Overview

Opened in 2023, The St. Regis Kanai Resort, Riviera Maya is one of Marriott’s newest luxury resorts, featuring 124 guestrooms and suites, all with ocean views and St. Regis butler service. The resort offers eight dining and bar venues, multiple pools, a full-service spa, and a secluded beachfront setting within the exclusive Kanai development, approximately 45 minutes south of Cancún International Airport.

Matt and I had been eyeing this property for quite some time. We love the convenience of flying into Cancún but wanted something quieter and more refined than the typical all-inclusive experience. When one of my travel clients started considering several luxury resorts in the area, it finally gave us the push to experience The St. Regis Kanai for ourselves.

Book with a Marriott STARS Advisor

Matt and I could have booked directly through Marriott, but instead we booked through a certified Marriott STARS Advisor (me 😊) for the exact same rate while receiving the following benefits:

• Complimentary breakfast for two daily
• $700 resort credit
• Room upgrade, subject to availability
• Early check-in, subject to availability
• Late check-out, subject to availability

The best part? Matt still received his Marriott Bonvoy elite night credits and earned Marriott points—benefits you generally won’t receive when booking through most online travel agencies or credit card travel portals.

The $700 resort credit was ultimately what convinced us to book. Since neither of us drinks alcohol and breakfast was already included, the credit covered nearly all of our lunches and dinners. It essentially gave us an all-inclusive experience without paying all-inclusive prices while staying at a significantly higher-end resort with a much quieter atmosphere.

Pre-Arrival

Part of what you’re paying for at a property like the St. Regis is the concierge service, and I always recommend reaching out before your stay. Before we arrived, we worked with the concierge to identify the best restaurant reservations and spa appointment times based on our preferences, and everything was organized into a detailed PDF itinerary.

Because the resort is relatively small and several restaurants have limited seating, I would strongly recommend making dinner reservations in advance, particularly if you’re traveling during a busy period.

Arrival & Check-In

We arranged our own private transfer from Cancún International Airport to the resort.

Upon arrival, the experience was classic St. Regis. A staff member greeted us at the entrance, collected our luggage, and escorted us to check-in while another offered cool scented towels and a refreshing welcome tea. Within minutes we were on our way to the room, where our butler introduced himself and explained that he would be available throughout our stay via WhatsApp for anything we needed—including complimentary morning coffee delivery.

The arrival experience immediately set the tone for the rest of the stay.

The Room

We booked a standard King room but were fortunate enough to receive an upgrade to a room with a private plunge pool.

The room overlooked the lush mangroves with the Caribbean visible beyond, creating a peaceful and secluded atmosphere. A Nespresso machine, spacious closet, separate soaking tub and shower, and a generously sized bathroom made the room extremely comfortable for a week-long stay.

As expected for a newly opened resort, everything still felt fresh and modern. The technology was intuitive, the lighting controls were well thought out, and nothing showed signs of wear.

The private plunge pool quickly became one of our favorite features of the room. It was the perfect place to cool off after our morning workout or relax during the hottest part of the afternoon when we wanted a break from the main pools while still enjoying the tropical surroundings.

Pool & Beach Facilities

Although the resort occupies a large footprint, it never feels crowded. Because it was intentionally built above a protected mangrove preserve, the guestrooms sit back from the beach rather than directly on the shoreline. Reaching the beach requires about a five-minute walk along elevated wooden pathways through the mangroves.

For us, this became one of the most unique aspects of the property. Walking through the lush mangrove forest each day made arriving at the beach feel like part of the experience rather than simply walking across another hotel pool deck. That said, travelers looking to step directly from their room onto the sand may prefer a different style of resort.

The property offers two separate beach clubs. One caters primarily to families, while the other is reserved for adults. We spent nearly all of our time at the adults-only pool and found it exceptionally peaceful. Even during our stay, there was never a struggle to find loungers, and the atmosphere remained quiet and relaxing throughout the day.

Service around the pool struck the right balance. Staff regularly refreshed towels, brought bottled water without being asked, and checked in throughout the day without ever feeling intrusive.

We generally ate enough at breakfast that we never needed lunch at the beach club, but we did try several of the mocktails, all of which were excellent. Food and beverages are undeniably expensive, but the pricing also seemed to discourage the loud, party atmosphere common at many Riviera Maya resorts. Throughout our stay we never encountered intoxicated guests or rowdy groups, which contributed to the peaceful environment we had been looking for.

Food & Beverage

One of the highlights of our stay was Toro, Richard Sandoval’s acclaimed Latin-Asian fusion restaurant. Even if we weren’t staying at the St. Regis, I think Toro would be worth a visit on its own. Every dish we ordered was excellent, combining bold Latin American flavors with Asian influences in a way that felt creative without being overdone. It quickly became one of our favorite resort restaurants anywhere, and we returned multiple times during our stay.

Chaya serves as the resort’s breakfast venue each morning before transitioning to dinner in the evening. Breakfast was consistently excellent, with an extensive buffet featuring fresh fruit, pastries, made-to-order egg dishes, and a variety of Mexican and international options. Service was attentive without feeling rushed, making it an enjoyable way to start each day. We also dined at Chaya for dinner and, while it didn’t quite reach the level of Toro, we thoroughly enjoyed the Italian-inspired menu and found every dish to be well prepared.

Overall, I thought the dining exceeded expectations for a resort. It’s easy for luxury hotels to have one standout restaurant and several forgettable ones, but that wasn’t our experience at Kanai. While Toro was the clear star of the show, every meal we had was thoughtfully prepared, and I would happily dine at either restaurant again.

One additional benefit of staying at The St. Regis Kanai is that guests also have access to the restaurants at the neighboring EDITION Riviera Maya at Kanai, with the ability to charge meals directly to their St. Regis room. This gives you several additional dining options within a short walk and adds even more variety for longer stays.

We had the opportunity to tour the EDITION during our visit, including a behind-the-scenes look at the property, and I was incredibly impressed. Rather than squeeze those thoughts into this review, I’ll be publishing a separate overview of the EDITION Riviera Maya at Kanai, as I think it deserves its own spotlight.

Spa

The St. Regis Spa Kanai was one of the highlights of our stay. While treatments are certainly not inexpensive, the experience felt far more comprehensive than a typical hotel massage.

Our couples massage began with a private wellness circuit that included an exfoliating body scrub in our own steam room, followed by exclusive use of a sauna, cold plunge, and hot tub before the massage itself. Combined with the wonderful fragrances used throughout the treatment, the entire experience felt incredibly relaxing and personal. If you’re celebrating a special occasion, I would highly recommend making time for the spa.

A Special Note

We absolutely loved The St. Regis Kanai and would happily return. That said, this is not the right resort for everyone.

Kanai is intentionally quiet. During our stay, there were always plenty of chairs available at the pools, the beach never felt crowded, and there was a genuine sense of peace throughout the property. If you’re looking for nightly entertainment, a lively social scene, swim-up bars, or a bustling resort atmosphere, you’ll probably find Kanai too subdued.

If, however, your ideal vacation is reading by the pool, enjoying outstanding meals, spending an afternoon at the spa, and simply slowing down, I think you’ll find it hard to beat. It reminded us more of a secluded luxury retreat than a traditional Riviera Maya beach resort—and that’s exactly why we loved it.

I will also point out that this is one of the few properties I have ever been to that families with children AND quiet adults and co-exist. The family beach club and just the overall amount of space kept the peace.

Who This Hotel Is For

• Couples looking for a peaceful, luxury beach escape rather than a lively all-inclusive atmosphere
• Families who want a high-end resort with an excellent kids club while still enjoying refined dining and beautiful surroundings
• Travelers who appreciate exceptional service, thoughtful design, and attention to detail
• Marriott Bonvoy members looking to maximize elite benefits or Marriott STARS amenities
• Guests who enjoy relaxing by the pool, visiting the spa, and dining at outstanding on-site restaurants
• Travelers who value tranquility over nightlife and don’t mind a short walk through the mangroves to reach the beach

Who Should Probably Skip It

• Travelers looking for an energetic resort with nightly entertainment, swim-up bars, and a party atmosphere
• Guests who want to step directly from their room onto the beach
• Anyone seeking a traditional all-inclusive experience with unlimited food and drinks included
• Travelers on a tighter budget, as dining, spa treatments, and activities are priced accordingly
• Those who prefer a compact resort where everything is within a minute or two of their room

Bon Voyage,

Andrew Reiser |Travel Advisor

Website: https://www.foratravel.com/advisor/andrew-reiser

Instagram: @areiser86

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