Fairmont Mayakoba Is This Family’s New Favorite Destination

This 5 star resort in Riviera Maya offers upscale dining, babysitting services, and a new all-inclusive option

The last time we visited this property was in 2017, and we’re happy to report that now more than ever before, it’s worth the visit. The Fairmont Mayakoba underwent a serious makeover that was completed in 2022 and it now has a sleek new beach club, two more restaurants, an adults-only bar overlooking the ocean, two beautiful kids clubs, and freshly redesigned rooms and suites, too.

Most notably, it also now includes an all-inclusive option and free dining for children under 5. We went to test if all-inclusive and luxury could actually co-exist for a family, and we’re here to confirm the answer is undeniable: Yes. 

This year for spring break, Tinybeans sent its Chief Business Officer, Anne Hatfield, along with her husband, 4-year-old daughter, and 2-year-old son, to confirm if this resort still had everything needed to make a memorable family holiday.  Here’s Anne’s first-hand experience of everything she loved about her family’s stay at Fairmont Mayakoba.

Fairmont Mayakoba is hidden in 240 acres of tropical forest, marked by crystal clear waterways and cobbled roads suitable only for walking, bikes, and golf carts. The setting in nature makes it hard to believe you’re only 40 minutes south of Cancun. It feels remote, exclusive, and quiet in the ways you want it to be quiet when you’re on vacation. We took naps on the beach during the afternoons and slept like babies at night. 

The Food at Fairmont Mayakoba
The food wasn’t your average all-inclusive fair. It was fresh-caught seafood, beautiful cuts of steak, and the most bright, delicious fruit we could imagine. The cocktails were well-crafted and delicious, and we particularly enjoyed trying the Mexican wine on offer at both Tauro, the steak restaurant, and Ki, the Korean BBQ. For the record, the steak restaurant is Hawksmoor or old-school Smith & Wollensky levels of good. 

Ki, the Korean BBQ restaurant, isn’t included in the all-inclusive plan, but it’s definitely worth the added price. We used guest services to organize two babysitters to stay in the room with our two children, and we enjoyed an amazing mom-and-dad night out. The babysitters were two staff members we had met at the Kids Club and breakfast restaurant so we left the kids feeling confident they were in good hands, and they were. The cost of the babysitter service was 400 pesos per hour per sitter, which equals about $22 per sitter per hour. Being able to go away on vacation and still sneak in our weekly Thursday night date night made the cost worth it. The food at Ki was full of beautiful flavor, and cooking your own meat while overlooking the Caribbean ocean and with your feet in the sand is hard to beat.

Getting Around Fairmont Mayakoba

Golf carts are the main mode of transportation around Fairmont Mayakoba, which made for lots of fun, and also made you appreciate the grandness of the property. It truly feels like neverending miles of jungle tucked away alongside the Caribbean Ocean. It’s a 3-5 minute ride from the main rooms of the hotel to the beach, which makes even the journey to the beach an adventure. 

Kids Clubs at the Fairmont Mayakoba

Besides the kids club activities, there were also two small baby pools where we hung out most days and to our surprise, there was only one other family ever playing around in the pool with us. Next to the baby pools is another pool with a water slide, which was well-loved by the tweens. The layout of the pool area makes it so you can enjoy whatever mood you’re looking to enjoy, without interruption. The adults-only pool is a nice spot to enjoy a quiet read with a margarita, and some chips and guac. 

Speaking of a margarita, the Mexican food at the newly designed La Laguna restaurant with seating over the lagoon is heavenly. You can also order La Laguna food directly to your chairs poolside, which made eating lunch with two young ones easy, yet never compromising on quality and taste. Our favorite poolside meal? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Fish tacos for the adults, and quesadillas dipped into a bowl of black bean puree for the kids. 

Throughout the course of our 1-week stay, we truly had not a single complaint. Our son even had a bad fall where he cut open his forehead, and the on-site doctor is knowledgeable, lovely, and professional. Could it get any better? Great service, great food, great medical care, and great memories? We don’t think so. 

As we were leaving, we saw another family who we met during our stay. We smiled in agreement when I said confidently “I think we are a Fairmont Mayakoba family now. See you next year?” We hope every spring break was as special as this one. 

All-Inclusive Highlights:

• Unlimited dining and premium beverage service at Hix Bar & Lounge, Tauro Steakhouse, Brisas, Bassano Italian Restaurant, Fuego, La Laguna, and Cantina Esmeralda. 
• Beach service during operating hours
• MiniBar with soft drinks, local and imported beer, water, light snacks, and sweets available for your enjoyment in the comfort of your room
• Includes In-Room Dining from 7 am to 10 pm subject to a $5 USD delivery and 15% service charge
• Up to two children ages 17 and under stay free sharing the same room as their parents
• Three hours of activities daily at the Kids Club for children ages 5-11
• Children 5 and under dine for free when accompanied by an adult and selecting from the Children’s Menu at Fairmont Mayakoba’s restaurants

Our family’s Makakoba Property highlights:

• Swimming in clean, pristine water thanks to the seaweed control barriers installed around the beach
• Boat cruise around the lagoons to see the birds 
• A visit to the Cenote cave to see the bats
• The stingless bee collection
• El Camaleón golf course, the first PGA TOUR golf course in Latin America and home to the Jim McLean Golf School
• Tostadas at El Pueblito

Editor’s note: This trip was partially funded by Fairmont Mayakoba, but all opinions belong to the writer.