PGA Riviera Maya Golf Club with Golf Digest recognition is on-site with guest discounts — the strongest argument for golfers choosing this over other Riviera Maya all-inclusives.
Cross-complex dining at Grand Tulum and Grand Tequila (18+) significantly expands restaurant variety for stays of 5+ nights.
The Brazilian Rodizio at Gran Tortuga is consistently the highest-rated specialty dinner in guest reviews across the complex.
Kids Club cooking classes (pizza-making, etc.) get specifically mentioned in family reviews as one of the best activity programme elements.
The jungle grounds with bridges and lake-style pools create a more atmospheric setting than the typical flat-terrain Cancún-strip resort.
Cons
Rooms are dated — worn furniture, cracked tile grout, and occasional maintenance issues appear across recent reviews despite the 'Origen' renovation. Request a recently refurbished room at check-in.
The beach requires a 5-minute shuttle and has visible erosion with sandbags — this is not a beachfront resort in the conventional sense.
The resort's size (1,080 rooms) means shuttle dependence for getting anywhere — build wait time into your schedule.
The remote Akumal location means any off-site excursion requires expensive taxis or organised transfers.
Sandals Royal Barbados
Pros
The rooftop infinity pool is the Caribbean's first — an evening pool experience with ocean views that's unavailable at other Sandals properties
All-suite property means no standard rooms — every guest has suite-level accommodations
'Stay at One, Play at Two' with adjacent Sandals Barbados effectively doubles dining to 20+ restaurants and 10+ bars
15-minute transfer from Grantley Adams International Airport — one of the shortest Sandals arrivals in the Caribbean
Lovers Lanes bowling alley and craft beer bar are genuine novelties within the all-inclusive format
Cons
Maxwell Beach is a public beach — other hotel guests and persistent local vendors are present and regularly cited by guests
Summary
Sandals Royal Barbados has a higher guest rating, while Sandals Royal Barbados has more restaurants, while Bahia Principe Grand Coba is the larger property, while Sandals Royal Barbados has more dining venues, while Bahia Principe Grand Coba offers more activities.
