Occidental - Occidental At Xcaret Destination
Riviera Maya, MXAll travelers
Our take
All‑inclusive resort next to Xcaret Park with jungle, wildlife, and multiple pools.
- 765 rooms
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Resort facts & overview
- Location
- Riviera Maya, MX
- Audience
- All travelers
- Brand
- Independent
- Rooms
- 765
- Dining listed
- -
Why travelers love it
“All‑inclusive resort next to Xcaret Park with jungle, wildlife, and multiple pools.”
Guests love the immediate access to Xcaret park, lush jungle grounds with wildlife, and the variety of pools including an adults‑only saltwater option.
Food & drink
MixedBuffet-heavy dining that fills plates but rarely wows, with limited à la carte access thanks to a two-day reservation cap. Royal Level guests eat notably better than the main resort.
high confidence
What you'll enjoy
- Abundant buffet variety for picky eaters
- Royal Level restaurant is a standout
- Attentive waitstaff at sit-downs
- Chef Miguel Martinez checks in with guests
Heads up
- Buffets repeat across breakfast, lunch, dinner
- Specialty restaurants bookable only 2 days out
- Same tables sit empty while 'full' is claimed
Dining overview
11 restaurants including buffets and specialty a la carte (Mexican, seafood, Italian, Asian fusion, steakhouse) and about 10 bars including a nightclub and late‑night pizza/tacos spot.
Beach
MixedThere is no true beach, just a small netted cove that stays sargassum-free when the coast doesn't. Great for toddlers and calm swims, a letdown if you want open sand.
high confidence
What you'll enjoy
- Netted cove blocks seaweed and waves
- Calm water ideal for young kids
- Cove restaurant with attentive waiters
Heads up
- Very small and gets crowded
- Not a real ocean beach experience
- Sargassum smell drifts in at times
- Loungers worn out
The resort has a man‑made lagoon beach with limited natural sand and calm protected water suitable for snorkeling. The coastline outside is rocky.
Pools
StrongMultiple large pools scattered through the jungle mean you rarely feel packed in, and the aquatic aerobics with Yadira has a cult following. Furniture and one swim-up bar show their age.
high confidence
What you'll enjoy
- Several sizable pools across the property
- Pool aerobics classes are a highlight
- Fish pool a hit with kids
- Rarely feels crowded
Heads up
- Swing swim-up bar left closed
- Loungers visibly worn
- 8pm pool closure surprises guests
Seven pools in total: five freshwater, one adults‑only saltwater pool, a kids’ pool, a swim‑up bar pool, and exclusive Royal Level pool and whirlpool area.
Rooms & suites
765 rooms765 rooms and suites, many recently refurbished, ranging from standard Deluxe to Royal Level Master Suites with two bedrooms, living area, balcony or terrace.
Room details here are AI-assisted, compiled from the resort's own website and public sources. Categories and names change often — confirm the exact room when you book.
What’s included
StrongPriced sensibly for what you get: a beautiful jungle setting and Xcaret Park access, but not a true five-star product. Repeat visitors keep coming back precisely because expectations are set right.
high confidence
What you'll enjoy
- Reasonable rates for Riviera Maya
- Xcaret Park pass bundles well
- Repeat guests going back 15-20+ years
- Rooms spacious for the price
Heads up
- Furniture and rooms feel dated
- Not a genuine 5-star experience
- Extras and park discounts require upsells
Package inclusions and upgrade access have not been collected yet. Confirm them for your room and dates when booking.
Amenities & activities
Couples
Good fitFine for anniversaries and honeymoons if you book Royal Level, where the jacuzzi suites and private restaurant do the romantic heavy lifting. The main resort skews too family-lively for a pure couples retreat.
medium confidence
What you'll enjoy
- Royal Level rooms with in-room jacuzzis
- Jungle setting feels genuinely unique
- Quiet nature paths for morning walks
- 29th anniversary and honeymoon stays praised
Heads up
- Main resort is family-dominated
- Timeshare pitches interrupt the romance
Families
IdealA genuine multigenerational winner: netted cove for toddlers, wildlife everywhere, huge pools, and a direct walking path to Xcaret Park. Ages 5 to 84 all find something.
high confidence
What you'll enjoy
- Protected cove safe for babies and toddlers
- Monkeys, deer, macaws, coatis on the grounds
- Multiple large pools spread the crowds
- 5-minute walk into Xcaret Park
Heads up
- Pools close at 8pm
- Arcade games mostly broken
Peace & Quiet
StrongThe jungle setting delivers real serenity between the buildings, with wildlife instead of loud entertainment as the soundtrack. It's peaceful without being sleepy.
high confidence
What you'll enjoy
- Lush vegetation muffles resort noise
- Wildlife sightings replace pool-party vibes
- Easy to find a secluded corner
- Serene grounds even at capacity
Heads up
- Michael Jackson tribute show and evening entertainment on the main plaza
Spa with sauna and hot tub, theater with nightly entertainment, nightclub, fitness center, non‑motorized sports (kayak, archery, tennis, mini‑golf), and PADI dive shop at extra cost.
What guests say
High confidence991 reviews · through Nov 2026
Read all reviews on TripAdvisor ↗Google ↗
Based on older reviews
Recurring complaints
No recurring complaint theme found in the reviews analyzed.
Best suited for
What past guests say
“I thank Chef Caro for catering to my request for plant-based food.”
★★★★☆
“Excellent place to spend an amazing weekend. The facilities and scenery are picture-perfect. The staff is very friendly, especially Hanssel, who was very helpful in answering our questions. The waiters and bartenders provided excellent service. The food was delicious, and the drinks were even better.”
★★★★★
“Chef Aurelio and Rigo, from the Mexican restaurant, made our stay very pleasant. All the staff are great, but they, in particular, made us feel extremely special during our stay.”
★★★★★
“Francisco at la hacienda was a great server!! Cheers”
★★★★★
“Excellent service at Los Olivos from Patricia del Carmen Tamay”
★★★★★
Latest reviews from Tripadvisor
Loaded live from Tripadvisor when you ask — the newest reviews and the current rating.
Read all reviews on Google (37,403) ↗
Ask Rosie
Have a specific question about Occidental - Occidental At Xcaret Destination?
Rosie answers from this resort’s guest reviews and our research — with quotes.
Know before you book
- Crowded buffets and pool competition at peak occupancy
- Slow check‑in and confusing food availability windows
- Some reports of humid or moldy room smells
- Limited natural beach and man‑made lagoon only
What you should know
What to Know
Come prepared for aggressive vacation-club pitches, a two-day-out restaurant reservation scramble, and building-specific check-in. Xcaret Park discounts advertised on-site aren't automatic.
high confidence
What you'll enjoy
- Direct walking access to Xcaret Park
- Trams shuttle you around the sprawl
- Royal Level upgrade genuinely elevates the stay
- Wildlife wanders the paths freely
Heads up
- Persistent timeshare and VIP membership sales pressure
- Restaurant reservations open only 2 days ahead and vanish fast
- Check-in happens at your building, not the lobby
- Xcaret discounts require additional purchases
- Trams and airport shuttles run late
Check‑in can be slow; plan to arrive before noon or pre‑check in online to avoid long lines. Specialty restaurants fill quickly—reserve early. Towels and QR codes can be hard to locate—ask directions.
All photos
Photo: Tripadvisor
Photo: Tripadvisor
Photo: Tripadvisor
Photo: Tripadvisor
Photo: Tripadvisor
Ready?
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What we know
Everything below comes from data we collected: here's the inventory for this resort.Updated July 2026- Photos
- 5
- Review excerpts
- 20
- Dining venues
- Not yet collected
- Menus
- Not yet collected
- Room categories
- Not yet collected
- Videos
- 3
- Editorial lenses
- 8
We aggregate. We don't trap. Verify on any of these:
Where this data comes from
We tell you what we know, and what we don't.
- Last updated
- July 18, 2026
- Sources
- Google PlacesDirect resort media
- Completeness
- 50%
Source collection snapshot
These collection totals can differ from the items available on this page. Video totals include screened results; the inventory above counts published tours.
- 5 photos
- 18 videos
Still verifying dining, menus, rooms. If something looks thin, ask Rosie or ask our booking team and they can usually fill in the gaps.