There are many wonderful, even spectacular, features to this hotel, but "paradiso" it is not. We go to Hawaii and South East Asia regularly and there you find paradise - if you choose the right hotel.
That being said, the sugar white beach with the most wonderful blue canvas beds we have ever found (see pictures) make your days lounging at the beach a remarkable delight. In all our travels we have never found such a comfortable and luxurious beach experience.Also, the view from our ocean front room was positively dreamy, and margaritas were the best we have EVER tasted.
On the less positive side, our room was quite small and the bath drain did not drain. All the rose petals scattered around each night did not make up for the fact that repeated attempts to get it fixed did not work. We ended up standing in ankle deep soapy water whenever we showered. Lots of smiles, and "Oh, so sorry" comments aside, they didn't get it to drain until our last day there.
Most annoying, however, was the hovering by the staff at lunch and the "ceremony of getting to know us by our first names". We were asked repeatedly by different wait staff what our names were. The first day when I attempted to say, "Mrs. ___", I was told, "Oh, no, I must have your first name so we can be friendly. Deliver me! My husband and I were in Cancun for a long weekend to reconnect and decompress from our hectic lives. Were not there to be chatted up by a zillion people wanting to make friends. A zillion is an exaggeration. At one lunch we counted 11 different times we were interrupted - being asked our names, wanting to know if everything was going well, whether we liked the weather, whether we liked the food. We smiled and were polite. What we really wanted to say was, "PLEASE, LEAVE US IN PEACE!...and, by the way, where is our lunch?"
The "harassment" continued on the beach. Just try to read a book when you are interrupted regularly to be offered various treats. Again, we smiled politely and said "No thank you" each time. About eight offerings , someone came by with ice cream. He did not take "No thank you" for an answer. He wanted to know "Why not?" Both my husband and I lived in Mexico as young adults and this reminded us of the vendors who never left you alone on the beaches in Acapulco. While all the treats offered here were gratis, the interruption was just as irritating. Maybe a "Do not disturb" sign for each lounge chair would be a good idea.
This hotel needs to rethink its approach to guests. At the Aman resorts you almost never see the staff. Somehow they keep an eye on you and when you need something, it (or someone) appears. That, in our minds, is paradise.
- Also Known As:
- Maroma Resort And Spa By Orient-Express Hotel Playa Del Carmen
- Maroma Resort And Spa By Orient-Express Hotel
- Maroma
- Maroma Resort
- Maroma Resort Spa
- Maroma Hotel Playa Del Carmen
- Maroma Resort And Spa By Orient-Express Playa Paraiso, Riviera Maya, Mexico
- Official Description (provided by the hotel):
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Welcome to Maroma Resort and Spa, an award-winning luxury beach resort hotel on the Riviera Maya, Mexico. Experience the magic and the beauty of profound well-being in an eternal paradise located in a breathtaking corner of the Yucatan jungle on the Riviera Maya.
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