Ocean Maya Royale

The Ocean Maya Royale is an adults-only resort, which makes for a much different atmosphere than the one found at most of the family-oriented properties in the area. Here, all guests are over 18, and the atmosphere, while active, is far more peaceful, especially around the pool areas. Buildings are painted in strong colors with striking white balconies, and the common spaces are designed in whites, creams, and dark woods, with columns, modernist sculptures, and lots of light. The lobby is spacious, with wide expanses of marble flooring, high ceilings, and plenty of seating.

The furniture pieces don't match, but they do complement each other and include wicker-frame sofas, round poufs, and plush sofas. This creates an intimate, familial ambiance in the lobby, making it feel like a destination rather than a way station en route to guest rooms. And the relaxed but sophisticated lobby bar, open around the clock, only adds to this feeling. The grounds are lush and beautifully landscaped, with wildlife roaming freely, including coatimundi, deer, iguanas, and a wide variety of tropical birds. In addition, a stunning garden with waterfalls, pools, and boulders contributes to the true jungle feel. The white-sand beach has a long walkway, a jetty extending into the water, a beach volleyball court, and rows of loungers. The water here isn’t the crystal clear turquoise of many other area beaches, but it is clean and suitable for swimming.

The resort is not exceptionally large compared to others in the area, and the pools and beach are packed closely together. For example, when there is a water polo game in the pool, it takes over and spills into the hot tub. Guests craving privacy may want to look for a larger property.

The Ocean Maya Royale is located on the Mexican Riviera, a 15-minute drive from the popular tourist city of Playa del Carmen, with its Fifth Avenue strip of high-end shops and more affordable bars and restaurants. From there, visitors can take the ferry to Cozumel, where the scuba diving is spectacular. The 18-hole PGA El Camaleon Golf Club and Tres Rios Eco Park are each under 10 minutes from the hotel by car. The Mayan ruins at Tulum are a 45-minute drive away, and tours can be arranged with the concierge. The Cancun Airport is also a 45-minute drive from the resort. The hotel entrance is right on Federal Highway, but the buildings are set far enough back from the road that traffic noise is not a problem.

However, there is nothing in the immediate area except other hotels and a gas station. The Ocean Maya Royale’s private beach is nice, but the area has far better beaches, including Maroma, one of the world’s most beautiful, a half-hour drive from the resort. A 10-minute walk down the beach will bring guests to more classically Caribbean beaches with clear turquoise water.

All the rooms at the Ocean Maya Royale are of moderate size and come with sitting areas and furnished balconies. The decor is modern and sleek, without much local character, but it is clean, bright, and uncluttered. Walls are predominately cream-colored, with blue accent walls behind beds that complement royal blue spreads; some suites are all-white with glam pewter accents. Standard rooms come with minimalist formica and glass furniture, loveseats, and armchairs; suites have modern sculptural screens that separate the beds from the sitting areas and their full-sized couches. Artwork is the same in every room and consists of a generic pair of abstract botanical prints and a metal medallion sculpture hung over the beds in each. Blackout drapes are helpful for late sleepers. Bathrooms are small but not tiny, with laminate floors and modern fixtures. Most bathrooms come with spacious glass-walled walk-in showers, but the Romance Suite also has a hot tub for two. Ground-floor rooms have private lawns with lounge chairs surrounded by tall hedges for extra privacy. Upper-level rooms have narrow private balconies. Rooms near the pool can be noisy, and ground-floor rooms may receive visits from curious wildlife; guests wanting more privacy (from fellow guests and coatimundi) are better off avoiding the ground floor. All rooms have flat-screen TVs with satellite channels and pay movies, coffeemakers, laptop-sized safes, and minibars that are restocked daily with free soda, bottled water, and beer.

The Ocean Maya Royale offers a full slate of sports and entertainment, including tennis, kayaking, windsurfing, and snorkeling. Dive It!, a PADI-certified dive center, offers snorkel tours, scuba lessons for beginners and experienced divers, and certification all the way up to the rescue diver level. Water polo, beach volleyball, aerobics, dance lessons, and daily yoga classes are also on the activity menu. There are two pools, both of which are surrounded by lounge chairs and beach umbrellas.

The pools are right next to each other, making things feel a little crowded, although the beach, lined with regular and luxe Balinese lounge chairs and palapas, feels a bit less cramped. Despacio, the resort's spa, offers a full lineup of body and beauty treatments, including facials, massages, and hydrotherapy. There's also a pretty outdoor hot tub on a wooden deck at the spa's roof level. Although there are comfortable lounges and a fountain ringed by meditation pillows, the spa decor is white and brightly lit, which makes it feel more salon-like than zen.

The resort offers a Privilege option, which comes with added amenities, including express check-in and check-out, a welcome bottle of wine, access to a private lounge, upgraded minibars with premium drinks, and a private section of beach with Balinese lounge chairs and waterside waiter service. The theater offers nightly entertainment, with live music and a variety of shows, including traditional Mexican performances and magic shows.

There are a number of à la carte restaurants at the resort, as well as La Hacienda, which features show cooking. La Hacienda has large buffet stations, including a “healthy corner” and an adorable bakery “cottage” with a wide selection of bread. White columns and brown tablecloths complement the high wooden ceiling and marble floors.

El Charro, located next to the pool, serves Mexican cuisine in a more rustic environment. It has Mexican tile floors, brightly painted ceramics and paintings, wicker chairs, and outdoor seating. Lunch is buffet-style, while the evening menu is à la carte.

Yookoso is a Japanese restaurant offering sushi and teppanyaki cooking that’s open for dinner only. The decor is dominated by red, with Chinese lanterns, red leather chairs and booths, and other Asian touches. Blue Moon serves fusion cuisine in a big, bright room with a wide expanse of black-and-white checkerboard flooring, making it feel more like a ballroom than an intimate and romantic restaurant. Mike’s Coffee is a relaxed, Starbucks-style coffee shop for an afternoon pick-me-up, and the Fresco Bar serves fresh juices and fruit.