Ocean Maya Royale by H10

We’ve just returned from OMR on 28 March and were among the last guests leaving before the hotel closed due to the virus as were all the other hotels in the area. We stayed for 11 nights and had stayed there twice before so we knew what the hotel was usually like when it was in full swing. Obviously this time it was much quieter as guests left daily and the buffet restaurant and al a carte restaurants closed but the El Charro at the beach was open all day. This might sound grim but we actually had a fantastic holiday! The weather was perfect, the beaches deserted, the food and drink was plentiful and very good but the staff were incredible, so upbeat, friendly and professional, a credit to the hotel and their beautiful country. We send our thanks and best wishes to everyone at OMR and their families and hope to see you next year when normality resumes.

My husband and I spent a glorious, relaxing week at Ocean Maya Royale in mid-March 2020 and highly recommend this beautiful resort and its wonderful people. In the months preceding our vacation, I read quite a few glowing reviews of OMR. So it appeared to be a good value and we were expecting to have a pleasant stay...but those expectations still were exceeded 1000%. Thanks, first, to all of the former guests who took the time to provide detailed reviews of the property, staff, entertainment, dining, etc. That really helped us plan and make the most of our short time there. Shannon Schur, in particular, has a fantastic travel blog that chronicles her 11 visits to OMR with husband Stephen and friends. Now, about our experience: STAFF: I have to start with staff, because the people who work at OMR are some of the most gracious, welcoming, helpful and hardworking people you will meet anywhere. You simply will not pass by an OMR staff member—doing anything, anywhere on the property—without being greeted. We saw Carlos and Manuel the most because we spent our days in and around the Privilege lounge and beach area. They are so friendly and provide amazing service, somehow making sure you are totally pampered while never being intrusive. Carlos was incredibly kind as I attempted to use my beginner Spanish and he made a point to encourage and help me learn something every day. What a lovely person. The two feline members of the Privilege staff (cats who frequent the patio) also are super-friendly but won’t bother you, so don’t worry if you don’t prefer cats or have allergies. Other staff we want to be sure to mention are Beto and Alejandro from the Privilege team (so friendly, helpful and professional), the wonderful server Margarita at El Charro (charming), and Naomi from the activities team—who conducted a yoga session on the beach just for me (what a sweetheart). We also truly enjoyed a terrific Hibachi cooking show one evening, despite being seated with another party that was behaving disrespectfully. I’m sorry that we don’t remember the name of the chef, but if OMR reads this we want to apologize for the extremely rude and selfish behavior of a few other Americans at our table...and compliment the chef for his professionalism and grace throughout (and for his delicious cooking!). Without exception, we received top-notch service throughout the resort. FACILITIES: Our room was lovely and exactly as advertised. It was exceptionally clean and well-stocked with everything we could possibly need. A really nice (hot!) shower, an inviting patio and hot tub we didn’t have time to use, nice living room area, cozy robes/slippers, and a SUPER COMFY bed. We slept better there than we do at home. The housekeeper decorated our bed every day with a different “towel animal” and flower petals. Sweet. I brought insect repellent with us because we read that mosquitos could be an issue in the area in general, but we didn’t ever need to use it. The grounds are just gorgeous. Charming villas, an inviting open air plaza/lobby, tennis courts, a visually-appealing layout, lush vegetation and landscaping throughout, several different restaurants spread about the resort each with its own theme/decor/menu, entertainment spaces in the plaza and on the beach, and several cozy mini-gathering spaces sprinkled throughout the property. Love the size of OMR—plenty of places to walk and explore but small enough that you don’t waste precious time traveling to/from your next activity. We didn’t do any excursions though we did give sea kayaks a try at the OMR beach. BEACH/POOL: We weren’t sure what to expect at the beach since we knew about the sargassum issue affecting Mexico. But it was delightful. Super clean and beautiful. It probably helps that the middle section has a raised boardwalk so all of the sand in that area is separated from the water. And if you like wading into the ocean and swimming, you definitely can; on both ends there are sections of sandy beach directly on the water. Important: I saw another reviewer complain that those “end” beaches are only for Privilege guests, but that means others don’t set up in the loungers there. The beach and ocean are “public” and available to all. We took walks up and down the beach, going quite a distance and using that public beach to pass through beach areas serving other nearby resorts. By far, OMR’s beach was the most beautiful, best-maintained, most clean and most comfortable. We heard OMR was at capacity when we were there—but there were more than enough shady spots, sunny spots, loungers, hammocks, thatched “beach umbrellas” etc. for everyone. And it never felt crowded anywhere because there were so many areas for people to hang out...in both sun and shade...all over the property. The quiet pool was cool, sparkling clean and refreshing. From there we could watch people in the “active” pool having lots of fun with the activities staff and each other. There were many younger people there (we are in our 50s and more inclined to read and people-watch) and they enjoyed the music, games and foam parties in the pool—but even though they seemed to be having a great time, the vibe at OMR was definitely chill. We went there purely for relaxation—and found it—while others who came for a more active experience got that too. And we never had to worry about finding a lounger or the dreaded “towel game” people write about in reviews of some resorts. There were more than enough (nice!) loungers for everyone. FOOD/BEVERAGE: For a relatively small resort, OMR offers a terrific array of options for drinking and dining. We tried them all and enjoyed everything! Lobby bar, pool bars, Privilege lounge, El Charro, La Hacienda, theme buffets in the Plaza, hibachi show at Yookooso, upscale dining at Blue Moon, snacks at the sports bar, desserts and coffee drinks at Mike’s Coffee and our favorite—the open-air Italian restaurant right on the beach, La Dolce Vita. EVERYTHING OUTSTANDING and never a wait. I don’t know how they do it for the price we paid. They take a lot of care with presentation and there is something available for every taste/dietary preference. We were always asked—without exception!—if we had food allergies when ordering. Impressive. I am not a vegetarian but fruit and veggies do make up most of my usual diet at home. So I was delighted by the endless array of fresh fruit and vegetables...plus all the usual seafood, pasta and meat options. ENTERTAINMENT: Who knew? I didn’t expect much from the nightly entertainment at a smallish resort, but I was wrong. We saw some fantastic musicians and shows during our stay. Latin music...pop singer/guitarist Tony Amodio-why isn’t he better-known everywhere?!...a crazy-good saxophonist who played pop and jazz tunes on the beach with electronic accompaniment...an impressive dance/acrobatic “fire show” on the beach...and more. Final random things to throw in: the wildlife that people mention really is everywhere. That was interesting and the critters never bothered us. Although we love and have our own children, it was very relaxing to be at an adults-only property. No frustrated parents wrangling tired tots. The bars were always in business and you could get whatever, whenever..but it wasn’t a crazy, spring-breaky, heavy-drinking atmosphere. And we were only approached once—politely—about possible interest in a H10 timeshare, which was no problem though not of interest to us. Similarly, there were people walking through the beach periodically selling various trinkets and souvenirs, plus hotel staff passing through to make spa or excursion appointments, but they were never bothersome and would only really engage with guests who showed an interest. That all contributed to the completely relaxing experience we had all week. Lastly, back to staff. The people working at OMR definitely are pros in the hospitality business and were genuinely warm and welcoming. I sure worry about them and their families as tourism grinds to a screeching halt for a little while due to the coronavirus situation. I hope things return to normal soon and they all hang in there and are well. We appreciate everything they did to make our visit so relaxing and enjoyable. Definitely “the calm before the storm.” ¡Hasta luego, amigos!