I am writing this review on day 4 of my stay in Nov 2023 (low season). Fully aware that this is not an animated party resort, i came alone to relax and recharge. Blue Diamond has the bones of a true luxury property, but unfortunately manages to be exceedingly bland and uninspiring. It has so many things going for it, and capitalizes on almost none: Breathtaking nature and wildlife, but no guide or introduction to experience it fully. A beautiful spa but no packages for a full wellness holiday. A dreamy beach that is strangely lifeless and sterile. Very professional staff but no human connection. Where Blue Diamond does shine is its luxury accommodation and great food. - The property: Set amidst wonderful natural mangroves and lagoons. Very long and narrow (approx 1.5 kms long and 150m wide), accommodation and facilities are lined up along a single small path like beads on a string. Golf carts shuttle the guests up and down, but grabbing one of the many free bicycles is much quicker. The layout contributes to the lack of "club" or resort feeling - it's more like private accommodation with access to restaurants and a daily trip to the beach. Note that you will find nothing outside of the hotel grounds. A 15 min taxi ride to nearby Playa del Carmen is 35-40USD one way. - The accommodation: Truly beautiful, very luxurious and spacious, exactly like the pics on the hotel website. The advertised "outdoor tub" (a point of complaint in many reviews) is likely no big deal for most people....i'd much rather sit on the terrasse than in a tub at the back of the bathroom. My first floor Lagoon Suite (511) with its large terrasse and stunning bathroom might just be one of the best in its category, surrounded by nature and wildlife with ample privacy. For wildlife observation , ground floor might be even better. - The beach: Spotlessly clean white sandy beach, blue waters and palm trees. Seagrass is successfully kept under control. Equipped with lounge chairs, bali beds (for premium guests only) and not enough umbrellas. Oddly, Blue Diamond's beach has zero "vibe" and of course no activities. At least, long beach walks are possible when Blue Diamond beach sucks the joy out of you. - The pools: Might be a disappointment for many. The main Aquamarina Pool above the beach is only approx 5mx5m, but with plenty of sun chairs and a bar. 2 additional (even smaller) outdoor pools are at the Spa, far away from the beach. - The restaurants / bars / food: The food is outstanding for an all-inclusive. Mexican and international cuisine (incl vegetarian options) on the menu. All meals are à la carte and served with much decorum. Ambar is the premium restaurant (dinner) with a dress code and is a bit of a stiff outdated affair. Aquamarina (breakfast/lunch/dinner) is more relaxed, food is equally tasty. The menus seem to change on a weekly basis. Cocktails are ok but not great. The beach bar "Ceviche" serves food from 11am-6pm but it otherwise manages to be oddly uninviting. - The spa: While the space is absolutely wonderful, the actual facilities are average (showers, a small cold indoor pool, a sauna. hammam was not in service.) The spa is largely empty, likely due to its prices. A massage is 150-220 USD, with no packages to encourage frequent treatments. The fitness center is excellent, with top-notch Kinesis machines. - Entertainment: Disappointing. I spent a fortune on excursions, in order to get at least some kind of inspiration. Blue Diamond offers only 3 classes per week (sushi/ceviche/cocktail), and 1 snorkel activity per guest/stay. Otherwise daily "table games" and "spanish lessons" (seriously!?). That's it. The height of entertainment was a lone saxophone player doodling "hotel california" in Ambar Restaurant on Sat night - oldfashioned and cringey. In contrast, Aquamarina and Ceviche play trashy techno music around the clock which massively cheapens the ambiance and is out of touch with the clientele. - The staff: very professional, attentive and hardworking. - The clientele: well-behaved American resort tourists, some Mexican guests and a few unassuming gay couples. Average age mid-50's. All couples. In general, despite its premium facilities, Blue Diamond seems to suffer from a lack of taste and skill on how to create atmosphere and experience. At this price-range, i expect more than nice infrastructure: I did not come here for a conference, i came for holidays and feel Blue Diamond has let me down. (For comparison, the new 5 star "Wellness concept" of the Melia hotel group gets it right!) I cannot help but wonder what Blue Diamond would be under different management. I would recommend Blue Diamond for: - couples who value luxury accommodation & good food, and want to spend their time in relative privacy without distraction or interaction. - corporate offsite meetings…
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.