A Traveler’s First All-Inclusive Vacation: Unico Riviera Maya

What I loved

• The room: We stayed in the Alcoba Tropical room, which featured an outdoor lounge and spa tub. Even with rain and humidity for most of our trip, sitting on our corner balcony reading with drinks and snacks was perfect. The extra privacy from the corner location made it even better. Our local host set up a bubble bath for us after two active days at the Xcaret parks, which was incredibly soothing. The room comes with bubbles, bath salts, and an aromatherapy machine with different scents and colors.

• The bathrobes: I've never been a hotel bathrobe person, but these were different. Made from a sweater-like material, they were luxuriously comfy over pajamas or a swimsuit.

• The spa: We booked the Citrus Body Perfection couples experience, which included a 10-minute sauna visit with ice-cold cucumber eye masks; a warm private outdoor tub soak with chocolate-covered strawberries, nuts, and champagne; then an exfoliation and wrap made of bitter orange and tangerine. After rinsing off, we got a revitalizing body oil massage with citrus, cypress, sage, and rosemary. The spa provides bikini-style coverings for women and underwear for men that you change with each stage. The experience was so relaxing I woke myself up snoring a few times, and it convinced my husband to start exfoliating (he even bought the product).

• The drinks: The whole point of an all-inclusive is unlimited alcohol, right? Our favorite spots were the La UNICA Snack Bar, where Antonio kept serving us "special" drinks (different mojito flavors) while we waited out the rain, and the Palmera Lounge for tropical cocktails. Since we prefer rum-based drinks like piña coladas, mojitos, and daiquiris, these bars suited us perfectly.

• The service: Coming from Airbnbs and regular hotels, we weren't prepared for this level of attention. We'd leave for a few hours and return to find everything organized (they even folded my husband's underwear). Whether turned down for bedtime or refreshed for afternoon relaxation, the room was always ready. As someone who's normally skeptical about hotel cleanliness, the constant attention made me feel comfortable enough to truly relax.

• The food: See detailed recommendations below. My husband chose this resort specifically because it had great food ratings. The majority of other all-inclusives in the area he researched had okay food reviews, so between the diversity of activity offerings and the food, choosing Unico was a no-brainer.

Who should visit

Travelers and vacationers alike! This adults-only resort works whether you're celebrating an anniversary or honeymoon, want a weekend escape from the continental US, or prefer a slower-paced trip. There's something for everyone: lounging by the pool all day, staying active with fitness classes, experiencing cultural activities like mixology and artisan workshops, or exploring the Cancun area's attractions.

What to eat

General tips: Make dinner reservations when you check in. We thought we could walk in and ended up waiting until 9 pm our first night (which worked out since we were still on PST). We made reservations for the remaining nights the next day.

• Café Inez: Great for pastries any time of day, plus tea and coffee. Favorites: almond cake and cream buns.

• Cueva Siete (Yucatan): Our second meal and much better than the first. The suckling pig tacos were incredible; I could have ordered another round for dessert. The banana empanada balanced sweetness from the banana with beans and chorizo, while the dried noodle soup—chopped cooked spaghetti with tomato sauce, chorizo, avocado, and feta—worked surprisingly well. The pork ribs with green tomatillo and Yucatan chilmole beef fillet were extremely tender and flavorful. For dessert: sweet Yucatan fritter with vanilla syrup and fresh honey, plus a chocolate tamale.

• Avec (French): Really good with lots of flavor! The French onion soup was an amazing appetizer. The lettuce hearts were okay as the brown miso butter was too rich. We split the Wellington filet (our favorite), which had buttery pastry and perfectly tender meat with mushroom duxelles, sautéed spinach, Serrano ham, and stuffed morel. The beef "bourguignon" napoleon and lamb ribs were excellent as the lamb was well-seasoned with thyme and lamb and veal jus, with black truffle oil that wasn't overpowering. The Normandy-style pork belly marinated in beer and cider was tender with fantastic wild mushrooms and lentils. The cocoa and hazelnut custard had complex layers, revealing blackberry ice cream underneath. They were the only restaurant to bring out a special mini-moon dessert, which was a nice touch.

• Restaurant 2087 (Steakhouse): The best restaurant we tried. For lunch: tacos (juicy and flavorful, but beware the super spicy sauce), cheese pasta (surprisingly good, almost like an Alfredo mixed with adult mac and cheese, possibly with béchamel or mascarpone but not heavy), flavorful Mexican burger (though not much chorizo flavor), goat cheese croissants (butter flaky crust with tart goat cheese was delicious), and cheesecake with vanilla ice cream and strawberry compote. One criticism: Unico doesn't fry their fries. They're basically boiled and fall apart.
  
  For dinner: The Iberian ham and fig salad was fine but heavy on the red wine vinaigrette. The empanada duo (we only got spinach and corn when we should have also received a chorizo and cheese) was better than expected with chimichurri-esque and spicy mayo-esque sauces. The parmesan risotto had unique zucchini and carrot chunks with on-point flavor. The ribeye with chimichurri was flavorful (though about a third of it was pure fat, which was disappointing) and my husband's favorite. The chicken with blanquette was my favorite as the sauce was incredible and I loved the mushrooms. The thighs were cooked to make the skin crispy, but the sauce softened it in places for a nice texture blend.
  
  For dessert: the banana split was fine, while the corn cake (basically cheesecake with corn flavoring and caramel ice cream) was interesting but not particularly good or bad.

• La UNICA Snack Bar (Mexican): The resort's guacamole is the best I've ever had, probably because of some sweetness or lime that brings it up a notch. The tacos are flavorful, the quesadilla with chorizo was very cheesy (though the tortilla felt a bit dry), the beef tacos were tender, and the sopes were a bit chewy but tasty. The conchita tacos are consistently good across establishments.

• Skip: Mi Carisa (Italian): Everything seemed subdued in flavor. The pasta was undercooked and the pizza was basic, like something I could make at home but somehow worse.

• Skip: Room service: Limited options and just okay food. We wish we'd gone to La UNICA Snack Bar instead. The fries weren't fried (almost boiled), the burger was basic, and the potato leek soup was unremarkable. The crispy pork's only saving grace was the amazing guacamole.

What to do

• On site
  We didn't participate in many resort activities since we spent two of our three full days at Xcaret parks. However, we did an impromptu Zumba/dance class in the lobby (not on the schedule) taught by David, who had just started that week and had a fun personality. At the pool, we took his Aqua Aerobics class after seeing how fun Sebastian's Aqua Cycling class looked. It was basically dancing in the water with some pool noodle movements, ending with a synchronized swim circle can-can that had everyone cackling with joy. Next time, we plan to participate in more classes.

• Off site: Xcaret Parks
  As travelers, we couldn't just sit at the resort for three days. The Xcaret parks originally drew us to Playa del Carmen, but Xcaret Arte Hotel wasn't available, which is how we ended up at Unico. You can still visit the parks even if you're not staying at an Xcaret hotel. Purchase individual park tickets or bundled packages, and the tickets include shuttle pickup from your hotel. Unfortunately, only one shuttle returns to Unico per day (5 pm from Xplor, 2 pm from Xenses). We took a taxi back from Xenses (about $30) since we finished the park in two hours by 11 am.

Xplor Park

So much fun with a range of activities:

• ATVs: Two 5-kilometer courses. Highly recommend going twice to unlock the advanced course with a rope bridge, dips, and river driving that floods your vehicle.

• Zip-line course: Takes an hour and a half with two path options: one includes the tallest zip line in Riviera Maya. Most lines can be ridden as a couple or solo. The last zip line goes through a waterfall and lands in water.

• Tobagganxote: A four-person tube waterslide that goes surprisingly high with deep drops—we felt like we'd be thrown out of the tube at points.

• Underground cave exploration: Three options: a) underwater swim with 10-minute or 30-minute routes (we chose 10 minutes since the water was colder and deeper than expected, ending in a cool cenote); b) underwater rafting on a "log" plank with paddles to navigate through stalactite caves (available for couples or singles); c) underground cave walk where water reaches mid-waist to shoulders (I'm 5'4"), includes a mid-way waterslide, then finishes with either a normal walk or underwater ropes obstacle course.

The park was more of a workout than expected but worth it. Your ticket includes a buffet lunch, which was surprisingly good. We arrived before opening at 8:30 am and finished everything by 4 pm. After changing and walking to the shuttle area (a long walk), we boarded the 4:30 pm bus back.

Xenses Park

A park about illusions and zany art with two paths: sensing and doing.

• Path of Sensing: Walk around the circular lobby with various optical illusion photo ops. The Sensatorium is pitch black: you use every sense except sight to guide you through a 10-minute experience. After removing your shoes, you walk through multiple environments (rainforest, mountains, swampland, forest, desert, caves, beach) feeling water, rocks, and sand on your feet, experiencing temperature changes, feeling brush and leaves, hearing sounds, and even crossing a rope bridge and "climbing" a mountain. Very surreal. Not scary since you know it's not real, but skip it if you're claustrophobic or afraid of the dark. It ends in a cave and waterfall area with flamingos, wild birds, bats, and iguanas.

• Path of Doing: Starts with a street where you can't tell if you're going uphill or downhill (I got quite dizzy and had to look at the ground). The circular path includes a waterslide, a "flight" zip line where you lay flat on your stomach (we skipped this due to dizziness concerns), and a floating mineral river (not actually floating so it became a five-minute ab workout pushing ourselves along on our backs), ending at a waterfall. Then the Sludgerie, another river on your back through mud for exfoliation (thus another five-minute ab workout). Power wash off, then walk through a "sauna" tunnel to dry.

If you skip the photo spots, this park is quick. We arrived at 9 am and finished by 11 am. We wanted more resort time, which is why we left early and paid for a taxi (the park staff helped coordinate this at the parking lot taxi station). There are two other parks, Xel-Ha and Xcaret, that we hope to visit next time.

How to get around

• Airport shuttle: Book as part of your hotel reservation. Your local host will confirm your departing flight to ensure you have a return seat.

• Taxis: Due to safety laws, the hotel can't call taxis to bring you back to Unico, as the taxis are only for guests currently at the resort. This is why we asked Xenses staff to help coordinate our return taxi. Drivers will need your room number and last name to confirm with Unico's gate staff that you're a guest.

• Private driver: There's a well-reviewed private taxi driver reachable via WhatsApp. Contact me for more details on this option.

For more inspiration and insider recommendations, visit our Mexico page.