HotelChatter

Getting There
More than likely you will fly into Cancun (CUN). If you are not renting a car you can schedule an airport transfer with the Rosewood for $200. The drive from Cancun is 35 minutes south through the Riviera Maya, which is basically a group of beachfront resorts.

Common Areas
There are two restaurants on site (Casa Del Lago & Punta Bonita) plus the Agave Azul Raw Bar & Tequila Library. There is also Senses, the spa with a full menu of treatments, a fitness center, three pools, resort shops, and a game room. Bonus note: You can take a drink from any of the bars to the game room, or wherever so you are not restricted, in fact you are encouraged to explore all areas of the resort.

This is the kind of resort you can hole up at for days without leaving. However, you are only 10 minutes from the Playa Del Carmen scene, and you are a five minute walk to either of the neighboring resorts if you want to interact with folks outside the resort.

Room Reaction
Suite #505 featured a giant foyer, a bedroom with a flat screen television that led to a large bathroom with bath, shower, and outdoor area. On the other side of the foyer was a living room with yet another flat screen television that opened up to a patio area with stairs leading to a private roof deck with plunge pool, lounge chairs, and roof solarium. Jaw droppin' room for sure.

Property
There's 128 luxury suites, ranging from 800 to 3200 square feet. At check-in you will be taken via boat to your suite, and the rest of the time you will get around the resort on foot or by golf cart. The design is definitely modern but it blends in nicely with the lagoon environment. Despite the fact that the lagoons were man-made, the hotel has done a great job of featuring many of the natural elements at the resort. For instance, an ancient underground river system actually feeds the Mayakoba canals. Furthermore, we spotted baby crocodiles along the lagoon banks and were told that a biologist is on staff to help take care of the animals on the property.

Pool
There are three pools. The main -- all adults here, right under the main restaurant, hardly ever crowded. The infinity pool -- beachfront pool gets plenty of traffic, but doesn't feel crowded because it opens right onto the beach. Spa pool -- want to have an entire pool to yourself? Head to the spa pool during the off season and you will probably not see another resorter.

Privacy
We thought of HotelChatter editor Jenna's hotel sex guide more than once on our trip. You see privacy varies at Rosewood Mayakoba. For instance, the spa island suites are so private if you stayed in your suite the entire trip you probably would not see another guests. Many spa island and Lagoon Suites have private outdoor showers as well -- again there is no risk of showing yourself to your fellow resorters here. However, as you get closer to the beach privacy wanes, naturally. First, there are more people congregating around the beachfront pool and restaurant. Second, we noticed that from our rooftop pool we could see straight down to the restaurant. We also noticed while eating at the restaurant we could see straight up to our rooftop. Furthermore, as gawkers walk along the beach it is easy to peer into the deck area of the beachfront suites.

And remember, many suites come with neighbors. For instance, the ocean front suites are really a single building with four killer suites (two top and two bottom). You will hear your neighbors. Especially if one of your neighbors tends to be a full on screamer. Yeah ... we will leave it at that.

What all this means is if you want the most possible privacy but still want to be beachfront -- choose a high numbered Ocean View or Beachfront Suite -- something 510 or over for Ocean, 410 or over for beachfront.

If you want the most possible privacy go spa island suite or neighbor free lagoon suite.

Suites
The suites here are absolutely drop dead gorgeous. The Spanish design firm Casa & Jardin did an incredible job both on the exterior and interior of these suites. Each suite comes with its own boat dock, and it appears the design team was fully concious of the environment around the resort -- nothing feels out of place, the flora and fauna flow into the design of the resort perfectly.

All suites have plunge pools, multiple flat screen tvs, epsresso makers, bottled water, free WiFi, and a ipod dock.

Service
Most suites come with private butler service. What that means is not only can you call on a butler at any time, but the butler will also do little things at no charge such as lighting candles for you while you are at dinner, drawing a bubble bath for you, or making sure your requested food or drink is there for you in the evening or the morning.

Everyone resort worker we ran into was friendly and greeted you with a "Buenos Dias". However, the golf cart transportation, a favorite at resorts like this, gets a bit tiresome when the worker to guest ratio is so high. Then again, maybe that's just cause we would rather walk everywhere.

Location
Mayakoba is a new development housing five resorts and a golf course. There is a lagoon system that connects all Mayakoba so you can actually go from resort to restort via boat if you wish. Mayakoba is about a $25 cab ride (10 minutes or so) from Playa Del Carmen and all its 5th Avenue shopping, clubbing, and entertainment. The beach at Mayakoba is actually bigger than you think, if you walk it you can go for about a mile in both directions from the Rosewood.

View
From #505 the view could not be beat. You could stare out at the ocean towards Cozumel, look down the coast in either direction or glance behind you over the Rosewood lagoons.

Cost
It ranges. We went during the "dead zone of travel", which is considered off season, but couldn't find many rates lower than the ones offered on the Rosewood website -- and we tried. A couple of independent online travel agents could get us the list rate plus $100 resort credit, but that was where the deal appeared to end. Lagoon suites start at $590 and deluxe oceanview beach suites top out at $1650, but remember those are off season prices. The resort was 65% full when we arrived and we were told by staff that occupancy was scheduled to be at 100% over the holidays.

Bottom Line
If you are a honeymooner or looking for a romantic getaway to an "soft rock resort" (low key scene hotel with a softer side) in the Rivieria Maya you can't do much better than the Rosewood Mayakoba. We recommend trying a place like this during the off season if possible -- fewer guests and lower prices. Once here, you will be doted on in paradise, just be sure to choose your suite wisely based on what you are looking for -- privacy, easy beach access, or square footage.

Full Disclosure: The Rosewood Mayakoba was nice enough to give us a media discount on the rate for our visit.