From Desire Pearl to the Desire Mayan Riviera

While in Cancun, staying at the Desire Pearl Resort, we took a day and visited its sister resort, the Desire Maya Riviera (a 20 minute taxi drive away). We were curious if the flavour and vibe were different between the sister resorts and set out to explore. 

Both resorts offer uniquely different facilities and vibes. Here’s our take on the Maya Rivera with comparisons to the Pearl.

Desire Riviera Maya

The first in the franchise of the Desire Resorts, this resort has kept its upscale quality in the service, villa’s and overall experience of Desire sensual. Enter through the lobby to their main courtyard (note: clothing optional begins here, so expect all manners of dress), this is the central meeting spot with cloistered lounge seating, cabana beds for canoodling and the main bar (say hi to CiCi). Follow through the inter-twined villas to the spa (on the left), the soft white powder beach (straight ahead), or to the pool, Jacuzzi and restaurants on the right.

The Desire Riviera hosts about 120 rooms, grouped into villas with garden or ocean-front views ranging from their basic (but beautiful) rooms to suites and penthouses. Some unique additions include Jacuzzi, mirrored ceilings, large joined terraces or private balconies. All are sensually inviting (costs per week are posted about $1200+ USD pp).

Please note that although Desire Maya Riviera is (by comparison to the newer Pearl) an older resort, the vibe is spicier. With a patron return rate of 70%, there’s a deeper connection with the community and staff and activities are more intimate. Openness and new guests are always welcome in the circle, but with familiarity and return happiness, spice is nice!

The spa at Desire Maya Riviera

The Desire Maya spa is built in a very large palapa with vaulted ceilings that seem to go on forever. Four jasmine-infused couple massage rooms (or adjusted for solo massage) invite relaxation and opening up your senses to the couple time to follow.

While hosting a broad spectrum of massages, the most popular is the couples side by side massage (this is available at both sister resorts). These couples’ massages include a 50 minute massage together, 15 minutes of private, quiet time together and a 30 minute Jacuzzi soak. Choose from their chocolate (oh my!) massage, the sensual massage (oh my-er!), or if you’re daring, escape with their very popular erotic massage (note here, touch becomes very intimate, but we’re told no happy endings are delivered – that’s for you and your partner in your private time). Spa amenities include a hot dry sauna, steam room, standard change rooms, lockers and workout facilities.

Choice – Poolside or rooftop Jacuzzi?

While the Desire Riviera Maya is larger in room capacity and size, its pool and Jacuzzi areas are smaller than the Desire Pearl. All clothing-optional, still divinely beautiful with a beachside ocean view, lounge chairs, beach beds and a bar, relaxation and escape are easily found at the seaside pool.

Unique to the Riviera Maya is the rooftop jacuzzi pool. It seats about 20 comfortably, but this area allows full-on sexual interaction if desired. When we visited, about 40 were happily in the Jacuzzi and swim up bar.

If you haven’t determined the spiciness of the resorts sexual potential, be forewarned. Beginning with the clothing-optional and various states of undress, as you wander the resort you will encounter the entire spectrum of couples at play (insert full-on sexual activity). Technically allowed only in the Jacuzzi and Play room, Desire Resorts are designed to stimulate desire in couples and spark passion. If this is what you are seeking, Desire delivers the conditions for you to explore each other.

Hungry yet? Thirsty?

With food and drink flowing 24 hours a day, satisfy your appetite when the mood hits. Mid-meal buffets and snacks fill in the gaps at the selection of bars across the property between the seatings at the main restaurants. Between Suki – Asian fine dining, Il Piacere – international gourmet, El Arrafice – thematic dinners and buffets or Tentazione – bar restaurant there’s no shortage of selection to choose from. Clothing is mandatory here, so dressing up adds some fun to your experience (especially on the sexy theme nights).

Disco and Sin Room

Desire Maya eclipses the more intimate Pearl in both the size of their disco and the Sin Room. Because the population is larger and the crowd more made up of regulars, both the disco and the sin room are in high demand and activity lasts much later into the evening. The disco hosts a coloured lighted floor and large screen panels project the disco/rock to enhance the vibe while bodies move and groove to the music.

Add one of the themes to the night and spice is awakened. Please note that you’ll encounter the entire spectrum from intimate touching through to full-on sexual congress as you explore and attend the disco and Sin Room. Fun, but not for the faint of body, just entering the Sin Room earns you a gold star, staying for 5 minutes … the badge of curious courage!

We found many couples experience both resorts – either staying 3 or 4 nights in each or catching a 20 minute taxi ($15 like we did) between the resorts as you have full open access to both properties once checked in.

To check out what Desire Resorts are all about … the naughty, the play, the awesome facilities … check out their many channels ~ Desire Facebook, Desire on Twitter, Desire on Instagram, Desire promotions, Desire on Youtube, Desire Pearl on TripAdvisor … desire everywhere!

If you're teased with the idea of sensual play in a luxurious playground but love to cruise naked on the high seas, consider one of Desire's upcoming cruises:

• South American Cruise, Rio De Janeiro, December 2022
• Venice - Rome, May 2023
• Greek Islands, August 2023
• Rio De Janeiro, December 2023
• French Riviera, May 2024
• Greece - Turkey, September 2024

Excited yet? Then click through the 5 other reviews of our personal experience while visiting the Desire Resorts – Pearl & Riviera Maya:

• Exploring boundaries at naughty Caribbean resorts
• 7 Sinful Indulgences at Desires Pearl Resort
• Review of the Desire Pearl Resort
• Desire Resorts Satisfy the Physical & Emotional
• the Reawakening of Temptation

Have you stayed at or explored the Desire Resorts in Cancun – either the Pearl or the Maya Riviera? We’d love to hear your comments. Connect with us on Twitter or Facebook …

To comply with the long list of regulating bodies, possibly even Geneva Conventions and in the interest of transparency, our trip to Cancun was sponsored. Commentary and perspectives are those of GoGirlfriend.