BlueBay Grand Esmeralda - All Inclusive

Customer Ratings & Reviews

TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

19014 reviews

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  Extreme Musty, moldy smells at building 6-7

  Pro: cleanliness- they tried their best to keep the resort clean, side walk, pool, beach Very friendly staffs I am from Canada, so 80% guests are Canadian- sometimes I forget I was in Mexico Buffet was so so. Repetition but I still found something to eat. I like their bakery areas, deserts were not too sweet. I was allowed to book 3 restaurants for 6 nights stay . I liked the lam chop at Italian restaurant, the salmon at seafood and got the best New York steak at the steakhouse. Con: Outdated rooms. Be aware of the strong moldy smells if you are sensitive to scents like me. Avoid building 6 and 7. I couldn’t sleep at all for the first night because of the smells. It was so strong for my sensitive noses that I would rather sleep at the balcony. Luckily I was upgraded to newer building 1-5, still smells musty, moldy but bearable. Limited sun bed: I have to wake up at 7 am to get a sun bed that had shade. Beach: not much seaweed but brown water. There is a no smoking sign but people still smoking at the beach. There was very limited of fruits: water melon, grapefruit, pineapple ( only one times banana and apple) Two nights I was woken up at 1 am because of the next door neighbour. They were drunk, screaming, kicking doors, cursing after getting back from the bar Wifi is so bad. Only work around restaurants areas

  Jan 01, 2026
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  Worst Beach and Food Experience — Not Worth It

  This was one of the most disappointing resort stays I’ve ever had. The beach is terrible — the water is murky, brown, and often full of seaweed, with an unpleasant smell. It’s not inviting or swimmable at all, and definitely not what you expect from a resort in Mexico. There is almost no shade at the beach or around the pools. The few umbrellas and loungers are far too limited, so unless you wake up very early to reserve a spot, you’re left sitting in direct sun or standing in the pool just to cool off. There are not enough chairs for the number of guests. The food was another major letdown. For an all-inclusive resort in Mexico, the lack of fresh fruit was shocking — mostly just basic melon and pineapple, and even those were limited. The buffet food was repetitive, bland, and often cold. Overall quality was very poor. Our room smelled bad, like mildew or dampness, from the moment we walked in. The smell never fully went away and made the room uncomfortable. The resort feels old, poorly maintained, and overcrowded. In summary: bad beach water, no shade, not enough seating, poor food with very limited fruit, and smelly rooms. This resort does not meet expectations and I would not recommend it to anyone looking for a relaxing beach vacation.

  Dec 31, 2025
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  Beware of this resort! 7 hours was too much.

  We stayed at this resort for 7 hours and it was too much time. Our flight was cancelled around midnight yet this resort could easily accommodate 200 people on minimal notice - a big warning sign. Think about that if you are considering this resort for your vacation. The check-in staff placed our family (with children) in the farthest possible room locations from each other - buildings 1 and 8. No attempt to move us any closer to each other at our request, even as I heard other passengers being given rooms in building 7 at the desk next to us. The hallway of building 8 was dilapidated and unappealing to walk through, and foreshadowed what the rooms would be like. Our rooms had the following features: - dated decor and an unpleasant smell - door handle that turns 180 degrees - visible mosquitoes. We killed several. Also a large dead spider on the floor. - rusty mirrors - toilet that didn’t flush - water barely draining from the sink - strange-smelling soap - lumpy, uncomfortable pillows with a strange filler material - too much light from the tv even when off - blackout curtains that didn’t meet all the way (one foot gap between curtains) - shower faucets with significant mineral deposits - hairdryer that barely worked (I think someone blowing air from their mouth would have had more power than the hairdryer) - very loud ceiling fans (making strange, erratic, loud noises all night) When I picked up the phone to call our other room, half of the buttons were missing from the phone. At least it did dial. In one room, the bathroom door wouldn’t close. In the other room, the door was essentially locked from the inside (once closed) and I struggled to get out and had to push very hard to escape! To my horror, we discovered the sliding door at the back of the room wasn’t even locked on arrival and the front door swung open on its own in the morning. Obvious safety issues. The walkability of this resort is low. The pathways along the resort are poorly lit and too dark to walk in the evenings. In the morning, we were disgusted by the strong smell of swamp or rot as we walked to breakfast. The buffet food was bland and disappointing - minimal variety. Subpar compared to other resorts. It’s difficult to come up with any positives about this resort at all. The staff were polite. However, that’s a basic expectation. It’s evident that this resort is in dire need of repairs, maintenance, and renovations. This resort is like a one or two star resort. I’m puzzled by any positive reviews about this resort, especially after reading other people’s concerning reviews. I wonder if positive reviewers of this resort just have extremely low expectations, are drunk, or have been bribed with a bottle of tequila from staff. We’ve been to many resorts in the Caribbean - there are so many better places to stay at. Everyone I spoke to on our return flight agreed it was an undesirable place to stay, even for one night. We feel betrayed by Westjet/Sunwing for bringing us to this place. We would never return here.

  Dec 30, 2025
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  Beautiful Grounds and a Friendly Staff, but the Beach is a Letdown

  I recently stayed at this resort in the Riviera Maya, conveniently located near Playa del Carmen. While there were many highlights, a few significant drawbacks kept this from being a 5-star experience. The Highlights: • Service: The staff is exceptional. From housekeeping to the gardeners, everyone greets you with a warm "Buenos Días." • Dining: The food variety is great. The French and Italian restaurants were standout favorites. Surprisingly, the Mexican restaurant was mediocre and the least impressive of the bunch. • Entertainment: The team does a great job; the fire show was a particular highlight. • Maintenance: The grounds are kept very clean. While the distance between reception and rooms is long, the frequent golf cart shuttle service is a lifesaver. The Drawbacks: • The Beach: If you are coming for the iconic turquoise Caribbean water, you will be disappointed. The water here is dark and turbid; my friend and I jokingly renamed the resort "Brown Bay Esmeralda." • The Pool Scarcity: There aren't enough chaise lounges for the number of guests. You have to wake up at dawn to "reserve" a spot. To make matters worse, most shaded chairs are roped off for "Circle One" loyalty members, which feels unfair given the high price of the travel packages. Also, note there is no swim-up bar. • Room Condition & Wildlife: The rooms need TLC—we noticed rusty mirrors, cracks in the walls, and roof issues. More importantly: Lock your balcony doors! The local wildlife (raccoons and coatis) are clever enough to open doors. They raided our room and stole an entire bag of candy! • Wifi: The internet signal is bad. So you will need roamimg or a data plan. Final Verdict: This is a solid 4-star hotel, but I wouldn't recommend it to friends specifically because the beach doesn't live up to the Riviera Maya dream.

  Dec 30, 2025
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  The good, the bad & the ugly

  Overall: This was marketed as a 4.5-star resort. Lie detector determined that was a lie. We made the best of it, but we would not return. Check-in & Accessibility (or lack thereof): Check-in was unimpressive from the start. We arrived late and had clearly requested adjoining rooms due to our son being blind and our discomfort leaving him and our 16-year-old daughter alone. This was requested through Sunwing and confirmed directly with the hotel prior to arrival. Despite that, we were told no adjoining rooms were available. As a result, my husband and I were separated for the entire stay. Great start. Room Issues — Unacceptable: The first night was a disaster. My husband went to his room to find the bed sheets and comforter covered in fecal matter. On top of that, the fridge wasn’t restocked and there were no towels in the room. Somehow, at checkout, the hotel attempted to charge us for the stained bedding. That ended quickly once I showed photos of the soiled linens that were in the room upon arrival. If anything, they owed us an apology and a refund. Rooms & Layout: We stayed in Building 8. The room was clean a bit outdated but clean. The mattress was comfortable; the pillows were not. Water pressure was weak, though we always had hot-ish water. The walk to the beach is long, but golf carts were usually available. Beach & Pools: The beach was underwhelming. Seaweed is one thing, but the makeshift piers and wave breakers made the view downright unpleasant. There are two pools with plenty of loungers, sometimes still tough to find one but that’s the reality of being at a busy resort. Food & Dining: The buffet was actually decent, better than what we’ve experienced in Cuba and the DR. Booking à la cartes felt like winning the lottery. We managed the Mexican and Steakhouse, both fine but forgettable. The Italian restaurant was available once during our 7-day stay, and the steakhouse also only once, as all à la cartes rotate through one location. For a “4.5-star” resort, that’s weak. Drinks: Drink selection was solid and consistently good. Bars around the pools typically understaffed so can find yourself waiting a while to get a drink if you go up at the wrong time. Vibe: Not ideal for older teenagers due to the demographic. The energy was very low. The music at the pool was the exact same playlist everyday. I requested different playlist to which they replied that they had 1 approved playlist so get ready to hear the same songs over and over and over again. Staff: The bar, restaurant, and entertainment staff were excellent and genuinely saved the trip. Unfortunately, the front desk and concierge were the exact opposite. Final Verdict: This resort overpromises and underdelivers. Between accessibility failures, unacceptable room conditions, and misleading expectations, it fell far short of its rating. We still enjoyed our trip because we make the best of anywhere we go, but this review reflects our honest experience with the resort.

  Dec 29, 2025