Mexico will always have a special place in our hearts. Although we’ve been to Mexico at least 4-5 times already; this time was a little different because we decided to check out one of our bucket list accommodations, the adult-only all-inclusive: Unico 20’87 Hotel Riviera Maya.
Settled on the white, sandy beaches of Riviera Maya, Mexico, Unico 20’87 delivered our favorite trio: luxurious aesthetics, lo-fi vibes, and complete serenity during our seven-day vacation.
Since we had such an amazing time, we wanted to share with you all our review of the resort, and hopefully, you will be able to see why this resort has landed itself as one of The Leading Hotels of the World.
Here’s our guide to staying at the luxurious Unico 20’87 Hotel Riviera Maya:
Check-in Process
Seamless, organized, and attentive. We were greeted with a refreshing cucumber mint welcome drink and a cold face cloth as soon as we walked into the lobby. At this time, we met our lovely host, Montse. Each guest is assigned a local host at check-in. Your host is dedicated to you during your entire vacation, and they help with dinner reservations, booking tours, etc. We were checked in within 25 minutes and then escorted to our room.
The Room
The property houses 448 guestrooms with seven different types of rooms guests can choose from (Alcoba Swim-Up Pool, PURE Wellness Alcoba, Alcoba Ocean View, Alcoba Oceanfront, Estancia Tropical View, and Estancia Suite 1-2 bedroom). We chose to stay in their Alcoba Swim-Up Pool, providing the luxury we genuinely deserve on vacation. There was daily housekeeping and turn-down service each night. We were in building 3, directly next to their main pool and the event stages. Some nights they would have performances or events. For some, this can be problematic. However, the noise didn’t disturb us. We were in the perfect location.
Dining
There are 4 restaurants (Mura House, Cueva Siete, Mi Carisa, and 20’87) and a café on site (Café Inez).
Mura House: Serves Japanese cuisine in three styles: teppanyaki, yakitori, and sushi. We thoroughly enjoyed this restaurant! We ordered their Shrimp Pad Thai, California Roll sushi, Baby Elotes, Seafood Eggrolls, and Lobster Fried Rice. We could have dined here for dinner twice but canceled the second time. We wish we had gone back! (Only open for dinner)
Cueva Siete: Named for the seven origin caves of Mayan mythos, this restaurant serves flavors derived from the Yucatan Peninsula. This was one of our top two favorite dining places, even much so that we ate here twice! From the aesthetics to the fantastic food, it was indeed an experience. The service was equally impressive. On our first-night dining here, we had a server named Carlos who was so thorough and informative. He shared interesting facts about each dish we ordered, which made a lasting impression on the remainder of our time at the resort. We ordered their Aztec Land Salad, Spicy Potatoes, Shrimp and Fish Tacos, Horchata Cake, Brownie, and Lemon Pie. (Only open for dinner)
Mi Carisa: Focusing on coastal Italian cuisine, this restaurant conveys a warm, intimate setting with an elevated dining experience. We chose to start our vacation with dinner here as well as end it here while overlooking gorgeous pond views. Although Bree’s food wasn’t a huge hit our first night, we were open to giving it another try and are glad we did. It was absolutely delicious! Do yourself a favor and order the Shrimp Fettucine. (Open for a la carte breakfast and dinner)
20’87: If you are a person who enjoys buffets on vacation, unfortunately, you will only have that option during breakfast at this casual beachside venue. Breakfast was perfect! There were so many options, and we ate here every morning. This restaurant also serves a la carte lunch and dinner. For dinner, it shifts into a classic steakhouse/grill vibe serving up steak, fish, and some vegan options. If we had to give our rating regarding dinner, it was our least favorite. (Buffet breakfast, a la carte lunch, and dinner)
Café Inez: The resort’s coffee shop showcases its take on European café culture. They were serving fresh juices, coffees, and teas to give you an energizing start to your day as well as sandwiches and salads for lunch and dinner. We often stopped by to grab coffees, Chantell often chose a Hazelnut Latte Frappuccino, and Bree fell in love with their Mexican Iced Latte. Chantell had some bad experiences with the employees constantly getting her order wrong, so just beware.
Bars
There are two bars on-site: Palmera Lounge and Bar Balam. A selection of top-shelf spirits can be found at both. UNICO 20’87 even has its wine shop, La Botella, where you can choose from a selection of wines and even schedule a tasting with a sommelier.
Pools
UNICO 20’87 offers three pools with their own experiences: La UNICA Pool, 20’87 Pool, and La Escondida. All pools have poolside food and drink service. We spent all our time at La UNICA Pool, which was the liveliest of them all. We do wish that they had music that played throughout the day, as that enhances our pool relaxation experience. However, they did have a live DJ two days we were there that played a mix of techno, house, and top 40 music. Because of the entertainment surrounding La UNICA, people often got up early, around 7 am, to save their chairs, and by the time 10/11 am came around, the chairs around the pool were filled.
Beach
Although we did not spend much time here during the day (We prefer pools on vacation!), there was much seaweed along the shoreline. They did do their best to clean it up during the mornings but don’t expect to do much swimming because of this.
Activities
There were many things to do around the resort, including UNICO Yoga, water aerobics,
mixology classes, and artisan experiences. We enjoyed their salsa classes and, of course, BINGO nights!
Our favorite experience was getting our Unicostum hats painted by local artists from the community. Each guest receives two hats in their resort room, and twice weekly, you can have them painted with beautiful designs. That was a unique touch we had never experienced at any other resort.
UNICO 20’87 also offers an app for their guests to download, and this was the perfect way to keep up with the activity schedule each day.
We have stayed at many all-inclusive resorts, but this resort exceeded our expectations. Chantell and I are already making plans to return. If this resort is on your radar, we promise you will not regret it!