Inside the adults-only Cancun hotel with in-room margarita-making kits

Wednesday June 12, 2024 11:15 a.m.

Inside Cancun’s Newest Adults-Only All-Inclusive: Margaritaville Island Reserve Riviera Maya, Mexico, by Siobhan Grogan

Forget basic buffets and lounge chair fights: an all-inclusive hotel doesn’t have to mean a vacation horror story. Opening in June 2023, Margaritaville Island Reserve Riviera Maya is aimed squarely at adults looking for Mexican sun and hoping to relax, without skimping on à la carte meals or signature drinks.

WHERE IS HE? Don’t worry, you won’t even see the clubs and high-rise hotel buildings that Cancun is famous for. (Though the city also has some incredibly beautiful spas.) The hotel is located 20 minutes from the city’s airport on the Riviera Maya, a 100-mile stretch of Caribbean Sea coast along the Yucatan Peninsula. Although there are Mayan ruins, white-sand tropical islands and verdant jungles nearby, most guests never venture far from the hotel grounds – in fact, some barely leave the bar in the swimming pool.

With 355 suites, the entire hotel is built around a sprawling pool complex dotted with palm trees, pretty humpback bridges and daybeds for two, shaded by billowing white sail curtains. A word of warning: although the sea is a short walk from the pool, there is no real beach here (despite some misleading photos online), so you will have to go elsewhere to bathe in the hot baths of the Caribbean.

The indoor spa at the Margaritaville Hotel in Cancun, newly opened for adults only

THE STAY Think barefoot tropical chic. Rooms are bright and simple, with whitewashed wood floors and white shuttered closet doors. You also have your own cocktail making station, complete with a juicer, cutting board and margarita glasses. Better yet, each room has a customizable mini-bar, which can be stocked free of charge with goodies from the hotel’s grocery store, from large bottles of Bacardi to M&Ms. Elsewhere, there’s a Klipsch Bluetooth speaker, an espresso machine and a giant walk-in shower, while a glass-enclosed balcony overlooking the sea has wooden Adirondack chairs for the obligatory sundowners.

Some rooms have a free-standing bath, others have a terrace with a hammock for lounging, but there’s no doubt that the ground floor rooms with pool access are the ones to take if you want. can. Each room has a pair of waterside lounge chairs so you can tan within seconds of rolling out of bed, with the poolside bars just steps away.

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WHAT TO DO Doing nothing is actively encouraged from the moment you’re greeted with a margarita popsicle and a pair of flip-flops upon arrival. However, there are water aerobics classes, wine tasting sessions, volleyball competitions, cooking classes, pickleball courts, a 10,000 square foot spa and gym, as well as Evening shows including reggae bands and live DJs if boredom strikes. But most guests seem content to simply drift between the five bars and different pools, steadily perusing the extensive cocktail list.

Despite the (considerable) appeal of tequila on tap, it would still be a mistake to never leave the resort. The hotel concierge can arrange everything from a tour of Cancun’s nightlife hub to ziplining through the jungle and snorkelling in the world’s second-largest coral reef. A day trip to Chichen Itza is also a must, although it’s a two-hour drive. Once an ancient Mayan city, it is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. On the way back, take a detour to visit Valladolid, a pretty postcard town with pastel-colored buildings, street food vendors, and a remarkable Spanish colonial cathedral.

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Also dive into a cenote, a deep natural pool of water revealed when the limestone surface above collapses. Photogenic Cenote Il Kil is closest to Chichen Itza but can get busy, so try Cenote Zaci in Valladolid instead, which I had almost to myself for a wonderfully refreshing swim.

THE FOOD You won’t be hungry. Even the breakfast buffet is one of the most sumptuous I’ve ever seen, with a huge selection of desserts and a cocktail trolley for DIY Bloody Marys and mimosas. Lunch consists of ceviche, salads and burritos at the poolside grill, License to Chill. For an additional fee, you can order a floating platter of freshly made tacos and guacamole to serve in the pool. 24-hour room service is also included, while Joe Merchant’s Café is open all day for Mexican coffee, freshly made juices, sandwiches and takeaway cakes – ideal if you fancy a a picnic during a day trip.

For dinner, there are four restaurants to choose from, including Italian trattoria Frank & Lolas for homemade pastas and excellent pizzas and JWB Steakhouse, where a meat sommelier will help you choose your favorite cut of beef to cook on the wood-fired grill. Just be sure to order the flaky short rib empanada to start. For a truly special occasion, consider reserving a table at Le Chique next to the hotel. Voted one of the 50 best restaurants in Latin America, it serves modern, elaborate Mexican tasting menus with more than 20 dishes and wine pairings that are worth leaving the all-inclusive bubble.

Rooms at Margaritaville Island Reserve Riviera Maya start from £395 per night based on two sharing. Book at karismahotels.com. Tui flies to Cancun from London Gatwick. Book at Tui.co.uk.