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

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!

My room:

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The view from my balcony:

The resort grounds:

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The resort beaches – Look At That Water!

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

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

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!