Hotel Review: Fairmont Mayakoba

A short drive from the cacophony of Cancun, Mayakoba is as accessible as it is enchanting. Situated on winding, brackish lagoons dotted with young crocodiles and blue-eyed cormorants, the 240-acre property is home to multiple hotels that blend luxury and nature effortlessly. For plenty of family-friendly fun, clients with intrepid kids need look no further than Fairmont Mayakoba.

On a recent visit to the property, my family and I experienced its stunning beauty and diverse enrichment options firsthand. We rode golf carts through the jungle to Las Brisas, a pool and restaurant space with beach access. Shell hunting and wave jumping with our 3-year-old daughter was followed by a lunch of fish tacos and corn soup at the adjacent Brisas Restaurant, where the fare is second only to views of the Caribbean Sea.

The next morning, a golf-cart journey in the other direction delivered us to Cenote Burrodromo — an underground cave in which you’re sure to be greeted by multitudes of bats.

Our favorite on-site excursion, though, was a boat ride along Mayakoba’s lagoon system. As the captain cruised to and from all Mayakoba properties — the electric lanchas double as tour vessels and water taxis, should you wish to dine at another hotel — myriad birds came into view, from speckled limpkins munching on snails to snowy egrets as still as statues on the lagoon banks. Guests might also explore the waters via kayak, bookable through the Camp Mayakoba staff.

After so much excitement, our multigenerational crew was happy to return to Fairmont’s Deluxe Casitas. Each room in these multi-unit, jungle-side bungalows offers a sprawling spa-style bathroom, great natural light and a terrace or balcony with jungle or lagoon views. Adjoining accommodations are available, too.

One serene afternoon, my mother and daughter napped in their respective rooms while my husband and I lounged on the deck. We watched great kiskadees and hooded orioles flit about along the estuary, and in the background, green swaths of the hotel’s El Camaleon golf course caught the light of the slowly descending sun. 

It was the respite so many parents need before another adventure. And at Fairmont Mayakoba, that next adventure could unravel in so many ways.

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