Banyan Tree Mayakoba
My wife and I spent our Babymoon at Banyan Tree Mayakoba in Playa del Carmen, Mexico in April 2025. I highly recommend it as a relaxing getaway for anyone, expecting parents or not! See below for all you need to know.
Drone’s eye view of Banyan Tree Mayakoba and the Playa del Carmen coastline
When To Visit
We visited in the first week of April and found a perfect blend of cooler weather (65-80 degrees Fahrenheit) and less crowds than the “busy season” of November to March. I would recommend March or April as a great time to visit, but note that April includes “Semana Santa”, when the resort is at full capacity.
AMEX Fine Hotels & Resorts
#notAnAd but for those with an AMEX, you will find some benefits below when booking through the American Express Travel portal. Using Amex points for part of our accommodation was a major driver that helped us choose Banyan Tree Mayakoba over a cheaper option in Mexico.
AMEX benefits: -Breakfast included daily at Oriente (buffet-style) or Sands Beach Club (a la carte) -$200 hotel credit -$100 food & beverage credit for use on property
Where To Stay
This trip was our babymoon and I did a lot of research to find the best location for a relaxing week before the baby comes. Some criteria that was essential:
short, nonstop flight (from TPA)
spa with pre-natal massage available
tropical location
5 star resort -cost-effective and/or available to use AMEX points to stretch each dollar
Choosing Mayakoba
Once we settled on Cancun, Mexico, based on bang-for-buck and a nonstop flight from TPA, I researched between multiple other resort locations, including all-inclusive vs non-inclusive. Some other top contenders: -Nizuc (small property and would likely require leaving the property during our 5 day visit to find things to do) -Chable Maroma (all inclusive but too expensive without ability to use points) -the Rosewood and Fairmont (the other 2/3 resorts of the Mayakoba property)
Choosing Mayakoba was easy, but there are 3 different resorts on the property, leading to the next question:
Choosing Banyan Tree
The three properties (in order of cost high to low) are Rosewood, Banyan Tree, and Fairmont. There used to be a 4th resort, called Andaz Hyatt, but it closed in March 2025 and will soon be replaced with another Hyatt brand.
One positive of choosing your resort is that the restaurants and some amenities (does not include pools, beach clubs, or experiences) are available to all guests in the Mayakoba properties. So where you stay should be mostly based on what type of residence you prefer, cost, and experiences/pools that appeal to you.
Rosewood
The Rosewood is the most luxurious, and most expensive resort on the property. Each villa is on the lagoon and includes a plunge pool (located below the hammock in the pic above). Because each villa has its own dock, the Rosewood provides a boat taxi service free of charge for residents to get around to other restaurants or activities.
Rosewood villas are minimalistic and elegant but I felt the price was more than what was offered, with rooms feeling smaller in sq ft than the rest of the resorts.
Banyan Tree
Banyan Tree was our choice due to the more reasonable price of the 3100 sq ft villa with the pool and courtyard included in our private space.
Banyan Tree is the best resort of the three for privacy, as the villa types are larger than at the other resorts and many guest spend more time in their individual rooms. This leads to the resort feeling under capacity (by design) and the luxurious feeling of there being more staff than guests.
Fairmont
The Fairmont is all-inclusive, making it a great choice for those looking to stretch their dollar. The residences (pic above shows two residences - one per floor) do not include an in-residence pool so we witnessed the shared pool as more busy than at the other properties. Each room is still located with a porch overlooking the lagoon.
About the Hotel
Worth noting, Banyan Tree Mayakoba made the experience feel five star through little services that went a long way.
Upon arrival, we were greeted in the beautiful, open-air lobby with a cool towel and welcome drink while we checked in and staff brought our bags to our villa.
We were connected immediately via WhatsApp to our personal resort hosts who would checkin daily and would organize any meal or experience reservations, golf carts for travel within the property, or provide anything needed for our villa.
Each night, while we were at dinner, an additional turndown service was provided and a little trinket or gift was left on my wife’s pillow. She was so excited daily to see the souvenir that would be there when we got back.
Transportation
To/From CUN
To and from CUN airport is a 45 minute drive. I recommend using the shuttle provided by Mayakoba. Our cost round trip was $365 which is expensive, but safe and punctual. When arriving at Cancun airport I have always had poor cell service (even with int’l plan) and the choices for taxis may be overwhelming due to many (hundreds of) vendors. If not through Mayakoba, securing a shuttle ahead of time is a must.
There and back the shuttle was a Chevy Suburban personal car service that included cold towels to cool off, personal water bottles and snacks, as well as Corona beers and apple juice for the little ones (or the mothers-to-be). Phone chargers are also included. Everything has been thought through and the driver will handle all of your bags so you can begin your trip in luxury.
On Property
While on property, each villa or residence is equipped with a beach-cruiser bicycle for each guest. It is recommended to not ride your bike at night, but for daytime activities we found the bikes to be the best (and most fun) option. This gave us more freedom to bounce between pools and beach clubs, visit other properties, or bike along the nature trail on our own schedule.
For night outings, or if you’re not up for a bike ride, your personal resort host (available via WhatsApp) will be able to coordinate a golf cart to take you anywhere among the 3 properties.
Where to Eat
To help budget, each dish averaged ~$35 USD but servings were larger than expected and at most meals the staff were kind to bring a complimentary appetizer or at one occasion multiple free shots of mezcal. During our trip, each cocktail cost ~$20USD and a beer cost ~$9USD.
Saffron - Thai
The top rated restaurant out of all 3 resorts, and for good reason! This Thai restaurant is located on the lagoon, providing a perfect place for a romantic, sunset dinner. The menu is small but each dish was delicious and the ambiance added to a great experience.
Zapote - Mediterranean Lounge
Zapote is in the Rosewood property, so our resort host set up a car to take us over on the Tuesday night of our trip. Rated #11 bar in North America in 2024, Zapote hosts a top 50 bartender from around Mexico each Tuesday night and brings in live music to set a fun atmosphere. The food was not the best, with limited options and some dishes that had competing flavors, but the unique, curated cocktails make up for it and the vibes make it a must-visit during your stay.
La Copa - Mexican Tapas
La Copa is a cheaper option for small plates, but the flavors are big. While unsuspecting, the sopes at La Copa were one of our favorite meals during our visit.
Oriente - Breakfast Buffet
Included with Amex booking through FHR, Oriente is a buffet style breakfast. A generous mix of normal breakfast foods (eggs, bacon, sausage, lox, pastries) mix with some Mexican favorites (beans, breakfast quesadillas & tacos, and jamon) and made-to-order pancakes, waffles, or smoothies. This gives plenty of options at a set price.
Sands Beach Club
Also included with the Amex booking through FHR, the Sands breakfast was our favored option of the two. A la carte meals were slightly more curated and, as it was included in our stay, we had the ability to order multiple items to try. Each meal at Sands includes a complimentary fruit plate and bread basket, with the type of fresh-baked bread changing daily. The incredible view doesn’t hurt to make for a great, well-rounded meal.
Sands beach club is also a great option for snacking or lunch/dinner. Options from guacamole, nachos, or salads and sandwiches come in healthy portions for the price while staying light enough to eat around the pool.
Sur Beach Club - Adults Only
Sur beach club includes poolside service and some options for Tapas, but we didn’t try any due to most of the plates being hot plates that did not sound appetizing around the pool.
Cello - Italian
Cello was mentioned online as a top restaurant across the resorts. Cello’s menu of Italian dishes includes an impressive wine list to try Italian, Californian, and Mexican wines among others.
Tomahawk - Steakhouse
Tomahawk is a steakhouse on property with all the expected cuts, but for the price, we avoided this one.
La Fondita - Mexican Tostadas
La Fondita is a small restaurant in “El Pueblito” (below) on the Rosewood property. They solely serve Tostadas, which were fun to try while on a bike ride throughout the properties, but were not good enough to warrant a recommendation to seek out.
What to Do
Sands Beach Club
Sands beach club is the nicest beach-front pool, but is open to kids, which scared us away for much of the trip (on a babymoon, we’re preparing for kids, not yet prepared 😂). That said, the view is stunning and the service from the staff is fantastic with great food options. It’s also a great place to sit on the restaurant lanai and enjoy the view while having a snack or lunch.
Sur Beach Club - Adults Only
Sur Beach Club is the Adults-Only option with two small pools and multiple cabanas available with poolside service. The beachfront is more flat than Sands Beach Club, leading to a nice view and a great place to walk or enter the gulf. The food options were hot dishes (tapas), which didn’t seem to fit a beach club, and the service was slower than other areas of the resort, but experiences there may vary so it is worth checking out during your stay.
Reflections Pool
Underwhelming pictures online, but our favorite pool of the three at Banyan Tree. Reflections is a big pool with ample chairs and cabanas and a swim up bar. The service from the small staff at this pool was incredible, even offering complimentary smoothies one of the times we visited.
Nature Trail
The nature trail is a bike or walking/running trail that goes between the three properties. Take your beach cruiser if you have a lunch reservation at another property or if you want to get some exercise.
El Pueblito
El Pueblito is a small, Mexican town facade with shops and restaurants on the Rosewood property. Accessible from the nature trail, this was a nice excursion for a short trip.
Eco Boat Tour
The Eco Boat Tour is a free, 45 minute tour via the lagoon of all four resorts in the Mayakoba property. Arrange the tour with your resort host to see some wildlife!
Haab Mayan Dinner Experience
The highlight of our trip, the Haab Mayan Dinner is a full experience with ~12 other guests, starting at the lobby and ending with a 6-course meal including dessert, drinks, and mezcal/tequila tasting. The Haab experience dives into Mayan culture including body-painted Mayan dancers and a host regaling Mayan history and legends. This is hands down a must-do at Banyan Tree Mayakoba.
Chicen Itza or Cenote Excursion
While we were happy to relax on the property, the resort also offers optional excursions to off-property locations like Chichen Itza, Tulum, or nearby Cenotes for an additional fee.
El Camaleon Golf Course
El Camaleon is the first PGA golf course in Latin America. Designed by Greg Norman, this course is the host of PGA and LIV golf events. The course looked well-maintained and the design appeared to be a fun challenge.
Kayak/Paddleboard Rental
Kayaks and paddleboards are available for rental at the Sands Beach Club, along with water bikes that can be rented for a ride on the lagoon.
Spa
The spa includes a pre-natal massage as well as normal massages and hydrotherapy sessions.
Gym
The gym includes multiple elliptical, treadmills, a rowing machine, along with a weight room that had a smith machine, some machines for upper body exercises and dumbbells up to 25kg.
