| From: Reviewer has requested to be kept anonymous. |
| Date of Stay: September, 2008 |
| First: The Akumal beach, with snorkeling, sea turtles, right in front of the hotel was amazing and beautiful. However, the property itself is more like staying at summer camp than staying at a resort. There was a very limited selection of food, the bathroom was not very clean in our room, no bottled water in the room, the pool appeared cloudy and dirty. At several spots on the property (i.e., near the theatre and close to the archery place) there was a strong and continuing smell of sewage. Overall: location and beach cannot be beat -- simply gorgeous. However, for the price, stay at the non-all inclusive hotel next door (Hotel Akumal Caribe) or a condo. |
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| From: Benjamin, Urbandale |
| Date of Stay: August, 2008 |
| Overall it was nice. They had on of the hardest beds I have ever slept on. The door didnt seal so there was a giant roach in the room. But the beach was very nice. Akumal was right next to the hotel. Akumal does have several nice places to eat. I had to pay for snorkal gear but once out there there were several sea turtels. Close but to ruins and other activities. |
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| From: Tresa, Lisbon, NY |
| Date of Stay: July, 2008 |
| This little gem of a resort is a fabulous deal. Many of the clients return year after year, and at the same times. We have friends from all over the globe now! The beach is the best for snorkeling. The snorkeling is so good, you may decide not even to scuba! Lot's of good scuba places if you do want to venture into deeper waters. Food is fine. You won't gain weight on this trip, though. We'll be back next year! |
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| From: Reviewer has requested to be kept anonymous. |
| Date of Stay: June, 2008 |
| I have been to ABR several times and this time I have to say was not the best. Not sure if it had to do with the fire they experienced that has given the restaurant and bar staff the mind set that they can provide as little service as possible. We chose to stay knowing the main dining room and reception area would be unavailable, but did not expect the staff to act as though they were on vacation. Mind you we tip for everything. |
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| From: Amelia |
| Date of Stay: May, 2008 |
| Akumal beach Resort is a great hotel located on the best beach in the Riviera Maya. The rooms are very nice and clean and you are right in front of the beach. The food is good, we always found something to eat. The breakfast was my favorite! As soon as you walk out your door and get to the beach you realize that the coral reef is right in front of you and tons of colorful fish are around. A 2 minute walk down the beach leads you the the sea turtle area. When we went kayaking and snorkeling we saw lots of turtles, sting rays, barracudas, etc. besides the clear blue water and beautiful beach, one of the best things about this hotel is the staff. The staff is AMAZING. They are so much fun, they really try to get everyone involved (but they do leave you alone if you don't feel like doing all the activities). They are so friendly and really enhance the whole experience. I will definitely to return to Akumal Beach Resort and would highly recomend it! |
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| From: karen, Newark, NJ |
| Date of Stay: March, 2008 |
| The beach is beautiful and only yards away from your room. I arrived late in the evening and walked along a winding sidewalk right next to the ocean. It was totally awesome!! The room is only OK, but the food was very good as well as the service. I ate at the Mexican and Italian restaurants 3 nites, u must make reservation at 10 am and they only seat 70 to 80 people. I liked the food and service. The buffet restaurant has an awesome selection to choose from. The water is very calm and a beautiful clear aqua green color. I would definitely recommend Ackumal Beach Resort. Make sure u arrange for airport transportation from Cancun to the resort, They do not provide any. |
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| From: Reviewer has requested to be kept anonymous. |
| Date of Stay: January, 2008 |
| We went to the resort thinking it would have: a beautiful beach & great snorkeling, clean rooms, friendly staff, great drinks and guacamole, and a low-key, relaxed atmosphere. This was our experience-100%. It wasn't fancy-but we weren't expecting fancy. The food was fine-the buffet had a decent selection. We treated ourselves to lobster and fillet one night (at an extra cost) for the seafood restaurant-it was great! The most impressive thing I found with the food was I had heard horror stories about getting sick in Mexico from my friends. At the ABR-we drank water (not from the tap in the room, though) and the slushy ice in the drinks, we ate salads daily, and we ate the fruit with no problem what-so-ever. There were several spring water-coolers on every floor so we kept refilling water bottles. The beds and pillows were firm. The only annoying thing was the shower. The water temperature alternated-hot to chilly-during a shower. One night after the beach we didn't have water. When we spoke to the front desk, they said that maintenance was working on it-and water was restored within a couple hours. Overall this resort was excellent-and we would certainly return-even with the temperamental shower. |
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| From: Cheryl |
| Date of Stay: August, 2007 |
| Akumal Beach Resort was a nice resort for me, my husband and 2 sons, ages 17 and 21. We had Superior rooms, which were very clean but by no means luxurious. It has tile floors and only shelves to put your clothing. It was certainly adequate, but if you are looking for marble bathrooms and luxurious accommodations, the Akumal Beach Resort will not meet your needs. The mattresses were very firm, and maybe too firm for some. In general, the resort is a rustic beach resort but the spectacular beach is what it is all about. The beach is gorgeous, you can snorkel right off the shore and there are tons of fish, sea turtles, etc. It was great. As far as the food, it too was fresh and adequate. There is always fresh fruit, salads, and a choice of fresh fish, beef and chicken choices and pasta dishes. The food is fine, plentiful, fresh and many choices. It is not top gourmet cuisine. If you want gourmet, then ABR is not for you. We are not big alcohol consumers, but heard that while the beer on tap was OK, the cocktails were not the best. We had a wonderful time. We went to Chichen Itza, Playa del Carmen, Valladolid and Tulum. We also spent a wonderful day at Xel-ha. In summary, we would definitely return to the ABR. We had a nice time at the resort and enjoyed the excursions. We also went diving in a cenote and that was fabulous. It is all about the gorgeous beach. |
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| From: John, Atlanta, GA |
| Date of Stay: July, 2007 |
| When I planned my vacation this year, I wanted something low key and low maintenance. Akumal Beach Resort was perfect for relaxing. I was not interested in nightlife and bars or the whole party scene. Thats why I chose Akumal. It is an hour away from Cancun. It is very tranquil and simple. Simple is a good thing. The resort was perfect. Although there were many people there, it didn't feel crowded or busy. The room was simple. I had a King size bed, a spacious bathroom and closet area. There was very little noise while I was in my room. The food was fine. There is a big variety of tastes. The buffet is only closed during certain hours of the day so I felt that I could eat whenever I wanted to. There are several bars. I never got thirsty. The beach was fantastic. I can't do it justice by describing it, so i won't. The staff is phenominal. They are extremely friendly and courteous. I only have one gripe and it is not really a gripe. The resort gives you a colored arm band based on what language you speak. I didn't like that. For example, I speak english, therefore I had a green arm band. I felt I was segregated a little bit. Although it may be difficult, I would rather have everyone have the same color. At least give me a chance to communicate with someone from a different nationality. Like I said, it isn't really a gripe. It just bugged me a little. Other than that, my stay was fantastic. I didn't want to leave. |
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| From: Reviewer has requested to be kept anonymous. |
| Date of Stay: June, 2007 |
| It is far enough from Cancun so you feel like you're in real Mexico, and not a commercialized cheesy version that caters to tourists. That is, you will not find Senor Frogs or Applebees or places you can find anywhere in the U.S. within sight of the resort. In fact, you won't see many other Americans at the resort either...many of the guests were European (mainly Italian). The resort was big, so although there were many other guests at the same time we were there, it never felt crowded. The beach is big and very clean, and there is more than enough room for swimming, snorkeling and kayaking. The resort is very close to historical sites and cenotes, which are extremely easy and cheap to get to by taking the collectivos. The snack bar and main dining area have self-service beer taps (dos equis), which are excellent. The swing bar is also great but it closes at 5 or 6. Overall, the food at the dining facility is pretty bland. The onsite restaurants which require reservations have slightly better food, but nothing too spectacular. If you want good mexican food, it's best to go off-site. Also, there is no place to buy snacks after hours. The entertainment staff is very friendly and energetic, but nightly entertainment is pretty lame. We didn't have time (or energy at the end of the day) to go to Playa del Carmen, but it seemed like it would have been really easy to get to if we wanted to go to clubs or bars there. As for the rooms, they're dark, the bed was hard, and the shower looked like it was still under construction, but we were never in our room except to sleep so it didn't really matter. Bottom line is, if you're high maintenance and expecting a 5-star experience, it'd be best to spend a little more money elsewhere. But if you're pretty much just looking for a great beach to relax on, 3 meals a day, a place to sleep at night, and plan on spending all your time out on the beach or seeing the area's many attractions, this is a very affordable getaway and it would be |
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| From: MARC, Milwaukee, WI |
| Date of Stay: June, 2007 |
| Location, location, location! If you want a 3 star hotel on a 5 star beach, then ABR is the place you you. We stayed in a Superior Room in building 7 which is far from the action. The AC worked, the shower worked the king bed was hard. The room was in need of a good cleaning and paint job, but it was only 50 steps from the ocean so what more could you expect for the price paid. The beach was long and amazing, as is the snorkling. Security is visible at each end of the beach. The food was plentiful but remember it is not 5-star cuisine. The drinks were not watered down and the cerveza was cold and self-serve. The staff was very hard working with activities, picutures, dance lessons, cooking lessons, spanish lessons, crazy contests, water aerobics, volleyball and bocceball games. They were really great |
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| From: Joan, Houston, TX |
| Date of Stay: June, 2007 |
| I am in the travel business and stay at locations worldwide and this hotel exceeded my expectation by vast margins. The location was perfect with very lush gardens, open-air lobby and meeting areas and a pristine, white-sand beach. The staff was very friendly and helpful. All stall members were multi-lingual. There was always a variety of food, snacks were provided between meals and beverages were abundant. The coral reef just off the beach was beautiful with many mulit-colored fish, stingrays, sea urchins,etc. I would suggest bringing your own snorkel and mask rather than renting. We took one hotel-arranged side trip to snorkel one of the local cenotes/sinkholes. That trip was well worth the cost and the guide was very helpful in insuring that everyone was happy. We we able to go into some narrow caves that I would not have been able to see without his guidance. I would be very happy to go there again or recommemd it to friends. |
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| From: Reviewer has requested to be kept anonymous. |
| Date of Stay: May, 2007 |
| I love the location - it's on a nice bay protected by a reef, so the water is calm. There are a lot of seaweeds farther in. They didn't bother me because I can't swim. The hotel has an older and newer part. The rooms in the newer part are more expensive. I stayed in one of the older buildings and would prefer to stay there again. Like the location better. The rooms are not fancy by any means, but clean and adequate. The only problem in mine that can put people off were the ants... The water pressure is very low as well, but that's a common problem in a lot of places in Mexico. The beautiful swaying palm trees and turquoise water make up for these shortcomings, though. IMHO, the food and the drinks were quite adequate, too. I don't use a pool when on a beach vacation, but it looked very nice and clean. Overall, great value for the money. |
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| From: jennifer, Denver, CO |
| Date of Stay: May, 2007 |
| Akamal Beach Resort was a very relaxing and comfortable atmosphere. The rooms were simple and enjoyable. Whether you wanted a quiet evening or entertainment you had both to choose from. The hotel was very clean including the beaches. Very close to the small town of Akamal were there are great little restraunts and shops. We would stay there again. |
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| From: Cheryl |
| Date of Stay: March, 2007 |
| If you are looking for a quiet, amazing beach this is a great place to go!! We stayed at Akumal Beach Resort for one week and truely enjoyed it. The basic room is old and needs updating. Next time I will put the money into getting a superior room. These are apparently all renovated. Our room was fine but the bathroom had a lot of mold and the toilet leaked. The pool area is great and the staff provided a lot of different activities - if you want to participate in this. We did some of the activities like Saltza lessons. Each night had either a show or fun and games followed by dancing. Each day a photographer would tour around the beach and the pool with a different animals for pictures. (snake one day, iguana one day, monkey one day etc) They are sold for a min. of $9.00 each and are very good quality. The snorkelling is also fantastic! This was the first time we had snorkeled and heard that this is some of the best snorkeling in the world from folks that had done a lot of it. The sea turtles and sting rays made our trip! It was amazing! |
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| From: Michelle, Spokane, WA |
| Date of Stay: February, 2007 |
| The ABR was great. Friendly people good food great snorkeling right there! Felt very safe at this resort. We had a good time going out on our own and were felt very safe doing it. If I had a complaint about the place would be the lack of top shelf liquor. If I'm going to have a shot of something I would like it to be good! |
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| From: timothy, Pittsburgh, PA |
| Date of Stay: January, 2007 |
| very comfortable, relaxing. grounds beautifull, restuaurant right on the beach.quaint little town just up the beach. everthing very nice except shower area of room. shower very run down and moldy. overall very nice for the money. |
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| From: karen, Los Angeles, CA |
| Date of Stay: January, 2007 |
| the akumal beach resort was wonderful. the food was great, especially the mexican resturant. they have a very long beach and the snorkeling is the best. it was quiet and relaxing, and the entire staff is friendly and helpful. there are many paplapas on the beach. the grounds are beautiful and clean with palm trees everywhere. the showers has lots of pressure and lots of hot water. the maids surprised us everyday with towels shaped in swans and turtles. my family and all our friends that traveled with us has a grat time and look forward to returning. also, there aren't a ton of people there so you never encounter lines or wait. |
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| From: Reviewer has requested to be kept anonymous. |
| Date of Stay: December, 2006 |
| Akumal Beach Resort is a family-friendly and older crowd resort. It's very quiet most of the time and definitely not a party hotel. They offer activities throughout the day up until 6:30 and they have a lunch break between 12:30 to 3:30. Night activities start around 9 and end around 12. The "partying" that does happen is in the theater which has a pretty good sound proof system, so not too loud for those early birds. The rooms are cute, but make sure you get the superior rooms as they are way better that the standard rooms. Bring bus spray because there are a lot of bugs and mosquitoes at night. Akumal's beach is gorgeous, barely any waves. Not a surfers beach, great for for snorkeling. You see a lot of fish and sea turtles. The resort is just half an hour for Playa del Carmen and Tulum so you can visit both without having to sit for hours. It's also very close to Xel-Ha and Xcarat. The buffet restaurant is better than the two restaurants they have there. But the two restaurants' atmosphere is good. Overall, it's a great place if you just want to relax and enjoy the sun. |
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| From: Reviewer has requested to be kept anonymous. |
| Date of Stay: December, 2006 |
| The Akumal Beach Resort has a very friendly and professional staff. The only good coffee is at the bar, not in the dining room. There is a great swimming pool and beautiful beachfront. |
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