Banyan Tree Mayakoba

Wonderful experience at Banyan Tree Mayakoba for our honeymoon. Incredibly hospitable staff from start to finish. Also the resort itself is breath-taking. Special thanks to Carlos Perez, Karla, Karim, Palacios and Pedro to name a few who all spoiled us and really made us feel at home!!

Wow! This hotel surprised us in so many ways. Really thinking it was just a place to rest our heads for a few nights, we found the staff so engaging, warm and joyful it became a wonderful experience too! We wandered into the dining room where they were serving the most amazing buffet outside. It was almost impossible to select just a few so we wound up having a little bit of everything! The staff behind the buffet were so helpful and knowledgeable and explained every dish. Our server, Sharon, was the meaning of joyful. Always had a smile and a sweet, kind word. I’d have to say our highlight was our two massages by Irene. We’ve had massages all around the world yet this massage outranked all of them! Irene was so skilled she washed away 52 hours of travel in an hour. Do yourself a favor and make sure you book a massage with her! She is AMAZING!

For context, I often stay at 5-star resorts (Ritz, Mandarin, boutiques). This hotel has been on my bucket list for years, and I left feeling extremely disappointed and ripped off. No one tells you that the resort is massive. You need to call the front desk for shuttles to the beach, the restaurants, the spa, everything. The beach was roughly a mile from my room. Yes, they provide bikes, but the stone paths can get slippery in the rain and not everyone is a comfortable biker. The main pool smelled of sewage our last day. After we accepted that nothing is close by, we became increasingly frustrated by the waits for the shuttle. We had to wait 30 minutes to get back to our room from the beach and were late to dinner. The waiting became a recurring theme. When we checked in, a waiter brought guacamole, chips and a beautiful platter of berries and dessert into our room. I put them in the fridge and came back to the room hours later and everything was gone. I called the front desk to ask where the food went, and they said to me that the food was delivered in error so they decided to take it back. I’ve never heard of such a thing - at that point, don’t you just leave it so it doesn’t go to waste??? A few minutes after we hung up, the phone rang again. Perhaps sensing my tone of disappointment / disbelief, the front desk said they’d bring some guacamole and chips to the room (but not berries or chocolate). Even if they tried to make it right (sort of), just the notion that I’d have to call a front desk of a luxury hotel to ask who raided my fridge is ridiculous. Everything about the hotel is jacked up pricing. The spa was the biggest disappointment. My treatment and masseuse were amazing, but it was well over $500 with a tip. But the worst part is that the prices are NOWHERE online. We searched and searched and ultimately found a price list, only to find out that it was for a different Banyan Tree in Mexico. I did find a 33% off discount on the Mayakoba site and presented it to the spa receptionist and she pushed back that it’s “only for selected treatments.” That included only a “custom” massage. I had scheduled a deep tissue massage so we “customized” it to be deep tissue and then it qualified for a discount. So basically the same treatment was eligible for a discount. I’ve never been to a resort or spa that doesn’t PROMOTE its promotions but keeps them hidden and challenges guests seeking to use them. On my way out, she reprimanded me to tell them about the discount in advance if I came back the next day. Also the spa doesn’t have any amenities other than the treatments - no plunge pools, relaxation rooms, saunas - or if it did, no one told us about them. At times the staff was nowhere to be found. I had to walk up to the beach bar to order, wait a long time for someone to appear to set up umbrellas and towels (and on one occasion did it ourselves), and wait forever to get a bill. We constantly were looking around for staff or following up on requests. The beach also is very short so there are a max of 10 chairs actually on the beach. The rest are set back and next to speakers with blaring music. I asked not to sit next to a speaker - the “solution” was that they covered it with a towel and kept the volume. The food was exorbitantly priced for what it was. Cello was subpar Italian food and even the appetizer salads were $40. Saffron was good but nothing special if you’ve had Thai food anywhere else. The staff also is constantly confused. The first day there was a mixup between our room and another guest’s room, and the staff kept telling us we were giving the wrong room number when we charged to the room. It was an ordeal to switch spa times, dinner reservations, and ask for late checkout - we’d have to wait for the person helping us to speak to a manager or someone else or call us back etc. Essentially every communication just wasn’t easy or pleasant. The room was nice with a private pool but the decor is dated and dark. It was very spacious which was a plus. All in all, I’d go elsewhere to a property that’s close to the beach and no shuttles required.

Excellent resort with amazing staff. Especially Axel and Gam. Axel worked at the lobby bar and did an amazing job all week. Always has a smile on his face and has a bright future at the Banyan Tree. Gam worked at the Sands at the beach. He always made sure our needs were met and has great people skills. One of the hardest working people I’ve seen at any resort I’ve been to. The resort is beautiful and the rooms are lovely but it’s people like Axel and Gam that make you want to come back to this resort any chance you get. Great job guys!

We had two services during our stay. One in room couples Balinese and one 90 minute massage in the spa. Xochitl was one of the best therapists I have experienced. She performed both of mine and Erika was my wife’s in room therapist and Jacqueline was my wife’s in spa therapist. Everyone including the receptionist and manger were so kind and thoughtful. A 5 star spa experience!!!