Barcelo Maya Riviera Resort- An Adults-Only Oasis

(33 Reviews)
100% Recommended

Jaime Buss

Woodbury, MN
Passionate about United Kingdom

With over 20 years of experience in the travel industry, I pride myself in enhancing your vacation experience with not only my knowledge, but by tailoring it to your unique vision, while also honoring your budget in the process.

It's not ju...

During my recent stay at Barcelo Maya Grand with family and friends I was able to line up a site inspection at their brand new adults-only all-inclusive resort next door, Barcelo Maya Riviera. I was so impressed with the comfortable yet pristine look and feel of this resort which has tons to offer its guests! They are working on getting a 5 diamond certification and in my opinion, they’re already there.


The resort is set in the perfect location, at the quiet end of a long bay with 1.2 miles of beach spanning the Barcelo complex which includes Barcelo Maya Riviera, Barcelo Maya Grand, and Barcelo Maya Palace. Guests staying here are able to use all of the restaurants, bars, pools, and other public facilities at the other Barcelo resorts, but the other resorts do not have access to Barcelo Maya Riviera, keeping a feeling of exclusivity.


The sprawling pools span almost the entire length of the property and include a quiet pool, an energetic pool with a DJ and pool parties, in-water loungers and daybeds, and no shortage of swim up bars. There was more than enough space to spread out at the pool and on the beach which was peppered with dozens of palm trees. I loved the retro space age day beds that are offered at no extra cost, which were surprisingly large and had a flip-down top so they don’t get wet if there’s a tropical shower that rolls through.


I usually don’t invest too much thought in lobbies. It’s one’s first impression of a resort, but after that how much time do you really spend in a lobby? This one you would want to spend some time in! They have an incredible view of the ocean from their upper-level open-air lobby with cozy groupings of sleek furniture to enjoy a cocktail at sunset from the posh lobby bar.  


Barcelo Maya Riviera also offers a large buffet with tons of indoor and outdoor seating, fresh fruit and veggies, salad bar, hand-carved meats and cooking stations, and so much colorful variety. There are 4 a la carte sit down restaurants (Mexican, Japanese, Italian, and French) not to mention the exchange privileges that allow guests to visit the rest of the Barcelo complex. Dinner reservations are required for the a la carte sit down restaurants, but in the Mexican restaurant they have what looks like a teppanyaki show cooking table. Reservations are not required for this large show cooking grill area. It’s first come first served and the chef makes street tacos. They call it ‘tacoyaki’!


The resort features the largest convention space in all of Riviera Maya which can hold over 7,000 people! The equipment is state-of-the-art and space can be divided down for smaller meetings. With 850 rooms (500 ocean view, 296 garden view, and 110 swim ups) plus the thousands of rooms offered throughout the rest of the Barcelo complex, there’s plenty of room for conference attendees to stay and enjoy the facilities that this wonderful location offers.


I would definitely recommend this property. Contact me if you’d like to hear more about the Barcelo Complex or would like a quote for your next getaway!                           

See more travel stories
Return to my Sun and Sand Vacations page
©  Travel Leaders Group