This is the strangest thing —
In 2020 just before the COVID crisis broke out we had such a cold winter here in Canada we made reservations for the Akumal region of Mexico ( 105 km / 65 miles to Cancun) . We stayed at Sunscape Akumal Resort and Spa. The resort wasn’t what I call 4 star , mor like 3 star. That being said, the beach and ocean was the best-of-the-best. The food options were ok ; as a Chef I always expect more. Nevertheless, to the average person and family it’s not bad either.
So — what’s strange about it ?
In 2023 World of Hyatt bought all Sunscape Resort properties with Sunscape Akumal being one of them. The strangest thing is, since World of Hyatt took over, they removed Sunscape Akumal from the listings, without any information of renovations or when it plans to reopen. Sunscape Akumal is completely removed from all travelling companies , such as Trip Advisor. Not only did Trip Advisor remove Sunscape Akumal, they removed all past reviews on it.
It’s as if Sunscape Akumal doesn’t exist.
I sent an email and asked World of Hyatt , including Twitter, with no replies.
Here’s my past review after our trip in February 2020 :
Hey guys — Here’s our review of Sunscape Akumal Resort and Spa.
First and foremost, this is an All Inclusive Resort. All Inclusive means food and drinks are included . Unfortunately I misplaced the video of our room. That being said, the room was spacious and good.
The PROS :
The family oriented resort is situated in Akumal region of Riviera Maya with its own sandy beach cove, prefect for kayaking, snorkelling, swimming and paddle boarding. It’s a calm beach cove inlet protected by reefs in the distance.
However, do expect windy days. They have flags related to the conditions :
Red Flag : rough but still ok if you’re a good swimmer ( at your own risk of course )
Yellow Flag : calm and nice
White Flag : Jelly fish have invaded the ocean – stay out !
Black Flag : Stay the hell out – lol.
The staff are indeed friendly to guests and omg…hardworking too.
The resort property is smartly divided from the kiddie pools to the Adult pools.
The secret gem is indeed “Coco Cafe” overlooking the kiddies pool area. It’s open 24 hrs and offers yummy carrot cake and assorted pastries, plus coffee drinks professional displayed, such as cappuccino and mocha. After 12 midnight they offer sandwiches if you like. And let’s not forget the fruit favourable sherbets and sometimes, ice cream starting at 12 Noon. The staff are adorable here.
The beach – OMG! The sandy beach 🏖 is so so awesome ! The ocean views are spectacular!
IF you participate in the SUN CLUB MEMBER opportunity you are allowed on the roof top featuring an overall view of the beach and resort. It has 4 or 5 jetted cool pools for guests of (I say) up to 4, with two loungers beside each mini pool. There are six Bed Loungers available, however you better get there first or you’re out of luck. West Jet offered this Sun Club Package at $80 per guest. It also gets you inside restaurants only for Sun Club members, plus one bottle of spirits in your room. Your room is upgraded, plus you can book your plane seats right away with Westjet , instead of waiting that 24 hr mark.
The entertainment is awesome ; each night the staff offer staged entertainment, like the awesome “Fire Show” for one. Another was the “Circus Show” which was interactive and entertaining for the whole family – a must see !
The breakfast grill cook ( a young woman) was supper good at her job. I had to tip her for her fast service. She was fast at making omelettes – Well done !
The waiters and hostess at “Windows Buffet “ were simply wonderful and accommodating to each guest. Be sure to tip them a couple of dollars for their service. They will remember you !
All the pastries and desserts were good and acceptable. It just depends on your taste.
The DA MARIO restaurant had fresh eggs Benedict for the breakfast- it was yummy ! This restaurant is only for Sun Club members – so be advised.
Once during the week, the staff worked hard to provide their guests a buffet right on the beach, plus entertainment with dancing option. That was a pleasant surprise 😎
They stocked their room fridges with filtered water, pop and beer everyday.
Rooms by housekeeping were acceptably cleaned each day.
The ancient Mayan tours were pretty amazing ; the Yucatán area included Chichen Itza, and Tulum. The Chichen Itza was an all day guided tour including swimming in a cenote, visit to Valladolid, and traditional Mexican buffet lunch with refreshments and cocktails. It cost us $425 for two. The air conditioned touring bus was indeed a plus.
Big Tip : Before entering Chichen Itza be sure you have water with you. They don’t supply water inside the ruins . We didn’t realize how humid and hot it was during our tour and pretty much became dehydrated.
THE CONS :
1. Beware of Timeshare sellers in the main lobby of the resort. They try to tell you it’s NOT “Timeshares” BUT indeed it is the same as a timeshare . If you have to pay yearly mandatory fees and it must be sold to get out of it , it’s a timeshare. They will try to trick you as you arrive, as if it’s part of the tour of the resort. They will offer you useless coupons and take you on a wasted 4 hour tour of their sister resort SECRETS – it’s supposed to be a 5 Diamond Resort. One younger couple on their first honeymoon were bombarded by these slick Timeshare Operators and unfortunately were treated badly, when they too realized it was a timeshare scam.
Simply say No Thank you and ask for your room. Talk to your West Jet Representative that are inconveniently placed in the back of the property.
2. Try and reserve a lounge chair is simply impossible. First come ! First serve! Not enough lounge chairs for the amount of guests. Everyone and their dog scrambled first thing in the morning to Mark their territory, by placing down a towel and personnel item, plus beach clamps to keep the towels in place. You have no choice but to be out there by 6:30 am if you want a lounge chair or lounge bed of any kind.
Being Sun Club Members, I believe it would of been nice if they offered reservations on a lounger for Sun Club Members. Even the roof top for “Sun Club Members only” was filled beyond its member capacity. However, the service was wonderful in regards to drinks.
3. The Food : OK maybe I’m hard on them in regards to the food, but seriously, where’s the variety of food items ?
Don’t expect lobster, shrimp or crab. It would of been nice to see a Shrimp Tower or Seafood Tower Buffet. Maybe that’s why it’s a 4 Star Resort ? You want fresh lobster ? They will sell you a 4 oz portion for $70 American per person – I get it cheaper here in Canada for crying-out-loud – lol.
Forget trying any beef item, it’s tougher then nails. Except the burgers. They have the option of fresh cooked hamburgers ( lunch ) and omelettes or fresh eggs ( for breakfast).
It would of been nice to see freshly cooked hashbrowns on the grill instead of their McDonalds type of deep fried rectangles. Maybe a nice Italian sausage with fried onions would be a plus.
Each restaurant didn’t offer enough variety and the small fruit selection wasn’t anything special.
I guess, going to Vegas every year, enjoying their extravagant buffets (at The Wynn for example) has me expecting the same standards in Mexico. Overall the buffets were so-so. Please, more freshly cooked food items, seafood 🦞and fresh pasta dishes would be nice. The kids chicken wings and french fries were good for the kiddies.
4. On our Sun Club Member Program we were expected “Turndown Service” . We did not experience this at all. Our room was located on second floor. We were also expecting “Late Check-Out” as per our Sun Club membership. Their excuse was always “ Not at this hotel !” So that was so unfortunate…
5. There wasn’t enough sitting room in the main lobby/ lounge area. End of the evening it was typical to see everyone scrambling for a chair, so they could enjoy their evening drink before bed. Indeed, it was musical chairs – lol.
6. Last day – no one helped me take my luggage down the main steps of their front foyer, even after I tipped the bellboy. Even the driver starred at me while I struggled with my luggage. No tip for him.
OVERALL
It’s a nice small family resort with the best beach view I would match with Maui. Don’t expect great food. The beer isn’t that cold either. Great for the whole family but not an Adult Resort catering to dining selections you see in Hawaii or Vegas. There’s lots of water sport activities for any age and cool ancient ruins tours around every corner. Stay away from 5th Ave in Playa Del Carmen, it’s expensive to me. Nevertheless everyone I talked to enjoyed it. Guess I’m not a shopper lol. I must say the vibe in Playa Del Carmen is pretty exciting.
IN CONCLUSION:
Sunscape Akumal Resort is a fun family oriented with plenty activities and acceptable kids food friendly options. The staff throughout the resort were friendly and knowledgeable. The crew at a small pizza restaurant were extremely accommodating that I didn’t have the heart to tell them their pizza needs a makeover lol ; wish I could show them how easy it is to prepare a proper pizza dough. Nevertheless, the staff were wonderful during our stay.
It’s unfortunate World of Hyatt hasn’t reopened this particular resort. It may need a few upgrades, but overall Sunscape Akumal Resort was indeed a place for the whole family. It’s puzzling why World of Hyatt or Trip Advisor won’t even answer my emails or even on their social feed on twitter. Hopefully they’re doing renovations and it will open up soon. If not, there’s always RUI who offer great resorts throughout Mexico and beyond. In fact, Cancun has some spectacular resorts owned by RUI
Cheers !
Leave a Reply