Occidental at Xcaret Destination - All Inclusive

Customer Ratings & Reviews

TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

26244 reviews

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  Occidental Xcaret has a stunning location and helpful Manager but, don’t make up for ALL the shortfalls…

  The hotel is absolutely stunning with natural features all over and the definite benefit of being able to go in and out of Xcaret park. The customer service was a definite plus with all staff being polite and professional. The biggest stand out was Hanssen, the manager, who from day one of our trip came to our rescue. We were unable to get any reservations for restaurants and I prefer not to eat in buffets especially for dinner and made every effort to accommodate us. There were some small issues throughout our stay and Hanssen took care of it with no questions asked! Hanssen should be celebrated for the amazing service and job he has done not only for our family but others as I bared witness too. It was also evident of the respect that he had from his staff in different departments throughout the property. With that being said, there’s only so much that can be done when it came to the Food and Beverage Department. The food and beverage entire department was lacking in all areas and is the reason that we will not be returning to a Barceló property. The same food is served everywhere with a few exceptions in the a la carte restaurants. The salad/antipasto bars at the a la carte restaurants are a nice touch but that didn’t do anything to help the kitchen turn out better food or in a timely manner. The food was less than editable and service was slow and restaurants were basically empty at all the a la carte restaurants. If you don’t eat desert, ice cream or like coffee than you’ll be fine because it’s either non-existent or gross! There are minimal bars around the property that are not associated with a pool or beach. If you drink at all, don’t look for a name brand anything as there are completely no brand named (well) alcohol with no options for purchasing or procuring decent brand named products. We ordered 2 bottles of wine at two different restaurants on 2 different nights and they were both bad but no one checked on it to see if we were happy. To conclude, my family and I had a wonderful vacation together but that was due to making memories and the beautiful location and the help of Hanssen not because of Barcelo.

  Dec 31, 2025
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  Stunning Jungle Resort & Xcaret Access — But Very Unfriendly Policy for Teens

  Overall: I would return as a couple or with adults only, but I would not stay here again with teenagers aged 15–17. The resort’s atmosphere, wildlife, and Xcaret access are incredible, but the teen policy was shocking and very un-family-friendly. The resort itself is beautiful, set in a lush jungle environment with hidden paths and lots of wildlife, including monkeys. One thing I actually loved is that the beach is a cove rather than a long open beach. This allowed everyone to go into the water even when there were red flags due to windy conditions, which was a big plus. The location next to Xcaret is unbeatable — I bought a week pass and explored at my leisure, which felt like doubling the size of the resort. Major Concern (Teen Policy) I was honestly outraged by the resort’s policy regarding 15–17 year olds. Teenagers are not allowed to join their family in adult pool areas, even when accompanied by parents. We found this out the hard way. My 16-year-old daughter was walking with me to the smaller, quieter pool near the beach. She was even helping an elderly woman adjust her beach chair. As we were about to enter the pool area, a lifeguard told her she had to leave because she didn’t have an adult wristband. The elderly couple helping us were shocked and even spoke up, but the policy stood. I understand having adult-only and kids’ areas, but excluding 15–17 year olds from sitting quietly with their family makes no sense. Especially when 18-year-olds are allowed to drink alcohol, yet a 17-year-old can’t sit with her family of five at a calm pool. Because of this, I would strongly caution anyone traveling with kids in this age group — I simply can’t recommend this resort for families with teens. Pros • Gorgeous jungle setting with abundant wildlife (including monkeys) • Hidden paths and immersive atmosphere • Cove-style beach that’s swimmable even during red-flag conditions • Direct access to Xcaret (huge highlight) • Beautiful pools and nice gym • Polite, helpful staff • Junior Suite upgrade is worth it Cons • Extremely restrictive and un-family-friendly teen policy • Felt understaffed at times (beach service, breakfast coffee) • Food was average compared to other Barceló resorts • Buffet items ran out and were picked over by evening • Taco and pizza spots are sit-down only, not grab-and-go Conclusion The environment, wildlife, pools, and Xcaret access are fantastic and outweighed the food issues for me. However, the policy toward teenagers is a deal-breaker for families. I’d return as adults only — but not with kids aged 15–17.

  Dec 31, 2025
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  Love it

  Iris is fantastic, very friendly and and helpful. Love this resort, been members for 20 plus years. Everyone is great. The wait staff and shuttle drivers as well.

  Dec 30, 2025
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  Exceptional staff at the Royal level

  The staff at the Royal level was excellent. Silvia and Andrea helped us with our accommodation and were very polite and answered all our questions quickly and efficiently. A few days later wanted to change our room to an ocean view, and Iris helped us to make that happen. Alesha was another staff member who always helped us with any requests, and we had a great time interacting with them. We also got to know Sandra, the boss, who was also very kind and happy with the all the staff’ s professionalism and our experiences. We have talked with other guests, and they also agreed that the staff makes the Royal level exceptional. 5 stars to all the staff. Robert & Barb from Vancouver, Canada

  Dec 29, 2025
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  Family vacation

  This was a family Christmas vacation. We enjoyed the restaurants and food, pools, beaches, shopping,the music, and night shows. Friendly atmosphere.

  Dec 29, 2025