Excellence Coral Playa Mujeres — Hotel in Quintana Roo

This was our fifth Excellence stay, each in a different location. I have to say, we go through a travel agent (one of few who book stays with Excellence), and she warned us not to expect full service in the first 6-12 months. We have LOVED Excellence resorts, so we leaped anyway.||Transport went very well.||First, Frederico in the Kitchen Table and Las Olas was amazing! He was our favorite. ||The Excursions were handled very well as far as booking and transport. I even left something on the boat, and they brought it to the resort and returned it to me!||We stayed eight nights in an Excellence Club terrace suite with plunge pool, ocean view, room 1261. (Beware that you have ZERO privacy in this room as all the floors above as well as halls can see right onto your terrace. I wouldn’t have booked this room had I known that a year ago when we booked.) Check-in seemed to go well, but our previous stays were not listed, and the employee told us she would look into that and definitely let us know what perks we would get for the higher level, which no one did. Our room had little closet/drawer/counter space. The closet is very narrow, and we aren’t big people, but navigating that was not always easy.||Our pillows were too thick for our liking, so I called down to ask if there were others available. We were told no. Three days later, I saw on the ap that they were available. I called again, and yes indeed, they did bring some that were much closer to what we were looking for. There isn’t a clock (I know, you’re on vacation AND/OR you have a cell phone). I also asked about that, and I was told no. Our tub had a film all the way around. Be careful in the shower, as the water doesn’t always stay in there well. Our towel hooks had been ripped from the wall. One wasn’t replaced, while the other was hanging on for life. There was also a hole next to the wall lamp, not sure why. We have in the past requested a bottle of champagne in the room if the other is empty. It’s always been honored. This time, they said I’d have to call each time, and once it took over two hours to get.||We ordered room service and were told to put the dishes in the butler closet, and they would pick those up from there. Two days later, they were still there and started to smell. I called, and they did come up shortly after to retrieve them.||We started to notice these bubbles forming on our ceiling and figured it was the humidity, but we didn’t think much more about that until I heard a drop fall, and then another… That was around 9 a.m., so I called right away. They said someone would be right up. After 45 minutes or so, I finally went to eat because I wanted to get by the pool soon after. When I came back, no one had still been there. Our phone rang, and the employee said no one was around to fix it, so we would be moving to another room. Shortly after that, someone showed up to look at it, which they did, and they said they’d be back. Another hour goes by and I hear that we are indeed moving and someone would be up to help. I packed everything up but wanted to wait for my husband to get back to help, which was around 11:30. No one came. Long story short, we didn’t get moved until after 3 when he called. In all fairness, they did email him shortly before that (probably 2:30ish), which we didn’t see until 3. We spent the day in our room waiting, so it was completely wasted until about 4. After the move we were settled in two rooms down, 1263. The next day, I was lying in bed in the new room, and drip, drip, drip on my face. My husband dried the ceiling, and I hoped that would be it. It was not, and you could see on the ceiling where they’ve punctured the bubbles and tried to repair them. (There were several buckets out by the Excellence Lounge with water leaking into them as well.) We decided we weren’t moving again, and we moved the bed out about three feet from the wall. It was quite evident that we weren’t the only people who’d done this as there were several water stains on the floor in that exact area. The ceiling by the light over the coffee table also had a large bubble, probably 6x4”. That dripped as well. The next morning, we checked out and my husband mentioned this matter. Someone offered us a free upgrade on the next time we returned, which we will not be doing so.||**When we were moved day 6, we received a new welcome letter with benefits we should’ve been told about when the check-in employee got back to us and never did.||I realize a lot of this is not life-altering, clearly, but two important things we check for when we book are the reviews on food and the ocean being free of sargassum on that beach. There is VERY little sargassum here as the island blocks so much of it from landing. The food, however, was so disappointing. A big part of why we stuck with Excellence is because of the amazing food at all the other Excellences. The grouper, salmon, lobster (seasonal) , the lobster bisque and many other items we LOVED were not to be found. I did find salmon, but it wasn’t the same. If you look at the menus online, you’ll see that they’re about half of what the other resorts are offering. They are not fully-staffed, and not all the restaurants are open often. One day Las Olas was the only thing open, and that was mostly bar food you find back home. It was disappointing. The food has ALWAYS been SOOOOO good. The other resorts also offered “drink of the day” options, and we asked about that here. No one knew what we meant.||Poolside service was far and few between. We were EC guests, but there were no chairs by those pools, so I’m not sure if it’s better there. There just isn’t enough help yet. The bartender at the martini bar is still quite slow, so many people stopped and left because it took too long.||Whisper-that was pretty cute! We weren’t aware that no food would be offered, and I got pretty drunk quickly, but it was fun! We were able to book that during check-in. That seems to vary from guest to guest. We checked Monday and were unable to get into the Hibachi all week.||We used our small float and no one said a word, and plenty of others were as well.||Like so many before me have said, TIP, TIP, TIP! It is so important for them. Despite the above-mentioned, there were many...

"An Unforgettable Stay at Excellence Coral Playa Mujeres"|⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐||My recent stay at Excellence Coral Playa Mujeres was one of the most memorable and meaningful trips I’ve ever experienced.||Although our first two nights came with a few minor challenges, everything changed after we met Aranza from Guest Services. Her warmth, professionalism, and proactive care completely shifted the tone of our visit. She introduced us to her supervisor Arelys, as well as other key team members like Jhonathan, and from that moment forward, the level of attention and hospitality was exceptional.||🌴 Location & Beach||Playa Mujeres is a stunning, serene part of Cancún. It felt incredibly private, safe, and exclusive — a true retreat from the more hectic hotel zones. We visited during sargassum season, and although there was some seaweed, the resort team worked tirelessly to maintain the beach. Their effort and dedication were clear every single day, and the beach remained beautiful and inviting throughout our stay.||🛏️ Room & Value||We had selected our room in advance, but unfortunately, the hotel was unable to honor that selection, and I was not informed of this until arrival. That was disappointing at the start of our stay. However, once the team became involved—especially after meeting Aranza—they worked diligently to make sure our experience improved.||We stayed in a rooftop terrace suite with a plunge pool, which offered breathtaking beach views. From the top, the ocean was absolutely stunning — a true 10 out of 10. That said, in retrospect, I would likely not choose the rooftop upgrade again. We didn’t end up using the plunge pool as much as we expected, and the premium cost didn’t feel entirely necessary for our preferences. In the future, I’d likely book a standard room with an ocean view. The beachfront views alone are spectacular and worth requesting.||One note for light sleepers: some rooms near the central plaza can be affected by sound from nightly entertainment. If early nights are important to you, I’d recommend requesting a room farther from that area. The staff is very accommodating and will do their best to match your needs.||✨ Cleanliness||The cleanliness of the resort was outstanding. We did have one minor issue with housekeeping at the start of our stay, but once we mentioned it to management, they addressed it immediately and followed up to ensure everything was up to standard. From that point on, the room was impeccably maintained, and throughout the property, we observed staff constantly working to keep every area pristine. The attention to detail in the upkeep was truly impressive.||🍽️ Dining & Standout Service||Dining at the resort was a highlight. Each restaurant we visited offered excellent food and a high level of personalized service. Every team was informed of our dietary restrictions in advance and accommodated them with care and warmth.||Some standout experiences:||Chez Isabelle quickly became our favorite. Jhonathan went above and beyond to tailor meals, including a dessert we enjoyed so much that we returned nightly. Reynaldo provided gracious and attentive service each evening.||The Kitchen was the perfect way to start our day. Federico greeted us each morning with a smile, and Hugo, our breakfast chef, always remembered our preferences and made us feel cared for.||Arelys, the Restaurant Manager, ensured that even when Aranza wasn’t around, each dining team knew our preferences and was fully prepared.||Daniel, the manager at The Kitchen, often stopped by to greet us and check in during meals throughout the resort. His presence made us feel seen and remembered.||The only exception was Spice, the resort’s Asian-themed restaurant. As someone who has enjoyed excellent sushi in Miami, which has become a fantastic culinary destination for Japanese cuisine, I found the sushi at Spice to fall short. We ended up leaving partway through the meal and heading to another restaurant. This was the only dining experience during our stay that didn’t meet expectations. If you are particular about sushi quality, this may be one to skip.||🎭 Activities, Bars & Staff Highlights||The level of care we received throughout the resort extended far beyond dining:||Emilio, one of the first faces we met, was a constant source of helpfulness and positivity throughout our stay.||Alexia and Farid from the entertainment team brought energy and joy to the daily activities. Farid, in particular, was so engaging that we joked he might take the stage at night too.||Ricardo, the only bartender who knew how to make my favorite drink — a Bushwacker — showed genuine attention to guest preferences.||Valeria at Reception made our arrival and check-in process smooth and welcoming.||Wences, our guide to Chichén Itzá, was knowledgeable, warm, and passionate. We would absolutely seek him out again on a return visit.||💭 What Would Make a Return Visit Even More Special?||We’re already considering returning to celebrate our birthdays in December. A few things would make the next visit even more memorable:||The spa was a standout experience, both unique and deeply relaxing. It would be wonderful to be able to reserve treatments in advance of arrival, as slots can fill quickly.||We also missed out on the speakeasy, which we heard great things about. On our next visit, we’ll make sure to explore that and other areas of the resort we didn’t get to fully experience.||🎉 Final Thoughts||Thanks to the extraordinary care and attention from the entire team, what began as a stay with a few concerns quickly turned into one of the best vacations I’ve ever had. The warmth, hospitality, and professionalism of the staff made us feel at home — and eager to return.||Thank you to everyone at Excellence Coral Playa Mujeres. We look forward to seeing...

Apologies for the lengthy review, wanted to cover it all! Here is our review of our trip last week to Coral.|Let’s start with the grounds, stunning. This will only get better as the greenery matures. The views in/around this property are some of the best there is! |The room was great as well, it honestly felt like more of a penthouse than a hotel room. We had the two-story rooftop with ocean view. There were a few things that were quirky like not having a bar for hand towels in bathroom. No shower door or fan allowed for steam to just steam bathroom while showering and the water didn’t get hot really, more just warm. I assume many of these are just little quirks that will ultimately get worked out. The rooftop was on time! Views for days, bed was comfortable, pool was a bit chilly but still nice. Be courteous to your neighbours! These are private you really have to go out of your way to peek around the plants to someone’s roof, yet someone did, I’ll leave it at that. |The service was really good, and comparable to what we have experienced at other high-end resorts. From the bell boys to the wait staff and bartenders everyone was on top of it.|Food and beverage. Overall, we were a bit disappointed here but not enough that we wouldn’t return. I hope some of this gets worked out as the resort matures. Our main issue with the food and drinks was consistency. Our trips to ERC delivered a better overall food experience. We did love how the EC club lounge offered a wide variety of premium liquor. I’m a rum drinker and really enjoyed the premium rum selection and often would walk further to go there for a drink. The challenge though was with consistency of the drinks. My wife likes to enjoy a dirty margarita. These ranged from having too much olive juice to almost none at all. One of the feature drinks at the EC lounge was the charred pineapple. These also varied in taste depending on who made them. Whisper was a cool experience! Only complaint there is it felt rushed, but it was certainly a unique experience. Be sure to ask immediately upon check in, we checked in on a Saturday and the first spot they had was Thursday! We talked to several couples that said they asked immediately and were unable to get in.|The sweets and coffee bar were the same experience. I ordered 4 milkshakes throughout the week. 2 were perfect, two were more of strawberry milk than a milkshake. For food, it was more of the same. I know this will sound strange, but they will cook you fried rice at the breakfast buffet in a wok, and it’s delish! Meat is so tender, and it was really good. The fresh made crapes were also very good at the buffet. Zenith French toast is also great at breakfast; we were sad that we did not try this until the last day. Think Churro meets French toast, yummy! Los Alos was pretty solid for lunch, but also a tad inconsistent. I really enjoyed the Tuna Poke bowl. I got the steak quesadilla both times we went. One time it was phenomenal; steak was super tender. The other, it was super tough. Agave at lunch was a similar experience. First time was very good; garlic shrimp were really good. The second time we ordered the grilled meats, and medium temp and both came out purple in the middle. |Magna was the best overall experience; we went there twice. Seabass was phenomenal, the king crab cannelloni was great. If you like scallops, I’d stay away from them as they were overcooked and tough. Tuna Tartare was also very good there. If you like Prime Rib, the Smokehouse experience is a must. This was also a very good meal start to finish. You have to sign up for this as limited spots are available.|Zenith came with expectations having read so much about it on the fan pages. Lunch, as a huge disappointment. The only thing that was hot was my curly fries. The Crab sandwich was lukewarm at best and lacked any flavour. We went to Zenith one evening for dinner, I enjoyed mine, Lobster mac despite them running out of shells for normal presentation, but the pasta my wife got was under whelming. The aps were also underwhelming here.|Spice- Sushi was probably the best sushi I’ve experienced at an all-inclusive. The sushi at X-lounge is decent, but spice is another level.|Oregano- I had the seafood risotto, and I enjoyed, wife experienced another miss on pasta. |Lobster house- This was by far the biggest disappointment. The Lobster house at ERC was our Fav place to go and we ate there many times on our trips, here it just wasn’t good, at all. Lobster was rubber, Pasta was lukewarm and lacked flavour and the shrimp in it was like rubber.|There ya have it! Hoping the food sorts itself out with time, but given sister resorts so close, same menus and assume likely same suppliers, we were surprised at the inconsistency of the food. One final piece of advice, we normally just wing it with dinners based on how we fell. But, here, given some restaurants limited availability, I’d say sit down with the ap when you arrive and at least tentatively plan what nights to do what, so you don’t miss out on restaurants...