Playa del Carmen

Neha Dass

Overall Experience – 10/10! 🌴✨ Our overall experience at BlueBay Resort was absolutely wonderful from start to finish. The hospitality was outstanding, every staff member we interacted with was friendly, welcoming, and genuinely helpful, making us feel right at home throughout our stay. The check-in process was smooth and warm, with refreshments on arrival, assistance with luggage, and a comfortable ride to our room. The restaurant service was exceptional, with attentive staff who always made dining feel personal and comfortable. The food was consistently fresh, delicious, and offered a wide variety every day, especially for vegetarians. The coffee and drinks at the White & Black Bar were also incredible. Entertainment was another highlight , there was always something happening, from cultural dance performances and live music to DJ nights, magic shows, and poolside music, ensuring every evening felt lively and enjoyable. The resort was very clean and well maintained, with staff constantly taking care of pathways, beach areas, and overall hygiene. Even during seaweed season, the team worked hard to keep everything clean and well managed. Room service and maintenance were generally good, and whenever support was needed, staff responded with care and professionalism. One small area for improvement was water bottle delivery, which at times was delayed and could be more frequent, especially in hot weather. Check-out was equally thoughtful. Even after our official checkout time, we were allowed to stay on the property, use the facilities, and enjoy lunch before our late airport transfer, which was a very kind and appreciated gesture. Overall, it was a memorable and relaxing stay with exceptional service, warm hospitality, and great attention to guest comfort. We would happily return again and highly recommend the resort!

Christina Nicholson

We had an amazing trip here. The rooms were clean, and cleaned daily as well. The staff are kind and welcoming, although a lot of them couldn’t answer some basic questions about the resort because I don’t think they quite understood English— which is fine. The only thing I didn’t love was that the lobby had no water! It was so hot there and most lobbies have water for their guests. Also, beware of some workers trying to sell you memberships. The sellers were quite rude and intimidating— felt like we were trapped and couldn’t leave. Location was in a great spot and not far from airport. Beautiful beaches too.

Ciaran Daibhi

I traveled here with my two kids (10, 5) for 8 days and I honestly loved it. The value for money was better than anything I've ever experienced here in Playa Del Carmen. Look this is not the Ritz... some rooms are updated, ours was not, however they were always clean and the beds comfortable. The fridge was filled every day with beer and soft drinks. The lobby and all bars do not have AC. Some of the main areas like lobby and bar are in need of updating and sometimes have a touch of being slightly "cheap" with old pool and air hockey tables in the main bar. However, again, this is not the Ritz and it's not trying to be. This is a relatively cheap hotel with great food, great service, hands down one of the best kids clubs I have ever seen with it's own pool area, theater, soccer pitch, trampolines and more. The Kids Club is open from 10am-5pm and they even take the kids to lunch. The animation team is great, they threw parties on the beach at night, there were fire shows, Mexican themed dances, it was great. The pool is huge and enough to accommodate the whole hotel. A lot is happening at the pool every day with music, dancing and a decent bar. If you want the Ritz, then book the Ritz. If you want a decent all round hotel with an amazing kids club, good food and friendly staff all around then this is the place for you. Also, I rented a car in Cancun airport and parking was free on site at the hotel. P.S: there is a fresh water lagoon if you walk left (north) up the beach which is one of the nicest areas of water I have ever seen. It's about a 10min walk (photo attached)

George Cooke

So this is my full review of the blue bay grand Esmeralda. Upon entrance we were created with such friendliness and kind faces and the check in was made very easy aswell. Then we were whisked away on golf carts to our room as this resort is quite big!! Upon entering the room it was very lovely and very well deep cleaned as me and my girlfriend couldn't believe it as you always expect some sort of dirt somehwere. The bed are really comfortable and definitely ensure you get a full rested sleep as I was upset to be leaving them behind when I returned home🤣! The bars and drinks around the resort was lovely and I would definitely recommend their blended margaritas! The food is buffet food with lots of choices from pasta stations to Taco stations and just plain simple hot dogs or burgers with fries as well for someone who would prefer that. They also have restraunts there as well which you can book as me and my girlfriend highly recommend the steak house! Also a special thank you to Renani as he made our experience in the restraunt amazing and he always has a smile on his face and to be honest I've never seen a man be in so many places at once he keeps very busy but takes time to say hello and greet you. So the pool is massive and has plenty of room and at this time of year you can get a sunbed at anytime you want but what stood out was the entertainment team as sometimes they are not the best at resorts but this team was incredible and made it a very fun experience with us all and always got lots of people involved as well and you can win a bottle of tequila if you win the activity so there is always that motivation but a real big special thank you goes to my man Hugo as he made our whole stay was amazing and was great fun to be around with! Not only did I enjoy his activities and company so much but I have walked away with a friend for life! And that's not to say a special thank you to Pedro and the rest of the team as well! But all the service at the resort is incredibly friendly from the staff in the restraunts to the maintenance team to housekeeping everyone always has a smile on their faces! We did have the issue where the shower flooded the room!! The first night but you know what Francisco sorted the situation so quickly and even gave us a better view room as well and gave us access the vip concierge which was a massive plus so overall our stay was great and we would happily comeback as we are actually thinking about it!!!

Jack Gostling

Good value for the price, but hit-or-miss Overall, this was a pretty good stay considering what we paid, but it definitely has its pros and cons. The highlights were easily the pools and the drinks, which were great. What really made the stay comfortable was the amazing staff—everyone was incredibly friendly, attentive, and helpful throughout our trip. On the downside, the accommodations and dining need work. The rooms are slightly dated, and the bathroom was looking a bit rough. The food was definitely the weakest point—there wasn't much selection, and the quality wasn't good (it really wouldn't be ideal for kids either). Also, keep in mind that if you travel in June, the beach is essentially unusable due to the heavy sargassum seaweed buildup. If you get a good deal and go in with the right expectations, it's an amazing budget-friendly option.

Julie Fischer

Tonight’s dinner at Arezzo was a true delight! Our server Francisco was attentive, considerate, friendly, personable and went out of his way to make our experience one to remember. Every course we ordered was amazing, but the true treat was Francisco! Thank you. I’m editing my review because the following day my husband and I went to the spa for massages. Ana Rosa was incredible! She found all the knots in my back, tight muscles hidden in my calves, and right pressure points in my feet. We are heading back to The Fives in a few months and I will be asking for Ana Rosa again. Excellent experience.

the3rdsd

Here’s a polished Google review you can post: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ We had a fantastic stay at The Fives Beach Hotel & Residences! The room was spacious, clean, and very comfortable, and the food exceeded our expectations throughout the resort. Our favorite dining experience was at Casa de Rosa. The food was outstanding, but what really made the evening special was the exceptional service. Fatima and Wendy were incredible hosts—friendly, attentive, and genuinely welcoming. They made us feel like valued guests and ensured we had an amazing experience from start to finish. Overall, the service across the resort was excellent, and the staff truly made our vacation memorable. We would definitely recommend The Fives to anyone looking for a relaxing all-inclusive getaway in the Riviera Maya, and we look forward to returning!

James Suckling

In summary? What a place - would absolutely recommend. The hotel is amazing, very clean, great facilities and a wonderful place to forget the world for a couple of weeks. The staff are brilliant, with a special mention to Omar who literally couldn’t do enough to help us make our holiday even more special with some great trips and there to help with any questions we had. He’s brought a new meaning to FOMO. It’s now Fear of Missing Omar. The first room we had was ok, exactly what we’d paid for as a basic duluxe room for two adults and two children. However, it was a bit tired and had no view at all. We asked if we could swap and we upgraded to a one bedroom suite for $80 a night which was worth every dime, cent, penny and pound. The new room was amazing and we’d definitely book that one next time. The food and drinks were good, as others have said go earlier to avoid queues. The only slight let down was the number of sun beds around the pools, and number of tables and chairs for the evening entertainment. Just aren’t enough for the volume of people staying - and nothing gets done about the ridiculous sun-bed hoggers who put towels out at 6am and turn up for an hour later in the day. Very annoying when there aren’t enough beds in the first place. Overall, an amazing holiday with so many wonderful family memories. Would recommend without hesitation.

Ashley Przybyla

Wrapping up a weeklong trip at The Fives, and had a truly wonderful stay. The resort itself is beautiful, there’s no shortage of pools or bars, and the food is excellent. But what really stands out is the service. As a solo traveler, it’s easy to go unnoticed at times—and while that did happen a few times at places like the buffet—a few members of the staff were really attentive and amazing with their service. Namely, Pablo Cuxin at La Brasserie (who I liked so much I went to eat there twice), Pablo and Araceli from the adults only pool, Alejandro from the Bali beds on the beach, and Yoli from housekeeping who made the room beautiful and spotless everyday. Already looking forward to my next trip!

Jade G

Overall stay was amazing. The food was delicious the service was excellent. You need to arrive to the dining area quite early to accommodate larger groups. Our favourite restaurant was Seasons and La Brasserie. Our server from the Epic Cabana location named Andrea Dominguez was very attentive and provided amazing service. She was always smiling and made us feel welcome everyday. She constantly asked us what we needed throughout the day. She deserves the recognition. Jannet Pat was also a very good server, she was quick and efficient. Cleaned our plates and cups right away. She too needs recognition for her outstanding services. Saturday, the pool area by the beach was lively compared to the other days. Better music selection much busier. Cons: We stayed in room 20105. The room itself was clean and spacious. The housecleaner maintained our room beyond our standards. A few curtains were broken so they didn’t fully shut. Our mattress was very old and worn out. We were sinking into the bed, we have back aches from it. We will get a massage when we get back home. The beach was quite rocky. The water was not very swimmable due to the high volume of sargassum. The shuttle times throughout the resort should be increased as they were always full.

Jenny Firat

We had our wedding here, and we couldn’t have asked for a more perfect experience. From the moment we arrived, every single person treated us with kindness, professionalism, and genuine care. The staff were incredibly friendly and always ready to help with anything we needed. A very special thank‑you to Kevin, who went above and beyond for us throughout our stay. He made us feel truly welcomed and supported during such an important moment in our lives. We also want to thank the captains who helped make everything run smoothly: • José García – in charge of the buffet • Daniel Tuyub – captain for our wedding and the Asiana restaurant All the restaurants were wonderful and incredibly accommodating to all food allergies. It was always asked every restaurant we went to. We also want to give a special thank‑you to Elisa, our wedding coordinator, who helped guide us through every detail and made the whole process so much easier. And a heartfelt thank‑you to the wonderful lady who performed our ceremony — we unfortunately forgot her name, but she was incredibly warm, kind, and made our moment truly special. The hotel itself was beautiful, clean, and comfortable — but what really made our experience unforgettable was the people. They helped make our wedding everything we dreamed of, and we are so grateful for the memories we created here. Thank you to the entire team for making our special day even more special. ❤️

Axel

Had a great stay overall. The staff was fantastic, the front desk team was welcoming and helpful, and the food exceeded expectations. I especially enjoyed the gourmet dining experiences, the coffee shop, Dolma, and Le Chef. The location is excellent, just a short walk from the lively party area, making it easy to enjoy Playa del Carmen without needing transportation. The only negative experience happened right after check-in. A VIP services representative approached us and was very helpful at first, but the conversation quickly turned into a very persistent attempt to get us to attend an 8 AM breakfast presentation at another hotel. It was a sales pitch snd not a welcome experience, and she became visibly frustrated when I repeatedly declined. One thing future visitors should know is that there was a huge amount of seaweed on the beach during our stay, making swimming in the ocean difficult. We ended up taking tours to Cozumel and Isla Mujeres for clearer water. That said, we understand it’s seasonal and not the hotel’s fault. We simply didn’t know what to expect. Despite those issues, we had a wonderful time and would gladly return on a clean of sea weed month.

Zahara's Healing

I had a great time at Hyatt Vivid. The facilities were nice and clean, and all of the staff and entertainment team were so kind and helpful. During my stay, I offered guided Meditations and Sound healings to the guests, and the team was super helpful in assisting me in setting everything up as well as attending some of the classes. The room was beautiful and large, the food was pretty good as well, and they are in the perfect location and within walking distance to everything near 5th Avenue. They had several activities to do during my stay, which were entertaining. Big thanks to the helpful team (Enrique, Katia, Benjamin, Nahomi, Jose,Julio, Dulce, & Aranza)

Christina

We had an amazing, relaxing girls vacation by the beach. We loved the food, the staff was able to accommodate my food allergies and even offered to make special dishes if told in advance. The coffee shop, Dolmas, and Asiana were some of our favorites. Everyone was very friendly but wanted to mention Juan, Rigoberto, and Ismael for being so helpful at the restaurants. The evening entertainment shows were very great. The fitness options and staff were an highlight. We loved trying new classes — sound baths, aqua boxing and aqua biking with Enrique and Kike, and aqua pilates with the lovely Katia. They were so friendly and encouraging. I would love to come back!

Adam

We had such a fantastic stay at Hyatt Vivid Playa del Carmen for our wedding anniversary. What we loved most was the balance of the hotel. One day we were at the foam party, then learning to make sushi and then next we were completely relaxing with an incredible couples massage. It really has something for every mood. The location is perfect as it’s so close to Quinta Avenida (5th Avenue) which made it really easy to head out and explore. The food was excellent throughout the trip. We especially loved Asiana and La Casona, and were genuinely surprised by how good the buffet restaurant Spice was too. The staff were lovely, the atmosphere was great and it made for the perfect anniversary holiday. We’d definitely come back.