Barcelo Santiago Adults Only

A week of vacation, among beautiful views (from the room balcony); sun and swimming in the pool (3 pools), excellent breakfasts, lots of relaxation, highly recommended!

Just had a week here & not disappointed 👍 had the junior suite with breathtaking views , food was good with a theme most nights and a roast , breakfast plentiful & lunch excellent choices , odd wait at the breeze bar hence serving other than Ai & prepping meals, entertainment satisfactory , room clean and presentable throughout the week , nice receptionist who checked us in & out , nice quiet resort & staff particularly dining staff & cleaners & bar friendly enough as well as the pool team Having read bad reviews as I do i just can't understand the moaners ? Would certainly love to visit again after a bit of banter comparing Landmar Arena playa lol Barcelo is better IMHO Regards Chris Ps allo bar 10/10 with a personal touch & waited on without fuss

We had a 10-day break in January having previously stayed in Barcelo's 5-star hotel in La Caleta. This is a four-star resort hotel so did have a very different vibe with lots of positives and a couple of disappointments. The good stuff: great pool area with lots of loungers clean, quiet room friendly staff excellent food (half-board = buffet style breakfast and dinner) scenic views Disappointments: the corridors are dull and exterior walls need cleaned/rendered pool entertainment isn't to everyone's taste (loud music if you want it or not) the local area is very hilly making walking around a bit of a challenge shallow shower tray means the bathroom floor floods easily

We recently spent 7 nights at Barceló Santiago for a romantic getaway and proposal trip, and overall we had an amazing holiday that we thoroughly enjoyed. I would whole-heartedly recommend this hotel, especially for couples looking for a beautiful and relaxing escape. Room & Comfort We stayed in a Superior Deluxe Room which was modern, bright, and spacious enough for two people, with plenty of storage for a week-long stay. The beds were extremely comfortable, and we had a mini-fridge and TV. The AC was a refreshing addition to the room. The views from our balcony over La Gomera and the Los Gigantes cliffs were simply breathtaking—and since our room overlooked the stage, we even enjoyed watching the evening entertainment right from our balcony on a couple of nights! The bathroom features a stylish glass enclosure; the only small design downside is that the toilet cubicle area felt a bit cramped. Food & Drink We were on the All-Inclusive package, which was great value as it included a wide range of premium alcoholic, soft drinks and water which in the heat was much needed. Bars: The Breeze Bar was quick with service (offering table service in the evenings), but our personal favourite was the Aloe Bar after 8:00 PM, it was wonderfully quiet, relaxed, and offered great table service. Buffet (Drago): The food selection varied nicely with different themed nights alongside staple comfort foods (salads, chips, etc.), and there was always a live cooking station with fresh meats prepared right in front of you. My only minor critique here was the amount of flies around the buffet area—adding simple food covers over the displays would easily solve this. Service & Staff Check-in was seamless and efficient. Isabella explained all the resort details clearly, including the towel token system (you get one free change). Arriving late, we were delighted to find a selection of sandwiches and cold drinks waiting by reception, a lovely, thoughtful touch. Every team member we encountered was warm and helpful. Special mentions must go to: Alicia: Exceptionally friendly and pleasant throughout our stay. Gabriella (Guest Experience Manager): A massive personal thank you to Gabriella! In the months leading up to our trip, she helped me organise a room surprise and coordinate my proposal to my partner. Her recommendations and assistance were fantastic and helped make our moment truly special. Pools, Spa & Entertainment The hotel grounds are impeccably clean, modern, and beautifully maintained. We made full use of all three pool areas, which boast unbeatable ocean and cliff views. As part of our proposal celebrations, I booked a private couple’s hour at the U-Spa complete with cava and fresh fruit. It was incredibly relaxing and a highlight of the trip! The animation team worked tirelessly during the day (though we mostly relaxed by the pools rather than joining in). Evening entertainment was mostly live bands and musicians. While enjoyable, I feel the lineup could benefit from a bit more variety, and using the internal theatre area rather than the outdoor space might suit the evening shows better. Location & Surrounding Area The hotel’s position on the coastline is stunning. Right outside, you have convenient access to supermarkets, local bars, and restaurants like La Pérgola. A quick 10-minute taxi ride takes you into the heart of the area, we visited the Mirador Los Guíos viewpoint for the proposal itself, followed by a celebratory meal at Aqua Restaurant, which served a beautifully crafted local menu alongside stunning sunset views. Verdict Spotless facilities, top-tier hospitality, unforgettable views, and wonderful memories made. We would return in a heartbeat!

There is a lot to like about Barceló Santiago: our sea-view room was beautiful, spotlessly clean and had amazing views. The staff were consistently friendly and attentive, and the breakfast buffet was excellent, with a very wide selection. However, the evening entertainment was a major disappointment and ultimately had a significant impact on our stay. Every evening, there were shows and extremely loud music directly in front of the sea-facing rooms, with DJs, shouting and cheering continuing until around 11:00 p.m. As a result, there was simply no way to enjoy a quiet evening on our balcony or sleep before the entertainment finished. We understand that a hotel wants to offer entertainment, and we have no issue with that in principle. The problem is the volume, duration and location, which made it unavoidable for guests staying on the sea-facing side of the hotel. This was especially disappointing because we specifically chose and paid extra for a sea-view room, expecting the calm and relaxing experience described by the hotel. We have stayed at other Barceló properties that were much quieter and more relaxing. If the level of evening entertainment and noise had been clearly communicated when booking, we would probably have chosen a different hotel. Overall: a great location, an amaxing room, great staff and an excellent breakfast, but the nightly noise unfortunately outweighed these positives for us. We would therefore not choose this hotel again.

We spent 10 days here and had a great time. The views of Los Gigantes were awesome, the room was very comfortable and the staff were really friendly. Night time entertainment needs a bit of work, heard the same songs every night and the noise from other bars and hotels affected our sleep. Sandy beaches are a bit of a walk away but plenty of rocky beaches to explore right outside the door

This was my first time at an all inclusive. I really enjoyed the Palace. I really loved our cold room accommodations!!

⭐☆☆☆☆ (1 Star) I was extremely disappointed with my stay at the Maya Palace. While the property itself is beautiful, the overall experience fell far below expectations. The biggest issue was the cleanliness and maintenance. Common areas and parts of the resort often felt neglected, and our room wasn’t consistently cleaned to the standard you’d expect from a resort of this caliber. We also dealt with maintenance issues that took far too long to be addressed. Customer service was another major letdown. It was difficult to get assistance, and many staff members seemed uninterested in resolving concerns. Simple requests either took hours or were never followed through. The food was repetitive, lacked variety, and was often served lukewarm. For an all-inclusive resort, I expected much better quality and fresher options. The resort was also overcrowded, making it difficult to find pool chairs, enjoy the amenities, or get timely service at the bars and restaurants. Long waits became the norm throughout our stay. Overall, I left feeling that the experience did not justify the price we paid. I wouldn’t choose to stay here again or recommend it to friends or family.

# Barceló Maya Palace (May 15–22, 2026) **Family Friendly or Adults Only?** ⭐ Both! The Barceló Maya complex is massive and includes both family-friendly resorts and adults-only sections. There truly is something for everyone. **Airport:** Cancún (CUN) **Room Category:** Junior Suite **Overall Rating:** ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.5/5 **Celiac-Friendly Rating:** ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.5/5 ## ❤️ What We Loved ### 🍽️ Food Without question, the food was the highlight of our stay. I've travelled to all-inclusive resorts in the Caribbean at least a dozen times, and Barceló Maya Palace offered the largest selection of food I've ever seen. Not only was there incredible variety, but the quality and taste were excellent as well. Every meal felt fresh and there was always something new to try. Another pleasant surprise was the alcohol selection. Unlike many all-inclusive resorts that serve generic brands, Barceló offered premium liquor throughout the resort. ### 🌾 Travelling with Celiac Disease This was our **first vacation since my husband's celiac diagnosis**, so we were understandably nervous. From the moment we arrived, the staff took his dietary restrictions seriously. Guest Services provided us with a letter explaining his celiac diagnosis, which we presented at every restaurant and buffet. At every meal, my husband spoke directly with the chef, who walked him through all of the gluten-free options. Whenever possible, meals were prepared fresh in the kitchen to minimize any risk of cross-contamination. We never felt like we were inconveniencing anyone, and the staff consistently made us feel safe eating throughout the week. ### 🏨 Resort & Rooms While Barceló Maya Palace is definitely an older resort, don't expect ultra-modern décor. The rooms have more of a classic transitional/colonial style rather than a contemporary luxury feel. That being said, everything was exceptionally clean, very well maintained, and in excellent condition. Housekeeping did a fantastic job, and the resort grounds were immaculate throughout our stay. The property itself is stunning, with beautiful tropical landscaping and wildlife roaming freely throughout the resort—something our children absolutely loved. ### 🏊 Pools Another feature we really enjoyed was the abundance of pools throughout the resort. Because the Barceló complex is so large, there were plenty of pools to choose from, and none of them ever felt overcrowded. We also appreciated that the pools remained open until **8:00 p.m.**, which is later than many all-inclusive resorts we've visited. It was nice not having to rush back from the beach or finish up our afternoon activities because the pools closed early. The extended hours gave us more time to relax, especially with the kids, and made the days feel much less rushed. ### 🎭 Entertainment Hands down, the best entertainment we've experienced at any all-inclusive resort. The nightly shows were incredibly well produced with talented performers, impressive costumes, and lots of variety. We actually looked forward to the evening entertainment every night, which isn't something we've said about many resorts. ### 🎡 Activities & Amenities One thing that really sets Barceló apart is the amount of things to do outside of the pools and beach. The resort features both an on-site shopping mall and a local market. **The shopping mall includes:** * Bowling * Arcade * Indoor skating rink * Carousel rides * Sports bar * Higher-end shops and boutiques (Some activities require an additional fee.) The local market is perfect for browsing authentic souvenirs, snacks, clothing, gifts, and other items from local vendors. The resort also offers: * A FlowRider surf simulator * A water park Both are available for an additional fee. ### 👧 Kids Club The Kids Club exceeded every expectation we had. This was the very first time we left our children in a supervised kids club while on vacation, and they absolutely loved it. They asked to go back every day, which allowed us to enjoy some much-needed adult time without worrying. ## 👏 Staff Shout-Outs There were so many wonderful staff members, but a few deserve special recognition. * **Naiomi and Jossa** from the Kids Club were absolutely phenomenal with our children. They were patient, caring, energetic, and genuinely seemed to love what they do. * **Paola Galo** went above and beyond to ensure every buffet meal was safe for my husband. * **Zoehemy Sanchez** and **Rosa Mendoza** at the Mirador Buffet provided exceptional service throughout our stay. These employees truly made our vacation memorable. ## 🍹 Bar Experience (Celiac) The bars were probably the only place where we exercised a little extra caution. Although the bartenders were friendly, not everyone fully understood celiac disease. To play it safe we: * Requested no straws. * Asked bartenders not to stir drinks with the communal mixing spoon. * Avoided frozen drinks like piña coladas and daiquiris since we couldn't verify whether the mixes or blenders were gluten-free. * Stuck to simple mixed drinks. Using common sense, we had no issues. ## 💡 Tips for Other Celiacs * Visit the buffet early before serving utensils become cross-contaminated. * Always ask the chef to walk you through the gluten-free options. * Don't hesitate to request a freshly prepared meal. * Grab fruit from the back of the display whenever possible. * Use your own judgment at the bars. ## 👎 What Could Be Better ### 🌊 Sargassum Unfortunately, the beach was heavily affected by sargassum during our stay. I had visited this same resort over 20 years ago in September and remembered crystal-clear turquoise water. This time, we walked almost the entire beachfront looking for a clean place to swim, but it was nearly impossible. The smell could also be unpleasant at times. I know this is completely outside of the resort's control, but it definitely impacted our beach experience. ### 🚶 Size of the Resort The resort is HUGE. We loved having access to all the different restaurants, pools, and amenities, but be prepared to walk... a lot! They do offer complimentary shuttle buses that travel between the different resort sections, but smaller trolley-style carts would have been much more convenient, especially for families with young children and tired little legs after a long day. ## ✈️ Booking Experience We booked through **Heather at Wind, Wand & Waves**, who also has celiac disease. Having a travel advisor who personally understands the challenges of travelling gluten-free made all the difference. This was our first trip after my husband's diagnosis, and Heather answered every question we had, eased our concerns, and made us feel confident before we even boarded the plane. ## ✅ Final Thoughts This ended up being one of our favourite all-inclusive vacations to date. Between the incredible food, outstanding entertainment, beautiful grounds, endless activities, abundance of pools, attentive staff, and how seriously they treated my husband's celiac disease, we left incredibly impressed. Although the sargassum was disappointing, it certainly wouldn't stop us from returning. **Would we go back? Absolutely—and we wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to other families travelling with celiac disease.**

You couldn’t get to come here again if my life depended on it ! Management staff was the worst I’ve ever experienced anywhere in the world. Unapologetic, could care less about the reason for your issues. Just tried moving you along like sheep to get to the next person. I wouldn’t tell my worst enemy to stay at this place. That would still be good too good for them.!

No need to spend the extra money on premium level. Not many benefits, go along with us or at least we were not acknowledged. We had premium level, our family did not, but was given a room exactly like ours two doors down.

Have been several times. Last time we had our usual Jnr. Suite. Sadly, there were atrocious storms and the room developed a leak. I noted that the external walls and integral flower parapets were in a poor condition and I believe this led to the leaks in the hotel. The answer to the question, "Would I go again?". The answer is, "In a heartbeat if the defects are rectified." The cost of our holiday was acceptable but but not cheap but I do not expect serious leaks like this in a hotel of this quality.

Hotel was clean, staff very pleasant, food was hit and miss. There’s nothing to do outside the hotel, very quiet, you couldn’t come here if you’re disabled, to get the bus is a ten minute hike in the heat up a slope named cardiac hill, it’s brutal, if you go to the right outside the hotel you can get the bus that way but again it’s up hill and steps. Nothing much at Los Gigantes either you can walk that in 10 minutes as well along the coastal path. If you manage to get the iron at the hotel make sure you iron your clothes all at once as it gets taken away for someone else, must be a shortage. Also no mirror over the table which would be beneficial. Could do with more seating outside, and tables with great views have ash trays on!. Hate to say it the entertainment wasn’t great either. Also the safe is 20 Euros which i was surprised about as most 4 star hotels are free. We did get a good nights sleep after the entertainment finished around 11, couldn’t fault the view it was stunning we were in room 615. I did enjoy the holiday but was too quiet for us hence going to Adeje and Las Americas on the bus after climbing cardiac hill! Lol

We have been here 4 times now and we are coming back this Saturday 11th July we just cant wait we love it we love the views the staff the food if this is our 5th time I think that tells you something Although I do slightly agree about the smoking bit but we LOVE IT see you soon

Our 4th visit & as usual we had a lovely time ! The food is great, cocktails made from scratch and delicious ! Our room had the best views looking onto Los Gigantes & we had a big balcony , so we definitely made the most of the beautiful views ! The only problem was that the evening entertainment was in the smoking area 😡 so if you’re happy to smell like an ash tray & inhale the cigarette fumes this is the only way you get to see the shows !! No consideration for non smokers at all ! That being said we will almost definitely be back !

We booked this hotel for a five-night break to do absolutely nothing, and it was perfect for exactly that. Our room was quiet, with a glorious view from the balcony. The evening entertainment takes place on the rooftop (Level 6), next to the main restaurant and pools, so it could be heard from our room and balcony. However, this wasn’t an issue for us and finished at a reasonable time. The food was excellent, with a good selection available at breakfast, lunch and dinner. We particularly enjoyed the fresh seafood, and the themed dinner menus provided plenty of variety throughout our stay. The views from the restaurant and outdoor terrace are unmatched, the perfect spot to watch the sunset. The Breeze Pool Bar also serves food throughout the day and, as we were all-inclusive, we felt this offered really good value. There were plenty of daytime activities and entertainment available, but there was never any pressure to join in if you simply wanted to relax. A few negatives prevented this from being a perfect stay: The hotel has signs everywhere stating that reserving sunbeds is not allowed, yet this rule wasn’t enforced. On two of our four pool days, we struggled to find sunbeds at around 9:30–10:00am. On one occasion, we even witnessed an argument between guests over reserved sunbeds, and staff didn’t intervene. This meant the only few available beds were in full sun next to the glass balustrade, which became extremely hot. Smoking isn’t permitted in the sunbathing areas, but vaping appears to be allowed, which felt a little inconsistent. There is no waiter service around the pool or in the evening bar unless you’ve paid for one of the cabanas. As a result, queues at the bar regularly reached 10–15 minutes during busy periods. The bathroom layout was… interesting! It’s open to the main bedroom, with only the shower and toilet enclosed in separate cubicles. The sink area remains open, and our toilet door didn’t close properly, which could be awkward depending on who you’re sharing with. The toilet cubicle also felt quite claustrophobic. Finally, pool towels can only be exchanged once per week, which surprised us, as most hotels we’ve stayed at allow daily or unlimited towel changes. Overall, we had a wonderful, relaxing holiday. The food, views and peaceful atmosphere were fantastic, and with a little more attention to enforcing the sunbed policy and improving service around the pool, this would elevate the overall experience.

Fantastic relaxing holiday and the first time we have been back since it was rebranded as an adults only hotel. Lovely mix of people were at the hotel and was very relaxing indeed. I had asked for a room on level 5 overlooking the island of La gomera so I could watch the sun set from the balcony and we were really pleased with our room (537). We usually go all inclusive on our holidays but decided to go half board this time to see if it worked out any cheaper overall. I asked when we checked in how much is would cost to upgrade to AI and was quoted €811 for the week. We carried on with half board and ate at the pool bar each lunchtime and had drinks all day long by the pool, at dinner and in the evening in the lobby bar and out total spend was €590, so all in all worked out good value. As the World Cup was on, the entertainment was upstairs on the terrace and was a nice relaxed place to unwind after the day. The pools were lovely and warm and the Barcelo towels were free and even got the opportunity to change them for fresh towels once in the week. The purpose of our holiday was complete relaxation and that is exactly what we got and look forward to returning again in the future.

If you like friendly staff and a spectacular oceanview, this hotel is definitely a good choice for you. However, if you love peace and quiet—which is exactly what you would expect from a 4-star Adults Only hotel—I strongly recommend booking a room at another hotel on this beautiful island. Most rooms face the ocean and the impressive cliffs of Los Gigantes. The entertainment area is located between the ocean and the hotel, meaning that every single room is subjected to the loud noise and heavy beats. And this happens every night, until the late hours! Getting a quiet night's sleep is virtually impossible. We had to wear earplugs, but the bass was so intense that it barely made a difference. In short: stunning views, but zero peace and quiet. Combined with substandard food and a management team that clearly doesn't care about guest satisfaction, we cannot recommend this hotel. Save your money and find a place where you can actually enjoy your well deserved vacation.

spent 2 weeks of enjoyment will go back. food is good although limited choice over 2 weeks. very clean with friendly staff just avoid the Freddy Mercury tribute night - its bad otherwise reasonable entertainment. Looking forward to returning

The Barcelo santiago is a fantastic hotel to stay in great food, daytime entertainment and some fantastic views from around the pool.The reception staff were second to none especially when we had to change room as this was not a problem and done in no time at all ...10/10 ...We will be back for sure...

I was really impressed by the hotel food was fantastic and loved the pools I have to say I was worried about my husband who cannot walk and had good access al around the room

The hotel generally is very nice, the area it is in feels tired and having visited Costa adeje on many occasions I think we prefer that area. The food is good and choice excellent but for my wife the vegetarian option seemed to be salad, soup, pasta or pizza. Room wise they are nice and spacious(superior deluxe) but do request a high floor above level 7 as pool and restaurant and entertainment is on level 5. Animation team are friendly and classes or pool games are good fun. Gym is pretty well equipped. Getting a sunbed hasn’t been an issue. The real downside to this hotel is the pool bar (Breeze) , the service is slow, you get ignored and a few bar tenders are just very rude, which is a shame. I probably wouldn’t stay here again as there are nicer hotels, staff and resorts on Tenerife.

Great location, excellent staff, spotless accommodation, excellent activities during day (for those wanting to join in).Will certainly be returning.