Senses Riviera Maya by Artisan

That amazing pool view was the highlight for me, and the loungers and beds beside it were comfortable. The pool bar wings and club sandwich were okay, too. But the room felt damp and smelled bad. It was spacious, though dated and in need of care. Staff serving us were friendly, but food and drinks stopped after 10 pm, and housekeeping was gone after 5 pm. If you need fresh towels or sheets, sort it out before then. Since check-in is at 3 pm, take a good look around when you arrive. Everything runs through WhatsApp. I wouldn’t pay for all-inclusive here. I’d just buy things at 7-Eleven, or book somewhere else. The rooftop restaurant wasn’t for me.

The staff were kind and responsive, and listening to the ocean with the balcony doors open at night was nice. But the room and the building felt worn and not very clean. Our tub had sand and bubbles in it when we arrived, and the fabric chair, couch, and curtains were covered in stains. There’s only one chair outside, and the room has very little furniture. The balcony tub apparently needs to be filled by staff on request, and it doesn’t get hot water. Loud daytime music carries into the room and balcony, and the TV has inappropriate content. It’s also about 16 minutes from Puerto Morelos and 30 from Playa del Carmen. This didn’t feel like an upscale hotel, and I wish we’d chosen somewhere else. I wouldn’t recommend it.

We left after checking in and never got the manager’s response I’m still waiting for. This was meant to be a honeymoon stay, but it felt like a nightmare. The room had trash and leftovers from the previous guest, paint marks, and a terrace jacuzzi with a hole, cracks, and leaks. The advertised high-standard Honey Moon Suite was dirty and run down, and our view was a dirty bar roof, nothing like the photos. The pool had broken tiles, the floors were damaged, doors rusty, and the elevator had broken parts. The whole place seemed neglected. The beach pictured on the right belongs to Iberostar, and this hotel doesn’t even have its own sunbeds. After we reported the problems, the hotel offered to change our room but refused to refund the second night. Reception said the manager would come sort it out, but she never appeared. We had to check out early without a solution. This wasn’t a voluntary cancellation: what we got didn’t match what was advertised or what we paid for, so the non-refundable policy shouldn’t apply. It felt like we’d been scammed, and being ignored at reception after entering a room with another guest’s leftovers was disgusting. I’d be ashamed to be the manager, if there even is one. I’ve never had treatment this poor, and I’m still waiting for a reply. I wouldn’t recommend this place at all.

We left after just one night. The shower was so dirty that we slept in our clothes instead of using it. The beach view was nice, but the hotel was overpriced and dirty, and the road to get there was full of potholes. There were more than seven porn channels on the TV, and the place seemed like a nasty swingers spot. The online photos were totally misleading. A huge disappointment for my birthday trip. Please read the reviews before booking.