Casa Maya is a large, 370-room property that is easily visible from the main road. It is housed in tall white buildings, and the top floors have beautiful views of both the ocean and the lagoon on the other side. The property is U-shaped, with the main pool, Las Brisas restaurant, and the snack bar in the center.

The lobby is large with a huge seating area in the middle populated with green couches and brown wicker chairs. Reception is located to the right of the entrance; to the left sits a variety of tour desks where guests can book excursions and presentations with time-share salespeople. The time-share representatives didn’t seem too pushy upon our visit, but many offer guests coupons redeemable around the hotel in exchange for sitting through a presentation. The lobby also has a convenience store on one end and a large bar area on the other. There is daily happy hour as well as nightly live entertainment by the lobby bar.

Guests are a good mix of travelers and include families, retired couples, and groups. Many guests are repeat customers and have been coming back for years. The ambience is relaxed and casual, and service is extremely friendly. Folks looking for a laid-back, non-pretentious resort with low rates and a lot of amenities would do well here. 

Cancun’s Hotel Zone is shaped like a “7,” and Casa Maya is located at the very top (or northern part) of the zone. The beaches up here have calmer waves than properties located down the main strip, making swimming better suited for kids or less adventurous swimmers. Guests interested in water sports or other wave-friendly activities might have to travel farther down the strip.

Most resorts are located on the narrow stretch of land between the Nichupte Lagoon and Caribbean Sea (the elbow and base of the “7”), making Hotel Casa Maya a five- to 10-minute drive from central restaurants, shops, and attractions. Taxis are always available in the front of the hotel and plenty of buses run up and down the Hotel Zone.

• Six-minute drive to the heart of the Hotel Zone
• 14- minute drive to downtown Cancun
• 23-minute drive to Cancun International Airport
• 37-minute drive to Puerto Morelos, with quiet beaches and great snorkeling spots
• One-hour drive to Playa del Carmen, a laid-back and bustling town with great shopping and a well-heeled crowd
• One-hour-40 minute drive to Tulum ruins
• Two-hour-10-minute drive to Chichen Itza ruins
• Two-hour-20-minute drive to Coba ruins

The Studios at Casa Maya are dated with thin carpeted rooms, bright blue motel-quality bedspreads, patterned drapes, a faux plant, and generic white lamps. The dated cream furniture all matches. The rooms are spacious, however, and have huge walk-in closets with a changing bench, safe, and dresser. The bathrooms are big as well with tile floors and showers, large (but dated) marbled vanities, and few toiletries. Every room has its own private balcony or terrace; the rooms on higher floors have great views.

The Junior Suites are more spacious but equally dated, though unlike the Studios they come with dining tables that seat four, living rooms, and kitchens with basic appliances (coffeemakers, toasters, microwaves, dishwashers) but no cookware and limited dishes. Emporio Hotel is a little more money but has slightly nicer decor in its kitchen-equipped suites.

Casa Maya’s Elite Studios and Junior Suites are considerably more upscale, with tile floors, dark wood furniture, granite countertops, modern white bedding, and large, stylish headboards. However, these are only available as time-shares. The Elite floor also has its own lounge and Kids Club.  

The beach and the pool seem to be equally popular at Casa Maya and guests split their time between each. The beach is gorgeous with Cancun’s famous white powdery sand, turquoise blue water, minimal waves, and a shallow entry. However, the nicer loungers and cabanas with red umbrellas are reserved for Elite guests only, making the area feel segregated. Regular guests have older blue loungers and straw umbrellas.

The main pool is large and inviting with a walkover bridge. There is a hot tub area with three separate pools as well as a children’s pool and a sandy play area with a slide and swings. Loungers are set up around the perimeter and on a sunbathing deck. The relaxation pool is located on the left side of the property, away from activity of the main pool. There was no one at the pool on the day of our visit, making the space seem truly quiet and peaceful. There is also a cabana with some hammocks facing the beach set up on one side of the pool. Both pools are heated and are comfortable for swimming, even at night.

Casa Maya has two restaurants and a snack bar. Las Brisas restaurant, located under a large palapa by the beach and pool, offers a buffet for lunch and dinner as well as a pizza station. La Veranda, a large space with two dining rooms, is the breakfast restaurant and is situated off of the lobby. The breakfast buffet is substantial and includes the staples -- such as eggs, yogurts, cereals, and coffee -- along with some nice extras like mashed potatoes, a huge variety of fruit, tacos, ham, sausage, and salsas. There's a snack and cocktail bar, Coco Loco, serving both the beach and pool. 

There is a small spa on-site that offers massages. The hotel also has a gym with treadmills, ellipticals, free weights, and strength machines, as well as tennis courts. The gym, spa, and tennis courts are located by the relaxation pool.