dynamite dish: secrets maroma beach riviera cancun resort review

​I had a hard time deciding whether to rate this resort as a 4 or a 5 star. If there was an option to rate it 4.5 stars that is what I would have chosen. I'll start off by saying that I went into my stay with very high expectations because of the 5 star and 5 diamond ratings so I think it may have affected my opinion because I expected over the top from beginning to end. I will say upon arrival Roberto did an amazing job at making me feel like a valued customer. That got the stay off to a great start. I was escorted by golf cart to the preferred club which was very nice. Upon arriving at the Preferred Club the staff there was lukewarm (not mean but not super friendly). I then used the time to explore the resort until my room was ready. I will say that if you enjoy activities and things to do this resort is a great option. They had a lot of options such as connect 4 basketball, bungee, trampoline, kitchen tours, etc. that I had never seen before at an all inclusive resort. The rooms are also very spacious and updated. I think my main cons were with service. The pool and restaurant staff were very hit or miss some were great and others were lukewarm. I also found it interesting that there are signs that say don't feed the animals but in some of the eating areas there are no trash cans and the pools/wait staff does not always come by frequently enough to pick up plates when people are done eating. The result is that you find a ton of animals lurking around which can get to be a little annoying. I also found the food to also be hit or miss. Room service was somewhat slow and the food was not too great. Bordeaux was amazing. The beach had a lot of seaweed (this is not the fault of the resort you have to somewhat expect this) so you only had the pool as an option so it somewhat felt crowded. A few people that went above and beyond are Roberto (bellman), Olivia (Coco Cafe and Lobby bar), Issac and Alfredo (lobby bar) and also my waiter at Bordeaux (I forgot his name!), and Charlie and Fernanda (activities). This is a resort where you have to evaluate your priorities. If they are activities, room, and bar service this is a great choice. If they are service, beach, and food it may not be the best option. Overall I think I would return but with lower expectations.