Barcelo Maya Caribe- Riviera Maya, QR Mexico

We stayed 7 nights at the Barcelo Maya Caribe Resort for my daughter's senior trip. We opted to make the drive to Minneapolis for a direct flight rather than have a layover. The direct flight was on Sun Country and was pretty smooth and uneventful. Would definitely take that flight again! Upon arrival to Cancun International Airport we were promptly greeted by our driver to make the 45 min drive to the resort. We had a private transfer and we were offered refreshments on the ride. A Corona Light at 10am definitely initiated vacation mode.

There are 6 resorts on the property in which we had access to all but one, Barcelo Maya Riviera. That is adults only and comes at an additional fee. One thing to be aware of is that no matter which property you book of the 4 in the middle, Beach, Caribe, Colonial, & Tropical you can be placed in any of them based on booking/arrival and availability according to your room choice. Those 4 price the same. Palace is the newer addition and prices a bit more than the other four. When booking at  Beach, Caribe, Colonial, Tropical or Palace you will have access to all amenities and restaurants at each one.

When we arrived at the resort we were greeted by staff immediately with a welcome spritzer. We arrived before check in time but was given our bracelets and able to change in the bathroom to enjoy the resort while we waited for our room to be prepared. We decided to book all of our dinners for the week then headed out to the beach for a bit.

The grounds are beautiful and well kept, tons of wildlife and the private beach is a very short walk from the pool areas. Very convenient as some of us relaxed at the pool while others were playing volleyball. On the beach there are plenty of lounge chairs, a small pier deck to walk out to where there are seagulls, tons of fish and plenty of shells to collect. Throughout the day there are various activities at the pool such as trivia, Zumba, water volleyball and other fun games. Definitely kept the day entertaining! You will see a calendar and schedule of events towards the front of the resort at guest services.

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There are over 20 restaurants, 15 a la carte restaurants, 6 buffets & 5 ocean grills throughout the property. Some of the restaurants we booked were Mexico Lindo, La Fuente, Kyoto, Tokyo & Capri. So many cuisines to pick from! The buffets and casual restaurants were all fantastic too. The drinks kept flowing as there are 20 bars throughout, two of which are open 24/7. One afternoon there was a huge seafood paella grill out and another afternoon there was a private, adults only, happy hour with a jazz band and Hors d'oeuvres for select guests. A perfect stop before heading out to watch the nightly entertainment!

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One day during the week we decided to head into Playa Del Carmen to do some shopping. We were able to take a shuttle from the resort for a small fee. Getting into town was fairly quick, once we got there we walked anywhere we needed to. Tons of shops, art and restaurants. We found a small rooftop restaurant and ate ceviche after a few hours of shopping and watching street performers.

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Each night we ended up at the theatre, the shows ranged from a Michael Jackson Experience, Magic Show and a Cirque de Solei style show to name a few. The theatre shows are complimentary. Other things to do at this resort outside of the theatre include bowling, mini golf, waterpark, an escape room or try your luck at the casino, all located in Maya Mall where there are random shops in between. The shops varied from handmade souvenirs to luxury boutiques. Most all activities within the mall are at an additional cost. As with most resorts there were multiple excursion options. There is a dolphin experience right on site, snorkeling, Cenotes, zipline and many more!

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This resort is a winner every time whether you are a first timer or a repeat guest! There is no shortage of things to do, eat, or drink... fun for all ages!!

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