Viceroy Riviera Maya

“Exceptional service and surrounding”

We have just returned from a 7 night stay in a signature villa. Our stay was perfect from start to finish. The setting is stunning in the jungle and our villa felt very private. It was a perfect haven of relaxation. It’s close enough to playa del Carmen which we visited most nights for dinner and… more

We have just returned from a 7 night stay in a signature villa. Our stay was perfect from start to finish. The setting is stunning in the jungle and our villa felt very private. It was a perfect haven of relaxation. It’s close enough to playa del Carmen which we visited most nights for dinner and live music. It’s very easy in a taxi $25 each way. The resort is spotless and very well maintained. The staff and the service are exceptional. Nothing was too much trouble. We were completely spoilt around the pool. The sunbeds are very comfortable, especially the swinging day beds. Staff are on hand to bring fruit kebabs, a cocktail and even clean your sunglasses. We literally flopped and barely moved which is very unlike us but R&R is the name of the game at this place. We thought the breakfast choice and quality was very good. On a chilly morning, staff were on hand with ponchos which was very welcome. Alberto one of the main butlers was super helpful and always on hand to assist even before we arrived at the resort. He gave us excellent restaurant and excursion suggestions. Thank you Alberto! The only thing we didn’t do was swim in the sea as it was too rocky and with large waves, I was concerned about falling. The pool area was more than enough though. Thank you for an incredible stay. The viceroy are very lucky to have such incredible staff that provide the best service, attentive but not overbearing in the most beautiful of settings. The perfect way to celebrate 20 years of marriage.

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“A little piece of Heaven”

A real haven and oasis from the bustle of a vibrant coastal area. We had such a wonderful stay at Viceroy, where attention to detail is taken very seriously and the staff were so attentive and welcoming. I am also missing the best turn downs ever in particular, it was such a treat after dinner to g… more

A real haven and oasis from the bustle of a vibrant coastal area. We had such a wonderful stay at Viceroy, where attention to detail is taken very seriously and the staff were so attentive and welcoming. I am also missing the best turn downs ever in particular, it was such a treat after dinner to get back to the villa with a ready for bed hug from housekeeping. The walk to breakfast was also an adventure, down the tropical pathways to the beach area, you get to appreciate the emphasis on guest privacy and the feel of being in a tropical forest, with waterfalls, monkeys in the trees and exotic birds flying all around. Whilst resting on a day bed after feasting at breakfast you get a most tropical secluded part of the beach and can watch the pelicans diving into the aquamarine sea looking for their breakfast. If we took an excursion or booked a dinner in Playa del Carmen, we just couldn’t wait to get back to our hotel and relax with a drink at the bar playing games. The Viceroy and its staff does not disappoint and we feel it gave us the best of this part of Mexico.

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“Not a five star resort”

Do not expect the Rosewood or the Datai. Certain aspects of this resort do approach 5*, but in general I class Viceroy as 4*. The approach to the landward entrance had us holding our breaths, as the taxi bumped along a road bordered by flooded mangroves with old wire fencing and sheets of boardi… more

Do not expect the Rosewood or the Datai. Certain aspects of this resort do approach 5*, but in general I class Viceroy as 4*. The approach to the landward entrance had us holding our breaths, as the taxi bumped along a road bordered by flooded mangroves with old wire fencing and sheets of boarding. However, once we were through the electric gates, we were greeted warmly in a pleasant circular tiled area. A five minute walk brought us to villa 16; very pretty, clean and one of the 5* features. I am in my eighties and don't have a smart phone, so had to rely on my daughter to put the TV on and order food etc. using a QR code on a piece of wood. I always enjoys browsing through a tastefully printed brochure. We were there two days before I realized there was a library. It was a nice gesture to find insect repellant for our use. The pool is lovely, but there is no rail to hold on to by the steps, so I lost my footing when trying to get into the pool and fell backwards. If any of the many Coral bar staff noticed, they didn't approach me and I was able to roll into the water. Luckily I only grazed my elbows and bumped my coccyx. However, that experience meant that my daughter had to be with me whenever I wanted to swim and I would have to call her for assistance in order to get out. I strongly recommend that Viceroy invest in a metal rail. We love to swim in the sea and were impressed, but surprised to see the Viceroy supplied rubber beach shoes. Then we saw the sharp and slippery rocks where the lovely sand met the water's edge. Holding hands, we tackled these once only. An absolute 'No no' for anyone elderly. You could however, walk eighty yards along the busy beach to find an area with fewer rocks. We were concerned about a tripping hazard at a shallow unmarked step outside our villa and mentioned it to Henri from Housekeeping; a smiling happy young man. He immediately phoned management and we were impressed with their prompt attention to this. A nearby generator kept us awake in our villa, so Ernesto kindly arranged for us to to number 18, which was perfect. The nightly thumping 'rave' music from a neighboring resort, tended to end around 10 or 11, so wasn't a problem. Straightforward verbal communication with restaurant staff was alright, but no one understood 'Can you swap... for...' and 'Can I have ...instead of...' though I had a lovely conversation with Jose Ensento? who was hoovering up leaves. His friendly nature and hand gestures together with my basic Spanish, had us laughing. He even managed to explain the he uses the staff bus to get home . My daughter used the small gym regularly and we both thoroughly enjoyed painting on canvas. A nice gesture and a new experience for us both. My final comment is negative I'm afraid. Your food is mostly awful. We splashed out on the Thanksgiving meal, thinking there would be a festive atmosphere at least. But that, it wasn't. The staff moved around in silence and not one of them engaged us in any conversation. The pumpkin soup was the best course. The green beans were virtually raw, so I couldn't eat them. In a 5* establishment there would have been a waiter with sufficient English to ask if everything was alright, when they noticed I had not touched that dish. Two more minutes in boiling water and I would have eaten them up. We had room service breakfasts every day after our first disappointing experience at the Cedar area. I ate porridge every day until I tried the pastries and found you do serve excellent croissants. Another holidaymaker agreed with us about the menu and recommended we eat at a beach bar 200 yards along the beach. We are pleased we took her advice. Prior to our stay at Viceroy we had three days in a small beach front resort in Tulum. We ate all of our meals there. Despite all the above criticisms, , we did enjoy our stay at Viceroy and I hope management see them as constructive. I will particularly remember our daily interaction with the agoutis and coatis.

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