Bahia Principe Explore Akumal

Resort in under renovation and management change. Average experience at premium prices. Would recommend waiting until upgrades are completed. Amazingly beautiful location!

We have been to a multitude of all-inclusives throughout the Caribbean over the last 12 years, including other Bahia properties, so there's a lot that we can compare things to. Evidentially it was low season and unbeknownst to us, the last phase of villa renovation work was ongoing so the resort was at about 40-50% capacity. We never received an email or even a notice when we reserved about the renovations. This resulted in less staff, a lot less a la carte restaurant availability especially for a party of 6 - 8, the buffet was closed for dinners, and not a lot of shows or whatever in the evening. Also 2 or 3 beach bars weren't in operation. Positives: Rooms are newly renovated, modern, and the A/C was good. Housekeeping is excellent. Staff is friendly and for the most part, very helpful. The a la carte restaurants are fantastic for dinners. We ate at the Italian, seafood, modern, and steakhouse. This seems to be more of a relaxing resort and not a "party" resort, so if you are more low key, it's probably right up your alley. You can easily walk over to the Tequila or Coba resort in less than 10 minutes (don't wait for the transport unless you're hauling kids or lots of stuff). Coba is more for families, and Tequila is the higher energy resort, especially at the pool. We took daily 2-3 miles walks around the properties in the mornings, so it's very walkable. Snack shacks are primarily made to order meals you order from a kiosk and those were pretty good. Negatives: Even 10 days out, almost all of the restaurants were fully booked. We got lucky and found 4 early slots that could accommodate all of us. We even asked guest services and they said they can only see what we can see on the app, so no help there. But at every single dinner there were PLENTY of open tables for the duration of our meal. I mean, tables for 2, 4, 6, and 8. It was a little ridiculous. When we arrived we were told about the renovations and said that our entire group was booked at the furthest/largest villa right next to the renovations and that they could move us for a small fee. We declined and they moved us anyway, so it was probably a low key way to just get that little bit extra money, ESPECIALLY at 40-50% capacity. Buffet food and selection is, at best, average especially at breakfast (doesn't change too much each day). Lunch is a little bit better. Not much going on in the evening (we spent more time at Tequila) and the sports bar doesn't serve food. The swim up bar is small and the bartender seemed as if he didn't want to be there. The swim-up at Tequila was way better (bigger, higher energy, better drinks, shooters of various types, etc.). Since an imperfect vacation always beats a good day at home, I would probably would come back if it was just my spouse and I, but not with our travel friends because a few of them were bored in the evenings, especially the last day or so despite having 2 days for excursions. Since you can go to other resorts, you can probably find something for everyone during busier times, but who knows. Our timing was probably off to get a better experience, so I'd give it 6 to 7 out of 10 for what we had.

We traveled to Akumal with a large group to celebrate a couple of 40th birthdays. Our group included 11 adults and 10 kids. Overall, we had a great time together and made amazing memories, but there were definitely some things future travelers should know before booking here. First, the positives: the property itself is beautiful. The grounds are modern, clean, and very well maintained. The beach was one of the highlights for us. It was clean, easy to access, and we never had trouble finding chairs by the pool or beach, even with a large group. We booked swim-out rooms and really enjoyed them we were put next to each other which was great. Despite construction happening near some buildings, it honestly never disrupted our stay. The kids club was another huge positive. Our kids loved it, and the staff there were incredibly kind and communicative. We used their babysitting services twice and felt very comfortable leaving our children there. They sent pictures and the kids had fun. Huge thank you to Eduardo, Mirabel, and Valerina for making our kids feel so welcome. The rooms themselves were updated and nice, but as a family of four, the sleeping setup wasn’t ideal. We had two small double (not queens) beds plus a pull-out couch, which meant my husband and I didn’t sleep together the entire trip because the beds were too small to comfortably share. We are not big people either. They also only provide a sheet as bedding, which we found odd and uncomfortable. Now for the biggest issue: the food and restaurant situation. If you are booking this resort expecting a typical all-inclusive experience with flexible dining options, this may not be the place for you. The à la carte restaurants were nearly impossible to book. Everything was sold out despite the resort claiming they were only at 30% capacity. We were told reservations should be made 10 days in advance, but even then availability was extremely limited. Our travel agent booked an adults only dinner for us one night and when we arrived as 11 adults, we had to (kindly) beg them to push tables together so we could all sit as one and not 8 & 3. We were told guest services could help us once we arrived, guest services but unfortunately they were not very helpful. When we asked for assistance with reservations (just for our family of 4, not even the group!!) we were basically told, “I see what you see in the app.” At one point, I found a reservation for two and asked if they could simply adjust it to accommodate our two children, and even that seemed difficult and like I was the problem for asking. I don’t understand why there is not space at all the restaurants for all the guests you have on property. The dinner buffet at our resort was also closed every night except the first night of our stay. I am not sure of this is normal or just temporary but without restaurant reservations, we were expected to travel to neighboring properties for buffet dinners, which became frustrating very quickly, especially with kids and a large group. And those were also mediocre at best. The food overall was probably the most disappointing part of the trip considering it’s a huge part of the “all inclusive” experience and what you pay for. Ironically, the most authentic Mexican meal we had all week was at the airport on the way home. Even at the resort we found ourselves buying chips and snacks for the kids most afternoons because convenient snack options near the pool were limited. The coffee shop picking for a quick and easy bite were so lame. I was shocked since usually that is another option to the buffet on the mornings too. Even during themed events and parties, many food and drink items were an additional charge, which felt strange for an all-inclusive resort. One positive surprise was the room service food, which was actually very good and better than several of the buffet meals we had during the trip. And god forbid you wanted to have some drinks out by your swim up room. I called to order a bottle of wine and was told we only are given 2 beers a day and a bottle of wine is “not possible” I had to WALK all the way to the lobby sports bar to get wine in a cup to go. There were just so many times where the lack of hospitality was appalling. We truly enjoyed our time together as a group, and the property itself is gorgeous, but because of the dining experience and difficulty accommodating groups, we personally would not return. If food and restaurant variety are important parts of your vacation experience, I would definitely research this property carefully before booking.

Most buffets were closed little to no food at the open ones. Just a all around terrible experience

My spouse and I have stayed at Akumal several time (and also Tulum and Sian Ka'an) and would highly recommend the resort to anyone and everyone! We stayed mid April which is considered slow season and things had shifted a bit to accommodate that (not all of the food stations at the buffet were being used, less staff and Bar 66 closed) but it didn't change how wonderful our vacation was in any way. We were uncertain about what to expect since we arrived just after Hyatt took over, but nothing seemed out of the norm for us. There is construction going on which didn't really impact us. The construction last fall was closer to where we stay and that minimally impacted our stay. The top reasons that we choose to stay at the Bahia resorts in Riviera Maya are the variety of options in almost everything, the staff and the entertainment so it wouldn't make sense for us to feel that our trip was spoiled because the AO morning/lunch buffet was closed during construction because there are SO many other places and options to eat! The entertainment at this resort is unbelievable! We recently stayed at a resort in Cancun that had occasional shows and would offer to bus you over to a sister resort for a foam party. Bahia offers similar parties at Tequila but additionally has nightly shows in the theaters at all of the resorts, a ton of live music and local, traditional shows at all of the resorts, and late night options. There is so much going on, literally every night! There is amazing day time entertainment at well but this feels similar to other resorts. SPA: My spouse and I enjoyed the "Mayan Experience" at the Bahia Spa on my birthday. It was fantastic and reasonably priced! A great massage and a unique experience that we really enjoyed. I would highly recommend Yamile and Aimee! They were truly excellent! Bahia App: I felt that it was easier to use this year. I know that it was somewhat confusing due to Hyatt/Bahia but it was fine once I realized that the Bahia app was still being used. A difference in the app from last year is the inability to order soda/beer from the "Room Service" option. I loved that this was available last year as it took a lot of the stress out of getting what you prefer in your fridge. Would LOVE for that to be an option again! A' La Carte Restaurants: It was challenging to obtain certain reservations but we were able to get almost everything we wanted. I also realized that once we were there, if there was a specific place we wanted to try -there would be openings if I checked the location several times on they day we wanted. I would assume that this is due to cancellations but it makes going anywhere possible. I wish that I had known this happened before I arrived because I worried more than I needed to! Katok Steak House was great! We really enjoyed our meal and thought that both the food and the atmosphere were perfect! We were lucky enough to have service with Eric, whom we have known for years, dating back to his service at the main buffet. He is an incredible human and always a pleasure to see! Ku'uk was excellent! The food was amazing and the service made the night a fun evening! Feliciano and Jose were wonderful! Smoked was fantastic! Loved the place - it had a high-end vibe with great food and also great service! Alvaro was so appreciated! La Gran Tortuga is always a favorite of ours. Again, a great high-end vibe and excellent food! Our service was amazing but sadly forgot to write down our server's name. Great evening! Main Buffet: We really enjoy the buffet and always feel that there is plenty of choices to enjoy each meal. We would have difficulty finding anything really negative to say about it! The staff at the buffet are wonderful and work very hard to get to know you and make your experience perfect! We love love Jose "Lucas" Gonzalez! We have also known him for years and enjoy every time we come. Feliciano was incredible and took a lot of effort to make our meals enjoyable! And of course, Patricia and her partner are amazing and always a fan-favorite! She promised to make us an extra special last dinner but unexpectedly lost a grandparent and was unable to be there. During this difficult time for her family, she contacted her partner to ensure we still had our special dinner! Incredible and humbling for us! Pro tip: If Gabriella is making omelets...Get in line! Absolutely delicious! My obsession this year! Sport bar: This is a true asset at Akumal and something that I use to sell others on trying the resort. The sports bars at other resorts tend to be okay but often have a strange and non- sports vibe. This is a really fun bar with amazing staff that we really enjoy! All of the bartenders are amazing and helpful! We loved spending time with Luis, Oscar and Antonio who is a true artist with drinks! Thank you to all who took extra steps to make our experience great! Rotating pool/coffee/Pakal staff: Ana is someone that we know from previous years and always look so forward to seeing! She is a wonderful person who always makes our experience better! Absolutely love her! Other amazing staff that made our trip so much better are Wendy and Daisee! So personable and kind. We really appreciated all of the effort they took at getting to know us and making our stay perfect! I honestly cannot say enough about ALL of the staff we encountered - housekeeping, valet, cart drivers, grounds maintenance, front desk, servers...everyone! I have never smiled at anyone and not received a return smile and greeting! I have never asked for help and not received some attempt at or actual assistance - ever! The staff are a genuine asset and will hopefully be around for many years to come. It would change our experience for the worse without them. I cannot say thank you enough to all of the people who work and try so hard to make vacation time so perfect. I additionally appreciated the effort that staff made to make my birthday extra special! Loved celebrating my day at Bahia! Excellent resort which may be my opinion but excellent value which I feel is just true! The quality of the resort including really great A' La carte Restaurants, Amazing entertainment options, the Hacienda, and the overall amount of options and variety make each vacation different and special. Many thanks!