Hotel Xcaret Mexico

Very overrated very expensive day out Paid 300pd for 2 booked via website Not that much to see or do. Left at 2pm as basically seen everything there was to see which is not much ! Show was not till 7pm and couldn't find anything else to do for 4hrs Was highly disappointed. Expensive 2 ice lollies 300 pesos ! Water caves where ok but they are man-made and your basically swimming or using ropes to go thru a river with nothing to see for almost 1hr so hard going if your not pretty fit! Theres no other shows or dancers limited myan cultural as there was massive law suit with excaret and the myan gov regarding them.using myan culture so all was pulled from excaret so apart from a few animals its all shops restaurants and extra activities you pay more for. The usual overcrowded tiny pools for dolphins sharks turtles and manatee which breaks my heart to see as they just being used for tourists to ride on. They just swim around their tiny pools ! What life is that. Beach area tiny Snorkeling area packed. Bird atrium was nice Rest of park just basically walking around lots of vegetation and palm trees. I would definitely not recommend it as prices are way too high for what you get. They need to offer more for what they charge. Parks and zoos in uk offer much more than excaret did and cost a lot less.

I am extremely disappointed with my experience involving Xcaret and the Cozumel excursion we purchased at the airport. What was presented to us and what actually happened were two completely different experiences.

We were told that we had purchased a tour to Cozumel that would include breakfast, photos, transportation to the ferry, and our excursion. Our tour guide, Martin, contacted us that morning with our transportation details, so everything initially appeared organized.

The first red flag happened immediately. When we walked over to the tour vehicle, the driver got back inside and would not open the door to let us in. I had to contact Martin, who eventually arranged a private taxi to take us to Xcaret.

Once we arrived, the experience became even more confusing and uncomfortable.

For a resort that presents itself as a luxury destination, the welcome and hospitality were shockingly poor. We were barely greeted. There was no bottled water offered. The “breakfast” we had been promised consisted of loose pastries sitting openly on a counter where anyone could reach in and grab them with their bare hands. Water was sitting in a jug on the bar. The staff members we encountered were often crass, dismissive, and unkind.

More importantly, I quickly began to feel as though I had been misled about why we were there.

Multiple staff members sat down with me and repeatedly asked for my debit and credit cards. The first person took my card information and left. Another employee then came over and asked for my credit card again. When I explained that I had already provided it to her coworker, she got up and walked away without explaining why she needed it. She later returned, asked additional questions, and once again requested my credit card.

When I asked specifically why she needed it, the explanation I received was essentially “for something.”

I am not handing over my credit card repeatedly without a clear explanation of why it is needed.

Another staff member then asked whether we wanted to take the boat ride “today or tomorrow.” That made absolutely no sense to me. We were tourists staying elsewhere and had arrived specifically because we believed we were going to Cozumel that day. Why would I travel to a resort I am not staying at, skip the excursion I came for, and return the following day?

At this point, we still had not received the breakfast we were promised.

My best friend asked whether we could order alcoholic beverages since we were on vacation. We were told we could have them “at the end.” When she asked, “At the end of what?” the staff member responded, “the demonstration.”

That was the moment everything became clear.

We had apparently been brought there for what seemed to be a sales/timeshare-style presentation, despite the experience having been sold to us as a Cozumel excursion.

Had someone been transparent with me from the beginning and said, “You are receiving this excursion in exchange for sitting through a presentation,” I could have made an informed decision. I may have even agreed to participate.

Instead, I felt hustled, misled, and treated as though obtaining my financial information was more important than providing hospitality or explaining what was actually happening.

Eventually, yet another staff member asked for my credit card. I declined. She then asked whether we had an activity planned for the day.

Yes. We did.

The activity we thought we had purchased.

By then, I no longer had confidence that the excursion we actually came for was going to happen, and I was unwilling to spend more of my vacation sitting there confused and uncomfortable. I told them I wanted to leave and would get a taxi.

That is when the treatment went from bad to worse.

Three different staff members told me that transportation would be arranged and that the $40 I had originally paid would be refunded. Once I walked outside, however, I was suddenly told that they would NOT refund the $40, that I would have to go back to the airport and somehow locate the original person who sold us the excursion, and that I would also have to pay for my own taxi.

The entire experience was exhausting and incredibly disappointing.

What bothers me most is that Xcaret is marketed as one of the premier experiences in Mexico. The property itself may be beautiful, but beautiful surroundings do not compensate for poor hospitality, confusing communication, aggressive requests for financial information, and making guests feel misled.

I have received warmer, kinder, and more professional service at places with a fraction of Xcaret’s reputation and price point.

I came expecting a memorable vacation experience and a trip to Cozumel. Instead, I left feeling uncomfortable, disrespected, and as though my time had been intentionally wasted.

If an excursion involves attending a sales presentation, say that clearly BEFORE taking someone’s money and transporting them to the property. Guests should be able to give informed consent about how they are spending their vacation time.

And if you are going to market yourself as a world-class destination, the service should reflect it.

Unfortunately, based on this experience, I cannot recommend Xcaret and would be extremely hesitant to return.

amazing wmployees everyone is super kind and provide clear instructions