The Explorean Cozumel - All-Inclusive

Customer Ratings & Reviews

TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

2398 reviews

• 

  Wonderful all around

  We had a great time out on the boat with Jassiel and Nestor. Great snorkeling. Highly recommend!

  Jan 17, 2026
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  The perfect recharge

  My husband and I are both professionals who were seriously burnt out, and this place was exactly what we needed. We absolutely loved the staff, food, and amenities, everything was thoughtfully provided and we loved all the personal touches. We usually stay at large resorts in Cancun, but I’m so glad we took a chance on this place. We loved the small, quiet atmosphere of The Explorean, while still having access to the lively energy of Fiesta Americana. Snorkelling right off the beach was amazing, the shrimp tacos were unforgettable, and the coffee corner had the best vanilla iced lattes. The grounds were beautiful, and the pools, especially having a working hot tub, were great! There were tons of free excursions offered. Unfortunately, due to weather, we couldn’t do the El Cielo excursion, but the staff made up for it by taking us on a Mayan history tour with tamale and chocolate making, which turned out to be such a fun experience. Our room was great, hot water, the most comfortable bed, and a peaceful jungle setting. We did have a small plumbing issue, but staff were there within 10 minutes to fix it. Honestly, the staff were incredible. We never felt pressured to tip or worried about locking things up (though we did tip because they truly deserved it). We never go back to the same resort twice, but we’re already planning to return in the near future. This place was everything we wanted and more, and we’ll definitely be recommending it to family and friends. Thank you, Explorean, for giving us the R&R we desperately needed!

  Jan 17, 2026
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  Make it an adults only resort please! Or at least make the pool a quiet pool.

  This is our third day at the Explorean. Our first was 10 years ago. There’s a lot of things that we love about this resort. And a few things we wish they would improve on. First, we stay here because we love the beachfront in the snorkeling that is out front. The snorkeling is amazing right as you enter the water off the stairs. Nice variety and very good visibility. Thousands of fish hang out under the pier (watch the strong current that pulls there). Also very important to watch the boats coming in going that are docking at the pier. We like to walk down to the north to the Money Bar and enter the water there and snorkel south back to the resort. There are some large concrete “jungles” half way between the two locations with some great fish. We saw lots of barracuda, one nurse shark The current often runs south and that helps you to just float along. We swim with a neon floating buoy for visibility. Lots of boat traffic there. Don’t wander out past the buoy markers. We also enjoy the included excursions every day. Our favorite, of course is taking the boat to do the snorkel on the Columbia reef and the visit to where the starfish are at El Cielo (unfortunately way less starfish than years past). Then they take you at the end on the beautiful sandbar that you get out and stand and watch the stingrays swim by you. So many stingrays! They give you ceviche and a small little sandwich and all the drinks that you would like. Boat was really nice and comfortable. I also did the one mile bicycle ride to the Chanaknab park. So nice that it is included and you get to check out that park for free. Has a beautiful cenote (no, you can’t get in it), and it has semi decent snorkeling there. Deeper water. They have beginner diving experiences you can try there. Lots of jelly fish to dodge in the water! Dolphin experience optional and a brief sea lion show. Bilingual Señor Vega with the activities is a very nice guy who works hard to make the customers happy! Did not do any of the other activities (a much longer bike ride, Island circle tour) When you arrive, you get a schedule where they slot you in automatically to an activity per day that you can choose to participate in or not. We also like the privacy of the rooms. This time we were in the very back section in the jungle. Very quiet. I had lots of birds that would come on the porch in the morning and eat out of our hands. Bed is very comfortable! Towels are large and wonderful. We enjoy getting the coffee basket in the morning on your porch starting at 7 AM. Just wish the quality of the coffee was better. Fresh squeezed, orange juice, wonderful. And as mentioned by other guests, the struggle with living in the jungle is the musty scent of the rooms. The humidity is so high there. Another thing we learned this time is we were getting our room cleaned at 5 PM. That’s really late! That’s when we like to be back to the room to shower and rest before dinner. So we smartened up and asked for them to slot us for a morning time cleaning. It’s a bit of a walk with lots of stairs to go from the Explorean to the beach front. You will get your steps in here. The beachfront is marvelous. The buffet on the beach is great! They have a wonderful woman who makes handmade tortillas. You can choose 100% corn, a mixture of corn and flour or flour. They’re amazing as well as the salsas. The habanero is legitimately hot. Nice combo of extremely comfortable beach beds with the most fantastic back rest bolster pillow, lounge chairs, and then the platform mattresses that hang over the water. You have to get up early to get one of the beach beds. Our favorite restaurant is the fish shack on the water. Ceviche, fish, tacos, calamari, whole fried fish, and fillet a fish. All marvelous. Another restaurant we enjoyed was the very casual sushi bar in the center area of the restaurants. The spicy tuna is wonderful. They will custom make any role you want with their ingredients that they have. Javier was our excellent waiter there. The other three fiesta Americana restaurants are very hit and miss. With more misses than hits. Not sure why they’re trying to do these super creative, strange dishes, instead of just getting some of the basics down. They’re trying to be fancy, but the food is coming out very strange. For instance, in the Italian restaurant I ordered risotto and it was this super black, not very tasty gluey stuff. How about just a basic risotto? It’s so easy to do one well. We did love the two desserts in the Italian restaurant. The tiramisu is outstanding as well as the meringue. The Mexican restaurant my Molcajete came out cold. How is that possible? The Peninsula is the only one we revisted with some decent dishes. The seafood phad thai. We found that the basic every day menu doesn’t change at the restaurant at the Explorean. And it was lacking. I can honestly say that nothing was great that I had off that menu. Except for a couple of the daily soups were excellent. They do add every day typically two or three extra different items. I did notice that at lunchtime they offered more variety at that time. But we rarely were there for lunch as we always ate at the fish shack on the beach. I remember from 10 years ago the food being more remarkable. Revamping of their main menu would be a good idea. I also find slightly irritating that they want to up-charge you for getting shrimp. I understand an up-charge for a nice steak or a lobster. But basic shrimp? Should be included. We received excellent service from very kind, friendly and engaging waiters at the Explorean. They really do have some great staff. Muchas gracias Maria at the front desk. Also muchas gracias a Alejandro, Fermin, Daniel, Edwin, Manuel y Gabriel en Explorean restaurant! They will make you anything you want at the bar there. And you can even teach them to make a drink that you know how to make. They only offer one champagne, which is mediocre. And one Chardonnay and one Sauvignon Blanc, which are pasable. Liquors are a decent selection. A good basic we ordered that’s nonalcoholic is a “limanada mineral”. Mineral water with fresh lime juice and a bit of sweetener. The real miss for the Explorean as I’ve mentioned in years past is that it’s not an adult only hotel. And it should be. The bungalow setting and the quaint pool is really designed for the boutique adult only setting. Unfortunately, the whole time we were there there were many children that decided to make that pool their wild playground. Jumping, diving (dangerous), splashing, screaming, horse playing, and even water squirt guns. And of course, the modern parenting trend is to not correct them ever. And no one monitors the inappropriate activity from the staff. We often got chased out of the pool by crazy kids. There is a pool at the Fiesta Americana that is very much designed for families and children. It would be so much wiser to make the Explorean pool the “Quiet Pool”. We only got in the main pool at the Fiesta Americana one time during the week. We would’ve liked to have enjoyed it more. But the reason was because of the female activities Director. She had the most annoying, high-pitched voice and would scream in the microphone the whole day. She would scream, “clap, clap, clap” all day long. It was unbearable. Every night there’s a show. We really like the fire show. Quite impressive. Will be return? Most likely. We’ll just hope for a week with less children screaming in the pool.

  Jan 11, 2026
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  amazing snorkeling

  we went snorkeling in 3 different spots it was so beautiful! our guides (nestor and armando) were so helpful and knowledgeable of the area

  Jan 10, 2026
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  ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ An Unforgettable Experience at The Explorean Cozumel

  My stay at The Explorean Cozumel was nothing short of extraordinary, and the heart and soul of this experience was truly the people. The resort itself is beautiful, peaceful, and immersive—but what made it unforgettable were the incredible individuals who brought every moment to life. The excursions were beyond fun and adventurous, and that is 100% thanks to Jassiel, Nestor, Armando, and Ariel. To be completely honest, without them, these excursions simply would not be as enjoyable. They didn’t feel like guides—they felt like friends made instantly. Their energy, passion, humor, and genuine care created an atmosphere that was exciting, comfortable, and full of joy. They went above and beyond every single time, making everyone feel included, safe, and excited. You can truly feel that they love what they do, and that energy is contagious. I can confidently say that the magic of the excursions lives in these four individuals. They are irreplaceable, and they are a huge reason why guests fall in love with this place. From day one, Edwin was absolutely amazing—an absolute professional and a true gentleman. His energy, attention to detail, and welcoming presence set the tone for the entire stay. He made us feel valued and cared for from the very beginning. The same goes for Juan, Miguel, and Manuel—each of them brought great energy, kindness, and professionalism. Every interaction felt genuine, warm, and thoughtful, and it’s clear that this team truly cares about the guest experience. I genuinely fell in love with this resort, and I will absolutely be back—as long as Jassiel and his incredible colleagues are still there. Truly, without this team, the stay would not have been nearly as enjoyable. They are the reason this place feels alive, special, and unforgettable. Thank you, Explorean Cozumel, for an experience I will never forget. Until next time. Wajih J.

  Jan 10, 2026