Akumal Bay - Beach & Wellness Resort — Hotel in Quintana Roo

The worst resort we had ever been to!

The resort is extremely far from the airport but that’s not the hotel’s fault just a FYI. The resort is dated but fine. The food was so bad and I’m not talking just the buffet, even the a la cartes were horrible! They even got the Mexican food bad, how does that happen IN MEXICO?! We aren’t picky eaters at all and of course you always manage your expectations when going on an all-inclusive but this was as bad as Cuban resorts when it came to food.

The alcohol was like water, I swear there was no alcohol in the drinks. We got to a point where we kept ordering doubles and it still did nothing. Guests on the resorts were going out to eat and bought their own liquor kk and snuck it into the resort - that’s how bad it was.

All the staff looked like they hated to be there and seemed inconvenienced by having to do anything. There was no warm welcoming feeling by most. There were a couple of nice staff by the pool and the entertainment staff were great but that was it!

You could never get a reservation at the a la cartes, it was always a mission! The entertainment was a live band and they were great, we enjoyed that but there were no performances so don’t expect that. The aquafit classes were nice and the spa is nice. The beach is horrible with seaweed and the resort didn’t clean it up until the 4th day we were there but the seaweed came back by the 6th day so we didn’t get much of the water. It’s also super rocky and I cut myself going into the water.

The rooms were okay but the drain wasn’t working in our sink or our shower. The housekeeper came and fixed that for us. They cleaned the rooms nicely. You could never find any staff in the hallways so if you needed something you had to go to the front desk. Almost all of the staff except for the concierge don’t speak English, which was really hard.

It was a mission to be able to get a Cabana by the pool. Even though there were signs not to do so, ppl were leaving their towels and reserving them. The signs were not being enforced by the staff.

Lastly, there was a pool of water on the floor in the hallway when I was making my way to our room and no caution signs either. I had a drink in my hand in a glass and carrying my phone in the other and completely wiped out onto my back. I must’ve sat there for at least 20mins with nobody in sight to help me. I managed to get up to our room. I noticed housekeeping staff next to our room so I tried to explain what happened to me but they couldn’t understand English. My family and I went to the front desk, waited another 30mins for someone to help us. This man was not only rude and unhappy to tend to us but he looked at me like he didn’t believe me. I asked if they had cameras and he said no, he asked if anyone saw me, well how when you have NO STAFF in the hallways working. I told him I spoke to his housekeeping staff but they didn’t understand me. I walked with him to show him where I fell because my drink spilled there but by the time we got there it was cleaned up probably by the staff who I spoke to. He then mentioned their guest services would call me and nada! I saw him several times after that but he avoided eye contact. The rest of my trip I had severe back pain and couldn’t even enjoy most of it.

Many of the guests at the resort didn’t care for it either and most were there because they were given a discount during Covid for booking 2 trips for the price of one, so this was their second trip.

We will never be returning to this resort! I was so shocked at how this could be a 5 star and if I made a mistake so I went back and checked tripadvisor. That’s when I noticed a comment that mentions all the 1 review reviewers leaving 5 star reviews. And it was true majority of the reviews came from them. I didn’t notice this at first because the reviews even had photos so I figured they were credible. I tried leaving my review on trip advisor but it kept blocking my review and I have a feeling it’s because I was giving a low rating. There’s absolutely no way this is a 5...

What Akumal does right, they do really right! Solid 4/5 stars. We just returned from a 6 night stay at the resort. We stayed in a penthouse in bdg 3, which was perfect. Great ocean views, one of the small pools nearby, close to breakfast buffet and lobby bar. We didn't utilize the tub on the rooftop (just not our thing), but we took in the stars one night. It was far too hot to sit out during the day--no breeze reaches beyond the first few feet. Luckily, the balcony of the bedroom is breezy and shaded and a good sitting spot too. One has Unencumbered views of the water. Not totally private as in if you or your neighbors are tall, one can peer over to the adjoining deck. The room was very clean and cleaned each day. There was some sea air corrosion on some of the metal fixtures, but after living on the Gulf Coast of Texas, I understand and expect that. Our ac worked without incident (not so of our traveling companions) and the we adjusted the ceiling fan to a higher speed to enjoy even more. The ac actually dehumidified, which we did not experience in the resort we last stayed in Cabo. For those who wrote one cannot control the ac or fan, they are simply mistaken as both are adjustable and perhaps those guests didn't understand that (ac is in C not F). I found the bed too very comfortable, but I prefer a slightly softer bed. We didn't utilize the pillow or aromatherapy menu, but we found the many pillows in our room to our liking. The resort itself was spotless and lovely. The lobby bar (not in the lobby) is a spectacular oasis where one can sit and have drinks or read or play cards--one cannot eat here though. Service was delightful and everyone working--and you did see the same people every day---seem genuinely happy and pleased to be at work. I really appreciated that. The food was very mixed for me. The temperature is a universal issue, not a matter of taste. Items get super hot and melty on the buffet, coffee is lukewarm at most. One is limited to the buffet, snack bar, or sushi for lunch and to use the buffet, one does need to be dressed (although most rules here are not enforced). The buffet honestly was my favorite because it was so varied and different, but it was best to arrive once it opened to get fresh food. It appears to be refilled hourly or so. The snack bar was just awful. Food goes out in chafing trays but I do not think there is any temperature control as everything was cold in a bad way and cold items were hot and a mess every time I saw them. The sushi bar was fine, just not much offered. Seating for both is very limited, so frustrating because the lobby bar will be empty of anyone with open tables, but you cannot eat there. The restaurants were fine overall. We had some really remarkable appetizers but none of the mains wowed us at all. It felt like they were going for a real gastronomy thing, which didn't appeal to me on my laid back Mexican holiday. I was very disappointed that there was so little local cuisine represented. The clientele does appear to be mixed, with a large portion coming from Europe and the food seems more tailored to those tastes. A big gripe-the drinks. They are weak, but there is NO menu, no specialty cocktails created anywhere. It is a full bar they say, so better bring your own recipes because no one is making anything. So weird. Another gripe, the cheapness in stocking the room. There is one snack sized bag of chips and one snack sized candy bar per day (and maybe not if they don't feel like leaving one?). There are two coffee pods, though the nearest coffee is the lobby bar and opens at 6 am. They leave two bottles of water and you must call to beg for more though you are entirely dependent on them to provide it. It feels cheap and overly picky for such small items. One can easily snorkel in front and just down from the resort, but wow, is the reef on the brink of disappearing and in very bad shape. The turtle class by Alejandro Millan is a must! The resort should consider offering more with this...

Just got home from a 1 week stay. Overall we had a great time, however I would not say this is a 5 star resort, more like a 4.

Check in was quick and we were welcomed with a drink after a long travel day. We were assigned to building 1 despite an earlier email request for building 3. When we opened the door to our room we were immediately disappointed. It felt like a 3 star in a very old building. It was very dated, delapitated and in clear need of renovation. I went back to the front desk to request a move and Daniela was very helpful but could not move us for another 2 days. On the day we switched Daniela made the transition very smooth. We were assigned to building 4 and the room was beautiful. Newly renovated, very clean and elegant. The rest of our stay there was lovely.

The beach is nice, not too much seaweed. The reason why we chose this resort was for the snorkelling and it did not disappoint. We went multiple times a day everyday and saw the most amazing fish, several stingrays and saw a turtle one day. There are lots of reefs and grass going down the beach towards Secrets. The snorkelling definitely was the highlight of our trip.

The pool is newly renovated and lovely. It's not heated so on a cooler day it's quite cold but on a hot day it's refreshing. This is the only resort that I've been to that only has Bali beds around the pool and no loungers. I wish there were loungers, for reading I prefer to be seated upright, not laying down. And there is room on the pool deck for some. There also isn't any shade so it gets extremely hot. The Bali bed curtains aren't much help depending on which way the bed is facing.

The food was a big disappointment which is the main reason I would say this isn't a 5 star resort. The buffet was ok, standard resort buffet and something for everyone. But overall, all of the food throughout the resort lacked flavour. Everything seemed to need salt, pepper and spices. I was looking forward to the Sushi Bar but it wasn't good. A couple times there was so much vinegar in the rice it was almost inedible. The snack bar was good but often no seating at lunch time. It was odd to me that there was always tortilla chips and a big bowl of queso but only 1 day there was guacamole and pico. Alux and K'ooben were the best, the beef tenderloin at K'ooben was the best meal of the entire trip.

All of the staff except for 1 surly bellman were very friendly and helpful. They seemed to be slightly understaffed at times. Waits in the restaurants were sometimes long. But the staff overall were excellent. Everyone including the gardeners always said hello and had a smile on their face.

We loved the overall feel of the sort. We prefer a quiet atmosphere without drunken partiers. If you are looking for foam parties, Michael Jackson impersonators and drunken debauchery then this is NOT the resort for you. The crowd is mostly older couples and a few families.

A few things to note: None of the room doors have peep holes or chains (there is a deadbolt). There is no way to see who is at your door without opening it. I wish the room had a book with info like phone extensions and the room service menu. The only way to find this out is through the QR code page. I like having a hard copy. Room didn't have paper and pen or a laundry bag. Small detail, I know. The wooden decks and bridges are slippery when it rains. One lady broke her leg while we were there Our kids filled the tub on the balcony and got a huge electric shock when they touched the water. They didn't end up going in Our 11 year old asked for a Sabroso at the bar and was given a Cerveza. He thought it was hilarious and happily brought it to us Towel art everyday was nice and rooms were always cleaned at a reasonable time and fridges always restocked Room service was fairly quick Kids loved all the iguanas laying around during the day and chasing hermit crabs at night. They were everywhere!

We had a wonderful time and would return again if the food improved. Overall good value...