St. Regis Kanai Riviera Maya Review: Worth the Points?

A beachfront resort near Playa del Carmen with mangrove boardwalks, multiple pools and rooms with private plunge pools. Our review covers the rooms, dining, beach, service and booking with Marriott points or a free night certificate.

Written by: Sebastian Fung|Last updated: October 30, 2026

Sebby on an elevated boardwalk above the mangroves at The St. Regis Kanai Resort, Riviera Maya.

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We liked the room, pools and beach at The St. Regis Kanai Resort, Riviera Maya. Service was disappointing. We stayed for one night in late October, during shoulder season, and received a complimentary upgrade to a Grand Deluxe room with a plunge pool.

The resort is near Playa del Carmen on Mexico’s Caribbean coast. Curved buildings and elevated boardwalks sit above the mangroves. Our room overlooked the mangroves and was quiet. We had plenty of loungers and could swim at the beach.

St. Regis Kanai Riviera Maya at a glance

Detail	Our stay
Location	Kanai, near Playa del Carmen in Mexico’s Riviera Maya; we arrived through Cancún International Airport (CUN).
Stay	One night in late October, during shoulder season, for two guests.
How we booked	One 85,000-point Marriott Free Night Award plus 25,000 Marriott Bonvoy points.
Cash rate for our dates	$803 per night, plus taxes and fees.
Status	Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite through the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card.
Room	Base Deluxe ocean-view room with terrace booked; complimentary Grand Deluxe plunge pool upgrade received.
Breakfast	Buffet selected as our Platinum Elite welcome amenity.
Dinner	Toro; the short rib tacos were our favorite.
Pools and beach	Both 10/10 during our visit, with plenty of loungers and swimmable water.
Main drawback	Service was the weakest of our St. Regis, Waldorf and Conrad stays on this trip.

How we booked: an 85,000-point certificate plus 25,000 points

We used an 85,000-point Free Night Award from the Bonvoy Brilliant Card and added 25,000 Marriott Bonvoy points to book a base Deluxe room for two guests. We paid no additional hotel fees on the award stay. Dining beyond our included breakfast and transportation were separate expenses.

For our dates, Marriott showed a 110,000-point redemption and an $803 flexible nightly cash rate, plus taxes and fees.

Marriott booking screenshot showing Deluxe ocean-view rooms at 110,000 points per stay, a Cash and Points option of $450 plus 55,000 points and an $803 USD flexible nightly rate. — A sample Marriott search showed 110,000 points per stay and an $803 flexible nightly rate. Compare the dates, room and rate conditions before booking.

Check Marriott rates and award availability for your dates. Upgrades depend on availability.

How the Bonvoy Brilliant Free Night Award works

The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card provides one Free Night Award each year after the Card renewal month, valid for an eligible night costing up to 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy points. It also provides complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite status.

You can add up to 25,000 Marriott Bonvoy points to a Free Night Award. Check the certificate’s expiration date and eligible standard-room availability. Some hotels charge resort fees on award stays; we paid no additional hotel fees on this visit.

Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.

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Our St. Regis Kanai Riviera Maya scorecard

Our six rated categories average 8.6 out of 10. Each category counts equally. These ratings are from our one-night stay during shoulder season.

Category	Score	Why
Service	6.5/10	No prearrival transportation outreach or in-person butler introduction. We carried our own luggage down the stairs at checkout, and the bell team did not offer water.
Room	9/10	A quiet, open-concept Grand Deluxe room with a plunge pool and mangrove view. The closet lighting was frustrating.
Breakfast	8/10	Buffet with an indoor egg station and an outdoor Mexican station for made-to-order quesadillas and coffee.
Dinner	8/10	Toro’s starters stood out more than the mains. The short rib tacos were the highlight.
Pools	10/10	Several pool areas, plenty of loungers and room to spread out during our visit.
Beach	10/10	We could swim during our stay.
Drinks	Not scored	No separate drinks rating.
Spa	Not scored	No spa facilities or treatment rating.

St. Regis Kanai architecture: Maya culture and the Pleiades

Architect Michael Edmonds drew on Maya cosmology, including its three realms: the earthly world, the underworld and the celestial world. He based the layout on the Pleiades, also known as the Seven Sisters, a star cluster in Taurus. In his interpretation of Maya tradition, the stars represent a celestial birthplace.

The circular forms represent individual stars, with the buildings arranged to echo the cluster’s pattern. Elevated teak boardwalks connect the buildings above the mangroves, while raised foundations allow water to continue flowing through the forest below. White screens along the corridors filter sunlight into star-like shadows and glow after dark.

Chapi Chapo Design brought references to Maya art and ceremonial dress into the interiors through limestone, walnut and layered textiles. In the rooms, those details include carved walnut headboards, ceramic pendants and hanging mirrors.

If you enjoy hotel architecture, I would consider a stay here.

Curved white buildings and elevated boardwalks above the mangroves at St. Regis Kanai, with the ocean in the distance. — The resort buildings curve around the mangroves.

Sebby beside the open staircase and greenery in the St. Regis Kanai lobby. — The open lobby and staircase.

Airport transfer: our $120 taxi

The concierge never reached out before our stay to discuss transportation or explain what to expect at the airport. We ended up paying $120 for a taxi from Cancún International Airport to the resort. Being approached and pressured by taxi drivers made the arrival stressful.

Next time, I would book a ride before landing and confirm the price and pickup instructions. I would not count on Uber at the airport. Compare the hotel’s current transfer quote with other prebooked options.

Two wooden cups of welcome drinks at The St. Regis Kanai Resort, Riviera Maya. — Welcome drinks at arrival.

Butler and concierge service

We’ve stayed at a handful of St. Regis properties around the world and usually meet our butler in person. Here, we were added to a group chat and never met the butler.

Morning coffee service from 7 to 11 a.m. and pressing for two items were included during our stay. We didn’t use either.

Departure was frustrating, too. No one offered to help with checkout or sent anyone to collect our luggage. We had to carry our bags from the room down the stairs to the lobby ourselves. The bell team also did not offer water when we left. I gave service a 6.5 out of 10. We had better service at both the Waldorf and Conrad on this trip.

Friends who stayed here had very attentive butler service, so your experience may vary.

Grand Deluxe room: a plunge pool and quiet mangrove view

We received a complimentary upgrade from the base room to a Grand Deluxe room with a plunge pool. The open-concept layout felt spacious, and the view was over the mangroves. We did not notice noise during our stay.

I rated the room 9 out of 10. The closet light was frustrating: I could not find a way to keep it consistently on.

Grand Deluxe room at St. Regis Kanai with a bed, armchairs and glass doors opening toward the terrace. — Inside our Grand Deluxe room.

Stone vanity and round illuminated mirror in the bathroom of our St. Regis Kanai room. — The bathroom vanity.

Freestanding white bathtub and glass shower enclosure in our St. Regis Kanai bathroom. — The bathtub and shower.

The private terrace and plunge pool

Our terrace had seating and a private plunge pool overlooking the mangroves.

Sebby seated in the private plunge pool outside the Grand Deluxe room at St. Regis Kanai. — The Grand Deluxe terrace and plunge pool.

Sebby at the edge of the Grand Deluxe plunge pool overlooking mangroves at St. Regis Kanai. — The plunge pool looks out over the mangroves.

Coffee setup and room amenities

Coffee machine, tea service and minibar cabinet in our St. Regis Kanai room. — The in-room coffee and minibar setup.

Box of assorted chocolates arranged over cacao beans in our St. Regis Kanai room. — Chocolates in the room.

Breakfast: our Platinum Elite welcome amenity

We chose breakfast as our Platinum Elite welcome amenity. The buffet had an egg station inside, plus an outdoor Mexican food station with made-to-order quesadillas and Mexican coffee.

I rated breakfast 8 out of 10. Ask about the breakfast option when choosing your welcome amenity at check-in.

Dinner at Toro: order the short rib tacos

Toro is chef Richard Sandoval’s Latin American restaurant, with ceviche and sushi on the menu. We preferred the starters to the mains. The short rib tacos were our favorite dish.

We also ordered tuna chicharrón, lomo saltado and shrimp and crab enchiladas. The tuna came with guacamole and salsas. I rated dinner 8 out of 10.

Sebby seated at Toro at St. Regis Kanai with tacos and shared starters on the table. — Dinner at Toro.

Shared starter platter and three tacos on the table at Toro at St. Regis Kanai. — Shared starters and tacos at Toro.

Lomo saltado with beef, vegetables and garnishes at Toro at St. Regis Kanai. — Lomo saltado at Toro.

Shrimp and crab enchiladas with Oaxaca cheese and red sauce at Toro at St. Regis Kanai. — Shrimp and crab enchiladas at Toro.

What our Toro dinner cost

Item	Price on our check (Mexican pesos)
Tuna chicharrón	610
Short rib tacos	905
Lomo saltado	1,245
Shrimp and crab enchiladas	866
Mineral water	180
Total before the added tip	3,806

Our check totaled 3,806 Mexican pesos, including 16% tax. Tip was extra.

Champagne sabering: the St. Regis Evening Ritual

Champagne sabering, also called sabrage, is the St. Regis Evening Ritual, celebrated at St. Regis hotels and resorts around the world. It marks the transition from day to evening, with a member of the team opening a bottle of champagne with a saber.

The St. Regis tradition dates to 1904, when founder John Jacob Astor IV had a bottle sabered each evening at the original St. Regis New York. It draws on the Napoleonic-era custom of opening champagne with a saber to celebrate.

At Kanai, the ceremony is called Sunset Sabrage. The sword in our photo is used for the ritual at the bar. Check with the team for the time during your stay.

Champagne sabering sword displayed at the bar at St. Regis Kanai, with geometric wood and stone wall panels behind it. — The sword used for St. Regis’ traditional champagne sabering ritual at the bar.

Other dining options at St. Regis Kanai

Other venues include Chaya for breakfast and dinner, Riviera for a beachfront lunch, The St. Regis Bar for evening drinks, Jack’s Club for American bar food and sports, The Library for chocolate and afternoon tea and Pik Nik for grab-and-go food. Jack’s Club is an adults-only venue. Our dinner rating is based on Toro.

Lounge seating, bookshelves and sculptural pendant lights inside The Library at St. Regis Kanai. — The Library.

Pools: 10/10 and plenty of loungers

The pools were excellent, with plenty of loungers during our shoulder-season stay. I gave the pools a 10 out of 10.

The resort has a Main Pool, Family Pool and Serenity Pool, plus a whirlpool. Jack’s Club also has plunge pools on its outdoor terrace. There are cabanas beside the water; ask staff about current charges and pool age restrictions.

Sebby standing on a stepping-stone walkway through the reflecting pool at St. Regis Kanai, with palms and loungers behind him. — The pool deck and its stepping-stone paths.

Wide view of the blue pool, white loungers and cabanas at St. Regis Kanai. — A wider view of the pool area.

Poolside cabana with cushioned seating and in-water loungers at St. Regis Kanai. — One of the cabanas beside the pool.

Beach: swimmable during our visit

We could swim at the beach during our stay, and I rated it 10 out of 10. Check the warning flags and follow staff guidance before entering the water.

White-sand beach lined with loungers and umbrellas at St. Regis Kanai, with the Caribbean Sea alongside. — The beachfront during our visit.

Gym and neighboring Kanai resorts

The gym has strength machines, free weights and open floor space.

St. Regis Kanai fitness center with strength machines, a dumbbell rack and open floor space. — The fitness center.

Etéreo (Auberge Resorts Collection) and The Riviera Maya EDITION at Kanai are nearby. The photo below is from the EDITION. Check dining reservations and access arrangements with each hotel.

Seating beneath dense hanging greenery inside the neighboring Riviera Maya EDITION at Kanai. — Inside the neighboring Riviera Maya EDITION at Kanai.

St. Regis Kanai vs. Waldorf Astoria and Conrad Tulum

I would consider St. Regis Kanai for the architecture, pools and beach. Our Grand Deluxe room was very good. I preferred the service at the Waldorf and Conrad during this trip.

I’d choose the Waldorf Astoria Riviera Maya for an all-inclusive stay. Its food was more consistent, and the staff were more attentive on our trip. The Conrad felt more like a tropical beach getaway, with an open-air layout. Food varied by restaurant.

St. Regis Kanai Riviera Maya FAQ

Can an 85,000-point Marriott certificate book St. Regis Kanai?

Yes. We used an 85,000-point certificate plus 25,000 Marriott Bonvoy points to book a 110,000-point base room. Check your certificate’s expiration date and award availability.

How many points did St. Regis Kanai cost?

Our base room was 110,000 Marriott Bonvoy points for one night. Award prices vary by date.

Did the award booking include breakfast and other meals?

The certificate and points covered the room. We chose breakfast as our Platinum Elite welcome amenity and paid separately for dinner at Toro.

What room upgrade did we receive?

We booked a base Deluxe room with an ocean view and terrace and received a complimentary Grand Deluxe room with a plunge pool. Our room overlooked the mangroves.

Can you swim at St. Regis Kanai?

Yes, during our visit. I rated the beach 10 out of 10. Check the warning flags and staff guidance for conditions during your stay.

How was the butler service?

We were added to a group chat and never met the butler in person. I rated service 6.5 out of 10. Friends who stayed here had very attentive butler service, so your experience may vary.

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