Occidental at Xcaret Destination

We loved every aspect of our stay here, and have nothing to complain about which is rare for resort stays. We stayed at Royal level with optional unlimited xcaret park access added. The highlights would be amazing food and service at Royal area and restaurant. The beautiful and expansive grounds teeming with nature. The food at buffets was also great. Easy access to xcaret park. The beach cove is great because water is calm. The staff were all amazing.

Very disappointing experience — not what I expected from Occidental at Xcaret resort

I had high expectations for this all-inclusive hotel, but unfortunately, the experience was very disappointing. We have stayed at many resorts in Cancún, Playa del Carmen, and Punta Cana, and unfortunately, this has been one of the most disappointing experiences we’ve had.

I stayed 10 days with my family of 11 people, spread across 4 different rooms, and unfortunately, everyone in our group was disappointed with the experience. This is not just one person’s opinion—after 10 days, we all felt the same way.

One of the biggest problems is the restaurant reservation system. If you want to eat at the better restaurants, you have to make a reservation at least one day in advance, and even then, there may not be any availability. The worst part is that you have to go to the front desk at 7:00 AM just to try to make a reservation. If you are only staying for a few days, you can easily lose the first couple of days without being able to eat at the nicer restaurants. For an all-inclusive resort, this makes no sense.

The buffet food was also disappointing. The quality and variety were not what I expected for an all-inclusive resort, especially considering the price.

The rooms are not the greatest either. They feel dated and could definitely use some improvements. I wasn’t expecting luxury or perfection, but I expected better.

Another major issue is the service around the pool and beach. The bars close at 5:00 PM, which is far too early for a resort where guests are still enjoying the pool and beach. There are also no waiters taking orders at the beach or pool, so if you want something to drink, you have to get up and go to the bar yourself.

The entertainment was another disappointment. During our 10-day stay, there was little to no entertainment. On the one night they did have entertainment, the show was very poor and not what you would expect from an all-inclusive resort. There should be much more to do in the evenings.

Another thing that really bothered us was how pushy they were about getting guests to attend their membership breakfast. It felt less like an invitation to breakfast and more like an attempt to get you into a sales presentation. When I’m on vacation, I don’t want to spend my time being pressured to listen to a sales pitch or purchase a membership.

I also feel that the hotel benefits from having “at Xcaret” in its name and being located in the same area, which can give travelers the impression that they are getting the same experience or quality associated with Xcaret. Based on my experience, I did not feel that this hotel provided the same level of experience I expected from the “at Xcaret” name. Being in the same location does not mean the experience is the same.

And to be clear, I’m a person who is very easy to please. I don’t expect perfection, and I’m usually able to overlook small problems and enjoy my vacation. But when you spend 10 days with a family of 11 people in 4 different rooms and everyone comes away disappointed, that’s a serious problem.

Overall, this hotel did not deliver the all-inclusive experience I expected. The difficult restaurant reservations, disappointing buffet food, mediocre rooms, early bar closing times, lack of pool and beach service, and poor entertainment made this vacation much less enjoyable than it should have been.

I would not stay here again, and I would not recommend this hotel to anyone expecting the Occidental at Xcaret experience based on the name or location. Do your research before booking.

Our experience at Occidental at Xcaret was even more special because of people like Rodrigo Castro from the Entertainment team. Rodrigo went above and beyond to spend time with my family and make sure we had a wonderful experience. His kindness, positive energy, and genuine attention to our family made our vacation even more memorable. He helped us create beautiful memories that we will carry with us long after our vacation is over. It’s not just the activities themselves, but the people who make you feel welcomed, appreciated, and part of something special—and Rodrigo truly did that for us. Thank you, Rodrigo, for your amazing energy, your kindness, and for taking the time to make these moments so special for my family. You are definitely someone we will remember from our stay! ❤️🌴☀️ We hope to see you again on our next visit! 🥰