u/daggoo

10/10, stunning.

Arrival- airport transfer was arranged by the hotel, and was easy to find. The driver checked in with us to let us know he was there when we landed, and patiently waited for the *very long* Cancun checked bag process to complete. Large SUV with tons of rooms for us, our luggage, and my wife's wheelchair. The driver not only had still & sparkling water and snacks but also a cold cerveza in a cooler for me. Maroma is set back well away from the highway with a very discreet entrance, so it's a treat to cruise through the jungle- adds to the feeling of transitioning away from life to vacation. Bags were whisked away, our attendant Omar led us through their welcome ceremony and to our room with a full tour and a quick check-in process.

Room- we were in 28, a one-bedroom oceanfront suite in the main building. Whether it was luck, excellent work by u/alextravels and the hotel management, or some combination of all of the above, this was the *perfect* room for us. My wife has mobility challenges, but can walk short distances, and could easily walk to the main pool, the bar, the beach, and both restaurants from our room. We only needed assistance to get to the adults-only pool and the spa, which was happily provided via golf cart. The room was spacious with a nice outdoor sitting area that hosted our room service meals by the ocean. As I said, for us the centrally-located spot was perfect- if you desire absolute silence, a room more towards the end of the resort might be better suited, as you could hear quiet music from the bar or from folks passing by. For us, it wasn't a bother (the room was very quiet with the doors closed) and worth it for the location. The bath tub was huge, with a bath tray with a loofah (shaped like a turtle!), bath salts, a bath bomb, and soap. On request the attendant can also draw a bubble bath.

Spa- we took advantage of several treatments at the spa, a quiet and beautifully decorated spot at the end of the resort next to the adults-only pool. Service was off-the-charts good. It is a Guerlain spa, meaning they do recommend products to you, however these were provided as written recommendations at the end of the service with no upsell. We did the purifying cenote treatment as a couple's treatment. The room was enormous- by far the biggest treatment room we've ever seen, easily 750+ square feet with a private sitting area, private outdoor sitting area, toilets and shower, plus the treatment tables. One wall was floor-to-ceiling windows with privacy screens and natural light. We also came back for mani/pedis.

Pools- three pools. All were effectively adults-only for us, as we only saw one kid on the property during our stay. The adults-only pool gets the most sun and has the best ocean view and ocean breezes. This is also the warmest pool. The main pool is the most beautiful and serene. There is no pumped-in music anywhere on the property, which I loved. I hate having to listen to someone else's idea of good pool music at other properties, and I don't want a party atmosphere at this kind of property. Great bird-watching opportunities at all the pools, as well. Attentive service, water provided in coolers at your lounge, and sunscreen/towels/aftersun all provided.

Food- this was why I'm glad we didn't stay at an all-inclusive. The food was a bit pricey, but so much better. The main restaurant features regional Mexican cuisine, Woodend is surf & turf cooked over open flame, Freddy's Bar is a mix of ceviche and sandwiches for pool/oceanside dining, and Bambuco is a killer bar (seriously- the white negroni is one of the best cocktails I've ever tasted). Again, due to my wife's condition we especially loved that the in-room dining had a mix of dishes from all the restaurants/bars, and some dishes that weren't in their menus. Usually room service feels like an afterthought compared to the restaurants- not so at the Maroma. We jokingly called the mini bar the maxi bar. It was well stocked with Mexican spirits, a mix of Mexican and old-world wine, and once the attendant picked up that I was a craft beer guy all the Corona was replaced with local craft IPAs and lagers. Another plus compared to an all-inclusive- I usually eat breakfast by myself and then order for my wife and take hers back to the room. Since AIs sometimes upcharge for room service, this is sometimes difficult - no problem at all here. We had free breakfasts and they gladly packed up my wife's order so I could bring it to her in bed.

Beach- it's a beach in Cancun, I can't say it was better or worse than others as I haven't traveled to the area often. The sargassum is very bad this year. We live in Key West, FL so as we joked to the staff when they would apologize for the seaweed, it's the same seaweed we saw at home last week. It was removed three times a day, and that's all they could do about it. We're used to it so it didn't diminish our enjoyment of the beach, and I feel like if you're traveling to this area you should know it's a risk. If you want a beautiful huge beach with zero seaweed, I highly recommend Skylark/Rockhouse in Negril.

Hospitality- I saved this for last, because this is the reason to go to Maroma in my book. Every single person we talked to was warm, hospitable, and caring. Everyone did everything they possibly could to make us feel at home and taken care of. Normally I make sure to call staff out by name in a note to the manager at the end of a visit to make sure they are recognized, but I couldn't do that this time because it wasn't one or two people- it was everyone. I now understand why Belmond racks up so many awards. It never felt like too much, but always just right.

I would 1000% stay at this property again, and I rarely make repeat visits. Just an off-the-charts level of relaxation. Thanks a million to u/alextravels for handling the details for us, and for ably handling a last minute situation that almost had us rescheduling! I absolutely plan to do business with Alex and her team again.