Unico 20 87
The Unico 20 87 Hotel review! A gem on the Riviera Maya!
The Unico 20 87 Hotel review! A gem on the Riviera Maya!
Rated 9.0 out of 10 on Expedia.com - with more than 515 reviews!
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Unico 20 87 Features
Swimming Pools
Private Beach
Gym
4 Restaurants
Great Food
Top Shelf Drinks
Nightly Entertainment
Adult Only
I'm just back from a ten night stay at the resort (September 2022) and after experiencing all the hotel has to offer, read the rest of the blog for my thoughts on this magical place on the Riviera Maya!
The main entrance area into Bar Balam and restaurants
When it comes to picking a hotel for your next holiday to the Riviera Maya in Mexico, you have plenty of choices. But if you're looking for something truly special, the Unico 20 87 hotel is the resort to go for! With its unique design and deluxe facilities, this hotel is sure to make your holiday one you'll never forget!
The hotel is located in the stretch between the towns of Tulum and Playa Del Carmen, making it easy to explore what these popular towns has to offer. And when you're ready to relax, the hotel has everything you need to make your stay a pleasure.
The hotel's rooms are spacious, with all you need and expect in this standard of resort. And if you're looking for a little extra luxury, the suites at the Unico 20 87 are sure to please. With their large size and private balconies, these suites offer the perfect place to unwind after a long day of sightseeing.
The Unico 20 87 hotel also features four on-site restaurants, which serves up tasty international fare. And if you're looking for a place to celebrate a special occasion, the hotel's banquet facilities are there for you every step of the way. With a stylish setting and attentive staff, it's the perfect place to host a reception or other important life event.
Unico 20 87: This hotel should be your next holiday destination!
Location
The Riviera Maya is a beautiful stretch of coastline that runs for 80 miles from Puerto Morelos to Tulum. The beaches in most resorts are pristine and the weather is perfect for most of the year. The area has been a haven for tourists over the years, and with many excellent hotels found here, choosing Unico 20 87 for me was based on the positive reviews the hotel gets and the high quality of service the it's known for.
The hotel is around an hour's drive from Cancun airport and about 30 mins past the town of Playa Del Carmen. The town itself is well worth a visit with plenty of bars, restaurants and shops - many of which remain open until late into the night. However, it's not just Playa Del Carmen that offers a great nightlife; Tulum is well known for this too and is found only 28 miles away to the south!
One of the main benefits of staying in a hotel in this region is that you're spoilt for choice when it comes to things to do. Aside from swimming, sunbathing and enjoying cocktails on the beach, you can take trips to explore some of Mexico's ancient ruins such as Chichen Itza or Tulum, go zip-lining through the rainforest canopy, take a tour on a catamaran or even swim with dolphins! With something to suit everyone, it's easy to see why this part of Mexico is so popular with holidaymakers.
Pool area
Bar Balam with artwork on display
The Resort
Walkway to beach
After initially being greeted at reception with a lovely cucumber mocktail, we were given a tour of the resort by our concierge. The resort is relatively small and easy to get around and after a day or two, you know exactly where everything is located. The reception area and main bar called 'Bar Balam', will be your first interaction with the hotel. Stretching left and right from this area in the main building are 3 of the restaurants, shopping area, entertainment hall, gym and spa.
Having most of the hotel facilities located in the main building is one of the reasons that this hotel is so easy to get acquainted with and it ensures that most of the holiday makers are in the same area in the evening which brings a bit of atmosphere to the place. The resort has many pieces of artwork throughout the hotel which is something I've never seen before but it brought with it an upmarket feel and it was interesting to read about the local artists that have created some of the masterpieces on show.
There are 3 pools at the resort and a private beach. Poolside you'll find a few bars where you can drink till your heart's content and grab some food including taco's, burgers, pizza and the usual quick eat options. Most of the hotel's Alcoba Ocean Front and Alcoba Swim Up rooms face onto the pool area and give good views out to the Caribbean Sea.
Some of the pictures online don't do this resort justice as it was one of the cleanest and well-maintained resorts that I'd ever been to (and I've been to a fair few in my lifetime travelling!). If you're looking for somewhere that isn't too large, has a good vibe and is easy to get around, you'll love it here!
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Alcoba Ocean View Room
Alcoba Oceon View room with balcony and hot tub
The Alcoba Ocean View Room was spacious and had a partial view of the ocean (if ocean views are a must for you, try and book one of the suites of the Alcoba Ocean Front options).
The room consisted of the usual items you'd expect at this grade of hotel including a hairdryer, iron, mini-bar and dressing gowns to name a few. You also get a pillow menu to choose a pillow more suited to your needs if the ones supplied aren't suitable. The bed was very comfortable and with USB ports on each bedside cabinet, it was easy to charge phones and other electronics.
Our balcony had a hydro spa tub (which is standard in all room types except the swim up options) and a lounge chair which was perfect for a bit of relaxation after a day in the sun.
Local Host
One of the unique things about Unico 20 87 is that you are given a host at check-in who will cater to all your needs during your stay.
They will book restaurant times, excursions, cabana and spa reservations, assist with laundry services, prepare your hydro spa tub and even clean your shoes and iron your clothes for you!
Our host was Fernando who we only used for booking restaurant times but was always on hand. Contact is made via WhatsApp and they give you a message every day to check up on you and ask if you're needing any help for the day. A nice service from the hotel and is something that we found of great benefit.
Pool Areas and The Beach
The beach area
The pool areas at the hotel are well kept and easy to relax at during the hot daylight hours. The main pool has more of a vibe to it than the quieter pools and on a Monday, Wednesday and Saturday, a DJ plays in the afternoon giving the hotel a slight Ibiza feel!
There are also several comfortable loungers and parasols for guests who want to soak up some sun, as well as a swim up bar serving refreshing drinks (which are all made with top shelf liquor and of a good standard for an all inclusive package). The only days we found you had to be quick to get a sun lounger here was at the weekends when the hotel capacity increased with events and weekend holiday makers flying in mostly from North America.
The quieter pools were perfect for the days were more shade and chilled time was required (usually after being burnt the day before!). At all pools we had our drinks constantly replaced by the pool side servers and hardly ever had to walk to the bars ourselves to collect.
All pools at Unico 20 87 have a black base which actually looks quite nice under the water but an added bonus is that the pools never end up too cold. On the really hot days we found the pools to have a slightly warm temperature that still kept us cool in the sun, but also made it easy to relax in with a drink for longer than I'd usually spend in the pool.
The hotel were carrying out renovations to the beach area during our stay and they seemed to be constantly removing sea weed from the water's edge. Due to this we never spent any time here but did take a few photos.
Gym and Spa
The gym with plenty of equipment available
The gym at the Unico 20 87 hotel is top-notch. It has all the latest equipment, and the staff are super helpful and knowledgeable. They make sure you have everything you need to reach your fitness goals.
The gym is always clean and well-maintained, and it's a great place to work out. I was in the gym every day around 7am and the place was quiet with only a couple of other people in most times. There were many cardio machines, weight machines, free weights, smith machine, pull-down machines and an area for spin class and ab-training. I never used them but you can hire a personal trainer to help you during your stay if this is how you prefer to work out (and burn off all the amazing food and drink you'll consume!).
I've heard the spa is highly rated and I think there is a way you can access free treatments via the hotel and their 'timeshare programs' but we decided not to use this offer.
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The Food
Sushi platter at Mura House restaurant
The Unico 20 87 hotel is known for its delicious food. The menu features a lots of dishes from around the world, including Mexican, Italian, and Asian cuisine. The chefs are experts at preparing flavorful dishes that will satisfy even the most discerning palate. There were 4 restaurants on site which allowed us to try each restaurant twice in the evening, giving us a chance to go through the menu and try different dishes each time. We have stayed in many all inclusive resorts globally and the standard of food at this hotel was right up there with the best we have ever experienced.
All restaurants in the evening and at lunch are 'à la carte' with the only buffet option available in the Unico restaurant at breakfast. I found the Mexican restaurant 'Cueva Siete' to be the best with their main speciality dish of beef with a creamy cheese sauce an absolute delight! Not on the menu but an experience/drink you must try is their famous 'fire coffee'. A strong coffee with Kaluha liquor and a dollop of cream was a nice way to finish off our meal every time we visited this restaurant.
The breakfast buffet had the usual options of fresh fruit, yoghurts, pastries and other continental options. There were plenty of choices for hot food and there were a couple of chefs to make omelettes and eggs in any way requested.
Overall we enjoyed just about every dish that we tried with the odd couple of dishes being tasty without being anything special. The dishes aren't the largest but with the hotel being all inclusive, you can order as much as you want off the menu. We found the food to be the highlight of this hotel and we recommend Unico 20 87 if you value the food on your holidays.
Entertainment
There are a variety of different shows that take place each night, and guests are sure to find something that they will enjoy. The shows range from musical performances to dance lessons with something for everyone. The entertainment staff is very talented and put on a great show each night. The shows are usually followed by a DJ set in the Palmera Lounge where guests can dance the night away till around 1am.
There are a few bars on site with the main bar 'Bar Balam', busy throughout the night with nightly musicians playing each evening. Guests can enjoy plenty of drinks with each bar and restaurant having their own mixology menu. The wine and astronomy night was something different with the chance of viewing the rings of Saturn through a telescope while sipping a pinot grigio!
Value For Money
Was the holiday cost worth it? It's a usual question that's asked after spending a reasonable amount on a trip to Mexico (including our flights from the United Kingdom) for ten days and I'd say for this hotel, the answer is a resounding 'Yes!'. We got the weather, the food, the atmosphere, the luxury surroundings and when all boxes are ticked like that, there's no regrets on the price paid!
Unico 20 87 FAQ's
The hotel offers a wide range of activities and services to its guests, though charges may apply. These include a spa and wellness centre, fitness centre, hot tub/jacuzzi, sauna, massage, billiards, snorkelling, beachfront access, walking tours, live music/performances, and water sport facilities on site.
Additionally, the resort offers themed dinner nights, beauty services, bike tours, swimming pool, and tours or classes about local culture. Guests can enjoy facial treatments, waxing services, make-up services, hair treatments, haircuts, hair colouring, hair styling, body treatments, body scrub, and body wrap. Spa facilities such as the steam room, private beach area, spa lounge/relaxation area, and spa/wellness packages are also available. Fitness enthusiasts can take advantage of yoga and fitness classes.
There are two options of room which is a double or a suite. The double room options have swim up rooms and ocean view/partial ocean view available.
UNICO 20°N 87°W offers guests five distinct dining options to choose from. Start your culinary journey at Mi Carisa, where you can indulge in bold and flavourful Italian cuisine. For a quick bite or a refreshing drink, head to Inez Cafe, which offers a variety of light fare, coffee and fresh juices. Mura House offers a Japanese-inspired menu, featuring dishes like sushi, sashimi, and teppanyaki. For a taste of traditional Mexican cuisine, Cueva Siete is the perfect spot, with its vibrant atmosphere and delicious dishes made from local ingredients. Finally, 20°87° Restaurant offers a fusion of international flavors, with a focus on Caribbean and Mexican cuisine, served in a beautiful setting overlooking the ocean.
Check in is from 1500 hrs, and check-out is until 1200 hrs.
Conclusion
Overall, we had an amazing time at Unico 20 87. The food was some of the best we've ever had on a holiday and the entertainment staff put on a great show each night. We would highly recommend this hotel to anyone looking for an all inclusive resort with great food and a chilled vibe. To top off our trip, the service we had throughout our stay was excellent from our local host, the waiters and waitresses who served us each night in the restaurants and to the pool staff who attended to us each day with a smile and a conversation every now and then. If you book this hotel for your next getaway, I'm sure you won't be disappointed!
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