If you are dreaming of an adults-only all-inclusive vacation in the Riviera Maya that allows you to be fully immersed in the art and culture, you are going to love Hotel Xcaret Arte! I recently planned a five-day getaway for a client at Hotel Xcaret Arte, and she is here to tell you everything you need to know about planning your trip here.

Adrienna and her husband, Frank, were looking for a five-day vacation anywhere in the Caribbean. Their must-haves included something adult only, within an hour of an airport, with a great spa and delicious food, and a more relaxed and quiet atmosphere. Their budget was $5,000, and after sending them four options, they chose Hotel Xcaret Arte. Adrienna is here to tell you everything you need to know. From secret spots to where to find the best views, it’s all included in this guide. 

About Hotel Xcaret Arte

Part of the Xcaret Group, Xcaret Arte is the newest resort and is an adults-only all-inclusive paradise. Opening in December 2021, it sits right on the Caribbean Sea, next to Hotel Xcaret México. The eco-integrating architecture blends into the surrounding nature, with lagoons and rivers flowing throughout, allowing you to swim or kayak around parts of the resort.

One of the perks is that you can have access to any of the Xcaret hotels for free, and there are shuttles that take you to and from the parks. However, my husband and I never left Hotel Xcaret Arte, and we loved every minute of it!

The Casas

The hotel plays homage to the best Mexican artists, and each Casa, or section of rooms, has their own themes. There are six Casas:

Casa de los Artistas – Inspired by painting, this Casa houses painting workshops. This one is the most exclusive house at the hotel, with its own pool and restaurant that is only accessible if you have a room at this Casa. They do have the best ocean views. However, it is right by all of the bars, so it is the loudest area of the hotel. If you are looking for a more party and late-night atmosphere, this is a great spot for you!

Casa de la Música – This is where we stayed! Inspired by music, the room nods to music and dance throughout. This is where the dance workshops are.

Casa de la Paz- Inspired by the written word and poetry, you can find literature workshops here. (At the time of our visit, there were no literature workshops, but instead, there were yoga workshops.) This is also where the spa is housed. This Casa is the furthest back, so if you are looking for a quiet space with jungle views, you will love it. If you stay in this Casa, you will have daily access to the Spa’s hydrotherapy circuit.

Casa de la Pirámide- This one is right off the main lobby and is where you can find the pottery workshops. It also has a rooftop pool and a small river beach.

Casa del Diseño – Across from Casa de la Pirámide, this has a great rooftop pool and houses the weaving workshops.

Casa del Patrón – This is the main lobby area where your trip starts and ends. There are no rooms here, but it is where many of the restaurants are.

Casa de la Música

For our trip, we booked a River Suite at Casa de la Música. My husband and I love to relax while on vacation. Sleeping in, reading, and being by the water are all we need to enjoy a trip. We did decide to do the River Platform upgrade – which was such a fun addition! With this upgrade, we were on the first floor, with a platform over the River so we could jump in and swim in the river any time we wanted. It also allowed us to have a beautiful view, and it was very quiet.

One thing to note about the platform is that it is a bit of a jump, and at low tide, it can be harder to get out of the water since the ladder will be covered in seaweed. But we loved being able to swim around the area and find some of the hidden coves throughout.

The room itself was beautiful and very spacious. The platform had two hammocks, where is where my husband spent most evenings. The large Apple TV is your hub and where you can order room service, as well as see photos you can take throughout the park. The minibar is unlimited and was always stocked, and the Nespresso coffee machine was a nice touch. 

The hot tub and bathroom were large, with a huge walk-in shower covered in hand-painted tile. They have everything you need, from body wash to shampoo and conditioner to bath salts for your tub. They even give you a cute beach bag that you can use and take home!

The Pools and Beach

If you are looking for miles of white pristine beach, this isn’t the resort for you. However, the beach was nice. Just keep in mind it is small and a bit rocky. Since there are limited chairs, it does fill up quickly, so I suggest going early in the morning before it fills up. We found that most areas filled up around 10:00 AM.

If you want a fun atmosphere with music, the main infinity pool is great. The wet bar is crowded, but there is also the Cayuco restaurant on site, so you can easily get drinks from their bar. Casa de la Música also had their own small pool and wet bar, which was pretty empty most days.

Our favorite pool was the Rooftop of Casa del Diseño. This spot has spectacular ocean views, Balinese beds, and hammocks. They also have food until 5:00 PM and daily specialty drinks. I suggest getting there early, before 10:00 AM to secure a spot since it does fill up quickly. The rooftop pool at Casa de la Música was nice as well. It does have a live DJ most of the day, so was a bit louder.

My husband and I loved the coves and river beach the most. They were often less crowded, and you could easily find a quiet spot and just relax. We never had trouble finding a place right on the water! They also have a bar service, so you can order drinks whenever you want.

Fun Details

One of my favorite parts of the resort was all the moments of surprise and delight. My husband and I have stayed at quite a few all-inclusive resorts and found this one to have the most attention to detail. Every evening, with the turndown service, they leave little woven boxes filled with a Mexican sweet, which you can take home! I loved having all of these multi-colored boxes to bring home as unique souvenirs.

There are Xelfie Points, which are spots where you can have a selfie taken. Cameras are placed throughout the resort; all you have to do is scan your bracelet and get a photo! These photos are saved, and you can view them on the TV in your room and purchase them. We didn’t do many of these, so we didn’t purchase any, but it was a fun touch.

The hotel is built around the natural rivers and coves, so there are bridges to connect all the areas. It was fun to really feel like you were exploring, even if it was just to find the beach!

On the last night, we went to the secret speakeasy, El Deseo. To find it, you’ll need to ask the staff how to get there. Hint: it’s only open at night, and the red lights will guide you. (You’ll know what I mean when you see it!)

The Workshops

One of the reasons we chose this resort was the workshops. As an artist, the idea of having so many options was amazing! However, finding out information online about how these workshops were run was difficult, so here are some inside tips.

Book them when you arrive. You can’t book any of these workshops until you arrive, so I suggest visiting them on the first day to decide which ones you want to do. 

Most workshops take multiple days, so you need to start as soon as you get there. One thing I did not realize is that the workshops will take multiple days to complete. For example, if you do the pottery workshop,  you will need to do it in steps so that you can finish your project. That means taking time each day to attend a workshop.

You can access all of them – except for the painting. The painting workshop is part of Casa de los Artistas, so it is off-limits unless you stay there. The rest are in the same room as the gift shops, making them easy to find.

Pottery is the most popular and books the quickest. There are a few options, including hand-building a keepsake and painting it or learning how to throw on a pottery wheel. There are only 12 spots for each workshop, so if you are interested, book your spot the first day you arrive since this one will require 2-3 days worth of workshops to complete.

I chose to do the weaving workshops, and they had a lot of great options! I decided to do the embroidery project, and I highly recommend it. The instructor was so fun, and even as someone who has done embroidery for years, I learned so many new things! They give you everything you need for each project, including a woven bag to take your project home in. I was able to work on my embroidery by the pool, and it was a highlight of the trip.

Muluk Spa

Hands down, one of the best parts of Hotel Xcaret Arte is the Muluk Spa! While it is an additional fee, it is very much worth the extra cost. The spa is built to look like you are in a cave, with a huge pool and plenty of space to relax after your treatment. Make sure to arrive 90 minutes early to get the full experience! Before your treatment, you will go through a hydrotherapy routine, going from cold to hot rooms that really make you relax even more.

We got the regular 60-minute massage with the exfoliation treatment, and it was perfect. After your treatment, you can enjoy the pool for as long as you would like, and it was definitely worth booking a treatment to access. Bring your bathing suit; you will need it!

The Food

My husband’s favorite part was the food! It was hands down the best food at an all-inclusive resort we have had, even with my food allergy. I am allergic to nightshades (peppers, tomatoes, etc.), so you would think I would have trouble at a resort that has a lot of Mexican-inspired dishes – but they were very accommodating! Every restaurant asked what my food allergy was, and I never had an issue adjusting the menu. We had teppanyaki at Tah-Xido, and the chef even cooked mine separately so that I could still enjoy the experience. 

I suggest getting to the restaurants 10-15 minutes before opening if you want to be seated right away. Any other time and there is a bit of a wait time. Keep in mind some do require reservations, so make sure to do that before you arrive or on the first day since they book up quickly. 

You Will Love Hotel Xcaret Arte

I’ve been to quite a few all-inclusive resorts, but Hotel Xcaret Arte is the first that I’ve ever wanted to go back to! From the atmosphere to the food to the art and decor, every single detail was perfect. It was worth the cost, especially investing in an afternoon at the Spa.

But my biggest tip? Hire a travel specialist to do it all! Hiring Bridie Travel was the best decision we made. She ensured that every part of the trip was planned out, including travel to and from the hotel, and got us a platform room upgrade. My husband and I didn’t have to worry about a single thing, which was something we appreciated so much.