Casa Agua

The elevators get sauna-hot on the ride between floors because none of them seemed to have a working ventilation fan. And while the property is huge and can feel confusing at first, there are signs at nearly every corner, so finding your way gets easier once you’ve had a day to learn the layout. We had a smooth arrival. The resort arranged our airport transport, and we checked in around 3:00 PM, reaching our room by 4:00. I’d seen Yelp comments about long check-in waits, but we didn’t run into that. We were referred by a current member, so I can’t say whether that made a difference. The rooms were roomy and comfortable, and some parts of the resort have especially nice locations and views. We did buy a membership during the stay. They said the presentation would take about 90 minutes, but from 8:00 AM to around 3:00 PM we had breakfast, talked through our travel preferences and went over the different packages. They can be expensive, so have your finances sorted before deciding. There’s plenty to enjoy around the resort, and the nearby parks and attractions are spectacular. Popular activities can book up, so reserve ahead if those are on your list. Guests also have several free activities that don’t need advance booking. It’s a beautiful resort with a few imperfections, but we had an outstanding time and would definitely return.

Xplor and Xenotes park were wonderful, and the hotel itself is beautiful, clean and very well maintained. The rooms look lovely too. But the service and hospitality felt lacking, and the food was mediocre. For such an expensive hotel, I expected better service. Our check-in took half a day and unnecessarily ate into the first day. Before arriving, we received no confirmations. We had to chase them ourselves or send email after email. Staff said they’d sort things out, but it felt like they were just trying to move us along. There wasn’t much to do at the hotel beyond sitting by the pool or renting a kayak for 30 minutes. No guest activities or games. Getting around meant lots of walking, with little signage; there were no maps to be found, and the app didn’t work. We stayed for a timeshare presentation, and after we said no following 90 minutes in the heat, the agent was extremely rude. You can’t sit by the pool with food or even an ice cream, which made little sense to me when drinking alcohol poolside is allowed. If you manage to get a restaurant table, great, but otherwise there are long waits at the buffets. It’s a gorgeous place, and if the parks are your main reason for going, it may work well. For me, the service didn’t match the price or the hotel’s caliber.

The resort is still stunning, and the rooms feel five-star. The detail throughout the property, especially in the bathrooms, is incredible. But on our second visit, the service felt closer to four-star because the expansion seems to have outpaced the staff. The difference from our first stay, before the resort grew, was clear. Back then the service made us feel special, meals never felt rushed, and everything ran smoothly. It was relaxed and luxurious, with loungers easy to find at any time of day. This time, there was heavy traffic around the property. One evening we walked for an hour to five restaurants, and every one had a line. Guests now get up early to claim loungers, which really takes away from the experience. The service was still good, but slower. We often found dirty tables or had to fetch our own drinks. It feels like there aren’t enough staff for the number of guests, and that’s disappointing.

The property is huge, so expect to get lost and do plenty of walking, including between the attractions at the parks. The parks can be fun. The hotel’s natural beach was terrible, though the resort’s man-made beaches were pretty cool and good. Some of the restaurants were quite good, including La Silla, Monarca, Las Playas, and Las Cuevas. The buffets were mediocre. The onsite gym had lots of equipment and was great. The hotel is beautiful, but its size and the unhelpful concierge made getting around harder. When they did try to help, they sometimes gave us wrong information. Our room had no hot water on the first day, then no water overnight on day six. I also heard that people who attended the sales presentation were pushed aggressively to buy and that the staff got mad when they declined. They offered a free photo package or massages in exchange for the time. We didn’t go to the presentation. I wouldn’t return. There are better options in Cancun Zona Hotelera.