Platinum Yucatan Princess Hotel

Will Dan

We just spent seven wonderful days at the Platinum Yucatan Princess, a beautiful five-star resort in the Riviera Maya. The property is spotless — the rooms were cleaned thoroughly every day, and the entire resort felt very well maintained. The pools were a highlight: one lively party pool and a calmer one closer to the beach, perfect for every mood. The staff were genuinely kind and attentive. Special shoutouts to Fernanda, the buffet manager, who always greeted us with a big smile, and to our wonderful waiters Miguel and Brian — Brian had us laughing with his hilarious cat and cricket impressions! Hostess Karen was also fantastic. The only downside was the beach, which had a lot of seaweed and a pretty strong smell during our stay in late May. That seems to be seasonal, though, and didn’t ruin our overall experience. We also booked a catamaran and beach excursion through Air Canada. The catamaran portion was excellent, and overall the excursion was very enjoyable. However, there were a few things we wish had been explained more clearly beforehand. Once arriving at the beach, umbrellas cost extra — around $20–$35 for two hours — which was disappointing under the intense sun. Also, food and drinks were only included during the one-hour buffet meal. Since the beach stop lasted about four hours, we strongly recommend bringing your own water and snacks, as any additional drinks had to be purchased separately. It would have been helpful if this had been communicated more clearly in advance. Overall, we’d definitely recommend this resort. The staff, cleanliness, atmosphere, and pools made for an amazing vacation — just maybe avoid peak seaweed season if a pristine beach is your top priority. Worth the trip!

Raven Symone D.

I rarely leave negative reviews, but after spending a significant amount of money on what was advertised as a luxury, adults-only, five-star resort, I feel obligated to share our experience. From the moment my sister and I arrived, the resort fell far short of its five-star reputation. The property lacked energy, there were very few organized activities, and we often found ourselves wandering around trying to find something to do. The beach was also disappointing due to the overwhelming amount of sargassum. While I understand it’s a natural occurrence, the strong odor from the decaying seaweed made spending time by the ocean unpleasant. The biggest disappointment was the food. Meal after meal was overcooked, under-seasoned, lukewarm, or simply lacked care. Between restaurant hours, the only options were hamburgers, hot dogs, cold fries, and nachos. Traveling to Mexico only to eat mediocre American snack food was incredibly disappointing. Our hibachi dinner was one of the worst meals of the trip. Nearly everything was drowned in butter and black pepper, completely overpowering the food. Shortly afterward, I became very sick with diarrhea and persistent stomach issues that completely changed the remainder of our vacation. I can’t say with certainty which meal caused it, but I arrived healthy and became ill after eating at the resort. Four days after returning home, we’re still recovering from gastrointestinal illness. The sister property was no better, offering the same disappointing food, lack of activities, and lifeless atmosphere. The cocktails were poorly made, inconsistent, and often left unfinished. Room service routinely arrived cold and felt anything but luxurious. Another baffling choice was the heated main pool in nearly 90-degree weather. Instead of cooling off, it felt like bathwater. Even with a discount, the spa was overpriced, and $30 USD taxi rides each way made leaving the resort expensive. I’ve attached photos so future travelers can judge for themselves. The room was plain and underwhelming, the bathroom fixtures showed visible corrosion, and even the room service menu reflected the lack of quality, consisting mainly of burgers, hot dogs, fries, pizza, and nachos rather than food representative of Mexico or a luxury resort. Before booking, I encourage future guests to read recent reviews and social media comments, not just the promotional photos. After our stay, we found many guests describing experiences similar to ours, including reports of becoming ill. While every situation is different, seeing those recurring stories after our own experience was concerning. Luxury is more than a five-star label—it’s quality food, thoughtful service, engaging activities, cleanliness, and guests leaving refreshed instead of sick. Unfortunately, that was not our experience, and I cannot recommend this resort. After a 6 day vacation, instead of coming home refreshed, we’re still trying to feel normal again. This was by far the absolute worst vacation experience.

Laklyn Benton

The staff here was absolutely amazing! My husband and I booked the romantic message and the ladies definitely delivered. Isabel and Evelyn were absolutely amazing! They were very gentle and respectful. They decorated the room very beautifully to set such a great atmosphere before the message. Bruno was an amazing host. The staff welcomed up with refreshing iced tea and warm smile. Absolutely loved my experience!

Eric S

It was -fine-. Considering I left the compound 3 out of the 5 days I was there should say a lot. The sargassum can't be blamed on the hotel... The only dining options outside of dinnertime (when the restaurants are open) is the buffet and the buffet is lacking. I was going to say that at least the breakfast portion is good but on my last day they even screwed that up. Still don't understand how they made waffles that dry. And when the buffet is closed all they offer is a limited "snack menu," and that was the worst cheeseburger I've ever had in my life. Twice. Thought the first time was a fluke... That said the staff was excellent but there's just so much they can do the aging infrastructure I guess.

Katie DeLuna

We recently stayed at the Princess Yucatán resort in Playa del Carmen, and unfortunately the experience was very disappointing overall. The biggest issue was the beach and seaweed situation. I completely understand that sargassum is a natural occurrence and not something the resort can fully control, and I do appreciate that workers were out there tirelessly shoveling and trying to clear it throughout the day. However, the amount of seaweed was overwhelming. There were literal mounds of it lining the shore to the point where getting into the ocean was nearly impossible. The smell was also extremely strong, like rotten eggs, and it extended far beyond the beach itself. We could even smell it outside our hotel room, which made it difficult to enjoy relaxing outside in the mornings or evenings. The customer service from several concierge staff members also left A LOT to be desired. One employee questioned me in a rude tone when I asked for extra towels, even though towels were visibly available behind the desk. Another concierge rolled her eyes when I asked about possible room upgrades. Small interactions like these really affect the overall atmosphere of a stay, especially at an all-inclusive resort where guests are simply asking for basic assistance. While some staff members worked very hard and were friendly, the resort overall did not meet the expectations we had based on the price and reviews. The grounds themselves average (in need of upgrades), but the beach conditions and lack of welcoming customer service made it difficult to fully enjoy our vacation. I truly wanted to love this trip, but I don’t think I would return or recommend it unless major improvements are made in guest service and travelers are made more aware of the beach conditions during heavy seaweed season.