cute and not too pricy. We didn’t get any though. Yes, you can eat at drink at all 5 of the other properties at no charge. I hear the French restaurant at the Palace is good, but we only at at he adults only so we could film them all 😂. We did visit the others and hung out at the Palace one afternoon. Their pool is nice but it was very crowded.
@@UpUpOurWay Awesome - thanks so much! Also, now I can't remember if you mentioned it in your video but how was WiFi? I am reading mixed reviews and some parts of the property page say WiFi is included but then it is listed again under the Premium add on. But then some people complain that Wifi wasn't included and should have been and others say Wifi was included and worked great even at pool and beach so I am just curious as my husband will need to get on a a couple of zoom meetings while on our getaway in December. Thanks again!
You didn't mention how the smokers get the best seating outdoors all the time and the non-smokers always have to get up and move whenever they are near you unless you want to choke
Interesting! We are not smokers but didn’t really notice a lot of smokers. I’m not sure why? 🤷♀️
Noticing the showers in the rooms. Can you see into them from the room?
The glass is frosted in a way that you can’t really see in. It’s not 100% coverage though and could be awkward if you’re traveling with someone you wouldn’t want to see you naked!
Awesome we are going there
I hope you enjoy your trip!!!
thank you for the video. How was the seaweed on the beach? what time do pools close at night? We are planning on going to this resort but worry about the seaweed
There was definitely seaweed, but they tried to clean it up. It really isn’t so much the hotel as it is the time of year for seaweed. At certain times you’ll find it just about everywhere. I can’t remember the exact time the pools closed but by dark there was no one in there.
@@UpUpOurWay thank you!
This such a great video. Which shuttle service did you use to get from the airport to the resort?
We use Kalido a lot. They are priced well and have been spot on with service every time.
@@UpUpOurWay OMG! I just finally saw your response, my apologies, thank you! Another question, is it best to tip in US or pesos at the Barcelo Maya Riviera resort?
@@lisathomas8503 we used US $. Staff will appreciate either though. I just don’t want to exchange if I don’t have to 😊
@@UpUpOurWay great! thanks again!
The bar that you have to pay for were the prices in pesos or American dollars? Also does the resort use dollars or pesos or both?
The prices are pesos so divide by 20 to get the approximate dollar price. If I recall, you just charge these to your room anyway. In my experience in Mexico, at least in Cancun area, they’ll always take dollars, but be careful within conversion rate. Sometimes they won’t do the math right and some will convert wrong on purpose! Not at the resort necessarily, but if you go out shopping or even take a taxi.
Is there shuttle service from Riviera to the Maya Palace if you wanted to go hang out at those pools one day??
Yep, there’s a cool double decker but that takes you to the other properties and the mall area. You can see it at about 7:12 of our vlog video ruclips.net/video/c5T0Oyo0TOc/видео.html
Is the buffet available for dinner/evening
It was when we were there but I have read that it’s not always open for dinner! And I know some nights you just want casual. If it’s not open you can just take the bus to one of the other resorts for their buffet. I’d go to Palace since it’s the highest level of the others (hopefully meaning better food).
Does Barcelo Maya All Inclusive provide shuttle from and to airport?
It’s not included but you can book through the resort. They just hire out a 3rd party though so I would pass. We have used Kalido Travel on several trips and have been very impressed with them!
Thank you for this review. Question: does the pool close at a certain time?
They close at 8:00. I’m not sure if they actually kicked people out though. We had 7:30 dinner each night so we missed that if they did 😂. We didn’t see people in there after dinner though.
Lol ok awesome!! Thank you for such timely replies also. Greatly appreciated!
Hola las imágenes de fecha son grabadas? Lo digo por que no de ve sagarzo. Gracias
Hola, fuimos el 15 hasta el 22 del Mayo. Los primero 4 días había muy poco donde no se acumulada en la arena y los últimos tres había mucho sargazo. Los trabajadores lo trataban de limpiar pero era demasiado.
Hi there! Is it possible to take an uber from Cancun airport to this resort? I tried looking into Kalido Travel, but they were fully booked....
Uber is not really a big thing down there. Try USA transfers or Canada transfers! Taxi will be $$$$
I have booked trip to the hotel, and I wonder if you could answer a couple of doubts?
Are alcoholic beverages included? I notice you mentioned there was a bar that was not included? How that works?
Restaurant reservations, Where you able to make all of them the first day at check-in?
Happy to help! Yes, alcohol is definitely included. There was a premium lounge where upgraded guests get to use for check in and take care of other things. We weren’t premium but had access to everything else (not a big deal).
We didn’t get to the resort until late so we are at the buffet the first night. The next morning we were able to make reservations for our remaining 6 nights without a problem. We even got 7:30 each night. We wanted to try them all but we were flexible with which days we ate where.
Let me know if you have more questions! We have stayed at probably 12 different places in the area!
@@UpUpOurWay Which resort would you recommend for a group of people in their 30-40’s who like high energy but also some relaxation? Also looking for lively night entertainments. Thanks so much in advance and love your video!
@@plee9044 thanks! The adult-only section here is a great mix and good for that age group BUT I will say that the night life isn’t anything crazy. I know they had some reps from clubs in Playa del Carmen that were by the pool arranging visits to the clubs. If you’re just looking to drink and dance a little, this place is perfect. If you need crazy, I’d stay in Playa del Carmen and go out at night. Playacar area has a great beach with some decent hotels.
@@UpUpOurWay Thank you so much for the information! Greatly appreciate it!🙂
Hello again with another question :)
Does the resort offer on site covid testing? If so, what was the cost/process like -if you don’t mind me asking.
Yes, you have to make an appointment. Do it right away to get one at the hotel. Because we waited, we had to make our appointment at Colonial property at the Lille medical center and paid more. We paid $30 vs. $15 (not sure why the price difference). Ours was the brain tickler!!! Yuck. But we had results within about 30 minutes.
Thank you!!!
I saw you also have a review on the Catalonia Royal Tulum. Which one do you prefer and recommend? Thanks
Hi Daniela, personally I loved Catalonia more. But I think others might prefer Barcelo! The beach at Catalonia was perfect (of course we went to Catalonia when there was no seaweed either). The rooms were much nicer at Barcelo and the food was a bit better too. Service was much better at Catalonia. I don’t drink a lot but I think Barcelo has better booze options. They’re very different properties! I liked the smaller footprint, more tropical feel and amazing beach at Catalonia. But I would return to either. 🥰
@@UpUpOurWay Thank you. That os very helpful. 😉
@@UpUpOurWay what season did you go where there was no seaweed? Looking to go end of may-first few days of june
@@shizahsamar455 we went mid May but there was quite a bit of seaweed! They did their best to clean it up but some days were impossible!! In 2020 we were in the area in October and it was perfection! May/June is not ideal for seaweed. That said, the pools here are amazing!
Did you feel like you miss out on anything not going premium I’m still undecided 😊
Nope, not at all! The rooms were furthest from the main areas (if choosing the premium section) and the lounge wasn’t appealing to me. I honestly wouldn’t go premium here. I think that’s better at staying in one of the lower end properties because “normal” guests have limited a la carte reservations and cheaper booze. At the adult only you get the better booze (which is not really high end btw) and unlimited a la cartes as a regular guest.
Great job on the video!! This place looks beautiful. My husband and I were thinking of booking this place. By any chance would you know if they have lobster?
They do have lobster! Well, tails at least. I got lobster at teppanyaki (surf and turf) and at the French restaurant.
*Can't wait to go. :)*
I hope you have an amazing trip!
@@UpUpOurWay thanks 🙂
nice extensive video, but is the wine bar free?
Some wines were included and others were at a cost. I’m sorry that I didn’t get the wine list!
@@UpUpOurWay good to know thank you
De lujo!
This one: ruclips.net/video/p7jzDrtn_d8/видео.html
If I want to go to Cancun city what’s the cheapest way ?
Take the Collectivo (shared van that drives by highway) to Playa del Carmen and from there take the ADO bus. Collectivo will be a few dollars each. The bus will be about $10 each. They’re nice buses at least!
I love it!:)
Thank you Nena! 😍
Beautiful 🤩 I can’t wait to go
So excited for you!!! 😄
how long ago did you go??
Is there any seagrass?
We went May 15-22 and yes, there was a lot some days and little other days. Bad time of year sadly.
Stop! Book! Adults only! Mature! Every age! Every culture! Race! Let me tell you I researched places for weeks, months for a 40th birthday for my Girlfriend. This made me so happy and rejuvinated that she was phenominally spoiled. Ocean front... Doesnt matter. This garden view has you hearing exotic wildlife each morning. Pools! Perfect. Beds in the water free. Cabanas free. hammocks free. liquor free. prestine water and snorkling free... Food 150% phenominal even Gorden Ramsey would smile. Ask.for Maribel the manager of the whole facility. Meet her, smile, and enjoy her human relations skills that are top notch. Ladies and gentleman. Forget Aruba, Cancun, St. Thomas this is the place and respons after I guarantee it will blow your mind!.
how about the ocean. It looked like wavy to me. I like calm water
@@anzhelikakhaimchayev Not wavy at all. Just watch for the sea weed problem during certain times. And remember you can use any of the sister resort beaches. You jave access to them all. Food, ocean, drinks, shows, trolly, anything free! Happy to answer your questions and anyone else's. Happy New Year
@@extremeaircare4019 Hey friend! You seem like someone who could help me with my question 😉 So I have a big group going with me to Barcelo. Who do you recommend for transfer from airport to hotel and vice versa? For example, are there shuttle/bus services that can accommodate roughly 20 people for a reasonable price? Thanks in advance for your help!
@@extremeaircare4019 No worries! I greatly appreciate you taking the time to respond 🙂
@@plee9044 I really wish I could help you with that question. Though me and my significant other, were the only two who went. We flew into Cancun, and rented a car. Then drove down south to Barcello. It was one road all the way there. Easy drive! Sorry, wish I could be more help. A rent a car was nice because we even went to Tulum, Cenotes ( highly recommended dos ojos) and other activities of the Barcello premises.
Thank you so much for this beautiful video!!!😃 Do you know if they offer romantic dinners on the beach?
Thank you Leticia! They do offer the romantic dinners on the beach, but I cannot remember the cost.
@@UpUpOurWay awesome! Thank you so much!🥰🥰🥰
How are the swim up rooms
I think it’s sort of preference. The rooms themselves are the same, but you don’t have the view since you’re on the bottom floor. I think they would be cool, but also depending on room placement they’re not very private. There were some very close to walkways. I personally would prefer a higher floor room with a view.
One question reviewers fail to answer in their coverage. Is there a fan in the bathroom?
Can you remember if there was one in your room?
Nope, no fans in there!
Hello awesome videos. We saw you on a live stream last week and we wanted to come subscribe to your channel. We just started our RUclips channel and we look forward to watching more of your videos.
Thank you for tuning in! I’ll be sure to check out your channel! Good luck, it’s so much fun (but a TON of work sometimes).
Can anyone point me into the best airport transportation to and from this resort? I heard that the resort service is frequently delayed:/
We have used Kalido on multiple occasions. Good prices and very efficient. They are always on time and professional. Www.Kalidotravel.com
Thank youuuu very much:) I’m looking forward to my trip here more so now than before-solely based off of your video.
@@chenley2072 I've been to this area multiple times and always use Canada Transfers as they get you there ahead of the busses! We always request Julio as our driver. He's the best!
Are there taxis to Playa del Carmen? how much they cost?
You can definitely get a taxi to PDC. It’s about $30 USD each way. It’s pretty far actually.
@@UpUpOurWay Did you make that trip to PDC?
@@jisa39 not on this trip but we did it before from a resort just around the corner.
@@UpUpOurWay And did you spend that much in cabs?
How expensive is the trip to Cancun?
Hey A & J, it all depends on where you stay and how you do it. I booked the hotel for a week at about $1700 all inclusive. I used coupon codes I found in Facebook groups. I only paid taxes for airfare because I hacked a Southwest Companion pass and a ton of points. There are resorts that are cheaper or more expensive and sometimes booking a package with airfare works better!
This is not in Cancun this is in the Riviera Maya area which is about an hour south of Cancun
Can you tell me more about how you found those coupons? We are going in mid July. Always up for a better deal.
@@ivanhendricks7053 yes, there are a few groups on Facebook I belong to and people post them there. Sometimes you can even use multiples! Gotta play around with them. Search for Barcelo groups and join and do a search for coupon or ask in the group. Good luck! 🍀
@@UpUpOurWay Thanks for the info!
I stayed at the Colonial in 2019 we had a great time ! We’ll be spending 8 days Barcelo Rivera May adults only in 15 days I’m sure we’ll have a wonderful time “
I’m sure you’ll have a wonderful time! Very excited for you! Countdown is on ☺️
What was your favorite restaurant?
They were all very good. But if I rank them I’d say 1. teppanyaki, 2. Mexican, 3. taco bar, 4. Italian, 5. Japanese, and 6. French. Thanks for watching! 🥰
18:15 is that Haley Joel Osment next to the blonde girl?
😂🤣 no but I can totally see the resemblance. He and his family had a British accent.
New sub /friend here 😊🍀
Thanks Brooklyn! Just subbed you too 😊
@@UpUpOurWay Thank you so much. I greatly appreciate it .
No food or beach service at the pool?! 🥴
No food service at the pool. Only drinks. And no service at all at the beach sadly.
Where is everyone?
Looks like a lonely place.
Haha! We filmed early in the morning before people got out there. Don’t worry, it’s a lively place! Except for the night life. That was pretty dead. But pools are busy.
so disappointing to see Pepsi and no coke in the mini bar
🤣😂 We felt the same way. Pepsi… yuck!!!
Looking
Hard Rock Maya Heaven is much better for just adults & then they they have an family part. Best resort in Mexico so far. This 1 was not fun & set up of rooms were cheap
Thanks for watching. I haven’t stayed at Hard Rock, mainly because the beach is “man made”. But I know people love it. Of course Hard Rock is much pricier so you’re likely to get nicer things. We have stayed at properties of varying levels and you just have to set your expectations accordingly! For the price, this was a great property.
it looks so plain and boring, like at an airport - not my type of resort - way too cold looking
Yeah, I get it. Not a tropical feel.
Don’t like this resort.too much concrete and glass,too modern,feels like dead city.old barcelo much better,in my opinion.nice gardens,plenty of flowers and trees,amazing birds and animals,at least you feel that you stay at tropical place .
I totally get that. I loved some things about this place, but visiting the other properties, it did feel more like vacation, more tropical! Thanks for watching 😊
Last place in the world I’d go to. Too big. Too industrial looking . Too much of everything, including people. An escape should be an experience where you feel as though you’ve gotten away from “big” places and a lot of people. Thanks for sharing.
I totally understand that! We stayed at Catalonia Royal Tulum just around the corner in October 2020 and it felt more tropical and the beach was my favorite! Here’s the video: ruclips.net/video/yVljjJjIWtA/видео.html
this is the worst place i have EVER BEEN TOO
Oh no! What was it that was so bad? It wasn’t my favorite but we had a great time! What’s your favorite place in that area?
Hi there looking at this vs secrets akumal. Question: are there excursions (like to the ruins)? Any swimming with turtles?
You can definitely book excursions. There is also great snorkeling near the Maya Palace from what I am told (we didn’t try) and people often see turtles. But Akumal is well known for the turtles and we did this on another trip. Here’s that video ruclips.net/video/6OAtXJumrOk/видео.html. We hired a private guide to basically take us anywhere we wanted for the day. Much better than a tour bus type of thing!
How re the swim up rooms