Catalonia Royal Tulum - All Inclusive

Customer Ratings & Reviews

TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

13656 reviews

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  FABULOUS!

  FABULOUS! Let me start with check-in. It was quick, pleasant and informative. I cannot remember her name that checked us is, but she was so nice. We did not upgrade when we booked but we were given an upgraded room upon arrival at no charge. The room was spacious and very clean. We were on the third floor, lots of stairs!! We were thankful that we didn't have to carry our luggage up all those steps. And they came when we were leaving to carry them down for us. Wonderful service! I would say the walk to the beach and the lobby is lengthy for anyone who has a disability. Lots of walking. They do have a golf cart that you can request if need be but unlike other resorts we have visited, there isn't a daily tram. Food was very good. We didn't have issues finding something to eat. The only downfall for us, no buffet at night meant we had to order room service one night because we were six people and couldn't find a place to reserve that had room for us. Our favourite restaurant was the Italian restaurant but the service was so bad we ended up leaving without being able to order our dessert. It just was taking too long. We are very patient people and not in a hurry when on vacation, but it was very noticeable that others that came in after us were already there and gone. We would have loved to go back there again but didn't because of the service. Rauxa show is very good. We had a great time there. Worth seeing. Our room was cleaned well all week, you get fresh beach towels every night. All in all, a very beautiful resort, well maintained, friendly staff from the check in to the bartenders and the pool entertainment. We had a wonderful vacation and would highly recommend this resort.

  Jan 29, 2025
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  Superb Relaxing Resort

  We stayed at the Catalonia Royal Tulum Resort for 10 days and loved it. This is a relatively small resort, ideal for anyone who likes to relax. If you want excitement, there are regular entertainment options as well as excursions (for an added cost). We particularly enjoyed the Aqua Gym and other activities with Abraham and the rest of the Entertainment team. Painting classes were fun. The Rauxa Show is amazing. If you want a quiet place to read or rest, that is also possible. The beach is beautiful, with warm water and clean, soft sand. Seaweed drifted in for two days, but it was cleaned up each morning and then disappeared altogether. We didn’t have too much difficulty finding chairs at the beach or the pool. The pool is warmed by the sun, so it was slightly cooler than the sea on two cloudy rainy days (when the temperature was only 22 degrees Celsius), but on hot sunny days (27-29 degrees Celsius) it was lovely. Chairs at the pool enable sun or shade, as desired, and we had no difficulty finding a place to sit. The room was very comfortable and clean – staff came in each morning to make the bed, clean up, stock the fridge, and replace any towels thrown on the floor. Then they came again during supper time to replace any beach towels we left on the floor. Corridors were swept and washed regularly. Even the stone path to the beach was scrubbed. Staff (especially Quetzabel and Angeles at La Palapa Restaurant) were friendly and helpful and genuinely seemed to enjoy their guests. There was an excellent variety of food at the buffet for breakfast and lunch, with gluten-free options and something for everyone. The various restaurants in the resort each offered distinctive dishes, and we enjoyed our selections from each one. We didn’t suffer any adverse effects from meat, fresh fruit, or salads, thanks to the care taken by kitchen staff, who were seen regularly checking the temperature of food. Overall, we had a wonderful time and will be coming back in the future.

  Jan 27, 2025
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  Atmosphere of happiness

  Service, entertainment, food , staff, animation, guests, activities,Beach - all of it exceptional! Very impressed! Recommend for all ages and abilities ! Very friendly and respectful atmosphere in the hotel amounts guests and staff. You can find activities for all hobbies and ages from Pilates to painting classes. Learned my first salsa dance here.

  Jan 27, 2025
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  beautiful location for a beach and jungle getaway

  The resort grounds are impressive. The Mayan-inspired path through the central jungle setting of the resort and the white sand, blue water beach are wonderful. Xpu Ha beach is ideal for serene beach strolls and ocean swimming. During the week it is a very quiet stretch of sand but that changes on the weekends when the nearby beach clubs attract large local crowds, providing it with a fun vibe. The large and very clean pool is a bit too busy and noisy for my own preferences but does provide an active and fun environment for those seeking it. To me, the beach seemed a bit crowded with basic lounge chairs placed quite close to one another. The natural shade from the palm trees is great but those chairs with that shade could be hard to find late in the morning and early afternoon when people tended to “reserve” chairs with their towels. The food was very good. For breakfast and lunch, the well managed buffet provided quality and choice. For dinners, I most enjoyed the Grill and Mamma Mia (Italian). Their menus are like dining out at home, so not much of a Mexican feel, but still good food and service. The room was spacious, clean and well appointed. There was a very feint musty smell (not unexpected in the tropics) upon check in but that dissipated by day 2. The water pressure, hot water, A/C, and ceiling fan were fine and added to the comfort of the room. The sales tactics of the Member Services (Guest Services) were disappointing and they reach out to you on day 1 in the morning. I am fine with trying to promote and sell memberships but doing so in such a way that can leave a bitter taste with many guests early in their visit is an approach that management might want to review. Those staff members are friendly but too much focused on the potential sales and not the services. Overall, the staff at Royal Tulum was excellent. Very friendly and professional. I enjoyed my interactions with them and they are a real strength of the resort. To note a few: Quetzabel and Angeles are hostesses at the buffet restaurant and they greeted me each visit with such energy and friendly chats. After only 7 days, it felt like being greeted by good friends. I often had either Luis or Maria as a server and they were much appreciated. Alondra (I think that’s her name) is a hostess at the Grill. She was always friendly and offered helpful advice and information during our brief chats. It was my first visit to the Yucatan peninsula and I hope to return soon. If/when I do, I would happily stay again at Royal Tulum. As a solo traveler on this trip, it was a relaxing and restful week. I think it would be a better destination for couples or groups of friends/family. (out of 5, closer to a 5 than a 4)

  Jan 27, 2025
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  3-star resort priced like 5-star

  Having visited Mexico on multiple occasions, we were disappointed to find that this resort was the least impressive. A 5-star rating is unwarranted; 3 - stars would be a more accurate assessment. We chose this resort based on our favorable experiences with Catalonia hotels in Europe. This resort's primary focus is on serving European and Canadian guests. Highlights: Beach- beautiful and spotless, well-organized, no beach chair issues. Spa- superb. Painting class- superb. BLoved restaurant- impressive view, good service and tasty food. Service: Language difficulties can result in awkward situations. Overall, service was slow and sloppy. We perceived a lack of professional training and oversight among the staff. The water aerobics instructor's jokes and comments contained rude sexual content. Room: Our premium room was a good size, featuring a nice balcony. The bed was very comfortable. Regrettably, the space was marred by a strong mildew odor that affected our belongings. Cleaning services were performed around 5 pm, with towels being changed at 9:30 pm…!!?? Food: We liked food only at BLoved and the Mexican restaurant. The BLoved upgrade costed us $25 per person per day. We cannot imagine being without it, as other restaurants failed to meet our expectations for decent restaurant food. BLoved seafood, chicken, salads, and desserts are highly recommended. In contrast, the beef is not recommended, due to its extreme toughness and fattiness, which is further complicated by the lack of steak knives, rendering it extremely challenging to cut. The Italian restaurant presented food that was lukewarm or cold, giving the impression of frozen food reheated in a microwave. Coffee was not provided. The Asian restaurant's culinary offerings deviated significantly from traditional Asian food. Coffee was also absent. The Grill restaurant's bourbon ribs were underwhelming, comprising a bone with the riblets removed. Dessert inedible. Coffee was not available. The buffet had a restricted selection. We only had breakfast there, as the breakfast service at BLoved took around 30-40 minutes to deliver food. I consistently experienced diarrhea after eating raw vegetables, fruits, and cheese. It is worth noting that food servers did not wear gloves, making cooked food the safest option. I suggest avoiding raw food items, including salsa, vegetables, fruits, fresh juices, and cheese, at the buffet. The same applies to the fresh juice bar at the beach. Entertainment: The evening hours lacked activities and entertainment, unlike typical resort experiences. There was no designated entertainment venue. Some evening activities commenced at 9:30 pm by the pool, but seating was unavailable. Additionally, the main road was poorly lit, making it difficult to walk.

  Jan 27, 2025