Margaritaville Island Reserve Riviera Maya
Margaritaville Island Reserve Riviera Maya opened in early 2023 as Karisma's first adults-only Island Reserve resort, and it takes the laid-back, tropical-escape brand seriously. With 355 suites it's a mid-size property by Riviera Maya standards, but it still runs with a personal, small-resort feel, and the service culture is the thing guests rave about most. The headline is the LandShark Brewery & Grill, the first beachfront one anywhere, where lagers are brewed on site and poured as part of the rate, with two terraces over the water and a brewmaster you can actually chat with. It sits at Bahia Petempich in Puerto Morelos, sharing an address with its smaller Riviera Cancun sister.
Traveler Insights
Pros
- +Home to the first beachfront LandShark Brewery & Grill, with craft lagers brewed on site and included in the rate - say hello to the brewmaster, order a sampler tray, or stay for the beer-matching menu at night
- +Three free-form pools and two swim-up bars (the S.O.S Swim-Up Bar and 5 o'Clock Somewhere, which has swings at the bar), so there is usually a quieter corner and a livelier one
- +Service consistently called 'among the best at any all-inclusive' - staff remember drink preferences and deliver the kind of attentive care that usually requires a butler upgrade elsewhere
- +Dinner has real range for a mid-size resort: JWB Steakhouse lets you pick your aged cut from the aging room, and Frank & Lola's Italian Trattoria fires pizza in a wood-burning oven
- +License to Chill has a wet feet bar where the tables sit in shallow water, and Salted Rim is a dedicated agave bar pouring tequila, mezcal and the harder-to-find bacanora
- +Spacious suites with coastal decor, every one with a furnished balcony or terrace, and swim-up and infinity-pool categories for couples who want water outside the door
- +St. Somewhere Spa covers 10,000 sq ft with 8 treatment rooms, including a couples room with a tub, plus a full-service beauty salon
- +A busy daily program that does not lean on a nightclub: live bands and DJs at pool parties, evening bonfires, margarita-mixing classes, salsa and bachata lessons, and pickleball on two courts
Cons
- −Sargassum is a genuine seasonal risk on this stretch of coast, typically worst from about May to September, so beach days in summer can be hit or miss
- −At 355 suites it's bigger than the 'boutique' feel some marketing suggests - popular dinner times and spa slots still book up fast, so plan ahead
- −Most a la carte dinners run 5:30 to 10 PM, and travelers who stay a week sometimes wish there were more dinner concepts to rotate through
- −Pools are free-form and spread out rather than one enormous aquatic playground, so travelers who want slides or a lazy river should look elsewhere
- −Spa treatments and some extras, like the floating avocado boat taco experience, cost extra on top of the inclusive rate
- −No kids allowed (adults-only), which is a pro for most guests but worth knowing if plans change or you travel with family
- −There is no dedicated nightclub; late nights center on LandShark, which serves drinks until 1 AM, so travelers expecting a high-energy club scene may find it quiet
Day to day, the water is spread across three free-form pools with two swim-up bars, plus swim-up and infinity-pool suites for couples who want their own access. Dining mixes the Boathouse for all-day international food displays cooked or baked to order, JWB Steakhouse where you choose and weigh your own aged cut, Frank & Lola's Italian Trattoria with its wood-burning pizza oven, and LandShark's grill, while License to Chill handles beachside lunch with a wet feet bar. Entertainment is live music, pool parties with bands and DJs, and evening bonfires rather than a nightclub. The St. Somewhere Spa is large and well regarded, though treatments cost extra, and sargassum is the main seasonal variable on the beach.
This resort is best for couples and friend groups who care more about vibe, service and food quality than a vast stretch of sand. It competes well against other Karisma properties like Azul Beach and tends to outperform most Riu or Barcelo properties on service and dining, according to traveler forums. Budget-wise it sits in the upper-mid range of the Riviera Maya. The location is a plus for short trips: Km 27.5 of the Cancun-Tulum highway is a short transfer from Cancun airport, and Puerto Morelos town, with its reef snorkeling and cenote route, is close by.
Common Questions
Is the beach good at Margaritaville Island Reserve Riviera Maya?
What makes the LandShark Brewery worth visiting?
Is there a nightclub?
Is the spa included in the all-inclusive rate?
How far is it from Cancun airport, and how close is the other Margaritaville?
Which room should I book?
Restaurants (4)
| Type | Restaurants |
|---|---|
| Italian | Frank & Lola’s Italian Trattoria |
| Steakhouse | JWB Steakhouse |
| American & grill | LandShark Brewery & Grill |
| International & fusion | The Boathouse |
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 Delfines35 min drive · 17 mi
Playa Tortugas45 min drive · 23 mi
45 min drive · 23 mi
20 min drive · 7.5 mi
Museo Maya de Cancún35 min drive · 18 mi
Puerto Morelos Town Square and Malecón20 min drive · 7.5 mi
More things to do (24)
- Catamaran trip to Isla Mujeres · excursion45 min drive · 23 mi
- Xoxi Cancún · adventure park20 min drive · 8.8 mi
- Croco Cun Zoo · wildlife13 min drive · 4.7 mi
- Riviera Cancún Golf · golf30 min drive · 13 mi
- Playa Coral · beach25 min drive · 13 mi
- Playa Ballenas · beach40 min drive · 20 mi
- Iberostar Cancún Golf Club · golf40 min drive · 19 mi
- Leaning Lighthouse of Puerto Morelos · historic site20 min drive · 7.5 mi
- Moon Palace Golf Club · golf25 min drive · 8.8 mi
- Dr. Alfredo Barrera Marín Botanical Garden · nature25 min drive · 8.1 mi
- Puerto Morelos Botanical Garden · nature25 min drive · 8.1 mi
- Iberostar Playa Paraíso Golf Club · golf35 min drive · 15 mi
- Playa Maroma · beach35 min drive · 16 mi
- Playa Delfines Lookout · viewpoint35 min drive · 17 mi
- El Rey Ruins · ruins35 min drive · 18 mi
- Parque Kabah · nature40 min drive · 19 mi
- Ka'Yok' Planetarium · museum40 min drive · 19 mi
- Playa San Miguelito · beach40 min drive · 20 mi
- Iberostar Golf Club Cancún · golf40 min drive · 19 mi
- Playa Marlín · beach40 min drive · 21 mi
- Yamil Lu'um · ruins45 min drive · 21 mi
- Torre Escénica de Cancún · viewpoint45 min drive · 23 mi
- Playa Langosta · beach45 min drive · 23 mi
- Playa Chac Mool · beach45 min drive · 22 mi
Amenities
Show 2 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★ 4.6 · 2,067 reviews
“Joaquin saved our trip. We are diamond members and had booked ocean front swim up. They didn’t have our reserved room available and were indicating that a reservation is not a guarantee of a room and we would have to take a lower room for the night a...”
“This resort is the BEST! I have stayed twice and both times I was treated like royalty! If you are looking for a place to have an intimate or large party for your wedding this is the spot! Raquel is an angel and the most thorough/ organized wedding p...”
“Our stay was amazing, amazing service from the food, drinks to the all day activities! We stayed for Christmas & it was the best thing ever. So many great performances and we booked tours with the hotel. They were the best tours we could ever imagine...”
