Previously known as Andaz Mayakoba, the property operates as Alila Mayakoba. For returning guests, the distinction matters when looking up accommodation and restaurants: use the Alila name for the hotel's room collection, dining venues and Spa Alila.

Huber Design's interiors draw on materials from the region, including tropical hardwoods, Merida limestone and recovered travertine. Locally crafted furniture gives the rooms a connection to the Yucatan beyond their views. Natural textures and outdoor spaces carry the design, rather than elaborate decoration. The accommodations are designed around light, water, and outdoor living.

The resort has 182 accommodations: 110 guestrooms, 12 studios, 56 suites, three villas and one Presidential Suite. Start with location before comparing size. Lagoon categories bring the waterways into the stay, while Beach Area rooms put you nearer the coast without necessarily facing the sea. For an ocean outlook, look specifically at an Ocean View or Beach Front category.

Standard rooms measure 538 square feet, with a king bed or two double beds, a balcony and a rainfall shower. Garden and lagoon views give these rooms a different character from those facing the Caribbean. A private outdoor space is useful even when most of your day is spent elsewhere in Mayakoba.

Signature Studios add lounge space and a private plunge pool. Suites provide separate living areas, with Lagoon Area and Beach Area versions available both with and without a plunge pool. Check the full category name when comparing them. A suite does not automatically mean a private pool, just as a beach-area address does not automatically mean a sea view.

The Beach Front and Beach Area villas have two-level layouts with a king bed, living and dining areas, a bathtub and a terrace plunge pool. Their views distinguish them: beachfront in one case, garden in the other. The Alila Beach Front Presidential Suite has three bedrooms across two levels, with individual bathrooms and balconies, a private pool and an upper terrace jetted tub. Stairs are therefore a consideration when choosing these larger accommodations.

Accessible rooms with roll-in showers and pool access are available. Discuss the specific room and routes around the property with the hotel before choosing a category.

One side of the resort looks toward the canals, mangroves, and quieter lagoon areas. The other moves toward the beach, Caribbean water, and open-air coastal life. This gives guests several different atmospheres without leaving the property. The white-sand shore and two swimming pools provide the main places to swim, with the pools operating year-round.

Mayakoba's waterways add a memorable dimension. Guided eco-tours follow the canals past vegetation and wildlife, including birds and turtles. Bicycles and walking paths allow a different view of the same landscape. These routes make it possible to spend time beyond the beach without planning a road excursion, though your room's position will affect how you move around the resort.

Six dining destinations give meals a range of settings. Na Cocina Local serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, with Yucatan cooking at the center of its current menu. It is the natural place to begin exploring the region's food during a stay. Casa Amate returns with evening dining influenced by Latin cuisine, lagoon views and separate, house-like dining rooms that preserve its more intimate character.

Alisio Beach Club brings Mediterranean-influenced cooking to the shore for lunch and dinner. Its sea-facing setting makes it a different proposition from an evening beside the lagoon. Ninguno Taqueria turns to Mexican street-food traditions, while Xiim Bar has pastries, drinks and takeaway food beside the Alila cenote. A children's menu is also available at Xiim.

For a more focused meal, El Huerto is a 12-seat chef's atelier in a garden setting. Its herb garden is part of the culinary experience, giving the ingredients a context before they reach the table. Guests can also explore restaurants across the wider Mayakoba estate, which adds variety without needing to leave the gated community. Reservations are advisable. Alila operates on a room-rate basis rather than as an all-inclusive resort; access to neighboring restaurants does not make meals there included.

Spa Alila sits within the quieter lagoon side of the resort. Its approach draws on Mayan traditions, with massages, body and facial treatments, a hydrotherapy circuit and temazcal ceremonies. The regional connection gives the spa a specific focus, while the range of treatments allows a short visit or a more considered part of the week's plans. Reserve treatments ahead of time.

A 24-hour fitness center provides space for exercise between beach days. Kayaking, snorkeling and guided nature experiences add outdoor options, while El Camaleon, the community's 18-hole Greg Norman golf course, is available with a separate tee-time reservation. These activities belong within the wider Mayakoba experience; they should not be assumed to be included with the room.

Alila is not adults-only, but it has no dedicated kids club. Family experiences and supervised activities take its place, including canal eco-tours and chocolate tasting. Check ages, schedules and supervision before planning time apart from children. Babysitting is available at an additional charge, and connecting rooms can be arranged subject to confirmation. These details matter more than the resort's calm image when deciding how it will work for your family.

Cancun International Airport is approximately 45 kilometers away. The hotel can arrange private transfers at an additional cost, with journey times depending on traffic. Downtown Playa del Carmen is roughly 15 minutes away by car, making an outing possible without placing the town at the center of the stay. Back in Mayakoba, the choice between lagoon paths, the shore and your own balcony remains the more immediate one.