Resetting Expectations at Hotel XCaret

Stephanie Fluger
3 days ago
5 min read

Good Morning!

Yesterday was interesting, but it’s a brand-new vacation—and this is supposed to be the #1 luxury service resort in the entire country. So I decided to reset and enjoy the vacation. Maybe last night was just a hard night: too many angry guests, too many late check-ins. I’ve been there. In a past life, I worked front desk and concierge at Disney’s Grand Californian. I know how these nights go.

So I made a choice. I wasn’t going to miss out on fun just to complain. We’d do the day, and I’d circle back to the front desk later.

Morning Reality Check

At 8:00 a.m. EST (5:00 a.m. PST), our kids were up and ready. We headed to the buffet for breakfast. There was a huge line, but credit where it’s due—they ran it efficiently. We waited maybe 15–20 minutes.

Picture a cruise-line buffet. Nothing special. Food is fine. Acceptable. What stood out were the staff bussing tables—excessively kind and genuinely trying to help wherever they could.

Neil ate five bites of eggs. Deena ate two mini pancakes with syrup.

That’s a win. Full stop.

My husband and I grabbed a basic breakfast. There were some Mexican options, but overall it leaned very American. I should have taken more buffet photos, but you know how it is with kids—shovel it in before you lose them. I managed four sips of coffee. The kids had both my phone and my husband’s phone, so food photography was not happening.

Understanding the Resort (Because Context Matters)

We’re staying at Hotel Xcaret Mexico, the family property. It’s made up of 10 “Casas,” each with roughly 180 rooms, and each Casa has some combination of a pool, bar, and food option.

There are about nine places to eat on property—six require reservations.

We booked this trip 11 days before leaving. Zero reservations available. That was fine. Our kids aren’t eating at the upscale restaurants anyway, and it’s not like I can bring in Chipotle.

The grounds, though? Unreal.

The resort has two phases: Phase 1, open for about eight years, and Phase 2—brand new—where we stayed. Phase 2 has the bigger tube waterslides, so we spent most of our time there. Photos truly do not do it justice—rocks, vines, waterfalls everywhere. It’s stunning. I’m obsessed.

That said… I started to get the feeling it was designed primarily for influencers to take photos.

Anyway. Moving on.

When you stay at Hotel Xcaret, everything is all-inclusive: food, drinks, activities, and access to the parks. That’s the real draw. Think Disney World—but instead of Magic Kingdom, you have Xcaret Park, Xplor, Xel-Há, Xenotes, Xenses, and more. That’s why we stayed here and not at another all-inclusive.

Xcaret Park: The Part That Actually Worked

We blocked off Days 1 and 2 for Xcaret Park, the largest of the parks with a little bit of everything. I was nervous. Holiday crowds plus cave swimming felt like a recipe for getting kicked in the face by another swimmer (not my kids—because that’s a guarantee regardless).

Surprisingly? It wasn’t bad at all.

Not Disneyland-holiday-level busy. A little congested getting into the water, but manageable. The water was chilly—not wetsuit cold, but enough to ease in slowly.

For neurodivergent kids, temperature shifts can be a real sensory hurdle. Cold water can feel physically jarring, not just uncomfortable. For Neil, novelty tends to outweigh discomfort, so once he was in, he adjusted.

What stood out most was safety.

Lifeguards weren’t passive—they were active, in the water, swimming alongside guests, enforcing rules immediately. Life jackets were mandatory. No exceptions.

Once in the water, you lose footing fast—it’s at least six feet deep. We floated for about 30 minutes through cave rivers (with real bats), mangroves, and open channels. The crowds thinned, and it was honestly one of the most beautiful experiences I’ve ever had.

We also explored natural pools, snorkeling in a bay, the butterfly garden, and saw endless animals—macaws everywhere. Each trip, the kids get one toy. Just one. Neil chose a stuffed macaw and spent the rest of the day proudly showing it to the real macaws. It was hysterical.

On Day 2, we added the dolphin swim. Being in the water with such an incredible animal was special—especially floating while the dolphin swam by and letting us pet her.

The rest? Standing on a platform posing for photos.

I don’t love experiences built primarily for Instagram. I want to actually experience the thing. Dolphin add-on

(not included): 5/10.

The Neurodivergent Layer (What Was Actually Happening)

The morning of Day 1, Neil struggled getting ready for the shuttle. That one was on me.

Normally, we prepare him by watching videos beforehand—showing what the day will look like, what comes first, what comes next. Predictability helps his brain organize the experience before it happens. I forgot this time.

So when we lined up for the shuttle, Neil said he was “bored.” He wasn’t bored.

What was actually happening was anticipatory anxiety. His brain saw the pools outside our room—familiar, regulating, immediately accessible—and couldn’t reconcile why we were walking away from them toward something unknown.

Without a mental preview, his nervous system defaulted to this doesn’t feel safe yet.

Inside the park, the rope bridges were another challenge.

Neurotypical adults see rope bridges as fun. For Neil, they’re destabilizing. The ground moves unpredictably. Other people’s footsteps create unexpected motion. His vestibular system is working overtime to keep him upright and oriented.

We moved slowly. We paused. We let his body recalibrate.

When we returned to the hotel and went straight to the pool, everything reset. Water regulates his nervous system in a way nothing else does. His body finally exhaled.

And honestly? The kids had the best time.

Round II: Guest Services

After the kids went to bed, I went to the front desk with a list.

1. Wrong room setup

The kids were settled. I wasn’t moving them unless it was a significant upgrade. Switching rooms “just because” isn’t neutral for ND kids—it’s disruptive once they’re regulated.The response? Essentially laughter. Nothing available.

2. The microwave

I can’t feed my kids pizza for every meal. That’s when I learned there are only five microwaves on the entire property—and they’re “subject to availability.”None were available. Shocking.

This is where I got livid. Looks like my kids are eating pizza for breakfast, lunch, and dinner for eight days.

Cool.

Mother of the year.

3. Overall customer service

I addressed the lack of ownership, follow-through, and communication. The answer? I’d need to wait for the guest services manager.

He gave me his WhatsApp number. It was worthless.

The only thing he helped with was a late checkout on our last day.

Gee. Thanks.

Back at the front desk.

Where I Landed

By the end of Day 3, I stopped expecting luxury service.

Not angrily. Realistically.

I stopped engaging unless absolutely necessary and focused on what actually worked: the grounds, the water, and my family.

That decision saved the trip.

It shouldn’t have been necessary—but it was.