The Royal Cancun - Club International De Cancun, Cancún, Mexico

I loved how the Hyatt Zilara at ocean maya Riviera is laid out. Even when it rains, you can get to the restaurants and other parts of the property without stepping outside. The staff were nice and the restaurant food was good. The buffet was the downside: service took forever, and the food stations were slow to be replenished. Sorry for the earlier mix-up, I meant the Hyatt Zilara at ocean maya Riviera.

The breakfast buffet was a standout, with lots of fresh options, and the other on-site restaurants each had their own feel and served great food. I also found the service personal and welcoming, with staff making an effort to ensure guests felt cared for. At Hyatt Zilara Cancun, the rooms were beautifully designed and the hospitality exceeded what I expected. It’s an amazing all-inclusive resort if you want to relax, eat well, and get excellent service in Cancun.

The service staff are the resort’s saving grace. Management, though, has been horrendous. Since 2022, it has tried to charge for all kinds of things at an all-inclusive, including pool chairs. If they could charge for the sand, they would, but Mexico has public beaches. A steam and sauna costs $70. Room service was mediocre, apart from breakfast, and the standards don’t match the Royal. They also post fake reviews, including reviews from periods when the hotel is closed for renovations. Hopefully new management comes in.

The staff took good care of guests when hurricane Helene brought strong wind and rain during our stay. They quickly mopped the floors and checked on people. We were lucky the storm stayed far enough away, and our hearts go out to those affected. Our room was clean and the bed was very comfortable. We also loved the calm, adults-only atmosphere: no club or loud guests, and people drank responsibly. Night entertainment was fabulous, the pools were clean with great music, and the bartenders kept drinks coming and remembered our order. The smaller beach was just right for us, and staff raked away seaweed morning and evening. My husband and I came for our honeymoon in September 2024, and the resort made a lovely impression from the start. Check-in and checkout were easy, with champagne and a cold towel on arrival. Since I mentioned the honeymoon when booking, our room had rose petals, chocolates, and champagne waiting. Everyone greeted us warmly throughout the stay. We cared a lot about the food, and it was delicious. We often had breakfast at Spice, where there was fresh fruit each morning and plenty of choices. Maria Marie was a great Mexican restaurant; my green enchiladas were fabulous, and the margaritas were so good. We also enjoyed the Asian food and booked the hibachi grill. The server recommended a tasty red wine, and nobody pressured us to pay extra for drinks. Punta Vista had excellent seafood and steak, plus a lovely beach view. We bought my wedding band at the resort jewelry store, which had many beautiful pieces, and I’ve had lots of compliments on it. Zen spa felt luxurious too. Our couples massage was relaxing, and we got to enjoy the spa pool, steam room, and sauna. We loved the resort enough that when we were recently walking along the beach in Cancun and saw Zilara was undergoing renovations, we decided we’d book again once it reopens.