Barcelo Resort in RivieraMaya – An all inclusive photo essay & review.

By Posted in - North America & Photo Journal & Travel Blog on January 17th, 2012

Ok, I’ll admit it.

I’ve never been much of a resort person. Generally I prefer a more off-the-beaten path type of lodging. But I had also never stayed at an all inclusive resort before. On my recent trip to Riviera Maya, Mexico I stayed at Barceló Resort and I have to say – it was pretty awesome. In fact, they may have ruined me.

Unlike the more rustic accommodation I am used to (read: bunk rooms, no hot water and even composting toilets) Barceló does it up and does it right. From the minute you step onto the grounds you get the distinct feeling that you are officially on vacation. You know that song – It’s 5 O’Clock Somewhere? Well Barceló is 5 O’Clock Somewhere ALL the time! Turns out that being at a place where you don’t have to think about anything can actually be relaxing and fun.

Traveling to new countries can be stressful but at Barceló there’s nothing to stress or get nervous about. Nope – all you need to do is enjoy the countless luxury pools, numerous water activities or simply spend your day swinging in a hammock with a good book. Looking for great views? No problem here – the water is cerulean blue and stretches as far as the eyes can see. Palm trees growing straight out of the white sand complete the utopian vacation vista. I should also mention that the crystal clear water is the *perfect* temperature. You literally walk right in – no need to adjust the internal thermometer. One day the sky was brilliant blue with puffy white clouds and the water was a beautiful jewel tones blue/green. It was so beautiful it was almost surreal. This is the type of ocean you see on travel brochures and dream about. Ocean swimming doesn’t get any better than this.

This is the kind of place you want to go when you want to just unwind, relax and not worry about anything. I swear this is where all those Corona commercials are made. I guess you could say resort vacationing has it’s definite and undeniable perks.

As for the actual lodgings the rooms are LUSH. The beds are really comfortable and thanks to Barceló I have to work about 100% harder because I have discovered what life is like with a nice bathroom. Sure a large bathtub is nice but what’s really luxurious is having a large bathtub AND a doorless, tiled shower with a large circular rain style shower head. No shower curtain to fiddle with, no shower doors to clean – instead just make a large portion of your bathroom a walk in shower – brilliant!

If you need more than margaritas and a good book to entertain you on vacation don’t worry – there’s plenty more. Families, couples & friends vacationing together will all find tons of activities – water sports, mini golf, a spa, life size games and dedicated kids pool to name just a few – to keep busy with. Plenty of food and bars to keep you occupied and a dance club called Jaguars (complete with ambient fog) if you want to take it to the next level.

If you feel like taking the stress out of travel on your trip to Riviera Maya, Barceló is a great place to do it. A few days under the palm trees with a drink in hand and swimming in the balmy waters will take the work stress off instantly.

This place is very laid back and might not be the spot for spring breakers looking to get wild because much to my surprise it remains very quiet at night. I definitely recommend it for families, seniors, couples or groups of friends that want to chill out and have fun.

From the minute I arrived I thoroughly enjoyed my stay. If I was going on a trip to Riviera Maya with my family I would definitely stay here because there is something for everyone. In fact, when I got back to the States I gave my friend Lauren the complimentary bottle of Tequila (yes you read that right – an entire free bottle of Tequila) that I received in my room. She actually said “Barceló! That’s where I stayed with my family last year. We loved it!”

True story.

I took plenty of photos that give a great overview of what it’s like to stay at Barceló. If, like many people, you’re headed south for your February break be sure to check out this great resort for your stay in Riviera Maya.

Welcome to Barcelo!

Barcelo Resort in Riviera Maya, Mexico

My room:

Barcelo Resort in Riviera Maya, Mexico

Barcelo Resort in Riviera Maya, MexicoBarcelo Resort in Riviera Maya, Mexico

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Barcelo Resort in Riviera Maya, MexicoBarcelo Resort in Riviera Maya, Mexico

The view from my balcony:

Barcelo Resort in Riviera Maya, Mexico

The resort grounds:

Barcelo Resort in Riviera Maya, Mexico

Barcelo Resort in Riviera Maya, Mexico

Barcelo Resort in Riviera Maya, Mexico

Barcelo Resort in Riviera Maya, MexicoBarcelo Resort in Riviera Maya, Mexico

Barcelo Resort in Riviera Maya, Mexico

Barcelo Resort in Riviera Maya, Mexico

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The resort beaches – Look At That Water!

Barcelo Resort in Riviera Maya, Mexico

Barcelo Resort in Riviera Maya, Mexico

Barcelo Resort in Riviera Maya, MexicoBarcelo Resort in Riviera Maya, Mexico

Barcelo Resort in Riviera Maya, Mexico

Barcelo Resort in Riviera Maya, Mexico

Barcelo Resort in Riviera Maya, Mexico

Barcelo Resort in Riviera Maya, Mexico

Barcelo Resort in Riviera Maya, Mexico

Evening photos including a snapshot from Jaguar’s Dance Club:

Barcelo Resort in Riviera Maya, Mexico

Barcelo Resort in Riviera Maya, Mexico

Barcelo Resort in Riviera Maya, MexicoBarcelo Resort in Riviera Maya, Mexico

Barcelo Resort in Riviera Maya, Mexico

Barcelo Resort in Riviera Maya, Mexico

Barcelo Resort in Riviera Maya, Mexico

A cool panoramic that you need to click on to enlarge:

Barcelo Resort in Riviera Maya, Mexico

Curious about what else you can expect on your trip to Riviera Maya? Be sure to check out our other posts:

The Unbelievable Food of Riviera Maya

Visiting The Ruins of Tulum – A Must on Your Trip to Riviera Maya

Si’an Kaan Biosphere – A Relaxing Adventure on the Shores of Riviera Maya

*This trip to Riviera Maya was sponsored by the Riviera Maya tourism board but all of the views and opinions in this article are entirely ours.

Please remember all photos on this website, unless otherwise noted, are copyrighted and property of Beers and Beans Travel Website, Nariko’ s Nest Weddings & Bethany Salvon. Please do not use them without my permission. If you do want to use one of them please contact me first because I do love to share and I would be flattered. Thanks!

(13) awesome folk have had something to say...

  • Miruna -

    January 17, 2012 at 10:39 am

    This is beautiful. I would love to get there sometimes.

  • Cam @ Traveling Canucks -

    January 17, 2012 at 12:36 pm

    Oooh la la! Looks fantastic.
    We got married in the Mayan Riviera in 2008 and returned again last summer – love that part of the world!

  • Christy @ Technosyncratic -

    January 19, 2012 at 2:52 am

    This place looks phenomenal. The rooms look very large and airy, and I could swim in that pool forever. 🙂 Love the photo of the palm tree and four lounge chairs!

  • Penny -

    January 19, 2012 at 7:08 pm

    The beach looks enticingly clean and clear! Love all the shots Bethany, makes me want to get there this summer 🙂

  • J Armstrong@diy conservatories -

    January 20, 2012 at 3:01 am

    Wow! this is going to be my next vacation! I never knew that any such place existed.. It looks like a complete place, you dont need to look anywhere else. A good 8 days would be awesome at such a breathtaking place!

  • Car Rental USA -

    January 20, 2012 at 3:06 am

    Wow, What a beautiful pictures! For a minute my eyes got stuck on the pictures. I can’t keep myself away from staying in such a beautiful resort and explore the place.

  • Mary s -

    January 21, 2012 at 11:45 am

    Great photos makes me want to go here. What time of the year were you there? The weather looks great.

  • Karen G -

    January 21, 2012 at 6:36 pm

    I am going there beginning of February – 2nd time! First was 2 years ago and it is the most beautiful place on earth as far as I am concerned! It truly is totally stress free like another world altogether. It takes a while once you return home to reality for it all to sink in. Great article!

  • Oscar -

    February 23, 2012 at 10:29 am

    There are so many things to do and see in the Riviera Maya, that i have to re-visit several times!

  • Mike@ Gecko Rock Resort -

    April 18, 2013 at 6:08 pm

    Out of curiosity, in your opinion what negatives, if any, did you experience in your stay there? We’re opening a boutique all-inclusive resort (4 rooms, not 4,000, haha) but are in a sort of similar position in that while this was our dream to build our own place, when we travel we never stay at resorts….although I must say that the days of paying $2 to hang up a hammock are definitely behind us 🙂

    • Bethany -

      April 19, 2013 at 7:07 am

      Well honestly this place was really great, beautiful and fun. Everyone was really nice and friendly as well. But it is not a boutique in any sense. I prefer the personal touches of a boutique but many times people like the all inclusive nature of a large resort. This place is perfect for families and large groups of friends but if you are looking for something with privacy then you would probably want a boutique. It wasn’t really that busy but there is always someone around because it is such a large place. Good luck on opening your property – I bet it will be beautiful. 🙂

      • Mike@ Gecko Rock Resort -

        April 21, 2013 at 8:19 am

        @Bethany, Thanks for responding, and congratulations on finding a way to make a living just by being a travel bum 🙂 I can’t imagine a much better life.

  • Tammy Creaser -

    June 5, 2013 at 4:25 pm

    We just spent a week at Barcelo in Riviera Maya and you described it perfectly.
    We are from Australia – do you know of any similar all inclusive resorts closer to us?