Iberostar Waves Quetzal - All Inclusive

Customer Ratings & Reviews

TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

9276 reviews

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  Few minor issues but a great resort!

  My husband and I recently returned to this resort for our 3rd time. We hadn't been for several years, but always remembered the amazing wildlife and jungle-like surroundings. The resort is two hotels - Quetzal and Tucan. Separate lobby areas and rooms, but joined in the middle with the pools and access to the beach. We have stayed in both sides and both are great. RECEPTION/ARRIVAL: Check-in was quick and easy, and one thing that changed since we were there last is that the bracelet is now conveniently your room key. So much easier than having to take your room key everywhere you go. Twice my bracelet didn't unlock our door, but reception quickly reset it. Everyone on reception was polite and friendly, and most staff have a great knowledge of English. ROOM: We had the standard room, which was large enough and had 2 double beds which were super comfortable. The only drawback is that there are no drawers, so clothes that you would normally put in a dresser have to go on shelves in the closet. We were only there for 4 days so didn't have alot of clothes, but if we were there for a week it would have been a bit tighter for space. Lots of hangers though. Only disappointment was that we were repeat guests and I requested a room on a higher floor. Our room was ground level and the balcony had the view of the neighbouring hotel's parking lot. It was dark and only had 1 chair. Not very inviting and we never went out there. Bathroom was good and large enough and hand soap and lotion are on the counter, and in the shower there is body wash and shampoo/conditioner provided if you don't want to take your own. FYI the hair dryer works well but you have to hold the button down the whole time. Glass water bottles are provided, and each floor has a water dispensing area. The hotel prides itself on being environmentally friendly, and so we had no problem with having to get water ourselves. It was actually better as we didn't have to worry about running out of water bottles and waiting for someone to come around and refill. Housekeeping was fantastic! Room was spotless. One concern was that our power went out twice in 4 days. It was fixed quickly as I think it was just a breaker, but when the lights go out, the bathroom is pitch black and not great if you're in the shower at the time. Hopefully this issue will be fixed with the upcoming renovation in 2026. BEACH/POOL: The beach in the Playa del Carmen area is stunning, and very long. However, for many months of the year now there is alot of sargassum. We had never been at the end of November before and there was none, so that was a bonus, and the beach was amazing. There is a quiet pool, and a main pool. The pool is very deep though, and if you are short like me and not a strong swimmer, not great. Perhaps the pool renovation will change areas to different depths. It is a large pool though and because it's so big the activities can be on one side, and the other side still open enough for plenty of people to swim in. We never had an issue getting sun loungers, and near the pool is an ice-cream hut, a bar, and a restaurant that is open for lunch. There's also washrooms and a gift shop. The separate pool bar is awesome, and hopefully it remains the same. It is huge, and you walk down into it, resulting in a grotto like feeling. Really nice. FOOD: For breakfast and lunch we went to the buffet restaurants on the Tucan side. I think both sides weren't open as it's not high season and the resort possibly not at full capacity. For dinner we would eat at the buffet restaurant in the Quetzal side. Food is good, with alot of Mexican food, but it was a little repetitive. Servers and hostesses were all very polite and friendly. NOTE: I have a gluten allergy and I found that compared to other resorts there wasn't alot of choice. There were signs above the food, but limited gluten free options. You can ask for gluten free items though. I had the bread one morning which was like a baguette. I really wanted sliced bread so I could have toast with my breakfast, but at least it was something. I also asked about gluten free desserts one night and they brought me a chocolate tart which was really good. But, more items on the regular buffet would have been appreciated. We didn't go to any of the a la carte restaurants because of my allergy. If you go to the Tucan side for breakfast and lunch, ask the hostess to be seated in Isabel's area. She is absolutely amazing! ENTERTAINMENT: They had a great entertainment team at the pool every day, providing lots of activities, and the usual pool fitness, volleyball games, etc. We found night time entertainment was a bit lacking though, and found this on our previous visits as well. After dinner, before the nightly show, it is super quiet in the lobby bar areas, with not much going on. There is some entertainment, but nothing that makes you want to hang out there. They should have more singers or small bands to keep you engaged. I can't comment on the nightly shows as we didn't go to any. OVERALL ATMOSPHERE: We really enjoyed our stay and seeing all the wildlife, including monkeys, was great. The location of the resort is perfect, beach is wonderful, and staff are great. I am sure we will go back in the future. *Remember to tip*

  Dec 18, 2025
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  Food has gone downhill

  Went to the Mexican restaurant tonight fajitas were completely cold. Honestly, the worst Mexican food we’ve had anywhere not to mention expecting better in Mexico. Also deep tissue massage is $180 with the prestige discount which is roughly twice what we pay in Charlotte.

  Dec 17, 2025
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  Better than we thought it would be.

  We wanted to try this hotel for years. It was worth the wait. The naturalist setting was very enjoyable and relaxing. The wild life was also enjoyable.but we never saw Kevin. Right from Check in we had smiles on our faces Alfredo was geat.Jorge looked after us in the Buffet. Rafael in Italian Jesus at uxmal and Gamma seemed to be everywhere. I belive it was Ivan in Tuscan lobby that answered most of our questions an got the world series for us .Oz Barba was awesome and he took requests if you like classic rock he is a must see. THE BEACH IS ONE OF THE BEST to our surprise. We will go back.

  Nov 28, 2025
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  Terrible Food, Entertainment, over priced resort. Don't waste your money going there.

  Iberostar Waves Tucan resort is a terrible resort. The food was terrible, I broke out in rash from their undercooked eggs. The entertainment at night wasn't much better. One night we witnessed BINGO. The person won a t-shirt stating "Winner" on it. The staff are not prepared to guests basic needs. We spent over $2k and what a waste of money. I wouldn't recommend anyone going there.

  Nov 26, 2025
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  More Than I Expected!

  First, a quick back story… Originally my wife and I, along with some friends were booked to go to Jamaica this week. However, Hurricane Melissa forced us to change plans about a week and a half before our scheduled departure. After checking out reviews on Trip Advisor and watching a bunch of YouTube videos, we quickly made the change to the Iberostar Waves Quetzal in beautiful Playa del Carmen! All I can say is that we were not disappointed in the least! This resort has exceeded my expectations in just about every category! The property is outstanding with its flora and fauna and wildlife, and it is very well maintained. The rooms and other buildings, while yes, a little “dated”, from what I could see are kept in fairly good repair. I understand that the resort is scheduled to be closed after the high season for major renovations! The staff have all been extremely friendly and helpful, right from the people at the check in to the ladies cleaning the rooms! The food quality has been very good and I have had nothing but positive experiences at all the restaurants. And as for the entertainment, while not all of it being my cup of tea, you can still see the effort that the entertainment team put into every show and activities. Another aspect that I have been happy to see, is how Iberostar has instituted an intensive eco-friendly policy for their resorts. In this day and age of profits over “doing the right thing”, it was impressive to see their efforts to reduce their impact on the environment. I hope this is a chain wide policy. To summarize, my wife and I have been over the top pleased with our experience here and have no problems giving it our highest recommendation!

  Nov 14, 2025