This should have been a four-star review, but unfortunately our last experience left a sour taste in our mouths.
We’ve been visiting Excellence Resorts for 20 years, and this was our fourth stay at Excellence Riviera Cancun. We always book an Ocean View Swim Up here, it’s been our favorite setup for years.
Since our first visit, there’s really only one major change we’ve loved: Magna Restaurant and the Magna/Excellence Club bar. This location is by far the best Magna we’ve experienced. We dined there three times this trip, including a wonderful birthday dinner. A huge thank you to Jennifer (manager), Edgar, Manuel, and Alejandro (servers), and Luis, the bartender extraordinaire (try the smoky tequila!).
What We Loved
As always, the day-to-day staff is phenomenal and a huge reason guests return year after year. Special thanks to:
Jose (bellman)
Fernando (Spice)
Hector (The Grill)
Kevin (Oregano lunches)
Fernando (Agave)
Pablo (Kitchen Table lunch)
Amable, Moises, and Mariana- who made a one day appearance at EC side (beach servers)
The wonderful women at Aroma every morning
Carlos (trainee bartender at Cielo)
Joel, Mario, and Samuel (Excellence Club beach/pool attendants who even found me at lunch and serenaded me for my birthday!) Joel and Samuel were wonderful to talk to and always willing to help when they saw us.
The beach and water were the best we’ve ever seen with many clear days (though windy days still bring murkiness). They do an excellent job maintaining it compared to other nearby resorts.
Claudia was fantastic as always, and we loved the silent disco. Angel-O and Diana coming over to the Excellence Club pool to host Bingo and Blackjack was a very nice touch (and yes, I participated!). We remember when this pool would have “special” Excellence moments so it was nice to see something.
The grounds remain beautiful, and we visited every pool at least once. While some weren’t heated, they were comfortable with the great weather. The swim-up bar area was more lively than we’ve ever seen.
Dining overall was very good. Besides Magna, we loved:
The sushi at Spice
The special Mexican night at Agave (highly recommend)
The Cuban sandwich at Kitchen Table
The caprese appetizer at Oregano
Chez Isabelle and Las Olas were just okay this time. We missed the rotating theme lunches at Las Olas, though the seafood appetizers were great.
What’s Changed and Not for the Better
This trip, more than others, we noticed what was missing.:
The perks of Excellence Club continue to shrink while prices continue to rise. With the Club lounge now located far from the rooms, we barely used it except for dinner and drinks. It used to be a wonderful place for early morning coffee and snacks. Now everyone must go to Aroma which is lovely but busy and less convenient. Moving the Club is a significant loss.
We also never encountered a concierge in the Excellence Club area. We used to always have one who would check in with us etc. Also, in past stays, our swim-up bed was made daily without asking. This time, I either had to find someone to set it up or do it myself.
If you want a bed by the Excellence Club pool, expect to tip heavily. Many were reserved early by the staff and sat empty until late morning. Meanwhile, all swim-up rooms are covered and mostly shaded, so these guests also seek sun by the pool. A simple solution would be adjustable covers or umbrellas over the swim up pool beds and more pool seats.
We also noticed a lack of service at our swim-up bed. While we received drink service (usually from the fantastic Ivan), we didn’t receive the snack, fruit, or cold towel service we watched others receive around the pool. If you’re in the swim-up you paid extra for, you miss out on that added touch.
Diamond members still receive the Ritual spa perk, but it can no longer be combined with hydrotherapy, and we heard the hydrotherapy circuit has been shortened and limited to only a certain time in the day.
And please — stop making guests rely on their phones all day. We come on vacation to disconnect. Now you need your phone for restaurant menus, bar menus, and activities. We truly miss the Excellence Times newsletter as it was a special nightly touch we looked forward to.
The rooms are also feeling tired and in need of updating. Despite running the air conditioning all day, our clothes felt damp and smelled musty. At night, the air would intermittently shut off, waking us due to the heat. We also missed the scent of white tea and sage that had been used in all areas of the hotel.
The Biggest Disappointment
What ultimately dropped this from four stars to three were two major issues:
First, prior to arrival, I emailed multiple times (using four different email addresses) with basic questions and a request to book the wine cellar for a special dinner. I never received a single response. With Leylan gone, there seems to be a noticeable service gap.
Second, and most disappointing, our return flight was canceled due to a blizzard in the Northeast. We were unable to secure another flight until Wednesday.
Early that morning, I went to the Excellence Club lounge for assistance. Jennifer tried to help but said she didn’t have system access and would need a manager after 10am. I attempted to call the reservations line, but after repeated long holds, I was disconnected multiple times, incredibly frustrating as anyone who has called knows.
After returning at 10am, I had to re-explain the situation and wait again. We were told they cannot make reservations at the resort and have to go through main office (like when we call). After waiting a long time, I was told no rooms were available and we still had to check out at noon. They offered to cover a taxi to another hotel (since we wouldn’t be using Seasons for airport transport), but we ultimately paid for it ourselves.
As 20-year loyal guests and Diamond members, we expected more compassion and effort. We understand weather disruptions are not the hotel’s fault, however, the response, especially on a day when there were safety concerns in Puerto Vallarta, felt cold and transactional. It felt like loyalty simply didn’t matter.
Because of this experience, we are hesitant to return to this resort or any other Excellence property.
