Barcelo Maya Colonial

Stay was fantastic, staff was amazing, very friendly and eager to help! Special shoutout to miguel from the theatre bar, this young man goes above and beyond his job, he was such a pleasure !! [Details]

I usually don't stay at all-exclusives, but was convinced by friends to go. Overall the hotel has beautiful grounds and landscaping and the pools are great. The room itself was a typical hotel room and the food was overall very bland. This is a great place for those guests that just want to over-eat and over-drink. Service was okay. Our TV didn't get work, even after two requests for someone to come have a look at it. This is overall a 3/5 hotel and nothing more. [Details]

We had an awesome 2 weeks at Barcelo colonial. We loved the architecture and the traditional look of the resort. The food was great in every single restaurant.
The bathroom (especially by the pool) could use some updating. More bathrooms needed by the pool as well as more often cleaned. Lots of times the women's pool washroom had no soap or paper and was extremely slippery.
We would have liked facecloths in our room but we're told there was none. Hand towels were rare as well. [Details]

The entire resort is massive. It took a few days to finally see all of it. 3 of our 4 rooms were bumped up to the Adults Only section (riviera) just before arrival. The grounds are amazing and well kept. We didn't meet any staff that weren't friendly, some more so than others, but no one was short or rude. The buffets were good, nothing spectacular, but they are buffets so.... Went to 2 a la cartes (Mexican and Italian at AO) and both were great. The Italian was better. Another in our party went to the Italian and Japanese at Colonial and loved them both. Pools were always clean. Drinks were plenty (some stronger than others, I found the frozen drinks weren't as strong as those on the rocks) The rooms in AO were beyond our expectations. The one that was at Colonial was still good, but a little damp. Sargassum was a problem, but they worked tirelessly to keep the beaches as clear as possible. The shows at the theatres were entertaining, especially Magic, Michael Jackson, Fantasia and Circus. Jaguars was closed unfortunately as was most of the adventure park, so no review for those. Mini golf was fun and free during the day. Bus rides in the evening were enjoyable on the second level with the roof open. Wifi throughout the resort is great, a little spotty along the beach path and on the beaches. Swimming with turtles in the bay was a highlight!Will be returning to this resort in the future, probably at a different section to get a taste of the other parts. Highly recommend for family (4 splash pads, plus the water park ($) Couples will enjoy the quite dinners at a la carte restaurants. Something for everyone at this resort. [Details]

the olympic pools - of the 2 I tried the one at the beach resort is my favorite. open 24 hours in lane swimming configuartion with lights at night. coupled perfectly with the buffet with all you can eat fish & desserts & anything else you can think of. quiet accomodations. I will say one thing about the premium service which we tried this time in march 17 when we were there. it was a beautiful view over the entire pool area & beach at the tropical resort on the 3rd floor which is where they put us because the colonial was full which is where we had our original reservation. however at the tropical there is pool music. its much more tastefully done & respectfully done for the pool side rooms but its there & if you close the patio door all the way most of it most of the time will be cancelled. in fact I was never really irritated by it due to being able to close the door & cut out most of it but just the fact that the door always had to be closed & a point made of it for the family detracted slightly from the overall experience. I would say that for this reason I would rather stay back from the pool side or beach side view & save money on the premium room. but the premium service which you can pay for separately is still worth it should I choose that option in the future. just for me no more poolside rooms. in no other resort is the poolside noise/music so tastefully done as this one but I still prefer quiet. the room I stayed in was very nice. a couple who was visiting another couple at the suite (the big rooms with the extra bedroom) next to our room said our room was nicer than theirs at the palace. but regardless of them I did like our room it has everything I needed - a fridge 2 showers a drying rack on the balcony comfortable beds & pillows. anyway lots of good things about the room. the beach is of course one of the finest pieces of real estate ive seen even in that part of the mexico. it stands out among other great beaches. & alwasy this resort the landscaping blows me away. even in the corners of the property that can easily be neglected & forgotton in this property even though its absolutely huge - like it would take you several days to see it all if not a week: like disneyland - even those corners are kept maintained. I saw other resorts on our way home to airport where the corners of property were neglected & were accumulating runnaway growth, trash, etc. not this place. we'll be back. I mean the shows also. these performers are like some of the abolute best i've ever seen anywhere. they are uber talented. like you feel like you are at an actual show that you paid for & it was really good & you went home saying wow what a show. anyway all the staff are extremely professional & well trained & attentive & nice & hardworking. [Details]

I traveled with my wife and 3 boys (7,9.10) to this resort. We loved it here, the pools were great and warm! Lots of space. The kids water park was a hit with the boys. The beach was amazing lots if beach chairs, and always a spot to sit, no need to reserve a chair in the morning. Drinks were delicious! Food was good lots of variety at the buffet as well [Details]

There is so much to share about this beautiful resort that I don't even know where to begin!
We stayed in the colonial section in a standard room with no premium perks, but for us, we saw no real difference other than wifi in room and free room service. We had no desire to eat in our room however we did pay extra to have the wifi for 7 out of our 10 day stay.
Our room was perfect in location and size for us. Very clean and well stocked daily.
With the stay at 1, play at 4, our options for activities was endless!! The resort is massive, clean and everything is so very accessible. There is no reason at all to leave the resort other than to explore ruins and cenotes. There are 6 beautiful cenotes across the road and ruins are just a 20 minute ride in either a taxi or van. Check in was smooth and quick. We found our building and room right away and were able to eat dinner within 30 minutes of arriving. This is a perfect resort for families and couples. Having never stayed at a large resort before this stay was a perfect first time experience. We will definitely visit this resort again and bring our grandchildren!! [Details]

Our stay was incredible. Each staff member we encountered was wonderful! Everyone did all they could to ensure we had a great time. The facilities were all clean. The beach and pools are all great. The a la carte resaurants were wonderful. We had a great time and appreciate all the effort that your hard working staff put into their jobs every day. From the landscapers to the chefs, and customer service reps, everyone deserves a very hearty thank you from us. [Details]

We've stayed at many resorts throughout the Mayan, and decided to try a new one after 3 stays at our previous resort. We were given the wrong room configuration (no fault of Barcelo), and it was fixed immediately. The resort is amazing! Being in the Colonial section, we were really central to it all, but even if you are in the Beach section, it's not a far walk (less than 10 minutes between the two) The food is flavourful with lots of options, staff are so friendly, and there are lots of chairs around the pool and at the beach. The resort was full (or close to it) when we were there but it never felt crowded. The one disappointment was the Premium Level, which we upgraded to. It didn't feel like good value for the money in terms of the room, which felt like a standard room. Our toilet didn't flush properly and the hair dryer broke (they fixed it the same day.) Our mini-fridge wasn't stocked when we arrived, and they didn't re-stock it with beer daily. However, these were small disappointments - we fell in love with the resort and were sad to leave. We will definitely be back, and soon! [Details]

The Positive:

I all honesty, we loved this resort. Lots to do and the food was wonderful. The staff themselves were wonderful and the ability to hop on a bus and visit the adjoining resorts was a bonus. I also dive, so anyone looking for a great dive resort, this is one of them for sure. Leave from a boat right from the resort.

The Negative:

The only major issue was front desk management. We had a heck of a time with them. We came with friends who only came because we asked them to. Those friends ran into issues with their rooms being a floor apart. Their kids are 8 and 10...that did not work out. Trying to resolve the issue was a disaster on the managements part. They seemed more interested in saving a few dollars than making the issue right. Blame was bounced around instead of solved. We were told to stay out of it very rudely when we had told them we were part of the group. Honestly the worst experience with management we've had at any resort...too bad to because the resort was amazing and the other staff were wonderful. Our friends will never go back and we are still debating.

It takes a lot for me to complain (usually just brush it off) but this was that bad.

Maybe just issues when booking multiple rooms but be flexible when you see two rooms with friends and especially children involved. The experience was worse than I can articulate in this review.

Lastly, only free internet at certain times in certain locations...big pain unless you pay for it. [Details]

The hotel is clean and cool. The staff do there best to help in English. Some staff speak very little English but are still extremely friendly and try to help or will get someone to help. [Details]

Excellent holiday at your hotel. Attended a beautiful wedding there . This resort is very clean and well maintained. Would absolutely return. [Details]

Hotel was as expected. We upgraded to the Premium Level for obvious reasons and benefits. The front desk didn't have that info - so we moved rooms on day 2. They handled it like pros....pretty seamless. Pools are awesome. Drinks were good. Food was 'okay' in the snack buffets. Captain Morgan's Bar and Grill was a good find for lunch.

Restaurants were spectacular. The hotel does need to revisit their 'formal' dress code. I followed the guidelines only to see people in jeans and sandals sitting beside me. I think if they just make the change to dress sandals like the other resorts - all good. Would like to see 'dress shorts and collared shirts' be the norm.

Excellent stay....will be back for a third time. [Details]

I would go back again. [Details]

One stop shop. Has everything you need right at the resort. [Details]

From start to finish our stay at the Barcelo was a dream vacation. [Details]

We just got home from staying at the Barcelo Maya Colonial hotel in the Mayan Riviera. We got married on February 14, 2017. Valentines Day. From the very first day we arrived we loved it. The hotel was perfect. The staff was always accommodating. I recommend getting the upgrade to premium. It was worth every penny. The service is amazing. Our wedding was so beautiful and the perfect wedding in paradise. It was exactly the way we imagined it, thanks to our wedding coordinator Abraham Amezquita. He was so friendly and just positive energy always flowing from this him. I can't say enough about this guy. He went above and beyond. Everything we asked for he would do. Even going to cancun on his day off to pick up things for us. We were wanting the perfect day and thanks to Abraham our dream wedding came to life.
Thank you again Abraham and I recommend This hotel to anyone and Abraham as a wedding coordinator.
Troy and Caitlin. T&C. Feb. 14/17 [Details]

same as the last 3 times here, the resort is well run and managed. Lots of chairs on the beach, lots of availability at the a-la-cartes, lots of food on the buffet. Couldn't ask for much more. Only complaint is other events happening at the resort we were not made aware of that shut down some restaurants and part of the beach. [Details]

We were quite happy with our stay. A little trouble getting the sheets for the cot the night we got in ,but we are in Mexico [Details]

Barcelo Colonial was a verry good choice by my travel agency.Few years ago i went to the Maya beach and it was mervellous to. I like the formula of that resort of five hotels side by side.I had try almost the different buffets and restorants. Meals are good and offered sometimes nices surprises.
The sites are very nice, with matures trees and I assure you that wherever you go all is clean. You have also rapid acces by walk the fabulous beach of Maya hotel.
I'll tried catamaran on the sea and be sure it was a terrific experience with the big waves.
The most important part of my trip was the presence of gentel personnel spoke in spanish and english. I had a nice friendship with few of them. At an advise, I suggest you to learn few words in spanish...like What is your name and my name is. This will make a real difference with your trip.
I'll discuss with persons around the world and the experience was realy instructive.

You ask me...do you recommand the Barcelo resort...and the answer will be always...sure, sure and sure. [Details]

Amazing feel! Kind welcoming staff! Scenery is beyond perfect, not to mention the food! OMG the food:) [Details]

Food - dinner buffet not so good.
lunch @ the beach was okay.
breakfast was good.
Ala Carte's were excellent!
Room - Clean.
Hotel- Clean and beautiful
Beach- Beautiful
Pool - Awesome
Swim up bar service was very slow and not always good drinks.
Lobby - service @ the desk was slow and not accomodating. [Details]

The Barcelo is a large resort. We stayed at the Colonial, but could eat or play at any of the four Barcelo resorts connected(except the Palace) The Resort is immaculate. The Buffet was very good, and the a la carte's were quite good. The beach has no artifical barriers which was why we chose this resort. It is long and has some rock and some sandy areas. You can snorkel at your own resort or just play in the water. [Details]

Had a good time the first week in January 2016. Met some fun people and other then one day the weather was great. Resort is well maintained and the pools and ocean were beautiful.

Water shoes make good sense as getting past the first few feet can be a challenge without them.

Food was excellent. So much so that I doubt we will ever travel elsewhere as Cuba or Dominican Republic don't even come close.

Check in was ridiculous but that is our only complaint.

Highly recommend this resort. [Details]

This was our second time staying at the Barcelo Maya Colonial, and we were just as satisfied as the first time. The resort is beautiful and clean, and the staff is helpful and friendly. The beach is great, and the water warm and clear. Bonus: new loungers this year.

The resort also offers lots of activities, including a variety of water sports, as well as tennis, basketball, beach volleyball, and mini-golf. The snorkelling is good, and there are good diving locations nearby. Lots to do--or not to do, if that's your preference.

We had a regular room, which is nice, but it was icy cold when we arrived. We couldn't get the air conditioning low enough, so we turned it off and were very comfortable temperature-wise. But then, the room was very humid--our clothes felt damp all week. When we did turn on the air conditioning one evening, it leaked. We'd like to see this issue addressed.

Our biggest complaint, though, was the music. They had one Christmas album (Kenny G!) that they played over and over and over in the buffet restaurant and one other that was piped through the speakers outside. The music nearly drove us crazy. Fortunately, we couldn't hear the music when we were on the beach or in our room.

The drive from the airport takes between an hour and an hour and forty-five minutes, depending on how many other stops you have to make. The drive is a fair trade-off, though, for a resort that is well away from the cities. Except for the odd partier and fighting couple, the resort is quiet and relaxing with no high-rises in sight--great for people wanting a rest and for families.

In the big scheme of things, the complaints we had were minor. It's a stunning resort--paradise--and we would go again. [Details]

It was our first time in Mexico and in a "mega resort". We enjoyed our stay in this beautiful resort. There are 5 resorts in that location ( one was under complete renovation). Facilities are shared so there is outstanding choice of activities. A week is way to short to see all events and to participate in all activities. We have not left the resort at all but we were not bored. There was always something to do. We spend our day on the beach. The beach is well organised and it has rocky and sandy areas. It is good for snorkeling. In the evenings, sea turtles and sting rays come to the beach and people gather to see them in the shalow water.
Overall, the resort exceeded our expectations. We highly recommend it. [Details]

We had a relaxing week at Barcelo Maya Colonial. The grounds were beautiful, and the beach area was great, for swimming and long walks. Food was very good, especially in the a la cartes. Staff were helpful and friendly. Evening entertainment wasn't the best, except in the piano bar, but we don't go to it much anyway. We would go back to this resort. [Details]

This was our 4th time at the Barceló Maya. We love the walks on the beach,
absolutely amazing! The food was excellent even at the buffet's. The house red and white wine were horrible! And we suspected that some of the alcohol wasn't what the bottle indicated. There is a new "swim with the dolphins" pool that needs to be dismantled. When they weren't forced to entertain those poor animals just floated. Animals shouldn't be treated like that! We may not go back for this reason alone. [Details]

The hotel was beautiful. Grounds are very well kept and staff was very friendly, always said hello.
Great pool and beach area. I would definitely recommend this hotel and would certainly go again. [Details]

Great spot for a relaxing time. Good value. [Details]