Excellence Riviera Cancun
Excellence Riviera Cancun is the quieter, more intimate sibling of Excellence Playa Mujeres, and for a lot of couples that is exactly the appeal. It sits on the oceanfront near Puerto Morelos, between Cancun and Playa del Carmen, about 20 minutes from Cancun airport, which is a meaningful advantage on a coast where the fashionable resorts are two hours further south. The property is hacienda-inspired, adults only at 18 and over, and entirely suites, with six meandering pools threaded through tropical gardens. The culture is the one Excellence guests come back for: no reservations at most restaurants, no queuing for dinner, and an atmosphere the resort protects to the point of banning portable speakers at the pool.
Traveler Insights
Pros
- +About 20 minutes from Cancun airport, which is the shortest transfer of any comparable adults-only resort on this coast and means you are at the pool while Tulum-bound travelers are still on the highway
- +Adults only, 18 and over, and all-suite: the entry-level Junior Suites are 668 square feet, and the top categories run to a 1,060 square foot two-story rooftop terrace suite, a 1,993 square foot Imperial Suite and a 2,080 square foot Honeymoon Suite Ocean Front with a rooftop terrace
- +Walk-in dining is the real draw. The resort lists ten restaurants inside 13 dining options, and most of them take no reservation at all: Chez Isabelle for French, Oregano for Italian, Agave for Mexican, Basmati for Indian, The Grill for steak, Lobster House for seafood, Spice for Asian, Las Olas for beachfront lunch, The Kitchen Table for breakfast and Flavor Market, plus Food Shark, a healthy-cuisine outlet, a Sports Bar and pool and beach service
- +Six meandering pools set through tropical gardens, including heated pools, pools that connect directly to the swim-up suites and bar-side pools, with three whirlpools in the pool areas and two more in the spa
- +Miile Spa is a genuine facility rather than a treatment room: a hydrotherapy pool with swan and waterfall high-pressure hoses, steam rooms, ice-cold plunge pools, ten indoor treatment rooms (four of them for couples), two master rooms with hydrotherapy tubs, and a full-service beauty salon
- +The included activity list is deeper than the quiet atmosphere suggests: tennis and pickleball, archery and air rifle shooting, kayaking, paddleboarding, sailing and snorkeling gear, water polo, beach volleyball and soccer, billiards, table tennis, guided fat bike tours, yoga, aerobics, jogging, Spanish lessons, cooking and dance classes and handcraft workshops
- +24-hour room service, premium cocktails and spirits, and complimentary Wi-Fi in suites, restaurants and pool areas are all inside the all-inclusive, and the evening program runs live shows in an outdoor theater, a mariachi band in the central plaza and theme nights
- +Puerto Morelos is the practical base for the good stuff nearby: the reef off this stretch is part of the Mesoamerican system and snorkels straight from shore, and cenotes, eco-parks, Chichen Itza and Playa del Carmen are all day-trip range, bookable on site through Seasons Tours
Cons
- −The free airport transfer everyone quotes is conditional. As of October 2026 it applies to suite-only reservations of at least three nights booked directly with Excellence. If you book through an online travel agency or as a flight package, transfers are not included and you arrange them yourself through Seasons Transfers at your own cost
- −A lot of what reads as included is not. Spa treatments are charged (the 100-minute couples wellness journey lists at $640 before promotion, and the only built-in saving is 20 percent off regular prices for booking before arrival, which excludes salon services), and scuba diving with instruction, deep sea fishing and private yacht excursions all carry extra cost. Only the non-motorized water sports are in the base rate
- −The Excellence Club is a resort within a resort in a literal sense. The upgrade gates the Magna restaurant, a private beach area, private pool areas (heated in winter), the Club Lounge and its separate Lounge Bar, one hydrotherapy treatment per person per stay, an upgraded in-suite liquor selection and an upgraded room service menu, so staying outside it means a visibly smaller resort
- −Six pools total across 440 suites, with one of the six reserved for Excellence Club and one accessible pool, so the main pool areas and the better loungers go early in high season
- −Quiet by design, which cuts both ways. There is no nightclub or disco: the night is outdoor-theater shows, mariachi, theme nights and bar and lounge music, and the resort bans portable speakers in public areas to protect the atmosphere. Travelers wanting late energy consistently prefer the larger Playa Mujeres sister property
- −The beach is the honest weak point. The offshore reef shelters the shore, but sargassum is not absent in summer, and guests through 2026 described staff working hard every day to keep the seaweed under control and the beach itself not being the best in the area
- −Guest reports through 2026 diverge more sharply than they used to. Some call the food exceptional and single out careful allergen handling, while others describe it as basic with thin vegetarian options, and a minority report upsell pressure, Wi-Fi that drops in places despite being free resort-wide, and noise carrying from other guests at night
Practically, it is strong where it matters and specific about where it is not. Dining covers ten restaurants inside 13 options, from Chez Isabelle for French and Oregano for Italian to The Grill, Lobster House, Agave, Basmati and Spice, and only the teppanyaki at Spice and the private romantic dinners want a booking. All suites start at 668 square feet, and the rooftop terrace and swim-up categories are the ones guests talk about for years afterward. Miile Spa is a real facility with a hydrotherapy circuit, steam rooms and ice plunge pools, though treatments are charged and not cheap, and the Excellence Club upgrade gates the Magna restaurant, a private beach, private heated pools and two lounges rather than just adding perks. The beach is the compromise: the reef shelters it and makes the snorkeling genuinely good, but it is narrower than the brochure implies and summer sargassum still needs daily clearing.
This is the pick for couples who want the Excellence formula without the scale of Playa Mujeres: honeymoons, anniversaries, and anyone who would rather walk into dinner than plan it. If you want nightlife, a bigger pool scene or a show-stopping beach, look at Playa Mujeres or further down the coast. Price-wise it sits in the upper tier for the Riviera Maya but usually under its own sister property for a comparable suite, and the short airport run saves a half day in each direction. Book direct for three nights or more if you want the transfer included, book spa treatments before you fly for the pre-arrival discount, and plan at least one trip into Puerto Morelos town, a ten to fifteen minute taxi away, where the square's restaurants are the local highlight.
Common Questions
Are the airport transfers actually free?
Do I need dinner reservations?
Is the Excellence Club upgrade worth it here?
How bad is the sargassum, and is the beach good?
Is the snorkeling good straight off the beach?
How does it compare to Excellence Playa Mujeres?
Restaurants (8)
| Type | Restaurants |
|---|---|
| Buffet | The Kitchen Table |
| Italian | Oregano |
| Asian | Spice |
| Steakhouse | The Grill |
| Seafood | Lobster House |
| Mediterranean & Spanish | Flavor Market |
| Indian | Basmati |
| International & fusion | Magna |
From the resort's own dining pages. Only restaurants the resort lists are shown. All are covered by the all-inclusive rate, per the resort.
What's nearby
Playa Delfines30 min drive · 19 mi
Playa Tortugas45 min drive · 25 mi
7 min drive · 2.7 mi
Museo Maya de Cancún35 min drive · 20 mi
Puerto Morelos Town Square and Malecón7 min drive · 2.7 mi
Leaning Lighthouse of Puerto Morelos7 min drive · 2.7 mi
More things to do (24)
- Catamaran trip to Isla Mujeres · excursion45 min drive · 25 mi
- Xoxi Cancún · adventure park20 min drive · 11 mi
- Croco Cun Zoo · wildlife5 min drive · 2.2 mi
- Riviera Cancún Golf · golf25 min drive · 15 mi
- Playa Coral · beach25 min drive · 15 mi
- Xcalacoco Beach · beach30 min drive · 21 mi
- Playa Ballenas · beach35 min drive · 21 mi
- Iberostar Cancún Golf Club · golf35 min drive · 21 mi
- Dr. Alfredo Barrera Marín Botanical Garden · nature14 min drive · 5.6 mi
- Puerto Morelos Botanical Garden · nature14 min drive · 5.6 mi
- Moon Palace Golf Club · golf20 min drive · 11 mi
- Iberostar Playa Paraíso Golf Club · golf25 min drive · 13 mi
- Playa Maroma · beach25 min drive · 14 mi
- El Camaleón Golf Course · golf30 min drive · 19 mi
- Playa Delfines Lookout · viewpoint30 min drive · 19 mi
- El Rey Ruins · ruins35 min drive · 20 mi
- Parque Kabah · nature35 min drive · 21 mi
- Ka'Yok' Planetarium · museum35 min drive · 21 mi
- Playa San Miguelito · beach35 min drive · 22 mi
- Iberostar Golf Club Cancún · golf35 min drive · 21 mi
- Playa Marlín · beach40 min drive · 22 mi
- Yamil Lu'um · ruins40 min drive · 23 mi
- Torre Escénica de Cancún · viewpoint40 min drive · 24 mi
- Playa Chac Mool · beach45 min drive · 24 mi
Amenities
Show 8 more amenitiesShow fewer
Style & Rooms
Atmosphere
Room upgrades
Seaweed & sargassum
Cancun gets sargassum, typically worst May through August.See the month-by-month guide →Google Reviews★ 4.9 · 20,636 reviews
“This was our second time in Excellence Riviera Cancun and still as good as it was two years ago! We love this place and will continue going back. We spoke to several other guests and learned some have been going back for over 10 years! The food is g...”
“My Husband & I came here for our honeymoon in November and this was also my first time ever at an all inclusive. It was so amazing I don't think I want to vacation any other way! The food was amazing and I loved how there was so many vegetarian optio...”
“We had an amazing stay at Excellence Riviera in Cancun Mexico! From the moment we arrived, the staff made us feel incredibly welcome—everyone was so friendly, engaging, and genuinely happy to help. The rooms were spotless and very well maintained, w...”
How It Compares
Excellence Riviera Cancun vs Excellence Playa Mujeres
The chain's two Cancún-area flagships — nearly identical food and service, very different beaches.
Excellence Riviera Cancun vs Secrets Maroma Beach Riviera Cancun
The famous Maroma beach vs bigger pools and rooms — neighboring adults-only heavyweights, minutes apart.
Excellence Riviera Cancun vs Valentin Imperial Riviera Maya
Pools, walk-in dinners and a 20-minute transfer vs the better beach and jungle grounds.
Excellence Riviera Cancun vs Beloved Playa Mujeres
Same company, opposite vibes: Excellence Riviera Cancun's busy, activity-filled resort against Beloved Playa Mujeres's small, hushed couples-only retreat.
Excellence Riviera Cancun vs Atelier Playa Mujeres
Atelier for sharper food and service; Excellence for walk-in dinners, shore snorkeling and a 20-minute airport run.
