Maya Caribe Beach House by Faranda — Hotel in Cancún

Stayed (20/08/22 - 03/09/22)||The title of our review literally says it all. Every year we return to the Maya Caribe/Dos Playas, we feel like we've returned to our second home and this time was no different.||Once we'd arrived and entered the reception, we could see Yeing (the hotel Manager) behind the counter. As we approached, she looked up and recognised us straight away. She was so happy to see us, that she came from behind the counter to give both my wife and I a hug.||We have never felt more welcome and valued in our lives.||Yeing told us that unfortunately, we were unable to stay in 'our' room (the one we request to stay in every year) in the Maya Caribe until the following Tuesday but if we needed anything at all, to not hesitate to get in contact with her or the reception and they would sort it straight away (we moved into 'our' room in the Maya Caribe on the Tuesday, just as Yeing had promised.).||Two prime examples of this were -||1. My wife went down to the reception to ask for a hairdryer for the room. This is a 6-minute round trip. By the time she had returned to the room, the hairdryer had already been dropped off by housekeeping.||2. I celebrated my birthday on the 1st of September. My wife went to the reception the day before and spoke to Yeing. She wanted to sort out/pay for a bottle of Prosecco to get brought to our room at 7am on the morning of my birthday.||Yeing wouldn't accept any money from my wife and so at 7am sharp on my birthday, a free bottle of Prosecco and 2 Champagne flutes were delivered to our hotel room.||What a lovely touch, from a lovely lady.||We cannot fault Yeing and her team's customer service, year after year. Nothing is ever a problem and nothing is too much trouble.||Every year we return, we always see improvements around the place. For example, we now get a strong Wi-Fi signal in our hotel room in the Maya Caribe. Having a strong Wi-Fi signal in our room isn't a priority for us, but to have one is always good.||The reception staff are always attentive to the guests needs.||The porters always keep busy helping guests to and from their rooms, day and night.||Housekeeping always do a good job, as and when we need them for anything.||The entertainment team always do a wonderful job of entertaining the guests every day.||The bartenders & waiting staff always do a fantastic job serving the guests almost non-stop, hour after hour, day after day.||There's always a good selection of fresh food available every day and night (we especially like Fiesta Mexicana on a Tuesday night) and the ice-cold beer (and other all-inclusive drinks) always hit the spot!||As always there are a few members of staff who deserve a special mention and as usual, my wife and I foolishly forget some of their names.||Yeing - Hotel Manager||Always leads by example. The most professional, approachable & friendly member of hotel management we have ever met.||Andreas - Porter||He's like an amigo to us. He took our cases up to our room the first ever time we stayed at the Maya Caribe/Dos Playas and he has looked out for us/taken care of us every visit since. He once again greeted us shortly after we'd arrived with his usual big smile and fist bump.||Luis Cen - Waiting staff||Always enthusiastic and happy to see us. He always made sure we never wanted for anything when we were eating in the Restaurant Iguanas.||Alondra - Masseuse||I've never had a bad massage whilst staying at the Maya Caribe/Dos Playas, but Alondra gave me the best massage I've ever had whilst vacationing in Mexico!||Pizza chefs (forgot their names unfortunately)||They were busy making pizzas from 12pm - 7pm every day, but they always had a smile on their faces and the pizzas that we had were always perfectly cooked and always tasted muy bueno!||Snack chef - (forgot his name unfortunately) Cielito Lindo Restaurant||He never seemed to stop cooking from the minute he started his shift, until the minute his shift ended. Always happy no matter how busy he got. Makes the best burger with cheese sauce south of the border!||Pedro Hernandez - Bartender Restaurant Iguanas||He was always happy to serve us and he always made sure that we got the light beer instead of the dark.||Marco Valle - Bartender Cielito Lindo Restaurant||Marco is a true professional. His drink and cocktail knowledge are second to none! We love the fact that he knew what our favourite 'iced beer' drink was, when we first asked him to make us two (always two more!). He even remembered us from when we stayed last year, even though we only got served by him on our last day.||Even though it seemed Marco never stopped either serving drinks or providing table service, he was always happy; smiling, laughing interacting with all his 'friends' (he classed all the guests as his 'friends') singing, dancing, taking photos for guests/appearing in guests photos.||Marco couldn't have been more hospitable and he even made me a special surprise birthday cocktail (I have no idea what went in it) which tasted like nectar of the gods!||Marco helped to make our stay at the Maya Caribe/Dos Playas exactly what it was once again, perfecto!||Come to the Maya Caribe/Dos Playas for the gorgeous views, excellent location and fantastic food & drink! Stay for the truly authentic Mexican...

To say our 10th residency in 10 years didn't disappoint is an understatement! A truly perfect vacation (as always to be honest) made possible because of the following:||1. Yeing (Hotel Manager) & her entire team.||Never enough positive things can be said about this lady. She has never let us down, no matter what request we have made of her, or the situation we may have found ourselves in over the years. Always genuinely happy to see us!||Special shout-outs go to the following people:||Andreas (Ex Porter, now in charge of all things to do with the hospitality pool towels)||This gentleman has always looked out for us and our wellbeing, right from our very first residency. The help he has given us (and continues to do so) over the years has been truly appreciated and will never be forgotten!||Josue (Porter)||A consummate, hardworking professional. He always has a smile on his face and is always happy to see you (just like his padre Andreas!).||Luis Cen (Restaurant Iguanas Supervisor)||A visit to the Restaurant Iguanas, just isn't quite the same if Luis isn't working that day. Seeing him always helps to start our day off (if we see him at breakfast) very pleasantly, with his warm smile and happy demeanor. Everything is 'no problem'' to Luis.||The pizza guys (we never get their names, sorry!).||These guys deserve a medal! They never fail to produce good quality, tasty pizzas! No request is too much trouble for them (no matter how busy they are) and they go about their work happily, with smiles on their faces.||Notable shout-outs from this vacation go to the following people:||Gerado, Santiago, Rigoberto, Edgar & Caesar.||2. 'Our' room with a view!||'Our' room (the room we love to stay in, year after year after year) genuinely helps to make our residencies at the Maya Caribe special. The view at any time of the day (but especially on a clear morning, just as the sun is rising) is nothing short of spectacular!||3. The ambiance.||Being in/on the grounds of the Maya Caribe is just so very Mexican (in the best possible sense!)! From the way the rooms are decorated, to every employee who is hard at work (yet still, somehow, managing to look relaxed at the same time!) but will still take the time to smile and say 'hola' when they see you. To the peacocks (and other wildlife, including iguanas) who roam free on the grounds, to the idyllic weddings & wedding receptions that are held on site, from time to time.||4. The food.||Whether it be breakfast, lunch, dinner, made to order pizza, or any other food that may be available on site, we can honestly say that we've never had a bad meal! There's plenty to choose from on a daily basis and more often than not, I find myself having a second helping!||5. The drink.||There's a fantastic selection of drinks both alcoholic and non alcoholic available on site. My wife and I try to make our way through the cocktail list every vacation! However, no matter how nice the cocktails are (and they are all very nice!) for me, nothing beats a cold, light beer, fresh from the keg, from the Restaurant Iguanas bar, on a hot afternoon in late August/early September!||6. Mexican night.||The Mexican night, held once a week (weather permitting) in the grounds of the Maya Caribe, is undoubtedly a highlight of our vacation! To say my wife particularly enjoys it, is an understatement! Traditional food, drink, music and performances truly make the evening a night to remember!||7. The Spa/the employees of the Spa.||The Spa, which can be found close to the Restaurant Iguanas, is most definitely a favourite of ours. The employees give such wonderful, relaxing massages, that I feel compelled to have at least two whilst vacationing in literal paradise!||8. The Gym.||The Gym is basic, but it has everything we need. In fact, going to that wonderful little sweat box of a Gym every morning, is the only thing that keeps the fat man who lives inside me, from emerging, especially after 15 days of gluttony! I truly do love those sweaty, morning Gym sessions!||9. Location, location, location!!!||The Maya Caribe is, for us, perfectly located! Close to a ferry terminal, for when we want to go across to the beautiful Isla Mujeres. Close to not one, but two Oxo's, for when we need to pick up any essentials. Just far enough away from the strip, to avoid any potential over excitable guests wanting to stay at our hotel, but still within walking distance to the strip for us, if we so choose. Everywhere we need/want to be whilst vacationing in Cancun, is within walking distance from the Maya Caribe!||10. Value for money.||Staying at the Maya Caribe represents, for us, exceptional value for money, all things considered! We've never stayed anywhere else in the world, where you get so much out of the experience, compared to the price you pay. It literally feels like a steal to us, every residency and long may it continue!||Roll on August 2024 and our 11th residency...

I booked maya caribe Faranda this is actually run down and pretty much derelict! It has been bough out by hotel dos playas Faranda Cancun! They are next door connecting to each other! I am a female solo traveller I arrived at around 8pm I booked a room with a balcony and sea view as pictured on the website. I wanted to be upper floor obviously as I am a young woman on my own! The 2 dodgy looking men on reception put me in what I can only describe as a prison cell!! It was absolutely horrible dark dingy room right next to the main road on ground floor they call it "bungalow 7" "b7" the bathroom window was made of chicken wire, with a few flimsy broken plastic shutters half of them was missing!!! I had someone nocking at my door at 1am obviously I ignored it!! Then again woken up at around 3am to noise at the bathroom window I was half asleep and drunk from the bar man Omar" special welcome cocktail" (I don't normally drink alcohol) I woken up at 5:30am I was using the toilet, someone was outside my bathroom window watching me they pulled the electrics out for the lighting outside so I couldn't see who was there!! Then heard them rustling about!! They turned my water off!! I had to brush my teeth with bottled water!!! then my tap magically turned its self back on I suspect I was been stalked all night!!! I think they was trying to get me outside to find help from staff LOL!!! The staff intentionally put me in that room because I was a girl on my own just arrived noing I have money to spend I dread to think what could have happened if I'd have opened the door!!!!! The next day I checked out of that derelict part of the hotel up the hill and given another room with a sea view and balcony (what I had booked and paid for) the balcony wasn't pained and been held together with planks of wood it needed work I was just happy to be out of that horrible first room!! Everything was fine until I had a shower and once again the bathroom window had been pulled open it was just a sheet of plastic with silicone around it half ripped out at this point I was very angry and felt extremely unsafe!!! The room next door to me was vacant and had bars outside on the bathroom window and an actual real window inside I went to reception requested that room!! They told me NO we have other guests arriving later on that day!! So I had to remind them that I am also a paying guest!!! That had just arrived and had a horrendous scary first night I know fine we'll staff are behind it and set me up because there is security right next to the "bungalow"!!! They eventually gave me the safe room next door after making me feel like I was a problem for just wanting to feel safe on holiday I travelled 10 hours on a plane from the UK and had paid a lot of money for!!! Other than this the hotel was ok the food was actually really nice 10/10. Room was spacious nice big balcony looking onto the sea!! Bars on bathroom window I was finally safe 3 rooms later lol ... My room was cleaned everyday by house keeping!! I met lots of really nice guests there!! The beach was ok just not enough sun lounges for the hotel!! I went to dolphin discovery had 1 Pina colada and felt tipsy I don't usually drink alcohol but love the taste of Pina coladas!! I had 7 at the hotel and didn't feel tipsy in the slightest they water the alcohol down big time!! I then got another 2 and asked for them to be strong he used a different bottle and I was drunk after them!! As I am a light weigh lol!! The water in the pools are merky I didn't see anyone using them other then children!! The staff in the restaurant are really friendly and polite running around getting you drinks expectinh tips. I ran out of money on the last 3 days and noticed a change I didn't get offered a drink or even acknowledge as I didn't want to keep cash on me!! The ferry port to isle of murjerys and other boat tours is right next door to the hotel that's a bonus!! There is also a shop called oxxo across the road always keep your converter on your phone as they tried charging me £30 more on top of the shopping I had paid for and had to go back and get my money off them!! I won't be returning to Mexico I didn't have a great experience and I am well travelled!! They are always trying to extort you!! Maybe if I'd have picked a different area I might have had a better...