For visitors heading to Mexico’s Cancun and Riviera Maya areas, all-inclusive resorts are a dime a dozen. And at some point, they all begin to look and feel the same, making selecting a perfect resort a tough game.
But UNICO 2087 Hotel Riviera Maya’s adults-only resort distinguishes itself with exceptional food, clean modern design, excellent service and plenty of extra freebies. UNICO strives to make guests feel at ease and forget the hassles of the outside world. Within 15 minutes of arriving on property, I was told by no less than four staff members, “Welcome home.”
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Each spacious guest room comes with an assigned “local host.” The idea of a butler is off-putting to some travelers, so instead, this sort of roving concierge will introduce themselves to you and gladly communicate with you via phone or texting—not to mention in person or through the resort’s handy app.
The hosts have an intimate knowledge of the property and the surrounding area and my friendly host, Felipe, certainly improved my stay. One evening, I requested a special neck pillow as well as a spa tub preparation. When I returned from dinner, the pillow was waiting and I had a lovely bubble bath on my balcony, a perfect way to wind down before bed.
Hosts can also help with cabana or restaurant reservations, laundry, aromatherapy requests, bag pickup at checkout and the mixology program. This fun mixology concept allows guests to choose from three creative cocktails. Your host will deliver all the mixers, ingredients and garnishes to your room, along with a simple instruction card. I’ve never felt like a successful bartender before, but this process made it downright simple, not to mention delicious.
The rooms are spacious and smartly decorated, with a lightly colored earthy palette. Beige and brown woven fabrics provide texture and nicely compliment the oversize gray tile floor and wooden poster bed. My room featured an oversized widescreen television, ample storage space between dressers and the closet, a minibar (complimentary!), safe, robes and the above-mentioned jacuzzi tub on the enormous balcony—which was large enough to also contain a couch.
In the bathroom, the double vanity gave more than enough space for two people to get ready in the morning, along with a large shower with both handheld spray and a rainfall showerhead. The amenities are lovely, but guests are invited to choose their own favorite scents at the spa shop, resulting in a free customization of their soaps and scrubs.
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Dining is an endless delight at UNICO, and everything I tried was top notch—fresh, flavorful and creative. Different restaurants on property specialize in Mexican, Italian and Japanese fare, and the breakfast buffet available each morning (there’s an ala carte menu also available daily in the Italian restaurant) is downright amazing. And for all means, don’t pass up on the fun Bloody Mary bar at breakfast!
Then there’s the free stuff—did we mention all of the free stuff? In addition to what you’d expect from an all-inclusive resort—food and alcoholic drinks—UNICO adds in the wonderful Esencia Spa.
That’s right, guests can patronize the spa every day and are only required to pay the 25 percent gratuity fee for any of the free services offered, from massages to facials to hydrotherapy. My 80-minute massage was one of the best I’ve ever received, with just the right mix of working out knots and relaxing strokes.
Guests can also select from a number of free excursions as well as chef-taught cooking classes and art tours of the property. While a lot of resorts claim to care about the art on the walls, UNICO’s commitment to Mexican artists who mix traditional style with a contemporary language is truly impressive.
