Akumal Bay Beach & Spa Resort

“Amazing time”

First time, will return. Great staff, Great location, Great snorkeling.

“A Memorable Stay and A Resort Worth Returning To”

From start to finish, my experience at Akumal Bay Beach and Wellness Spa Resort was one I’m genuinely happy to share. If you’re looking for a small to mid‑sized, exceptionally clean resort with staff who consistently go above and beyond, this property deserves a spot at the top of your list. A hea… more

From start to finish, my experience at Akumal Bay Beach and Wellness Spa Resort was one I’m genuinely happy to share. If you’re looking for a small to mid‑sized, exceptionally clean resort with staff who consistently go above and beyond, this property deserves a spot at the top of your list. A heartfelt thank‑you to Alan, German, and the entire Akumal Bay team for making our visit truly memorable. We look forward to seeing you again soon. Overall Impression Akumal Bay Beach and Wellness Spa Resort exceeded our expectations in cleanliness, service, food quality, and overall atmosphere. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay and fully intend to return very soon. Arrival Tips for First‑Time Cancun Travelers For those unfamiliar with the Cancun airport, be cautious upon exiting baggage claim. Only speak with your official airline representative. Many individuals in the arrivals area will attempt to redirect you to their services—often claiming to be affiliated with your airline—and the result can be unexpected fees. Your true representative will be easy to spot: they’ll be wearing airline‑branded attire, holding a clipboard with your name, and guiding you directly to your bus. Transfer Experience The transfer from Cancun airport to the resort was the only part of the trip that fell short. The ride took approximately 2.75 hours due to multiple stops at other resorts. A direct trip would have been closer to 1.5 hours. I shared this feedback with my airline representative, as this lengthy ride—especially for families with young children—could be improved with better routing or additional buses. First Impressions & Check‑In Upon arrival, the warm welcome immediately set the tone. Staff greeted us promptly, offering chilled towels and refreshing drinks before escorting us to the front desk. Check‑in with Alan was effortless and genuinely enjoyable. Knowing we were celebrating a special occasion, he went out of his way to ensure our stay was exceptional. His level of service was outstanding and truly appreciated. Room & Building Layout We stayed in a penthouse suite in Building 4, located on the top floor with a stunning ocean view. The suite included a private rooftop terrace complete with loungers and a personal jacuzzi—clean, comfortable, and wonderfully relaxing. For reference: Building 3 typically hosts premium guests. Buildings 1 & 2 are closest to the lobby, buffet, restaurants, pool, and beach, though it’s unclear if all rooms there offer ocean views. Dining Experience The food exceeded expectations across all venues. The resort offers three à la carte restaurants and one buffet, all of which delivered flavourful and well‑prepared meals. Our favourite was The Grill, a Brazilian steakhouse located by the beach and 24hr snack bar. We enjoyed it so much that we dined there three times. Non‑premium guests cannot make advance reservations, so lining up at 6 p.m. is necessary—but worth it. The buffet also impressed us with nightly specialty items and consistently tasty dishes, which is not always the case at all‑inclusive resorts. Pools & Amenities The main pool is conveniently located near the beach, 24hr snack bar, lobby, and buffet, making it easy to move between activities. Each building also has its own smaller, more private pool for guests seeking a quieter atmosphere. Beach & Water Conditions The beach is beautiful—white sand, turquoise water, and a picturesque shoreline. During our stay, seaweed was present, especially later in the afternoon, but this is a natural seasonal occurrence and not the resort’s fault. It didn’t detract from our enjoyment. There are some rocks when entering the water in certain areas, so water shoes are a smart idea. Beach loungers tend to be claimed early (as early as 6:30 a.m.), which isn’t ideal. Fortunately, beach staff monitor unattended chairs and will clear them if left unused for long periods, which helps keep things fair.

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“Beautiful Setting with highlights , Let Down by Food Quality.”

The hotel location was excellent, with beautiful weather throughout our stay. The hotel itself is set in lovely surroundings with an exotic look and feel. The newly renovated rooms in Building 3 were finished to good standard. That said, there are still a few improvements that could be made such as… more

The hotel location was excellent, with beautiful weather throughout our stay. The hotel itself is set in lovely surroundings with an exotic look and feel. The newly renovated rooms in Building 3 were finished to good standard. That said, there are still a few improvements that could be made such as adding a full-length mirror and a second sink, which would make the room more practical. Unfortunately, the food was the weakest part of the experience. As an all-inclusive resort, we expected better variety and quality. The menu felt repetitive, and most dishes were consistently lukewarm. The service in the buffet area also needs improvement, staff seemed rushed, tables weren’t cleared promptly, and the overall atmosphere felt quite chaotic and disorganized particularly at breakfast. The specialty restaurant is a nice touch however they lacked atmosphere with overly bright lighting and in the Mexican restaurant the music inside was competing with the music from the live band. On a positive note, the entertainment was enjoyable, and several staff members really stood out. Alejandro was especially friendly and attentive, making a great impression. Loved his enthusiasm and his love for the turtles. Trinidad, the premier concierge, was exceptional and couldn’t do enough to help, and Omar was also incredibly warm and welcoming. We had no trouble getting pool chairs, which was a nice bonus especially after reading a lot of negative comments. Snorkeling in front of the Secrets resort was fantastic and definitely a highlight of the trip. The sargassum was quite bad during our stay, while this is, of course, beyond the hotel’s control, the smell near the buffet area was very unpleasant at times. The staff did their best to remove it, but impacted the overall holiday experience. While there were some strong positives, particularly some of the staff and resort setting, improvements in food quality and attention to detail from the waiting staff would make a big difference.

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