Four All-Inclusive Resorts To Avoid In Cancun

Cancun, the main city of the Riviera Maya, is one of the most popular tourist destinations on the planet, and is the top vacation destination for visitors from the U.S. It accounts for around 40% of all international arrivals to Mexico, and is by far the most visited place in the country. And it isn't hard to see why! From its gorgeous golden-sand beaches fringed by swaying palms and calm, warm, turquoise Caribbean water to its fascinating Mayan ruins and ancient cenotes, the Riviera Maya feels like a genuine tropical paradise. Cancun may have its share of tourist traps, but it more than makes up for it with its incredible natural beauty and fabulous attractions. 

Cancun is famous for its luxury hotels and stunning resorts. The Zona Hotelera is 13 miles of exquisite barrier-island beauty, a tourist hub that offers incredibly luxurious places to stay, world-class restaurants, and some of the best nightlife and entertainment spots in Mexico. However, alongside the wonderful hotels, there are plenty of resorts that are not worth the money. We decided to explore some of the worst offenders, the resorts that get the lowest customer ratings, to help you make an informed choice about where to stay on your next visit to Cancun.

In putting this list together, we researched a selection of resorts and hotels in Cancun and the surrounding areas, looking at review websites like Tripadvisor, and at comments and complaints on social media sites like Reddit and Facebook. The list of all-inclusive resorts to avoid in Cancun includes the Royalton Splash Riviera Cancun, Grand Oasis Cancun, Solymar Beach Resort, and Dreams Riviera Cancun Resort & Spa.

Royalton Splash Riviera Cancun is part of Marriott's Autograph Collection of hotels, designed to be a level up from the standard hotel or resort experience, and each one is distinctive and "crafted to leave a lasting imprint," according to the website. The Royalton Splash Riviera Cancun is reviewed relatively well overall, with a Google Reviews rating of 4.3 and a Tripadvisor rating of 4.2. However, when you dig into the details, the bad reviews leave you with the distinct impression that this is a spot worth avoiding.

On Tripadvisor, Ninet S says, "I have stayed in many all inclusive resorts in Cancun and this was the worst resorts." The experience certainly sounds unpleasant, as they mentioned a "sewer smell" in the rooms, average food that was the same every day, and noise at all hours of the night. On Google Reviews, Shell describes a horrific stay, where "[o]ut of the 11 people in our group, 5 of us became very sick with what appeared to be severe food poisoning." This experience appears to be backed up by a variety of other anonymous reviewers, leaving a distinctly poor impression of the resort.

The Grand Oasis Cancun is described as an "entertainment resort" on its website, which seems to translate to a party resort, if the reviews are anything to go by. In comparison to the Royalton Splash Riviera Cancun, the Grand Oasis Cancun does not get such good overall reviews, with a 3.4 rating on Tripadvisor and a 3.6 rating on Google Reviews. As a result, it is easier to get down to exactly what is wrong with this resort, and why booking here might be an all-inclusive resort mistake that ruins your vacation. 

On Tripadvisor, Neal770 says, "I've been to many resorts in Mexico and all over the world before... The Grand Oasis is undoubtedly the worst i've ever experienced. Save your money, learn from my mistake, and DO NOT book here." They describe rooms that smell overwhelmingly of paint, paper-thin walls, a variety of hidden and unexpected costs for extras that should be included, and a constantly blocked toilet that they had to unblock themselves. Chris S backs up this claim, saying, "Poor sanitation, outdated rooms, supposed to be all inclusive however only a few of the restaurants are included[,] the rest are an extra charge."

Over on Reddit, things are no better. Redditor PeaksPalmsTravel says, "If you like inedible food, dirty rooms, long lines for everything, staff that are exhausted from working at a dump, and plastic jugs of bottom shelf liquor, it's great. Otherwise, stay far away."

Solymar Beach Resort is the worst-reviewed spot on our list, in terms of overall rating. The resort, located at the southern end of Cancun's Zona Hotelera, gets a dismal 2.8 rating on Tripadvisor, and a higher but still disappointing 3.7 on Google Reviews. Solymar Beach Resort is marketed as a 3-star hotel on hotel booking websites, and describes itself as "Cancun's best economic hotel" on Tripadvisor. It is certainly one of the most affordable all-inclusive resorts in the area, with rooms available for around $100 per night, but the reviews demonstrate that even these lower prices don't mean good value for money. 

One of the most recent reviews on TripAdvisor, from Dulce C, says, "Terrible service, the place is very deteriorated, hallways are very small and like a maze." Angelina V says, "God the worst of Cancun[,] horrible food[,] the service[,] the hotel the worst I've ever known[.] I never recommend the worst experience in my life." Other reviews describe substandard food in the buffet, poor service from staff, bad hygiene and cleanliness standards, and even a lack of drinking water! Some reviews suggest that the beach is a highlight, but others say that the location doesn't compare with other hotels in the area. On Facebook, Maria Hornberger said, "What I didn't like about Solymar was it was at mile marker 20. All the fun places are around 12. And I'm 81yo. You will be riding the bus a lot."

What the reviews for Solymar Beach Resort show is that when it comes to all-inclusive resorts, it is often worth spending a little more to get a better experience. Many comments suggest that you get what you pay for, and that paying a little extra will make your vacation significantly better.

The final all-inclusive resort on our list is Dreams Riviera Cancun Resort & Spa, part of the Hyatt Inclusive Collection. It is situated outside the Zona Hotelera, further away from downtown Cancun, heading south down the coast toward Puerto Morelos. This gives it a more laid-back, calmer, and more relaxing location with a quieter beach. The resort is designed to echo the feel of a cenote, with a large central pool flanked by lush jungle gardens. 

This is another resort that has a decent overall rating, getting 4.4 on both Google Reviews and Tripadvisor. However, the bad reviews are so incendiary that it leaves us with the impression that this place is best avoided. On Tripadvisor, Toishome describes the hotel as one of the worst resorts in Mexico, saying, "Just got back from one of the worst weeks spent in Mexico. So very disappointed." They then provided a list, saying, "Pros = NON, not a single one[.] Cons = 1. Smoking anywhere you can think of. ... No dedicated pool to adults ... Beach is totally useless. ... Bathroom drains smell like rotten eggs." Other reviews on Google suggest that the food quality is extremely poor, there are leaks in the rooms, and the service from staff is dismissive and unfriendly.