This resort is such a breath of fresh air among the gaudy and ostentatious resorts of Riviera Maya. No, it does not have a 100' tall entrance. No, it does not have thousands of rooms, and no, it is not all-inclusive. So if that's what you want, the beautiful and tasteful understate gate on highway will disappoint you. But if quality and service is what you are after, then you've hit the jackpot.

We spent a week at Maroma for our honeymoon. From the moment we arrived everyone knew who we were, and made us feel absolutely special. The staff is extremely attentive without hovering and crowding you. The beach crew constantly rakes and sweeps the beach so it is always perfect. The spa is an outdoor sprawly complex and it is one of the most spectacular spas we have even been too (we've been to a lot!).

Our room (#20) was spacious and quite comfortable. Great mattress, and fabulous products. The closet was teeny, and no real storage though. I would swap out the desk for an armoire, if I were Maroma.

Now a couple of needs-improvement things:

1) Their drinks are really not that good! The bar tenders need to take a mixology class!
2) Guests leave one item on the beach beds to "hold" them, and don't show up for hours to enjoy the beach. Meanwhile there are other guests who would like to enjoy the beach but can not get a bed because of all the empty beds with an item on them. They really need to address this problem.
3) People are allowed to smoke on the property. The guest across our room would sit in front of our door and smoke, and put out her buds in the planter next to our room. We asked twice that they talk to her, and I think they did, but nothing changed. The property needs to be a non-smoking property. Period.

Last month I had my wedding at Maroma Resort and Spa. It was nothing short of spectacular! The rustic beauty of the resort, the incredible beach, amazing food and the most accommodating staff made for an absolutely amazing wedding and vacation! I've traveled to my fair share of resorts around the world and nothing quite compares to Maroma. Their attention to detail and top notch service set them apart from the rest.

My wedding coordinator, Beatriz was as sweet as can be and an absolute pleasure to work with. She made the planning process so easy and kept me calm along the way. When it came to the wedding weekend she was on call the entire time and made sure that nothing fell short of perfect. I couldn't imagine a more perfect setting and wedding thanks to Bety and the rest of the staff at Maroma. We are already planning our next stay there!

Positive: This is a lovely private, low key, exclusive resort......less than a 100 rooms, beautiful grounds, natural setting..... blends in with the native landscape. None of that Disneyland/ Las Vegas/ Palm Springs/Hawaii over the top luxury theme-park look which I hate. And no golf course, just natural vegetation which for me is a plus.
Very nice Mexican staff, highly professional..... the first-name use did not bother me as it did another reviewer, and my family loved the complimentary treats delivered on the beach.....fruit, gaspacho and ice cream offered by the beach waiters. In fact they could have come more often!

Great place to unwind and relax, and I am happy to report there are many nice families with kids over Christmas and New Year, but the resort was always quiet, respectful and laid back.
The beach is beautiful, lots of sand, warm water.....just the right amount of waves so you could bodysurf, but never dangerous, providing you can swim reasonably well.

Downside: a fair amount of wind, so you get the sand blowing in your face when your lying on the beach.....think Lawrence of Arabia or operation desert storm. We were there for 11 days, and only a few days without wind which were truly glorious.
Sun goes down quite early and the beach is oriented so that by 3 pm, there is no more sun on the beach.
Other negative:.(maybe becuase of the wind).....there's a fair amount of plastic and rubbish, that occasionally shows up in the sea or on the beach, which takes away from the feeling of being in Paradise.

BIGGEST NEGATIVE: the hotel has fabulous queen-size sunbeds, but needs a policy for these!
We were a family of 4 who stayed for 11 days with 2 rooms.....which does not come cheap in a place like this.......nevertheless, we would arrive to the beach early in the morning and find that all the sunbeds had already been "reserved".......Guests would leave their sandals or a magazines on top, and then show up (may-be) around 2 pm......
This is inexcusable for a small, luxury hotel of this category and really marred an otherwise relaxing vacation.

Restaurant: Breakfast which is complimentary is the best meal.....A special mention to the Mexican lady who makes fresh corn tortillas every morning....this adds a very personal touch to the hotel....the Quesadillas are out of this world.

The outdoor restaurant patio is lovely but otherwise the food is ok, and very expenisve.....

The moment you drive through the private gates to this super private and casually elegant resort, you know that you have arrived in a special place. The mile long driveway through the palm trees and mangrove forests puts you into the perfect mental state for an unforgettable experience. You'll love the margarita that is handed to you when you walk through the doors. The attentive staff is well trained and really interested in making your stay an enjoyable memory.

If you intend to see any of the area, you should rent a car at the airport. You will be glad that you have the flexibility to visit some of the Maya ruins and some of the wonderful restaurants in Playa del Carmen which is about 10 miles south.