Valentin Imperial Riviera Maya

Holly Hall

My husband and I stayed here in mid-March and absolutely loved our stay! We had an oceanfront room that was gorgeous and the view of blue water and palms were breathtaking. Lots of wildlife (iguanas and coatis) and birds that were new to us, which were fun to spot. We went to every restaurant and enjoyed all of our dinners so much- a nice variety of food and it's cool how each restaurant has a different theme. The lunch buffet was also delicious with a great variety of foods. The nightlife was fun, especially the magic show, which honestly blew us away! The grounds are like a fairytale jungle and it was so much fun to explore it all our first day. Their landscaping crew must be top-notch. The activities director is extremely good at his job- full of energy and excitement every time we saw him. All of the staff were so nice to us and very helpful. The pool area always had a seat in the front with a gorgeous view. We sat there most days and then went to the pool in late afternoon and were always able to find a chair. We also loved how it never felt overly crowded. We cannot wait to return!!!

Ranks Reviews

Hands down—our favorite resort in all of Mexico. The Valentin Imperial is the perfect mix of luxury, fun, and "wait… is that Michael Jackson by the pool?" (Spoiler: it was. Sort of. You’ll see.) From the moment we stepped onto the grounds, it felt like we’d wandered into a five-star jungle paradise. The landscaping? Breathtaking. Lush, green, and filled with little paths that make you feel like you’re exploring a tropical fairytale—with room service. The rooms? Impeccable. Stocked with tasty snacks and everything you need to live your best robe-and-slippers life. And let’s talk about those pool foam parties—they’re legendary. Combine that with the beach bar and swings and suddenly you’re wondering if this is real life or just a very well-planned dream. The staff? Next level. They bent over backward to make our stay perfect—literally. We forgot something right before an excursion and they zoomed us back to our room in a golf cart like it was a high-speed mission. James Bond, but make it tropical. If you’re looking for a place where you can relax, party, explore, and meet iconic impersonators, the Valentin Imperial has it all. We’ll be back again... and again... and probably again.

Leonard Mallett

My family and I have vacationed in the Cancun and Playa del Carmen areas for over 20 years. This resort is among the most beautiful and lush with tropical plants. It features beautiful landscaping and architecture and extremely large and well maintained pools. The staff was helpful, friendly and hard working. The people are what we love most about Mexico. The room was good, lots of storage. Nice hot showers, cute patio etc. The pool’s entertainment staff was exceptional. The food was good. I would rate it an 8 out of 10. Also I would prefer a restaurant reservation system verses the “get there early or wait” system. Also, as others have mentioned the drinks are really weak. An improvement I would suggest is the addition of a real workout facility. Their gym was close to the worst I’ve seen at a resort. Lastly, and I’m not sure what the management can do about this, but there is a culture of hoarding pool loungers and mats by entitled guests. As others have mentioned, you can’t find a lounger after 6:00 am. I witnessed guests with a lounger in the shade, another in the pool and a pool mat tucked under their pool lounger, and no one using any of them for hours. Their greed darkens the experience.

Alan deVries

My wife and I just returned from a 5 day stay at the Valentín Imperial Maya Riviera. It was a much needed escape from a challenging start to the year. Our superstar travel specialist (Sher Howell at Why Wait Vacations by Sher) recommended the Valentín to us and what an outstanding recommendation it was. From the time we arrived, until the moment we left, we were transported to a true paradise. The property is absolutely beautiful, the facilities extremely well maintained (with continuous work daily to keep the property fresh and upscale. What makes the experience so spectacular is the attention to detail and quality of service by every team member we came in contact with. The resort initially gives the impression of being vast and spread out but after less than a day there we realized just how easy it was to navigate the entire footprint of the resort. For those unsure of or unable to walk distances, there are shuttle carts that will transport guests anywhere they need to get to. The pools are truly outstanding. With three pools - each with their own personality, there is something for everyone. We spent our first day at the Garden Pool with the lazy river and found it totally relaxing. The remaining days were spent at the large pool which featured water activities (led by the Activities Team) on one end and a more subdued area on the other end. There are swim up and walk up bars around the pool and two daily food trucks. However, there are server staff walking around the pool continuously to provide guests with any food and beverage needs they can think of. Lounge chairs in all of the pool areas fill up early. We added the Prive Plan to our stay which provided a number of extra amenities but the best was a reserved cabana at either the pool areas fill or the beach every day. This was well worth the additional expense- which was actually quite minimal (and it includes lobster at every dinner for you lobster fans). The beach is a short walk from the main pool and was also beautiful and well maintained. Unfortunately while we were visiting, the surf was rough and the riptide strong so swimming was prohibited. There is also a bar and a restaurant right on the beach. There is a small fitness room, bicycles available for guests to borrow and a spa. My wife and I each had massages and they were so relaxing! If you schedule a massage, Ines was amazing. After the massage there was a sauna, steam room and shower areas available. Don’t pass it up…. Our room was a silver suite which was located close to the main pool area and a short walk to the main area where most restaurants were located. Turned out to be the ideal location for us. Our room was beautiful, well maintained and thoroughly stocked daily with anything you could require including liquor. There was daily turn down service nightly which was a truly nice touch. Each building has their own concierge available during the day to assist with any questions or needs. Really appreciated! There were 8 restaurants and a plethora of bars. Our expectation of food given that the resort is all inclusive wasn’t high but we were pleasantly surprised by the variety and quality of food and drinks available. The highlight of our dining experience was the Italian restaurant. It was classy, the food was varied and delicious but the highlight was the high level of service by the wait staff. There is nightly entertainment in the main plaza (the Imperial Band was extraordinary) and a theater where performances change nightly. There truly is something for everyone. If you’re considering a visit to the Maya Riviera, the Valentín Imperial should be your place of choice. Oh and do yourself a favor and contact Sher Howell at Why Wait Vacations by Sher for all your travel needs. She is our “go to” when planning all of our travel (and she’ll be with you from start to finish)…

Hannah A

Spent a week here with my husband and 20+ of his friends for a wedding. We worked with a travel agent so I can’t speak to the booking process. Arrival and check-in was smooth. We were welcomed with a drink, checked in, and en route to our room within 20 minutes. Our room was nice and simple. We requested more water right away and it showed up before we had unpacked. Biggest pool I’ve ever seen! We enjoyed watching and participating in the pool activities. Isabelle, Carlos, and Israel kept the energy up! They offered pretty much every drink you can think of at the pool. The staff (Edgar and Angel) were so sweet and attentive. We always came in large groups and they quickly accommodated us.