TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

A bit late posting. In the end, we would not return and DO NOT RECOMMEND. 1) The online photos look a lot better than reality. Sadly, this is a very run down property, lots of things that could be easily repaired or replaced that has been ignored by the ownership (profits and all). FAR from the 5-star experience we were sold. 2) Staff are nice - the best part about this resort. 3) Beach - not a plus. Partially due to it being public/busy/loud and partially due to uncontrollable sargassum - not their fault but still ick for a "beach holiday". 4) Contacting anyone at this resort prior to our arrival was a fail. My several emails and WhatsApp messages to every and any number I could find related to this resort - nada. I could not imagine if you required assistance for a wedding, a special event or if you run into an issue - good luck! 5) HIDDEN COSTS - Regardless of what their website states, or whether you are booking All-Inclusive, or not, KNOW that no matter who you booked through, or what they told you, or what the circumstances, there WILL BE an additional daily amount you will be expected to pay when you arrive. *Per Person, per day extra fees as follows; $35 USD resort fee + $15 USD "service" fee, plus as of this point in time (Feb 2026), a $2 USD per day environmental fee. For a couple, that totals an extra $104 USD per day to the price you expected to pay. $730 USD Extra per week, 13000 Mexican Pesos, 650 Euro, 550 British Pounds, over $1000 Canadian ... EXTRA on top of the premium already paid for your "all inclusive". It is how SNEAKY the approach to this is that annoyed us most. Just include it in your quoted price! And seriously, this resort has got to start to fix stuff that is ripped, broken, dilapidated, dirty. Unacceptable. I wish I had read the negative reviews more carefully prior to booking and especially should have reviewed the photos of how broken down this place is more closely. Way better options to consider for the cost and offerings.

Deceptive Management Undermines What Could Be a Wonderful Resort We have been loyal guests of Mahekal Beach Resort for many years—multiple trips annually with family and friends who come because of our glowing recommendations. The warmth and dedication of the waitstaff, bartenders, and room attendants are truly exceptional. They are the heart and soul of this resort and the primary reason guests return time and again. Unfortunately, our most recent stay in January 2025 revealed a disturbing side to Mahekal: the management’s dishonesty and failure to protect their guests. During our visit, a large sum of cash was stolen from our room safe. Despite immediately reporting the theft and being assured of a thorough investigation, management did nothing. They had clear security footage pointing to the culprit, yet no action was taken. It was only after I publicly confronted them in the lobby that they finally acknowledged the incident. Their “resolution” was a voucher for a future stay, valid for one year and with numerous restrictions—including blackout dates during peak holiday seasons. Attempts to redeem this voucher over the following year were repeatedly ignored or denied without explanation. Even the General Manager, Gabriel Bonilla, who signed the voucher, failed to ensure it was honored. In January 2026, the voucher expired without being used, despite our efforts. When we requested a credit instead, management insultingly offered just $200—an unacceptable token given our loyalty and spending. They then extended the voucher once more, but now, with an April 2026 trip planned to meet the chef and wedding coordinator (our daughter has chosen Mahekal for her wedding), the resort refuses to honor it again. Despite assurances from staff that we would receive a response, silence and excuses about “high season” persist—even though the voucher explicitly excludes blackout dates, and we are booking additional rooms. It’s heartbreaking. The resort itself is lovely, but the management’s neglect and poor customer care are destroying what once made Mahekal special. Since the ownership change, the food quality has declined, beloved longtime staff have disappeared, and the grounds are no longer maintained with pride. I am committed to fulfilling my existing contract this year out of principle, but after that, I will never return or recommend Mahekal Beach Resort again. The only bright spot is the incredible staff, whom I look forward to seeing outside of work because they deserve far better than the management that has failed both them and loyal guests like us.

There are already a number of similar reviews on this topic, and unfortunately my experience has been the same. I made a fully cancellable booking direct through the Mahekal Beach Resort website. I later decided to upgrade my room, so I cancelled my initial stay in full accordance with their cancellation policy and made a new booking. When I asked about the refund for the first room, I was told it would take ~4.5 months to be repaid. This is far beyond any reasonable refund timeframe I have experienced elsewhere. In practice this means Mahekal holds on to guests’ money for months after a valid cancellation, even when no stay has taken place. It is unclear whether this is due to inefficiency, cashflow issues, or simply wanting to benefit from interest-free funding from guests. For a resort at this price point, the approach feels completely unacceptable and left me with zero confidence in how they treat customers. As a result, I cancelled my second booking as well because I no longer felt comfortable staying here. Communication has also been very poor. After an initial reply on my first booking, my follow-up emails about the refund have gone unanswered, and both the reservations and marketing teams have ignored further messages. I’m now genuinely worried about when, or if, I will receive my money back – and other reviews suggest I’m not the only one in this position. For context, I have never written a bad review before. If you are considering any booking that is advertised as “refundable”, be very cautious about how long it may take to see your money again. We ended up staying at the Viceroy instead and received excellent service before and during our stay.

We recently stayed at Mahekal Resort. The staff here are very friendly, Grounds are immaculate, and rooms are clean. Location is perfect! Plenty of restaurants to choose from on and off the grounds, andvery close to 5th Avenue. They have 5 pools to choose from and/or the beach. We felt very safe here and walking off the property. If you plan to get married here, keep records of all deposits and read your contract carefully. My son got married here. It was a beautiful wedding! The ceremony was perfect and the reception great! Mahekal's wedding planner wasn't the best (Laura) to work with. They ended up hiring an outside wedding planner who was amazing! I would definitely stay here again!!

The most neglected and poor condition hotel I have ever been at, the floor has stains and cracks, there was water coming in the room from the balcony door and the balcony has no proper roof so with little rain everything got wet ( it’s literally a rainy tropical place so one would think they should be prepared) overall it feels like the room is outside cause there’s no proper seal. All the shared areas has the same neglected and old feel. What’s even worse was that after we asked to switch rooms they showed us an even worse condition room and said it’s still needs to be cleaned